Strategic Plan
Dear Colonial School District Community,
It is with tremendous honor and pride that I share Colonial School District’s Strategic Plan. Our five-year plan tells the story of the hopes and dreams of our students, families, district, and larger community; and sets a course for us all to join together to ensure each and every student’s success.
Early Childhood, Leadership and Learning, Innovation, and Access and Opportunity, are Colonial’s Pillars, and represent the core work of our organization. The vision, mission, core values, priorities, and measurable goals detailed in this document are aligned with the pillars and set the course for the next five years of continuous improvement. The plan’s development truly embodies the Power of WE and reflects more than a year of hard work and commitment during a process that was a collective effort of all stakeholders; including students, families, staff, and community members. The development of the plan began with a design phase team and stakeholder engagement, and concluded with the development, release, and implementation of the strategic plan. This plan will serve as a foundation for Colonial School District’s effort to improve outcomes for each and every student in the years to come.
As the Superintendent of Schools, I am presented with an incredible opportunity to take the culture of the Power of WE to the next level. Within the next five years, we will create a school district that all families choose for the education of their children, and a district that will be recognized as a premier workplace in the MidAtlantic region.
I encourage you to take time to review the plan, ask questions and seek opportunities to contribute to and join the Power of WE.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Menzer, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Why does Colonial need a Strategic Plan?
- A comprehensive strategic plan is an opportunity to sustain the Power of WE through:
- Understanding the current state of Colonial.
- Engaging deeply and hearing the hopes and dreams of a wide range of stakeholders in New Castle.
- Thinking expansively about the opportunities we have to move our district to a new level of excellence.
- Designing a detailed map for district improvement over the next five years.
What is a Strategic Plan?
- A foundation and roadmap for a district’s improvement efforts.
- A “living document” that ensures all educators are on the same page.
An accountability dimension that ensures alignment between the priorities and goals at the district level and in schools.
THE POWER OF WE IN ACTION
When you ask the Colonial School District community what The Power of WE means, they have a lot to say!
Colonial School District’s five-year strategic plan, WE Can Change the Odds!, has been developed to honor and bring to life the Power of WE. The CSD strategic planning states on the next page illustrate the process we undertook to ensure we understood both the current state of the district and the steps necessary to continue to improve equitable access to high-quality education for each and every Colonial student.
We studied our current practices, multiple student achievement data points, and engaged numerous stakeholders in an innovative process to understand their hopes and dreams for the district’s priorities and goals. In order for us to fulfill the priorities that emerged as part of this process, we will need to implement this plan with fidelity, consistency, and hold ourselves and each other accountable to the highest standards. Our strategic plan will serve as our guide for the next five years as we create schools and a district that are even better than they are today.