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M E S S A G E F R O M WILL K ES LER “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm” — RALPH WALDO EMERSON
Beginning in 2015-16: •A focus on getting to the right questions, not always the right answers, in our classrooms •B etter individualized student support from the advisor and the advisory
What follows in this educational plan is the work of dozens of people over
system
fifteen months conducting countless hours of research, listening sessions,
•A more global focus to our curriculum and programs
work groups, interviews, and data analysis sessions to produce Battle
•G reater outreach to our community
Ground Academy’s Strategic Plan. It has been an invigorating endeavor.
•T he development of our marketing and admissions message
As you read through the plan, you may be tempted to see only what is on
These initiatives mark positive changes in the life of the school and portend
the page, and several of the items may read as “obvious,” but as you peruse
great things to come in the months and years ahead. Combine these with the
this document, I would ask that you pay attention to the focus that it brings
long-term scope of this plan, and we have a roadmap for the future of BGA.
to us as a school. Much of this planning process has been about defining
I encourage to you to read the plan, to ask questions, and to continue to be
who we are (and many of those characteristics are already well known), but
engaged ambassadors of our school.
conversely, this document will serve as a guide to show who we are not and allow us to make clearer, mission-driven decisions in the coming years.
Thank you for your support and enthusiasm!
Some of the items may seem unattached to actions, like “increase our participation in the Annual Fund,” but be assured that each of the bullet points here is accompanied by a list of action steps and further planning that help to guide our path forward. That said, I want to mention a few items that have already occurred as a result of this process and a few more that will follow in the next 12 months:
Will Kesler Head of School
Items that have already occurred: •A rticulation of the mission, vision, and core values •T he development of our Entrepreneurial Leadership program •A dditional staff and services in middle and upper school learning support • I ncreased college counseling staff and programming to serve upper and middle school students more thoroughly •S upport for our international student program
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MISSION AND CORE BE L IE F S Our Mission (What We Do) To ignite and nurture student curiosity, intellect, and character.
Vision (Why We Do It) We believe in the transformative power of independent education: “It is our highest aspiration to nurture the intellectual, creative, physical, and moral growth of students while challenging them to explore their individual potentials. Every BGA graduate is unique but carries an indelible experience that equips him or her not only for success in college, but also for living with integrity, courage, and compassion.” — PORTRAIT OF THE BGA GRADUATE
Our Core Values – Shared Principles CHARACTER
•W e are an inclusive and welcoming community that cares for the wellbeing of others. •W e live lives of integrity and nobility as expressed in the school’s Honor Code. •W e believe in moral development and spiritual engagement. SCHOLARSHIP
•W e value innovation and creativity in teaching and learning. •W e inspire in students the love of learning and intellectual curiosity. •W e are dedicated to each individual student’s success and growth. EXCELLENCE
•W e pursue every worthwhile endeavor with passion. •W e celebrate service to others more than our own individual success. •W e strive continually to become the best version of ourselves.
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I: Articulate Our Unique Educational Philosophy •E ngage learners in a creative, inquiry-based learning culture that values questions more than answers. •P rovide a global perspective throughout all learning levels. •N urture student progress both academically and personally. •D evelop highly relational experiences within the school and emphasize the importance of community. •P rovide enthusiastic instruction of the highest caliber in support of vigorous expectations and consistent accountability.
II. Enhance Our Academic & Extracurricular Program •R eview curriculum and instructional strategies through the lens of our enhanced educational philosophy. •D evelop a dynamic college counseling program to aid students in finding the best college fit and to clearly differentiate our program from those in our market. •D evelop robust systems of academic support to enhance students’ academic successes. •R eevaluate, review, and enhance co-curricular and extracurricular programs in order to support more clearly our educational philosophy.
III: Develop a signature Entrepreneurial Leadership program •W ork with current faculty and entrepreneurial experts to establish an innovative and relevant curriculum. •E nsure that the Entrepreneurial Leadership program is open to all students in grades 9-12 and appropriate preparatory experiences occur K-8. •C reate a senior capstone project that culminates in the development of social or commercial entrepreneurial enterprises for the Entrepreneurial Leadership program. •L everage the Entrepreneurial Leadership program to inform instructional practices across the curriculum, focusing on relevance, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving.
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IV: Connect To Our Extended Community •C reate a more connected school by bringing visitors to campus for value-added experiences. •B ecome more brand minded by promoting our identity in the community. •C reate stronger outreach about our school to newcomers to Williamson County. •S trategically position the Head of School at highly visible events and in social and civic groups and clubs throughout Williamson County and surrounding areas. •C reate stronger brand ambassadorship among our stakeholders. •E ffectively communicate our programs of distinction. •D etermine an accurate and compelling marketing message. •E ngage Williamson County beyond the current relationships with parents and alumni.
V: Build a Sustainable Future •M inimize attrition to NAIS national average or below. • I ncrease our applicant pool in all divisions. • I ncrease our participation in the BGA Fund. •C onduct a capital campaign feasibility study in conjunction with the campus master plan. •E xamine and implement alternative sources of revenue that enhance our sustainability. •C onsider new avenues for expansion of enrollment. •P osition the endowment for growth and long-term financial contribution with an emphasis on planned giving. •F ocus on education, cultivation and implementation of fundraising ideas.
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S T R AT E G I C P L A NN IN G P R O C ES S A N D CONTEXT During the 2014-15 school year, Battle Ground Academy launched a 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, environment scans, SWOT analysis (i.e., strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), committee exercises, and trends in both the independent school and education world. 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. A comprehensive research effort was completed, including stakeholder surveys, competitive and educational landscape analysis, market segmentation, and demographic trends. In the winter and spring of 2015, 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 May 2015, 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 immediate priorities. Each of these strategic goals contains several strategic initiatives and numerous action plans. The strategic initiatives and action plans benefit from having additional implementation details, such as costs and metrics of success, recorded 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 August 2015 when the Board of Trustees approved the Strategic Plan.
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Harpeth Campus (K-4): 150 Franklin Road, Franklin, TN 37064 Glen Echo Campus (5-12): 336 Ernest Rice Lane, Franklin, TN 37069 (615) 794-3501 www.battlegroundacademy.org