District 25 Strategic Plan Hub

Wednesday, November 12, 2025
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Virtual over Zoom

The Orientation session serves as our starting point—an opportunity to answer the essential question: “Who are we, and what are we being asked to do?” This session provides the big-picture overview of the Strategic Plan Refresh so all team members begin with a shared understanding of the process, their roles, and the responsibility we share in helping set clear direction for District 25’s future.

During Orientation, team members meet one another and learn which stakeholder group each person represents. Our refresh team includes voices from across the district: community members, families, students, certified staff, non-certified staff, administration, Board members, and union leadership. This diverse representation ensures that our work reflects the perspectives and experiences of the entire District 25 community.

The session also introduces the current Strategic Plan—its goals, progress, and results to date. Team members will build common background knowledge so we can move forward with a unified understanding of where we are and where we hope to go.

Essential Question:
Who is in the room, and what are we charged to do?
Orientation is a chance for team members to connect, learn the structure of the process, and review the commitments expected throughout the refresh work.

Orientation Documents & Resources (PRE)

• Agenda
• Participant Handout
• Table & Article Assignments
• Strategic Planning Schedule
• Homework Assignment
• Strategic Plan Refresh Team Roster
• Strategic Plan 21-25 Recap
• 5Essentials Survey Results 2025
• Article 1: Opportunity Myth
• Article 2: 10 Principals of Schools for Modern Learning
• Article 3: State of Student Experience

Orientation Documents & Resources (POST)

• Meeting Video Recording
• Orientation Power Point Presentation
• Three Articles Recap Notes

Thursday, December 11, 2025
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
In-Person, Dunton Administration Building

The Data Retreat is where our work shifts from understanding the process to understanding our reality. In this session, we explore the essential question: “Where are we now?” By grounding ourselves in data, evidence, and lived experiences, we build a shared picture of District 25’s current strengths, challenges, and opportunities for growth.

During this session, team members examine a wide range of data sources—academic performance, school climate, student demographics, readiness indicators, operational measures, and stakeholder feedback. This review is not about judging outcomes but about creating clarity. The Data Retreat invites us to look closely, ask questions, and surface patterns that will guide our decision-making throughout the refresh.

Team members collaborate in mixed-stakeholder groups to analyze findings, share interpretations, and elevate insights that matter for our future direction. By drawing on diverse perspectives, we ensure that our understanding of the data reflects the full story of District 25—one that includes numbers, context, and human experience.

By the end of the Data Retreat, our team will have a cohesive understanding of where we stand today. This step is essential to ensure that the goals and priorities we shape next are rooted in evidence and aligned to the needs of our students, staff, and community.

Essential Question:
Where are we now?
The Data Retreat provides the foundation for all strategic decisions ahead by helping the team develop a shared, evidence-based understanding of District 25’s current state.

Data Retreat Documents & Resources (PRE)

• Agenda
• Participant Handout
• Where Are We Now? | Presentation
• Data Retreat Presentation (2)
• Table Room & Article Assignments
• Data Presentation Room Assignments
• 5Essentials (Measures) Report
• INSIGHTeX Growth Mindset & DEI Report
• The Journey | 21-25 Strategic Plan Recap

Data Retreat Documents & Resources (POST)

• Meeting Video Recording
• Data Retreat Findings (Summary of Work & Draft SWOT)

Tuesday, January 27, 2026
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
In-Person, Dunton Administration Building

The Vision Retreat is where our work shifts from understanding our reality to defining our future. In this session, we explore the essential question: “Where do we want to go?” Building on the shared understanding developed through Orientation and the Data Retreat, this experience invites the team to imagine what success could, and should, look like for District 25.

During the Vision Retreat, team members engage in guided conversations and collaborative activities to articulate our shared aspirations for students, staff, and the community. Drawing on data insights, professional expertise, and lived experiences, participants consider the conditions we want to create, the values we want to uphold, and the outcomes we want to achieve over time. This work is aspirational, forward-looking, and grounded in possibility.

Team members collaborate in mixed-stakeholder groups to surface common themes, test ideas, and refine language that reflects our collective hopes for District 25. By including diverse perspectives, the vision that emerges is both ambitious and authentic—reflecting the voices and expectations of the entire community.

By the end of the Vision Retreat, our team will have a shared understanding of where we want to go and what we want to stand for as a district. This clarity ensures that the goals, priorities, and strategies developed next are aligned to a compelling and unified vision for the future.

Essential Question:
Where do we want to go?

The Vision Retreat establishes a clear, shared vision to guide the next phase of the Strategic Plan Refresh and ensure our work remains focused on what matters most.

Vision Retreat Documents & Resources (PRE)

• PowerPoint
• Agenda
• Table Assignments
• Findings from the Data Retreat
• Draft SWOT ANALYSIS
• Summary of SWOT Feedback | Community
• Summary of SWOT Feedback | Staff
• Fall 25, Vision Survey Results (Student, Parent, Staff)
• Mission vs Vision vs Core Values
• Mission, Vision, Core Values, Portrait Participant Handout
• Student Feedback on the Graduate Portrait
• Possible Solutions to the Preferred Future Statement
• District 214 Graduate Portrait

Vision Retreat Documents & Resources (POST)

• Meeting Video Recording

Tuesday, February 23, 2026
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
In-Person, Dunton Administration Building

The Setting Direction Retreat is where our work moves from aspiration to action. In this session, we shift from defining what we want for District 25 to determining how we will organize our efforts to make that vision a reality. Building on the clarity established during the Vision Retreat, this experience centers on the essential question: “How will we move forward—together?”

During the Setting Direction Retreat, team members engage in focused dialogue and collaborative planning to identify the strategic priorities that will anchor the next chapter of our work. Participants examine the themes that emerged from our vision conversations and begin translating them into clear areas of focus—ensuring our direction is coherent, measurable, and aligned to our shared commitments to students, staff, and the community.

This work requires both discipline and discernment. Together, the team will test ideas, refine language, and evaluate potential priorities through the lens of impact, feasibility, and long-term sustainability. By working in mixed-stakeholder groups, we ensure that the direction we set reflects diverse perspectives while remaining tightly aligned to our collective aspirations.

The Setting Direction Retreat is both practical and purposeful. It is where we narrow our focus, make thoughtful choices, and create a framework that will guide goal development, resource allocation, and decision-making in the years ahead.

By the end of this retreat, the team will have identified a clear set of strategic priorities that provide direction, coherence, and momentum for the Strategic Plan Refresh. This clarity positions District 25 to move confidently from vision to implementation—grounded in shared purpose and unified direction.

Essential Question:
How will we move forward‐togeher?

The Setting Direction Retreat establishes the strategic priorities that will drive goal setting, action planning, and measurable progress, ensuring our work remains aligned to our vision and responsive to the needs of our District 25 community.

Setting Directrion Retreat Documents & Resources (PRE)

• Table Assignments
• Agenda
• Findings of the Vision Retreat
• SWOT Analysis
• Preferred Future Statement
• Student Survey Results | M, V, CV, PofL
• Staff Survey Results | M, V, CV, PofL
• Staff & Middle School Student Feedback of Preferred Future Statement
• Alignment of Strategic Strategies to Long Range Goals
• Long Range Goals & Indicators of Success
• Strategic Plan Strategies
• The Journey | Strat Plan 21-25 Recap
• Why Change?
• Article | Tools for Schools

Setting Direction Retreat Documents & Resources (POST)

• Meeting Video Recording

Wednesday, March 18, 2026
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Virtual over Zoom

The Recommendation & Living the Plan Retreat is where our Strategic Plan Refresh work moves from planning to final recommendations. In this two-hour virtual session, the team focused on the essential question: “How will we live the plan—every day?” Building on prior retreats, the session centered on reviewing community, staff, and Board of Education feedback to ensure all perspectives inform the next Strategic Plan.

Team members examined survey results collected from the Board of Education, building leadership teams, cabinet members, PTA presidents, principals, and the ABC25 Foundation. Feedback addressed the Portrait of a Learner, Mission, Vision & Core Values, and Goal Areas & Strategies. Dr. Kaye will follow up with any Board members unable to attend to ensure their input is included.

During the retreat, participants worked in breakout groups to review the survey feedback and fine-tune the recommendations that will be proposed to the Board for approval. This collaborative process ensured that the plan reflects diverse perspectives while remaining aligned with District 25’s shared vision and priorities.

By the end of the session, the team refined the final framework and recommendations, creating a clear path for the Strategic Plan to move confidently from proposal to adoption and, ultimately, to action across the district.

Essential Question:
How will we live the plan—every day?

The Recommendation & Living the Plan Retreat establishes the actionable steps and refinements that will guide the Board’s approval and set the stage for the district to implement its new Strategic Plan, ensuring alignment with the needs of students, staff, and the community.

Recommendation & Living the Plan Documents & Resources (PRE)

• Table Assignments
• Agenda
• Survey Results | Final Review of Strategic Plan Refresh
• DRAFT Summary of the Survey
• Survey Results Organized vs. Previous Plan

Setting Direction Retreat Documents & Resources (POST)

• Findings of the Recommendation & Living the Plan Meeting
• Final Strategic Plan Recommendation