Editors Note: the story was updated on October 17, 2023
The ability for a school district to collaborate, share and communicate short and long term goals is a critical part of moving plans forward in line with a vision, mission and values, according to Envisio.com.
School superintendents benefit from a well communicated and executed plan that keeps everyone informed on their strategic goals, and how their actions are contributing to the achievements of these goals. This enables parents, staff, community members and stakeholders to work towards a common vision, Envisio reported. Envisio is a website that offers strategies designed “to build trust… between organizational leaders, their staff, and their external stakeholders.”
Strategic planning in education provides a framework so that the most important priority of the school – students education achievement – is taken care of.
As I near my First 100 Days as the Superintendent of the Florida Union Free District, I am excited, confident and committed about kicking off our strategic plan for the future. That is greatly due to the close collaboration with district officials, faculty, staff, parents and our community members. At Florida, we have created a culture of excellence, and to empower our students to reach their highest potential.
Sound planning and communication helps ensure that stakeholders, including parents, teachers, administrators, principals, board members and the greater community are all striving for the same overall vision.
Superintendents have to do the legwork to build trust to understand and appreciate the community outside of school walls, share a vision and understand concerns.
Over the last three months I held dozens of meetings with parents, administration and staff and community members; attended over 15 community and school events, engaged with stakeholders and school vendors, visited with local district superintendents, business leaders and local media; hosted “Coffee and Conversations with Superintendent,” and held school safety updates, professional development meetings and a riding bus tour of the district.
Education and learning are changing quickly as a result of shifting societal needs, job demands and technological advancements. Teachers, educational institutions and community stakeholders need to be aware of these changes and adjust when able to new teaching strategies and technologies to ensure that students receive the best education possible.
As Maxine Driscoll reports at ThinkStrategicForSchools.com, there may not be one strategic plan template for schools that will work in all contexts, but there are some things that any school will benefit from considering as part of their plan:
- FUTURE-FOCUSED: Help those involved in strategic planning to be future-focused by sharing resources to inspire them and help them see beyond their current concerns in the lead up to your planning meetings.
- COLLABORATIVE: Get all members of the community – including students! – involved in considering the possibilities and opportunities the school has, and how you can make the most of them.
- ROLLED OUT, REVIEW REGULARLY: Each of these reviews is an opportunity to celebrate short term wins, recommit to the plan, and of course, to revise the plan.
- CONTEXTUAL: The only way to succeed is to align your strategy to the unique challenges and opportunities of your school.
- CONSISTENT: Your school’s strategic plan should be consistent with all other guiding documents and ideals of your school, including any sort of vision, mission statement, values or philosophy.
- SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE: As you approach your planning, keep in mind ways that you can build trust in the community – both within the school community and the broader community – and promote responsibility, respect and accountability.
As we move towards the future, the factors that are changing the education landscape: emphasis on early education, online learning and technology growth in the classroom, will continue to shape the way we teach and learn.
By implementing these frameworks and creating a strategic plan for learning, educational institutions will be able to better prepare students for the future and provide them with the resources they need to be successful in both school and in life.
Dr. Lisamarie Spindler is Superintendent for the Florida UFSD in Florida, New York.
