PAS starts strategic planning process


Pipestone Area Schools (PAS) plans to gather input from community members during the next few weeks as part of its strategic planning process.

Kevin Enerson, PAS superintendent, said a two-page, 15-question survey will be placed on the school district’s website at www.pas.k12.mn.us this week as part of that process. There will then be a community listening session to follow up on the survey data on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 6:30 p.m. in the Brown Elementary School gymnasium.

The school district also plans to form a planning committee comprised of 25 to 35 people to help form the strategic plan. Enerson said the school district would like a broad cross section of community members to be included in the committee. It will also include school board members and PAS administrators and staff.

Information about being part of the committee will be included in the survey. Enerson also plans to reach out to community members to try to include people from a variety of backgrounds. The committee will meet on Nov. 19, Dec. 3 and Dec. 16 to develop a new strategic plan.

Enerson said he intends to have an updated strategic plan to present to the school board at its organizational meeting on Jan. 6.

The school board hired the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) to facilitate the strategic planning process for a cost of $4,300 back in March. PAS last developed a strategic plan in 2015.

In other business:

The school board approved during its Sept. 23 meeting an overnight trip to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis from Oct. 28 to Nov. 2 and providing funding toward the trip.

The school district will pay $592 for registration at the convention and $520 for a substitute teacher for four days. The FFA Chapter and its members will pay for meals, hotel rooms and travel.

Heidi Brandt, agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, said 11 current PAS students and four former PAS students who are now in college will be attending the convention.