Have your say on Catholic board strategic plan

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board education director Michael Nasello has embarked on a campaign to hear as many voices in the school board as possible in a review of the board’s strategic plan. As part of the review, Nasello will lead more than 60 focus groups, including meetings with students and staff in each of the board’s 36 schools. Over the next few weeks, he will also conduct public town-hall meetings in each of the board’s four jurisdictions — Peterborough city and county, City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County and Clarington. A meeting in Lindsay has already taken place while St. Peter Secondary School in Peterborough will host a meeting March 30 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. “Our current strategic priorities have been serving us well,” Nasello stated. “But after three years we’re at a crossroads, and we want to hear from our students, staff, parents and communities to help us determine whether we should maintain the current path or head in a new direction.” Throughout the next four months, Nasello will also hear from the board’s clergy partners, examine issues from a First Nation, Métis and Inuit perspective, and receive input on topics such as special education and welcoming newcomers from Syria and elsewhere. The board’s 2014-17 strategic plan consists of a vision statement and a set of five strategic priorities that act as a roadmap for board planning: • Teaching and living the faith. • Implementing the best teaching practices. • Using technology. • Ensuring the well-being of 14,600 students. • Employing fair and transparent processes in human resources. Town hall meetings will also be held from 7 to0 8:30 p.m. on March 29 at St. Mary Secondary School, 1050 Birchwood Trail, Cobourg, and May 9 at Holy Trinity Secondary School in Courtice.