Lyford Cay International School Strategic Vision

LYFORD CAY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

STRATEGIC VISION

INSPIRE

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CHALLENGE

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TRANSFORM

INSPIRE CHALLENGE TRANSFORM

As the only school in The Bahamas to offer all three IB programs, Lyford Cay International School is the leading school in the region for families who are looking for rigorous academics, critical and creative thinking and a program that nurtures the development of the whole child.

In the past five years, we have experienced success across the complement of annual IB examinations, exceeding worldwide norms and receiving numerous accreditations.

Our student body is diverse and our community represents 24 nationalities. Our enrollment is robust and demand continues to increase. We are operating soundly as our financial model stipulates with tuition revenue fueling the operating budget. Our generous donor base contributes to non-operational initatives that greatly enhance the educational experience of our students. Our committed governance, management and faculty team works cohesively to ensure that we are fulfilling our mission on a daily basis.

LCIS has accomplished much growth and success with this leadership and dedication. Now, it is time to build on our success by enhancing what we already do so that we can capitalize on that momentum and go from good to great. We will be recognized as one of the best schools in the IB America’s region.

Leveraging and recognizing our strengths, our Strategic Planning Committee has crafted a strategic vision that reinforces our mission and guiding principles while acknowledging future opportunities. Over the next six years, this strategic vision will inspire, challenge and transform our students and our school through a thoughtful growth strategy as we integrate the addition of a new secondary school campus for grades 7-12.

OUR VISION Inspiring Excellence

OUR MISSION Lyford Cay International School provides a challenging and transformative education. We empower success by leading students to become lifelong inquiring, principled, caring, critical thinkers.

This vision for our future is not static, but it articulates our priorities as we develop students who are intellectually, physically, emotionally, and ethically successful through exceptional experiences in and out of the classroom.

With this focus and the unwavering support of our community, our future is ambitious and achievable.

We will accomplish this by focusing our energies on excellent teaching, innovative curriculum and programs

and a stimulating environment.

EXCELLENT TEACHING

The single most important factor affecting students’ achievement is the caliber of their teachers. The qualities that make an outstanding teacher-- vision, a sense of purpose, creativity and commitment -- help students discover and fulfill their potential. Therefore, it is essential for teachers to become reflective practitioners to enable them to develop inspirational learning approaches.

Recruit and Retain the Best Staff - We recognize that faculty and staff are a crucial part of LCIS’ success so we will continue attracting and retaining the leading faculty in the region and throughout the world. We will continue to attract the best local teachers through deliberate recruiting plans. We will design compensation packages that remain attractive and competitive.

Professional Development of Faculty - We will continue to commit resources to supporting the ongoing growth and development of our highly educated, talented, and dynamic faculty.

INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM & PROGRAMS

We will continue to ensure that our students receive an exceptional educational experience guided by the IB curriculum and learner profile. We will deliver a systematic curriculum that prioritizes innovation, effectiveness and quality. Students will be challenged and prepared to lead lives of leadership, service, and success in the complex future.

S.T.E.M. > S.T.E.A.M. - We will continue to implement our challenging inquiry-based Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program ultimately preparing our students to solve complex problems in all areas of work and life. Going forward, art and design-thinking will also be integrated into the program as creativity inspires innovation. Experiences with innovation across a variety of disciplines will teach children to adapt to challenges of the future.

Place Based Education - We will cherish and preserve our unique environment. We will take advantage of the unique opportunities and natural environment The Bahamas offers, through rigorous programs in marine science, envrionmental conservation and cultural programming.

We will use the local environment and real world problems to allow students to engage with the curriculum, identify areas of passion for in-depth study and develop a sense of connection to the world and community through service.

Languages - We will continue to develop global citizens by offering multiple languages from the earliest years and adding additional language options.

Arts - We will further expand our comprehensive arts education that draws upon the expertise of classroom teachers and the experiences and resources of professional artists and the local cultural community.

STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT

We will build on our strong foundation to further deliver the mission of the school with excellence as we expand the facilities and resources through sound planning, efficient operations and philanthropic support. We will plan for additional investment in our people, place and programs through extensive business and master planning and fundraising. By having spaces that allow for inspirational teaching and challenging curriculum, student lives will be further transformed.

Inspire Philanthropic Support - We will engage LCIS and community stakeholders in the future vision and impact of our school. With their partnerships, we will raise funds to construct a new secondary school, transform the primary school and develop an endowment that supports ongoing innovation, all while growing our Annual Fund.

Enhance Sports Facilities - We will continue to develop opportunities for world-class training, resources, facilities and competition giving students the opportunity to combine IB academic studies with athletic goals.

Foster a Vibrant, Engaged and Diverse Community - We will continue to sustain and grow a financial-aid program to support Bahamian families of different socioeconomic backgrounds.

We will design a Merit Scholarship Program to draw the top Bahamian students to our school.