This spring, ACPS will begin to look at its priorities for the next five years. Our schools adopted our current strategic plan four years ago and in 2020 the School Board will be asked to adopt a new five-year strategic plan. 
No doubt there will be much discussion during this process about our educational priorities and what we want to see accomplished between 2020 and 2025 as a community. We will be reaching out to the community to hear about your priorities and involve you. Developing a successful strategic plan takes community involvement, as our schools are your schools, too.
But no matter what our priorities end up being, we are certain of one thing: students are the heart of everything we do. They are our number one priority. It is students we are educating, nurturing, growing into responsible young adults and inspiring to become global citizens and the future generation of world leaders. They are the reason we exist and they are the purpose of our work.
Our mission in ACPS is to see Every Student Succeed. And there is no doubt that we have made progress in this mission. But it is equally clear that there is much more progress that is needed, and that it will take the efforts of an entire community pulling together to afford all students a high quality education in ACPS.
It is our responsibility as educators to ensure our students are engaged in lessons each day in our classrooms, have a safe learning environment that allows them to explore new opportunities, interact with friendly adults who genuinely care about our students’ well being, attend schools that are well maintained and welcoming, receive educational resources to enhance their learning experiences, and be able to engage in multiple pathways to obtain a T.C. Williams diploma. It is also our responsibility to ensure they experience a community that believes in them regardless of their family circumstances, race, socioeconomic background, gender, ZIP code, learning ability, and/or first spoken language.
These students will be leading the world tomorrow.
As adults, it is important that we continue to lead by example. Our young people are watching us each day for guidance and modeling of good citizenship. We have one shot at educating the next generation.And so in ACPS, we apologetically require a standard of excellence for all employees, students, and families to ensure that our mission comes to fruition. Success is the only option in ACPS. No matter what other priorities we have going forward, our young people will always be the center of our work, decision making, and mission.
If you have read all this and want to get involved, we have an opportunity to change the world for you.
Apply to be part of the committee that develops the 2025 strategic plan and designs a road map for the next five years. Apply before April 30.