What will teaching and learning look like at Winchester High School in year 2015? How will our growing understanding of the ways children learn and the dramatic improvement in the quality of digital tools help students maximize their individual potential? What skills will our students need to meet the demands of the changing global economy? How should we design a high school to meet those demands?

In the next few months, the Winchester community will investigate the future of teaching and learning at its high school. While Winchester High has enjoyed considerable academic, artistic, civic and athletic success, we cannot rest on our laurels. High school instruction must have the capacity to meet the needs of future students and the demands of our times. To begin this process, district leadership has initiated the development of a strategic plan to reflect on current high school practices and to identify the strengths, challenges, and potential opportunities for improvement.

A working group of community members and educators will assess the curricular and instructional practices at the high school and conduct a literature review of current educational research, examining innovation at nearby schools.

Community input and ownership is critical to the success of this initiative. We have already begun the process of hiring a facilitator, and this Spring/Summer we will, through focus groups, bring together school professionals, parents, educational nonprofits, and the community at large. These community conversations will allow us to collect and integrate critical insight, perceptions, and understanding of what should be celebrated and refined at the high school.

Ultimately this effort will culminate in a viable, 5-year strategic plan and vision that will provide clear direction, identify action steps, outline necessary resources, and reflect the integrated priorities and values of the Winchester community. While we understand current concerns over the high school building, it is important to first define the current and future programmatic needs of WHS before we can adequately define the physical facility needs. We need to do this while ensuring that forward improvements and current success occur simultaneously.

Please look for notices on upcoming focus group discussions. We welcome ideas and feedback from the community as we pursue this essential endeavor.