McHenry Community High School District 156 is taking a proactive approach in maintaining its status as a leader in education by embarking on a strategic planning process to map out a future direction for District 156 schools.
In an effort to gain as much insight as possible to guide plan development, the district is launching a community-wide survey that will be available until Sept. 22. The link for the short, online survey is on the strategic planning page on the district's website.
The strategic planning process is designed to engage the entire District 156 community – families, teachers, administrators, staff, students, and community residents – in developing a shared vision for the future.
“Effective education of students requires a commitment from the entire community,” said Dr. Ryan McTague, District 156 superintendent. “We are excited to launch this inclusive strategic planning process that will result in a plan to set us on a course for continued success.”
The last few years have been busy and challenging as school staff worked to transform academic spaces and athletic facilities, develop innovative course pathways and programs, and successfully transition to a more equitable freshman and upper campus model. The district achieved this in a financially responsible and sustainable manner that will allow for continued investment in our students, staff, facilities and programs into the future.
Now is a great time for the district to assess progress and plan for the future, McTague said.
In addition to a community-wide survey, district leaders will conduct a series of focus groups this fall to further elicit feedback from the community – school staff, parents, businesspeople and district residents who don’t have children in schools – to guide planning.
All of the data collected through focus groups, interviews and the survey, along with the district’s ensuing mission and vision statements and guiding principles, will be analyzed to determine findings, goals and objectives for the district. The strategic plan will be presented to the board of education and the public next year. District 156 is partnering with Schaumburg-based Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates to conduct the thorough strategic plan process.
This work will build on the recently completed Portrait of a Graduate, which sets out District 156’s vision for the 21st century skills, character traits and more that students need to succeed in college, career and life.