Lynbrook Public Schools

Shared Decision-Making is a collaborative process that brings together administrators, teachers, parents, students, and other members of the school community to make informed decisions that shape the educational experience. It reflects Lynbrook’s long-standing commitment to collaboration, transparency, and community partnership in decision-making.

This plan represents a strategic reboot of the original Compact for Learning, first adopted in 1992 and last revised in 2004. The update ensures that SDM reflects current educational priorities and aligns with the Profile of the Owl, Lynbrook’s community-developed vision for continuous student growth and readiness. The 2025 revision emphasizes collaboration that aligns school-level planning with district-wide goals; reflects updated priorities, including New York State’s Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CR-S) Education and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) practices; and reinforces meaningful, empowered roles for all stakeholders in shaping school life and student outcomes.

The Profile of the Owl is the district’s vision for continuous student growth and readiness, developed with input from over 800 stakeholders including students, staff, families, alumni, and community members. It identifies the traits and skills every Lynbrook student should develop for success: Creative and Critical Thinking, Real-Life Skills, Social and Emotional Learning, and Global Citizenship. The SDM Plan ensures that all school-level decision-making supports these competencies.

The revised plan introduces several key enhancements: alignment of building goals to the Profile of the Owl outcomes; reflection of updated priorities, including CR-S and SEL practices; updated expectations for transparency, participation, and communication; expanded stakeholder representation; and revised protocols for committee composition, meeting structure, goal setting, training, and self-assessment.

According to State Regulation NYCRR 100.11, SDM addresses areas such as curriculum, instruction, student achievement, professional development, parent involvement, and building-level planning and budgeting. Lynbrook’s SDM Plan expands this scope to include: Budget & Resources; Curriculum & Instruction; School Operations & Climate; Communications & Engagement; Effective Use of Technology; Social-Emotional Learning (SEL); and Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CR-S) Practices.

Each building-level SDM Committee includes representatives from administrators, teachers, parents, pupil personnel staff, teacher assistants, aides, monitors, secretaries, custodians, and students (particularly at the high school level). Each committee must include a representative from the special education community and maintain a balanced representation between faculty and parents to ensure diverse perspectives. Committee members are chosen by their constituent groups, ensuring that each voice on the committee truly represents its community base.

Building-level Compact Committees meet monthly from September through June, following the schedule listed on the district calendar. Meetings are open to the public, and each includes time for “Privilege of the Floor,” giving attendees an opportunity to share comments or questions. Meeting minutes are shared with the superintendent, Board of Education, PTA Council, SEPTA, all Compact Committees, and the community at large.

Committees strive to make decisions based on consensus. The district provides training in this area to support collaboration. If concerns arise, they may be addressed directly to the building committee, then to the principal, central administration, and, if needed, to the Board of Education, which serves as the final authority.

Each committee develops annual goals and objectives tied to student achievement and school improvement. Progress is monitored monthly and reviewed through self-assessment at the end of each year.

Parents and guardians interested in participating in SDM are encouraged to contact their school’s main office, PTA, or SEPTA. Participation provides families with a direct voice in shaping decisions that affect instruction, school climate, and student success.

To reaffirm Lynbrook’s commitment to collaborative governance, ensuring that every member of the educational community — students, families, and staff — shares in the responsibility of guiding our schools toward excellence. Together, we build schools that are equitable, inclusive, and aligned with our shared vision of preparing students to thrive as creative, confident, and compassionate lifelong learners.