Bay High School Strategic Planning

Task 1: SWOT ANALYSIS 

The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the Bay High School are due to political, social, demographic, educational, technological, and economic influences. They affect the school in a positive and negative way. 

Political 

Positive impacts 

It is located in a small suburban school division that is very convenient to a highly populated urban area. 

An opportunity lies in the increase in the number of educational programs provided by the school. 

Negative Impacts 

Racial tensions are on the rise. 

The area has been in economic decline over the past 10 years and so has the school’s standardized achievement scores. 

High property taxes thus lack of support needed for school improvements 

Lack of support by local voters on any bond issues to support school improvement 

Social 

Positive impacts 

It is located in a small suburban school division that is very convenient to a highly populated urban area. 

An opportunity lies in the increase in the number of educational programs provided by the school. 

Negative Impacts 

Racial tensions are on the rise. 

The area has been in economic decline over the past 10 years and so has the school’s standardized achievement scores. 

Pride in the school has also been decreasing. 

Dramatic decrease in participation in school-sponsored events and an increasing problem with litter and graffiti on campus. 

Demographic 

Positive impacts 

It is located in a small suburban school division that is very convenient to a highly populated urban area. 

An opportunity lies in the increase in the number of educational programs provided by the school. 

Negative Impacts 

Racial tensions are on the rise. 

Drop in school revenues as the result of demographic shifts and the area’s economic decline. 

Educational 

Positive impacts 

The school’s teachers are highly trained. 

Majority of the teachers have at least ten years of teaching experience. 

The school has a gifted resource teacher to work with gifted students on advising and college preparation including courses and application. 

Negative Impacts 

Computer equipment and software are very outdated. 

Not all teachers use the computer facilities and some teachers even actively avoid using computers in the classroom. 

The school has only a small number of vocational course offerings, which is a complaint among some parents. 

Lack of advanced placement courses, advanced courses in general, and college classes for gifted students. 

Technological 

Positive impacts 

The school is wired for the Internet and each classroom has Internet access. 

The school’s physical plant and facilities are impressive. 

Negative Impacts 

Computer equipment and software are very outdated. 

Not all teachers use the computer facilities and some teachers even actively avoid using computers in the classroom. 

Economic 

Positive impacts 

It is located in a small suburban school division that is very convenient to a highly populated urban area. 

An opportunity lies in the increase in the number of educational programs provided by the school. 

Negative Impacts 

The area has been in economic decline over the past 10 years and so has the school’s standardized achievement scores. 

Drop in school revenues as the result of demographic shifts and the area’s economic decline. 

Stakeholder Representation 

The school principal 

As the leader of Bay High School, the principal should be part of the strategic planning process. The school principal has a strong interest in the performance of the school and overall placement of the school in state-wide rank. The principal is in a better position to explain the schools struggling financial position, decreasing educational performance, outdated facilities, dropping graduation rates and declining interest in the school’s performance by the community. 

The Chairman, Board of Governors 

The board of governors is tasked with the management of the school in terms of finances, employment and support. A decline in schools’ performance in state-wide rankings is a cause for concern. Also, the inability of the teachers to use technology during teaching is a cause for concern. In addition, the schools struggling financial position, decreasing educational performance, outdated facilities, dropping graduation rates and declining interest in the school’s performance by the community is a worrying trend that needs intervention from the school’s board of governors. 

Representative in State Politics 

The school should have a local representative in the planning commission at the county or state level. The representative could be the local politician tasked with representing the school’s problems. An example is increasing the school funding to ensure school improvements. Also, the politician could help in solving the area’s economic problems which would assist the school to adapt to the changing environment. 

Task 2: Core Values, Mission and Vision statement 

Core values 

Political 

We believe that a favourable political climate is a stepping stone for the better performance of Bay High School. We seek a political climate in which: 

More teachers who are highly trained and have at least ten years of experience are employed in the school to ensure effective learning outcomes. 

The school facilities could be improved and also added to ensure that students have modern facilities to learn and improve their skills. 

Ensure that programmes are facilitated at the higher level to ensure more teachers are trained on the use of computer facilities. 

Ensure the development of more programs in the curriculum of gifted students. 

Social 

We believe that a good social climate is essential for better learning outcomes for the students. We seek a social climate in which: 

The graduation rate of the school will improve through societal encouragement. 

The community develops a strong interest in the achievement of the school’s vision including improving the student educational achievement. 

The students will acquire the best possible education without the increase in property taxes. 

Contribute to the reduction of incidents of school violence through encouragement of social morals. 

Contribute to the reduction of female students who are unwed and have children while studying. 

Decrease in racial tensions in surrounding areas of the school thus contributing to better learning environments. 

Re-establish the sense of Bay High School pride that existed in the last 20 years during the school’s glory days. 

Educational 

We believe that education is the basis of a society that is prosperous and enlightened. The school seeks an educational community which: 

Individual traits form the collective part of success of the school through behaviour and social values for the common good. 

Each person’s wellbeing is enhanced and protected through better social, educational and technological learning that enhances the quality of life. 

The school’s heritage, vision, mission and success is celebrated by the society through pride and thus helping in further growth of the school. 

The dignity of people is respected, and the freedom of expression is protected across all educational levels from the student to the staff. 

Technological 

We believe that the use of technology is essential for better educational outcomes. We seek a technological climate in which: 

All educational outcomes are integrated using computer technology which improves educational outcomes. 

The students and the teachers appreciate the role of technology in improving the quality of education. 

Mission Statement 

Bay High School is a culturally diverse school provides modern education that is endowed with technology to students from different regions, backgrounds, religion and races. The school engages in a collective effort with the community and the parents to enhance the provision of quality education for all the students to enable the development of individual and collective potentials to meet current and future challenges. 

Vision Statement 

Bay High School will be one of the best schools in the provision of quality teaching and education that is endowed with technology. The school will be distinct because of its provision of academic quality, incorporation of the community to its goals, responsibility to the people it serves and its continuous quest for success. The school will aim to promote better interrelationships between the students, staff and the community thus providing quality education. Our reputation will attract students, teachers and other staff from different backgrounds to desire to be part of our success at the present and in the future. 

Task 3: Strategic Goals 

Strategic Goal 1: To foster the propagation of social values that will help in the development of better learning outcomes in the community. 

The first objective is to train the teachers to be agents of social cohesion, sustainable peace and development ( Novelli & Sayed, 2016). Also, there should be inclusion of moral or ethics subject in the school educational curriculum (Sudarsana, 2017). In addition, the school should provide alumni mentors from the neighbouring community to advise the students on morals to curb racism and fights in school (Darling-Hammond et al., 2016). 

Education and moral values are closely entwined together. Homes, religious houses and schools are expected to be the main sources of moral education to children in society. Societal values like loyalty, honesty, truthfulness, sharing, and patriotism among others are to be taught by teachers to change the attitudes of the learners in order to have a stable society ( Novelli & Sayed, 2016) . Moral values are moral exhibitions that are appreciated, cherished and accepted in any given societal setting for the growth and development of any child. A home plays a vital role in the moral development of a child, in addition to having the greatest influence on moral development as well ( Novelli & Sayed, 2016) . At home, moral values are taught and instilled into children for the exhibition of behaviour that is acceptable in the larger society. The school also plays a role in the transmission of moral values that are based on what the child was taught at home. The teacher indirectly serves as the source of moral values through the demonstration of positive virtues for children to emulate ( Novelli & Sayed, 2016) . 

Strategic Goal 2: To employ and retain staff, faculty and student body that is culturally diverse. 

The first objective is to employ and retain students, faculty, and staff from different cultural backgrounds (Hrabowski & Sanders, 2015) . Also, the school should develop programs such as games and co-curricular activities to help special and general students develop a sense of ownership which encourage educational success to the students ( Graham et al., 2018) . In addition, the school should create awareness of collaborative and individual programs while incorporating better communication to enhance better association between faculty, students, staff, and the community (Villa & Thousand, 2016) . 

Schools are places where there is an extended contract between people from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds takes place constantly. Schools that foster cross-cultural exchange in a school setting improve the staff relations and morale while at the same time help sharpen the teacher’s skills in multicultural classrooms (Hrabowski & Sanders, 2015) . At the staff level, it fosters a supportive and inclusive ecosystem of professional cross-cultural exchange by enriching the approach to classroom instructions. Culturally-aware teachers are considered as better educators in diverse classrooms. Bay High School should also put into consideration the creation of diversity-inclusive and culturally-responsive instructional strategies, lesson plans and classroom management principles that take shape and positively impact the learning environment (Hrabowski & Sanders, 2015) . 

Strategic Goal 3: To provide educational programs that meet the needs of the students in the long-term thus achieving better educational outcomes. 

The first objective is to prepare the students for success in all years through the development of classroom programs that enable the students to attain their true potential by catering for their divergent learning needs through development of supportive educational programs ( Koh et al., 2017) . Also, the school should encourage high attendance and graduation rates through building upon, reviewing and improving counselling, career education and academic planning (Knaggs et al., 2015) . In addition, the school should promote academic success and achievement through various targeted programs that identify and provide better learning opportunities for students ( Greenberg et al., 2017). 

High-performance schools have strong school leaders and provide a collaborative approach to nurturing teachers. The Bay High School administration and management should support teacher collaboration that is focused, structured and uses data in order to identify areas where students need to be given additional support and instructions need to be strengthened. High standards and expectations should be placed for both teachers and students Greenberg et al., 2017) . There is a need for Bay High School faculty to use data and adjust where need be when students are not progressing and focus on a clear set of academic goals. The faculty should also be able to have a continuous improvement approach to both learning and teaching. The school should also have formative assessment results to guide the teachers, and the school’s management should ensure that the students receive all the support that they need to succeed Koh et al., 2017) . 

Strategic Goal 4: To enhance the development of state-of-the-art technological facilities and programs to enhance better learning outcomes. 

One objective is to improve the computer and technological facilities in the school to enhance better learning outcomes ( McKnight et al., 2016) . Also, the all teachers should be trained on how to use the different technologies especially computers as teaching aids to improve learning and student performance (Martín-Gutiérrez et al., 2017) . In addition, the school should seek for different sources of finance to help improve their school environment, educational programs and support programs for the students (Glatthorn et al., 2018) . 

Strategic Goal 5: To provide academic programs in line with the education curriculum that is cheap and affordable to the community. 

The first objective is to revise, create and integrate programs that address problems that are facing the society in general and the high school (Epstein et al., 2018) . Also, the school should review the existing programs with the intention of upgrading the programs in the curricula to meet the student’s needs (Fowler et al., 2015). 

Task 4: Objectives, Benchmarks and Data Sources 

Strategic Goal 1: To foster the propagation of social values that will help in the development of better learning outcomes in the community.
Objective 1: To train the teachers to be agents of social cohesion, sustainable peace and development.
Benchmark: By the years 2021, at least 70% of the teachers should have undergone special training on social cohesion, sustainable peace and development.	Responsibility: education facilitators, program reviewers (ministry of education)  Evaluation: departmental reports, surveys, number of workshops
The target is to train all teachers on social cohesion, sustainable peace and development by 2023.	Responsibility: education facilitators, program reviewers (ministry of education)  Evaluation: departmental reports, surveys, number of workshops.
Objective 2: To include moral or ethics subject in the school educational curriculum
Benchmark: To include ethics subject in lower grades by 2022	Responsibility: education facilitators, program reviewers (ministry of education), PTA president  Evaluation: teachers, student reports, coursework reports.
To incorporate ethics subject in higher class grades by 2024	Responsibility: education facilitators, program reviewers (ministry of education), PTA president  Evaluation: teachers, student reports, coursework reports.
Objective 3: To provide the school with alumni mentors from the neighbouring community to advise the students on morals to curb racism and fights in school
Benchmark: To have one mentor for at least 10 students within 6 months	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
To have one mentor for at least two students by 2021	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Strategic Goal 2: To employ and retain staff, faculty and student body that is culturally diverse.
Objective 1: To retain students, employ faculty, and staff from different cultural backgrounds
Benchmark: To have 25 percent of the school population from different geographical areas by 2022.	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Provision of scholarship to exemplary students and awards to performing teachers on a yearly basis.	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Objective 2: Development of programs such as games and co-curricular activities to help special and general students develop a sense of ownership which encourage educational success to the students
Benchmark: incorporation of sports as part of educational learning. By 2023, every student should participate in at least one extracurricular activity.	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Improvement of sports facilities in the school by 2022.	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Objective 3: To create awareness of collaborative and individual programs while incorporating better communication to enhance better association between faculty, students, staff, and the community.
Benchmark: creation of open forums such as straight talk once a month for each grade within six months	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Creation of career days and community service days for students within one year where professionals from different fields will be invited to talk to the students	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Strategic Goal 3: To provide educational programs that meet the needs of the students in the long-term thus achieving better educational outcomes.
Objective 1: To develop classroom programs that enable the students to attain their true potential by catering for their divergent learning needs through development of supportive educational programs.
Benchmark: to add or create four additional programs in the curriculum on 21 st -century issues by 2023	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni  Evaluation: department reports, student council reports
Increase in participation of the courses by 25 percent by 2024	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Objective 2: To encourage high attendance and graduation rates through building upon, reviewing and improving counselling, career education and academic planning.
Benchmark: increase in graduation rates by 30 percent in 2021	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Incorporation of 60 percent of our students in higher learning institutions by 2021	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Objective 3: To promote academic success and achievement through various targeted programs that identify and provide better learning opportunities for students
Benchmark: to add or create four additional programs in the curriculum on 21 st -century issues by 2023	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
increase in graduation rates by 30 percent in 2021	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Strategic Goal 4: To enhance the development of state-of-the-art technological facilities and programs to enhance better learning outcomes.
Objective 1: To improve the computer and technological facilities in the school to enhance better learning outcomes.
Benchmark: to replace obsolete computers in the school by 2023.	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
To develop new computer classes and equipments by 2024.	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Objective 2: To train teachers on how to use the different technologies especially computers as teaching aids to improve learning and student performance.
Benchmark: to train 60 percent of the teachers by 2022 on computer use	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
To train all the teachers on different teaching aids by 2023	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: teachers, students, president student council
Objective 3: To seek different sources of finance to help improve their school environment, educational programs and support programs for the students.
Benchmark: to have a funds drive at the school once a year to supplement the school budget	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person, state representative  Evaluation: finance receipts
To ensure a healthy school financial position by 2024	Responsibility: PTA president. Principal, school alumni, the business person  Evaluation: financial receipts

References  

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Glatthorn, A. A., Boschee, F., Whitehead, B. M., & Boschee, B. F. (2018).  Curriculum leadership: Strategies for development and implementation . SAGE publications. 

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Martín-Gutiérrez, J., Mora, C. E., Añorbe-Díaz, B., & González-Marrero, A. (2017). Virtual technologies trends in education.  EURASIA Journal of Mathematics Science and Technology Education ,  13 (2), 469-486. 

McKnight, K., O'Malley, K., Ruzic, R., Horsley, M. K., Franey, J. J., & Bassett, K. (2016). Teaching in a digital age: How educators use technology to improve student learning.  Journal of research on technology in education ,  48 (3), 194-211. 

Novelli, M., & Sayed, Y. (2016). Teachers as agents of sustainable peace, social cohesion and development: theory, practice & evidence.  Education as change ,  20 (3), 15-37. 

Sudarsana, I. K. (2017). The importance of morals teaching in shaping the students’characters in school .  DAFIS PROCEEDING , 306-315. 

Villa, R. A., & Thousand, J. S. (2016).  Leading an inclusive school: Access and success for ALL students . ASCD.