At the start of the school year, Fridley Public Schools embarked on a strategic planning process to identify key focus areas for the district’s future. We held a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process — including students, staff, parents/families and community members — in September and October 2022. A report of the findings of those engagements and info about our process can be found on the district’s strategic planning webpage.

Using the information from these engagements as well as additional district data, a group of students, parents, staff and community members came together over two days in February 2023 to identify the vision of what they would like to see in the district in five years and to draft strategic focus areas that will help the district achieve that vision.

In an effort to ensure the plan is on the right track, we are again seeking feedback from members of the Fridley Public Schools community. This online survey—which is open until Wednesday, March 8—is an opportunity for students, staff members, parents/families and community members to share their perspectives on the draft strategic focus areas. The survey is available in five of the most common languages spoken in the homes of our students, including English, Spanish, Somali, Hmong and Oromo. 

Insights from this survey will be used to refine the plan before bringing it to the school board for review on March 21. 

About the draft strategic focus areas

The core planning team identified three strategic focus areas to help achieve the vision. The three focus areas are:

1. Co-create an environment where each and every individual thrives.

By dismantling traditional education practices that harm students and co-creating environments where all learners thrive, we will:

• Increase enrollment.

• Increase academic growth.

• Increase engagement, joy and a love of learning.

2. Ignite innovative learning together as a community.

In order to create a more relevant and engaging learning environment and to allow the community to connect with us, we will:

• Communicate in ways that the community needs.

• Explore and expand learning options for all students.

• Enhance our social-emotional curriculum and supports districtwide.

• Engage all parents as partners in their child's education.

3. Elevate inclusion, intersectionality and identity into everything we do.

To ensure that all people in Fridley Public Schools are heard, valued and allowed to be their authentic selves, we will:

• Continue to amplify student voice and choice.

• Create educational pathways to develop the next generation of FPS educators and leaders.

• Develop and define intersectionality to better understand diverse perspectives.

• Honor each individual's identity and their unique talents and contributions.

We are appreciative of the many individuals who participated in our public workshops and the core planning team for their work to ensure our schools are working towards meeting the needs of all of our students. Please stay tuned to our strategic planning webpage for additional information as the process continues.