Evolving the Strategic Plan: Guardians, Stewards, and Trailblazers

BY BELINDA SNYMAN, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PLANNING

in tRiBute to the late John chuBB, FoRMeR PResident, national association oF indePendent schools (nais).

Revolutions start with a few people who think differently, a few people who are willing to experiment, to try new things. But then, those people share their ideas. It is only when a group of people unite around an idea that movements gain strength.

Greatly inspired by the momentum captured in Year Two and Three of the 2012-2015 Strategic Plan, the Committee is striding ahead to meet the goals set at the beginning of the year. We began by evaluating past accomplishments and successes, revisiting the results from our survey conducted in January of 2015, and incorporating newly-formed goals from the retreat that followed.

For this transition year, we turned to the compass for direction in determining our major initiatives: True North provides inspiration for students to chart their own course and find their individual purpose; West speaks to the “whole child” in the School’s Mission and the Essential Curriculum (character and social/behavioral); East focuses on Global Education and crosscultural competences; and South encompasses each of the disciplines that constitute STEAM— the Sciences, Technology, Engineering (principles of design), the Arts, and Math.

Objectives determined for each of the aforementioned initiatives have enabled us to map the future of Rocky Hill School. There has been an even greater emphasis on individualization and differentiation. In the Lower School, the creation of a developmentally appropriate K-2 academic environment includes best practices of differentiated instruction, allowing students to learn in flexible groups that foster collaboration with peers of the same and different ages, abilities, and interests. STEAM and Project-Based Learning, as well as The Responsive Classroom®, define much of the Lower School learning experience. The Middle School continues to evolve its 1-1 iPad program as well as its distinctive culture guided by Developmental Designs®, (the integration of social and academic learning). The Upper School embodies excellence in education through its student-centered curriculum which includes Harknessbased discussion and Advanced Placement offerings, elective courses, and opportunities for specialization, student-created content, and independent study. Divisional transition and cross-divisional initiatives in both curricular and co-curricular programming have been significantly expanded. Through the incorporation of STEAM and Project-Based Learning, and in partnership with the University of Rhode Island, the National Conservation Service, and Save The Bay, our school continues to leverage its capital and human resources to enhance collaborative teaching and learning.

S

Across the community, in all three divisions, and through the efforts of our school partners, we have expanded our role as the guardians and stewards of our environment by maximizing our bucolic natural setting: the river, waterfront, and Narragansett Bay. The campus celebrates each of the seasons, and in keeping with each, students develop their ecological intelligence by studying and experiencing the Land of Fires Nature Trail, the unique ecosystem of the shoreline, marine life, the Garden Classroom, and engaging in research and restoration. Flik Dining Service shares the community’s goal to foster healthy nutrition and sustainable practices and has added a composting program for kitchen waste, while working with the Lower and Middle Schools to grow produce for inclusion in the daily menu. With a concentrated focus on individual and community health and wellness, a team of pre-K through 12 faculty integrates mindfulness practices into their daily schedules, to promote self-awareness, selfmanagement, and overall mental and physical well-being.

The latest iteration of the Diversity program leads with the theme, “Through the Looking-Glass Self:” this year more than ever, our students (and faculty) have posed and answered questions that deeply enhanced their knowledge of themselves and their understanding of their peers. The last couple of years have seen an increase in the diversity of our student body and our targeted efforts to enrich the community through innovative programs and the contributions of the students themselves. Through an appreciation for their individuality, our students strive to promote and model equity, inclusivity, and activism.

Students (and faculty) are afforded the opportunity to follow their passions: we have proudly celebrated a 100% college acceptance for our seniors, musicians who represent the RI State Philharmonic Orchestra, artists who have proudly claimed their Gold and Silver keys in the Scholastic Art awards, and young authors, both published in the school’s literary and arts journal, The Hill and independently, as well as thespians who shine under the tutelage provided by our Trinity Repertory Company partners. An expanded College Counseling program is focused on identifying and nurturing individual passions as students navigate their path to the college that will best match their aspirations. Our Mariner athletes (soccer, field hockey, and cross-country) have been recognized across New England. We also continue to celebrate student leaders who serve as mentors for the younger grades, as community service leaders, and social innovators.

Robotics and creative design continue to light sparks in all three divisions. Fab Lab! (Fabrication Laboratory: unstructured play in a constructive environment) was launched in October of 2015, and is now also part of a new program, Learn, Make and Play, a selection of design-inspired activities for Lower School students and their peers in the local community.

With a lens on evaluating institutional effectiveness and success metrics for the 2015-2016 year, the Strategic Plan Committee is dedicated to identifying, gathering, and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data to better serve our constituents and enhance student experience in all areas of the school. Additionally, the Committee is working to expand the vision for the existing global plan and to establish a separate athletic strategic plan for the year ahead.

As we carry the plan through its natural evolution, members of the Committee, and indeed the leaders and faculty of the school, are focused on providing vision and guiding transformation as we propel our school into the future. Our collective responsibility is to invest in innovative curricular, leverage the latest academic technology, become more efficient and ecologically active, and seek to establish our place in the greater international community. v