Skip To Main Content

Strategic Plan

On January 21, 2025, the District 47 Board of Education approved a new five-year strategic plan with a refreshed mission, vision, values, and goals. A committee of staff, parents, board members, administrators, and students led the work, with feedback from the wider community helping shape the final result. The new Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 Strategic Plan reflects a range of voices and will help the district stay focused, make decisions, and measure progress over time. 

Our Mission

Grow. Empower. Thrive.

Our Vision

Inspiring innovation and academic growth through an inclusive community so that each and every student and staff member succeeds within and beyond the classroom.

Our Values

At Crystal Lake Elementary District 47, we believe:

  • equity is the fuel for all to reach their full potential.
  • in meeting the needs of each learner to achieve continued academic success and personal growth.
  • safe and secure environments support physical, emotional, and intellectual development.
  • respectful communication is the key to quality teamwork.
  • by acting with integrity we hold ourselves and others to the highest standards.
  • we foster innovation, drive excellence, and build community by embracing diverse perspectives and working together.
District 47 Strategic Plan- English
strategic plan graphic
District 47 Strategic Plan- Spanish
D47-StrategicPlan-Poster-Spanish1 (PDF)

Our Goals

Our Strategic Goals define the overall outcomes we aim to achieve for students, staff, families, and the community. Click below to review the Year 1 (2025-2026) action steps that will help us reach our goals.

To view the full Living the Strategic Plan document outlining all five years, click the link below. Progress will be tracked annually, beginning with the first year (2025–2026).

D47 Living the Strategic Plan Progress Report

Building administrators are using these action steps to help shape their Building Improvement Plans. Work with Building Leadership Teams (BLT) is now underway to align school-level goals with the district’s strategic direction.

strategic plan committee meeting
strategic plan committee meeting
strategic plan committee meeting

Strategic Plan Development Process

Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 engaged in a strategic planning process during fall and winter of the 2024-25 school year to shape the District’s vision and mission for the next five years. Facilitated by Educational Leadership Solutions, the process included parents, staff, students, administrators, board members, and community members.

The Strategic Planning Committee met five times—on November 12, November 22, December 4, December 17, 2024, and January 7, 2025—to analyze current practices, review survey results, conduct a SWOT analysis, and develop a new mission, vision, values and goals for the final plan.

The community also participated in a Community Perception Survey, which informed the committee’s work. We thank the committee members and all who contributed feedback.

New District 47 Branding

district icons
district 47 logo
district colors

A New Look for a New Strategic Plan

As we launch our new strategic plan and mission — Grow. Empower. Thrive. — we’re also introducing a new look for the district, including a refreshed logo and color palette. With new materials being created for the plan, this was the right time to update our brand and reflect the new direction we're taking together.

The design was shaped by input from staff and community members who participated in our strategic planning survey. The logo’s clean, modern look reflects our focus on academic excellence and professionalism. Calming blue and green tones represent safe, supportive learning environments and connect to our local identity — Crystal Lake and its waves. The fluid, interconnected shapes symbolize collaboration and the strength of diverse perspectives coming together.

One collaborative element of the rebrand involved inviting students to contribute to the design. The hand-drawn shapes in the strategic plan design were created by a kindergarten student from North Elementary, adding a personal and creative touch that reflects the spirit of our elementary school community.