Strategic Plan Overview 2017-2022
“You have to have a big vision and take very small steps to get there. You have to be humble as you execute, but visionary and gigantic in terms of your aspirations. You have to keep walking the path and adjust the route, but never the goals.” —Dr. Autumn A. Graves, Head of School
Dear Friends, Honor, respect, curiosity, individuality, and relationships are the enduring values that have served Girls Preparatory School for more than a century. These values, along with our relentless focus on improving the student experience, serve as the foundation for our strategic plan. The plan was developed in community with faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumnae. Through this presentation, you will learn more about the plan that will enable Girls Preparatory School to continue to deliver world-class education in a highly competitive world. Dr. Autumn A. Graves Head of School
A Collaborative Process to Define Strategies Overall engagement and approval of plan
Responsible for affirming values and aligning vision across all constituents
Board of Trustees
Goals and Initiatives Subcommittee
Purpose Subcommittee
Faculty, Parents, and Students
Responsible for defining 2-3 major goals and 3-5 initiatives for each goal
Responsible for participating in surveys and focus groups
2016-17 Strategic Plan Workgroups Board Committee on Sub-Committee on Strategy, Development, Purpose: Mission, Vision, Execution, and Evaluation and Values
Sub-Committee on Goals and Initiatives
Mary Tanner, Chair Danna Bailey ’89
Kerri Bartlett ’75,
Danna Bailey ’89,
Board of Trustees
Kerri Bartlett ’75
Debbie Young ’79, Co-Chair
Board of Trustees
Tracie Durham ’80 Science Department Chair
Jenise Gordon, Co-Chair Mark Vosskamp, Co-Chair Ralph Covino
Middle School Dean of Students
Johnel Evans ’92
Autumn Graves Head of School
Jenise Gordon Head of Upper School
Ronna-Renee Jackson
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Debbie Glasscock
Dean, 11th grade
Lizzer Graham ’77
Board of Trustees
Board of Trustees
Autumn Graves, Ex-officio
Chris Smith ’72
Autumn Graves, Ex-officio
Mark Vosskamp
Amanda Jackson ’97
Alumna
Ronna-Renee Jackson
Strategic Consultant
Beth Self
Computer Science Dept. Chair
Chris Smith ’72
Board of Trustees
Mary Tanner
Board Chair and Ex-officio
Strategic Consultant
Board Chair and Ex-officio Chief Financial Officer
Debbie Young ’79 Director of Admission
Head of School
Student Advisory Lauren Thacker Liza Rogers 7th grade
Morgan Brown Holland Collett 8th grade
Olivia Hoodenpyle Leonor Vines
Stephanie Hays ’04
9th grade
Head of School Alumna
Ronna-Renee Jackson
Strategic Consultant
Jill Pieritz ’97
Olivia Fannon Reyna Patel Jane Wilde
Current parent
Becca Stimson ’73
Board Chair and Ex-officio
Chris Smith ’72
Board of Trustees
Mary Tanner
Board of Trustees and Ex-officio
10th grade
Maggie Hill Hanna Hopkins Haley Smith 11th grade
A Multi-Year Process 2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19+
The year of inquiry
The year of creating the case for change
The year of implementation planning
The year of transformative results
Data Collection
1,414 constituents surveyed… • Extensive surveys included questions on curricular and noncurricular attributes in addition to cultural and social/emotional well-being. • Heat maps were used to demonstrate areas of strength or watch items, tempered by level of importance.
Current Students Alumnae <7 years
Enrolling Families Nonenrolling Families
Alumnae 8+ years
Faculty and Staff
Current Parents Attrits
Action Plans 2015-16 v Inquiry groups formed • Capacity Building o Technology o Tools o Territories • The Girls as Text • 21st Century Faculty and Staff • 21st Century Learners and Leaders • Purpose: Mission, Vision, and Values v Situation analysis v Result: Heads charge to teams
2016-17 v More surveys v More focus groups v Engaged community v Completed analysis v Drafted plan narrative v Result: Trustee approval
2017-18 v Summer work groups formed • Communication • Community engagement • Curriculum development (incl. white paper) v Develop responsibility/ accountability matrix v Launch work streams v Define success measures
2018-19 v Measure progress v Adapt as needed v Implement changes v Measure and report results
Mission Statement Girls Preparatory School inspires each girl to lead a life of integrity and purpose by engaging her mind, cultivating her strengths, and nurturing her self-confidence and respect for others.
OUR VALUES
Strategic Priorities
LOOKING IN • GPS will evaluate and redesign its curriculum, programs, and facilities to meet the needs of 21st century girls.
REACHING OUT
• GPS will expand opportunities to share its knowledge of girls and girls’ education and will form strategic partnerships to build our capacity to serve girls.
LIFTING UP
• GPS will cultivate its talent and resources to ensure the continued success of the institution and its students, graduates, and faculty and staff.
Overview of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Looking Inâ&#x20AC;? Initiative 1.1: Create and promote an environment that fosters the values of GPS: honor, respect, curiosity, individuality, and relationships. Initiative 1.2: Align our curriculum and graduation requirements to best serve each girl by sharing a commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and the development of the whole girl. Initiative 1.3: Enhance and expand our Signature Programs and co-curricular and extracurricular offerings to provide each girl an opportunity to explore her passions and broaden her horizons.
Overview of “Reaching Out” Initiative 2.1: Leverage research to create a benchmark group for girls’ education and organizations that support them. Initiative 2.2: Engage alumnae, parents, and friends of the school through the creation of educational resources, a mentorship program, and volunteer opportunities. Initiative 2.3: Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy informed by market research that helps us understand the short- and long-term growth potential we have within our region with families who align with our value offering.
Overview of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lifting Upâ&#x20AC;? Initiative 3.1: Develop a consistent assessment strategy to monitor program effectiveness and improve outcomes. Initiative 3.2: Recruit and retain top talent and establish mechanisms to afford faculty, staff, and students the time and resources to pursue projects designed to enhance the GPS experience. Initiative 3.3: Ensure the organization's sustainability through improved measurement and management of financial and physical resources.
Strategic Plan Implementation For implementation of the strategic plan, the Strategy Committee will utilize subcommittees tied to strategic goals and initiatives. These subcommittees, consisting of both staff and board members, will interface with faculty and staff working groups in an advisory role as well as a communication loop to the Strategy Committee. The Strategy Committee of the board is comprised of the co-chairs of each subcommittee where one cochair is a member of the board of trustees and one is a senior admin team member. Additionally, faculty and staff working groups align with each subcommittee. The faculty and staff working groups are where the actual implementation tasks are completed and, as previously mentioned, communicated to the subcommittee as a conduit to the full Strategy Committee and board of trustees. Some initiatives span multiple goals and require the Strategy Committee to support cross-communication.
MISSION Girls Preparatory School inspires each girl to lead a life of integrity and purpose by engaging her mind, cultivating her strengths, nurturing her self-confidence and respect for others. VALUES Honor | Respect | Curiosity | Individuality | Relationships LOOKING IN GOAL: GPS will evaluate and redesign its curriculum, programs, and facilities to meet the needs of 21st century girls.
REACHING OUT GOAL: GPS will expand opportunities to share its knowledge of girls and girls' education and will form strategic partnerships to build our capacity to serve girls.
LIFTING UP GOAL: GPS will cultivate its talent and resources to ensure the continued success of the institution, its students, graduates, and faculty and staff.
Initiative 1.1: Create and promote an environment which fosters the values of GPS; honor, respect, curiosity, individuality, and relationships.
Initiative 2.1: Leverage research to create a benchmark group for girls education and organizations that support them.
Initiative 3.1: Develop a consistent assessment strategy to monitor program effectiveness and improve outcomes.
Initiative 2.2: Engage alumnae, parents, and friends of the school through the creation of educational resources, a mentorship program, and volunteer opportunities.
Initiative 3.2: Recruit and retain top talent and establish mechanisms to afford faculty, staff, and students the time and resources to pursue projects designed to enhance the GPS experience.
Initiative 1.2: Align our curriculum and graduation requirements to best serve each girl by sharing a commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and the development of the whole girl. Initiative 1.3: Enhance and expand our Signature Programs, cocurricular, and extra-curricular offerings to provide each girl an opportunity to explore her passions and broaden her horizons.
Initiative 2.3: Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy informed by market research that helps us understand the short- and longterm growth potential we have within our region with families that align with our value offering.
Initiative 3.3: Ensure the organization's sustainability through improved measurement and management of financial and physical resources.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Executive Committee
Finance
Building & Grounds
Endowment
Development
Strategy
Impact Fund
Lifting Up
Major Gifts: Restricted & Endowed Funds
Reaching Out Looking In
Risk: Audit, Insurance, & Compliance
Events
Planned Giving
Subcommittee co-chairs form the Strategy Committee of the Board of Trustees
Appendix
Strategy Committee of the Board Board Members • Mary Tanner, Chair • Charlie Brock • Johnel Evans ’92 • Holly Harwell ’84 • Annette Smith • Becca Stimson ’73
Faculty Members • Autumn Graves • Ronna-Renee Jackson, Facilitator • Lynne Macziewski • Elaine Milazzo • Daniel Millbank • Mark Vosskamp
“Looking In” “Looking In” Subcommittee • Annette Smith, Co-Chair • Elaine Milazzo, Co-Chair • Chris Smith ’72 • Kerri Bartlett ’75 • Ralph Covino • Becca Stimson ’73 • Jenise Gordon • Autumn Graves, Head of School • Holly Harwell ’84, Ex-officio
Faculty and Staff Working Group • Elaine Milazzo • Ralph Covino • Jenise Gordon • Lynne Macziewski
“Reaching Out” “Reaching Out” Subcommittee • Charlie Brock, Co-Chair • Autumn Graves, Co-Chair • Yancy Freeman • Jenise Gordon • Angela Johnson • Lynne Macziewski • Holly Harwell ’84, Ex-officio
Faculty and Staff Working Group • Trish King • Renee Romero • Kate Kerekes • Julie Deavers • Mary Baxter • Claudia Goldbach • Amy Piper • Lynne Macziewski • Andrea Becksvoort • Jenise Gordon • Maria Carlone • Angela Johnson • Susan McCarter
“Lifting Up” “Lifting Up” Subcommittee • Johnel Evans ’92, Co-Chair • Mark Vosskamp, Co-Chair • Marcy Porter • Deb Smith • Edna Varner • Autumn Graves, Head of School • Holly Harwell ’84, Ex-officio
Faculty and Staff Working Group • TBD