Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV Board of Directors August 13, 2008

1. Midwestern Intermediate Unit IVStrategic Plan2008-2011Moving Forwardwith a focus onrelationships,responsibility,and results. Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV Board of Directors August 13, 2008 Cecelia H. Yauger, Executive Director

2. Introduction to the MIU IV Strategic Plan • In January 2008, Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV (MIU IV) began a strategic planning effort to facilitate leadership transition and plot a course through June of 2011. The change in intermediate unit leadership occurred in the summer of 2007, making a strategic planning effort in 2008 timely and necessary to guide the organization forward and to meet new challenges

3. MIU IV Strategic Plan • The purpose of the three-year strategic plan is to provide a structure for new MIU IV leadership and to exercise a continuing commitment to full collaboration among its many constituencies. • Four top priorities were established at the beginning of the strategic planning process: • Develop transparency of action and decision-making within MIU IV assuring continuity and clarity as the institution moves forward; • Minimize the existence of insulated departments and organizational units within MIU IV to foster open communication and collaboration. • Assure personnel, data, research, and service resources ‘across’ departments are available to one another to providing the best possible comprehensive service to our schools and agencies; and • Provide a platform for evaluating the responsiveness of the organization to district needs and to logically and thoughtfully consider any future re-alignment of departments and resources in order to maximize effectiveness.

4. MIU IV Strategic Plan • A steering committee composed of leaders and representatives from MIU IV and school districts was formed to guide the process. This steering committee was comprised of IU staff representing all service areas and classifications, a parent, school district superintendents, and MIU IV board members.

5. Strategic Planning Steering Committee • Robert Barber Director, Business Services, MIU IV • Susan Black Special Education Program Supervisor, Act 93 Chair, MIU IV • Paula Bredl Special Education Program Supervisor, MIU IV • Judith Campbell Chair, MIU IV Local Task Force, Shenango Area School District • Terri Clark Special Education Fiscal Manager, MIU IV • Frank N. Cloud Director, Special Education, MIU IV • Olivia Exterovich Coordinator, SES Provider Programs • Beth Glew Special Education School Psychologist, MIU IV • Charlene Gorney Special Education Teacher, President, FMAFT, MIU IV • Margaret Hallam Special Education School Psychologist, MIU IV • Dr. Sandra Hennon Superintendent, Laurel School District • Lorinda Hess Director, Continuing Professional Education, MIU IV • Dean Hoffman Principal, Frew Mill School, MIU IV • Melissa Hogue Early Intervention Teacher, President, MIU EA, MIU IV • Patricia Kriley Director, State and Federal Liaison, MIU IV • Andrea Leahy Special Education Program Supervisor, MIU IV

6. Strategic Planning Steering Committee • Jill Manczka Director, Distance Education/Educational Planning, MIU IV • Brenda A. Marino, Esq. Director, Human Resources, MIU IV • Jane Martin Director, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, MIU IV • Virginia Moore Director, Communications & Arts in Education, MIU IV • Dr. Kathleen Nogay Superintendent, Slippery Rock Area School District • Dennis Pack Director, Instructional Materials, MIU IV • GladdiePaczek Special Education Teacher Assistant, President ESPA, MIU IV • Cheryl Pilch Director, Child Care Information Services, MIU IV • Dr. Robert Post Superintendent, Grove City Area School District • Scott Powner Director, Technology and Information, MIU IV • Richard Sefton MIU IV Board of Directors, South Butler County School District • Dr. Sharon Shipton President, MIU IV Board of Directors, Grove City Area School District • Dr. James Stockdale Strategic Plan Facilitator • Laura Urbach Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director, MIU IV • Melissa Wyllie Director, Nonpublic Schools, MIU IV • Cecelia H. Yauger Executive Director, MIU IV • Kim Zippie Coordinator, PA Inspired Leadership, MIU IV

7. Our Mission • The mission of Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV is to provide educational and administrative leadership, programs, services, and resources which enhance the education of all individuals to meet the changing needs of a global society.

8. Our Vision • Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV is cohesive, proactive, communicative, data-informed, data-driven, and highly accountable.

9. Our Beliefs • All people can learn and learning is a lifelong process. • Each person has value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. • Effective service entails listening and responding to the needs and perceptions of one another and those we serve. • Clear, open communication is essential for teaming and synergy. • Continuous improvement demands an authentic, open perspective toward change and accountability. • All learners require training and access to proven research • and technologies.

10. Core Objectives • Communications • Deliberately communicates with both internal and external audiences to increase knowledge and understanding of IU programs, services, state initiatives, and national mandates.

11. Team: Virginia Moore, Chair; Andrea Leahy, GladdiePaczek. Judy Campbell, Brenda Marino, Rich Sefton • Communications Team

12. Strategy/Expected Outcome Communications • Strategy 1: Develop a communications plan for each department and/or major program area in the IU. • Expected outcome: Clear, essential, open communication will result in teaming and synergy across all programs and throughout the community as a whole. • Strategy 2: Develop strategies, programs and professional development that will foster communication, collaboration, and teaming across the IU. • Expected outcome: Teaming among human resources, administrators, program supervisors, teachers, therapists, and support staff will result in the adoption of the core belief statement that each person has value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. • Strategy 3: Promote cross-training and communication among program and service areas to promote a better understanding of IU services. • Expected outcome: Clear understanding of each IU program and service area in order to promote collaboration and communication among departments and divisions.

13. Core Objectives • Student Achievement and School Improvement • Commits to increasing student achievement by providing instruction, data analysis and consultation to our community of learners in support of continuous improvement.

14. Team: Jane Martin & Frank Cloud, Co-Chairs; Paula Bredl, Olivia Exterovich, Dr. Sharon Shipton, Melissa Wyllie • Student Achievement and School Improvement Team

15. Strategy/Expected OutcomeStudent Achievement and School Improvement • Strategy 1: Provide current in-depth data analysis and interpretation of the data, using the PDE data tools. • Expected outcome: Districts will use the data to make informed educational decisions. • Strategy 2: Provide data analysis training workshops using individual district/school data. • Expected outcome: School staff will become proficient in using PDE data tools. • Strategy 3: Provide yearly roundtable help sessions for school improvement districts/schools that are required by PDE to complete The Getting Results Framework template. • Expected outcome: School district teams will write quality School Improvement plans that increase student achievement by using The Getting Results Framework. • Strategy 4: Feature the best practices/research-based programs implemented in its member districts through presentations at Curriculum Advisory Council meetings, the MIU IV website, and the implementation of partnerships between our districts/schools. • Expected outcome: A networking link among MIU IV districts will provide a better communication tool for sharing best practices. • Strategy 5: Develop a program to promote the use and implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI) for students. • Expected outcome: Provide immediate targeted instruction to struggling students allowing them to continue in the general education program. • Strategy 6: Support data teaming and analyses in specific areas based on identified survey results from our community of learners using state data tools, formative assessment data, and progress monitoring to effect student achievement. • Expected outcome: Districts will develop data teams capable of using data to make educational decisions and to drive instruction.

16. Core Objectives • Personnel Development/Organizational Culture • Recruits, sustains, and supports a high quality workforce at all levels in a positive organizational culture that is founded on collaboration, shared values, and mutual respect.

17. Team: Susan Black, Chair; Lorinda Hess, Melissa Hogue, Dean Hoffman, Margaret Hallam • Personnel Development/Organizational Culture Team

18. Strategy/Expected Outcome Personnel Development/Organizational Culture • Strategy 1: Develop leadership and principal induction programs that are aligned with the core and corollary standards for Act 45-for School and School District Leaders. • Expected outcome: To develop a highly qualified administrative workforce to serve students more effectively. • Strategy 2: Ensure quality personnel in all positions by purposefully creating and facilitating a cohesive and communicative community of employees who value and respect each other’s unique contributions to the company as a whole. • Expected outcome: Promote organizational culture and community atmosphere for all MIU IV employees by creating an activities calendar of events. • Strategy 3: Redesign, implement and evaluate the IU induction plan to more specifically meet the needs of our workforce in line with PDE submission guidelines. • Expected outcome: Develop a highly qualified work force to serve our students more effectively by providing a specific induction program for IU staff designed to address the needs of IU programs. • Strategy 4: Seek out internships, externships or work study programs in line with job assignments that would support recruitment and sustain qualified personnel for MIU IV job positions • Expected outcome: Recruit highly qualified staff for vacant or created positions. • Strategy 5: Sustain and support a quality support staff through continuous learning that relates to the duties and functions of their current job assignment • Expected outcome: Trained workforce needed for job assignment.

19. Core Objectives • Technology • Uses a collaborative team approach to provide visionary leadership, expertise, training, and excellence in information technology, shared solutions, and support.

20. Team: Scott Powner, Chair; Jill Manczka, Terri Clark, John Suchonic, Dr. Kathleen Nogay, Cecelia Yauger • Technology Team

21. Strategy/Expected Outcome Technology • Strategy 1: Create steering committees for major areas in technology including Smart Student, Smart Finance, Our Wan, and Internal Operations • Expected outcome: To measure greater district utilization of all technology due to district buy-in for technology-based services. • Strategy 2: Host technology meetings for appropriate stakeholders to train, demonstrate, and support current and future technology programs, projects, and initiatives. • Expected outcome: Dissemination of more information to a broader spectrum of stakeholders. • Strategy 3: Reassess all existing technology services to ensure proper support, and to evaluate if a service is still cost-effective, if it is still relevant, and if it could be better served through other means. • Expected outcome: To more effectively provide services to all stakeholders within the IU.

22. Core Objectives • Research and Development • Strategically researches, analyzes, and develops cost-effective, solution-oriented programs, products, and services for both existing and new initiatives in response to the needs of our community of learners.

23. Team: Robert Barber, Chair; Beth Glew, Charlene Gorney, Dr. Robert Post, Kim Zippie • Research and Development Team

24. Strategy/Expected Outcome Research and Developement • Strategy 1: Perform organizational study of programs and services to ascertain responsiveness, accountability, quality and viability to meet the needs of end users in relation to the use of financial and personnel resources for the purpose of determining program continuation, modification, realignment or curtailment. • Expected outcome: Cost-effective, solution-oriented programs. • Strategy 2: Research and, if feasible, implement the position of a Help Desk Technician. • Expected outcome: Technician will be trained to respond to end-user software and hardware issues. • Strategy 3: Research and develop a technological solution to provide real-time data to teachers in the classroom to drive instruction. • Expected outcome: Real-time data to drive instruction will be provided to classroom teachers. • Strategy 4: Review existing programs and services for cost-effectiveness based on cost adequacy of funding source, including user fees, state and federal funding and non-cost factors such as derived benefit to end users. • Expected outcome: Provide cost-effective programs and services to end-users. • Strategy 5: Facilitate inter-district collaborative work teams to enhance delivery of instruction to our community of learners. • Expected outcome: Improve student achievement • Strategy 6: Determine the viability of electronic bidding as authorized under Act 88 of 2006, known as the “Local Government Unit Electronic Bidding Act”. • Expected outcome: MIU IV will utilize electronic bidding to provide services and supplies where applicable.

25. Core Objectives • Resource Sharing • Develop and sustain partnerships resulting in cost-effective, innovative programs, services, and resources that foster learning and build capacity within our community of learners.

26. Team: Pat Kriley, Chair; Cheryl Pilch, Dennis Pack, Laura Urbach, Dr. Sandra Hennon • Resource Sharing Team

27. Strategy/Expected OutcomeResource Sharing • Strategy 1: Offer workshops for buildings and grounds personnel that include pesticide application, asbestos certification and pneumatic control application. • Expected outcome: Schools will improve the safety and physical quality of the learning environment. • Strategy 2: Encourage increased efficiency and economy of operations through the Common Cents/Shared Services Initiative, and the purchase of athletic, school, and maintenance supplies for LEAs and other nonprofit organizations through the joint purchasing. • Expected outcome: Participants will save money without compromising quality. • Strategy 3: Maintain awareness of research-based programming that could enhance the effectiveness of Act 89 and Title services. • Expected outcome: Student achievement will increase. • Strategy 4: Inform MIU IV staff, district leaders, and partners about funding sources and support them in preparing and submitting applications. • Expected outcome: Student achievement will increase. • Strategy 5: Explore and encourage partnerships. • Expected outcome: Departments will increase the quality and scope of their programs. • Strategy 6: Develop a network with districts and partner agencies to share information via email and the web. • Expected outcome: People who access their emails and exlore the website will gain a better understanding of MIU IV programs, services, and resources. • Strategy 7: Recruit administrators and teachers from its member districts to serve on its writing, reading and science committees. • : By modeling and sharing best practices, student achievement will increase in the specific content areas. • Strategy 8: Manage Pennsylvania’s Supplemental Education Services (SES) and Educational Assistance Program (EAP) under the direction of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. • Expected outcome: SES/EAP programs will serve students across the state. • Strategy 9: Pool funding with other agencies to secure national speakers to address the IU and community partners. • Expected outcome: MIU IV will improve the quality and timeliness of professional development in the service area and/or region. • Strategy 10: Offer cost-effective cyber services • ll be able to earn credits for graduation. • Strategy 11: Explore the efficacy of offering synchronous (real time) distance learning options to students. • Expected outcome: More students will be successful in earning credits towards graduation.