2009 strategic Plan Mission Statement Kingswood-Oxford inspires students to excel and to lead lives of integrity and involvement by nourishing their talents in a community of teachers, friends and families.
Motto “Vincit Qui Se Vincit”
“One conquers by conquering oneself”
kingswood -o x f o r d s c h o o l
A 100-Year-Old School of the Future Shaping Kingswood-Oxford’s Learning Community for the 21st Century
As our school celebrates its centennial, Kingswood-Oxford faces unprecedented challenges, not
only to our relevance in the Greater Hartford community, but to our ability to attract and to prepare high-caliber students consistent with their needs and our mission in an increasingly competitive and complex world. Positioning our school in the face of these challenges will not evolve from gradual and incremental changes to our approach but from a bolder and more dramatic re-examination of and appropriate transformation of our programs and the platform upon which we deliver them. Our solutions must simultaneously recognize the practical challenges of our time while being driven by a new vision for K-O. This vision must preserve and amplify the strengths and unique qualities earned and honed during our long and distinguished history while pursuing new and creative methods to make the 21st century K-O experience so obviously successful and desirable that we become the pre-eminent day program for the communities we serve. We must achieve a higher plane, one in which our value proposition far exceeds that of local public schools so they are no longer viewed as schools that can compete with K-O. The life-value differential of a Kingswood-Oxford education must be clear and unambiguous.
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Our Strengths
During the course of the past 16 months, we pushed ourselves to define what distinguishes Kingswood-Oxford School from other independent schools in the Greater Hartford area. We believe that the answer is simple and straightforward. We combine a long-standing classic day school tradition of academic excellence, intellectual rigor and strong college preparation with a unique culture of opportunity. This combination, within a remarkably close-knit and caring community, produces an engaging and relevant program. • We
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enjoy a proud tradition of excellence and achievement in academics, athletics, creative arts, community-based partnerships and college placement. Classic and time-honored values – ethical citizenship, leadership and character development – connect us to our past. Parent involvement has been a hallmark of our approach and an essential part of making our community the most effective it can be for students. Our seven-year program (grades 6-12) offers a unique opportunity to engage young people in a compelling learning experience, which sensibly builds and expands through those seven years. Our alumni’s success and deep engagement as leaders in many fields demonstrate the strong and robust foundation provided by a K-O education. The brand new, state-of-the-art Chase · Tallwood Science Math Technology Center stands as a symbol of our commitment to a 21st century education. In the past several years, the Estes Family Middle School Building, the expansion of the dining hall, a new synthetic athletic field, a new faculty-staff lounge, high-tech music technology and media art labs, and the consolidation of the language department into one suite have had a tremendous, positive impact. The introductions of robotics, Chinese language and media arts further enrich an already vibrant program. The thorough evaluation of our school through the NEASC self-study and re-accreditation process positions us well to effect needed changes.
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Our Vision for 21st Century K-O
The educational program of Kingswood-Oxford School will become the pre-eminent program in the region and will serve as an example and guide for best practices of 21st century education, both in the Greater Hartford area and nationally. Our overarching goal is to empower young people to achieve success in college and in their lives while instilling in them the moral, ethical and intellectual insights that allow them to become constructive and impactful leaders of their communities. The educational program is recognized to be much more than academics and includes the overall school experience, encompassing curriculum and teaching relevant to the 21st century; a parent-student-school partnership; extracurricular and athletic opportunities, which provide collaborative and leadership experiences; and exposure to the global environment. The product of the School’s program will be self-confident graduates equipped to succeed in life in the 21st century.
Mission Kingswood-Oxford inspires students to excel and to lead lives of integrity and involvement by nourishing their talents in a community of teachers, friends and families.
Our Core Values Demonstrate honesty, integrity and respect Learn with passion and perseverance Embrace intellectual curiosity Care beyond self Take personal responsibility Work hard, take risks, become involved
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Translating Our Strategy to Action We intend to achieve the desired state of our school by shaping and executing a series of objectives that will strengthen K-O’s mission-driven programs, clarify its image and enhance its overall market position. All of these objectives relate directly and exclusively to enriching the lives of our students, who are always at the center of our programs, and to the best practices we provide to strengthen students’ educational experiences and their preparation for college, successful careers and rich, meaningful lives. The current great energy and excitement surrounding “Wyvern Nation” has captured the spirit of what it means to be a K-O student and a member of our school community. Our bold vision contemplates the following objectives.
K-O Life Invigorate, deepen and strengthen the overall community experience Retain and attract and enroll the best students who will thrive in the School’s intellectually demanding atmosphere, whose families support K-O’s mission and who reflect the diversity of Greater Hartford. •
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Continue to ensure that students feel known, valued and supported in and outside the classroom and to push them to the edge of what they know, think and do to fully explore their talents, strengths and growing edges. Strengthen the athletic program and increase our competitiveness within the current athletic requirement.
Continue to strengthen and nurture the numerous extracurricular opportunities available to our students.
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Design and develop a comprehensive seven-year student leadership curriculum and program.
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Continue to improve and create attractive spaces where students can study and interact.
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Develop methods of engaging alumni and parents that not only include them in student activities but engage them in the culture of our community.
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Mission-Driven Educators Design an exceptional professional climate of continuous growth for faculty and staff at K-O •
Retain and attract and hire the most talented, diverse and versatile faculty and staff.
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Design a comprehensive program of professional development for faculty, staff and administrators at all stages of their careers.
Implement a thorough, cyclical and consistent evaluation structure and process for all faculty, coaches, advisors, staff and administrators.
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Continue to improve the strong mentoring system for newcomers to the School.
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Implement a program to recognize seasoned educators and help them share their knowledge and expertise with younger peers and the School at large.
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Ensure and design ongoing departmental, divisional and all-school vertical and horizontal dialog about curriculum, child development, best practices in teaching methods and educational research. Support a culture of teaching that inspires innovation, renewal, best practices and deep engagement.
Curricular Design Continuously review and deliver a rigorous, relevant and engaging curriculum that encompasses the mastery of essential skills and 21st century tools and innovation. •
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Through review and design, ensure a relevant, engaging, interconnected 21st century core curriculum with an eye to cognitive and developmental research and advances in technology. Continue to emphasize intellectual curiosity, clear thinking, strong writing and effective oral communication skills. Articulate clearly the curricular scope and sequence across grades and departments to clarify appropriate academic and intellectual development goals at every grade level. Strengthen and integrate global understanding, diversity and cultural competency into the curriculum and life of the school. Adapt and adjust curriculum and program outside the general scope when necessary to create learning opportunities for individual students. Integrate the regional community and local history into the curriculum as well as into the community service program. When appropriate, add relevant new courses that will help enhance preparedness for the 21st century global world.
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Comprehensive Advisory Program Nurture a partnership with the student, parents and faculty for advice, support, action and success in academics, school and student life, and college placement. •
Horizontally integrate all advising programs to align with the needs of students and their families from original recruiting and enrollment through college placement.
Design an exceptional college advising program that helps students and families navigate the college-search process and presents students in the strongest possible light to their schools of choice.
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Recognize the needs of parents, students, faculty and staff in designing elements of these programs.
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Establish criteria to evaluate effectiveness with respect to each student and on the whole over time.
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Life Connections Maintain and foster a welcoming, diverse and embracing community that serves as a foundation for outreach at home and in the world. •
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Ensure that all members of the school community are fully informed, understand and are engaged in dialog about K-O’s mission, core values, and institutional priorities and aspirations. Design a comprehensive seven-year parent-education program providing guided discussions and forums on topics about students’ academic, social, emotional and developmental issues; peer-group dynamics; Internet safety; health; and parenting. Continue to develop and expand the possibilities and opportunities of the intergenerational network of Wyverns in and out of school to forge useful and meaningful lifelong connections with alumni and K-O families. Further enhance community partnerships, community service and engagement in important local, national and international organizations and causes.
Ensure that K-O continues to be a good neighbor, and partner when possible with organizations in West Hartford and the Greater Hartford area. •
Sustaining Our Institution Further strengthen our deliberate approach to cultivating and managing resources. •
Continue our focus on growing the endowment as a means of attracting the best students regardless of financial circumstances; enhancing our physical plant and programs and stabilizing tuition costs over time; and ensuring a competitive compensation system and rich and ongoing professional development opportunities.
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Develop strategies that recognize the importance of tuition affordability while continuously understanding the impact that the use of our resources will have on a family’s total cost of attendance. Fully integrate the strategic financial model with the School’s strategic plan. This tool should also develop the budgets in a seamless fashion. Ensure that the enhancements described by several consultants in master planning and athletic facilities master planning complement the strategic goals associated with people and program. Continue to identify and refine short-term and long-term deferred maintenance projects and incorporate these projections into the annual budget, future capital campaigns and the long-term strategic financial planning model. Deferred maintenance is closely managed but continues to be a costly item for the School on an annual basis.
Continue to stay current with the ever-evolving use of information technology within an educational setting.
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Evaluate and consider best practices, usage and enhancements of a 21st century research library.
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The prioritized list from the board’s June 2009 retreat details specific facility improvements needed and new construction priorities including: •
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Build a swimming pool that will house our successful swimming program and ensure that our students can remain on campus. The pool also will create opportunities for all of our students to learn a life skill before they graduate. Lifeguard training and rental opportunities will add other benefits. Construct a synthetic all-weather track and an extra playing field to ensure that our successful track-and-field and cross-country programs can remain on campus. The track and extra playing field will benefit all of our students and athletic teams, and both the track and the swimming pool will allow the School to teach important lessons about lifelong fitness and health. Renovate and enhance the basement floor of Roberts, including spaces allowing the School to relocate the Mac and language labs and enhance its creative arts spaces.
Renovate Hewett Gym. A new floor and new bleachers will improve and extend the lifespan of our main gym and home-court arena.
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Create a new home for the buildings and grounds department.
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Create and enhance additional spaces where students can gather outside of class.
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If tennis remains on the K-O campus, build two additional tennis courts enabling us to play two matches at once.
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If tennis goes off campus, build a racket facility housing our tennis and squash programs.
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Communicating Our Value Proposition Create a unique, powerful communication plan to ensure internal and external clarity and to optimize marketing communication and outreach. •
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Continue down the path of deliberate, strong and aggressive branding and marketing, taking full advantage of our Centennial Celebration. Create consistency in image and message in high-caliber and unique online and hard-copy publications.
Develop a powerful Web site that clearly and succinctly conveys all that is important about K-O. Rich in concept, story and picture, the Web site will be a state-of-the-art marketing tool. •
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Fully explore and study the benefits of online social networking within a school context. We must utilize all electronic tools that will benefit us in our outreach. Create a specific communication plan targeted at public school parents who are not currently contemplating independent schools, conveying to them a clear value proposition why they should.
Accountability and Action Plan
The board’s Strategic Planning Task Force, chaired by Paul Romano, will continue to monitor and engage the administrative leadership team in discussions about progress, tactics, time lines and resource allocation. It is essential that the implementation of all strategic priorities matches and complements K-O’s strategic, overarching goals, the mission and core values. Each strategic focus has been assigned a project leader whose role is to design a comprehensive plan to ensure the successful implementation of the action steps. Thus, each project leader will develop specific time lines, manage daily progress and provide updates and reports to the Strategic Planning Task Force (SPTF) on a bimonthly basis. The SPTF itself will provide progress reports to the full board during its January and June meetings. There is much to accomplish in this plan, and portions of it will cost a great deal of money. Yet its bold vision will ensure our future success and provide the necessary momentum and dynamism to propel us forward.
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Studies and Research (2005-2009) Board Strategic Planning Exercise (2002 – previous work significant to later five-year research period) Master Planning (2005-2006) Financial Strategic Planning Task Force Report (2006) Diversity Task Force Report (2006) Marketing and Demographics Study (2006)
Strategic Planning Steering Committee Members: Paul Romano, Chair Sonya Adams Ken Alleyne Russ Birchall Dennis Bisgaard Brett Browchuk Alan Comrie
Athletic Master Planning Report (2007)
Steve Hazard
Financial Modeling (2008)
Debby Hyde
Feasibility Study Report (2008)
Rob Kyff
Branding and Demographics Study (2008)
Ted Levine
Financial Aid Study Report (2008)
Bret Maffett
Self-Study Report (2008)
Ron Monroe
Self-Study Action Committee Report (2008)
Jim O’Donnell Agnes Peelle
NEASC Visiting Team Report (2009)
Jane Repp
Mission Task Force (2009)
Michael Reilly
College Advising Audit (2009)
Dennis Sullivan
Strategic Planning Task Force Report (2008-2009)
Les Tager
NAIS Demographic StatsOnline analysis (July 2009) Board Retreat work (June 2009)
Ashley Washburn Paula Whitney Joan Wright
kingswood -o x f o r d s c h o o l
170 Kingswood Road West Hartford, CT 06119