Trenton Board hears NJSBA strategic-planning options, board weighs shorter 3D model and ward-based outreach

On Aug. 11, 2025, the Trenton Board of Education heard a presentation from Mary Ann Freeman, senior field representative for the New Jersey School Boards Association, on options for a five-year strategic plan running through 2031. The presentation outlined two formats — a traditional Friday-night/Saturday weekend model and a shorter, three-session '3D' model — and described how the process produces goals and action plans that the superintendent and administration will convert into implementation steps.The presentation matters because the strategic plan will set districtwide priorities, guide superintendent recommendations and be linked to board agendas so the public can track progress. Freeman told the board that a strategic plan "creates an organizational-wide vision for your mission statement" and helps bring diverse stakeholders — staff, families, students and community partners — into decision-making.Freeman reviewed how the two formats work. The traditional model typically involves a Friday evening and a full Saturday session, plus committee work, and runs over roughly 6–9 months. The 3D model spreads three evening meetings across several months and emphasizes broad community participation via small-group exercises, state-of-the-schools and state-of-the-community committees, visioning activities and goal-area breakout tables. Freeman said the superintendent and administrative team develop final action plans so proposed objectives are realistic and implementable.Board members pressed on how the new plan would relate to the district's existing five goals. Freeman recommended retaining the current goal areas where appropriate and updating action plans rather than discarding prior work, saying that many objectives can be mapped under the same 3–5 goal categories. A board member asked whether the board should do "a whole new strategic plan" or take a "deeper dive" into current goals; Freeman said both approaches are possible and that action plans can pick up from current progress.Cost and credits were discussed. Freeman cited an estimate of $4,500 for the 3D option and $6,500 for the traditional weekend model, both referenced in the meeting packet. She also said the NJSBA would add retroactive credits to help the board maintain master certification: she told members they already had about 1.5 credits, that the superintendent-search work should have generated three credits, and that completing the strategic-plan engagement would add another three credits. "You'll have close to 10 credits by then," she said, referring to the 10-credit requirement in a two-year period for master board certification.Freeman and board members discussed participation and outreach. Several members suggested adapting the 3D model into four neighborhood/ward meetings—one per section of the city—to maximize attendance; another suggested producing short PSAs or videos and sharing them on the district website and social media to improve community understanding and turnout. Freeman said she would work with district staff and the superintendent to draft a modified schedule and provide an updated price if the board chose that approach.No formal vote was taken on a planning model at the meeting. Freeman said she would compile the action-plan materials and return a final report for the board to consider. Chair noted the presentation was informational; the board later recessed to executive session on related goals and planning work, and no policy was adopted in open session.