District Strategic Plan - Concrete School District

Strategic Plan Documents

Name

26-27 Annual Action Plan

2026-2031 Strategic Plan

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About Our Strategic Plan Process

Spring 2026 Concrete School District Strategic Planning Process

Concrete School District has begun the process of developing a new district strategic plan with facilitation from the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA). A strategic plan helps guide the district’s priorities, goals, and decision-making over the next several years.

Community input will play an important role in shaping the district’s mission, vision, and priorities moving forward.

The district last completed a strategic planning process in 2018. Since that time, there have been many changes in education both locally and statewide, including changes in academic standards and graduation requirements, increased student support and compliance expectations, new technology and instructional practices, and financial pressures facing school districts. Districts are also experiencing reduced funding in some areas and an increasing number of unfunded mandates, while continuing to meet numerous state and federal requirements.

Developing a new strategic plan will help ensure the district’s priorities reflect current needs, opportunities, and the long-term success of Concrete School District students.

Planning Process Background

The Concrete School Board participated in a strategic planning workshop and training session on February 10, which was open to board members and community members interested in learning more about the WSSDA strategic planning process.

During a February 24 Board workshop, Superintendent Carrie Crickmore presented the WSSDA proposal for facilitating the district’s strategic planning process. On February 26, the Concrete School Board voted to approve the proposal and contract with WSSDA to facilitate the district’s strategic planning.

The district’s strategic planning process will be facilitated by Mary Fertakis, a former Tukwila School Board member and past president of WSSDA with extensive experience supporting school districts in strategic planning and governance.

Additional information and updates will be posted on the district website: https://www.concrete.k12.wa.us/en-US/district-strategic-plan-019e1607

Listening Sessions (March 30 – April 3)

An important part of the strategic planning process is gathering feedback from students, staff, families, and the community. The district will host listening sessions during the week of March 30 through April 3 to gather input from a wide range of perspectives.

During the listening sessions, participants will be asked to share their perspectives about what is going well in the district and what could be improved to better serve students and families moving forward.

The district will host:

Five parent and community listening sessions
Two staff listening sessions
Seven student listening sessions

Listening sessions will be facilitated by Mary Fertakis. District administrators will not attend, so participants can share their perspectives openly.

Individuals who have multiple roles in the district—for example, a staff member who is also a parent—are welcome to attend more than one session if it aligns with their role.

For those unable to attend, written feedback forms will be available, and feedback may also be submitted by email.

Strategic Planning Committee

Following the listening sessions, a Strategic Planning Committee will meet to review feedback and help develop the district’s strategic plan.

The committee will include students, staff, parents, community members, local employers, and two school board members, with up to 20 members selected by the Strategic Planning Steering Committee.

The Strategic Planning Steering Committee includes:

Carrie Crickmore, Superintendent
Jennifer Henderson, Elementary Principal
Cheri VanWagoner, High School Teacher
Violet League, Elementary Teacher/Coach

The Strategic Planning Committee will meet four times between April 27 and June 5 for three-hour working sessions, with preparation and review between meetings. Committee members will be expected to attend all meetings and complete work between sessions.

Timeline

March 30 – April 3: Listening sessions with students, staff, families, and community members

April 27 – June 5: Strategic Planning Committee meets four times to develop the draft strategic plan

June 2026: Draft strategic plan presented to the School Board for review and recommendation for adoption

Summer/Fall 2026: Final strategic plan adopted, and implementation begins

Strategic Plan Framework — Adopted June 2026

In June 2026, the Concrete School District Board of Directors adopted the Strategic Plan Framework, which was developed through a collaborative process involving the Board, students, staff, families, community members, and the Strategic Planning Committee.

The Framework established the core direction for the district, including our:

Mission The Concrete School District is dedicated to fostering whole student development through authentic, purposeful learning experiences within a welcoming community.
Vision The Concrete School District encourages innovation, empowers students to build their own futures, and inspires them to be positive contributors to their communities.
Four Foundations: Belonging, Growth, Alignment, and Resourcefulness
Four Strategic Pillars: Teaching & Learning, Student & Staff Wellbeing, Family & Community Engagement, and Resource Stewardship
Specific Board-Approved Commitments within each Strategic Pillar

The Framework represents the foundational work completed through the district's strategic planning process and serves as the basis for the full 2026–2031 Strategic Plan.

Graphic of our mission, vision, foundations, and four pillars.

Our Four Strategic Pillars

graphic of pillar 2 student & staff wellbeing

graphic of pillar 3 family & community engagement

graphic of pillar 4 resource stewardship

District Strategic Plan News

District Strategic Plan District News

Jun 5, 2026 · District Strategic Plan
Strategic Planning Committee Meeting #4 Update
On Wednesday, June 3, the Strategic Planning Committee met for the fourth and final time as a full committee and finalized the proposed framework of the district's strategic plan.

Throughout the spring, committee members reviewed district data, analyzed feedback from listening sessions, discussed district priorities, and worked collaboratively to develop the key components of a proposed strategic plan.

The committee developed proposed:

• Vision Statement • Mission Statement • Foundations (Core Values) • Pillars (Strategic Priority Areas)

The proposed Pillars are:

• Student and Staff Well-Being • Teaching and Learning • Family and Community Engagement • Resource Stewardship

The committee's work will continue through four writing teams, which will develop supporting descriptions for the Foundations and Pillars before the proposed plan is presented to the School Board.

The proposed strategic plan will be presented at:

• Board Workshop – Tuesday, June 16, 6:00 p.m. • Board Meeting – Thursday, June 18, 6:00 p.m.

Both meetings will be held in the Board Room located at 45389 Airport Way, Concrete.

If approved by the School Board, district administrators and staff will spend the summer developing goals, objectives, action steps, timelines, measures of success, and resource allocations aligned to the approved Pillars. The completed strategic plan is anticipated to be finalized before the beginning of the 2026–2027 school year and will guide district priorities, planning, and decision-making over the coming years.

Community members interested in following the process may access:

• Listening session summaries • Meeting agendas • Presentations • Committee homework assignments • Summaries of committee input and decisions • Supporting planning resources

👉 District Strategic Planning webpage (overview) 👉 Strategic Planning Resource Hub (materials)
May 21, 2026 · District Strategic Plan
Strategic Planning Committee Meeting #3 Update
Wednesday night, May 20, the Strategic Planning Committee held its third of four meetings and continued building the district’s proposed strategic plan.

One focus of the meeting was establishing common language for the proposed strategic plan. The committee reached agreement that:

Foundations will represent the district’s Core Values

Pillars will represent the broad categories or strategic priority areas of the plan

The committee also dedicated significant time to discussing, refining, advocating for, and building support around four proposed Foundations while developing draft mission and vision statements.

The next phase of committee work will focus on identifying and reaching agreement on the Pillars (3–5 strategic priority areas) and developing descriptive statements to support each Foundation.

By the conclusion of the committee process, the proposed strategic plan presented to the School Board will include:

Proposed Vision

Proposed Mission

Proposed Foundations (Core Values)

Proposed Pillars (Strategic Priority Areas)

The proposed strategic plan will be presented to the School Board at:

Board Workshop — Tuesday, June 16 at 6:00 p.m.

Board Meeting — Thursday, June 18 at 6:00 p.m.

Once approved, district administrators and staff will build upon that work over the summer by developing goals, objectives, action steps, timelines, measures of success, and resource allocation aligned to the approved Pillars. The completed strategic plan is anticipated to be ready by the beginning of the school year and will guide the district’s work over the coming years.

The fourth and final Strategic Planning Committee meeting will be held: Wednesday, June 3 5:00–8:00 p.m. High School Commons

Community members are welcome to observe. Community members are also encouraged to attend the June 16 Board Workshop to see the Strategic Plan presentation to the Board.

Community members interested in following the process may access:

Listening session summaries

Meeting agendas

Slide presentations

Committee homework assignments

Summaries of committee input and decisions

Supporting planning resources

👉 District Strategic Planning webpage (overview)

👉 Strategic Planning Resource Hub (materials)
May 7, 2026 · District Strategic Plan
Strategic Planning Committee Meeting #2 Update
Strategic Planning Committee Meeting #2 Update

On Wednesday evening, the Strategic Planning Committee held its second meeting from 5:00–8:00 p.m. The evening focused on identifying district core values and the beliefs and principles committee members feel best represent the district and should guide our work moving forward.

Throughout the evening, committee members engaged in productive discussion and reflection around the district’s core values. Our facilitator, Mary Fertakis, who has decades of experience leading strategic planning work across Washington, shared that the process is moving forward as expected.

By the conclusion of the four committee meetings, the Strategic Planning Committee will have developed proposed district core values, mission and vision statements, and the broad strategic priority areas that will guide the district’s work over the coming years.

Over the summer, district administrators and staff will build upon that work by developing proposed goals, objectives, action steps, timelines, and measures of success aligned to each strategic priority area.

The resources available to the committee are also available to the public.

👉 District Strategic Planning webpage (overview)👉 Strategic Planning Resource Hub (materials)

The committee is also completing work between meetings. Due to the depth of conversation and continued work needed after Wednesday’s meeting, this week’s committee homework assignment is more extensive and is due Friday, May 15.

Upcoming committee meetings: • May 20 • June 3

All meetings are held from 5:00–8:00 p.m. in the High School Commons. Staff, students, parents/guardians, and community members are welcome to attend as observers.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the listening sessions and to those serving on the committee. We appreciate the time, thought, and collaboration that continue to shape this work.
Apr 28, 2026 · District Strategic Plan
Strategic Planning Update: Data Review & First Committee Meeting
The Concrete School District has completed the data collection phase of the Strategic Planning process and held the first Strategic Planning Committee meeting on April 27.

As we move forward, we want to keep our school community informed and ensure you have access to the materials and information being used throughout this process.

👉 View the Strategic Planning Resource Hub
(All meeting materials, presentations, and documents are available here.)

What We’ve Completed So Far

Conducted listening sessions with students, staff, families, and community members (March 30–April 3)

Reviewed district and state data related to student outcomes and experiences

Convened the Strategic Planning Committee for its first meeting

Highlights from Meeting #1 (April 27)

The committee focused on understanding the current state of the district and identifying root causes of disparities.

During the meeting, the committee:

Reviewed district data (attendance, graduation rates, discipline, course access)

Reviewed themes from listening sessions

Identified patterns and trends

Participated in a Root Cause Analysis using the “5 Whys” process

This work will guide the next steps in identifying priorities for the district’s strategic plan.

What’s Next

The committee will continue meeting to:

Identify core values and priority areas

Develop draft goals and focus areas

Refine recommendations for the School Board

Upcoming meetings:

May 6 – Core values and priority areas

May 20 – Draft plan development

June 3 – Final recommendations

All meetings are held from 5:00–8:00 p.m. in the High School Commons. Community members are welcome to attend as observers.

Follow the Work

Materials from each meeting will be added to the Resource Hub so everyone can see the work being done and follow the process as it moves forward.

👉 View the Strategic Planning Resource Hub****
Apr 2, 2026 · District Strategic Plan
Thurs, Apr 2, Listening Session for Parents of Students with Disabilities (Zoom)
Today, Thursday, April 2, is the listening session for parents of students with disabilities. This session will be held via Zoom from 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Please plan to join about 5 minutes early to ensure you are able to access the meeting. Our facilitator, Mary Fertakis, will admit participants at 6:00 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3876282861?pwd=RGNXTmhiRjJlMjJ4VnFKNmZodXc1Zz09&omn=82490556317

Meeting ID: 387 628 2861

Passcode: 0eYB34

Listening Session Submit Feedback:

If you are unable to attend or prefer to share your input in writing, you can submit feedback.

using this link, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhRFsv1nSWQzVScbe-4JdGGBV_uZwDK6_H5NNvvZz5NMHbKA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114777059775066923257,

by filling out a paper form that is available in each office (Elementary, High School, or District),

or by emailing Mary Fertakis at mfertakisconsulting@gmail.com.

Strategic Planning Committee Interest Form:

We are also continuing to gather interest for those who may want to serve on the Strategic Planning Committee. Please use this link to fill out the Interest Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclErZShLtXEeWc8_w0WLxLNV7zm_X1uzkZWTkYU0lHU8I30w/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114777059775066923257

Thank you in advance for your time and input. Your feedback is an important part of this process.
Apr 1, 2026 · District Strategic Plan
Wednesday, April 1 In-Person Community/Parent Listening Sessions
Today, there are two in-person Parent/Community Listening Sessions at the Elementary Library.

3:30-5:00 p.m. Community/Parent

6:00-7:30 p.m. Multilingual Families (Spanish interpreter available)

Listening Session Submit Feedback:

If you are unable to attend or prefer to share your input in writing, you can submit feedback.

using this link, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhRFsv1nSWQzVScbe-4JdGGBV_uZwDK6_H5NNvvZz5NMHbKA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114777059775066923257,

by filling out a paper form that is available in each office (Elementary, High School, or District),

or by emailing Mary Fertakis at mfertakisconsulting@gmail.com.

Strategic Planning Committee Interest Form:

We are also continuing to gather interest for those who may want to serve on the Strategic Planning Committee. Please use this link to fill out the Interest Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclErZShLtXEeWc8_w0WLxLNV7zm_X1uzkZWTkYU0lHU8I30w/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114777059775066923257

Thank you in advance for your time and input. Your feedback is an important part of this process.
Mar 31, 2026 · District Strategic Plan
Tuesday, March 31 Listening Session focused on Highly Capable Learners and Advanced Learning options
Today is the listening session for parents of Highly Capable learners or parents seeking advanced learning options for their student. This session will be held via Zoom from 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Please plan to join about 5 minutes early to ensure you are able to access the meeting. Our facilitator, Mary Fertakis, will admit participants at 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 31 Highly Capable / Advanced Learning Listening Session (Zoom) 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3876282861?pwd=RGNXTmhiRjJlMjJ4VnFKNmZodXc1Zz09&omn=89686987931

Meeting ID: 387 628 2861

Passcode: 0eYB34

Listening Session Submit Feedback:

If you are unable to attend or prefer to share your input in writing, you can submit feedback.

using this link, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhRFsv1nSWQzVScbe-4JdGGBV_uZwDK6_H5NNvvZz5NMHbKA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114777059775066923257,

by filling out a paper form that is available in each office (Elementary, High School, or District),

or by emailing Mary Fertakis at mfertakisconsulting@gmail.com.

Strategic Planning Committee Interest Form:

We are also continuing to gather interest for those who may want to serve on the Strategic Planning Committee. Please use this link to fill out the Interest Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclErZShLtXEeWc8_w0WLxLNV7zm_X1uzkZWTkYU0lHU8I30w/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114777059775066923257

Thank you in advance for your time and input. Your feedback is an important part of this process.
Mar 30, 2026 · District Strategic Plan
Monday, March 30 Parent/Community Listening Session (Zoom)
Today is our first Parent & Community Listening Session as part of our strategic planning process. This session will be held via Zoom from 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Please plan to join about 5 minutes early to ensure you are able to access the meeting. Our facilitator, Mary Fertakis, will admit participants at 6:00 p.m.

Monday, March 30 Community/Parent Listening Session (Zoom) 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3876282861?pwd=RGNXTmhiRjJlMjJ4VnFKNmZodXc1Zz09&omn=82832335962

Meeting ID: 387 628 2861

Passcode: 0eYB34

Listening Session Submit Feedback:

If you are unable to attend or prefer to share your input in writing, you can submit feedback.

using this link, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhRFsv1nSWQzVScbe-4JdGGBV_uZwDK6_H5NNvvZz5NMHbKA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114777059775066923257,

by filling out a paper form that is available in each office (Elementary, High School, or District),

or by emailing Mary Fertakis at mfertakisconsulting@gmail.com.

Strategic Planning Committee Interest Form:

We are also continuing to gather interest for those who may want to serve on the Strategic Planning Committee. Please use this link to fill out the Interest Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclErZShLtXEeWc8_w0WLxLNV7zm_X1uzkZWTkYU0lHU8I30w/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114777059775066923257

Thank you in advance for your time and input. Your feedback is an important part of this process.

Spring 2026 Concrete School District Strategic Planning Process

Planning Process Background

Listening Sessions (March 30 – April 3)

Strategic Planning Committee

Timeline

Strategic Plan Framework — Adopted June 2026

Pillar 1: Teaching and Learning

Pillar 2: Student & Staff Wellbeing

Pillar 3: Family & Community Engagement

Pillar 4: Resource Stewardship