God has a plan and so do our Battle Creek Area Catholic Schools. After a year of intensive prayer, research, and collaboration, our 2019-2023 BCACS Strategic Plan is in place.
What is the Strategic Plan?
It is an outline of our schools’ long-term goals, as well as strategies to achieve those goals. There are nine areas of focus: Academics, Catholic Identity, Diversity, Facilities, Finance, Leadership and Staffing, Recruitment and Retention, Student Life and Technology.
“It’s important that we have a plan,” said Lisa Thomas, Strategic Plan Team Leader and BCACS parent. “We want to make sure we are striving for the right things, and everyone is moving in the same direction to improve the schools.”
After the plan earned formal approval, the Strategic Plan Team met with school leaders to divide the work. Together, they assigned each strategy an “owner” tasked with shepherding that goal to completion. These “owners” range from staff to administrators to pastors to the school board to committees to parent groups.
“Everyone has areas to focus on so no one is too overwhelmed,” Mrs. Thomas said.
Patrick Downey, school board member and BCACS parent, is the Strategic Plan Manager. He will keep in contact with the owners, assisting them in removing hurdles and collaborating with others to achieve these goals.
“[The Strategic Plan Team] didn’t want all this work to go in a binder and sit on the shelf for the next five years.” Downey said. “My job is to keep my arms around everything and report back the different works.”
Parents and other BCACS stakeholders can access this plan at www.bcacs.org under “schools” in the top menu and again on each of the school pages in the “parent resources” box.
How should stakeholders read this plan? The short answer is from the heart.
Look at it as a roadmap, but remember we are traveling that road together. If there is something that sparks your interest, a strategy that calls to you, contact Mr. Downey at patrickjd5@outlook.com or the owners of that strategy directly.
“We are a school community who relies heavily on their volunteers, and we are happy to add new members to each of those clubs and committees,” Mrs. Thomas said.
Most importantly, check back on the Strategic Plan often. This is a living document, meaning things may change or realign because our schools are a living, breathing community.
“As we get things accomplished, we will check them off,” said Cathy Erskine, BCACS enrollment director and Strategic Plan Team member. “Our goals won’t change but some of the ways we go about them might.”
Members of the Strategic Plan Team will be at the Celebration of our Schools on September 12th to answer questions. They want folks to stay informed and be involved.
“We have such a strong culture at our schools,” Mr. Downey said. “That environment is what attracts people to our schools. This type of plan helps keep that environment and this culture intact and helps our schools grow and thrive.”