For the past few months, my communications have focused on the strategic planning work happening in the NRHEG school community. In my December letter, I shared the importance for having a strategic plan and wrote:

A thoughtful and purposeful strategic plan developed with the input of stakeholders across the school district is essential for our sustained success and growth as a school community.  Understanding and believing in a clear vision of what we want to achieve in the future is critical to our continual improvement.  Knowing and committing to a shared mission or purpose is also essential to growing and improving what we do for our children throughout our communities.  Finally, and perhaps most important is acknowledging what we believe and value collectively as a school community.  This is especially important in organizations like a public school district that employs a diverse workforce and also serves a diverse stakeholder base.  Public school districts are some of the most diverse organizations when you consider not only the students that are served, but also the communities at large. Having shared beliefs and core values as a school community enables you to work together more effectively in achieving your vision.

I am proud of the work that has already been accomplished, highlighted by the engagement of our employees, students, parents, and others throughout our communities in providing input and feedback to the School Board by responding to the Community Survey and/or attending the listening sessions held on February 18.   Thank you to all those who have participated!  If you would like to view a summary of the survey results, you can access the power point presentation presented to the School Board by School Perceptions on February 16 on the front page of our School District website.  You will find a letter summarizing the results on the website as well. 

The next step in the process rests with the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee.  The purpose of the Committee is to lead in assisting the School Board in analyzing District performance data, the input from the Community Survey, and the input from the listening sessions that were held on February 18, in order to develop our strategic plan.  The Committee will be tasked with crafting vision, mission, and belief statements, and indentifying goals and objectives for the school district.  

The Committee will meet three times, and each meeting is open to the public.  The dates, times, and locations of the meetings are:

• Monday, March 21, 2016, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Elementary School in Ellendale

• Tuesday, March 29, 2016, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Secondary School in New Richland

• Tuesday, April 12, 2016, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Elementary School in Ellendale

The School Board conducts its regular monthly meeting on the third Monday of each month.  The location of the meeting is rotated monthly between the NRHEG Secondary School Media Center in New Richland and the NRHEG Elementary School Media Center in Ellendale. The March 21, 2016, School Board meeting will be at the Elementary School beginning at 5:30 p.m., which is one hour earlier than the regular time due to the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee meeting scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. in Ellendale. 

Thank you for all you do to support our students!