By Steve Sears

Butler Board of Education and District Administration have initiated a 5-Year-Strategic Plan, and they want community involvement.

Dr. Daniel Johnson has been Butler Superintendent of Schools for 9 months, and it was he who initiated the 5-Year Strategic Plan in conjunction with the Butler Board of Education. “When I was first entering the district, this was a project we discussed.  The strategic plan will allow us to create and fulfill a vision for the future of our district – where do we want to be in 5 years? In addition, the process allows us to include our community in vision casting and the future of our district, allowing for a true partnership.  The Strategic Plan also allows for us to plan for items within our budget over time.”

The key question? Why 5 years? “5 years allows for us,” says Johnson, “as a district and community, to plan long-term for larger projects and instructional plan, but not too long so as to have our vision become outdated.”

The first step in the process was a survey completed by the community, students, and Butler schools staff members to collect perceptions data. Then, three meetings were scheduled to be held in the first three months of 2019. Poor weather forced postponement of the initial meeting in January, which has been rescheduled for March 26th.  Johnson explains the specific purpose for each of the three meetings. “During the first upcoming meeting” says Johnson, “I will be giving a state of the district address, and then we will be working together amongst the stakeholders to discuss where we want to be in the coming years. The second meeting will focus on us creating a portrait of a Butler graduate – what does it mean for our children to be a Butler Bulldog?  What can colleges, professions, and our community come to expect from our graduates? And the third meeting will focus on setting strategic goals and discussing a plan for action.”

A visit to www.butlerboe.org unveils the 5-Year Strategic Plan flyer, which educates on specifics and where and when meetings will be held.

“I invite all stakeholders,” says Johnson, “from both the Butler and Bloomingdale school communities, to attend our Strategic Planning meetings so that we can collectively chart a path for the successful future of our district.”