Last week the Syracuse City School District rolled out its five-year strategic plan, Great Expectations 2012-2017, the culmination of six months of planning and community engagement. Excitement was high as Superintendent Sharon L. Contreras unveiled the long-awaited plan to a standing-room-only audience that included many interested family and community members, the Board of Education Commissioners, City Councilors, and the Chancellor of Syracuse University … a crowd reflective of the inclusive process that shaped the goals and strategic initiatives of the plan.
The Deputy Commissioner from the NY state education department made a personal appearance to share one more positive announcement: Syracuse is only one of ten districts in the state to have developed an evaluation system for teachers and school leaders that can be set up as a model for other districts.
Syracuse is one of our partner districts, and the School Turnaround Group is proud of the effort our team on the ground invested in the plan. We’re even more excited for our partners at the school district and hope that the plan can serve as a roadmap to dramatic and sustainable change in a school district which has struggled for decades to meet the needs of all children. As the district well knows, accomplishing the plan’s ambitious goals will require difficult months and years of implementation. Still, on Wednesday night, everyone in attendance could feel the palpable hope and determination in the room. Go ‘Cuse!
–Davin Auble wrote this piece and leads Mass Insight’s engagement in Syracuse