The Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District is excited to share details about its next strategic plan. The draft plan was presented to the Board of Education on Monday, March 24 and is expected to be adopted next month. The implementation would begin at the start of the 2025-26 school year.
“Blueprint for Excellence” is the result of planning sessions that were held with the Board of Education, leadership team, staff, parents, students, and community members. Community input was also gathered during the fall to identify ways to become a more equitable and inclusive school community.
“This updated strategic plan will be the backbone for district work through 2027. It will serve as a roadmap in efforts to connect with each child and family while enhancing connections as a school and a community. Your collaboration and teamwork make all the difference in the lives of children and the success of the district,” said Superintendent Dr. Peter Smith.
The new strategic plan is rooted in its mission to provide a holistic educational experience that nurtures the academic, social, and emotional growth of every student. The district is committed to preparing students for success in a rapidly changing world by focusing on their individual needs and fostering a supportive, inclusive learning environment. The plan’s vision emphasizes responsibility for each student’s success, ensuring that their diverse needs are honored, and their potential is maximized.
To achieve this, three priority areas were identified:
1 – Academic excellence: the district will implement a comprehensive program that builds essential life skills, such as collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, while expanding rigorous opportunities across all grades.
2 – Enhanced student and family experience: the district will foster a welcoming, affirming, and equitable school community through transparent, responsive, and proactive communication that centers student and family voices, provides comprehensive mental health and whole-child supports and builds trust and partnership across all levels, with measurable commitments to timely, meaningful engagement.
3 – Safe and efficient operations: the district is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for students and staff through improved communication, and the development and maintenance of district facilities and infrastructure.
“While evaluating the priority area of safe and efficient operations, administrators have also taken into account recent safety concerns voiced by families and the community. This priority area includes but is not limited to recruiting culturally responsive School Resource Officers for all five school buildings, evaluating the addition of weapon detection systems in our schools, and providing professional development around safety drills,” said Smith. “Some of these areas, especially weapon detection systems, will take time to consider. It will be crucial that a comprehensive assessment is completed, weighing the potential benefits, challenges, and community impact. We’ll also need to engage with all stakeholders.”
The strategic plan also outlines action plans for each priority area. This will help administrators, building leaders, and staff stay focused on achieving progress for each objective.
“The goal is to have an impactful plan that drives how we spend our time and energy. The combination of the action plans, tasks, and the quarterly reports will be critical in staying focused and holding each other accountable. There is a ton of great work outlined and we can’t wait to get started,” said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Equity Nate Franz.
Anyone with questions about the plan is encouraged to contact Superintendent Peter Smith.