The Board of Education and district have been embarking on a new strategic plan to empower all students to have access to the most meaningful learning opportunities.
Partnering with the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) and the Capital Area School Development Association (CASDA), Voorheesville Central Schools is progressing to enact new programs and procedures that will help the district meet the needs that are more aligned with what the community told us mattered.
Last year, we sent out a survey to the Voorheesville community and truly appreciate the time that was spent providing feedback. More than half of the respondents have lived or worked in the district for up to 20 years. The input from every stakeholder is equally valuable, but to have the perspective of people with ties to the school for decades helps provide an accurate snapshot of our growth as a school district and where we need to improve.
Utilizing the stakeholder input and SWOT analysis (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats), our Board of Education members worked with NYSSBA and CASDA to revise and restructure our goal statements, vision, and mission to continually move our school community forward. First, we will share the results of the survey so you can see how we worked that into our plan.
Of the 839 people who responded, we were pleased to hear that a majority of you were either very satisfied (43.9%) or satisfied (43.7%) as a whole with the Voorheesville school district. The highest percentage of satisfaction was given to how the district maintains our buildings, grounds and athletics facilities. Following that, respondents said they were satisfied with how we communicate with the community and the plans for the district’s future.
Half of those who participated indicated that since being affiliated with VCSD, the education has stayed the same. Although in some respects that is encouraging because we know we provide an excellent education, we are striving to do better. The areas we take note to improve are by supporting students with special needs and learning disabilities, addressing social emotional needs, and preparing students for careers. You told us the main areas of concern regarding student outcomes are providing access for all students to more programs/courses/electives, preparing students for success outside of the school community, and focusing on and supporting the staff while addressing the quality of teaching/pedagogy.
We asked if there were other areas concerning student experience that were not listed in the survey that the district should explore — student opportunities, DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion), and teaching life-skills were the top answers.
From the data and information collected, the board has updated the previous mission, vision, and goals to create succinct community focused statements to provide the pillars of success for future years. The Board of Education President Cindy Monaghan explained, “A detailed interactive discussion at the board retreat resulted in the revision of goals that will be used as the foundation for strategic planning and detailed objectives to meet the goal expectations. The board is excited to share the results of our collaboration.”
Vision Statement
The Voorheesville Central School District is an engaging and supportive community of learning where everyone can participate and thrive at their highest potential.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Voorheesville Central School District is to provide all students a strong foundation of knowledge and experiences in a safe and supportive environment to prepare them to be productive members of the global society and to value life-long learning.
Goal Statements
The Voorheesville Central School District will provide enhanced opportunities to support the achievement of all students as they increase their capacity for learning and progress toward excellence.
The Voorheesville Central School District will support the recruitment, training, and retention of a highly qualified and diverse staff.
The Voorheesville Central School District will be a faithful steward of the community’s financial commitment to public education and will be responsible in managing all resources.
The Voorheesville Central School District will foster trust and engagement through open two-way communication, outreach, and responsiveness to all internal and external stakeholders.
The Voorheesville Central School District will provide a safe and supportive learning environment and facilities that are inclusive, nurturing, and responsive to the social-emotional and mental health needs of all students and staff.