Wednesday, October 24, 2007

School district to kick off long-range planning process

First meeting set for Monday, Oct. 29


By EXPRESS STAFF
Express Staff Writer

Jim Lewis

Last year, the Blaine County School District took its first step towards starting a new "Strategic Planning Process" for the next eight to 10 years.

Recently, with the assistance of an Administrator/Parent Selection Committee, the district hired the nationally recognized consulting firm Hagler & Associates to facilitate and organize the strategic planning process. The Boise-based firm has been involved in more than 50 strategic plans for school districts, universities (including Boise State), and companies across the nation.

Next week, the district's first "strategic conversation with the community" will kick off the next step in the process. The meeting is set for Monday, Oct. 29, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., in the multi-purpose room of Wood River Middle School, in Hailey.

"As we continually strive to become a model school district, we need the help of our community, our staff, our students, and our patrons to push us towards that goal," said Dr. Lonnie Barber, assistant superintendent of the district.

There is a long list of accomplishments that came out of the district's last strategic plan, the district said in a news release this week. Those include increased AP classes, dual-credit opportunities, after-school study clubs, the preschool program, student leadership classes, the dual-immersion program, expanded choir and orchestra offerings, the new teacher mentoring program, increased staff development opportunities, the Community Campus, new Wood River High School, and the new Woodside Elementary School.

"All the best school districts engage their community continually," district Superintendent Dr. Jim Lewis said. "The strategic planning process is a chance to involve everyone from the community in building a long-range vision for our public schools. Everything we accomplished in our last strategic plan pushed us to the next level, and that direction came from our community."

According to the district, the purpose of the first meeting is to gauge interest in and to organize a Strategic Planning Committee. The committee will include a broad representation of between 50 to 60 parents, teachers, administrators (both district and school), board members, students and community patrons, including senior citizens. Community members who are interested in being on the committee must be able to dedicate approximately six full days (and some homework time) over the next five to six months.

In addition to the meeting on Oct. 29, there will be a special board meeting on Friday, Oct. 26, at 10 a.m., in which Hagler & Associates will meet with the board of trustees.

For more information on the process and an overview of the Blaine County School District, visit www.blaineschools.org.

Planning meeting

The Blaine County School District's first "Strategic Planning Process" community meeting is set for Monday, Oct. 29, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of Wood River Middle School, in Hailey.




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