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Director of School Improvement Jonathan Hinke addresses the Putnam County School District board about the district’s five-year strategic plan at a workshop Monday afternoon. -
Positively Putnam FL
Putnam County School District Board members heard the draft of the district’s five-year strategic plan at a 45-minute workshop Monday afternoon.
Director of School Improvement Jonathan Hinke presented a draft of the district’s vision and mission. The vision is an aspirational look to the future while the mission is what the district aims to accomplish every day, Hinke said.
“A vision should define what we’re striving towards,” Hinke said. “A mission statement identifies the overall goal of the school district.”
The vision statement said the district strives to prepare all students for success in college, career and life.
Board Chairwoman Holly Pickens said she was pleased the vision and mission were not educational jargon.
“It’s simple so everyone can understand it,” Pickens said.
The mission statement said the goal is to provide a “safe and caring environment that is student centered, promotes academic excellence, reflects diversity, celebrates the joy of learning and equips all students with knowledge and tools to achieve their full potential in an ever-changing world.”
The district also approved a set of six values to model district behavior after including accountability, growth and respect.
Business and community leaders, parents and students aided district officials and employees in workgroups to establish the new sets of language.
District officials were tasked with determining what skills and traits a senior in Putnam County should graduate. They arrived at six traits such as collaboration, resiliency, fearlessness and innovation. Hinke said the goal was to make graduates more prepared for life, not college specifically.
“We envision this beautiful graphic being posted in schools, buildings and in classrooms,” Hinke said.
Hinke said establishing the mindset and competencies follows students through their academic careers. Board member Sandra Gilyard liked the idea of an elementary school student seeing a portrait of graduate materials and understanding the qualities over time.
“It’s not just on a high school teacher,” Gilyard said. “I like that fact. It’s built in (to the district).”
In April, the district seeks to draft and release the full strategic plan with feedback from stakeholders and schedule a public hearing on the plan.
After board approval in May, Hinke said, the planning process will end with implementation in June.
“We have a very tight timeline to bring you something final by the end of May,” Hinke told board members.
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