School vision to be unveiled

After seven months the strategic planning committee will present its proposal to the Carson City School Board tonight.

The committee was formed after a community meeting in August, held at the request of trustee Ron Swirczek, where more than 100 people attended to discuss a vision for the school district.

After a subsequent community meeting, a committee was formed, with teacher Ben Contine serving as chairman, to organize the suggestions.

The emerging themes were identified as a community interested in full partnership, engaged families, healthy students, a relevant, rigorous curriculum and a preeminent faculty and staff.

Committees were formed on each of the themes to identify ways the school district could adopt them.

With the vision statement in place - Our community empowers tomorrow's innovators, leaders and thinkers - the committee will present to the board an action plan.

In a letter to board members, Superintendent Richard Stokes, encouraged the process.

"As educational resources continue to dry up, it is more important than ever that our community pull together to provide the educational training and services needed so our children can adequately compete in a global economy," he said. "The need for partnerships between schools, parents and businesses has never been more critical. While changing the way we do things can be a challenge, it can also be rewarding, invigorating and the right thing to do for our children."