SEM’s Strategic Plan

Putting in the work: SEM’s Strategic Plan

OUR MISSION Buffalo Seminary prepares a diverse group of young women to be engaged scholars and citizens, proud to shape society rather than be controlled by it, and ready to live and lead with honor, courage, and confidence.

WHAT WE VALUE AT SEM These values are the core beliefs at SEM that shape our community, inform our decisions, and guide our actions.

WOMEN AS SCHOLARS AND LEADERS COMMUNITY OF BELONGING INTEGRITY OF CHARACTER HEALTH AND RESILIENCE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

Grounded in our values and mission, we see our school as a perpetual community of scholars, where women have the flexibility to pursue their interests in research, work, service, leadership, arts, and sport. With new approaches to how we use time, space, and technology to educate, we expand opportunities for women to pursue relevant, meaningful learning experiences as they explore their unique interests and talents.

OUR VISION SEM is reimagining when, where, and how learning happens. Our vision is to design personal, challenging, and transformational experiences that serve all of our community, at every age and stage.

SEM has the opportunity to develop programs with creativity, flexibility, and mentorship for women to access learning at different ages and stages. We believe this is the best way to fulfill our mission and ensure that SEM continues to lead as an inclusive, joyful, and pioneering community for young women of intellect and character.

STRATEGIC CHOICES These choices are the core commitments that the school executes in combination, to achieve SEM’s vision and uphold its mission and values.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING BY DESIGN, THRIVING COMMUNITY, CHALLENGING AND RELEVANT CURRICULUM

Students hard at work in the Buffalo Seminary Library.

the strategic planning committee

By Elizabeth Roach, Strategic Planning Commitee Lead & Board of Trustees Vice Chair

Strategic Planning is always an invigorating and exciting process. It allows schools to study their missions carefully and to articulate their priorities and visions for the future.

At the beginning of the 2020-21 school year, a committee consisting of members of the SEM administration, the Board of Trustees, and faculty worked with Greenwich Leadership Partners (GLP) to reimagine SEM’s mission statement and affirm the values that create our current school environment and culture. This process helped inspire new and different educational and cultural opportunities for our future.

Over several months, the committee designed a mission statement and set of values which were then shared with faculty and staff for further comment and review. GLP conducted community surveys to help guide and inform the process. After reviewing all feedback, the committee revised the mission statement. Afterward, the committee again shared the document with faculty and staff for a final discussion. The committee then formalized the document which was voted on by the Board of Trustees in June 2021. It has been shared with the larger school community, thereby concluding the process at the end of the 2020-21 school year.

As a whole, the Strategic Plan articulates the fundamental spirit of SEM and envisions a future that builds from and extends this mission to ensure SEM’s commitment to academic excellence, a collaborative and inclusive global community, and a culture of kindness and inclusivity. Historically, SEM has always prioritized the development of strong, confident, independent women who emerge from their years at SEM to make a distinctive impact on their communities and the world. The Strategic Plan deepens and sharpens SEM’s mission by focusing on the core elements needed to do this work in the 21st century. Each part of the Strategic Plan works together seamlessly to celebrate and protect SEM’s values while also imagining an even more exciting future.

In order to tackle the challenges in the current global landscape, students will need the essential skills of critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership; they will need to cultivate habits of mind, such as persistence, resilience, collaboration, curiosity, thinking with agility and flexibility, and the pursuit of complex questions with creativity, passion, and imagination. The Strategic Plan not only emphasizes these important skills and habits of mind but models them.

SEM has always been forward thinking in its vision for the education of women—and the Strategic Plan, as a whole, ensures that the school will continue to grow in powerful and innovative ways. The Plan recognizes that our students need exciting opportunities for intensive, personalized, and transformational learning and that the faculty richly deserve the support and resources needed to do their important work as teachers, scholars, advisors, and residential leaders.

We know, too, that the SEM extended network is strong and vibrant, filled with women who serve as exemplars to our current students. We want to make sure that this collective community of lifelong scholars, learners, and leaders remains connected with one another and to the current community at SEM. The alumnae, in short, remain critical to the flourishing of SEM.

The Head of School, her administrative team, the faculty, and the Board of Trustees are working together to refine and implement all the components of the Strategic Plan. This process requires ongoing focus, commitment, energy, and collaboration. Because all constituents are fully invested in the plan, SEM is beautifully poised for a remarkable future.

Members of the crew team row along the Buffalo River, passing by the historic Buffalo lighthouse.

MISSION AND VALUES

By Natalie Stothart, Assistant Head of School

As spring arrives, the feeling of rejuvenation and growth fills the air at SEM! It is an exciting time as we move forward with a renewed sense of purpose derived from our newly developed strategic plan. A powerful plan built on the strong foundation established through 171 years of educating and preparing young women to serve as leaders of tomorrow. We serve everyday with the mission to prepare a diverse group of young women to be engaged scholars and citizens, proud to shape society rather than be controlled by it. We strive to fulfill this mission by instilling the values we believe best shape our community, inform our decisions, and guide our action.

One such value is our Community of Belonging. At SEM we embrace the richness of diversity, as evidenced in our boarding program, representing seven foreign nations and highly integrated into our student community. Our advisory program embraces a diversity of ideas as we meet weekly to discuss those items of interest or concern within an open, honest and caring environment. I’m proud of our SEMinar program, specifically designed to maximize student interaction and engagement through various learning experiences.

We also value the importance of a Global Perspective, with students from all over the world learning together, and a faculty able to communicate in seven different languages. Students are encouraged to explore the world with our foriegn language department or by studying abroad, which is supported by SEM’s flexible learning model.

Each of these values, and our value in Women as Scholars and Leaders is reinforced through our comprehensive capstone program. Capstone both informs and reflects SEM’s academic program, which intentionally scaffolds students’ growth in the collegepreparatory areas of research, academic writing, intellectual independence, and selfmanagement.

Our Health and Resilience value is omnipresent in our students’ daily life, from our UGoSEM health and fitness program to our numerous athletic programs, encompassing over 67% of our student population. Our Health and Wellness team also supports our students in this area through our weekly meetings, which focus exclusively on maximizing their social, emotional, and academic growth.

Finally, SEM’s focus on the value of Integrity of Character, is woven throughout our daily words and actions. SEM’s honor code fosters trust and respect by preparing girls for the rewards and responsibilities of college and the wider world. By promoting extraordinary autonomy, and embracing a high level of responsibility, SEM students learn the importance of truth and its impact on a community.

All of these values are crucial in guiding our students’ actions everyday, and in providing a deeper focus for our faculty and staff. Personally, these values amplify my drive to provide the optimal climate for the growth of every student at SEM. Just as the spring showers and warm sun help the red tulips bloom bright across our campus, these values provide SEM students with the strength to grow and transform into brightly engaged citizens; ready to lead with honor, courage, and confidence.

Thank you for your continued support of SEM - Together we are better!

Students are able to pursue their talents and passion through the SEM Flex program while graduating on time with their classmates.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING BY DESIGN

By Amanda Melsby, Dean of Teaching and Learning

Stemming from the varied interests and wide talents of SEM students, our vision is focused on reimagining when, where and how learning happens in order to design a personalized, challenging and transformational learning environment.

From the arts to athletics to specialized internships, students competing at a high level in their chosen field need the flexibility to access their academics in an alternative way. SEM Flex meets that need by a unique program that affords our students the most flexibility in their schedule while continuing to provide rigorous academic instruction that allows them to graduate with a SEM diploma.

SEM Flex targets the student who has an outside commitment that prevents them from attending classes in the traditional sense. Past students who have taken advantage of this opportunity include ballerinas working in Chicago and New York City and equestrians who compete for up to six weeks at a time in Florida.

Our program provides structured independence and one-on-one instruction with a SEM Flex teacher. Students are enrolled in classes at SEM and assigned a SEM Flex teacher who is their direct contact and the liaison between the student and SEM. The SEM Flex teacher works closely with the SEM teachers to create a unique program for the student and works one-on-one with the student to ensure that the student understands the material, has the opportunity to ask questions and remains on track for graduation.

Learn more about SEM Flex in action by reading about current students and alumnae who participated in the program while pursuing their dreams. page 9

Whether it is through athletics, community service, or internships, there are more ways than ever to be involved at SEM.

Thriving Community

By Kate Bowen Smith 92, Board of Trustees Chair ‚

While all of our SEM stories may be different, our shared experiences and commitment to SEM’s mission and values bring us together. Whether we are Hornets or Jackets, alumnae, parents, grandparents, trustees, faculty, staff, or friends of SEM, we are all a part of this small but mighty community.

The strategic planning process began and ended during COVID. As we emerge from the pandemic, it is fitting that one of the Strategic Plan’s priorities is to foster a thriving community among all of our constituencies.

What does a thriving community look like at SEM? As envisioned by the Strategic Plan, it includes integrating wellness, equity, and inclusivity into every aspect of life at 205 Bidwell Parkway and beyond. A thriving community is one that strives to be a community of belonging, embracing diversity of people and ideas. It also has strong alumnae and parent communities, as well as an engaged wider community of mentors, advisors, and life-long learners. This is the vision, and we hope you will help us harness the power of our community to realize it.

Over the past two years, the health and wellness of our community was more important than ever and was appropriately prioritized. Now, the Strategic Plan calls on us to engage our community in new and exciting ways.

We are dedicated to creating partnerships that result in internships for our students, providing mentorship for our college students and recent graduates and beyond, cultivating a global perspective across our community, providing opportunities to engage in lifelong learning, and professional development for our faculty and leaders to help ensure that excellence and innovation remain hallmarks of a SEM education.

Alumnae engagement is a critical piece of SEM’s success. I often say that the world needs more SEM girls. Ultimately, what I mean is that I believe that the world needs more SEM alumnae. If you are an alumna, you probably know exactly how many students were in your graduating class. The fact that we are small is a strength, but just as when we were students, it means we all have roles to fill.

When those of us who believe in the mission and values of SEM band together, the possibilities are endless. There is a place for you in this community. Please stay connected or get reconnected.

I believe that the future is SEM, and together, we thrive.

Harkness table discussions are just one of the many ways that students are able to thrive in the classroom.

CHALLENGING AND RELEVANT CURRICULUM

By Amanda Melsby, Dean of Teaching and Learning

SEM prepares students to be engaged scholars who are ready to shape society and lead with honor and courage. The foundation of this begins with a rigorous curriculum that stretches students to not just learn but to think, to not just memorize but to be curious and to not just listen but to engage. To be successful in today’s world, students must be able to think critically, work collaboratively and creatively solve problems. SEM embraces these skills as part of a program built on academic excellence.

Beginning in ninth grade students are engaged in Harkness discussions, a vital part of the learning experience. Harkness tables, found in English and History classes, allow for the discussion of ideas in an encouraging and open-minded environment. Teacher-student dynamics shift from expert-novice to a more egalitarian atmosphere where students develop their own ideas, built off of the ideas of their peers and expand their reasoning and discussion skills–all with minimal teacher intervention.

Rigorous graduation requirements ensure that students develop core competencies in all five of the major disciplines, providing a solid foundation in the humanities, math and sciences, and the arts. SEM offers approximately 15 AP classes per year and partners with outside institutions that allows students to take an additional five courses.

Student interest coupled with a desire to stay abreast of current educational pedagogy and professional requirements guide our elective offerings. Advanced electives during junior and senior year cover a wide breadth of disciplines, and opportunities for independent study are arranged for self-motivated scholars. These electives allow for a deeper understanding of complex subjects such as a co-curricular Humanities course about the Harlem Renaissance, language courses that delve into French or Spanish culture and computer science courses that offer a four-year pathway. Because of the expanding growth of our computer science courses, SEM was awarded the College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science A. This award is in recognition of our work in expanding girls’ access in AP computer science courses and is given to schools who have engaged more female students in computer science.

The core beliefs of engagement, intellectual curiosity and depth of reasoning that begins in ninth grade continues into twelfth grade with a Capstone project. Capstone is a self-directed, independent research project culminating in a presentation to a wider audience of students, faculty and community members.

At SEM we cultivate the intellect and independence of our students. Guided by dedicated and passionate faculty, SEM students grow and flourish as they see education as a life-long pursuit that can help them create and lead in a changing world.

Flexible learning enables students to pursue passions

By Janelle Harb, SEMToday Editor

Buffalo Seminary’s academic programme is ranked by Niche as the #1 Best College Prep and Best All-Girls High School in the Buffalo area. On campus, students are encouraged to pursue their passions with 14 athletic teams, over 25 student-run clubs, 19 AP classes and arts programs. However, sometimes opportunities arise that must include travel or long stints away from traditional schooling.

Students are encouraged to balance rigorous academics with the pursuit of their own passions and opportunities through Flexible Learning by Design. This groundbreaking initiative allows students to complete their schoolwork remotely, while competing or traveling for special interests such as equestrian, music, figure skating and dance.

In this program, students work one-on-one with their dedicated teacher liaison to create a specialized program that keeps them on track with their students and to graduate with their classmates.

For aspiring equestrians, the Buffalo Equestrian Center, located five minutes from campus, allows riders to hone their skills, compete regionally and nationally, and volunteer. Professional equestrian Melissa Jacobs ’12 was one of the first pioneers of this flexible learning program.

“This educational model was perfectly suited for [Melissa’s] personal and educational goals,” Alice Jacobs, her mother, said. “She was able to ride in competitions throughout the United States. while simultaneously completing her demanding academic coursework, being a part of the SEM community, and ultimately graduating alongside her classmates.”

In addition to other students pursuing music and skiing at high levels, flexible learning has also helped senior Emmy Robin pursue the opportunity to join an intensive dance conservatory at the Joffrey Ballet School in Chicago.

Robinson, the only high school student in her ballet program, is able to continue her SEM education and graduated in the spring alongside her classmates while pursuing her passion. She hopes to join a professional dance company full time and volunteers as an instructor with the Joffrey Academy of Dance’s Adaptive Dance Programme which allows students with diverse movement abilities to learn and enjoy the elements of dance.

“SEM has opened so many doors for me. I’m seamlessly keeping up with my studies, while living on my own in Chicago dancing with the Joffrey Ballet,” Robinson said.

SEM’s mission and vision celebrates this commitment to flexible learning, allowing students to continue their personal pursuits while receiving a SEM education and meaningful learning experience.

Emmy Robinson ’22 is able to pursue her passion for dance through SEM’s flexible learning.