Strategic Summit 2015 - Community discusses issues

Today 150 community members, including parents and business leaders, met at Reid Center on the campus of Whitman College to participate in Strategic Summit 2015. The event was organized as a platform for community engagement and input.

Guests voted from a vast list of educational topics on what to discuss. Facility improvements and future bond issues, curriculum and college and career readiness received the most votes. Table captains, which included school board members, principals, Superintendent Dr. Bill Jordan and district staff, used a research-based protocol to guide the discussions which allowed for everyone to comment.

Class of 2012 graduate and current Whitman College senior Marcos Medina was the lunch keynote speaker. He talked about how support from his family and Walla Walla Public Schools helped him overcome barriers such as poverty and language. He is majoring in math and economics and hopes to own a business in the Seattle area in the future.

District administrators and school board members are organizing the notes from today’s event. This information, including themes and lessons learned, will be available to the public later in October. The district is also planning a similar event for staff this fall. Details of this event are currently being discussed.

“We are energized as a school district following today’s event,” said Superintendent Dr. Bill Jordan. “We have a community that cares about children and is passionate about ensuring they have a strong school system and quality education.”