By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Everyone interested in the future of the Alabaster City School System will have a chance to voice their thoughts during an upcoming public forum at Thompson High School.

The Alabaster Board of Education will hold a public forum on Thursday, Feb. 19, as part of the system’s efforts to develop its five-year strategic plan, school officials announced on Feb. 11.

School Board members and School Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers will hold the forum from 6-7:45 p.m. “to give students, parents, employees and community members an opportunity to discuss the future of our school system,” read an email to Alabaster parents.

Registration will be held from 6-6:15 p.m., followed by an overview of the strategic planning process from 6:15-6:30 p.m. Discussion groups will be held from 6:30-7:45 p.m., giving attendees a chance to “share ideas about short- and long-range plans for improving our schools over the next five years,” read the email.

For more information on the community forum, contact Dr. Keri Johnson or Dr. Latanza Harrison at 663-8400 or any Alabaster school principal.

In January, Vickers announced the school system had begun working with Marcia Burke, owner of Marcia Burke Enterprises, to create the city school system’s first comprehensive strategic plan.

Vickers said Burke made a presentation to School Board members during their daylong retreat on Jan. 10, and said the board was impressed with Burke’s ideas.

In January, Burke began working with school system stakeholders to help formulate the comprehensive plan, which Vickers said will guide the system’s future. The strategic planning process is scheduled to be wrapped up in May, Vickers said previously.

Vickers and School Board President Adam Moseley said the strategic planning process also will coincide with the system seeking accreditation from the AdvancEd nationwide accreditation agency.

As part of the accreditation process, ACS is completing a self-assessment to determine its strengths and areas in need of improvement. The self-assessment also will be used in forming the comprehensive plan.