Noxon Schools begins strategic planning

Noxon school board members, teachers, and members of the community met Jan. 16 to discuss a strategic plan for their schools. The meeting was hosted by Debra Silk from the Montana School Boards Association in Helena. Silk wishes to hold three strategic planning meetings to get the best idea for the direction and future of Noxon Public Schools.

In Silk’s presentation, she outlined that strategic planning is necessary because it helps establish clarity and consensus regarding the direction of the Noxon Public Schools. Planning, she said, also helps ensure open access to critical information by the entire community and helps broaden the number of people truly invested in the district’s success. Having these meetings helps the district identify and overcome barriers to success, according to Silk.

After the presentation from Silk, the attendees split into three groups for further discussion. The first topic was the Core Purpose of Noxon Public Schools. The answers from the three groups were similar, featuring providing a safe environment for students, instilling confidence and self-discipline, as well as motivating students for their futures whether or not they are planning to attend college.

Marv Gebhardt, who has been teaching for 42 years around Montana and North Dakota, believes that the school system “should prepare students to be successful in society no matter what field they choose to go into.”

The three groups also discussed the Core Values they wished to uphold for Noxon Public Schools, for both the students and the staff. The common values of the groups were integrity, trust, accountability, discipline, positive communication, respect, reverence, responsibility and community involvement.

Noxon Superintendent Thad Kaiser said the planning meetings are well worth it.

“It is valuable for both the school and the community,” Kaiser said.

Outlining a strategic plan over the three meetings is the first step in the process. A collaborative approach with the community is needed and the participation with as many people as possible. There also needs to be a commitment to follow through on and use the plan to guide decisions, Silk explained, even when those decisions are difficult, as well as a commitment to regularly revisit and refine the strategy as an evolutionary process in the district. Silk continues to work with schools throughout Montana to help them each find their own strategic plan and promote the evolution of schools to change and grow with the changing society.