STRATEGIC PLAN 2022-2027
To inspire lifelong learning, citizenship, and excellence.
INTRODUCTION This is an incredibly exciting time for Episcopal Collegiate School. Over the past 25 years, Episcopal Collegiate has become a source of pride in Little Rock and one of the landmark institutions of this city. The meteoric rise of our school reflects the dedication of parents, students, faculty, staff, and community leaders that sought to establish a first-inclass educational experience with a commitment to academic and personal excellence, integrity, and service to others. These same constituent groups devoted countless hours, generous resources, and even more heart, to envisioning just how far we can go. In this strategic plan we hold an equally bold vision for our future. Our path forward leverages our strengths and core values, and remains true to our mission. As a center of learning with an Episcopal identity, we welcome members from all faiths and backgrounds, fostering community through the lens of our unifying motto: Respect, Reverence, and Responsibility. These principles are at the forefront of everything we do, with the goal of guiding students toward the kind of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and leadership that will enrich their lives and the lives of others. Our physical plant and location are prime for facilitating partnerships, programs and experiential learning opportunities that enhance student agency and add authenticity and relevance to our curriculum.
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Furthermore, we recognize that in order to best meet the needs of current and future students we must attend to the coherence, alignment, and balance of our overall program. The strategic initiatives embedded in this plan are bold and comprehensive. They address development of an academic program that honors our traditional liberal arts foundation, supports the needs of diverse learners, and challenges students to apply learned knowledge through project-based learning and design thinking. They acknowledge the importance of maintaining vibrant athletic, fine arts, and co-curricular opportunities that complement the academic program. They also promote long-term institutional stability by addressing areas of enrollment management, alumni engagement, campus master planning, and philanthropic support. The strategic initiatives and associated action items are designed for implementation over a five-year period. We are well-poised to continue our growth as the premier independent school in Little Rock and to serve as an educational leader both regionally and nationally. Implementation of this strategic plan will vault Episcopal Collegiate School into its next chapter and ensure that current and future students are best equipped to live principled lives of leadership and service in the evolving world they will soon inherit.
Dr. Jamie Griffin, Head of School
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Joan Strauss, President of the Board of Trustees
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EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE is an independent college preparatory school serving students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade.
OUR MISSION Episcopal Collegiate School prepares students to live principled and fulfilling lives of leadership and service through the pursuit of academic and personal excellence in a challenging and supportive environment.
OUR VISION To inspire lifelong learning, citizenship, and excellence.
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OUR VALUES RESPECT. REVERENCE. RESPONSIBILITY. Rooted in the Episcopal tradition and affirming people of all faiths, Episcopal Collegiate strives to develop in its students a respect for all persons, a reverence of God, and a sense of moral responsibility.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES Through a vibrant student body, rich in diversity, students learn to live and honor the school’s core values of Respect, Reverence, and Responsibility and are inspired to carry those values beyond the school community into their futures. Through the pursuit of excellence in academics, fine arts, and athletics, students develop the skills and understandings essential to leadership, service, and success: • Depth of knowledge in the arts, sciences, and humanities • Strong skills of analysis and expression • Critical, creative, and independent thinking • Intellectual curiosity and joy in learning • Cultural competencies and global understandings • Strength of body, mind, and character • Discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship • Self-awareness and self-efficacy
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Our Educational Philosophy TWO GUIDING PRINCIPLES Episcopal Collegiate School is a dynamic learning environment. Our educational philosophy is guided by two connected principles: a press towards academic achievement and a culture of care and support. Our press towards academic achievement prioritizes engagement in challenging and meaningful work. To maximize student motivation and commitment we promote learning that is intellectually challenging, active, empowering, relevant, and mastery-oriented. We believe that student engagement, commitment, and eventual success are driven by connections and relationships and that student support, in all its forms, is central to outstanding outcomes. Education is fundamentally interpersonal in nature and relationships are at the heart of our work. Together, this powerful combination of press and support inspires us to understand how and why we learn, to apply our knowledge and skills across varied disciplines, to make authentic connections with others and the wider world, and develops intrinsic curiosity and motivation that sustains a lifelong joy of learning.
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EDUCATING THE WHOLE CHILD We educate the whole child: mind, body, and spirit. Our vibrant fine arts, wellness, and athletic programs empower students, instill an appreciation for healthy living, and reinforce the benefits of teamwork and good sportsmanship. Through regular chapel services, religious curriculum, and a shared commitment to Respect, Reverence, and Responsibility, we nurture faithful and compassionate citizenship and leadership.
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THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN BACKGROUND & CONTEXT During the 2021-22 academic year, Episcopal Collegiate School launched a comprehensive strategic planning process. The strategic plan was developed to provide a long-range view of future school priorities created through a highly inclusive and participatory process. A steering committee was formed and focused on research, environmental scans, SWOT analysis, committee exercises, and trends in the independent school and the education sector.
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PROCESS In order to build a base of sound information and to guide the planning process, the school enlisted the assistance of a research and planning firm, Ian Symmonds & Associates. The strategic planning steering committee worked collaboratively through a series of exercises designed to establish priorities based upon the findings of the research. This process culminated in the spring of 2022, with the steering committee developing a small set of priorities for future focus. As strategic priorities were developed, the steering committee expanded upon them to outline specific initiatives, action plans, and a series of sequenced priorities. The following plan outlines these initiatives and associated action plans. Each of these strategic initiatives contains numerous action plans. The initiatives and action plans benefit from having additional implementation details, such as estimated costs and metrics of success, to be further developed in the planning process, and will be utilized as the school moves forward on the execution of the strategic plan. The planning process was completed in October 2022, when the Board of Trustees voted to approve the strategic plan.
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OUR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 1. ENHANCE AND EXPAND OUR ACADEMIC PROGRAM TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF EXCELLENCE: •Inspire a learning culture that is intellectually challenging, empowering, student-centered, and mastery-oriented. •Attract, develop, and retain extraordinary faculty and staff. •Review and update our curriculum to ensure course offerings, instructional strategies, learning activities, and forms of assessment are aligned with our philosophy and researchbased practices employed by the best of higher education and secondary schools. •Develop a coordinated effort to advance our curriculum in areas of computer science and data fluency. •Leverage strategic use of technology as a teaching, learning, and delivery tool. •Increase targeted, individualized academic, social, and emotional skill development for students and faculty in all divisions. •Expand our service and experiential learning schedule and formalize a structured plan for authentic community service.
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2. STRENGTHEN CONNECTIONS WITH OUR CITY, REGIONAL NEIGHBORS AND OUR INDUSTRY THROUGH THOUGHTFUL PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS AND INTEGRATIONS WITH OUR SERVICE AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING: •Establish a center for entrepreneurial leadership and civic engagement. •Develop signature programs in business entrepreneurship and public service, and a capstone experience for fine arts. •Expand and formalize service and experiential learning opportunities across all grade levels. •Develop a nonprofit “institution of emphasis” program to facilitate annual community partnerships and provide a school-wide focus for service learning. •Formalize parent education programs with a strategic focus, and incorporate learning opportunities with school experts and outside partners. •Identify and cultivate a benchmark and aspirant list of comparable institutions across the country to provide greater insight and measure to our institutional progress. •Connect Episcopal Collegiate School more intentionally with peer institutions at the national level for professional development, lens-widening, and idea generation.
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3. ENHANCE AND FORTIFY OUR ATHLETIC AND FINE ARTS PROGRAMS AND OVERALL SCHOOL LIFE BALANCE: •Develop and articulate clarity around our philosophy of balance as it relates to academics, athletics, and the arts. •Evaluate the current physical education program in order to develop a comprehensive, age-appropriate wellness curriculum that emphasizes character and skill development, fosters lifelong health and fitness, and supports the passion of student-athletes. •Foster a school culture that recognizes athletics as an extension of the classroom that contributes to the physical, personal, and social growth of students. •Provide a rich variety of opportunities for students to discover and engage their passions and strengths, in and out of the classroom. •Adopt divisional schedules that align with our educational philosophy and facilitate updated programming and initiatives. •Provide continuing professional development for all faculty and staff related to the social and emotional health of students. •Provide continuing education and opportunities for students to develop emotional intelligence, empathy, and resilience. •Consider alternative options such as unique course intensives, an interim program for internships, travel, and other similar programs.
4. ADVANCE OUR EPISCOPAL TRADITION OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY: •Deepen community understanding of the connection between Episcopal theology and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. •Leverage our unique heritage in the Episcopal tradition to serve as a community hub where people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives can convene to engage in meaningful dialogue and programming. •Enhance outreach efforts and deepen connections with the diverse communities of greater Little Rock. •Strengthen new student and family orientation to foster meaningful relationships with current students and families. 11
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•Evaluate the level of need-based tuition assistance in order to ensure students are able to participate in the full educational program. •Review our curriculum to ensure students are gaining intercultural competency and developing empathy through exploration of multiple perspectives, beliefs, and opinions. •Expand our diversity, accessibility, and inclusion through ongoing professional development and cultural assessment using best practices in our industry.
5. OPTIMIZE OUR ENROLLMENT CONFIGURATION AND EXPAND OUR SERVICE AREAS: •Study and consider developing a transportation system for students throughout greater Little Rock and surrounding communities. •Create and implement an admissions ambassador program utilizing key stakeholders from our community. •Conduct a feasibility study for development of an early childhood program
6. ADVANCE OUR INSTITUTIONAL ASSETS THROUGH PLANNED FACILITIES, PHILANTHROPY, AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: •Design a facilities master plan that supports and integrates into the strategic plan. •Integrate environmental sustainability into new design and facilities projects. •Investigate additional facilities that promote community outreach and involvement. •Implement the next generation of philanthropy, expanding our endowment and nurturing long-term donor relationships. •Create a national alumni network in major urban and cultural centers to better connect our graduates back to their school.
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1701 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, AR 72201 501.372.1194 | episcopalcollegiate.org