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Strategic Plan

Strategic planning plays a vital role in the continuous improvement efforts of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District. It's the process of documenting and establishing the direction of LGSUHSD by assessing where we are and envisioning where we, as a community, want to be.

In Spring 2023, the district embarked on redesigning the Strategic Plan. This plan will be shaped by school district staff, high school students, families, and community members through a series of in-person listening sessions. The plan will include:

  • Tangible and descriptive statements that describe the results we want for our students, staff, families, community, and district.
  • Specific actions we are taking to reach our strategic goals.
  • Data we collect and analyze to gauge our progress.
  • Standards we set to help us determine our progress toward meeting our goals.

2023 - 2024 Strategic Planning Timeline

April 1, 2024: We INSPIRE! Strategic Plan Webinar Update to Parents/Community (Recording Below)
On Monday, April 1, 2024, Public Information & Engagement Officer Tanya De La Cruz provided an update to parents and the community on the work of the We INSPIRE! Strategic Plan Implementation Team so far. Joined by co-leads from the 4 Focus Areas, the goal of the webinar was to share the goals, as well as some specific tasks being developed to make each goal a reality. All families have an opportunity for feedback to help prioritize the next steps by completing this survey.

November 2023 - June 2024
An Implementation Team, made up of teachers, classified staff, and parents formed to develop realistic goals for each Focus Area, along with metrics for accountability. The co-leads for each of the 4 Focus Areas are a member of Cabinet, and a Teacher or Classified Support Person. Each co-lead team, has a team of teachers, support staff, and in the area of focus area 4 - parents who are helping to create tasks in order to make the established goals a reality.

Each team is thoughtfully looking at how do we incorporate the feedback and values of our stakeholders, how will we implement to reach our focus area goals, and how can we measure success to ensure accountability?

October 17, 2023: We INSPIRE! Approved by the Board of Trustees
We INSPIRE! represents the district's strategy for improving educational outcomes, as well as telling the story of LGSUHSD.  

After the anticipated approval of We INSPIRE!, District staff will begin working on the implementation of action steps to achieve each goal. We INSPIRE! will be brought back to the Board of Trustees for approval of Phase 3 in June 2024 after the implementation team has determined action steps and measurements of success.

We INSPIRE! can be viewed here .

October 2, 2023: Update to the Community (Webinar)
For those who couldn't attend the Board Study Session on September 26, 2023, Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson provided the community with a virtual update. View the webinar here (passcode: kDJN@65N)

September 26, 2023: Board Study Session
As the district has come to the end of Phase 2 of the Strategic Plan Design, Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson updated the Board Members on the survey results from last Spring, how we addressed our student, staff, and parent feedback in our Strategic Plan draft, and what our next steps are for implementation.

We INSPIRE!, the name of our Strategic Plan, is being revised and finalized to incorporate all the feedback of our Design Team members, each representing the important voices of our community. 

September 6, 2023: Next Strategic Plan Design Team Meeting
Members of the Design Team met to continue their work.

Jun 13, 2023: Presentation Update to the Board of Trustees
Francisca Sanchez, of Provocative Practice, shared an update on the work of the Strategic Design Team to the Board of Trustees. You can view the presentation here. 

June 1, 2023: Strategic Design Team Meeting
Members of the Design Team met to continue their work. Look for an update from Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson soon.

May 24, 2023 - June 9, 2023: Feedback Survey Open
Before we begin writing the Strategic Plan, we want to check-in with you to make sure that the draft areas of focus are in alignment with the direction and goals you think the district should be going. You can help us by completing this survey. All answers are anonymous.

Student Survey   |  Parent/Community Member Survey   |   Staff Survey

May 24, 2023: Update to the Community (ZOOM PRESENTATION)
Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson shared the steps the District has taken so far to solicit feedback, share the areas of focus, and see if the work of the Design Team is in alignment with that of the LGSUHSD community. You can view a recording of the webinar here.

May 10, 2023: 2nd Stakeholder Design Team Meeting
The Design Team continued their work of creating overarching recommendations and refining the actions to achieve each focus. Design Team members identified and shared assets, expertise, and resources within and across diverse stakeholder interests in order to expand and strengthen the total common knowledge base.

April 21, 2023: 1st Stakeholder Design Team Begins
The Strategic Plan Design Group solicits input from a broad-based stakeholder group to contribute to and support the development and implementation of the district strategic plan. The Design Team includes students and staff from both schools and the district office, parents, community leaders, and very well-respected facilitators in their fields.

April 3, 2023: Influencers Meeting
Approximately 30 community leaders met to learn about the Strategic Planning process and to offer advice on the launching of the design plan. Attendees included law enforcement, leaders in our feeder districts, parent booster organizations, local government officials, and more.

April 3, 2023: Leadership Consultation
Convened the top-level district leadership to establish and publicly endorse a set of key essentials that clearly articulates the future the district wants for its students, staff, and community, how it will need to behave to walk that talk, and the big work it will need to take on to make that future a reality. These essentials typically include vison/mission, student/graduate profile, values, principles, and strategic goals. They can also include a theory of action and instructional priorities.

March and April, 2023: Data Gathering
Review current demographic, programmatic, achievement and socioemotional data, relevant school plans/initiatives, and interview/focus group results. Integrate data review with interview and focus group results. Craft a district profile and a set of findings statements that accurately reflect the district’s current state. Craft a set of findings statements.

March 28. 2023: Staff and Board Interviews, Board Meeting Presentation
View the presentation to the Board of Trustees here. 

March 21 & 22. 2023: Student, Staff, and Parent Focus Groups
Captured experiences, perspectives, and wishes for the district’s future from students, staff, and parents. Student, staff, and parent perspectives will serve to inform the design of a plan that positions the district as a model of excellence, equity, and effectiveness.

The interviews and focus groups were an initial step in the planning and design process and in creating a district profile that paints a picture of the district’s services, programs, achievement/social-emotional learning results, resources, and other important factors.

In Spring 2023, the district embarked on redesigning the Strategic Plan. This plan will be shaped by school district staff, high school students, families, and community members through a series of in-person listening sessions. The plan will include:

  • Tangible and descriptive statements that describe the results we want for our students, staff, families, community, and district.
  • Specific actions we are taking to reach our strategic goals.
  • Data we collect and analyze to gauge our progress.
  • Standards we set to help us determine our progress toward meeting our goals.