District 36 Launches Strategic Plan
October 22, 2021
Dear Families, Staff, and Community Members,
The Winnetka Public Schools community has shared a deep commitment to Progressive Education for over 100 years. Our School Board, administrators, and staff are honored to continue our history of excellence by cultivating rich experiential learning opportunities and fostering the academic and social and emotional skills that our students need to thrive now and into the future. To further advance this important work, we embarked on an ambitious Strategic Planning process starting in March 2020 with the involvement of over two-thousand contributors representing students, staff, parents, community members, and alumni.
We are pleased to share the outcome of these efforts by presenting the District’s revised Mission and Vision, Portrait of a Graduate, and Strategic Plan 2021- 2025. Each of these elements is meant to propel us forward as follows:
Mission
Communicates who we are and what we do in The Winnetka Public Schools.
Vision
Conveys our ambitious commitment for what we aspire to achieve as a District.
Portrait of a Graduate
Outlines the unique characteristics, skill sets, and mindsets we strive to develop in every student over their time in the District: Resilient, Effective Communicator, Creative Problem-Solver, Collaborative, Empathetic, Global Citizen and Lifelong Learner.
The competencies outlined in our Portrait of a Graduate illustrate a successful Winnetka Experience for our students and will prepare them to thrive as learners and leaders in the world. We are proud of our collaboration with New Trier High School and our alignment with their Portrait of a Graduate, supporting continuity for our students.
Strategic Goal Areas & Strategies 2021-2025
Defines our Priority Areas for four Strategic Goals with accompanying strategies for the next four years:
Intellectual Engagement and Motivation to Learn;
Positive Culture and Well-Being;
Local and National Leader in Progressive Education and Talent Development; and
Financial Stewardship and Facility Improvements.
Each year of the strategic plan, the Administration will present the Board with an annual plan to advance the ambitious goals based on the most relevant data and context. This annual approach is best practice and allows for dynamic and adaptive planning.
We look forward to regularly communicating progress in all of these areas over the next four years. We trust that our school community will align with our collective efforts toward accomplishing our goals. Together, we are committed to providing a vibrant Winnetka Experience that supports every learner to reach their highest potential and ultimately make a meaningful difference in the world.
Sincerely,
Dr. Trisha Kocanda
Superintendent
Ms. Dawn Livingston
School Board President