Strategic Planning For Schools

Hi,

It's another school year and millions of children are returning to school to shape who they are and what they can be. Our two children return to their private schools as well; one to an all-girl's K-12 school and the other to a gifted K-7 school. Each one serving different needs, but equally successful and viable in their community.

At this point I'm waiting to finalize arrangements to lead a major strategic planning project for a national K-12 school reform initiative in the Middle East. It's an exciting project and one that will provide guidance to the country's decision makers with the strategic development of their K-12 education system.

Interestingly, many of the elements utilized within a national-level strategic plan are also applied within a district, post secondary, and/or K-12 school strategic plan. In addition, this also applies to starting a new school as well.

As Peter Drucker so aptly stated, "The Best Way To Predict The Future Is To Create It." Now more than ever schools need a comprehensive strategic plan to maximize their strengths, foresee threats, reduce weaknesses, and take advantage of future opportunities. The planning process can result in the development of a sustainable leadership tool to support your board and senior administration to lead your organization over the next five years. Do you have a plan to 'create' your future? If you don't, you need one now! Why leave your organization's future to crisis management.

Today I'm going to share with you the process you should utilize to develop your strategic plan for your own private school or public school district. Please read on to find out more.

To your success,

Doug Halladay

President

Halladay Education Group

P.S. Don't forget to go to our secure Online Store to invest in our Strategic Planning or Start-A-School Toolkits.

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Our strategic planning approach results in the "compass" and "road map" to guide your organization in the development of a measurable plan to focus priorities and maximize performance. The diagram below illustrates key elements of our planning model:

If a plan is facilitated properly, the process will stimulate support in your community and add value to your organization's continued growth. The plan will lay out a road map to achieve your mission and vision; moving away from being "reactive" - solving today's problems - towards being "proactive" - eliminating future problems. Your plan will provide a framework that enables you to focus and coordinate your resources, work towards common goals, and assess and adjust as you move forward. It will address a progression of questions that examine assumptions, gather and incorporate information about the present, and anticipate the world in which your organization will be working in, and determine how you'll get there. It asks:

• Where is your organization now?
• Where do you want to be?
• How do you get there?
• How do you measure progress and know you've gotten to your destination?

As each question is addressed, we can develop a blueprint to improve your organization's performance.

WHERE ARE WE NOW? (Internal/External Assessment)

• Situation Inventory/Environmental Scans
• Quality Assessment & Benchmarking
• Strategic Issues

WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? (Mission, Vision & Principles)

• Broad, comprehensive statement of the organization's purpose
• Core values/principles to achieve the mission
• Resources involved
• When combined with the mission & principles, identifies organization's uniqueness
• Compelling image of desired future

HOW DO WE GET THERE? (Goals, Objectives & Action Plans)

• The desired result after five or more years
• Specific & measurable targets for accomplishment
• Leads to quality initiative goals & objectives
• Strategies used to accomplish goals & objectives
• Detailed action plan
• Leads to resource allocation

HOW DO WE MEASURE OUR PROGRESS? (Monitoring & Tracking)

• Methods used to measure results
• Ensures accountability & continuous improvement-linked targets
• Performance Measures
• System to monitor progress
• Compiles management information
• Keeps plan on track

Planning Approach

Our strategic planning approach focuses on the following:

1. Determine the scope of your Strategic Planning process;
2. Orient your community to the planning process;
3. Assemble data to determine where your school is now in terms of performance;
4. Re/define the purpose and direction of your school;
5. Assess your current conditions;
6. Identify and prioritize critical issues stopping you from achieving your vision and mission;
7. Develop goals and objectives for success;
8. Develop action plans to support the implementation of your goals;
9. Guide your leadership with the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the action and operational plan.

QUICK SNAPSHOT OF OUR PLANNING PROCESS

1. 
   
   Click here to read comments by our clients on our services as well as our planning process.
2. 
   
   Click here to review our strategic planning options (customized to your organization).
3. 
   
   Click here to download HEG's Eight-Step Strategic Planning Process.
4. 
   
   Click here to invest in our Strategic Planning Toolkit.

Results From Schools That We've Planned For

Schools and districts that have retained HEG to develop their strategic plan have improved their organization's performance ten-fold. For example:

Harbert Hills Academy: This 50 year old school used the plan to re-inspire its operation. With guidance from the plan, the school: increased enrollment by 500%; improved academic performance by 30%; and engaged a capital campaign to build a new girl's dormitory.

Mascenic School District: The district achieved the following: district board of education won board of the year in New Hampshire; Principal won Middle School Principal of the year; one of their teachers was state teacher of the year; and their community voted for a school facility bond that was passed by 82%.

Queen Margaret's School: The school achieved the following: moved from deficit to a surplus; upgraded academic performance from 20th to 95th percentile; increased enrollment by 22%; increased enquiries by 30% and retention by 12%; reduced staff turnover by 30%; and developed set a record in annual campaign and largest donation.

NEXT STEP

HEG and our experienced team are well suited and experienced to help your organization with the development of your school's strategic plan. If you feel that your school needs support with your plan, be it a new one or a more functional implementation of your current plan, then you should seriously consider our services. If you'd like to learn more about how we can help your organization, please email HEG or call  our direct line at +1-604-868-0002 to find out more.