MERSD Vision of the Graduate & Strategic Planning

I am very pleased to share that we are relaunching our strategic planning process that was interrupted by the onset of the pandemic last winter. 

2020 was a unique and challenging year for MERSD.  The onset of the pandemic forced a school closure that lasted from March 12, 2020, to October 20, 2020, when the first students returned to campus for hybrid learning.  Throughout this period, MERSD spent significant time and effort assessing the needs of students and families and redesigning instruction to meet the needs of remote and hybrid learners.  The result was a flexible model that not only allowed us to provide the structure and engagement of a traditional school day but also allowed us to easily transition between in-person and remote teaching.

The pandemic has required us to make frequent changes to how our schools operate; however, always at the forefront has been our goal to deliver a high-quality learning experience for each of our students.   The Manchester Essex Regional School District continues to be recognized as one of the highest performing school districts in Massachusetts.  I am very proud of the wonderful work our dedicated faculty and staff do every day to support the social, emotional, and intellectual growth of our students, and I am very excited about MERSD’s future.

Looking to build upon the success of our program and to prepare students for the workplace of tomorrow, MERSD has begun a two-year strategic planning process to define our roadmap for creating a future-focused education program.  Following the blueprint from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), MERSD has outlined a Vision of the Graduate (VOG).  The VOG defines what students should know and be able to do as a result of a Manchester Essex education and examines the question - What are the skills and dispositions students will require to find success?   This profile will serve as the driver for the development of a multi-year plan that establishes a set of goals and strategic initiatives to achieve the Vision of the Graduate.  

Steering Committee

MERSD is establishing a Steering Committee to facilitate the strategic planning process, listen to stakeholder input, and provide actionable recommendations to the school committee and administration.  We are seeking volunteers who are collaborative, team-oriented, and creative problem solvers.  The committee will be comprised of a teacher and a parent representative from each school, two school committee members, and three school leaders.   Our kick-off meeting will be held virtually on Wednesday, March 3^rd from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm with a training session facilitated by our coaches from the Creative Education Foundation.  Future meetings will follow an event-based schedule with Wednesday evenings being our designated meeting time. 

If you are interested in serving on this team please complete the application form by February 15^th. MERSD Strategic Planning Steering Committee Application

Community Input

MERSD will engage the community in a conversation about our future needs through a series of Virtual World Café Focus Groups in April. This will be an opportunity for all stakeholders to learn, ask questions, and provide feedback about the future of MERSD.   Dates will be announced at the beginning of March.