Strategic plan changes to come, no more references to DEI
Superintendent Dr. Christopher Barnes said the district is continuing work on revamping the strategic plan that would run from 2027 to 2031.
Barnes said they’re working on the pillars of academic achievement, safe and supportive learning and working environments, and family and community engagement. He proposed more specific goals, like improving metrics for graduation, benchmark classes like Math I and third-grade reading, and absenteeism. He also wants to improve the public’s view of the district’s efforts towards transparency, accountability, and accessibility.
Democratic board member Judy Justice brought up that one of the six former pillars of the district’s former strategic plan was diversity, equity, and inclusion, which has since disappeared as a goal. Republican board chair Melissa Mason jumped in to tell Justice to keep “politics out of the discussion.” Justice went on to say that the older plan tried to make steps in improving students’ individual needs, but now felt like the district was “going back in time.”…