Strategic Plan

LT's 2026-27 Strategic Plan Team will participate in two virtual meetings and three in-person workshops:

Orientation Meeting (Virtual)
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
6:00–8:00 p.m.

Data Retreat (In Person)
Thursday, September 24, 2026
8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Vision Retreat (In Person)
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
12:00–4:00 p.m.

Setting Direction Retreat (In Person)
Wednesday, December 9, 2026
6:00–8:30 p.m.

Summary Meeting & Draft Plan Review (Virtual)
Monday, January 11, 2027
3:30–5:30 p.m.

1. Represent Stakeholders
Bring the perspectives, experiences, needs, and aspirations of the group you represent
while keeping the interests of the entire district in mind.
2. Engage and Contribute
Attend meetings prepared, participate actively, share ideas, ask thoughtful questions, and
contribute your expertise and experience.
3. Study the Evidence
Review district data, stakeholder feedback, trends, research, and current practices to help
the team understand where we are now and what the future may require.
4. Think Strategically
Focus beyond immediate issues. Help answer the larger questions: Where are we now?
Where do we want to go? How will we get there? How will we know we are making
a difference?
5. Challenge Assumptions
Be willing to respectfully question current practices, conventional thinking, and proposed
solutions. Ask, “Is this still the right thing to do?”
6. Build Consensus
Listen to differing perspectives, seek common ground, and help the team make decisions
that reflect shared priorities rather than individual preferences.
7. Shape the Strategic Plan
Help develop and refine the district's Preferred Future, strategic priorities, long-range
goals, indicators of success, and strategies for improvement.
8. Serve as a Communicator
Help others understand the planning process, share accurate information, listen to
questions and concerns, and bring stakeholder feedback back to the team.
9. Champion the Plan
Once decisions are made, support the collective direction of the team and help build
understanding, ownership, and commitment throughout the organization.
10. Keep the Focus on Impact
Continually ask: “How will this improve the experience and success of our students?”
Help ensure the final plan is not merely a collection of activities, but a commitment to
measurable results.
 

A Simple Way to Define the Role
Strategic Planning Team members are asked to:
Represent → Listen → Learn → Question → Contribute → Decide → Communicate →
Champion

Here are four foundational strategic planning questions that can guide almost any leadership team:

1. Where are we now?
What does the evidence tell us about our current reality—our strengths, challenges,
opportunities, and needs? We will address this question at the Data Retreat.
2. Where do we want to go?
What is our preferred future, and what do we want students, staff, families, and the
organization to experience? We will address this question at the Vision Retreat.
3. How will we get there?
What priorities, strategies, actions, resources, and responsibilities will move us from our
current reality to our preferred future? We will address this question at the Setting
Direction Retreat.
4. How will we know we are making a difference?
What evidence, indicators, measures, and targets will demonstrate progress and impact,
and how will we use what we learn to continuously improve? This question will also be
addressed at the Setting Direction Retreat.

Simple version:
Where are we now? → Where are we going? → How will we get there? → How will we
know?