The Carmel Unified School District Board of Education approved the district’s first strategic plan in a decade that will guide the district’s vision through 2030.

The board voted unanimously at its June 4 meeting to adopt a community-driven plan that has been designed over months and will serve as the district’s long-term vision. The “CUSD Forward” plan will now be developed and implemented once school returns in the fall.

“The strategic plan is the product of conversations held with the community and sets a clear direction for the district for the next five years,” said Superintendent Sharon Ofek in a prepared statement. “The plan is meaningful to the CUSD community and reflects the shared belief that every student, with a supportive and enriching learning environment, has the opportunity to thrive.

“For the first time in many years, the district has a unified direction developed with meaningful input from the community and the district,” said Ofek.

In response to the Board’s expressed desire for a long-term district vision, Ofek and the District Executive Cabinet planned a Strategic Vision and Input session. The Board approved the proposed process on Sept. 11 and the session was held in February of this year.

Around 50 students, parents, staff and community partners participated in a two-day planning and visioning session, according to a news release. During the planning session, the community reflected on the district’s strengths and areas for improvement as well as coming up with a lsit of the district’s core values.

The group decided the district should prioritize five core values in the coming years: compassion, connection, integrity, excellence and resilience.

The plan is also centered around four key focus areas: student achievement and instruction, safety and wellness, engaged families and community partners and optimized resources.

The objectives focus on creating a unified, data-driven approach to education across all grade levels, according to the plan. This includes using assessment tools to monitor student progress and tailor instruction through targeted interventions, establishing a consistent literacy instruction framework, offering personalized counseling to help students explore interests and plan for their futures and ensuring instructional alignment across grade levels to meet graduation requirements.

The plan also reflects a need for improved social-emotional and mental health support that will be implemented through a district-wide support system. Wellness support offerings for staff will also be prioritized. Streamlining communication and engagement with community partners will be vital to the plan’s implementation, as well as optimizing resources including the Facilities Master Plan to “ensure effective use of facilities,” reads the plan.

The core of the CUSD Forward plan is “cultivating individual excellence through the power of every connection,” said the news release.

A writing team made up of representatives from various levels within the district put together a draft strategic plan following the community feedback. The draft was presented to the Board in early March then taken back for additional feedback and changes.

Following the Board’s final approval, the district will begin to develop action plans, success indicators and implementation timelines for each of the plan’s objectives. There will be regular updates on the plan’s progress provided to the Board and the community throughout its five-year implementation.