More to Explore: Strategic Plan 2023-2028

ANINTRODUCTIONFROMTHEHEADOFSCHOOLANDBOARDCHAIR

Dear Moravian Academy Community,

A year in the making, the strategic plan was developed to provide a long-range view of future school priorities created through a highly inclusive and participatory process. We are grateful to the sixteen volunteers who served on the Strategic Planning Executive Committee and volunteered their time and talents to engage with internal and external research including trends in the independent school and the education sector.

Armed with a situation analysis and a stronger understanding of the needs of the school, six areas of strategic focus were established by the executive committee From there, over 100 community members including trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, students and parents participated on design teams to propose initiatives for consideration rooted in the research

Our process culminated in September of 2023, with the steering committee reviewing proposals from the design teams, synthesizing them down to a smaller set of priorities for the future As strategic priorities were developed, key school leadership expanded upon them to outline specific initiatives, action plans, and a series of sequenced priorities Finally, the Board of Trustees engaged with the plan and ratified it on September 9, 2023. The final strategic plan has been organized into three key areas of focus:

Enhance Our Foundation Expand Our Impact Elevate Our Sustainability

Within each of these focus areas, we have prioritized initiatives that we believe will be instrumental to fulfilling our mission and vision for Moravian Academy in the years ahead. The initiatives center around our people, our programs and the place where it all happens–our campuses. Much of the focus for realizing these initiatives will be over the next five years; however, many will extend well beyond then Bringing this ambitious plan to fruition will require the support of our entire community We invite you to engage with us in achieving this vision by offering your expertise, your connections and your philanthropic support

Priorities

We are excited about the future of Moravian Academy and the impact that these initiatives will have on our young people Thank you for believing in our students and their bright futures

Adrianne

STRATEGIC PLANNING EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Co-Chairs: Dr. Christian Rice, Board of Trustee, Vice-Chair and Parent ‘29 | Liz Robinson Parent ‘29

George Andriko ‘07MA

Assistant Director, Historic Downtown Campus

Anileys Bermudez

Parent ‘33 and ‘35, and Faculty Member, Swain Campus

Kathryn Bulman

Faculty Member, Historic Downtown Campus

Dr. Sue Das

Assistant Director, Swain Campus

Marie Ffolkes-Gierszewski

Trustee and Parent ‘31

Adrianne Finley Odell

Head of School

Krish Gupta ‘24

Alicia Gordon ‘24 Student

Dr. Sima Hodavance

Trustee and Parent ‘30, ‘31, and ‘35

Veronica Moore

Parent ‘34

Michael Regnet

Parent ‘27, Faculty Member, Merle-Smith Campus

Lori Schoeneman,

Board of Trustee, Chair and Parent ‘25 and ‘28

Karen Sonier ‘78MA

Former Trustee and Parent ‘12MA and ‘13MA

Jarred Weaver

Assistant Director, Merle-Smith Campus

Strategic

Enhance our FOUNDATION

Recruit, support, and retain exceptional people.

Foster an environment that prioritizes inclusivity, belonging and collective wellbeing throughout our community.

Priorities

Enhance our FOUNDATION

Elevate our SUSTAINABILITY

Strategic

Priorities

Establish key indicators of academic outcomes and consistency across campuses aiming to provide the best foundational framework for developing future leaders.

Enhance the quality and effectiveness of project-based and experiential learning across our campuses to improve learning outcomes and prepare students for the future.

Elevate our SUSTAINABILITY

Ensure financial sustainability through plans to diversify revenue, increase enrollment and manage tuition.

Ensure excellent facilities that enable and inspire our programs to thrive.

Expand our IMPACT

Design and establish a Center for Civic Leadership and Innovation with signature programs in 1) leadership training and development, 2) civil discourse, 3) exponential technologies, and 4) environmental and climate change studies.

Design and implement learning support for gifted and non-traditional learners.

Priorities

Strategic Expand ourIMPACT

Establish strategic partnerships beyond our classrooms to enhance our learning environment and better connect our school with mission-congruent organizations.

ENHANCE OUR FOUNDATION

RECRUIT, SUPPORT, AND RETAIN EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE

A school can only ever be as great as the people who dedicate their energy and careers to its mission and vision. Moravian Academy has been fortunate to attract talented employees over hundreds of years, and we must continue to prioritize hiring, supporting and keeping exceptional people We accomplish this first and foremost by creating an inspired environment that is a joy to be a part of and is populated by individuals who are eager to contribute to an environment of excellence We strive to be a school and workplace that is one of the most admired in our country and will focus on the following to achieve this vision:

Design and implement a competitive compensation and benefits package. Create an inclusive culture that promotes the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty and staff, by focusing on areas of underrepresentation

Adopt a culture of professional growth and ensure robust budgets to support ongoing professional development to attract and retain great faculty and staff

Create a blueprint for professional excellence defining a culture of shared behaviors, values and attitudes that describes what it means to be a member of the faculty or staff at Moravian Academy.

FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PRIORITIZES INCLUSIVITY, BELONGING AND COLLECTIVE WELLBEING THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY

Individuals thrive when they feel psychologically safe, that they belong, and they can be authentically who they are. When these conditions are not in place, the environment can be stressful and toxic getting in the way of inspired and innovative learning. Rooted in the Moravian traditions of inclusivity, Moravian Academy strives to provide a holistic and joyful environment that promotes and prioritizes mental and physical wellbeing To this end we will:

Develop an all-school DEIJB strategic plan that includes a comprehensive assessment of curricular materials, equity training for all constituents, and opportunities for personalized adult learning.

Annually conduct a student wellness assessment including gathering information on student engagement and belonging

Form a task force on health and wellness comprised of board and leadership team members to interpret assessments and make recommendations

Develop new or enhanced wellness policies and/or programs based on recommendations Launch initiatives, providing professional development in the area of health, wellness, anti-bullying, and DEIB accordingly.

ENHANCE OUR FOUNDATION

ESTABLISH KEY INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AND CONSISTENCY ACROSS CAMPUSES AIMING TO PROVIDE THE BEST FOUNDATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS

Education is in the midst of significant evolution. Exponential technology has called into question a number of pedagogical and assessment approaches that were previously a given Admissions practices at higher education institutions are in transition Some families are even questioning the path of higher education as a presumed next step after high school for the careers of the future As an institution that is founded on the principles of college preparation, the changing times call us to consider what skills and habits of mind are crucial for success in the Fourth Industrial Revolution that our world is currently in the midst of. In the coming years, we must thoughtfully consider how we respond to the changes at both the college and corporate level to ensure we provide the very best foundation possible for our future leaders. The steps outlined below will support this work:

Finalize our school’s Portrait of a Graduate to represent our aspirations for all students The Portrait will articulate the skills and habits of mind that we believe are crucial for success in a rapidly changing and complex world.

Adopt the Portrait of a Graduate as a key framework to engage in curricular review to ensure the acquisition of the Portrait’s key skills and habits

Leverage the overarching Portrait of a Graduate to strengthen existing signature programs as well as develop new all-school and campus-specific programs that align with the unique traditions and opportunities inherent to each campus

Engage in collaborative community conversations with faculty, administrators and families to explore ideas and support for modifications of the current pedagogical approach and assessment model. Consider expanded approaches to demonstration of academic outcomes that would align with new assessments and pedagogy Develop key indicators that are congruent with mission, vision, values and the Portrait of a Graduate

Develop visible and measurable methods to ensure that these indicators will be present on each campus and programs throughout the Moravian experience, integrating both horizontally and vertically throughout a student's journey.

Communicate key indicators throughout the institution so that they become guiding and relevant across delivery platforms.

ENHANCE THE QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PROJECT-BASED AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ACROSS OUR CAMPUSES TO IMPROVE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE

Research has shown that students who engage in academic experiences that are hands-on and experiential learn more deeply and retain information longer In addition, learning is both more engaging and enjoyable. Moravian Academy has a history of projectbased and experiential learning. In the coming years, we plan to formalize the role of project-based and experiential learning in our curriculum in the following ways:

Provide professional development to bolster faculty capacity for implementing or expanding projectbased and experiential learning. Evaluate and expand the curriculum in an effort to integrate and implement thematic learning within grade levels and foster collaboration among faculty

Prioritize affording students agency to choose projects based on their interests and experiences. Ensure that projects align with intended learning outcomes

Find alignments, identify points of collaboration, and leverage the resources within the greater Lehigh Valley area to facilitate embedded, authentic learning experiences.

Create opportunities for authentic assessment, including student exhibition and presentations to expert audiences

ELEVATE OUR SUSTAINABILITY

ENSURE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH PLANS TO DIVERSIFY REVENUE, INCREASE ENROLLMENT AND MANAGE TUITION

Operating a school is a resource-intensive enterprise. The largest expense is in hiring and supporting great people. Providing an excellent program in a beautiful and supportive facility also requires significant resources. Funding comes primarily from tuition, with some support from philanthropy and external programs. In order to keep tuition as affordable as possible and to fulfill our mission, we will focus on the following strategic priorities in the years ahead:

Complete an assessment of our enrollment management and business model to better understand the key drivers of our future.

Establish a plan to cultivate and sustain a suitable enrollment body through optimizing capacity and revenue

Research different tuition models to ensure the school is accessible, diverse and financially sustainable

Explore alternative forms of delivery and new programs that will allow Moravian to expand our footprint, reach new audiences, diversify our community, increase our impact, and enhance our revenue

Focus on expanding a philanthropic culture and build support for current initiatives through the annual fund and EITC (PA Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program) while funding our future through endowment and capital gifts

ENSURE EXCELLENT FACILITIES THAT ENABLE AND INSPIRE OUR PROGRAMS TO THRIVE

Our school is fortunate to have three beautiful campuses to support our mission. In order to optimize and leverage our facilities, we have adopted the following priorities:

Engage in a comprehensive facilities planning study

Develop a comprehensive facilities planning document which highlights strengths and weaknesses of current buildings and grounds with recommendations for improvements to meet current and future needs Articulate new facility needs based upon institutional imperatives (enrollment, revenue), findings of other strategic goals and their initial discovery phase.

Conduct a Campaign Feasibility Study to determine fundraising capability, then develop plans for new and renovated facilities based upon identified needs

EXPAND OUR IMPACT

DESIGN AND ESTABLISH A CENTER FOR CIVIC LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION WITH SIGNATURE PROGRAMS IN:

LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT CIVIL DISCOURSE EXPONENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES

ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE STUDIES

The rapid pace of change is as fast as it has ever been and it is as slow as it will ever be. The world that young people are experiencing is complex. Exponential technologies and climate change will impact every aspect of their lives. Our socio-political system has created a chaotic environment that makes it challenging to trust organizations that used to be held as beacons of trust Our political leaders from different parties struggle to listen to each other Moravian Academy is committed to preparing young people to thrive in the face of this complexity through the establishment of a Center for Civic Leadership and Innovation In the years ahead, we will realize this vision through the following initiatives:

Develop and form a task force of key individuals from relevant stakeholder groups to guide the design and formation of the Center.

Explore opportunities to partner with other organizations to launch this initiative as a “Joint” Center Evaluate and expand the curriculum in an effort to integrate and implement thematic learning within grade levels and foster collaboration among faculty

Identify requirements for human resources, physical resources, and/or training to support the development of the Center.

Seek philanthropic opportunities and naming objectives, complete feasibility study for new programs, and establish financial models

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT LEARNING SUPPORT FOR GIFTED AND NON-TRADITIONAL LEARNERS

Moravian Academy students are diverse in every way, including in how they learn Some students benefit from direct instruction. Others prefer hands-on learning opportunities. Some students lean toward being visual learners, while others possess strengths as auditory learners. In every case, there are students who may also possess a diagnosed learning difference or have been identified as gifted. These students either require additional support or modifications to their curriculum to ensure they are challenged appropriately Our school is committed to differentiating for each student to support each individual to reach their highest and best potential In order to achieve this goal, we will prioritize the following:

Define strengths and opportunities in our current program to assess how we might strengthen our support for the students we currently serve.

Research exemplar schools for models that might align with our approach at Moravian Academy

Create and pilot an after school and/or summer program specific to gifted students or non-traditional learners

Engage in a design process for creation of a first-class school-wide program to support gifted and nontraditional learners.

ESTABLISH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS BEYOND OUR CLASSROOMS TO ENHANCE OUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND BETTER CONNECT OUR SCHOOL WITH MISSION-CONGRUENT ORGANIZATIONS

Our students are supported by expert teachers across all three campuses. Faculty leverage the unique environment of the Lehigh Valley and beyond to extend learning beyond the classroom In the years ahead, we will strategically build partnerships to enhance the opportunities for students in a systematic and innovative way, through the following:

Establish a core "outreach team" consisting of a small number of key staff/faculty/parents who can drive this effort.

Create a strategic outreach action plan.

Complete an audit of existing and potential new external relationships

Set parameters of the type of strategic partners we seek and for what programmatic purposes

Cultivate opportunities for building authentic relationships so that students develop communication and leadership skills, cultural competence, understanding and empathy

Create an integrated curriculum that develops and fosters students’ sense of responsibility and joy in contributing to the local community.

SWAIN

HISTORIC