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MMSD: Excellence Together

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MMSD has launched its efforts to develop its next Strategic Framework, a roadmap to help guide the District through 2031. 

Planning starts at a pivotal time as MMSD begins work on 2024 Referenda projects, and the community plans for growth with the population expected to increase by approximately 100,000 people by 2050. The five-year Strategic Framework is expected to be presented to the Board of Education for consideration in June. 

Since January 2025, the district and K-12 strategic planning partner RTI International have been developing its next strategic framework, a roadmap to help guide the district through 2031. Officially known as MMSD: Excellence Together, the framework will serve as the district’s North Star, providing a roadmap to guide decision making and resource allocation as while achieving long-term goals.

Every word in the title carries significance in this name. We strive for Excellence, and we will achieve it Together.

  • MMSD: It's a reminder that this plan is about us. Our students, our staff, our families and our community. We are the stewards of this work.
  • Excellence: It’s more than just meeting a benchmark. It’s unapologetic stance of the highest standards in education, operations and support. It means every student receives an exceptional experience, every staff member is empowered to thrive and every school is full of opportunity.
  • Together: This is our strategy. We cannot achieve our vision in isolation. "Together" means the classroom teacher and the support staff, the family and the community partner, the administration and the board are all moving in alignment. It is a declaration that our greatest successes will be born from collaboration, inclusion and shared responsibility.

Strategic Framework:

  • Build a shared set of core beliefs
  • Establish clear, common goals
  • Prioritize and align MMSD’s work
  • Reflect community voice 

"Our approach, at its heart, has been community driven," MMSD Superintendent Joe Gothard, Ed.D said. "Each word was crafted in partnership with staff and based on community input and reviewed by our steering committee, focus groups and through our survey."

Strategic Planning | The WHY

MMSD’s next strategic plan will serve as the district’s North Star, providing a roadmap to guide our decision making and resource allocation as we seek to achieve our long-term goals.

MMSD has partnered with RTI International, a third-party expert in K-12 strategic planning, to support the process of developing an innovative and community-driven strategic plan.

Our Work At A Glance

Convened our 80+ member Steering Committee (6x) to provide stakeholder input and guide our process.

Launched a community survey to solicit input from all community members (773 responses)

Held Board 1:1s to better understand leadership’s vision for MMSD.

Met with Principals, Assistant Principals, and Instructional Coaches (3x) to discuss draft materials and potential barriers to implementation.

Analyzed existing data (including student outcome data, Superintendent’s search survey data, and annual climate survey.)

Held 138 Focus Groups, hearing from 1436 students, staff and community members

  • Student focus groups

  • School-based staff focus groups

  • Principal Interviews

  • Central Office focus groups

  • Community Focus Groups

  • MTI Leadership Team

  • Affinity Groups (Black, Hmong, Latine, LGBTQ+, Parents of Students with IEPs)

Approved Vision, Mission and Guiding Commitments

Vision

MMSD will be a learning community where all students are valued, challenged, supported and inspired to reach their dreams. 

Mission 

MMSD creates safe and inclusive schools, delivers high-quality instruction, strengthens positive relationships, and partners with families and the community to achieve student self-determination and educational excellence.

Shorewood Students smiling

Guiding Commitments

Performance Objectives

Academic Achievement

MMSD will increase overall student academic achievement

Belonging

MMSD will increase the percentage of students who feel they belong in their school, as measured by the climate survey.

College Credit/Credentials

MMSD will increase the percentage of students who graduate with credits or credentials that provide postsecondary value

Our ongoing work

  • Continue engaging the community (students, staff, families, and other community members), with a focus on traditionally underrepresented voices.
  • Draft performance objectives, focus areas, strategies and key performance indicators.
  • Solicit feedback from Board Members, Steering Committee, and community members.

Plan Structure and Approval

Community members at a Strategic Framework input meeting

 

Priority Next Steps

Next Step Responsible Date

Complete Phase I Community Engagement (Initial Input)

RTI/MMSD Project Team

April 4th

Draft Foundations for Board and Steering Committee consideration

RTI/MMSD Project Team

Early April

Staff Development Session (Implementation and Monitoring elements)

RTI/Central Office Staff

April 15th

Steering Committee Meeting 3

RTI/Steering Committee

April 15th

Launch Phase II of Community Engagement (Feedback)

RTI/MMSD Project Team

Late April-May

Present Draft Plan to Board for initial feedback

RTI/MMSD Project Team

May 19th

Steering Committee Meeting 4

RTI/Steering Committee

May 22nd

Tentative Board Approval

Board of Education

 June 23rd
Board Approval of Vision, Mission and Guiding Commitments

Board of Education

June 23rd
Strategic Framework Steering Committee

Steering Committee

October 14th
Fall Strategic Planning Timeline