TOWER HILL SCHOOL
STRATEGIC PLAN
PROGRESS REPORT SPRING 2018
STEM activities are integrated into Tower Hill’s curriculum from the earliest grades, embracing age-appropriate technology.
A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH TO REACHING NEW HEIGHTS
Following dynamic dialogue across constituencies, Tower Hill’s Strategic Plan was approved by the Board of Trustees in May 2017. This collective vision honors a longstanding tradition of academic excellence and challenges Tower Hill to be bold in ensuring an exhilarating, timeless educational experience. Faculty and students participated in the strategic planning process, and thanks to their agility, intellects and creativity, the school has made significant progress in bringing the plan to life over the past year. This report outlines recent areas of
progress within each of the plan’s three overarching goals. For the full text of the plan and ongoing updates, visit towerhill.org/strategy. Implementation of Tower Hill’s Strategic Plan continues to be a school-wide, multiyear undertaking. As 2018-2019 marks our 100th year, momentum is building to celebrate Tower Hill’s successes past, present and future. Together, we will reach new heights as a vibrant community of learners and a national leader in independent school education.
Chemistry teacher Dr. Liz Bielinski Brown (Bryn Mawr College, B.A., Yale University, Ph.D.) and fellow faculty members are supported with ongoing professional development opportunities, in order to attract and retain the very best faculty.
Investing in Faculty Goal: Commit to the ongoing development, recognition and support of current faculty as well as a reinvigorated focus on the recruitment process. Recently Tower Hill... Increased the teacher recruitment budget Enlisted specialized recruiters Attended national hiring events Hired more teachers with advanced degrees (80 percent of new hires 2016-2018) Created a Compensation and Benefits Committee with faculty representation Increased teacher compensation and salary bands to meet national benchmarks Committed to more competitive and generous benefits packages Committed to subsidizing 50 percent of graduate school tuition for faculty Doubled our investment in professional development Offered more on-site professional development presentations Enhanced the teacher evaluation process Improved faculty orientation and mentorship Provided more planning and collaboration time
The Tower Hill community shares a commitment to welcoming the best and brightest students.
Building Community Goal: Build and engage a more diverse and inclusive community. Tower Hill students and faculty will be deeply connected to their community, their world and each other. They will view themselves as change-makers and problem-solvers. Together we... Offered school-wide education about diversity and inclusion, including workshops, student-led events and expert speakers for teachers and parents Joined local and international cultural organizations Offered additional support for international students Initiated admission outreach to top students from various socio-economic, religious and cultural backgrounds Increased financial assistance by 24 percent Enhanced communication with prospective families about tuition and affordability Introduced a Season of Service volunteer opportunity for Upper School students Partnered with community organizations to host summer outreach programs and tutoring on campus
Tower Hill’s Global Initiatives Program includes student exchanges with schools in Australia, Scotland and France—to name a few.
Exhilarating Education
Goal: Develop Tower Hill students’ communication, reasoning and leadership skills and prepare them to become active contributors to their communities and the world through an innovative, exhilarating and timeless educational experience. Progress includes...
Expansion of the Student Government Association to offer more leadership opportunities Emphasis on innovative teaching pedagogy to promote collaboration and in-depth learning Creation of the Teaching and Learning Center to optimize student success in academics Shifting to a choice-based classroom in Lower School art for greater creativity and engagement Introduction of the Global Scholar Certificate Program Expanded international exchanges and partnerships A focus on global studies in the Lower School with a new Passport Program Further adoption of self-directed, experiential learning approaches across all grades, culminating in the Upper School Tower Term— an interdisciplinary immersion experience Significant upgrades to the school’s technology infrastructure New field trips that support experiential learning, such New York’s Financial District and a math/physics snow tubing lab Appointment of Director of Environmental Initiatives and Director of Strategic Environmental Stewardship to lead Green Team Investment in computer science
On the Horizon As Tower Hill’s Strategic Plan continues to ensure vision becomes reality, initiatives on the horizon include‌
Investing in Faculty Increasing faculty salary bands from 50th to 75th percentile of national averages and benchmarks Further supporting teachers in earning advanced degrees Establishing endowed chairs, sabbatical and travel stipends to recognize distinguished faculty Creating the Tower Hill Teaching Institute
Pictured above: Tower Day is a new tradition that builds community, calling the entire school together each year in Rockford Park to celebrate spring and Hiller history.
Building Community Increasing commitment to financial assistance as a school of Wilmington and the world Recruiting top students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and hosting an academic outreach program on campus Exploring the creation of an expanded dining commons to enable the strongest academic program, unencumbered by the current space limitations
Exhilarating Education Building an experiential outdoor classroom Expanding opportunities for student internships K-12 curriculum alignment Developing an entrepreneurship program and creating spaces for collaborative learning
2016-2017 Strategic Planning Committee Ben du Pont ‘82, Trustee, P ‘20, ‘24, Co-Chair Julia Stone, P ‘19, ‘23, Co-Chair Jon Abramczyk, Trustee, P ‘15, ‘18 Arturo Bagley, History Teacher Madeleine Bayard ‘97, Rodel Foundation of Delaware Rory Britt ‘18 Louise Conaty ‘17 Sutton Faller, Quintiles, P ‘20, ‘22 Paul Harrell, Delaware Commission on Early Education and the Economy, P ‘94 Dan Hickey, Ed.D., Administrator, P ‘18, ‘22 Eric Johnson, M.D., Trustee, P ‘16, ‘18 Orin S. Kerr, J.D. ‘89, George Washington University Teresa Messmore, Director of Communications and Marketing, P ‘27, ‘29 Lois Miller, Home and School Association, P ‘18, ‘22, ‘25 Anthony Pisapia, Chief Innovation and Information Officer, P ‘25, ‘27, ‘31 Lea Gummey Quimby ‘86, Lower School Teacher, P ‘17, ‘17 David P. Roselle, Ph.D., Trustee, GP ‘19, ‘21 Michelle Shepherd, Chair of the Board of Trustees, P ‘20, ‘22 Elizabeth C. Speers, Head of School, P ‘19 Leslie Sysko, English Department Chair, P ‘21, ‘24 Tim Weymouth, Science Department Chair, P ‘27