May 15, 2024 – The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education took an early look at the drafting process for their 2025-30 strategic plan during their meeting on Tuesday night.
WS/FCS adopts strategic plans on five-year cycles to provide guidance for crafting policies that are in the best interest of student success, with the 2020-25 version outlining initiatives like the 90 by 25 literacy movement and calls for reforms to disciplinary procedures. The Board of Education is going to spend the next school year in conversation with district staff, families, community leaders, business partners, and students to design the 2025-30 strategic plan. The Strategic Planning Committee will oversee the process and draft documents to present for full approval in Spring 2025.
Vice Chair Alex Bohannon and Executive Director of Systems of Coherence and Strategic Planning Alexandra Hoskins laid out an early look at the guiding questions and priorities of the new plan, which include staff retention, access to engaging learning opportunities, equitable distribution of capital investments, and fostering durable skills to name a few things. Several board members encouraged the introduction of more guiding questions related to student safety and academic excellence. The Strategic Planning Committee will seek community feedback through all available avenues to make sure that as many district stakeholders as possible get to make their voices heard, and the public will be kept informed through frequent bulletins about the committee’s progress.
“We’re very excited about the work we have ahead of us,” Hoskins said. “Tonight will be the first of many updates.”
Also on the board’s agenda for the evening were:
- - A performance by Mineral Springs Middle School theatre students
- - Recognitions for Personalized Learning Cohort teachers, the North Carolina All-State Honors Band and All-State Jazz Band, and winners of the PTA Reflections contest, the Safe Sober t-shirt design contest, and the American Association of Laboratory Animal Sciences Celebrate the Mouse 2024 Bio Video Essay contest
- - Extension of Superintendent Tricia McManus’ contract
- - Updates on Crosby Scholars, the alternative accountability model, Paxton/Patterson College and Career Ready Labs, the drafting process for the 2025-26 academic calendar, and more
- - Approval of forgiveness for an inclement weather day in January, a new Panorama contract, multi-year field leases at six schools, and several other action items
The Board of Education will meet again on Tuesday, May 28 at 6:30 pm.