A Sound Strategy - Building Connection and

Relevance

Nashoba Regional School District

August 20, 2012

A bit of history Planning is a process, which determines: Where do you want to go?

Where have you been? How will you get “there” from “here”?

Planning allows you to see the forest for the trees!

Explains your program Opens up communication Identifies priorities Documents your progress and process Provides a blueprint for the future Meets the requirement for LSTA Direct Grant

Funds from the MBLC (if you are a member of the Massachusetts Library System)

Committee How many? Stakeholders – how to select Advisory? or Worker bees? Who leads?

Agendas Clear and defined

Timeline How many meetings? How long?

How are you going to invite?

How are you going to communicate?

What are your expectations?

What are their expectations?

What material needs to be sent to the committee in advance of the meeting?

Match the task to the timeframe and committee

Set clear defined goals for each meeting

Include follow up steps

October 1 Plans are due December 1 Action Plans are due December Letters of intent are due January Plans are approved January, February Grant writing workshops March Grants due April, May Grants reviewed July Grant rounds announced October Implementation of grants

Mission statement Assessment of user needs Multi-year goals and objectives Action plan Methodology Approval of governing board Annual updates of Action Plans by Dec. 1

Consider the mission statement to be your purpose

The mission statement should be concise and state what the learners will become

The statement is your handful of priorities The mission is your business! It is a way of anchoring the work of the school

library to the whole mission of schooling

Community scan Connect to school's mission - documents Surveys Committee input

Goals are long-range, broad, general statements describing a desired condition or future toward which the library will work

Objectives are short range and describe the results to be achieved

An activity is a set of tasks that accomplish an objective

What has been accomplished What has changed What new direction New budgets New measures

Use a wiki to: Set your agendas Draft your vision and mission statements Draft the long range plan

Use a blog to: Update your community on the plan’s progress Invite comments from the community Keep the plan alive

By planning 3-5 years out you are looking ahead You won’t be surprised by new trends and

technology because that will be built into your plan

You will be prepared for change You will be connected and relevant to your

community! You will in fact lead your community in change!

Planning template: http://mblc.state.ma.us/grants/lsta/planning/planning_school/school_template.php

MLS Long Range Planning Resources: http://guides.masslibsystem.org/strategicplanning