The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education is looking to adopt a strategic plan for the district ahead of the next school year, and members say that plan will include the priorities of the community. The board last week heard proposals from two outfits that could help it develop the plan. They were Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates out of Illinois and the Michigan Association of School Boards. During a meeting this week, some members of the public questioned whether the plan would be a pretext for a takeover of the district. Superintendent Andrae Townsel said having a strategic plan is critical for the improvement of the district.
“Ladies and gentlemen, everybody in the community, we need your voice, we need your support,” Townsel said. “Parents, everybody. We’re going to do it the right way. We need a five year plan, and we’re going to have the community completely involved. It’s going to be something we can own and believe in and execute so we can increase the education experience for all of our kids.”
Townsel says such a plan is a helpful tool for a district to improve. He said more proposals for help on developing the plan could come from more companies, but he’d like a decision in May, if possible.
