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Vision 2023 Strategic Plan Continues to Guide Work Toward Equity

In late June, FSPS assembled the existing Vision 2023 Equity Committee and the existing Minority Recruitment Committee to develop programming that will help students and staff address concerns related to racism and bias. Expanding this dialogue is part of the superintendent's evaluation criteria, "Collaborate with Vision 2023 Equity Committee and FSPS Minority recruitment Committee to design and implement a diversity program for students and staff," as adopted by the Board. 
 
In 2017, the Vision 20223 Equity Action Team was chaired originally by Dr. Christopher Johnson, Kimmons Principal, Lori Griffin who is the Ballman Principal, and community member Charolette Tidwell. These leaders and a group of approximately 16 members were charged to take the Vision 2023 goal of Equity, established by the Vision 2023 team, research, and propose an action plan. That document is included with this article. The pink highlights indicate those items that have been accomplished by the district on behalf of the Vision 2023 plan. The yellow highlighted items are the items that we hope to address with the help of the Equity Action Team and the Minority Recruitment Team. 
 
The Equity Team has been active since September 2017 when the District was developing its Strategic Plan. The Vision 2023 Strategic Plan was approved by the Board in December 2017. These volunteers were among approximately 250 citizens and educators who attended a public Strategic Planning Meeting that September and chose to serve on the Equity Team. The Equity Action Team and the Wellness Action Team have been instrumental in assisting FSPS develop a winning grant application for the School-Based Health Center that will be located between Darby and Tilles Elementary School. The SBHC will be staffed by Mercy Clinic.
 
The Minority Recruiting team was developed from the proposed action steps of the Vision 2023 Staffing Action Team, and is also requirement of the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). FSPS submits a report to DESE annually regarding minority recruitment. They have been active since Spring 2018 working with the FSPS Human Resources and Campus Support team to develop programming to better position the district to recruit and retain highly qualified professional educators who have minority representation.   
 
These groups are joined by two other participants, Board of Education Vice President Talicia Richardson was, at that time, the Board's representative on the 32-member Vision 2023 Strategic Planning Team that developed the district's current vision, mission and goals. Mayor George McGill has a standing invitation to attend meetings of these groups. Jurena Storm attended in his place on August 4. 
 
The group met July 23 and August 4. Minutes from the groups meeting and emails associated with the meetings are included with this article. 
 
 
The following are links to the  Board Meeting video and the Agenda Packet.
• This is a link to the Abstract and the Resolution on the Albert Pike item.