Our Blueprint for the Future

Our Blueprint for the Future: Building the Bridge from Empathy to Excellence is our district plan, outlining the transformational work of Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) over the next five years. We are committed to shifting the culture of GCPS to one that is whole learner-focused, where each and every child is known by name, by face, by individual strength, and need. We are school climates where students and staff feel valued and accepted—no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, native language, disability, or religion—so that no learner is marginalized. GCPS students live in a world where diversity is a fact, as evidenced by Gwinnett County’s status as one of the most diverse counties in the United States. Our efforts to be future-driven must include preparing our children to live and work with people who may be quite different from them.

Our Blueprint for the Future defines our strategic priorities in four areas: empathy, equity, effectiveness, and excellence. We know that empathy is key to our understanding of others and to creating a powerful sense of belonging in our GCPS culture. Empathy is a gateway to equity—ensuring that each and every child has what they need to reach their full potential. Effectiveness is our ability to achieve the results we desire. Equity and effectiveness form the bridge from empathy to excellence. Our district will demonstrate excellence in our work—that notable standard to which we should all aspire… behaviorally, academically, and operationally.

 

Making our Strategic Plan Operational

Each strategic priority includes three goals, with objectives and district key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs are the way we will measure success for each goal.

We initially considered a broad set of potential measures and finalized these metrics after gathering stakeholder feedback. The 2022 data will
be the baseline year for this five-year strategic plan, and each KPI will have annual targets set from 2023 to 2027.

These strategic priorities, goals, and objectives will be the basis of each department’s and division’s operational management plan (OMP). The Blueprint defines the “what” in terms of high-level goals and objectives. The OMPs will detail the “how,” including specific initiatives and action steps that align with this strategic plan. The final plan adopted by the Board includes available baseline data and annual targets for the approved set of KPIs associated with each goal. District leaders will provide regular updates during Board work sessions, sharing the operational progress toward the strategic plan priorities, goals, and objectives.

GCPS will provide annual reports with staff, students, families, and the community to share our accomplishments and results compared to yearly targets set for final KPIs in the Blueprint.