Superintendent is hoping to put together a group of 40 to 50 people educators, parents, students, community leaders and members of the community at large to help with the revision.
By Ruth Luse
Hopewell Valley Regional School District officials are seeking volunteers to help review and revise the district’s long-range strategic plan.
Based on business models and developed with community input during the 1999-2000 school year, the plan was designed to be a blueprint for action, outlining clear goals and specific strategies for reaching them. The plan also produced a district mission statement and a set of seven belief statements.
When the document was drafted four years ago, officials had collected data in several ways, including town meetings, where attendees were polled about community values and their definitions of school excellence. Bristol Myers-Squibb contributed a $25,000 grant for the effort, part of which was used to hire educator Dr. Harris Sokoloff of the University of Pennsylvania to help facilitate the meetings.
Calling it a "document (that) continues to serve us well," Superintendent Nick Lorenzetti said it was nonetheless time to revise it, noting "the inevitable passage of time and the concurrent changes which have occurred in legislation, student populations, programs and facilities." Mr. Lorenzetti reached his decision following a retreat with members of the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education this fall.
Mr. Lorenzetti is hoping to put together a group of 40 to 50 people educators, parents, students, community leaders and members of the community at large to help with the revision.
There will be an orientation session on Jan. 23 from 5-8 p.m. and on Jan. 24 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Four additional meetings (one a month from February through May) will be held from 5-8:30 p.m. Participants may do a limited amount of reading and editing and participate in some conference calls.
Those interested should volunteer no later than Jan. 7. Application can be made online, via the district Web site, or by calling 737-4000 ext.2100.