A Framework for Success:
CSISD’s New Strategic Plan
Article + Photos courtesy of | Chuck Glenewinkel, Director of Communications, CSISD
Now is the time
It is no secret College Station ISD has been one of the fastest-growing school districts in Texas for the past 15 years.
The district has grown from 9,202 students in 2008 to what is anticipated to be approximately 14,000 in the fall of 2021. During that time, CSISD responded by building nine new campuses to accommodate the tremendous influx of students.
Because of all these new buildings, CSISD ’s capacity for new students is in relatively good shape and the focus needed for managing growth can be shifted.
“In addition to providing our students with high-quality educational experiences, our district spent much of our effort responding to growth the last several years,” CSISD Superintendent Mike Martindale said. “Despite the rapid growth, CSISD has flourished and student success is at an all-time high. With that being said, we had a window of opportunity to partner with our community and engage our stakeholders for feedback to help focus our work, and to make sure that work reflects what is important to our families and students.”
Good is not good enough
Out of 1,019 districts in Texas, CSISD was recently ranked the No. 16 “Best School District in Texas” by Niche.com, a website dedicated to helping families find the right schools for their needs.
A scroll through the CSISD Facebook timeline will show an impressive array of students experiencing success at the state and national levels in academics, athletics, fine arts, and career and technical education.
“We have a great school district with motivated students, engaged families, professional and caring faculty and staff, and a supportive community,” Martindale said. “But we can be better, and this strategic plan has the potential to help us ascend from good to exceptional.”
The work
Throughout the 2021 spring semester, CSISD partnered with Engage2Learn to gather feedback from the community and guide a committee chartered by the Board of Trustees through the process of developing the strategic plan.
The committee consisted of students, parents, CSISD staff, board members, and business owners.
The information-gathering started with two public forums that featured a student panel and activities designed to gather feedback from those in attendance. In addition, a survey was distributed community-wide.
The CSISD Board of Trustees used this input to develop a new set of core beliefs and commitments focused on the wants and desires of the community.
The committee also used the feedback during six full days in April and May to come to a consensus on a guiding document to help CSISD become exceptional.
The result
One of the first parts of the process was to develop a vision statement. As a nod to the district’s past and current achievements, the committee wanted to incorporate the district’s longtime mission of “SUCCESS: each life … each day … each hour.” This saying is widely recognized by those associated with CSISD and will remain a calling card for years to come.
CSISD Vision Statement: “CSISD learners, teachers, leaders, and the community collaborate to foster lifelong learning through relevant growth opportunities and meaningful relationships. Together we prepare our learners for their own unique success — each life… each day… each hour.”
The next step in the strategic design process revolved around developing learner outcomes and portraits to describe what characteristics and traits are important for CSISD learners, educators, and leaders. In addition, committee members established goals and specific results to strive for over the course of the next three years.
- Goal 1: CSISD will enhance effective instructional practices by implementing innovative and personalized learning experiences.
- Goal 2: CSISD will elevate academic outcomes of historically underperforming student groups.
- Goal 3: CSISD will enrich students’ school experiences by strengthening relationships between students, staff, and families.
- Goal 4: CSISD will cultivate and strengthen intentional partnerships with local businesses, community organizations, and higher education agencies.
- Goal 5: CSISD will improve the technology ecosystem by increasing access to devices, strengthening technology infrastructure, and ensuring a safe and secure digital environment.
- Goal 6: CSISD will transform the learner experience through purposeful integration of instructional technology to augment the teaching and learning process.
A visual representation of the plan, called the “CSISD Framework for Success” was also created. The framework design includes six keywords (inspire, connect, explore, create, engage, reflect) to describe the necessary elements of a successful learning environment.
“I am excited about the work we did as a committee,” Oakwood Intermediate Dual Language Teacher Fabio Avila said. “It is really refreshing to know that this plan to guide our district for years to come has input from students, teachers, administrators and members of the community.”
To learn more about the CSISD Strategic Plan, including details about the core beliefs and commitments, learner outcomes, and learner, educator and leader profiles, please visit www.csisd.org and click the “CSISD Strategic Plan” link located under the “About CSISD ” header.