District 88 updating strategic plan to help ensure excellence for all students

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District 88 is committed to providing an environment that promotes excellence for all students and prepares each child for a successful future.

To help ensure that environment, the district is updating its strategic plan, which was last reviewed and adopted during the 2018-19 school year. This process establishes the district’s areas of focus and future direction.

“The strategic plan is the foundation on which we operate,” said Dr. Jean Barbanente, District 88 Superintendent. “The updated plan truly reflects the depth and breadth of our work, and it will be a living document that forms the basis of our efforts. We have a responsibility to be transparent with and accountable to our stakeholders, and this allows us to achieve that objective.”

District 88 has 51 languages and more than 30 countries represented among its families, and almost half of the nearly 4,000 students at District 88 speak a language other than English at home. The district is extremely proud of that diversity and celebrates it as an asset. The strategic plan was developed with a culturally responsive lens to reflect the district’s diverse student population and learning community.

The Strategic Plan Committee, which is comprised of District 88 administrators and Board of Education members, first met in August. During that meeting, they analyzed samples from other school districts to determine best practices and set their vision for the updated plan. They met again in September, November and December.

The committee members formed three overarching areas of focus, or “pillars.” Those are:

Teaching and Learning: Advancing excellence for all through culturally responsive curriculum, instruction, assessment practices, programming, resources and services.
Student Voice, Climate and Culture: Advancing excellence for all through a culture of inclusion and belonging, where all students feel safe, seen, heard, valued and respected.
Family and Community as Agency: Advancing excellence for all through family and community partnerships, expanding authentic opportunities and experiences for students.

Each pillar has three goals, and each goal is measured by corresponding metrics.
The district’s updated Mission is “to prepare students to be college and career ready in a diverse society.”
The district’s updated Vision is “to cultivate inclusive and rigorous learning opportunities for students to pursue individualized pathways to success.”

To display the content of the plan visually – and to ensure it’s tangible and meaningful – the district also will have an online dashboard, which will go live on Feb. 1. This site will show the metrics in each area through data points, statistics, charts and graphs.

To view District 88’s updated strategic plan and online dashboard (which will go live on Feb. 1), go to www.dupage88.net/StrategicPlanSlides2024.

“I would like to thank the committee members for their leadership in updating our strategic plan,” said Donna Craft Cain, District 88 Board of Education President. “Their positive energy and lively discussion provided the necessary vision to enhance our plan to provide the best environment for our students and families. I also would like to thank our staff for designing the online dashboard, so the Board and all stakeholders can monitor our progress as we implement and maintain our strategic plan.”

The plan was reviewed by District 88 staff members throughout October and November, and Dr. Barbanente provided several opportunities for input and feedback. Dr. Barbanente is now meeting with parents/guardians at Addison Trail and Willowbrook, as well as with community organizations and local legislators. The goal is to have the finalized plan adopted by the Board of Education during its April 8 meeting.

For questions or more information regarding the strategic plan, contact District 88 Director of Community Relations Dani Brink at dbrink@dupage88.net or 630-530-3989.