Graland Country Day School
Strategic Plan 2017-2022
A great school keeps going • growing • evolving
A great school never sits still. It keeps going, growing and evolving. Since 1924, we’ve gone to extraordinary lengths to give every child the best education possible. Why? Because we want them to reach higher and go deeper. We want them to pursue excellence with passion and intent. Students who Go Graland are the kind of forward thinkers who are prepared to go anywhere and do anything.
Dear Graland Community, We are excited to unveil the 2017-22 Strategic Plan. Over the past year and a half, the Strategic Planning Committee of the Board, under the leadership of Sarah Harvey, has worked tirelessly to arrive at this finalized version. We are both confident that the work of this committee, which includes parents, board members and senior administrators, has provided a road map to Graland’s future success.
John Gowen, President, Board of Trustees
Using that map, the next step is to create concrete outcomes — mile markers, if you will — that will help us reach our ultimate destination. Each year, the administration of the school will develop a “work plan” that includes short-term objectives aligned with the long-term strategies of the plan. Each of these achievements gradually moves us toward the completion of the strategic plan so that when 2022 arrives, we have realized its vision. What is that vision? Ultimately, we want a school in which faculty are empowered to evolve in a rapidly changing educational landscape; in which students develop the resilience, resourcefulness and innovation to thrive in school and in life; and in which our community relies on the power of inclusivity to help all of us develop intellectually and ethically.
Josh Cobb, Head of School
We are eager for you to join us on this journey and look forward to your contributions as we achieve the goals of the 2017-22 Strategic Plan.
John Gowen President, Board of Trustees
Josh Cobb Head of School
A great school... Instills Integrity
Stimulates Innovation
Inspires Leadership
Values Tradition
Embraces Experiences
Cultivates Compassion
Guides Critical Thinking
Pursues Excellence
is guided by its Mission
Promotes Independence
Achieve intellectual excellence, build strong character, enrich learning through the arts and athletics, and prepare our students to be
Honors Individuality
engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders. Ascende omnem montem
Celebrates Perseverance
Builds Community
A great school keeps going, grow and evolving
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How We Got Here
Strategic Plan 2017-22 Thanks to the work accomplished through the Strategic Plan 2011-17, Graland is in a position to continue building on a foundation of excellence and academic rigor within an inclusive and supportive community. The Strategic Planning committee utilized multiple inputs to advise the plan including: learnings and feedback from the 2016 community survey, 2011-17 strategic plan outcomes, administration and board objectives, and new discoveries about education and innovation. Working in small groups and using an iterative process, committee members defined each goal and assigned strategies with supporting task-based initiatives. In April 2017, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve this plan which will guide our growth and progress for the next several years. This plan determined that five areas are still foundational to Graland’s growth — program, faculty, community, resources and governance.
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Fa c
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Graland’s strength is in the power of its mission to foster intellectual excellence and strong character. Through focusing on five key areas, we will continue to pursue excellence with passion and intent.
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reach higher go deeper
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Intellectual Excellence + Strong Character
A great school gives every child the best education possible.
Program
Provide a program that brings Graland’s Mission to life. Graland’s program is centered around academic excellence and strong
character and we will work to ensure our program exceeds expectations.
As we further develop the integration of innovative problem solving into our curricula, we will take the cutting-edge facilities of the Corkins Center and expand on how we use this space to bring design thinking beyond the Gates Invention and Innovation Program to all disciplines. Advances in technology will remain fast paced, so our faculty will stay educated and intentionally integrate technology as a tool for general learning, adding curricula like coding and robotics while teaching the importance of digital citizenship. Embracing the knowledge that differentiated learning strategies are essential for success, we will continue to build our student support services so that all students can reach their full potential. Our program will support our diversity goals by integrating culturally responsive content into our curricula. Learning will expand through new relationships and approaches. We will cultivate independent and collaborative thinkers, partnering with businesses to develop young entrepreneurs. We will create opportunities to develop a more global perspective through experiences and technology that extends the learning environment beyond the classroom walls. “At the heart is our students’ intellectual excellence and character development. We’re dedicated to keeping Graland’s core values strong and optimizing our program for student success.” - Sarah Harvey, Board Member and Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee
Strategies: 1.1 Cultivate intellectual excellence by strengthening thinking skills, attitudes, expertise and motivation. 1.2 Develop strong character. 1.3 Inspire engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders. 1.4 Establish an ongoing process to evaluate and revise elements of the program.
A great school inspires world-class educators.
Faculty Enhance Graland’s dynamic learning community of highly effective educators, administrators and staff. World-class educators are the key to Graland’s program, inspiring curiosity and lifelong learning and preparing students for a dynamic future. We will continue to successfully recruit highly qualified employees, seeking candidates that reflect the broader community, while refining our hiring practices. Retaining our faculty is just as important, requiring focus on compensation design and the proper support systems to promote retention.
Investing in our faculty remains essential. With personal learning plans and performance assessments, all faculty and staff will grow as professionals and leaders in our community. By emphasizing professional development and facilitating collaboration through means like inquiry groups, we will expand our collective knowledge. Using numerous methods — from cohort groups to visiting experts to conferences — we will ensure faculty and staff broaden their awareness, especially as it relates to differentiation, global understanding, empathy and innovation in education.
“Graland is focused on providing students with the best and brightest role models in education.” - Gail Sonnesyn, Associate Head of School
Strategies: 2.1 Further develop approaches to recruit and retain highly effective educators, administrators and staff. 2.2 Refine systems to assess performance of personnel. 2.3 Continue to develop Graland’s personnel to support students and prepare them for a dynamic and global environment. 2.4 Expand opportunities and support systems to broaden leadership skills for Graland educators and staff.
A great school brings people together.
Community Foster an inclusive community focused on supporting Graland’s Mission Statement and Guiding Principles. A diverse school environment with a wide range of backgrounds and
perspectives is ideal for learning. By expanding our efforts and outreach, we can bring more diversity to our program. We will create programs that support the needs of dual working families and explore more options in the areas of transportation, enrichment and communication. We will share an intentional expression of our values throughout our community. As we continue to focus on ensuring our campus is welcoming, respectful and inclusive, our hope is that every family feels that they contribute to and benefit from the Graland experience. Our school community includes alumni, past parents, past leadership, grandparents and friends. We will actively engage this broader group, recognizing that all community members have invested in and impacted Graland. Reaching further, we will develop external relationships to explore opportunities within our vibrant city and beyond. Tapping into local, national and international resources, we will develop learning in new directions with new skills and perspectives. “Our community is prepared to ensure that every student and family feels connected and thrives at Graland.” - Kristin Ryder, Director of Admission
Strategies: 3.1 Foster a welcoming school environment that energizes our community and promotes trust, respect, well-being and inclusivity amongst students, faculty and families. 3.2 Strengthen relationships with the broader Graland community to ensure meaningful involvement. 3.3 Cultivate external relationships with the wider community to create symbiotic opportunities.
A great school uses its resources wisely to support student learning.
Resources Support the most current and effective educational program by maximizing and expanding the school’s resources. Graland is continually evaluating how we can offer students the best
program and educational facilities that inspire curiosity and learning. Strong financial support to the annual fund is a necessity for a strong program. To inspire higher participation, we will better educate our community about Graland’s financial model and the importance of giving. Building on the current momentum, we will continue to increase the endowment, thus offsetting our dependence on tuition increases, and uphold our commitment to financial aid, faculty development and retention. Beyond financial support, other types of resources — volunteerism, professional and personal expertise, and gifts in kind — are important for the school’s success. We value these non-financial contributions, and will seek out additional ways to engage our current and broader community, tapping into the potential of all our resources. We are committed to investing in our campus and facilities for programmatic support and we will further optimize our outdoor spaces. We will continue to evaluate our campus, technology systems and skill sets, making certain we implement facility improvements and offer the proper training to ensure the safety of our community. “One of our top priorities is educating the community about how charitable gifts impact every student, faculty member and program at Graland, every day.” - Jessica Goski, Director of Development
Strategies: 4.1 Build strong stewardship amongst the Graland community in an effort to build ongoing relationships with all of its members. 4.2 Grow Graland’s financial resources by inspiring the participation of current and former community members. 4.3 Ensure Graland is accessible to a highly qualified, diverse pool of students. 4.4 Continue necessary campus improvements to ensure programmatic support and safety. 4.5 Ensure stability and effectiveness of school systems through robust data and technology platforms.
A great school thrives with strong leadership from its board.
Governance Continue Board involvement and support to meet Graland’s Mission. Board engagement is a high priority as we carry on a long tradition of strong leadership and wise stewardship. We will pursue opportunities for board education and assessment as we look towards developing the expertise of our current trustees, while actively cultivating new trustees who bring a balance of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and skillsets.
We will commit to more communication and transparency to inform the Graland community about board decisions, procedures and the management of the endowment through the Graland Foundation. We will continue to pursue strong governance practices, as the board upholds the school’s mission, assesses performance against this strategic plan and advises on financial decisions including the development of a five-year financial plan.
“We envision a path that will allow students to succeed now and in the future.” - John Gowen, President of the Board of Trustees
Strategies: 5.1 Continue the effective financial stewardship of the school. 5.2 Measure achievement against Graland’s Mission and the Strategic Plan. 5.3 Foster generative thinking opportunities for the Board. 5.4 Conduct regular Board assessments. 5.5 Enhance Board transparency.
A great school prepares students to go anywhere and do anything.
Strategic Planning Committee to the Board of Trustees Committee Members
Sarah Harvey, Chair Marco Abarca Kathryn Albright Anne Bailey Bill Bivens Brooke Borgen Jon-Erik Borgen Juan Botello Max Caulkins Josh Cobb Stephanie Copeland Cher Crichlow David Decker Michelle Eidson James Foreman Jessica Goski John Gowen Jill Hawley Sarah Hunt Karyn Huberman Ronni McCaffrey Carol McDermott Nan Remington Kristin Ryder Amy Silver Gail Sonnesyn Seth Terry Kristin Weber