Parents, students, community members and Pine-Richland employees gathered Jan. 25 to iron out their final thoughts and feedback on the district’s 2023-2027 strategic plan.

The last of three town halls took a broader look at goals and initiatives the district hopes to achieve over the next five years. The first two town halls were held in October and November.

About 50 people attended the town hall in-person or virtually during its afternoon session at Eden Hall Upper Elementary. A second session was hosted in the evening.

The strategic plan offers guidelines for the district in six areas: teaching and learning; student progress and engagement; workforce development; finance and operations; pursuit of excellence; and communication.

“Our strategy determines the quality of (students’) experiences,” Superintendent Brian Miller said.

During the 1.5-hour town hall, Pine-Richland shared prospective goals it has developed in the six areas following months of conversations and community input.

Attendees sat at tables and interacted with each other and district officials as they reviewed the goals. A notetaker was present at every table.

Some prospective goals included beginning to offer flexible learning options, introducing a peer and/or staff-to-student mentoring program, expanding staff recruitment, and creating health and wellness resources for employees.

Parent Anne Mill, who attended two of the three town halls, said she appreciated that the town hall structure allowed different members of the Pine-Richland community to share their ideas and feedback. Mill’s table included parents, students and Pine-Richland faculty members.

“The more input you have from a broader perspective, the better it’s going to be for everyone in the long run,” Mill said.

Looking forward, the district plans to finish the 2023-27 strategic plan in the spring.

The previous strategic plan covered years 2019-23.

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