PLAN GOALS & STRATEGIES

2020+ STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS & STRATEGIES

The three goals and strategies that comprise the 2020+ Strategic Plan are described on the following three pages. The descriptions include the goal statement, the goal rationale, the strategies and the task force members.

Members of the Goal 1 task force:

GOAL 1 LEADERSHIP, GOVERNANCE & SUCCESSION

GOAL STATEMENT: Ensure that St. Agnes Academy achieves its vision through a strategically engaged, diverse Board of Directors and administration, with an effective leadership structure, including plans for succession and transition.

Rationale: To achieve our mission and fulfill our vision, St. Agnes Academy must have a strong leadership team and a sound governance structure in place. The team believes there will be significant change over the 2020+ Strategic Plan period, including but not limited to Head of School succession, administrative personnel transition/ onboarding, Houston Dominican sponsorship shifts, and ongoing board refreshment. After a long period of stable leadership at St. Agnes, the 2020+ Strategic Plan must contemplate and anticipate the need to ensure orderly, effective transitions as they inevitably occur.

STRATEGY 1

Develop and execute a succession and transition plan for the Head of School.

STRATEGY 2

Evaluate the current leadership framework and implement an optimal structure and succession plan to ensure we reach our vision for the future.

STRATEGY 3

Ensure a high-performing, diverse Board of Directors and administration to navigate the shifts in education with an enduring commitment to our Catholic, Dominican values.

STRATEGY 4

Evaluate the roles and responsibilities of the School Board and Foundation Board and consider changes to strengthen the school and foundation.

STRATEGY 5

Collaborate with the Dominican Sisters of Houston to ensure a successful transition to a new model of Dominican sponsorship and governance.

STRATEGY 6

Ensure our Houston Dominican identity is strong through formation of the faculty, staff, Board of Directors, and Foundation Trustees.

2020+ STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS & STRATEGIES

GOAL 2 STUDENT & COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE

GOAL STATEMENT: Cultivate a dynamic school community in a diverse and inclusive environment, where each young woman is well-prepared for college and is provided with a foundation for living a life of faith, compassion, integrity and joy.

Rationale: The mission and vision of St. Agnes Academy are clear – we exist to inspire young women to become confident, bold leaders. We ask our students to live “Veritas,” and we provide transformational experiences to support their personal growth and academic achievement. We believe St. Agnes has a winning formula that is unique and highly relevant to what young women need from a high school education, but we must keep building upon it as trends emerge or shocks such as COVID-19 occur. We have a vibrant, valuable community that we want to engage in our success because we know it takes all of us. Our student and community experiences are fundamental to our offering. The 2020+ Strategic Plan must ensure that our school experience remains compelling for everyone.

STRATEGY 1

Boldly proclaim our Catholic, Dominican values and inspire our students to work for justice and truth.

STRATEGY 2

Build a school culture that promotes inclusion and wellness and prepares the community to tackle the issues of the day.

STRATEGY 3

Attract, support, and retain high-caliber faculty/staff who reflect the diversity of our community.

STRATEGY 4

Prepare our students for life beyond St. Agnes Academy.

STRATEGY 5

Assemble a team to monitor, analyze, and respond to the programmatic and economic impacts of a crisis.

Members of the Goal 2 task force:

Deborah Whalen, Chair

Camille Cash Tammy Orozco Tim Nesser Courtney O’Donnell Orsak ‘06 Carleen Raymond ‘00

2020+ STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS & STRATEGIES

GOAL 3 SUSTAINABILITY & MARKET POSITION

GOAL STATEMENT: Ensure a strong market position, fiscal sustainability, and the philanthropic resources needed that will serve current and future generations.

Rationale: The world of Catholic and independent school education is evolving rapidly due to numerous economic, demographic, and social shifts. Consumers are smarter and more demanding. COVID-19 has introduced new pressures on discretionary services. In the changing Catholic and private high school marketplace, maintaining competitiveness and appeal cannot be taken for granted. Schools need to work harder than ever to demonstrate value. At St. Agnes, the combination of our track record of success, our fiscal discipline, our dedicated community, and our unassailable fundamentals (Houston Dominican values, single-gender environment) puts us in a strong position to weather and, in fact, thrive in the new world of Catholic and independent education. However, long-term success is never assured – it must be earned day-in, dayout. The 2020+ Strategic Plan addresses the strategies and tactics we must take to remain a sustainable, premier high school for girls.

STRATEGY 1

Generate and communicate a unified brand message that clearly conveys the value of a St. Agnes education and ensures St. Agnes Academy’s leading position in the marketplace.

STRATEGY 2

Grow the endowment to serve current and future generations in support of the St. Agnes Academy mission and core values.

STRATEGY 3

Develop and maintain a fiscally responsible budget program that provides financial stability, continuous maintenance and improvement of facilities, and opportunistic investment.

STRATEGY 4

Enhance a philosophic imperative of ensuring financial access and equal opportunity for students.

Members of the Goal 3 task force:

Rob Gaudette, Chair Al Clay Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P. Kellie Kuykendall Greg Schockling Sean O’Donnell Tim Day Robert Sanders Susan GrangerTyler

9000 BELLAIRE BLVD, HOUSTON, TX 77036 PHONE: 713.219.5400 WWW.ST-AGNES.ORG

TACTICS & IMPLEMENTATION

As part of the 2020+ Strategic Planning process, teams of administrators, faculty and staff developed implementation tactics for each strategy. These tactics form the basis for ongoing tracking and monitoring of Plan progress. A list of tactics can be obtained by request.