Manchester Schools Want Families' Thoughts On Improving Schools

MANCHESTER, NJ — The Manchester Township School District is inviting parents and members of the community to join the board of education for its strategic planning meeting.

The strategic planning is the process where the school board develops goals and strategies to achieve educational success in the district.

Community involvement is an important piece of the planning, district officials said.

Members of the community who are interested in participating are asked to RSVP for the event, which is set for 5:30 p.m. March 16 at Manchester Township High School.

The district has partnered with Tracey Severns of Teach4Results to facilitate the school district’s Strategic Planning Process. Severns will provide an interactive, transparent approach to involve everyone in the process to shape the future plans for the school district.

Severns brings much experience to our district as a nationally renowned educator who has dedicated her career to students, teachers, administrators and school communities. She has served as a teacher, principal, superintendent, chief academics officer for the NJ Department of Education, the leadership and learning strategist for Rutgers School of Education’s Center for Effective School Practices, and host of DisruptED TV.

Severn’s strategic improvement plans use research-based strategies to achieve data-driven goals, the district said.

"The strategic planning process is an opportunity for school and community stakeholders to look forward by identifying the district’s strengths, weaknesses, target issues and then develop and prioritize annual goals that achieve district success," said John Berenato, superintendent of Schools.

"The strategic planning events are an opportunity for all students, staff, parents and residents to provide the school district with their feedback," he said. "We provide students with services and they too will have the opportunity during their own strategic planning sessions to elevate their voices in the same way the staff, families and community will."

"By working together in this way, strategic planning will help the district to forecast and prioritize our district’s specific needs and then develop strategies that support these needs. We hope to have a large turnout and participation from all," Berenato said.

The events are an opportunity for students, staff, parents, families and larger community to share their opinions on priority areas of focus to improve the Manchester Township Schools.

Data collected by Severns at the events will be analyzed and those results will be presented to members of the Board of Education at the June public meeting, and the board and school administration will then develop a comprehensive plan based on the feedback.

"At the end of the strategic planning process, the Manchester Township School District will have a set of strategic goals and priorities that are supported by measurable action plans to move the school district forward," the district said.