Strategic Planning Steps

Starting Point

WholeSchools® has created a flexible approach that adapts to the needs of your school. The sample outline proposes a starting point for the creation of your school's vision for improvement which is an extremely thoughtful and deliberate process with a strategic plan that emerges from several sequential steps:

1.  The ground work laid by the school's ongoing or previous improvement plan is analyzed.

2.  Careful review of the accomplishments of that plan to analyze the school’s current state, to find areas upon which to build, and determine any key areas which needed to be emphasized.

3. Focus groups / survey and interviews results are analyzed for any themes which might emerge

4.  Of the potential areas identified during analysis of stakeholder feedback, the strategic planning committee, in concert with the board of trustees, determined which areas most reflected the core values of the school, and its aspirations for the future.

5. Each potential strategic priority was challenged using a four-pronged questioning process:

Is it fundamental? Does this strategic priority align with the school's core beliefs and mission?  Is it aspirational? Is it important enough, and does it reach enough, to move the school forward in a significant way? Is it measurable? Is the priority clear and executable? Will the school be able to create metrics and benchmarks to determine success? Is it attainable? While the strategic priority should seek to grow and transform the school, is it realistic and achievable given the current position of the school?

As a result of this process, which can stretch over several months, the school's strategic priorities emerge having successfully met the four-pronged test above. Together, these constitute the framework for the school's Vision.

It is our aim that collectively, the strategic priorities will reflect the values, wisdom, and experiences of your school community, focus your school's efforts on what is truly important, and create a vision for what your school can be. Each strategic priority, with rationale and supporting goals, is presented to the entire school community in detail.

6. Once the strategic pillars of the strategic plan are validated a time line is mapped out.

7. A comprehensive list of initiatives mapped to strategic pillars is developed.

8. Prioritize list of initiatives based on (a) strategic importance, (b) ease of implementation and (c) financial impact

9. Given the priorities, determine the key themes of the strategic plan 

10. Based on the output, is there a need to refresh core values  and mission statement

11. Outline next steps and communication plan