BOE Approves Strategic Coherence Planning Committee's Educational Plan

From The Croton Harmon School District: The Croton-Harmon School District’s Board of Education gave their approval to the Strategic Coherence Planning Committee’s educational plan during its May 4 business meeting.

“It is our pleasure to present to the board the work of 25 individuals who have spent a lot of time [analyzing and deliberating] an education plan for the future,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edward R. Fuhrman, Jr. “Sustainability is what it’s about for us as a district. We [are always concerned] about financial sustainability and facilities sustainability, but educational stability is also very important.”

After an initial meeting in June of 2016, the committee worked with facilitators Dr. Lynn Allen, assistant superintendent at Putnam/Northern-Westchester BOCES, and education consultant Jonathan Costa, to begin developing the long-term plan. Data was collected from all district stakeholders through surveys and a community forum that was held in December.

At the May 4 meeting, Dr. Allen commended the district. “I think that the leadership shown by the district and your commitment to your mission, vision and your core beliefs brought you far ahead of where any other district would start,” she said.

Dr. Fuhrman went on to discuss how the committee developed six strategies for the district that may be rolled out over five years to address the identified focus of critical and creative thinking for problem solving.

Those strategies are:

• Forge a consensus on definitions and critical and creative thinking for problem solving.
• Build an aligned goal setting process relating to critical and creative thinking for problem solving and have a clear connection to other things that teachers and students are and have been doing.
• Ensure there is a common definition for problem- and project-based learning in support of critical and creative thinking for problem solving and that all students have opportunities to pursue/practice them in all curriculum areas.
• Develop a districtwide assessment system that captures student performance for critical and creative thinking for problem solving and allows for feedback and accountability for skill obtainment.
• Incorporate the practice and support of critical and creative thinking for problem-solving into the teacher observation rubric and instructional feedback process.
• Create a comprehensive communications structure and strategy to improve teachers’ and stakeholders’ understanding of the goal setting process and the ongoing efforts to align and connect long-term improvement efforts to the mission and vision of a successful graduate.

Dr. Fuhrman said the committee will continue to provide the community with updates as these strategies are observed. The board of education members present at the meeting all provided verbal approval of the steps taken to date.

“Thank you for all the tremendous work you have done,” said Board of Education President Iris Bugliosi.

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