Dear Families, Staff, Member Districts, and Students:

It is an honor to present to you TrueNorth’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan. It builds on our efforts to transform an educational cooperative to support all diverse learners now and into the future. We have learned from our predecessors the region's strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusive educational practices and it is our collective responsibility to meet the needs of everyone.  

Through partnership and innovation, we will continue to be an organization that is forward thinking given our conscious awareness of achievement and opportunity gaps across all student groups. 

The success of this plan requires a recommitment to what it means to be a member of a cooperative, the roles and responsibilities associated with membership, and the benefits of sharing resources to elevate outcomes. Continuing to refine these norms and practices is not easy, but is necessary. 

We must raise learning expectations, actively advocate, enhance our communications, and equitably fund resources in order to prepare students and families to successfully lead enviable lives.

Much of the past 18 months have been spent engaging with our member district superintendents, their administrative teams, families, school board members and community partners through interviews, focus groups, a survey, and a community engagement event. We appreciate the facilitation provided by Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates. Collectively, more than 1,000 individuals provided input. The process also included extensive regional data reviews, reviewing and summarizing professional research, and examining state and federal requirements.

Assimilating this vast volume of information led to a heterogeneous stakeholder core group having candid and productive dialogue about how to best balance the needs of our membership and their individualized journeys. While at times there was wholehearted agreement, there was also rigorous debate, courteous challenging of ideas, and a firm commitment to remain true to the feedback and data provided. The process itself reflected the sense of common purpose and two-way collaboration outlined in the plan.   

We sincerely hope everyone sees that TrueNorth listened to feedback and built goals that will benefit the entire region. 

I am extremely grateful to everyone for your contributions and appreciate the hundreds of hours that have been dedicated to this process. TrueNorth is now tasked with important and rewarding work, and learners in our local member communities and state will be better for it!

Thank you for your partnership,

Kurt A. Schneider, Ph.D.
Superintendent