In sorting through some of my past comments to the Elwood School District, I came upon one posting to the District Strategic Planning Council’s blog (DSPC weblog), just a few weeks more than four years ago.
Not surprisingly, this particular bit of analysis and advice remains valid, and should be kept in mind as Elwood considers revisiting its existing Strategic Plan:
“I am also a bit concerned by intimations from some that "all is well," and that substantial improvement is not required. First of all, we should not be focused upon patting ourselves on the back, and reiterating how wonderful we are. We are adults.
Moreover, there are two critical concepts in management, and this is as true in education as it is in manufacturing and finance, and they are Best Practices and Kaizen (or, Continuous Improvement).
Best Practices is essential to determining if there is some benefit we could obtain by replicating, perhaps on a modified basis, the good things that others might be doing. A corollary of a Best Practices approach is that we might discover something that we should avoid, because of mistakes that others may have already made.
Kaizen, or Continuous Improvement, is a principle which the Japanese auto industry perfected, and it is a recognition that those who say "it's good enough" are headed toward the scrap heaps of history. We must continuously strive to improve, to do better, to work smarter, and to spend more efficiently.
Let's focus on objectivity and candor, and we will do amazing things together to help this district, and its children, to move steadily upward."
About Me
- Jerry Hannon
- After a thirty year career at Chase, serving as a Managing Director and Global Relationship Manager, I took early retirement in the summer of 2000, and that enabled me to become active in community, school district, and town activities. Since 2004, I have been a member of the Elwood School District's Citizens Finance/Budget Advisory Committee, and since 2005 I have been a member of its Audit Committee, and serve on three other committees of the district. During the 2006/07 school year I was President of the Elwood PTA Council, and I remain active in PTA activities. In the community I serve as EVP for Community Affairs of the Old Chester Hills Civic Association, and served the Town of Huntington as a member of its Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee. For thirty five years, I have been a Director of the NY Council of the Navy League, and currently am Chair of its Audit Committee. A Vietnam Veteran, I retired as a Commander in the US Navy Reserve, and previously commanded two Naval Security Group reserve units.