2023.09.28: Meeting Recap

September 28, 2023 Meeting

Student voice is incredibly important at Homewood-Flossmoor High School. The Strategic Planning process includes opportunities for students to share their thoughts and ideas through focus groups, an upcoming survey, and being part of the Planning Team alongside school staff, administrators, Board members, parents, and community representatives.

In this video, HF Junior and Strategic Planning Team Member Ahmad Powell shares how his voice has an impact for his fellow committee members and for the future of his high school and community.

The Strategic Planning Team met on September 28, 2023, with five key areas of focus:

• Personal philosophy: team members explored their core values, how they measure personal or professional success, life's purpose and strengths. These activities helped them better understand the lens they bring to strategic planning work and fellow committee members' varying points of view.
• Reimagining Education: team members viewed and discussed the video See the Future of Education. Innovation in education refers to developing and implementing new ideas, methods, and technologies that enhance the learning experience and improve educational outcomes. This can include everything from new teaching techniques and curriculum design to the use of digital tools and online resources. Innovations in education are necessary to:
• Adapt to the changing needs of the global job market
• Foster creativity and critical thinking skills
• Encourage collaboration and problem-solving abilities
• Address the unique learning needs of each student
• SWOT Analysis: working in teams, committee members conducted a SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis from their personal perspectives about the need for innovation in education for Homewood-Flossmoor High School. This exercise prepared them for future data analysis throughout the planning process.
• Data Talk Introduction: Dr. Hutchings provided a brief introduction to the Data Talk Protocol that that committee will use.
• Next Steps: At its November meeting, the committee will move into the Analyze Phase of the strategic planning process. It will dive into the Data Talk Protocol and begin to use it with academic, focus group, and survey data (Equimetrics, IDI and community) over the course of the school year.

As we seek the voice of a broad spectrum of Homewood-Flossmoor community members, the planning committee includes a cross-section of representatives including students, family members, community members, HF staff, and school board members.

Students

• Ahmad Powell, HF Junior
• Brizil Stewart, HF Senior
  

Family Members

• Randall Brooks
  
• Gloria Contreras
• Jeffrey DeBruin
• Gyata Kimmons
  
• Tiffany Miller Spriggs
  
• Percy Scott

Community Members

• Liz Agbarah, D161 School Board
• Maggie Bachus, D153 Teacher
  
• Napoleon Haney, Village of Homewood
• Gina Isabelli, D161 Principal
  
• Bridget Wachtel, Village of Flossmoor
• Shelly Marks, D153 School Board
• Scott McAlister, D153 Superintendent
  
• Karen Roorda, D161 Teacher

HF Staff

• Dr. Clinton Alexander, HF Principal
  
• Catherine Brown, HF Dean
  
• Catherine Cook, HF Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
  
• Carla Erdey, HF Director of Communications and Engagement
  
• Dr. Jen Hester, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
  
• Jennifer Jones, HF Support Staff
• Dana Noble, HF Teacher
  
• Evan Roberts, HF Teacher
  
• Fatima Simmons, HF Teacher
  
• Shannon Swilley, HF Associate Principal
  
• Ted Venegas, HF Teacher
  
• Dr. Scott Wakeley, HF Superintendent
  
• Sara Youseff, HF Teacher

HF School Board

• Gerald Pauling, President
  
• Nate Legardy, Vice President
  
• Steve Anderson
• Michelle Hoereth
  
• Pam Jackson
  
• Chris Riedel
• Cynthia Turnquest

Following each key step in the planning process, a Charting A Course eNewsletter will be sent to stakeholders to ensure the community remains informed and involved. A dedicated webpage has also been created to serve as a hub for Strategic Planning news and updates.