Committee narrows approach to setting district goals, favors workshop format

The Lewiston School Committee spent a substantial portion of the April 27 meeting discussing how to set and monitor district goals. Superintendent Jake Legliff presented existing mission, vision and strategic priorities and summarized the comprehensive needs assessments (CNAs) that inform school‑level planning.

Members broadly agreed that dedicating separate time — a workshop, retreat or an extended meeting — would be the most effective way to shape measurable annual goals. Suggestions included: rotating quarterly attention across themes (academic success, expanding student pathways, school safety, attendance, family engagement), emphasizing measurable indicators (graduation rate, reading/math growth, attendance trends), and aligning committee goals with CNAs rather than starting from scratch each year.

Several members cautioned about measurement limits and comparability: Member Elizabeth Eames noted differences in graduation credit requirements across districts (e.g., Lewiston requires 24 credits) and urged care when comparing rates. Member Luke Jensen and others emphasized focusing on actionable objectives (inputs and processes that drive outcomes) rather than only high‑level outcomes the committee cannot directly control. The superintendent suggested the committee could aim for consensus on themes and allow administration to develop specific objectives and measures for committee review.

Committee members agreed to pursue a workshop format (potentially a weeknight or Saturday) and asked administration to provide relevant background documents and comparative data to inform the session. The superintendent indicated he would coordinate timing and return with specific materials and a proposed schedule.