Transcript Strategic Planning - New Kensington–Arnold School District

Strategic Planning
New Kensington-Arnold
School District
Thank you to Community Strategic
Planning Phase I Volunteers
• Mr. Tom Ansani
• Mayor John Campbell
• Mayor Frank Link
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Ms. Mary Jendrey
Ms. Vicki Kolakowski
Reverend Dr. Mitchel A. Nickols
Mrs. Kristen O’Sullivan
Mrs. Sharon Resek
Dr. Carol Rush
• Reverend Dean Ward
President, New Kensington
Chamber of Commerce
Mayor of the City of Arnold
Mayor of the City of New
Kensington
Alle-Kiski Learning Center
YMCA
Bibleway Fellowship Church
PTA President
Weed and Seed
Westmoreland County
Community College
Parent/Minister
Thank you to the following staff and
student volunteers:
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Ms. Beverly Meyer
President, NKASD School Board
Mr. Robert Pallone
Vice President, NKASD School Board
Mrs. Traci York
NKASD School Board Member
Dr. George BattersonSuperintendent of Schools
Ms. Joanne Cecchi
Assistant Superintendent
Ms. Kellie Abbott
VHS Principal
Mr. Kim Crummie
VMS Principal
Mr. Frank Campbell
Athletic/Security Director
Mr. Tom Rocchi
H.D. Berkey Principal
Mrs. Donna Holtzman
Martin School Principal
Thank you to the following staff and
student volunteers:
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Mrs. Debbie Delk
Mrs. Kim Johnson
Ms. Michelle Lasko
Mrs. Rosemary Musolino
Ms. Beth Ryce
Ms. Susan Shumaker
Ms. Connie Vita
Ms. Elise Zavadak
Dr. Pat Bitar
Mr. Andrew DeAntonio
Classroom Aide
VHS Teacher
VMS Teacher
People’s Library Representative
VHS Teacher
H.D. Berkey Teacher
VHS Teacher
VHS Student Representative
School Nurse
VMS Teacher
What is Strategic Planning and Why is it
Necessary?
• A strategic plan is necessary because the
world that we are living in is constantly
changing.
• Strategic planning is a way for us to deal
with the inevitability of this change and to
ensure that our school district’s vision is
achieved.
• Through the empowering process of
strategic planning, the teachers, staff
members and students of our school district
will become members of an organization
that has a strong vision of its future and has
an opportunity to develop the necessary
procedures and operations to achieve
success for all of its students.
• Strategic planning is the concept that a
school organization continually recreates
itself towards extraordinary purposes to
benefit its students. This is possible only
when the school organization focuses on
helping each individual child.
• Community members should be totally
immersed and involved in these strategic
planning activities.
• Because the school is the center of the
community an outstanding school system
will result in economic growth and
development for the entire New
Kensington –Arnold area.
Parameters for Strategic Planning for the
New Kensington-Arnold School District
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We will make all decisions based on the best interest
of students.
We will not accept excuses for low student
achievement.
We will not tolerate prejudicial behavior.
We will not continue or implement any program or
action plan without reporting a comparison with best
practices in lighthouse districts and an appropriate
return on investment.
We will only accept the best from everyone.
Strategic Plan Mission Statement
of the New Kensington-Arnold School District
The mission of the New Kensington-Arnold
School District, a vibrant and inviting centerpiece
of the community, is to ensure that each student
is prepared, inspired, and motivated to be a
successful contributing citizen of an everevolving global society by engaging and
challenging students with personalized
instruction, teaching excellence, innovative
technology, and high expectations for superior
academic achievement while embracing our
unique traditions, heritage, and diversity in a
safe, nurturing, student-centered environment.
WE BELIEVE THAT:
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Hope and optimism inspire unlimited
possibilities.
All individuals can learn and achieve.
Learning is a life-long experience.
Every person is unique and has innate
worth.
WE BELIEVE THAT:
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Accepting responsibility fosters individual
investment in success.
Success is a journey of continual
progress and achievement.
Positive self-esteem and self-worth
promote success.
Risk-taking develops self-confidence in a
supportive environment.
WE BELIEVE THAT:
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High expectations result in higher
achievement.
Positive family involvement enhances
individual achievement.
Individuals are entitled to a safe, clean,
healthy and stable environment.
Education builds a vital and productive
society.
WE BELIEVE THAT:
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Strong leadership, creative thinking and
sustainability are essential for success.
Building on strengths and addressing
weaknesses facilitate positive change.
A willingness to change is necessary to
compete in a global environment.
Technology is vital to compete in a global
economy.
WE BELIEVE THAT:
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Change requires commitment.
Accountability enhances performance.
Celebrating traditions, heritage, and
diversity strengthens individual character
and the community.
The New Kensington-Arnold School District
Strategic Planning Committee set the following
objectives for our schools:
• All students will meet or exceed the PSSA
testing benchmarks in all subject areas.
• By 2014, 100% of students will achieve
proficiency on the PSSA exams.
• By 2014, 100% of students will graduate.
• All students will be engaged in a
productive endeavor within six months of
graduation.
• To achieve Adequate Yearly Progress
(AYP) during the 2008-2009 school year,
the District will decrease the number of
non-proficient students in each subgroup
by at least 10%.
The following Action Team Committees were
developed by the Strategic Planning
Committee. Please decide if you would like to
be a member of one of these committees.
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Action Team 1- Technology
– Purpose -We will utilize innovative
technology to engage our students and
increase student learning.
• Action Team 2- Improved Academic
Achievement
– Purpose- We will personalize instruction to
implement our standards based curriculum
and improve student achievement.
• Action Team 3 – Positive School Climate
– Purpose- We will build trust and develop a
positive climate in the school district to
achieve excellence.
• Action Team 4 - Community Partnership
– Purpose- We will engage all stakeholders and
community groups in the educational process
to foster synergy and strengthen
relationships.
• Action Team 5- Facility Improvement
– Purpose - We will vigorously support the
upgrading and preservation of our facilities
and equipment to provide our students and
community with a safe, healthy learning
environment.
• Action Team 6 – Supports
- We will provide the academic supports
necessary to achieve our objectives.
Dear Community Members:
On March 3rd, 4th, and 5th thirty-four people from our school district and community met in the First Evangelical
Lutheran Church in New Kensington to write a strategic plan. A consultant from the Cambridge Group, Dr. George
Szymanski facilitated our efforts. The strategic planning committee was composed of teachers, administrators,
staff members, students, parents, school board members and community members. This diverse group worked
long hours discussing the district’s strengths and weaknesses and setting goals for us for the future. By the end of
the three-day workshop, the strategic planning committee had developed a mission statement, a belief statement,
objectives for our school district, and strategies as to how we can begin to accomplish our objectives. The
strategic planning workshop was the first step in what will be a process that will last several months before our
Board of School Directors accepts our final strategic plan for our school district. We expected that by the end of
September this entire process will be completed and we will begin working hard to accomplish our goals and
objectives.
The second part of developing a strategic plan for the New Kensington-Arnold School District is going to rely
heavily on community input. We hope to form action teams. Each action team will work on an assigned strategy
and develop specific plans that will be implemented by the district in order to help us achieve our goals. In order
for this (action team) stage of strategic planning to be successful we need to recruit as many community members
(including students, residents, staff and parents) as possible to be involved in this important process.
Everyone in our community now has an opportunity to make improvements in our school and our community. I
would like to invite every interested community member to participate as a member of one of our action teams.
This will help to drive our strategic plan forward. The strategic plan is interwoven with the City of New
Kensington’s and the City of Arnold’s plans to make improvements in our area. One of our educators will be
assigned to each of the strategies that we have developed. If you are interested in becoming an action team
member, please complete the inserted form and return it to Audrey Sleigh ( either by mail or fax [ 724-337-6519] )
on or before April 30th .
Our strategic planning committee is anticipating extensive community involvement in this action planning phase.
Please consider being a part of the process. We know it will have a positive impact on our school and entire
community. With your help we will make the New Kensington Arnold School District into one of the premier districts
in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Sincerely,
George W. Batterson, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools