NEWS RELEASE
SIMCOE COUNTY DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
***********************
The Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) has organized various consultation activities from mid-September to mid-October that will inform the development of a new strategic plan. An overview of the process is available at www.scdsb.on.ca/difference.
“The purpose of a strategic plan is to set goals and directions that will guide the work of our organization and help us realize our vision of a community of learners achieving full potential,” says Peter Beacock, Chair of the Board. “Before we draft what we believe those priorities should be, we need to listen to our stakeholders. We want to know what we’re doing well, how we can improve, and what people think the role of schools should be in our communities.”
“We started the strategic planning process over a year ago when we consulted and developed our new mission and vision statements,” says Kathi Wallace, Director of Education. “The next step is to hear from internal and external stakeholders about their needs and expectations for our school system. We want to know what the key areas are stakeholders believe we should focus on. This input will help the Board of Trustees set our strategic priorities.”
In addition to the feedback from stakeholders, the process includes a review of research on effective practices in education, SCDSB data, and the expectations of the Ministry of Education.
Interested students, staff, parents and members of the public can provide input in the following ways:
- Visit www.scdsb.on.ca/difference to take the survey and complete the Where should we invest? sorting activity to help identify priority areas.
- Follow @scdsb_schools on Twitter and join the #SCDSBDifference Twitter chats on Thurs., Sept. 22 and Thurs., Oct. 6 at 8 p.m.
- Provide input in person at community outreach booths at Collingwood Downtown Farmers’ Market (Sept. 17), Orillia Downtown Farmers’ Market (Sept. 24) and Alliston Downtown Farmers’ Market (Oct. 1)
A team will also conduct on-the-spot interviews with parents/guardians and students at randomly selected schools across the county. A feedback event will take place on Oct. 4 for stakeholders who were randomly selected and invited to attend.
The SCDSB’s current strategic plan was approved in 2010. It includes four goals:
- Relevant, purposeful learning supporting high achievement, well-being and learning for life
- Inclusive, equitable and safe learning and working environments
- Confidence in public education
- Responsible stewardship of resources
************************
