School District Realigns

Its Strategic Plan Objectives

By Eliza Hallabeck

The Newtown school district has reevaluated the objectives in its Strategic Plan, as presented by Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson at the Board of Education’s meeting on Tuesday, August 16. The new objectives will now be the basis of a realigned plan.

The school board unanimously approved the objectives at the meeting.

Objectives in the plan are: All students will develop and consistently demonstrate 21st Century skills such as problem solving, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, and application of technology; all students will develop and consistently demonstrate the character attributes necessary for personal well-being and to be a contributing member of the community; within five years all students will perform at goal or above on standardized tests; each student will set and achieve personally challenging goals; [the district] will ensure that each student has continuous access to personal information technology in order to empower students and staff to improve teaching and learning.

The district’s Strategic Plan was first created in 2008 after 30 community members came together to assess the district and develop the plan. Dr Robinson told the school board that action teams have been guiding the goals of the plan since its inception.

Now that the objectives have been reevaluated, Dr Robinson said a group is forming in the district to work on rewriting the Strategic Plan’s strategies to meet each of the objectives.

“These things have become living, breathing actions,” said Dr Robinson, speaking about work in the district since the Strategic Plan was first created.

Dr Robinson also said the goal to have each student perform at or above goal on standardized tests within five years is “a lofty goal, but we are working on it.”

Board of Ed Chair William Hart said he is particularly excited by the Strategic Plan’s last goal that will shift technology out of designated computer labs and into the students’ hands.

Dr Robinson said the school board should expect to hear more on the Strategic Plan’s strategies to meet the goals within five to six months.

Also during the meeting, the school board went into an executive session to continue the superintendent’s yearly evaluation. Mr Hart said he expects the school board to deliberate Dr Robinson’s contract, school district Business Director Ron Bienkowski’s contract, and Assistant Superintendent of Schools Linda Gejda’s contract during an executive session of the school board’s next regular meeting in September.