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General Brown Central School District
Blueprint for Excellence
Strategic Plan
July 2023
BOE Approved September 11, 2023
Dear Members of the General Brown School Community,
It has never been more important to be focused, aligned, and intentional in our work. We are very excited to share the results of our collaborative efforts to develop plans that will help us to continue growing and improving as we always strive for excellence.
Our “Blueprint for Excellence” is the result of planning sessions that were held with our Board of Education, Leadership Team, staff, parents, and community members. We worked with feedback gathered from the community as we developed a plan that will help us continue to grow and achieve as we strive for excellence in all that we do.
This plan will be the backbone for what we do. It will serve as a roadmap in our efforts to connect with each child and family while enhancing our connections as a school and a community. We’re in this work together and look forward to being your teammate in our continued effort to be a model school of excellence.
Thank you for your feedback and support. Your collaboration and teamwork make all the difference in the lives of children and the success of the district.
Sincerely,
Brian Moore Kelly Milkowich
Superintendent of Schools President, Board of Education
Introduction and Overview……………………………………….……… 3
Mission/Vision/Core Values…………………………………….………. 4
Priority Areas……………………………………………………………….… 5
Action Plans….…………………………………………………………..……. 6
Accountability and Implementation Plan……….……………….… 10
Blueprint Committee Members………………………….………….…. 11
Blueprint Planning is intended to:
- Involve all members of the school community and reflect their shared perspectives.
- Allow stakeholder representatives to review community feedback to clearly define the district’s mission, vision, and core values.
- Engage a team in defining the priorities of the district and suggesting action steps to accomplish objectives.
- Facilitate action planning focused on identifying who, when, and how the work will get done.
- Provide the district with a road map that is transparent, accountable, and focused.
- Enable the district’s efforts to innovate, allocate resources, and continuously grow in a coordinated, thoughtful, and aligned manner.
- Be an iterative, evolving, and ongoing process that builds from one year to the next while reflecting emerging needs and changing demands.
Steps in the General Brown CSD Planning Process
Successful organizations clearly define their purpose, what they need to become to fulfill their purpose, and how they operate or behave. These are commonly known as their mission, their vision, and their core values.
Through the Blueprint Planning Process, the school community defined why we exist, what happens in the organization when we are working towards the mission, and what behaviors should be evident from individuals and the organization as a whole.
Mission Statement:
General Brown Central School District provides a supportive learning experience that prepares all students for their successful future.
Vision Statement:
General Brown is a district of excellence for all students.
Core Values:
General Brown believes in:
• Focusing on providing exceptional programs for all students.
• Building relationships with all students, staff, and stakeholders
• Acting with the welfare of all in mind.
• Ensuring a safe and secure environment.
• Creating a caring, inclusive, equitable, and welcoming experience.
• Fostering high expectations for achievement.
• Expecting excellence in everything we do.
Based on community feedback and initial planning by the Board of Education and Leadership Team, the following areas were identified as priorities to be focused on in order to fulfill the mission of the district. A district goal has been developed for each area.
The following plans have been developed to guide the actions the district takes in order to accomplish the objectives in each priority area. Each action step represents a strategy for meeting an objective. A timeframe has been established and the parties listed are primarily responsible for leading the work.
District Goal: GB will foster a supportive and collaborative environment where all staff feel valued as they learn and grow together. | ||
Action Steps: | Person/People Responsible | Timeframe |
Develop guidelines for peer collaboration incorporating classroom visits. | GBTA/ Administration | Winter 2023-2024 |
Promote professional development within and outside the district. | Administration | Fall 2023 |
Review procedure for submitting new course electives for teachers. | Jr./Sr. HS Administration | Winter-Spring 2023-2024 |
Study the incorporation of more common planning time in the master schedule. | Jr/Sr. HS Administration | Spring-Summer 2024 |
Design a schedule for peer collaboration incorporating classroom visits with time for follow-up discussions. | Administration/ Teachers | Spring 2024 |
Establish relationships with outside organizations that specialize in various outreach programs to support our school. | Administration | Spring 2024 |
Create tiered approaches to social/emotional situations with communicated procedures. | Administration/ Staff | Summer 2024 |
Review the matrix for progressive responses to student misbehavior. | Administration | Summer-Fall 2024 |
Study de-escalation practices to address student behavior needs. | Administration/ Staff | Summer-Fall 2024 |
Modify the open house with a teacher meet and greet, following their child’s schedule. | Administration and Teachers | Summer 2024 |
Research the need for elementary grade level leaders similar to the high school department head model. | Elementary Administration | Fall 2024 |
Create professional development opportunities for vertical and horizontal curriculum alignment. | Administration | Spring-Summer 2024 |
Create opportunities to allow for special area teachers and classroom teachers to collaborate and develop interdisciplinary lessons/units. | Administration/ Teachers | Summer 2024 |
District Goal: GB will provide opportunities for stakeholders to be more engaged in academic and extracurricular experiences both in school and after school. | ||
Action Steps: | Person/People Responsible | Timeframe |
Add a Parental Involvement tab on the district webpage | Network Administrator | Fall 2023 |
Add a Suggestion link (Google Form) on the district webpage | Technology Dept. | Fall 2023 |
Form a school-community engagement committee whose role will be to study engagement and plan activities that will enhance student, parent, and staff involvement in the K-12 experience. | Superintendent Admin Team | Spring-Summer 2024 |
Establish pathways to allow for additional transportation for Pre-K programming and extra-curricular activities. | Transportation, building administrators, business administrator | 2023-2024 school year |
Assess the community/parent interest in initiating Booster Club/ PTO at the JSHS. | Jr./Sr High administration | 2023-2024 school year |
Develop opportunities for students to participate in career exploration experiences early in school (Career Jams/Boces Visit earlier (7th-8th). | JSHS admin Guidance Counselors | 2023-2024 school year |
Establish a committee to determine interest in and work to develop “Curiosity Workshops” (woodworking, stained glass, etc.) that involve staff, parents, community members, and students. | Admin team | 2024-2025 school year |
Create opportunities for additional extra-curricular events to be incorporated outside of school hours (science fair, art show, etc.). | Admin Team | 2023-2024 school year |
Expand our digital footprint (Instagram and/or Twitter). | Superintendent and Technology Department | 2023-2024 school year |
What gets measured, gets done. It is important to stay focused on the work at hand and to hold each other accountable for achieving outcomes. In the spirit of transparency, diligence to the task at hand, and sharing our progress as a team, the following schedule has been developed for regular reporting on progress in working towards objectives.
Timeframe | Activity | Who |
August-September 2023 |
| Superintendent, BOE Superintendent Principal |
2023-2024 Quarterly | Blueprint Updates provided to the BOE, Community, and Staff | Superintendent and Administrators |
February 2024 | Blueprint Budget Recommendations Made Blueprint Expenditures Finalized | Superintendent and Administrators |
June 2024 | Final Report Blueprint Updates provided to the BOE, Community, and Staff | Superintendent and Administrators |
July 2024 | Blueprint Planning Day Held Plan Updated for 24-25 | BOE Superintendent Administrators Staff |
2023 Blueprint Team
Community & Staff Members
Megan Schweitzer
Carrie LaSage
Jose Bernier
Julie Ward
Amanda Caswell
Chen Jiang
Amy Zukas
Meredith Connell
Administration Team Members
Brian Moore
Christine Wheeler
Dave Ramie
Joseph Folino
Janelle Dupee
Amy Scott
Leann Hill
Sarah Carpenter
Board of Education Members
Kelly Milkowich
Tiffany Orcesi
Natalie Hurley
Jamie Lee
Albert Romano, Jr.
Kimberly Shuler
Jason Reynolds
Blueprint for Excellence