CPS Strategic Plan Update
"Flight Plan" designed to move Charlotte Public Schools into the future
As we end the 23-24 school year, we wanted to update you with our progress on the CPS Strategic Plan. In the fall, we gathered feedback data from surveys, focus groups, and various meetings to hone in on the focus areas wanted by our staff, families, and community members. Then, our Strategic Plan Committee, with varied stakeholder members, reviewed the data and designed our three year strategic plan, with a mission, vision, and values for our district, called the Flight Plan. During this past semester, we now have subcommittees around our Phase One goal areas of Security/Safety, Staff Recruitment/Retention, District Procedures/policies, and Extra/Co-Curricular opportunities. These groups have met frequently to create action steps and measurement criteria, so that we can see progress moving forward to report to our community. The following information is our 23-24 update, and we will also be reporting out publicly during the CPS Board of Education meeting on June 10th, at 6 p.m.
Safety/Security:
Ensuring the safety and security of students and staff in K-12 schools is a top priority for educators, and administrators. Strategic planning has become a vital component in creating a safe learning environment amidst rising concerns about school safety. Here are some key items our group has completed this school year and items we are looking into for the future.
Safety Training - We have attended various training scenarios and conferences for crisis prevention and response. We are developing future opportunities for staff education and professional development, and creating emergency response teams across the district.
Safety Equipment/Facility Improvements - We have added Classroom Nightlock Shades, Emergency Evacuation Maps, Critical Incident Mapping, Added to RAVE PANIC app options, Additional security cameras and camera upgrades, Additional keyless entry systems, Enhanced employee ID badges, Window Safety Film, and installing New Interior Classroom Doors at Galewood (Summer 24).
Safety Policies and Procedures - While we have a completed and approved Crisis Response/Emergency Operations Plan, we are also focusing on daily procedural items across the district, like propping doors, parking lot safety, etc. We are also proposing a district level position to oversee all Safety and Security Related tasks.
Staff Recruitment/Retention:
The Staff Recruitment/Retention subcommittee will be actively working toward the goal of prioritizing staff retention to bolster the long-term success of our district. Retaining staff is crucial to the success of our district. Therefore, this subcommittee is striving to include all district employees in conversations about why they choose to stay with CPS. In order to do so, the subcommittee will focus on four key areas with specific targets in mind:
Data - Gather Data about staff needs in regards to recognition;
Mentoring - create mentoring systems to support new and veteran staff; Staff Recognition - increase recognition of staff and build staff relationships;
Activities and Events - Create opportunities for staff to interact beyond classrooms, offices, etc. At this point we have developed action steps within each of these areas with Data launching us into the 3 main areas of focus: Mentoring, Staff Recognition, and Activities and Events.
District Procedures/Policies:
The District Policies and Procedures subcommittee will play an important role in the planning process over the next three years. Many of the goals and anticipated outcomes outlined by the CPS Strategic Plan will be directly influenced by the work done in this subcommittee. Additionally, the subcommittee is excited to help support the work of the other groups as policy and procedure can overlap in many areas. Our initial meetings focused on identifying areas within the district where policy and practice were either inconsistent or needing additional information that would otherwise provide better guidance to our students, staff, and families. Some of the areas identified included academics, attendance, behavior, collaborative leadership, communication, and family engagement. Looking forward, the committee is working to create goals within the areas identified above and also to develop strategic indicators that serve as success criteria for us to better measure consistency across our CPS buildings and departments. Perhaps the best part of the work so far has been the collaborative approach the district has taken. The subcommittee has representation from a variety of different departments and buildings within the district, and the investment from stakeholders and the different perspectives offered has provided much optimism for the future of this strategic plan.
Extra/Co-Curricular Opportunities:
This strategic goal is to maintain and support the growth of extra and co-curricular opportunities across the district, ensuring these programs meet the diverse needs of the Charlotte community. This includes the development of a comprehensive list of current offerings that will be easily available on the district website and shared in building newsletters. We will analyze gaps and inequities to create future opportunities by encouraging passion projects and clubs. Additionally, the strategy involves advertising and celebrating these activities through social media and regular updates to engage and inform the community.
We want to thank the community for their support, and to our staff, who have worked together to move Charlotte Public Schools into the future! Our Flight Plan will allow us to continue to Grow, Learn, Play, the Oriole Way!
Go Orioles! Oriole Pride!
Dr. Mandy Stewart- CPS Superintendent and members of the CPS Strategic Planning Committee!
