Portrait of a Learner Meeting Notes
Meeting 1: September 8, 2026
The Portrait of a Learner is the first phase of the strategic planning process that CCSD 46 is embarking on this year. The Portrait of a Learner (POL) team held its first meeting last night. The committee is comprised of 32 members: 7 parents, 6 certified staff, 2 PSRPs (support staff), 2 Board of Education members, 2 community members, 2 school leaders, and 11 students. The team will meet a total of three times over the next several months to develop a shared vision of the skills and attributes students need to be successful in school, the workforce, and life.
The meeting began with an overview of the purpose of the Portrait of a Learner process and activities designed to help participants get to know one another and begin thinking about the future of education. Participants discussed how much has changed, particularly with the emergence of artificial intelligence, since the last strategic planning process five years ago. Team members also reviewed a high-level overview of preliminary survey results. Specifically, they looked at the top 5 skills that each stakeholder group, including both school and community respondents, identified as most important for students. This was intended as a snapshot to frame discussion rather than a review of the full survey findings, which will be shared with the team at a later date.
A highlight of the evening was a panel discussion featuring representatives from higher education and a variety of workforce fields. Panelists shared their perspectives on the skills and qualities they seek in future employees and emphasized the importance of communication, working well with others, curiosity, self-discovery, and a willingness to continue learning. Following the panel, team members reflected on the themes that resonated most with them and discussed how those ideas might inform the Portrait of a Learner.
The team will use the survey results, panel insights, and stakeholder discussions as it continues its work over the next two meetings, ultimately developing a Portrait of a Learner that reflects the aspirations and priorities of the school community. The team will hold its second meeting later this month.
PROGRESS TRACKER
PHASE 1: Listening & Learning <<< We are here
PHASE 2: Data Analysis & Themes
PHASE 3: Goal Drafting & Strategy Development – The committee is synthesizing findings into our core pillars
PHASE 4: Community Review & Refinement
PHASE 5: Board Approval & Launch
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Dr. Alfonso Carmona
Superintendent
email: [email protected] | 847-543-5322
Have any questions or want to provide feedback to the team? Use our Questions and Feedback form linked below. This information will be shared with the public, but we will not share any personal information. This form will close on November 2nd, to allow the team time to complete their work.