Hopatcong Hires Help For Schools' Strategic Plan

The board Monday hired the statewide organization for $3,500 to facilitate the process.

Board President Clifford Lundin said the development of a strategic plan is another step in the board’s efforts to improve its effectiveness, to engage the community in the schools  and provide better instruction for the borough’s students.

The first step was the creation of the task force charged with developing a plan for the high school, Lundin said. That effort was delayed until new Superintendent Cynthia Randina was hired, he said.

Randina began working in the district July 1.

Lundin said now is the time to begin work on the strategic plan.

Jane Kershner of the school boards association, who advised the Hopatcong board during the superintendent search, told the board Monday that a four-month program devised by the association seemed to fits Hopatcong’s needs.

The SBA program, called “3-D,” defines the strengths of the district, outlines a plan for action and sets goals and objectives, Kershner said.

The program calls for the involvement of the school board, administration, teachers, parents and the community, she said.  The goals are set in a series of meetings involving all participants. The SBA program is designed to produce a strategic plan in four to five months, which would then guide the district for up to five years.

Kershner said she knows that the board is ready to begin  this process as part of  turning the  district around. The time is right, she said.

“The board wants to move forward, a new superintendent is in place and you want to address the frustration” that has been expressed,” she said.

Lundin said the strategic plan will reflect new board goals, and Randina’s own district goals.

Randina’s goals have been sent the county school superintendent for approval.

Lundin said the school board’s goals address four key areas: Public relations and transparency; finances; security; and educational excellence.

Specifically, the goals are:

• The board will continue its efforts to promote positive public relations within  the Hopatcong community… thus enhancing a positive climate for teaching, learning, and administration of the school district. The board will make every effort to keep the school community and the community at large informed of the positive attributes and accomplishments of the school district.
• The board will provide the necessary financial resources to support the improvement of student  performance … through the acquisition of teaching, technological and administrative resources, the appointment of essential teaching and supervisory staff, will provide the necessary resources and support to the new superintendent in fulfillment of the district’s goals, and will support the professional development of faculty and administration as needed.
• The board will work toward improving the overall school security … and will include technological and staffing resources as deemed necessary. The board will work with the Hopatcong Police Department and others as necessary, and implement a district wide safety committee.
• The board will provide support and necessary resources for the implementation of a district strategic plan in order to develop the long-term mission, vision and stellar educational goals for the district with the imput from the school community and community at large to promote educational excellence.