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The purpose of these community communications is to inform the public about the direction that Bemidji Area ÍáÍáÂþ»­s is going. We are your district and it is incredibly important that you are kept aware of the direction, the reason for this direction and the current state of our district.

Strategic Planning Process: As I mentioned last month, we are still in the process of developing our strategic plan, which will be our roadmap for the future.

The strategic plan has several phases: community/stakeholder input; strategic planning committee development; school board adoption; communication phase; and plan implementation phase. Currently, we are in the strategic planning committee phase.

This means that we are reviewing staff and community input, looking for patterns and organizing the feedback into strategic directions. We intend to bring these strategic directions to the school board for consideration at the August school board meeting.

Policy and Planning: The school board has adopted a policy committee to review and update current policies. This committee has also been focused on developing a list of policies that may be helpful or needed for the implementation of the district's vision and mission. This work is being conducted over the course of the summer.

The school board also established as a part of our existing Finance Committee an additional responsibility for long-range planning. Currently, this committee is working on planning the next 10 years for technology, curriculum and transportation needs.

These three components are major expenditures for the district and thus to ensure fiscal responsibility must be planned in conjunction with each other so as to meet the ongoing needs of the district. At future school board meetings, you will see the results of this planning work as we move from planning to implementation.

Summer ÍáÍáÂþ»­: Bemidji Area ÍáÍáÂþ»­s Summer Learning Program serves students in Kindergarten through seventh grade by providing academic enrichment opportunities.

The program aims to provide a safe and welcoming learning environment for all students to build their confidence in math and reading, as well as building social, emotional and relationship skills. The morning portion of the program provides academic instruction in math and reading.

Throughout the afternoon, students have the opportunity to participate in physical activities, arts and crafts opportunities, STEM (Science Technology, Engineering, and Math) activities and much more.

On average, the Summer Learning Program has between 250-300 students registered each summer to participate in our program. This program is a great opportunity for students to continue their learning during the summer in a fun educational environment.

We have a lot to be thankful for here in Bemidji. There are few communities in northern Minnesota that have experienced the sustained growth that Bemidji has been experiencing. Watching the community growth of the greater Bemidji area is incredibly encouraging and an example of what can happen when vision and planning come together.

I hope you are as proud as I am to be a part of this vibrant community! If you have any questions or would like further explanation about Bemidji Area ÍáÍáÂþ»­s or the direction that we are taking, please feel free to reach out. Go Jacks!

Jeremy Olson is the superintendent of Bemidji Area ÍáÍáÂþ»­s. He can be reached at (218) 407-9645 or dr_jeremy_olson@isd31.net.