Planning Today for Foxcroft’s Tomorrows

for Planning today

Foxcroft’s Tomorrows

By Lisa Bard Knowles ’78, Foxcroft Trustee

It continues to be a privilege to serve on the Foxcroft Board of Trustees. I enjoy working with an extremely talented, dedicated, and diverse group of people who are deeply invested in the success of this special school. One of our key responsibilities as a Board is to regularly review our progress and update our Strategic Plan, which helps us define our long-range goals as a school and make decisions on allocating resources to pursue these goals.

After the successful completion of most of the initiatives in the 2016 Strategic Plan, the Board determined it was time to update our plan. In the summer of 2019, I was asked to chair the Strategic Planning Task Force. This was important work to help ensure that Foxcroft continues to evolve and thrive in the decades to come. To make sure we were thinking about the task holistically and had the right process in place, the School hired an outside consultant, Katherine Whitney of Warren Whitney Management, to help guide the work. The first step was to form a task force where important perspectives were represented. The team consisted of Head of School Cathy McGehee, administrators, two faculty members, four Trustees, and two current parents. Ms. Whitney worked closely with the task force to set up a timeline within which to get the job done. She held focus groups with all faculty members, the Board of Trustees, parents during Family Weekend, and students over multiple campus visits. Online surveys were sent to alumnae, parents, students, and employees to gain insight from all constituencies.

Through all of this work, the task force learned valuable information that helped create the new strategic priorities for Foxcroft. Some of the more notable learnings were that diversity, equity, and inclusion were a top priority among all constituent groups, and that environmental sustainability and social responsibility were top priorities for students.

The updated plan has four strategic priorities, each with two or three goals. Those priorities and goals are:

1FOXCROFT’S PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE Inspire students to learn and lead in college and beyond through innovative and adaptive teaching. • Ensure a rigorous, flexible, and forward-thinking 2 academic program rooted in how girls learn best. • Utilize technology that supports the best pedagogical practices for girls. • Support faculty in embracing dynamic teaching strategies, outlined in Foxcroft’s Portrait of an Educator, which helps each student explore her unique voice. FOXCROFT’S INTERCONNECTED COMMUNITY Celebrate and strengthen our diverse and global community in which graduates recognize their courage to take action, and effect positive change in the world.

• Grow a diverse Foxcroft community and deploy resources to support it.

• Recognize, enlist, and leverage the talents and resources of Foxcroft’s constituents and the local community.

• Proudly share our unique and diverse Foxcroft stories.

3FOXCROFT’S BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS Strengthen our active, healthy, and sustainable learning and living environment to help graduates become socially responsible citizens for a strong future. 4 FOXCROFT’S ADAPTABILITY • Attract resources to accomplish our vision. • Align budget to the School’s strategic priorities. • Ensure Foxcroft’s bright future by developing and implementing a robust succession plan for key leadership. Hometown: My father was in the Air Force, so we moved often.

• Enhance Foxcroft’s facilities to foster the skills, knowledge, and leadership capabilities of our students.

• Prioritize environmental stewardship by utilizing our campus more intentionally.

Krystyna Martin

Associate Director of Admission for Access and Inclusion

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Education: B.A in Sociology and B.A. in Women's Studies focusing on Advocacy, Salem College Greatest hope for students: That every student is able to be their authentic self and experience a strong sense of belonging. What excites me about the future of Foxcroft: The growth and diversification of our student body; I feel extremely honored to be a part of Foxcroft's future in this way. Special skill I share with students: It’s been nice to share my insights as a former college admissions counselor when helping students with their college essays! Surprising job I’ve had: Cheesemonger with Murray’s Cheese Favorite Book: Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls