Berkeley Heights to run three-part strategic-planning process with NJSBA; community meetings planned

The Berkeley Heights Board of Education heard on May 1 that New Jersey School Boards Association will facilitate a three-part strategic planning process designed to gather community input and produce five-year aspirational goals.

"Strategic plan is really an opportunity to create that organization wide vision that's shared," Jean Cleary said, describing small-group exercises, a state-of-the-schools presentation by the superintendent, and three public sessions generally spaced a month apart.

Cleary recommended a preplanning meeting in June to set logistics, then three community meetings (one in September, one in October, one in November) with the final work turned over to the superintendent and administration so action plans can be prepared by February. She stressed that these special meetings are informational only and "no other action is taken." Cleary also advised extensive outreach and marketing to attract diverse participation and suggested limiting the first meeting to about two hours to encourage repeat attendance.

During public comment, resident John Maguire urged the board to link the strategic plan to concrete, measurable academic goals: "I'd like to see aggressive, measurable goals connected to proficiencies in science, in English, in math," he said, and asked that district resources be prioritized for academic improvement.

Board members discussed logistics (venues, preregistration, invitations to community groups including neighboring Mountainside) and whether ongoing committees would be replaced or work with the NJSBA's approach. Cleary said the NJSBA process is designed to be inclusive and to minimize district administrative burden while yielding an outcomes report for the website.

No board action was taken at the meeting; the presentation was informational and the board requested further calendar-setting and preplanning.