By Michael Benavides
Staff Writer
PLUMSTED – The members of the Plumsted Township School District Board of Education are in the early stages of creating a strategic plan which could reshape the future direction of the school district.
On Jan. 25, board members and administrators listened to a presentation from Dr. Raymond Bandlow, who introduced the process and a timeline for creating a strategic plan.
Bandlow is an associate professor and director of graduate studies in educational leadership at Gwynedd Mercy University, Gwynedd Valley, Pa.
A school district administrator said he does not believe there has been a strategic plan completed in Plumsted in the past 20 years.
In a Jan. 30 interview, Superintendent of Schools Gerald North said the strategic plan will help map out a plan for the future of the school district.
“The purpose of the strategic plan is to get stakeholders’ input as to the vision, direction and future growth of the district. Once it is developed, the plan will provide a road map for future budgeting, improvements, curriculum and staffing for the district,” North said.
“The process of creating the strategic plan will involve board members, administrators, teachers, non-certified staff, students, parents, community members and local officials.
“There will be four community meetings held in March and April that will coalesce the areas that need to be addressed. The final document will be delivered to the board in June for approval.
“I have not been part of a strategic plan process in Plumsted (and) I do not believe there has been a plan done in the last 20 years. We did a climate and culture survey in late (2016) for staff, students and community members,” North said.
According to Bandlow, the purpose of strategic planning is to provide “a structured opportunity for the board, administration and community to learn more about the state of the community and the state of the school district. Create a vision for the future and goals to make your vision a reality. Strategically direct your resources toward your goals through action plans.”
Bandlow said in order for a strategic plan to be successful it must involve the community.
“It helps give us the purpose and direction we need. It helps us to align our system. It is about involving the community. It cannot just be the board of education’s plan. It cannot be the administrators’ plan. It has to be a plan that has broad support; the critical mass in order to be successful. It also has to identify who is accountable for it and what part of it,” he said.
The first step in the process was the board’s and administration’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis which was conducted at the Jan. 25 meeting.
The purpose of that session was “to begin the strategic planing process with the knowledge and insights of the board and administration; to create an overview of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to inform participants in the community sessions that follow. To formulate questions that should be asked of participants in the community sessions. To come up with key words that might be part of a new vision for the Plumsted schools.”
District administrators have already completed the task of undertaking a community survey. In March and April, sessions will be held so that community members and district stakeholders may have a role in the strategic planning process. A final report will be presented to the board in June.