Pike School Strategic Plan 2012-2017

“The Pike School seeks to develop within its community a life-long love of learning, respect for others, the joy of physical activity, and a creative spirit. A Pike education is a journey that prepares students to be independent learners and responsible citizens.”

—The Pike School Mission Statement

Building on Success: The Pike School Strategic Plan 2012 - 2017

P

ike’s mission recognizes that a great school is dynamic. The “journey that prepares students to be independent learners and responsible citizens” is always evolving, reflecting our core philosophy and our many years of experience in guiding the growth and development of children, but also considering emerging best practices in education and anticipating the world in which our children will live.

This strategic plan is the product of twelve months of careful assessment and contemplation by our community. The Board of Trustees, Head of School Muddy Waters and the faculty, parents, alumni, outside experts, and other friends of the school have all contributed to this effort. We believe that it provides appropriate focus on a handful of key initiatives that will ensure Pike’s excellence, relevance, and well-being in the years ahead. We look forward to discussing this plan with you.

Andrew Chaban, Chair Board of Trustees

September, 2012

John M. Waters Head of School

Pike Priority One: Teaching and Learning Ensure students are challenged by a dynamic curriculum and innovative teaching practices, enabling them to be confident and agile problem solvers and explorers for life in a changing world.

Pike has a longstanding tradition of excellent teaching that prepares students to be successful in school and life. The challenge that we now face is to ensure students will meet the demands of accelerating change. Pike is beginning to implement researchproven practices that are transforming how we teach. New emphasis is being given to using assessments to track students’ learning and guide instruction. In addition to these practices we need to extend the horizon of our curriculum to prepare children with tools of technology, strategies of problem solving, and knowledge of themselves as learners. What will drive these changes are the skills, talents, and passions of our faculty. We need to emphasize and support their professional growth and spark their ability to innovate.

• Continuously improve school-wide curriculum and teaching practices to engage, challenge, and support all learners • Develop and support a climate of innovation for faculty and students applying the latest pedagogical knowledge and technology, with students as passionate owners of their educational journey • Create a comprehensive and cohesive service learning program that makes “Non Sibi Solum” authentic, practical, and relevant to all Pike community members

Pike Priority Two: Community and Accessibility Build on Pike’s commitment to diversity and strong sense of community so that all students and families are known and feel included While over the past 20 years Pike’s student body has become more diverse, our students and families have grown in new dimensions, including racially, ethnically, religiously, socioeconomically, and in family make-up. This presents a valuable opportunity for our community to embrace this new diversified world, while challenging us to ensure that each individual within our community feels valued and included. To address this, we must expand the diversity of the faculty to more closely represent the diversity of our student population. We must improve our communication model, we must ensure a sense of unity and cohesion throughout the Pike journey.

• Expand cultural and global awareness through school-wide curriculum development • Continue to nurture the needs of our current faculty, students, and families, with particular emphasis on those with cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences • Assure effective transitions and communication at all grade levels for students and families • Provide broad access and availability of a Pike education to an increasingly diverse population • Actively attract, support, and retain outstanding diverse faculty, administrators, and staff

Pike Priority Three: Financial Sustainability Develop a new financial model that ensures Pike’s future while responding to the needs of our community.

There will always be a tension between our hopes and aspirations and the means required to achieve them. It is crucial that we do all we can to be certain that Pike remains an excellent school with the resources to achieve its goal. We must alter our financial model to reduce dependence on tuition dollars and increase revenue from other sources. Increasing our endowment is a key component to sustained excellence over the long term.

• Assess the sustainability of using tuition to finance our long-term goals • Develop new revenue sources for the operating budget • Continue to build a strong Annual Fund and plan for future capital campaign

Pike Priority Four: Marketing and Visibility Enhance Pike’s reputation as a regional leader in elementary education Vigilant parents want value and assurance that our program will give their child measurable benefits. As we build on the competitive advantages of our program, communication within our community and visibility beyond Pike become paramount to our success and to our contribution to the common good. For over 85 years we have relied on our exceptional results to tell our story. That humble approach is no longer enough.

• Develop and execute a multi-pronged strategic marketing plan with local, national, and international outreach elements • Position Pike to serve as a leader in the broader local community and to be a respected partner in the areas of education, public service, and the arts • Allocate more resources to our advancement team that will support their efforts to build the relationships that sustain great schools

Next Steps We are excited by the possibilities built into this plan. In the continuum of Pike School, we believe these to be the next critical steps to strengthening our purpose and results. With our physical plant solidly in place, the time is now to focus on the underpinnings of what will make a Pike education unique in this era of information access and communication. A vibrant, inclusive community with a distinct program of proven excellence and innovation is our goal.

What can you do?

For 87 years, what has enabled Pike to thrive are the ways in which parents extend themselves to strengthen our community and program. This takes many forms from serving on the Parents’ Association to helping us with fund-raising. There are additional ways that families can get involved now to help us reach our goals.

• Read the plan and share your thoughts with us • Attend the state of the school address October 16th that will explain our new five-year plan, “Building on Success” • Learn about new curriculum initiatives by attending parent forums • Be an ambassador for the school. Share the good work being done at Pike with friends and neighbors, and participate in the Open House on November 4th • Support fund raising efforts Over the course of the next five years, the trustees and administration will review our progress annually and seek feedback from the community to ensure that our goals and strategies remain relevant and adjust our plan accordingly. We look forward to working with you to be certain our children are prepared for the exciting future that awaits them.