Beyond Strategic Planning

Objective:
To support educational leaders and school systems and their work on strategic planning and sustainable planning on issues of education.

Strategy:
To offer a menu of services within the expertise of the Cambridge Associates and their affiliation with their other job related activities.

Superintendent Search Assistance/Affiliation with BWP and Associates
Among the most important decisions that a school board makes is the selection of the superintendent. Dr. Harris and Dr. Castner also work with BWP and Associates, a national search firm that can provide you an experienced search team of experienced and dedicated consultants who are networked with educational leaders throughout the country. Having successfully conducted over 20 Superintendent searches, we offer a high level of expertise and extensive knowledge for recruiting exceptionally talented people.

Our executive coaching expertise is further enhanced by our partnership with Rebecca Kraus & Associates LLC. Rebecca Kraus is a credentialed Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coach Federation and has coached over 200 leaders across multiple industries in the areas of leadership and communications.

Communication Plan/Planning –
Communication and Implementation of the Strategic Plan

After months of hard work creating your strategic plan, it’s critical that stakeholders understand the plan, its components, and its power to transform and move your district forward. In addition, your stakeholders want to know that your district is being accountable for the strategic goals and actions for which you have committed resources. Major areas to consider in communicating about your new strategic plan include: branding the plan, and collateral materials such as a web page, posters, executive summary, comprehensive plan booklet, power point presentation, video, and social media strategies.


Our Cambridge facilitator, Barbara M. Hunter, has outstanding experience to assist you in the development of a comprehensive communication plan unique to your needs.

AdvancEd
Dr. Pope, also, serves as the Regional Field Consultant for AdvsancEd for the greater Houston and Galveston area. AdvancED is a non-profit organization that conducts rigorous, onsite external reviews of PreK-12 schools and school systems to ensure that all learners realize their full potential. AdvancED was created through the merger of the North Central Association, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Northwest Accreditation Commission and accredits schools across the United States and in 70 other countries around the world.

School Board Development

Among the daunting challenges faced by school systems today is ensuring that the board and administrative team understands and demonstrates appropriate roles and responsibilities. Extensive research exists which identifies and describes these critical components of effective school system operation. Further, the extent to which the board and administrative staff behave as a team often dictates the degree of success a school system will achieve. Becoming a team is difficult and Cambridge Associates is well equipped to assist school systems as they endeavor to achieve that goal. Cambridge Associates is prepared to deliver individually tailored interactive workshops of whatever length is mutually deemed to be desirable on these essential skills.

New School Board member/superintendent orientation
A comprehensive session designed specifically to give new board members and superintendent an overview of the basics and boardmanship. In addition, the relationship of how School Board Policy can provide strategic direction for a school system will be explored.

Team of 8 Training (Texas)
Team of 8 training targets the effectiveness of the school board and superintendent relationship. The school board and the superintendent each have a distinct role to play in the education system within the school district, yet these distinct roles form an integral relationship referred to as a team. This training provides:

Cambridge Associates are certified trainers in this process and have experience in the training of these teams as well as direct experience of how strategic thinking can help focus your team to policy driven learning outcomes for your students.