Community Engagement: Creating a Shared Vision
The importance of a strong relationship between a public school district and the community to which it belongs cannot be overstated. The vision and values of how students are educated need to be clear and aligned.
“Future Search” is among the best-established and most effective methods for enabling people to create and implement an ambitious plan. We have partnered with over thirty school districts using variations of a future search to engage communities in the identification of priorities that will shape the future of the district. By definition, a future search process provides a forum for diverse stakeholder groups to contribute jointly to a vision of the future, through discovery of their common ground, and to work together towards implementation. The outcomes of these conversations will provide direction to your district’s strategic plan and help your board focus on what matters most to your community.
Over a period of approximately 12 hours, spread-out over three days, stakeholders from the community will participate in a series of conversations that will result in the identification of what your students will need to be successful in college, career and life. One of the fundamental principles that contributes toward a successful gathering is ensuring that the “whole system” is in the room for this conversation This includes but not limited to parents, teachers, students, employers, elected officials, non-teaching staff, senior citizens, board of education, social services, clergy, administrators, and post-high school educators.
Other community engagement services we provide include the design and facilitation of citizen committees that make recommendations for changing school boundaries, long-range facility planning, and school closures.