Board of Education's Letter
May 18, 2012
Greetings on Behalf of the Avon Board of Education:
As many of you may be aware, the Board of Education commenced a process to develop a new strategic plan for the Avon Public Schools in December of this school year. Led by the district’s central administration and two very reputable facilitators, Richard Sugarman, Founder and President of the Connecticut Forum and George Goens, Ph.D., a renowned leadership consultant, author and retired superintendent of schools from the state of Wisconsin, the planning and development process concluded at the April 24th meeting of the Board of Education. At this meeting, the Board of Education adopted the presented plan by unanimous vote and charged the Superintendent of Schools and district staff to implement the plan.
The following is a summary of milestone activities that resulted in a final plan of which we, as a community, should all be very proud.
Action:
District Administration prepares for planning - October 1-31, 2011
Review system capacity and design features
Board of Education & Superintendent confirm commitment to planning - October 18, 2011
Identify external facilitator for Public Awareness Sessions (Facilitator - Richard Sugarman, President of the Connecticut Forum).
Identify internal facilitators for planning sessions - George Goens, Ph.D. & Gary S. Mala, Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent builds Strategic Planning Team and Extend Invitations -By November 1, 2011
School district and community representatives
Superintendent and Internal Facilitator conduct first planning session - December 14, 2011, AHS Community Room, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Communicate specifics of planning model
Review previous Strategic Plan and evaluation of Plan
Initiate Collection of existing data for purposes of identifying organization “Quality Indicators”
Review School Improvement Plans
Initiate Public Survey
Superintendent reaffirms commencement of planning activities - January 2012
Via Weekly Message
Public Awareness Sessions (facilitated public input sessions) - January 4, 2012, AHS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Public Awareness Sessions (facilitated public input sessions) - January 9, 2012, AHS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Public Awareness Sessions (facilitated public input sessions) - January 12, 2012, Town Hall /Council Chambers, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Superintendent and Internal Facilitator conduct second planning session - January 28, 2012, AHS Community Room, 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Review input from Public Awareness Sessions
Identify the following:
1. Mission (aspirations of the district)
2. Beliefs (formal expression of values, non-negotiable ethical principles, convictions & moral imperatives)
3. Commitments (specific results the organization is committed to achieving)
4. Strategic Actions (specifics describing resource deployment to achieve mission and objectives)
5. Identify Quality Indicators for future data collection
Central Administration and Internal Facilitator conduct third planning session -February 11, 2012, AHS Community Room, 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Committee continues work as outlined ,
Central Administration and Internal Facilitator conduct planning session with identified Subcommittee - February 27, 2012, Central Office, 3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Review draft documents and revise as necessary
Central Administration and Internal Facilitator conduct fourth planning session - March 2, 2012, AHS Community Room, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Review draft documents and revise as necessary
Central Administration and Internal Facilitator conduct fifth planning session - March 26, 2012, AHS Community Room, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Review draft documents and revise as necessary
Draft Strategic Plan presented to the Board of Education - April 24, 2012, AHS Community Room, 7:00 p.m.
Board reviews Final Draft of Strategic Plan
Administration prepares for implementation
As you can well imagine, this product is the direct result of many hours of discussion and reflection on how best to define what we can all point to as the unique foundation upon which the work of the Avon Public Schools may continue to build upon in the immediate future. It is with our thanks and gratitude that the Board of Education recognizes the following individuals as members of the Strategic Plan Central Planning Committee:
Jason Beaudin - Principal of Avon High School
Joanne Beers - President of Avon Education Foundation
Abha Bernard - Representative of CC4A
Crisanne Colgan - Principal of Roaring Brook School
John Czepiel - President of Avon Education Association
Gail Dahling-Hench - Principal of Pine Grove School
Patricia DeRossi - Nurse, Supervisor of APS Health Services
Jane DeSimone - Teacher, Pine Grove School
Jamie DePace - Avon Fire Marshal & Director of Emergency Management
Marco Famiglietti - Principal of Avon Middle School
Gwendolyn Hahn - Parent & Representative of Dollars for Scholars
Thomas Harrison - Chairman of Avon Board of Finance
William Hickey - Director of Pupil Services
Wendy Howard - Member, Avon Board of Education & President of AHS PTO
Randy Leaning - Parent
Houston Putnam Lowry - Member, Avon Board of Education
John Mason - Teacher, Avon Middle School
Donna Nestler-Rusack - Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning
Michael Netkovick - Teacher, Thompson Brook School
William Newman - Representative of local Veterans of Foreign Wars
Lou Pellegrino - Teacher, Avon High School
Ann Perrault - Teacher, Pine Grove and Roaring Brook Schools
Peggy Roell - Chairperson of Avon Board of Education
Ames Shea - Member, Avon Board of Education
John Spang, Jr. - Director of Finance and Operations
Florence Stahl - Director of Avon Taxpayers Association
Magda Stayton - Parent
Virginia Vocelli - Director of Avon Free Public Library
Anne Watson - Principal of Thompson Brook School
Attached to this letter is the Strategic Plan, which includes the District Mission Statement, Belief Statement and Goals & Strategic Actions as approved by the Board of Education. In the very near future, the district leadership team will be preparing the various strategic action steps necessary to implement this plan. Additionally, the district leadership team will be meeting with various community and school-based groups for the purpose of sharing the specifics of the Strategic Plan’s implementation.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Gary S. Mala, Superintendent of Schools at (860) 404-4700.
Thank you for your continued support of your schools and we look forward to continuing our work together with the spirit of cooperation and good will.
Very truly yours,
The Avon Board of Education
Peggy Roell, Chairperson Jeff Bernetich Ames Shea
Bill Stokesbury, Vice-Chairperson Brian Glenn Jay Spivak
Houston Putnam-Lowry, Secretary Wendy Howard Kathy Zirolli
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