Next week a group of 80 concerned people will meet for four straight days to determine the future direction and goals of Oxford Area Community Schools.
‘This is the largest number that I’ve worked with,? said Superintendent Dr. Bill Skilling, referring to the Strategic Planning Committee, which will meet at the Boulder Pointe Conference Center in Waterstone from Feb. 27 through March 1.
The committee is charged with three tasks ? 1) reach a consensus as to what will be the major priorities and goals of the school district over the next five years; 2) create an action plan for how the district’s going to achieve these; and 3) set up a system of accountability that will enable progress to be measured and continually communicated to the public.
About half of the 80-member committee will consist of school personnel representing all departments and grade levels. It will also include various administrators and three board of education members.
The other half will be comprised of community members such as government and business leaders, parents, people without children in the district (such as senior citizens), local media and church leaders.
‘We’re trying to represent all the entities that make up our community,? Skilling said. ‘We’re trying to involve a diverse a group as possible.?
The committee will be co-chaired by Robert Martin, a community leader and parents, and Carol Micol, a community member and administrative assistant in the district’s human resources department.
‘We could have had even more (than 80 participants),? Skilling noted. ‘I’m really grateful that so many people are willing to make that commitment and participate. It’s a good sign that people are not apathetic about education, that people care.?
The committee’s planning sessions will be facilitated by Dr. Emmett Lippe, a retired educator with more than 40 years experience who now owns a consulting company that specializes in strategic planning and leadership development.
The public is encouraged to attend the Wednesday, Feb. 27 meeting. Although the committee will begin that meeting at 5:30 p.m., the public is asked to come at approximately 7:15 p.m. to view two presentations.
Skilling said the first will be a ‘State of the Schools Address,? focusing on ‘where we are today? as a district.
For the second presentation, the public will learn how ‘present and future trends? ? such as globalization, national, state and local factors, demographics, competition and technological advances ? are impacting the type of education students need to receive.
Those two presentations will help identify ‘the gap between what we’re doing and what we need to do,? according to Skilling. ‘And that’s what (the committee will) work on for the next three days ? how to close the gap.?
The committee is scheduled to meet from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 28 and 29, then wrap things up March 1 between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
During the Strategic Planning sessions, the committee will split up into smaller groups, each assigned a different issue to work on.
‘It will be 10 groupings of eight people,? Skilling said.
At the end of the four days, the committee as a whole will establish the major goals for the school district and develop committees around each of those goals.
Skilling said the idea is each committee’s membership will expand beyond the original Strategic Planning members to involve others who have an interest or some expertise in achieving those particular goals.
The fruits of the Strategic Planning Committee’s labor will be presented during the board of education’s Tuesday, March 11 work session meeting.
It’s expected the overall plan would be approved by the school board at its Tuesday, March 25 business meeting.