Updates from the Superintendent

May 16, 2025

Greetings, MSD Community.

I'm excited to share that the Board of Trustees has officially endorsed MSD's new 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, along with our reimagined mission and vision statements and a newly established set of core values. This milestone reflects the culmination of thoughtful planning and the dedicated efforts of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee over the past year.

While we continue to work toward publishing a full strategic plan document—complete with American Sign Language (ASL) versions to ensure accessibility—I want to provide you with an early overview of the direction we will take together in the years ahead.

At the core of our plan are four Strategic Priorities, which reflect our shared commitment to students, staff, families, and the broader community. Each priority includes three specific goals that will guide our work and focus our efforts over the next five years.

Priority 1: Student Academic Achievement

This priority focuses on strengthening literacy and math outcomes, supporting ASL and English bilingual development, and enhancing specialized programming to ensure access to high-quality learning experiences for students with additional learning needs.

Priority 2: Workforce Recruitment, Development, and Retention

This priority focuses on building and sustaining a strong school workforce that is mission-aligned, well-supported, and continually progressing. It emphasizes improved efforts in recruitment, stronger support for long-term retention, and a culture of continuous learning and career growth through professional development.

Priority 3: Family Engagement

This priority focuses on fostering meaningful partnerships between families and MSD. It includes implementing clear, consistent communication strategies, launching a family engagement plan that promotes learning beyond the classroom, and expanding access to ASL education and resources so families are empowered to support their children's development.

Priority 4: Community Partnerships

This priority focuses on expanding MSD's footprint beyond our campuses. It includes defining outreach goals and building new partnerships with local organizations, advocacy groups, and businesses, with the goal of optimizing collaborations that support our students and their educational experiences.

To view the full set of Strategic Priorities and Goals, along with MSD's Vision, Mission, and Core Values, please visit www.msd.edu/strategic-plan/.

The full Strategic Plan packet—including an updated ASL video series—will be released at the end of the school year and made widely available through our website and other platforms. Ongoing updates and additional materials will remain available at www.msd.edu/strategic-planning/.

This summer, our leadership team will focus on developing a comprehensive implementation plan. This will include Year 1 action steps, a communication strategy, and a framework for monitoring progress and sharing updates throughout the year.

Thank you for being part of this important work. I'm truly excited for what lies ahead and look forward to working together as we bring this plan into action.

With Orioles Pride,

John A. Serrano

Superintendent

April 1, 2025: Your Input Matters — Strategic Planing Surveys

April 1, 2025

Dear MSD Community,

I'm writing to share an update on our progress in developing MSD's new 5-Year Strategic Plan, along with revised vision, mission, and core values.

As noted in my previous message, we made a slight shift in our planning process. After reviewing feedback from both the Steering Committee and members of the MSD community, we redirected our focus toward identifying core values that truly reflect our shared beliefs. These values were shaped through thoughtful collaboration between the Steering Committee and a dedicated subcommittee.

I'm pleased to share that the Steering Committee recently held its fourth and final meeting. Over the past several months, the committee has engaged in meaningful discussions, reviewed data, listened to presentations, and worked together to define MSD's future direction. As a result, they identified strategic priorities that will guide our work over the next five years. These focus areas include:

Strengthening literacy and math instruction
Advancing ASL and English bilingual education
Supporting students with additional learning needs
Improving recruitment, retention, and staff support
Enhancing family engagement
Increasing outreach, visibility, and awareness of MSD

Now, we need your input to help move this work forward.

We invite you to rank these strategic priorities based on what you believe best reflect MSD's goals. You will also have the opportunity to review and provide feedback on the proposed vision and mission statements, and to select the core value statements that best represent what we strive to achieve at MSD.

Please take a few moments to complete the survey linked below by Friday, April 11.

>> Click here to complete survey

Once survey responses are received, the Core Planning Committee will review the feedback and begin drafting the new 5-Year Strategic Plan. A draft will be presented to the Board of Trustees for review and endorsement at their next quarterly meeting on May 2.

Following the Board's approval, we will share the final Strategic Plan with the MSD community. This plan will serve as a roadmap for MSD's direction, priorities, and continued growth in the years ahead.

In closing, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the Steering Committee members for their time and commitment throughout this process. Their contributions have been invaluable.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support. We look forward to shaping a strategic plan that supports MSD's vision for the future.

Thank you,

John A. Serrano

Superintendent

March 14, 2025: Updates on MSD's Strategic Planning Efforts

March 14, 2025

Dear MSD Community.

I am pleased to share updates on MSD's ongoing strategic planning efforts. This process is an opportunity for us to build a strong foundation for the future, ensuring that our mission, vision, and core values reflect the needs and aspirations of our students, staff, families, and community. In this letter, I will outline our progress, recent developments, and the key steps ahead.

On January 31, the steering committee convened for its third meeting, further refining the Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) analysis findings. During this session, members identified and outlined MSD's most critical needs, using data and discussions to establish priorities. The committee also began drafting core values by identifying the fundamental principles that resonated most. I am particularly thankful for the time and dedication the steering committee has invested in this process.

As part of this progress, we have taken important steps to refine MSD's guiding statements and visual identity, all essential components in shaping our long-term vision.

— Establishing Core Values

We are moving away from belief statements and establishing core values to guide MSD's direction. This shift reflects our commitment to defining the fundamental principles that influence our actions, decisions, and overall school culture.

As part of our accreditation process this fall, we will develop MSD's philosophy, drawing from our foundational beliefs to inform this work. At that time, we will also revisit the Profile of Graduates to ensure it aligns with our evolving vision.

— Draft Vision and Mission Statements

In October, we invited community input on our current vision, mission, and belief statements. Since then, our steering committee and a sub-committee—including members of the steering committee—have worked diligently to develop several draft vision and mission statements.

Through careful review of survey results and committee discussions, it became clear that rewriting these statements was a necessary part of the process. The proposed drafts are more comprehensive than our current mission statement, reflecting the community and committee's belief that the existing statement does not fully capture the breadth of MSD's programs and services. These new drafts thoughtfully integrate all the key elements identified as priorities by the committee. Additionally, there was meaningful discussion about highlighting what sets MSD apart, such as the expanded opportunities for student involvement in extracurricular activities and student life programs. At the core of our work is the holistic development of each student—nurturing their academic, social, and personal growth.

At our latest steering committee meeting, these drafts were presented to the full committee which provided additional feedback before selecting the top two. We then made further revisions to refine these statements and will share the updated drafts with the committee at our next steering committee meeting. Following that, we will present the final two options to the community and invite input on which vision and mission statement resonates most. This feedback will help guide the selection of MSD's new vision and mission statements.

— Rebranding

We have begun the rebranding process to modernize MSD's visual identity while ensuring it aligns with our evolving vision, mission, and core values. Community input has been, and will continue to be, an integral part of this year-long effort. Rest assured, our school colors—orange and black—and our mascot, the Orioles, will remain a proud part of our identity.

— Key Tasks Ahead

For the past several weeks, the core planning committee has begun developing the strategic plan, building on the thoughtful work and priorities identified throughout this process. The steering committee will hold its final meeting on March 21 to provide input on the development of MSD's new core values and conduct a thorough review of the draft strategic plan.

This spring, we will share the draft strategic plan with stakeholders, seeking their perspectives and endorsement before submitting it to the Board of Trustees for formal approval at its next quarterly meeting in May.

Your engagement and feedback are essential as we plan MSD's future together. To stay informed and track our progress, I encourage you to visit the Strategic Planning website, where you will find the latest updates and resources.

Thank you for your continued support.

Let's keep dreaming big!

John A. Serrano

Superintendent

November 7, 2024: Strategic Planning Updates

November 7, 2024

Hello, MSD Community.

I'd like to provide an update on the status of MSD's Strategic Planning. To support this process, we established the Core Planning Committee to oversee logistics, planning, and communication, ensuring smooth operations throughout. The committee began by inviting interest from the MSD community to join the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, which has since formed with 44 members.

To gather additional community input, we distributed surveys to the MSD community, seeking feedback on our school's vision, mission, and belief statements. These survey results serve as foundational input for the Steering Committee's work, and we are grateful to everyone who participated—your feedback has been invaluable. The survey results are now available online for your review.

The Steering Committee has scheduled four meetings throughout the school year to guide the planning process, with a target of presenting a draft five-year strategic plan to the Board of Trustees at the May 2025 board meeting.

On Friday, October 25, the Steering Committee held its first meeting, officially launching this year's planning process. During this meeting, the committee received an overview of the strategic planning process, emphasizing the importance of a well-defined plan. The presentation also outlined the committee's role, timeline, and meeting expectations. Examples of strategic plans from other schools for the Deaf were shared to illustrate different approaches to plan design, providing inspiration for our own roadmap. This foundational work will also inform our upcoming accreditation process, set to begin next school year.

In the afternoon, committee members worked in three small groups, rotating through data review activities and group discussions. One session involved reviewing the survey results on our school's vision, mission, and belief statements, brainstorming potential updates. The groups also conducted a SWOT analysis, identifying MSD's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats based on the data, which will help shape our strategic priorities. Committee members now have access to a shared folder with all essential data, assets, and reports for this process, including documents, notes, visuals, and other resources to support their work.

We are now planning for our second Steering Committee meeting, scheduled for November 15. In preparation, we are gathering input from our middle and high school students through their student body councils, inviting them to share what they like about MSD, what they feel could be improved, and what it would take to make MSD their dream school. During the upcoming meeting, we will continue reviewing data, start identifying needs and priorities based on our analysis, and work on refining our vision and mission statements to ensure they align with the needs and aspirations of our school community.

All communications and updates can be found on our school website. Additionally, the results of our school climate surveys are now available online. While MSD is actively addressing areas identified in the climate surveys, this information will also support the Steering Committee's efforts to prioritize goals in the new strategic plan.

This is an exciting journey, and I appreciate the dedication the Steering Committee has shown in shaping MSD's future. I will continue to keep you informed as we move forward.

Thank you,

John A. Serrano

Superintendent

October 9, 2024: Your Input Needed for MSD's Strategic Planning

October 9, 2024

Greetings, MSD Community:

As part of our ongoing strategic planning process, we invite you to participate in two important surveys. One focuses on evaluating our vision and mission statements, while the other is centered on our belief statements.

The vision, mission, and belief statements are key pillars of our strategic planning process, guiding the direction of our school and shaping our priorities for the future. The vision defines our long-term aspirations, the mission outlines how we achieve those goals, and the belief statements reflect the core values that shape our decisions and approach to education.

During the strategic planning process, we evaluate these statements to ensure they align with the evolving needs and priorities of our school. Your feedback will help ensure our goals remain focused and relevant as we develop a comprehensive plan for MSD's growth over the next five years.

Please take a few moments to complete both surveys by Tuesday, October 22.

We appreciate your participation and thank you for your continued support.

John A. Serrano

Superintendent

>> Complete Online Survey on MSD's Vision and Mission Statements

>> Complete Online Survey on MSD's Belief Statements

October 3, 2024: Reminder — Nominate Yourself for the Strategic Planning Steering Committee

October 3, 2024

Greetings, MSD Community:

This is a friendly reminder to submit your nomination for the Strategic Planning Steering Committee. We are looking for dedicated and passionate individuals—staff, families, and community members—to join us in shaping the future of MSD.

This will be an organic process, shaped by the diverse perspectives of our school community. The strategic planning process will play a key role in reviewing our programs and services and helping to set strategic goals and priorities of MSD for the next five years. We are committed to ensuring the committee reflects the wide range of perspectives within our school.

We are especially looking for more nominations from our aides, student support staff, student life, and fiscal and operations teams. Your unique insights are essential to making this process truly representative of our school community.

In addition to the committee's work, we will engage the broader MSD community through surveys and focus groups over the course of the year, with our first survey being shared next week.

Serving on the committee is a wonderful opportunity to make a lasting impact and be a part of a process that will grow and evolve with your input. If you are interested, please submit your nomination by tomorrow, Friday, October 4th, by the end of the day.

For more information about this process, please visit our Strategic Planning webpage at www.msd.edu/strategic-planning/.

Warmly,

John A. Serrano

Superintendent

>> Complete Interest Form to Join the Steering Committee

>> Comité Timón del Plan Estratégico

September 24, 2024: Strategic Planning for 2025-2030

September 24, 2024

Greetings, MSD Community.

I am pleased to announce that we have officially begun the strategic planning process for 2025-2030. This is an important and exciting time for MSD as we initiate an effort that will shape the future of our school. With the educational landscape and the workforce evolving rapidly, MSD must continue to adapt to prepare for the opportunities and challenges ahead. This strategic planning process will ensure that we remain at the forefront of Deaf education, meeting the needs of our students, staff, families, and the community for years to come.

The strategic planning process involves a thorough review of our programs and services, paired with input from our stakeholders. We've launched a dedicated Strategic Planning webpage, which will serve as a central resource for updates throughout this process. The page includes a general overview of the process, the timeline, and the stakeholders involved. As we progress, additional information will be added to keep you informed and engaged. Please visit the webpage at www.msd.edu/strategic-planning/.

We are deeply committed to involving the MSD community every step of the way. Your feedback and engagement are essential to developing a plan that reflects our collective vision for the future. To guide this effort, we are establishing a steering committee, which will be composed of representatives from various parts of our community. The committee will be tasked with reviewing data and making recommendations to identify strategic goals and address the priorities of MSD for the next five years.

The steering committee will consist of the following members:

Teachers
Aides
Student Support Staff
Secondary Transition
Administrators/Supervisors
Student Life (e.g., Residential, After School Programs, and Athletics)
Fiscal/Operations
Parents/Families
MSD Leadership Team
MSD Board of Trustees
Community Members (e.g., alumni and supporters)

In addition to the steering committee, we will actively seek input from the entire MSD community through surveys and focus groups over the course of the year. These surveys and focus groups will cover different aspects of MSD, helping us identify emerging needs and trends as we work to develop a comprehensive and forward-thinking strategic plan.

It is our goal to complete the MSD Strategic Plan for 2025-2030 by the end of this school year. The MSD Board of Trustees will review and approve our five-year Strategic Plan at their quarterly meeting in May 2025. For more information on our timeline and important events in this process, please visit www.msd.edu/strategic-planning-timeline/. Please note that this list is not final, and we will be adding more events and dates to the timeline throughout the year.

We will continue to share regular updates as we move forward with this process. This is an exciting opportunity to chart the course for MSD's future, and we look forward to your involvement. Together, we will ensure that MSD remains a leader in Deaf education for the next five years and beyond.

Let's dream big.

John A. Serrano

Superintendent

>> Complete Interest Form to Join the Steering Committee

>> Comité Timón del Plan Estratégico