USD 308 Works With Community to Create New Mission, Vision, and Values
HUTCHINSON, KS - USD 308 has taken an important step towards creating a new mission, vision, and core values with the help of district leadership, community members, and consultants from Wichita State University’s Community Engagement Institute. The project aims to establish a shared understanding of the district’s purpose and values that will guide decision-making, strategic planning, and operations for years to come.
Superintendent, Dr. Dawn Johnson, with direction from USD 308’s Board of Education, recognized the need for a clear and compelling mission, vision and core values that reflect the community’s aspirations and values. “The landscape of education is changing, and we need to be strategic in making difficult decisions. Quite honestly, we need clarity in our values so we can be proactive in setting our district up for future success.”
To achieve this, the district engaged a team of consultants from Wichita State University, who brought their expertise and experience in organizational development and strategic planning to the project. On Monday evening, the consultants worked closely with representatives from the district’s leadership team, staff, families, and community members to gather input, insights, and perspectives on what the district stands for, what it aims to achieve, and what principles and beliefs guide its actions. The work on Monday included a robust and inclusive dialogue that generated a wealth of ideas and feedback.
The first phase of the project, which focused on gathering input from these stakeholders, has been completed. Wichita State is currently gathering data from a survey the district pushed out to the community on April 27th. Input from Monday’s meeting combined with the community survey will inform the district’s strategic plan, which will be formulated at a Board of Education retreat later this summer.
USD 308 Board of Education member, Ron Fisher, emphasized at the meeting on Monday night the significance of the work the committee is embarking upon. “Strategic planning is at the core of our district’s existence. It shapes the culture and reflects the district’s commitment to providing high-quality education that meets the needs and aspirations of all students.”
The district is excited about this first step in creating a new mission, vision, and core values statements as they will serve as a compass for the district’s future direction. The district plans to share the new statements with its staff at Convocation in August and then publicly with students, families, and the community. For community members interested, the district continues to seek input for strategic planning via the community survey, which can be found on the district website. The purpose of the survey is to engage the community in the next phases of the project, which will focus on developing strategic goals and action plans to achieve the vision.
