90-Day Entry Plan
Dear Henry County Schools Community,
I am humbled, honored, and excited to join Henry County Schools as your Superintendent. This opportunity to lead and guide the phenomenal students, teachers, and staff is a work of joy that I look forward to every day.
Assisting students with finding self-fulfillment and purpose, along with opening doors of possibilities through the journey of education, have continued to be my motivation as an educator. Henry County Schools’ mission “to empower all students with exceptional opportunities and access that lead to success in a global society” aligns with my values and beliefs in education. These cornerstones will be the foundation for decisions and actions taken on behalf of our students, employees, families, and community in our “Pursuit of Exceptional.”
Implementing my 90-day entry plan to initiate Opportunities, integrate Access, illustrate Outcomes is paramount to ensuring a smooth transition and will guide my focus as the new Superintendent. This plan begins with initiating opportunities to learn, collaborate, and communicate while building cohesion and confidence with our community. It includes listening and communicating with students, employees, families, community members, and board members to gain a deep understanding of the district. It continues with integrating access through school visits, allowing for a firsthand experience and a heightened level of engagement while learning and communicating with school leaders, teachers, staff, and students. Along with school visits, events such as Community Cluster Conversations or School Leadership Council meetings, provide increased opportunities to connect and collaborate with parents and families. Finally, illustrating outcomes paints the path forward in our shared pursuit. I will present a comprehensive report summarizing the discoveries and next steps toward meeting goals within the strategic plan and beyond. This will provide insight into what is working well, opportunities for growth/improvement, and the steps we need to take to secure the vision and mission of Henry County Schools.
I look forward to us taking this journey of expectations and purpose. As we make Henry County Schools “Without exception, just Exceptional,” our commitment to our core beliefs must be steadfast, and ongoing collaboration connected to our Priority Student Outcomes will be key. Our vision becomes a reality when we leverage reliable data, strategy, instruction, and support systems and help students realize expectations and purpose.
All our community’s hopes and dreams for our students and staff are possible when we work together. I am enthusiastic about meaningful collaborations “to ensure a high-quality, world-class education for every student” in Henry County Schools. Thank you in advance, and I look forward to partnering with you in the coming weeks and beyond.
Dr. John Pace, III
Superintendent, Henry County Schools
i3 = The Formula for Exceptional
The purpose of the i3 Plan is to ensure the Vision of HCS is on the path to realization and the Mission is visible, understood, and valued through our actions and processes. The Strategic Plan will serve as the roadmap that will guide the exploration and discovery process leading to next steps that will warrant consideration once the plan is complete.
Implementing a plan that embeds smoothly into the daily operations of HCS is paramount to creating the synergy that can be expected moving forward in the “Pursuit of Exceptional.” All aspects of the plan encompass 90 days to engage and collaborate with a wide range of key stakeholders, including, but not limited to, students, parents, teachers, principals, district staff, school board members, community partners, business partners, as well as inter-governmental local and state partners. The i3 plan will unfold in three phases:
initiate Opportunities to Learn and Communicate, Creating Cohesion and Confidence in Henry County Schools: the Action Steps/Initiatives in this phase will occur during the first 15-25 days of the plan.
Review the Action Steps outlined in Phase One.
integrate Access to Assess Student Learning Aligned to the Strategic Plan: the Action Steps/Initiatives in this phase will occur between days 16-75 of the plan.
Review the Action Steps outlined in Phase Two.
illustrate Outcomes toward Exceptional in HCS through Process: this final phase will provide findings and recommend next steps, painting and visualizing the pathway forward in “Pursuit of Exceptional” during the final 65-90 days of the plan.
Review the Action Steps outlined in Phase Three.
The goals of the i3 Plan are as follows:
- Ensure an effective, efficient, and orderly transition of leadership, with emphasis on increased student learning and achievement within safe and secure school environments.
- Build a cohesive and professional relationship with the Board of Education.
- Create opportunities to listen broadly and deeply to stakeholders across Henry County Schools and gain a comprehensive understanding of all key aspects, including the district's culture and climate, inclusive of student, employee, parent, and community morale.
- Amplify and connect the framework for success to all stakeholders regarding HCS’ Vision, Mission, and the Strategic Plan and its action steps while building on the commitment to continuous improvement.