While most people have begun the subtle transition to a holiday-induced lull, District 97 board members and administrators are working to jump-start the Oak Park elementary school district’s first strategic planning process since 1989.
The board last Wednesday directed Florida-based MGT, its outside consultant, to start one-on-one interviews with board members and top administrators on Dec. 5. The firm is expected back in Oak Park on Dec. 15 and 16 to set up focus groups which will begin meeting in January.
“In terms of getting started, we all agree that sooner is better than later,” said Gail Crantz, public information officer for the district.
The board hired MGT in early November at an expected cost of $72,000. The firm’s clients include several higher education institutions and school districts across the country.
MGT will conduct individual meetings with each of the seven board members, District 97 Superintendent Constance Collins, and her administrators and staff.
Subsequent interviews with faculty, parents and students would resume at the start of the spring term in January, Crantz said. The new administration has set a short timeline for this project. The entire assessment is expected to conclude in May.
While the district had yet to finalize its contract with MGT, the firm indicated that it would move forward by early next month. “There was one issue involving the final payment, which we asked to be due upon completion of their work,” said board President Carolyn Newberry Schwartz, who expects the minor contract snag to be resolved before Thanksgiving.
The firm has requested a range of background information such as the district’s policy books, enrollment and personnel data, and a curriculum overview of the district’s 10 schools.
The firm plans to hold focus groups with various district constituents. Among the groups likely to take part in focus groups are all union groups within the district, and certified and non-certified staff. Parent groups such as APPLE and the PTOs are also expected to take part.
The focus groups will give district officials a better idea of how the community views their school system, Newberry Schwartz said. “We hope it will be a reflection of what people deem is of most concern and most importance to them.”
The district’s last plan in 1989, Newberry Schwartz said, focused on school funding, facilities and educational programs, including developing a multi-cultural program. MGT’s evaluation will assess the district’s current programs, policies and educational climate.
Once MGT’s evaluation is complete, the district will use the firm’s data to establish long-term goals, Schwartz said. “This is huge for the district,” she said. “It is something that will help the board in setting the direction of the district for the next three to five years.”
The board has already received inquiries from Oak Parkers vying to sit on various advisory committees. Board members will make recommendations on committee assignments before January.
The District 97 board decided in early spring to begin laying the groundwork for the district’s first strategic plan in more than a decade. The board officially approved their decision in June. The actual plan may include looking into the district’s finances, staffing or professional development, officials said.
Board member Sharon Patchak-Layman thinks the district officials can help make the public more aware of what lies ahead.
“We need to get out and talk to people about it more,” she said “I think the difficulty is because it’s all technical and new to people. We need to bring it down to common language, and get people’s sense of how they see their school district and how much change we need.”
CONTACT: tdean@wjinc.com