After several months of listening to priorities and concerns of families, teammates, and other community stakeholders, Buncombe County Schools has an updated strategic plan. The plan, which outlines core beliefs, goals, and strategies to help all students succeed, was adopted last night by the Buncombe County Board of Education.
“We’re grateful for the valuable input from our parents, students, teachers and staff, along with business and industry leaders and community partners,” said Buncombe County Schools Superintendent Dr. Rob Jackson. “It was important to hear from many voices.”
School leaders hosted town-hall style meetings in each of its districts, along with special sessions of its student, counselor, social worker, and teacher advisory councils. There were also meetings with school-based administrators, and groups representing families of multi-language learners. People also participated by sending suggestions online.
Ideas gathered have been synthesized into a shared vision, mission, and goals for BCS, as well as action steps and measures of success. “Every Buncombe County Schools student will graduate on time, prepared to pursue their chosen path as critical thinkers and collaborative leaders in a diverse society,” reads the vision. The mission states, “Buncombe County Schools will foster a culture of excellence and continuous improvement where every student will thrive and learn from exceptional educators.”
The core beliefs of the new strategic plan explain that as a school system, BCS is at its best when it:
Engages students in meaningful ways
Collaborates and connects
Builds strong family and community partnerships
Supports educators
Invests for equity and excellence
“Our local plan aligns to the strategic plan created by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction,” explained Dr. Jennifer Reed, Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. “The exciting part is seeing each school find the best way to adapt and apply the action steps at the school level. That’s where the school improvement teams will continue to play a vital role.” Those school-based teams are composed of parents, students, teachers and administrators.
The strategic plan’s goals include:
Every school meeting or exceeding growth while increasing proficiency in all content areas and all subgroups, as measured by multiple indicators of progress including state tests.
Establishing a classroom, school, and district culture that is welcoming, responsive, safe and engaging for all students, staff, and families.
Preparing each student for success in life by engaging them in the regular application of durable skills across school settings.
Providing ongoing, intentional support for every staff member in order to equip them to meet the needs of each and every student they serve.
“The strategic plan focuses on academic achievement as well as the environment where learning takes place,” shared Dr. Jamie Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Equity and Student Support. “We are continuing our commitment to fostering a welcoming environment for students and providing the support our teachers, teaching assistants, and other team members need.”
“Overall, we view the strategic plan as a roadmap to help guide decisions for the success of our students and schools,” said Dr. Jackson. “Our goal is for every student to graduate on time, and have the education and skills needed to be employed, enlisted in the military, or enrolled in higher education.”
