League School Excited to Embark on Strategic Planning Process
The League School is embarking on developing a strategic plan to position the school for future growth and continued excellence in educating students with Autism. Once developed, it will provide a two to three-year roadmap for the future. The process will take six to nine months. “A strategic plan provides a helpful framework to move an organization forward that all stakeholders are aware of and support,” said Chief Executive Officer, Larry Sauer. “This is the first time the League School is developing a strategic plan and we’re excited to see how it evolves.”
The school invited nine consulting organizations to submit proposals for facilitating the process. After winnowing the proposals received to two finalists, the Board of Directors selected SOAR Management Consulting Group. This nonprofit company assists small and midsize Greater Boston nonprofits and public agencies with advancing and achieving their unique missions. Comprised of professional volunteers from an array of disciplines, SOAR Management will assist the school at no cost.
“We were interested in helping the League School because we value the school’s great work educating students on the Autism spectrum,” said SOAR Management Team Project Coordinator, Philip Tierney. “SOAR Management selects organizations where we believe we can improve the efficacy of the organization and provide meaningful experiences that enable our volunteer consultants to give back to the community. Insofar as the League School’s mission is advanced, we are vicariously part of the enrichment that you bring to the lives of your community.”
A team representing a cross-section of the administration, staff, the Board, and Friends of League will work with SOAR Management to develop it. League School Strategic Plan members include CEO Larry Sauer, Chief Operating Officer Cheryl White, Principal Patrick Fuller, BCBA Sarah Lussier, Residential Manager Nicole Depina, Board Members Craig A. Ciechanowski and Mary Lou McDonough, and Friends of League member Gregory Susco. The team will reach out to other stakeholders to get input along the way.
The plan will help the school focus on priority areas to improve or advance including:
- The Moosehill Road property
- Fundraising model
- Programing approach
“A strategic plan is an intentionally created organizational map for the future that’s developed by the organization itself,” said SOAR Management’s Philip Tierney. “It provides a long-term vision on where the organization is going along with supporting goals and objectives.” An important part of the process is collaborating with all stakeholders – board members, staff, members of the community served, and funders – to reach consensus.
“Once we’ve developed the plan, it won’t be set in concrete,” said Larry Sauer. “It will evolve as the economy, regulations, and external forces change.” Philip Tierney refers to it as a “living” plan. “A successful strategic plan is regularly used by stakeholders to measure the organization’s progress, and it’s adapted as required by changing circumstances,” he said.
