Before the Portsmouth School Committee meeting on Tuesday night, the group met with Jan Williams, the consultant engaged to help the schools conduct a 2-day "Future Search" strategic planning workshop in January, according to people who were present. This will be a structured event, facilitated by Williams, which will bring together about 70 people from across the community to develop a strategic plan for the schools.

"Every district is required by state law to have a strategic plan in place," said School Committee member and write-in candidate Terri Cortvriend in an e-mail exchange, "This event will be a critical component of how the school committee engages the community for their guiding input."

A preliminary list of participants made available to reporters included District personnel, teachers and staff, town government, PTOs, students, community businesses, community organizations (nota bene: including the PCC), and "Churches, Synagogues & other Religious Organizations."

"This plan is going to reach out to a much broader section of the community. It could truly provide the healing everyone has been talking about since the tent meeting," said Cortvriend. "This will be by far one of the committee’s biggest undertakings in the foreseeable future… certainly the most meaningful as it will result in the road map for to the future of Portsmouth Education. The Berkshire report, the SALT Surveys and our achievement scores will all be used to define the starting point."