ACPS released a draft of its Strategic Plan this past week as it conducted an online forum from March 2 to March 9 and fielded public comments on the plan at its March 5 School Board meeting.

While the online feedback is still being compiled and assessed, the members of the public who spoke at the meeting expressed both praise and concerns for certain objectives and the plan on the whole.

The school divisions broad goals for the future, as outlined in the draft, are:

1. Ensure all students demonstrate significant academic growth and dramatically improve achievement outcomes for students below grade level.

2. Provide a rigorous, relevant and internationally benchmarked education to enable all students to succeed as an American citizen in the global community.

3. Create an exceptional learning environment.

4. Implement a focused, transparent governance model which incorporates effective communication and evidence-based decision making.

5. Provide clean, safe and conducive learning environments that utilize best practices for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.

One of the notable comments lauded the inclusion of goal number five (environmental stewarship) but pointed out that in the draft it did not have any strategic objectives, or guidelines, attached to it while the other four did.

The board plans to review and approve the Strategic Plan at its March 19 meeting, according to the draft.