Chagrin Falls Schools invites residents to strategic planning sessions

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio — As the end of the 2021-22 school year approaches, the Chagrin Falls School District is completing phase one of the district’s strategic planning process by holding in-person community engagement roundtables.

These roundtables, or focus groups, will be opportunities for staff, parents, alumni and the community to have an opportunity to listen and learn from one another, according to a news release from the district.

Students in grades 7-12 are also welcome to attend and share their experiences, with permission from a parent or guardian. Each session will have a maximum of 100 people.

Sessions will be at 3:30, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. May 19 in the Chagrin Falls High School commons and at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. May 24 in the Chagrin Falls Intermediate School cafeteria. Each session is scheduled for 90 minutes.

“Based on what we have learned so far from our school community through conversations with our students, staff, parents, alumni and community partners and through the Listen/Learn questionnaire and board meetings, we have five areas of focus that we will be discussing,” Superintendent Jennifer Penczarski said in the release.

These five areas are:

· How could the district strengthen or extend its current mission, vision and values? Why?

· How could the district strengthen or extend its preliminary profile of a graduate based on what has been learned these past two years? Why?

· What could the district do to advance student and staff mental, physical and emotional well-being? What’s working well and not working well? Why?

· What could the district do to advance academic excellence and future fluencies in a learner and learning-centered experience? What’s working well and not working well? Why?

· What could the district do to provide students with the tools, partnerships, infrastructure and resources they need? What’s working well and not working well? Why?

For community members who have not had the opportunity to share their thoughts about the district yet, these community engagement roundtables will give them that chance, Penczarski said.

If residents are unable to attend these sessions, the district will offer more opportunities to participate throughout the strategic planning process.

In January, the Chagrin Falls Board of Education approved a contract for consulting, design and facilitation services with Coach to Lead, a firm based in Columbus, to help guide the strategic planning process. Coach to Lead is being paid $6,500 for its services.

The goal is to have everything in place related to this process by January 2023, Penczarski has said.

An email communication was shared April 29 to parents and residents who have signed up to receive district news and information through ConstantContact about the upcoming roundtables and how to sign up for them. Information can also be found on the home page of the district website, chagrinschools.org.

If residents have any trouble accessing the information or sign-up form, they should contact Mike Daugherty at [email protected].

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