Official portrait of President Dwight D. Eisenhower

“Planning is everything.”

The value of creating and employing an effective strategic plan has been on my mind with the Education Foundation of Sarasota County having recently completed a thorough and rigorous strategic planning process.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, former U.S. president and Army general, was referring to preparing for a military emergency when he made the “planning is everything” assertion, but it applies to corporate, nonprofit and education worlds as well.   

As many would agree, strategic planning is an organization’s process to determine its vision for the future while identifying the goals and objectives to get there.

I am happy that the Education Foundation’s plan accomplishes that and I’m excited about using the strategic plan as a working document that will carry us forward as we expand essential services and resources that students, teachers and families need more urgently than ever before.

By honing in on our purpose, our “why”, we affirmed that the Education Foundation works to unite our community to prepare each and every student for life. We believe each and every student will be better prepared for life if:

1. Every student has personal agency and wellbeing.

2. Every student has access to resources and relationships that make a difference.

3. Every student has a plan for next steps upon high school graduation.

Our goals are based on achieving these outcomes. It is a bold, ambitious plan that is student-centered, community-connected, and teacher-supported. 

In short, our strategic plan is filled with hope and optimism for the future.

That’s why I understandably was enthusiastic when I saw a preliminary draft of Sarasota County Schools’ new strategic plan that Superintendent Dr. Brennan Asplen and his administrative team are creating. The document’s synergistic tone and forward-looking vision resonated with me.

The district plan recognizes and responds to the incredible need that’s prevalent in our community.  The district’s plan also recognizes likely challenges but does not shirk from putting forward aspirational priorities that I believe will set our community apart and advance our students toward achieving better outcomes. 

We are enthusiastic about the goals being identified and eager to see the plan’s finishing touches. Overall, reading it resulted in a sense that our children are in good care and under good stewardship of district leaders who prioritize students’ and teachers’ academic and social-emotional progress. 

An immense amount of work and attention to detail went into developing the plan. Dr. Asplen and the high-caliber team he assembled deserve the community’s appreciation and support for tackling this important initiative during some of our society’s most trying times.

As a valued partner with the district, the Education Foundation stands ready to support the district as it launches its new strategic plan. I believe many other community partners with expertise and knowledge will join in supporting the district to ensure that this new plan can be realized.

Let’s leverage our considerable community connectivity to maximize this opportunity for renewed hope, positive vision, and forward direction for the benefit of our children and our community.

Jennifer Vigne is president of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County.

Official portrait of President Dwight D. Eisenhower