by Natasha L. Adams, Superintendent and CEO
West Clermont Schools
Involving fewer people in a strategic planning process may be more manageable and increase the speed at which the work gets done, however, this mindset does not align with the values of West Clermont Schools. We value relationships. Student-centeredness. And empowerment. That’s why we’ve chosen to engage with a large, diverse group of our stakeholders to design the future of our school system.
This work kicked off with the February 2022 State of the Schools message where we took a look back at the last few years, celebrated our progress, and looked ahead to opportunities and challenges facing the district.
In April 2022, we launched our first REACT survey, which focused on five important topics and big-picture questions. We learned that of these five topics, our community is most concerned with the safety and well-being of students and staff, and educational programming.
We also launched a series of Town Hall meetings in the spring. The design and purpose of these events have been to give everyone a chance to learn more, have a voice, hear about the pace of change in the world versus the pace of change in schools, and brainstorm ideas for the future. I hope that you will sign up for one of our last meetings in this series.
The next series of interactive Town Hall sessions will begin February 22, 2023, and features a new theme - Journey of the Student. We will investigate and ask, “What will it require of our students, staff, families and community for ALL students to achieve Portrait of a Graduate success outcomes?”
This next interactive process will allow us to learn and brainstorm together what it might look like to address academic, personal development, and future-ready skills in all students PK-12+. As we continue to move forward, I encourage you to get involved. The more engaged our stakeholders, the stronger our district.
Over the next year, we will continue to make progress in our key areas of focus while also planning for the future. One of our essential aims is to make sure everyone understands the choices that are being made and their role in bringing the new plan to life. One additional way to stay informed of our progress is through our recently published WC Roadmap Report Volume 1. We will continue providing more of these types of reports as the process unfolds.
In our complex world, it is difficult to be certain about anything, especially the future of our PK-12 school system. Our students are our most precious resource, however, and they deserve the best from all of us. We are confident we will serve our students well if we come together as one community courageously taking bold actions one step at a time!
