Page 2 - 2022 GPS Mid Year - English
P. 2

Planning for the Future





      The PURPOSE - The WHY
      Late last spring, as Dr. Moore was wrapping up his first year as the
      Superintendent of Galena Park ISD, he began laying the foundation for a new
      initiative to be implemented during the 2021-2022 school year… strategic planning.

      Both he and our Board of Trustees (GPISD’s Team of Eight) wanted to empower GPISD
      stakeholders, like students, employees, parents, community partners, and other local focus groups, in
      the improvement and enhancement of our school district over the next three to five school years. Including the
      entire school community in the process would establish a partnership in the creation of a long-term strategic
      plan to equip GPISD to overcome future obstacles and discover new opportunities for our students, staff, and
      community. Our Team of Eight wanted to ensure Galena Park ISD would (1) continue building capacity around
      our most effective systems and practices, while eliminating redundant or obsolete practices that take up
      precious district resources and time, (2) gain crucial buy-in from all stakeholders, while organizing our district to
      take action around a common goal, and (3) provide transparency and communication of our vision and mission.

      The ultimate goal for strategic planning is to design an efficient and effective long-term, district-wide plan that
      will raise achievement for all students.
      The HOW
      Strategic planning is about choices - knowing what TO do as much as knowing what NOT to do. It’s about
      determining where we want to be in three to five years as a district and what we want for our students and
      employees.

      The strategic planning process can be a long one, if done with full stakeholder participation. GPISD’s planning
      process is expected to take this entire school year, and then some.
      In its simplest form, the strategic planning process is used to determine:

         1.  How did we get to where we are now (data and stakeholder input)?
         2.  Where do we want to be in the next three to five years (vision development)?
         3.  How will we achieve our vision (goal development)?
         4.  What do we need to do to get there (objectives)?

      Throughout the 2021 Fall Semester, we focused on gathering data and stakeholder input. Before we can make
      decisions about where we want to go, we need a full understanding of where we ARE right now. Here at the mid-
      year mark, the Board of Trustees and the District Planning and Advisory Committee (DPAC) are using stakeholder
      input to develop the vision, goals, and objectives for the next three to five years. We expect to spend the 2022
      Spring Semester in the plan development phase to create (tactical) plans for each objective.

      PLAN DEVELOPMENT PHASE:

                      Vision                               Goals                              Objectives
            Where do we want to be in          How will we achieve our vision?    What do we need to do to get there?
                three to five years?                                                (Measurements, Targets, Action Steps, Initiatives)


      And the Stakeholders Said…
      Any time you ask stakeholders for their opinion, you’d better be ready to hear it!

      As a 31-year employee of this district, I’m blessed to be in a position where I can see how much time and effort
      all of our employees put into providing for students and the community. I’ve worked with so many dedicated
      staff members, and I’ve celebrated the many accomplishments and victories they’ve had over the last
      decades. Galena Park ISD has hit a whole lot of homeruns in the decision-making and implementation of
      new initiatives over the past three decades. I’ve also seen us strike out a few times… sometimes with the
      bases loaded.
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