On Saturday, October 5, over 55 stakeholders representing various groups in our community, including parents, staff, students, and community leaders, gathered at Jackson Middle School for an all-day Strategic Planning Workshop.
Facilitated by Mr. Jeffrey Cohn from Brave Dialogue, the workshop’s purpose was to create draft goals and priorities to be developed by the district administration and approved by the Board of Education to help guide School District 45 for the next five years.
Superintendent Dr. Brian Graber provided a “State of the District” presentation, sharing basic information on District 45 and data on facilities, staffing, and finances.
Then, in small group activities, participants created draft core values, draft mission statements, and discussed the “big picture” realities of the district. They also discussed the district’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and explored ideas for what they thought a District 45 graduate should look like in the future.
D45 Board of Education President Judy Degnan was excited to see the community and staff come together for the workshop.
“I know our Board appreciated having many diverse voices and perspectives come together and discuss where our district is headed in the future,” said Degnan.
“It reflects the commitment and passion in our community for our schools and students, “ she continued. “Each participant brought unique insights and experiences, which created enriching discussions.
Degnan said that having three middle school students involved in the workshop was really special for several reasons.
“Their presence reminded us that our decisions will directly impact their future, and there were times when their insights challenged us to think differently,” said Degnan.
“As a Board member, it was helpful to hear their ideas, and it sends a message that every voice matters. We are committed to building a future that considers the needs and aspirations of all our students.”
One of the participants was Jesus Carrera, a 7th-grade student at Jefferson Middle School. Carrerra said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience of participating.
“For me, it was a one-in-a-million opportunity. I really liked the experience,” said Carrera.
Most of all, Carrera enjoyed participating in the small group discussions at his table. He liked hearing all the ideas and appreciated being part of the discussion.
Carrera thought it was important for students to be included in the discussion so “everyone could get our perspective and maybe change an idea.”