In a recent blog, we touched on the importance of aligning resources to your strategic plan. As we move into the summer months, it’s the perfect time to start discussing the next steps. 

Zig Ziglar famously said, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” This quote rings especially true for school board members. With June and July marking the period when districts finalize their yearly budgets and the new school year right around the corner, now is the ideal moment to reflect on our goals, assess what has gone well over the past year, identify areas for improvement and realign your resources to ensure success in the coming year.

Even the best ideas can fail without proper planning and review. I remember working in a district that had implemented a new training program for teachers. The idea was promising, but we ran into trouble because we didn't set clear expectations for completion. Each building principal set their own timelines: some expected one module a month, others one a week. It led to confusion and inconsistency. From that experience, I learned how crucial it is to ask questions and set clear and communicated expectations.

As you prepare for the upcoming year, reflect back and consider these important questions looking forward:

• What has gone well and why?
• What hasn’t gone well and why?
• What are the next steps or adjustments that need to be made?
• What improvements should we see in the coming school year?

Breaking down your expectations into 3, 6 and 9-month progress milestones can be incredibly helpful. While board members bring seven different perspectives to the table, you must strive to look through the same lens of success.

This year, one crucial topic to discuss is the KESA 2.0 Fundamentals. These include:

1. Structured Literacy: Providing literacy instruction aligned with the science of reading, ensuring teachers and administrators are well-trained.
2. Standards Alignment: Aligning lessons, instruction, and materials with Kansas standards, addressing interpersonal, intrapersonal, and cognitive skills from pre-K to 12.
3. Balanced Assessment: Using data to assess students for risks and standards, adjusting instruction as needed to raise achievement.
4. Quality Instruction: Cultivating a culture of high expectations and providing access to grade-level standards and high-quality instructional materials for every student.

Think about where you are in implementing these four fundamentals and where they can be improved. What are the next steps? What does success look like moving forward?

There are many processes you can put in place to ensure this vital work gets done, such as:

• Board Retreats: Schedule a half-day or full-day retreat to dive deep into your strategic plan and start working towards your goals.
• Meeting Check-Ins: Add time to existing meetings to review progress at 3, 6, and 9-month intervals.
• Quarterly Discussions: Some boards choose to discuss progress quarterly, perhaps at a 5th Monday meeting.
• Monthly Agenda Items: Dedicate 20-30 minutes of each monthly agenda to a strategic plan item.

If your district doesn’t have a culture or process for reviewing and implementing your strategic plan, it might be beneficial to seek outside help. KASB offers leadership services that can help you build a solid foundation. And, if you don’t have a strategic plan, we can help with that too! At the very least, start talking about the new fundamentals and envision what they could look like in your district.

Use this time wisely to ensure your resources are effectively aligned with the district’s strategic goals and that you have the appropriate steps in place to move forward, setting the stage for a successful school year ahead.