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Strategic Plan

Introduction

The following Strategic Plan represents the culmination of a comprehensive and collaborative effort by a diverse steering committee comprised of district staff, students, families, business professionals, community organizations, and other members of the Westerville City School District (WCSD) learning community. The committee convened multiple times from March through June 2024, engaging in facilitated sessions led by an independent strategic planning organization to accomplish this important task on behalf of the district. The committee designed the Strategic Plan to build upon foundational guiding documents that direct our efforts in the Westerville City Schools: the Portrait of a Graduate, the Essential Elements for High-Quality Instruction, and the Facilities Master Plan.

Building on the Portrait of a Graduate

The foundation of this Strategic Plan is deeply rooted in the WCSD Portrait of a Graduate, a journey that began in 2017. The Portrait of a Graduate aimed to articulate the desired skills and characteristics students develop during their PreK-12 experience to prepare them to contribute to the competitive and changing world in which we live. This process involved extensive engagement with teachers, building administrators, parents, and business and community leaders to identify the qualities necessary for our students’ success post-graduation. The competencies and visual design of the Portrait of a Graduate were finalized in 2021. These competencies—Adaptability, Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Social-Emotional Wellness—serve as the cornerstone of our educational approach.

Westerville City Schools Portrait of a Graduate Graphic

Essential Elements of High-Quality Instruction

Recognizing the need for clear expectations for the teaching and learning environment necessary to develop the competencies, in 2022, the district began to develop the Essential Elements of High-Quality Instruction. This work began with the fundamental question, “What is the purpose of school?” Through discussions and reviews of key documents, the Teaching & Learning team identified common themes like student achievement, equal access, workforce readiness, and global competitiveness. These themes informed the first draft of the Essential Elements, which, after feedback, were refined to three core elements: Safe & Inclusive Environment, Student- Centered Learning, and Clear Evidence & Application of Learning. These elements, paired with the Portrait of a Graduate competencies, form the Westerville City Schools Educational Framework.

Alignment with the Facilities Master Plan

Integral to this Strategic Plan is its alignment with the WCSD Facilities Master Plan. The Board of Education established the scope and timeline for Phase I of this plan on April 15, 2019 and Phase 2 on April 22, 2024, in response to the growing enrollment and aging infrastructure that necessitated a more proactive approach beyond mere “patchwork” repairs.

The Facilities Master Plan allows WCSD to modernize its older classrooms and create 21st Century Learning & Teaching environments across all educational levels. This plan, developed through extensive community engagement and feedback, aligns with current educational goals, addresses safety and security measures, and accommodates growing enrollment by adding new schools and expanding existing ones.

10-Year Facilities Master Plan Chart

Strategic Planning Process

At the outset, the WCSD Superintendent’s Strategic Planning Committee members received detailed background information about the district, including how the district’s Portrait of a Graduate competencies harmonize with the identified Essential Elements of High-Quality Instruction to form the district’s Educational Framework. They also reviewed an overview of the WCSD Facilities Master Plan, along with feedback gathered from a series of engagement meetings with staff, students, parents, and the community. Additionally, they examined various academic, organizational, and financial needs of the district.

District officials strongly believe that the strategic plan structure should honor and reflect initiatives that are already in process while also incorporating additional priorities based on feedback from the Strategic Planning Committee. Their work, conducted in both large and small group sessions, produced a strategic framework reflecting extensive community feedback and aligning with the district’s Portrait of a Graduate, Essential Elements for High-Quality Instruction, and the Facilities Master Plan.

Upon completing its charge, the committee presented the proposed Strategic Plan to the Board of Education. This document now serves as a roadmap, guiding and prioritizing the district’s most critical work in the coming years.

Conclusion and Implementation

Over the life of the plan, implementation teams will be responsible for establishing baseline measures, developing recommendations, facilitating the implementation, and identifying measures of success for each objective.

The creation of this strategic plan is a testament to the dedication and collaborative spirit of the WCSD learning community. By building upon our Educational Framework and the Facilities Master Plan, we have crafted a strategic plan that addresses current needs and prepares our students and community to work towards being the benchmark of educational excellence.

Priorities of the Strategic Plan