Dear Allentown School District’s Learning Community:

I am honored to present our comprehensive Strategic Plan, entitled, Lighting the Way: A Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030. This plan represents our love, hope, unwavering dedication, and investment in the 16,700 students and the 2,500 staff entrusted in their care in the Allentown School District.

We are targeting 2030 for the implementation of our Strategic Plan to ensure a comprehensive and forward-thinking approach in executing the necessary strategic actions. The complexity and scope of implementation require a phased approach to include thorough planning and broad-based stakeholder engagement. This extended timeline beyond the standard five years, allows us to integrate data-driven and research-based strategies effectively, ensuring equity and access for all students while supporting continuous improvement.

Using the guiding principles of innovation and excellence, let this serve as a living document, outlining an exciting future for our students that attend the Allentown School District. We have set the stage to initiate a movement that will enable us to reimagine the structure, focus, and performance of the Allentown School District, and to unlock and maximize the potential inherent in every student we have the privilege to serve.

This Strategic Plan sets the stage for the next decade and will focus on delivering strategic actions for defined goals aligned with our core values and our priorities of Academic Excellence, Safety & Whole Child Development, Creating Pathways for Tomorrow, Empowering Families: Strengthening Partnerships, Exceptional Workforce: Talent Management & Development, Organizational Efficiencies & Effectiveness, and Technology for Universal Learning.

Our commitment to equity and access is rooted in the tenets of our District’s equity policy and is integrated into our newly identified priorities. Each priority area contains an equity commitment, which underscores its importance.

Words fail to convey the depth of gratitude I feel towards all who contributed to this Strategic Plan. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our School Board of Directors for allowing us to journey together. I also thank the Steering Committee and Advisory Groups for their dedication, contributions, and insights.

For a plan of this magnitude to succeed, it was important to incorporate all voices in our community. To accomplish this, we assembled a Steering Committee of more than 100 actively participating professionals, educational leaders, community leaders, and corporate executives. This committee looked to the future while honoring past frameworks. They developed a Theory of Action to reimagine and transform our district, convening monthly to conceptualize, deliberate, and refine their vision of propelling us toward becoming one of Pennsylvania’s highest-performing districts.

We ensured community investment through a record-turnout Community Survey. Focus Groups then reviewed the Steering Committee’s work to align with community desires, hopes, and dreams for the children of Allentown.  Finally, Advisory Groups provided final Strategic Plan touches and will guide implementation next year.

The process was rigorous and time-consuming, resulting in a redefined Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Our Portrait of a Learner outlines the competencies and transferable skills essential to supporting our student’s long-term success. Lastly, this plan includes clearly defined and attainable goals, strategies, and actions for the future.

I invite you to review Lighting the Way: A Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030, and share in the excitement as we work together to make this a reality. The strategic actions identified in this plan will outline our short- and long-term work to create a cohesive and impactful path to success for our district, students, and community.

I am honored to serve as your Superintendent. We get better together! All our strengths are needed!

Best,

Dr. Carol D. Birks
Superintendent/Chief Executive Officer