District 70 seeks input from parents, businesses on long-range plans

For the first time, Libertyville Elementary District 70 will hold focus groups to gather suggestions to help create a strategic plan during the next several months.

"We've never really reached out in this sense," Superintendent Guy Schumacher said. "We're very much opening the doors to the community."

A first session for parents is scheduled for Monday, April 11, and a second session for community and business leaders will be held Monday, April 18. Both are at 7 p.m. at the district's educational resource center, 1381 W. Lake St., Libertyville.

The district updates and revamps its strategic plan about every five years, according to Schumacher.

"This spring, we'll be bringing together a group and starting fresh. We're looking to new areas of focus," he added. Those areas are based on to-be-determined goals and objectives. Some, such as fiscal responsibility or aging school buildings, are ongoing.

The current strategic plan was adopted in July 2011 and is broken down into several sections, including: culture and climate; professional development; curriculum and instruction; finance and facilities; and human resources.

Schumacher said the document is fluid. Safe school environments, for example, were part of the most recent plan, but were adjusted after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in late 2012.

"It's amazing what we have learned and continued to grow from such an unfortunate incident," he said. "It wasn't on our radar."

Creating the plan is a multipronged process. Residents apply to be on a committee that is divided into groups that brainstorm district needs, what they'd like to see, concerns and the like. Information, such as enrollment projections, is provided as needed. Input from the focus groups and an ongoing communitywide survey also will be used.

"We get very excited about this," Schumacher said.

District spokeswoman Robin Kollman said that as a taxpayer-supported entity, it is important for District 70 to try to reach all stakeholders, including residents who don't have children in school.

"They all pay taxes to support us; they all have a right to be heard," she said.

Applications and information regarding the strategic plan are available at d70schools.org. Applications also are available by calling (847) 362-8393 or emailing Rose Bourgeois at rbourgeois@d70schools.org.