FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, June 24, 2019

Media Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: kelsey@jgpr.net

Milford School District Releases Draft Strategic Plan

MILFORD— Superintendent Jessica Huizenga is pleased to share a draft strategic plan that seeks to improve student learning and social emotional development, community engagement and communication in the district.

The district has been developing the new strategic plan since November 2018, which includes significant public input from a broad cross section of the community, including four parents, 20 students, 14 administrators, 18 community members and 12 teachers and staff. The district sought student input, in particular, to ensure student voices, opinions and thoughts were heard throughout the process.

The last strategic plan for Milford School District was developed in 2010, and the district has been without a plan entirely since 2013.

To read the draft strategic plan for 2019-2024, click here.

Milford School District is seeking community feedback on the draft, and is collecting input through an online survey. The deadline to submit feedback on the strategic plan is July 7.

The draft strategic plan seeks to establish clear graduation expectations, outlined in the district’s new Portrait of a Graduate, and an interdisciplinary curriculum that will support students in developing key skills including critical thinking, problem solving, innovation and creativity, personal responsibility, effective communication and awareness as global citizens. The district will also analyze student needs and progress, and develop professional development opportunities for faculty and staff to facilitate the new curriculum and approach to student learning.

Two-way communication between administrators and students, parents, educators, faculty, and the general public is another primary goal of the plan. Over the next five years, the district will undertake several initiatives to become more transparent and communicative about the goals, news and ongoing work at Milford School District.

“This strategic plan is a new chapter for our school district,” Superintendent Huizenga said. “We’re excited to implement this new programming to increase supports and challenge students in the classroom along an aligned preK-12 continuum, encourage more dialog between the community and district, and foster greater equity in a healthy, welcoming, supportive learning environment. The plan also strengthens coherence across the district, with each priority area supporting the success of the other.”

Social emotional well-being is another key component of the plan. Over the next five years, the district will work to implement the development and honing of key social emotional competencies in the classroom outlined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). These social emotional skills include student’s self awareness, social awareness, responsible decision-making, self management, and relationship skills.

The district will also review and modify current building safety plans in partnership with the School Resource Officer and Emergency Services personnel.

The plan also lays out initiatives for the district to support community engagement by adding more positions on the parent teacher organizations at each school, hosting more family night events, and building relationships with community partners to supplement and support student learning.

The Milford School Board will vote on the adoption of a final strategic plan at its July 15 meeting at 7 p.m. in the Milford High School lecture hall, room 182.

Superintendent Huizenga wishes to acknowledge the efforts of the following in the creation of the draft strategic plan:  Milford High School Principal Chali Davis, Heron Pond Elementary School Principal Chantal Alcox, Director of Student Services Paul Christensen, Milford Middle School Principal Anthony DeMarco, Director of Special Services Michael Hatfield, Milford Middle School Curriculum Coordinator Beth Gibney, Elementary Curriculum Coordinator Leslie Brigagliano, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Mike Tenters, Milford School Board member Ron Carvell, Milford School Board Member Jennifer Siegrist and parent and community member David Wilson.

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