What is strategic planning?
Strategic planning is a system-wide, long term planning process encompassing all operations and functions of the school system. The process provides a guideline to follow in the development of the action plans the district will implement from year to year to accomplish its long range goals. The strategic planning process is an opportunity for stakeholders in a school system to participate and share their ideas regarding the future direction of the school system. The process looks at the school district’s strengths and weaknesses, the opportunities for the future, and the challenges the district may face as the vision is defined.
Why has North Bellmore embarked on a strategic planning initiative?
The district wants to continually move toward a high level of excellence. To that end, the strategic planning process will define the goals and objectives for the future of the North Bellmore Union Free School District.
Resources of time, money and people are finite and can only go so far. By working with the community to establish this direction, the strategic planning process assures that the proper allocation of North Bellmore’s resources are used to accomplish specific goals. This strategic plan will set the district’s course for the next 5-10 years.
What makes the strategic planning process unique?
Four key elements make the strategic planning process unique.
- First, it is long term. It will set the direction for the district for 5-10 years.
- Second, it can provide for a fundamental change in the way the district operates.
- Third, the planning process affects the whole system: academic, operational, financial and every other aspect that drives the system.
- Fourth, the community vision and the core values of the community are the driving forces that identify the goals of the planning process.
Who was involved in creating our Strategic Plan?
We had over 100 individuals initially involved in the development of our strategic plan. The participants included: instructional staff, non-instructional support staff, parents, community members, retirees in the community, business men and women, grand parents and administrators. From the volunteers, we selected membership for three major functioning teams: Core Planning Team, Measurement Team, and the Action Team. The team’s responsibilities are highlighted below.
Core Planning Team:
This team is responsible for establishing the draft of the Core Values, Mission Statement, Strategic Objectives, Strategies, and Strategic Delimiters. Once they have developed these documents they are presented to the Board of Education for adoption. The core team was selected from nomination forms which were returned to the internal coordinator. The selection of the core team reflects the diversity of the school system and community: teachers, board members, parents, administrators, community members, business owners.
Measurement Team:
The role of the measurement team is to develop tools and protocols for measuring the strategic objectives that were created during the initial meeting of the core planning team. This team is made up of primarily, teachers, parents and administrators.
Action Planning Team:
Action teams are groups of school, staff and community members who are selected to work out specific objectives defined by the core team. Each objective is focused on a specific area of improvement within the school system. They take an in depth look at the area identified and decide on plans of action that will guide the district toward accomplishing the steps outlined by the core planning team.
How has the Strategic Planning process benefited our district and our students?
At the onset of the school year, the administrative team reviewed all the plans developed by the Action Teams and selected several specific goals for the 2007-08 school year and will continue to do so until all strategies have been put into place. The goal areas selected for this year can be found below.
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