Trinity School Self-Study 2014

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Table of Contents ­ by Link

Introduction: The School Profile

The Self­Study Process Progress Report Independent School Dashboard: Critical Data for School Improvement Reference Materials to Accompany the Self­Study Sections and Standards Section I: Institutional Core Values, Purpose, and Aspirations 1. Mission Section II: Teaching and Learning 2. Educational Program Section II: Teaching and Learning 3. The Student Learning Experience Section II: Teaching and Learning 4. Faculty and Pedagogy 5. Climate and Community 6. Residential Life 7. Preschool Section III: Financial Sustainability 8. Admissions and Enrollment 9. Finance 10. Advancement 11. Human Resources Section IV: Operations 12. Facilities: Buildings and Grounds 13. Health, Safety, and Wellness Section V: Institutional Stewardship and Leadership 14. Governance 15. Administration Section VI: Institutional Improvement and Sustainability 16. Self­Assessment, Decision­Making, and Change Summary: Self­Study Findings And Conclusions

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Table of Contents ­ by Page Number

Introduction: The School Profile………………………………………………………………….4 The Self­Study Process……………………………………………………………………………7 Progress Report…………………………………………………………………………………....8 Independent School Dashboard: Critical Data for School Improvement……………………..…10 Reference Materials to Accompany the Self­Study……………………………………………...11 Sections and Standards…………………………………………………………………………..12 Section I: Institutional Core Values, Purpose, and Aspirations………………………….12 1.

Mission…………………………………………………………………………...12 Section II: Teaching and Learning……………………………………………………….16 2.

Educational Program……………………………………………………………..16 3.

The Student Learning Experience………………………………………………..25 4.

Faculty and Pedagogy…………………………………………………………....36 5.

Climate and Community………………………………………………………....45 6.

Residential Life (if applicable) ………………………………………………….66 7.

Preschool (if applicable) ………………………………………………………...67 Section III: Financial Sustainability……………………………………………………...72 8.

Admissions and Enrollment……………………………………………………...72 9.

Finance…………………………………………………………………………...80 10.

Advancement…………………………………………………………………….88 Section IV: Operations…………………………………………………………………...94 11.

Human Resources………………………………………………………………..94 12.

Facilities: Buildings and Grounds…………………………………………….....99 13.

Health, Safety, and Wellness…………………………………………………...104 Section V: Institutional Stewardship and Leadership…………………………………..111 14.

Governance……………………………………………………………………..111 15.

Administration………………………………………………………………….119 Section VI: Institutional Improvement and Sustainability……………………………...125 16.

Self­Assessment, Decision­Making, and Change……………………………....125 Summary: Self­Study Findings and Conclusions……………………………………………....133 Future Planning Document……………………………………………………………………..135

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Introduction: The School Profile

The school’s introduction to its self­study is a narrative profile of the school that contains descriptive and identifying information and basic overview data to provide a sense of the school and its context for the Visiting Committee, the CAIS Boards of Standards, and the WASC Commission. The profile should be specific and documentary rather than aspirational. This introduction should be approximately 750 to 1500 words.

The following are intended as prompts to assist the school in writing the introduction, although other information that the school deems important can also be included:

1. Summarize the history of the school, its nature and scope, its founding philosophy, and its current mission.

2. Provide the important basic facts of the school (e.g. location, size of campus, number of students and faculty, leadership structure, etc.).

3. Describe the racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic mix of the student and faculty populations.

4. Provide information on such considerations as local area demographics and parent occupations, if available.

5. Describe the structure and composition of the school’s Board of Trustees.

6. Describe the general financial circumstances of the school.

7. Provide summary information about the faculty.

8. Provide summary information about the alumni/ae.

9. Give examples of any distinctive identifying features of the school.

10. Briefly mention any significant institutional changes that have occurred since the prior accreditation.

11. Add other information that might be useful to help the Visiting Committee understand the school.

The School Profile

Founded in 1961, Trinity School is a co­educational Episcopal day school in Menlo Park, CA that educates preschool through fifth grade students in an atmosphere inspired by Judeo­Christian moral culture in which there is an appreciation for the diversity and values of all religious traditions and beliefs.

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Trinity School Mission Statement

Trinity gives each child a voice.

We guide children to self­discovery.

We celebrate the child’s growth in critical thinking, character development, and social responsibility.

Trinity School encourages Preschool to Grade 5 children from all backgrounds to love learning.

We foster rigorous academics grounded in child­centered content and innovative practices.

Trinity upholds the values and traditions of the Episcopal Church and honors the role of the family in educating children.

The legacy of a Trinity education is a curious mind and a discerning heart.

The Early Childhood Program (ECP), consisting of 32 three and four year­olds, is located at 330 Ravenswood, Menlo Park on the one­acre campus of Trinity Church. The school refers to this location as the “Lower Campus.” The 128 Junior Kindergarten through Grade 5 students attend on the five­acre campus of St. Bede’s Church at 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, “Upper Campus.” The school employs approximately 31 full time equivalent personnel, 24 of whom are instructional and seven are administrative.

Trinity students and personnel generally represent the racial, ethnic, and cultural populations of the surrounding geographic area of Menlo Park, Woodside, Portola Valley, Atherton, and West Redwood City, being primarily Caucasian, Asian, Latino, and mixed race persons, representing a variety of family configurations and religious beliefs. The socioeconomic mix represents families who highly value education and who make the cost of tuition a family priority. Fifteen percent of students receive financial assistance.

Families choosing Trinity School tend to have parents with advanced degrees and to be well established in their professions. About half the families have two working parents. The desire for a holistic education, strong character development, and a safe, comfortable yet motivating environment describe common values that bind the Trinity School community.

The Trinity School Board consists of nineteen trustees. The rectors of the two churches, the Head of School, and the Trinity Parent Organization (TPA) President are ex officio voting trustees.

Each Church names three trustees, and often these are current or past parents. The remaining nine are Trustee at Large and include another head of school, alumni parents, and current parents.

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The School’s finances are strong. Operational expenses are carefully managed to be less than revenue from year to year. The School maintains a reserve equivalent to six months of operation.

The Board designated reserve and the Financial Assistance reserve together functionally equal the amount of debt the School holds as a result of building additions to the Upper Campus in 2008.

Trinity School’s faculty represents an average teaching experience of 7.9 years. Eight full time teachers hold Master’s degrees in an area of education related to his or her teaching. Trinity teachers’ dedication to their students’ well being and academic progress characterizes the high level of good will and collaboration the School enjoys.

Feedback from receiving schools and from parents of Trinity School graduates indicates that, year over year, the School produces students who are well prepared for sixth grade and who contribute positively to their new class cohorts. Trinity School does not have a formal alumni program, although many middle school alumni attend community events.

Hallmarks of a Trinity education are service learning and strong academic preparation that make robust use of technology tools. Later in this report these programs are more fully articulated.

Since its last accreditation renewal, Trinity School’s major accomplishments have included bringing online the new classrooms and learning spaces and fully integrating these facilities into the life of the School. Over the past four years iPads and other technology tools have significantly impacted teachers’ abilities to customize instruction and to expand learning resources for students. Additionally, the School restructured the debt it acquired by the 2008 building project while also building reserves equal to the debt it holds. Another accomplishment the School takes pride in is that with the generous support of our community, the Financial Assistance Endowment grew to the point that the School can provide more than the long­standing 10% of its tuition­related income for Financial Assistance.

The authors of this Self­Study present in the following document a portrait in time of Trinity School evoked by the standards and questions in each chapter. We appreciate the reflections and opportunities for growth that the process provided.

Primary Author: Mary Menacho, Head of School Reviewed/Edited by: Michelle Swenson, Board Chair, Lana Harkness, Academic Dean and Sue Krishna, ECP Site Director and Mentor Teacher

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The Self­Study Process

Steering Committee Members:

Nancy Palmer, Grade 3 Teacher and Steering Committee Coordinator Lana Harkness, Academic Dean Mary Menacho, Head of School Shelley Willig, Admission Director and Community Relations Coordinator

The end of each chapter of the Self­Study lists the names of the people who authored and/or reviewed and edited that section.

The School began the Self­Study process with particular focus on Section II in August 2013.

Faculty worked in groups on each of the chapters over the course of the 2013­14 academic year.

Other sections have used group input, although primarily written by the person specified at the end of the chapter. Once authored, these sections were reviewed and modified with the input of the other persons as listed.

The School takes pride in the depth of dialog and reflection this process has provided and appreciates the collaborative dedication of the participants.

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Progress Report

Trinity School received one Major Recommendation from the 2009 Visiting Committee: ​ That the administration and faculty further refine the curriculum mapping process to include a more detailed master curriculum guide, that includes further scope and sequence grids, that reflect the continuum of skills presented in all subjects from grade to grade. (Self­study sections VIII, XIII; observations; interviews; on­site exhibits)

The School documented its progress on this major recommendation in the 2012 mid­term report that was accepted by the CAIS and WASC Boards. Since that report the School notes further examples of ongoing refinement, documentation, and articulation of the academic program:

● Production of a curriculum guide that provides program overview as well as access to all of the School’s academic standards. This guide can be viewed online in the ​ Reference Materials to Accompany the Self­Study­Trinity School 2014­15​ , item #7. ● Curriculum mapping resources include grade level benchmarks that teachers reference and document in units of instruction. ● Continued training helps parents access the public portions of curriculum maps. ● The use of standards and benchmarks as articulated in the curriculum mapping system was the basis for the revised report cards implemented in the 2014­15 academic year.

The School evaluated its progress on this recommendation by noting the following points. The School reviews curriculum by focusing on a particular area, analyzing the merit and authenticity of standards, benchmarks, and units of instruction within a grade and across grade levels. For the past 18 months, the curriculum review process focus has been on production of the Curriculum Guide, rewriting the report card format, and the Self­Study process.

The School feels it has fully met the intent of the 2009 Major Recommendation, and remains committed to continuous processes of review and adaptation to meet student needs and the School’s mission through the articulation of its educational program.

Action Plans and Analysis: In the 2012 Progress Report the School commented on five completed Action Plans from the 2008 Self­Study and identified two new Action Plans. The results of the two latest Action Plans are presented here.

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● Update Bylaws: This project was completed in 2012 with review and input from the School’s council and the approval of the Board of Trustees, including acceptance of the Bylaw revisions by both Vestries. ● 1:1 iPad Program for Grades 4 and 5: This project was implemented in the fall of 2012 and is currently in its third year. Grade 4 and 5 students use iPads in class and take them home. The purpose of the program is to increase students’ ability to interface with educational resources and to complete assignments with increased motivation as well as depth of understanding. Anecdotal feedback from students, parents, and teachers, the use of apps for differentiation, and the breadth of student demonstration of learning provides evidence that the program is going well. Additionally, the School has extended 1:1 iPads for in­school use to Kindergarten through Grade 3.

Primary Author: Mary Menacho, Head of School Reviewed/Edited by: Lana Harkness, Academic Dean; Sue Krishna, ECP Site Director and Mentor Teacher

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Independent School Dashboard:​ ​ Critical Data for School Improvement

The Dashboard is on the Padlet for ​ Reference Materials to Accompany the Self­Study­Trinity School 2014­15

Click on a displayed item to view it. Once you have clicked on an item, you will see options along the top of the view for different functions, such as downloading or printing if desired. To open in a bigger view, click the "source" button you will see in the lower right corner. Clicking the red X in the top right corner will close the view and return you to the list of documents in this Padlet.

The first item is the Trinity Dashboard 2014. Below it, in order, are the 20 items requested in the Reference Materials of the Self­Study plus a 21st document that outlines the structure of Board Committees.

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Reference Materials to Accompany the Self­Study

Please submit the following documents with the self­study or provide appropriate links to the school’s website where the documents can be easily accessed by the Visiting Committee.

1. Map or sketch of the campus for use by the Visiting Committee 2. Admissions packet, including all forms required for application 3. Brochures, current viewbook, and admissions­related marketing materials 4. Financial aid/tuition assistance information and application forms 5. Student and Parent handbooks 6. School calendar 7. Curriculum guide or overview 8. Faculty/employee handbook 9. Faculty evaluation protocol 10. Evaluation protocol for non­faculty employees 11. List of all administrators, providing name, title, date of appointment, education and degrees earned, and prior professional experience 12. Job descriptions for all administrators and support staff members 13. Audit from the fiscal year preceding the visit (Please submit three official hard copies from the auditor­ two should be mailed to the Visiting Committee Chair and one should be mailed to the CAIS office. ​ This is the only document that needs to be submitted in hard copy.​ ) 14. Current­year budget 15. Most recent monthly operating statement (with comparisons between budgeted and actual amounts) 16. Most recent Annual Report (typically from the Development Office) 17. Copy of school’s current bylaws (noting date of adoption) 18. List of all members of the governing body, noting occupations (and current employers), years of service on the Board, and committee assignments 19. Calendar of meetings for the governing body 20. Summary of the most recent self­evaluation of the governing body

Reference Materials to Accompany the Self­Study­Trinity School 2014­15 The reference materials are accessed by clicking on the respective items listed at the above link.

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Sections and Standards

Section I: Institutional Core Values, Purpose, and Aspirations

1. Mission

A school’s mission statement articulates its core values and purpose. The mission plays an essential role in informing and guiding the school’s vision of education, and it brings coherence and context to all aspects of school life. A strong mission statement is a living document that captures the school’s aspirations, inspires reflection and growth, and resonates with constituents in the school community.

Standard 1: The school has a clearly articulated mission statement, formally adopted by the Board of Trustees, that defines its purpose and core values, and informs all major planning and decision­making.

Indicators of meeting Standard 1: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. The mission statement is a functional document in the life of the school, regularly used as a benchmark in planning and decision­making, thus providing direction and coherence to school operations and growth, as well as a foundation upon which priorities are based.

2. The mission is broadly available and is understood and supported by the constituencies of the school.

3. The mission statement is a force for continuing school improvement.

4. The mission statement is a key component of the school’s marketing, admissions, and hiring activities.

5. There is a policy or practice of periodically reviewing the mission statement for currency and relevance, and there is a process for making changes to it. This process occurs minimally once within each accreditation cycle and includes the active involvement of the Board of Trustees.

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 1: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

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1. The school has a written, published mission statement, formally adopted by the governing board. Yes

Questions:​ ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length. if, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

​ 1. A mission statement is critical to understanding all institutional decision­making with respect to people, program, physical plant, financial resources, community relationships, and other important factors. Accordingly, please provide here the text of the school’s mission statement.

Trinity School Mission Statement

Trinity gives each child a voice.

We guide children to self­discovery.

We celebrate the child’s growth in critical thinking, character development, and social responsibility.

Trinity School encourages Preschool to Grade 5 children from all backgrounds to love learning.

We foster rigorous academics grounded in child­centered content and innovative practices.

Trinity upholds the values and traditions of the Episcopal Church and honors the role of the family in educating children.

The legacy of a Trinity education is a curious mind and a discerning heart.

2. Describe the most recent review of the mission statement and explain why it was or was not changed.

Between January and March 2014, the Board of Trustees reviewed and discussed the mission statement at two board meetings. In the January meeting, trustees signaled strong continuing support for the current mission statement. A potential omission trustees noted was reference to the School’s dedication to innovation in the use of technology and related pedagogies. It was suggested that the Board consider adding the phrase “and innovative practices” to incorporate this concept into the mission statement. The Head discussed the addition of this phrase with parent leaders and the faculty/administration, receiving unanimous agreement. The Board approved the addition of the phrase to the mission statement in March 2014.

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3. Provide two or three specific examples of how the mission statement played a role in major decision or planning since the last self­study.

Example 1: In 2010 and continuing through the present, the School has made a concerted strategic effort to increase enrollment toward its capacity. Part of this work included defining a core value phrase for the School. Discussions among parent groups, faculty groups, student groups, and trustees repeatedly brought forward the last sentence of the mission statement as the core value proposition of Trinity School: “The legacy of a Trinity education is a curious mind and a discerning heart.” Video clips of Grade 5 students talking about what it meant to be a discerning person offered the deciding evidence that the mission statement represented the core values of Trinity School.

Example 2: For the past three years at the Annual Benefit, the special appeal called “Fund a Need” has focused on increasing the Financial Assistance Endowment. The rationale for that appeal stemmed directly from the School’s mission statement as containing the purpose and values the School upholds and wants to extend to as many children as possible. The phrase, “Trinity gives each child a voice,” and the values articulated in the mission statement, resonated with the School community, codifying a shared purpose for children and families.

4. In considering the alignment of the school’s mission statement with the current operations of the school and the compatibility of the components of the mission statement with each other, explain any areas in which there is tension or a lack of alignment or compatibility. What efforts are being made to resolve these issues?

The mission statement continues to accurately uphold the purpose and values of Trinity School.

It represents the program and the quality of community and environment the School embodies.

The components of the mission statement align to represent the School’s core values and commitments. An ongoing challenge is to acquaint potential applicant families with the core values and traditions of the Episcopal Church. The school is committed to helping families understand the phrase, “honoring the role of the family,” especially since there exist varied forms of parent interaction in school communities. We use the School’s website and initial conversations during the admission process to clarify the inclusive nature of the Episcopal Church and to specifically define the role of the family in the Trinity School experience.

5. With respect to the mission, what are the school’s areas of greatest strength, and in what areas would the school like to improve?

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The arc of a Trinity education strongly supports children developing the ability to express their individuality. The emphasis rests on fostering critical thinking, character, and social responsibility at each grade level, and in supporting students in being confident, reflective, and kind members of the community. These are the core skills for which Trinity School is well recognized and respected. The ways in which Grade 5 students reflect on their years at Trinity School during their graduation speeches and in the homily these students provide at the last Eucharist of their fifth grade year bear witness to the fruition of the mission statement in their lives as Trinity students.

Not so much an improvement as a continuing strategic position, the phrase “foster rigorous academics grounded in child­centered content and innovative practices” provides continuing professional dialog as the School fully embraces the opportunities fostered by technology and the School’s commitment to educating children for a dynamic future. Through professional development and exposure to new learning tools and initiatives, the School strives to balance the provision and acquisition of solid academic skills and personal values along with diverse means of learning.

Primary Author: Mary Menacho, Head of School Reviewed/edited by: Michelle Swenson, Board Chair; Lana Harkness, Academic Dean; Sue Krishna, ECP Site Director and Mentor Teacher; Ali Steele, Grade 4 Co­Teacher

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Section II: Teaching and Learning

2. Educational Program

The school’s educational program—its curricular and co­curricular offerings—clearly reflects and embodies the values and purpose articulated in the mission. The faculty and administration take the lead in shaping the program, and it is designed to deeply engage students in helping them to develop the capacities and acquire the knowledge that will prepare them not only for their future education, but also for constructive and fulfilling lives. A successful educational program is the focus of constant assessment and debate, since the students for whom it is designed, as well as the society in which those students live, continue to pose new questions and challenges for learning environments.

Standard 2: Guided by the mission, the school clearly defines its curricular and co­curricular programs and provides coherent documentation of them. The programs are regularly evaluated, updated, and strengthened in order to stay current with relevant educational research, to assure the intended outcomes in student learning, and to prepare students for the next stage of their academic careers.

Indicators of meeting Standard 2: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. The faculty and administration actively engage in an ongoing process of curricular and co­curricular reflection, review, and evaluation across grade levels and subject areas to improve student learning.

2. There is clear evidence of ongoing instructional planning.

3. The curriculum has a coherent and discernable structure that supports student learning and guides faculty decision­making.

4. Instructional resources are appropriate to the needs of the educational program.

5. Faculty and academic administrators regularly undertake professional development activities to keep them current in educational research and best practices bearing on academic program content and design.

6. The curricular and co­curricular programs address the cognitive, social, physical, and creative needs of the students, in accordance with the school’s mission.

7. The curriculum is designed to engage, challenge, and support all learners enrolled at the school.

8. The design and evaluation of the curricular program take into account that the school’s graduates will grow up and live in a world that requires understanding and leadership to 16

successfully address complex multicultural, global, environmental, and technological realities.

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 2: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. The school has a written, published, comprehensive curriculum guide. Yes

2. Secondary school graduation requirements fulfill or exceed the University of California “a through g” entrance requirements. N/A 3. The school calendar specifies a minimum of 175 school days per year (which may include shortened days, in­service days, parent­teacher conference days, and the like). ​ Yes

4. The school securely maintains student performance records (also required for Standard 3).

Yes

Questions:​ ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. Taking into account the future world in which the school sees its students living, describe how the curriculum is informed by that vision.

Trinity School offers a well­balanced, rigorous academic program that prepares students to be inquisitive, life­long learners. From the Early Childhood Program (ECP) through Grade 5, teachers provide a wide variety of learning experiences that help students engage in their learning, understand themselves as learners, and think critically and independently. Small class sizes help teachers differentiate instruction through rotation models, and offer meaningful student choices that heighten motivation, curiosity, and creative thinking. Each student is given opportunities to feel challenged, to develop stamina and resilience, to find success, to make mistakes, to get messy, and to better understand themselves as learners and individuals.

A commitment to character development and service learning curricula underscores the value the School places on community and social responsibility. From the Early Childhood Program (ECP) through Grade 5, teachers use age­appropriate, social emotional programs and consistent classroom practices that contribute to self discovery, positive working relationships, and a 17

commitment to affecting positive change in the community. Every year, students initiate and participate in service learning projects that make a positive impact on our school community, the local community, and the world.

Trinity’s curriculum is informed by students’ need to know how to productively collaborate and effectively communicate with others. Throughout the year, teachers support students in developing the skills needed to work with others through short and long­term projects and activities. From less formal classroom partnerships with peers to collaborations with local and global communities, students learn and practice interpersonal communication skills and public speaking. They are given opportunities and guidance in leadership as well as supporting roles, and they develop empathy and an appreciation for others’ points of view and contributions.

Digital literacy is woven throughout the curriculum, hand in hand with the use of technology in Trinity’s teaching and learning. Teachers strive to use technology in intentional and developmentally appropriate ways, and technology standards at each grade level guide teachers to learning goals. Students use iPads and laptop computers to access resources and information, to create projects and presentations, to communicate and collaborate with each other and our learning community, and to practice core academic skills. Students receive direct instruction and practice in digital citizenship, emphasizing the responsible and discerning use of technology.

Trinity students are well prepared to take on the challenges of an unknown future.

2. Describe and evaluate the rationale, process, and outcomes of the school’s most recent significant curricular changes. How do these changes relate to the school’s mission? To what extent is the curriculum constrained by expectations or demands imposed by the secondary schools or colleges to which the school’s students apply for admission?

There have been three significant curricular changes in the last three years: 1:1 iPads, implementation of the Reading Workshop curriculum (Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, TCRP), and the adoption of two new measures of formative assessment, Children’s Progress Academic Assessment (CPAA) and Measures of Academic Progress (MAP).

First, a 1:1 iPad program was piloted in Grades 2 through 5. Having spent two previous years successfully integrating 5­8 iPads into all classrooms, we decided to implement 1:1 iPads in upper grades and to connect students and teachers to evolutionary steps in differentiation and collaboration. This began in 4th­5th grades and now includes Grades K­3.

In the year leading up to implementation, we formed a dedicated 1:1 iPad committee consisting of the Head of School, the Academic Dean, the Director of Information Technology, the 18

Technology Integrator, the Librarian, and Grade 3­5 teachers. This committee developed expectations appropriate to each grade level, explored and tested numerous applications for grade­specific learning objectives, and retained the ISTE 2007 standards for technology. In the first year of implementation, students received direct instruction in digital citizenship, acceptable use, and began using iPads to access digital resources and to enhance their learning with structured and thoughtful teacher guidance.

Outcomes have included greater student engagement and more dynamic teaching and learning.

Students take greater ownership for their learning and, through differentiation, make a deeper connection to their individual preferences and learning processes.

Secondly, Reading Workshop was adopted in Junior Kindergarten (JK), Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 3. The rationale for this change stemmed from dissatisfaction with the previous literacy program, which did not easily allow for the extent of differentiation teachers typically provide for students, particularly for strong readers who need enrichment and extension. We chose the Reading Workshop curriculum (TCRWP) because of the child­centered nature of this highly adaptable literacy curriculum.

Prior to implementation, some teachers attended Reading Workshop training at Teachers College, Columbia University during the summer. During Summer Institute, our annual in­house professional development session, a Reading Workshop committee was formed which included the Academic Dean, the Librarian, and teachers in Grades JK ­ 3. Leveled text sets were provided for each classroom, and the Librarian worked with teachers to build extensive classroom libraries that supplied the units and genres covered in the curriculum. This committee met twice per month throughout the year to plan and discuss implementation, to determine a set of assessment measures, and to continue gathering resources and ideas. Through committee work, the decision to offer parallel, online programs in targeted reading skills instruction was made. Each class uses a variety of online and print programs to strengthen phonics, comprehension, and fluency skills to complement the reading workshop model.

The outcomes have included greater student engagement in reading and enthusiastic support from families. Student achievement in reading showed appropriate growth and progress. In the second year of implementation, faculty continues to meet regularly to refine and improve our implementation of the Reading Workshop curriculum in hopes of further raising student achievement in this area.

Finally, in recent years we have begun using two significant formative assessments: Children’s Progress Academic Assessment (CPAA) for students in ECP through Grade 2, and Measures of 19

Academic Progress (MAP) for students in Grades 3­5. These assessments were implemented to provide the School with consistent tools to gather data about the academic growth of each student across grade levels. CPAA and MAP are a good fit for the School in that they provide a practice opportunity for taking computerized tests, and the assessments are adaptive, thus providing teachers with timely data about the growth of each student. Prior to implementing these assessments, academic staff met, explored ways to prepare students, designed a protocol for administering the tests, and learned to interpret and apply the data.

Outcomes have included gaining a fuller and more accurate understanding of student growth as well as the use of this information to guide curricular decisions. These assessments are administered three times per year, and performance results are discussed and shared with parents.

The Academic Dean and teachers use data to target specific academic areas of strength and those needing support for the whole class, small groups, or individual students.

These changes capture Trinity’s mission in that we seek to prepare our students for the paths that lay ahead of them, in secondary school, college, and as adults. They emphasize the importance of digital literacy, excellent reading comprehension, a love of learning, and self­knowledge in guiding our students to success.

3. How​ ​ does the school monitor and assess the success of its students once they have graduated?

What does this information reveal about the school’s curriculum, co­curriculum, and the students’ experience of the school?

The School’s understanding of alumni success is largely anecdotal. Through strong relationships with teachers and administrators at receiving middle schools, we learn that Trinity School students are academically well prepared; they possess strong academic habits and problem­solving skills; and, they take responsibility for their learning while practicing self advocacy. Students are well­adjusted socially and show compassion and empathy for their new peers and communities.

Parents of Trinity alumni report that students integrate easily, independently manage their academic studies, and are comfortable with leadership roles. Former students enjoy visiting their alma mater and reporting on their transitions to middle school. They are excited about their new schools and enthusiastic about getting involved in clubs and school­sponsored extra­curricular activities.

Two years ago, when conducting a school self­study facilitated by an external consultant, admissions personnel from local CAIS middle schools corroborated the anecdotal evidence 20

described in the above paragraphs. The schools shared this information candidly with the consultant and with the Trinity community.

This information indicates to us that Trinity School provides a rigorous and well­rounded curriculum that engages, challenges, and fosters a love of learning in each student. Service learning projects and a strong sense of community foster students’ development into empathetic, open­minded, and caring citizens with a proactive mindset. Through strong teacher and family involvement, paired with consistently high expectations, each child is afforded a broad range of challenges and successes, academically and socially. We believe the student experience at Trinity School successfully prepares our alumni for the heightened expectations of middle and high school.

4. What would the school point out as the greatest strengths of its overall educational program (both curricular and co­curricular)?

Trinity School takes a holistic approach to learning and child development and strives to teach to the whole child. Our curriculum includes a strong arts program with music and art classes at every level, and Spanish classes for the Early Childhood Program through Grade 5. Trinity’s program also includes an outdoor classroom curriculum which supports eco­literacy through learning in the garden, on the nature path, and through grade­level, year­long sustainability projects, including energy conservation, composting, and recycling.

Social­emotional learning standards are woven throughout daily work, in class and on the playground. The School uses standards focused on personal and social responsibility which emphasize self­awareness, self­management, social awareness, and collaboration with curricular content. Daily Chapel and weekly religious studies classes provide students the opportunity to reflect and inquire about ethics and morality.

Trinity School is distinct in its ability to differentiate learning for students by content, process, and product at each grade level and in each subject. Small class sizes, a low student­to­teacher ratio, close support from administrative faculty, and rich material resources enable teachers to deliver an engaging, child­centered academic program that meets the needs of all learners.

Trinity’s curricular programs are adaptable to student needs and interests, and teachers regularly employ small group and individualized teaching and learning to challenge and support each student at the appropriate level.

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5. How effective is the curricular program in terms of the stated mission, and how does the school assess and determine ​ this?

The mission states: “Trinity School gives each child a voice. We guide children to self­discovery. We celebrate the child’s growth in critical thinking, character development, and social responsibility.”

We feel the curricular program effectively meets each element of the School’s mission. We make efforts to strike a harmonious balance of strong academics, effective differentiation, creative arts and expression, social­emotional learning, service learning, ecoliteracy, and healthy life choices.

The effectiveness of the curricular program in regard to our mission is the subject of ongoing discussion and evaluation by stakeholders including the Board, faculty, parents, and students.

Effectiveness is formally evaluated by student performance on formative assessments such as Children’s Progress (CPAA), Measures of Academic Performance, (MAP), and the standardized assessment, Educational Record Bureau, (CTP­IV). Consistent evaluation is provided through measures that include a curriculum review cycle, review of curriculum maps, report cards, student projects and presentations, and anecdotal evidence of behavior as well as the emotional tone of School culture. Informal assessment of curricular program effectiveness also includes parent feedback through conferences and surveys, anecdotal information from area middle schools, and recipients of service learning projects.

A cultural value at Trinity School is reflection and commitment to best practices. We consistently match data and performance outcomes against our mission statement to ensure that we are meeting the standards and values that Trinity’s mission invites.

6. Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s co­curricular programs in light of the school’s mission. What evidence did the school use in reaching its conclusions?

Our co­curricular programs (Enrichment Express) encourage students to find and express their voices by exploring a variety of learning content and styles. The School offers several after school co­curricular activities on the upper campus that guide students to self discovery and greater self confidence. Enrichment Express classes typically include cooking, theater, ceramics, hip hop, chess, golf, writing, and Homework Club. Our goal in the Enrichment Express program is to offer complementary programs to the existing curricular program, and to support the special interests of our students.

Each year the School conducts parent interest surveys that direct our selection of Enrichment Express offerings. As an example, the formation of Homework Club was a direct response to 22

parents who wanted students to complete more of their work at school under the guidance of a trained educator. Healthy enrollment in these after school activities indicates to us that they are complementary to the curricular programs and in alignment with the School’s mission and students’ interests.

7. Prioritize and explain the two to five most pressing curricular and/or co­curricular issues that the school needs to address in the near future. If possible, identify strategies that the school might use as it moves ahead with this work.

One of the most immediate curricular issues that we are addressing is how to intentionally integrate technology resources to promote higher order thinking skills without over­using these tools. Our goal is to achieve a balance between “high tech and high touch.” Using technology with purpose requires consistent reflection and refinement from staff. We are working on addressing appropriate technology integration through monthly staff­wide technology meetings led by the Technology Integrator and Director of Information Technology, where we discuss strategies, “screen time,” and the most developmentally and value­added use of these tools.

Focusing on efficacy in meeting student needs, the application of data, and ensuring student engagement continues to lead to an appropriate balance.

A second curricular issue we wish to address in the near future is how to implement more Project Based Learning (PBL) into our current elementary curriculum. Many current units of study and student projects are project­based or have elements of PBL. However, student­led inquiries and lesson/unit pacing that support all students in attaining learning objectives requires time and intentionality. Strategies we will use to move ahead with a more systematic implementation of PBL include: dialog in grade level study groups, professional development supporting the management of PBL in elementary classroom, and/or encouraging PBL implementation through lesson studies conducted by individual teachers. Finally, we will include more performance­based assessments and student­led inquiries as we move through this process.

Trinity’s writing program is a third area we are addressing. In an effort to raise student achievement, we have added new curricular materials: the online ERB Writing Practice Program and, to ensure instructional continuity across grade levels, the text and workbook based Write Source curriculum. In addition, in June 2014, two teachers attended Writing Workshop training at Teachers College, Columbia University and are implementing Writing Workshop in the Kindergarten and Grade 3 classrooms. Ultimately, all teachers will be trained in the process writing approach so that Trinity students receive consistent teaching methodologies across grade levels. Strategies we will use to evaluate and move forward with these changes include closely monitoring student assessments, both summative and formative, and collaborating as a staff to maintain continuity accross grade levels.

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A fourth area we are addressing is the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). We have had a successful and robust science program in the past and the new standards will further enhance our current instructional program. We have identified a process for mapping the standards incrementally so that this does not become an undue burden for the science teacher.

We are also providing professional development and support for the teacher and Academic Dean as this process moves forward. As we move into the second year of adoption, we are pleased with the new level of organization and learning in the science program.

Finally, we continue to address interpretation and visibility for parents, regarding the social and emotional learning that happens daily in each classroom, including the outdoor classroom or playground. As a school, we have adopted standards for social­emotional learning and teachers have created lessons to support the standards. Trinity’s standards clearly provide for social skills learning and emotional regulation. Our students are specifically known in independent middle schools for the acquisition and demonstration of these skills. However, we need to provide more parent education about what and how we teach these skills.

Primary Authors: Nancy Palmer, Self Study Coordinator and Grade 3 Teacher; Lana Harkness, Academic Dean Contributing Authors: Nancy Castaneda, ECP Pine Room Teacher; Bim Cleland, Physical Education and Grade 1 Paraeducator; Linh Fanger, Kindergarten Assistant Teacher; Kathy Hoekenga, Grade 5 Teacher; Joy Jones, Grade 4 Co­Teacher; Caroline Kirkpatrick, Junior Kindergarten Teacher; Sue Krishna, ECP Site Director and Mentor Teacher; Katy Roybal, Technology Integrator; Linda Rutherford, Grade 1 Teacher; Ali Steele, Grade 4 Co­Teacher; Alex Williams, Grade 2 Teacher; Emily Wong, Kindergarten Teacher; Becky Zeren, Librarian

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Section II: Teaching and Learning

3. The Student Learning Experience

Independent schools have historically prided themselves on the individual attention that they are able to provide for each student, and this traditional commitment underscores the critical importance of making each student’s learning experience as positive as possible. To accomplish this, schools need to develop sophisticated understandings of how different students learn, and they need thoughtful assessment systems that yield useful data that can aid teachers and administrators in most effectively shaping the learning environment for students. Only schools that are dedicated and successful in these endeavors will be able to maximize the effectiveness of their carefully crafted educational programs as the students experience them in daily interaction with the faculty.

Standard 3: The school maintains a vigorous and informed focus on the learning of each student. It has policies, expectations, procedures, assessment systems, and student feedback mechanisms that enable it to engage—and maximize the learning potential of—each student.

Indicators of meeting Standard 3: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. The school has a clear published statement that communicates its fundamental beliefs and assumptions about how students best learn, along with an explanation of what those beliefs and assumptions are based upon.

2. The school has developed procedures to help all students understand how they learn and how they can improve their ability to learn.

3. The faculty and administration are attuned to and recognize differences in learning styles, abilities, and approaches among students, including those that may be influenced by such considerations as previous preparation, developed competence, neuropsychological factors, socioeconomic situation, gender, culture, race, and ethnicity.

4. The school has developed a thoughtful, in­depth, and multi­faceted system of student assessment, which compels teachers and administrators to gather and analyze important evidence regarding each student’s learning and to implement strategies that will help each student to reach his or her potential.

5. There are established structures and time allotments for teachers to meet at regularly scheduled intervals and review the achievement and engagement of individual students and groups of students.

6. The school has established procedures to regularly inform parents about student progress.

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7. There is an age­appropriate system in place for counseling students (and, when necessary, parents) regarding academic and social issues.

8. There are established procedures that the school uses to help students who struggle with learning, and there are resources available (within and beyond the school) to the faculty and administration to assist them in identifying and meeting the learning needs of individual students.

9. The school has a process in place to identify students whom it can no longer serve effectively and to counsel them in a supportive way regarding more suitable schooling options.

10. The school has a structured, ongoing process through which it solicits and analyzes the perspectives of students and alumni/ae about their experience of the school, and it uses the information from this process to strengthen the school and improve learning.

11. The school actively strives to create a daily schedule and an annual calendar that allow for students to be productively challenged and engaged, while avoiding structures and practices that lead to unmanageable student workloads and debilitating stress.

12. Students themselves express a high level of enthusiasm for and engagement with their academic work in particular and their school experience in general.

13. Parents generally observe and report that their children have a high level of interest and engagement in learning at the school​ .

14. Age­appropriate opportunities are in place for students to provide feedback on their experience of the teaching and learning environment of the school​ .

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 3: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. The school securely maintains student performance records (also required for Standard 2). ​ Yes

Questions:​ ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. What are the fundamental assumptions or beliefs about how students best learn that guide the school’s work? How are those beliefs enacted in the classroom, and how effective are they in promoting student learning?

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Trinity’s​ fundamental beliefs are embedded in our mission statement which describes the work we do and the learners we strive to create. Our work is grounded in educating the whole child, mind, body, and spirit. To enact these beliefs, the School provides a socially nurturing environment, a child­centered, well­rounded curriculum, and relevant and challenging academic expectations. We seek to lead our students to self confidence, responsible citizenship, a love of learning, and academic achievement.

Trinity is a small school with a closely knit community of families, educators, and students. Due to the purposeful size of our school, each student becomes well known to the community and is welcomed into a safe and comfortable environment for learning. With one class per grade and small class sizes, students and teachers develop warm working relationships that foster positive classroom cultures and a sense of trust, respect, and fellowship on campus.

Trinity School teachers are compassionate, professionally prepared, and dedicated to serving their students. They have a natural affinity for children, and they find pleasure and humor in guiding and teaching the students in their care. They employ social­emotional standards and strategies to create classroom environments where each student feels valued, supported, and capable. This sets the foundation for strong student engagement in his or her own learning process and a dynamic, well­rounded curriculum.

Teachers provide a strong academic program of language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science/garden. Specialist teachers instruct classes in art, music, Spanish, physical education, library, and religious studies that includes chapel skit performance for Grades 3­5. Yearly projects in service learning, sustainability, and diversity are woven through the program and generate greater student participation and collaboration. Our intentionally planned and executed academic program ensures opportunities for all students to explore their interests, make connections, find their own strengths, and appreciate the strengths of their classmates.

The School’s academic program is standards­based. Currently, standards for early childhood education and all elementary subjects except for religious studies have been written or adopted.

The standards provide continuity throughout the grade levels and are formed around broad statements, or “big ideas.” These big ideas not only encompass the necessary content knowledge and basic skills but intend to promote thinking, problem solving, and inquiry. They indicate not only what we want all Trinity students to know and be able to do by the end of Grade 5, but the enduring understandings we want students to carry into middle school, high school, and beyond.

Using standards as a guide, teachers employ the Understanding by Design (UBD) framework for curriculum design, keeping a keen eye trained on who learners are and what they need. All 27

teachers receive professional development in ​ UBD ​ and use assessments to prioritize the next best steps for instruction and differentiation. The School encourages teachers to explore new ideas, methodologies, and resources to engage and support every student. Close administrative support and a team of well­trained paraeducators help teachers in facilitating differentiation, which is supported by small­group instruction, and rotation models supporting blended learning are used frequently and consistently throughout the School, underlining our belief that students excel when they feel understood and supported, regardless of their learning styles, differences, preferences, or needs for extension and enrichment.

The beliefs embedded in ​ Trinity’s​ mission statement are effective in promoting student learning as evidenced in student work and various assessment tools. Throughout the year, teachers use formative and summative assessments to monitor student progress, and administrators use the assessment results reported in the Atlas curriculum mapping system to assess student achievement. The school also uses Children’s Progress, ERB’s, and MAP tests to ensure that all students are making progress towards curriculum goals. These measures of progress signal to us that the School is effective in leading students to reach academic potential and to become life­long learners.

The effectiveness of these beliefs is evidenced anecdotally and frequently remarked upon by parents and visitors to the School. Students are confident, eager to participate and share their ideas, and are generally undaunted by public speaking and leadership roles. Teachers hear from parents that children love coming to School and speak enthusiastically at home about what they are learning. Additionally, ​ Trinity’s​ students are aware of current events and the world we live in, and they are quick to show compassion by initiating prayers in Chapel, collecting for those in need, and participating in whole­school service learning projects. This indicates to us that our nurturing approach and behavioral expectations are effective in shaping responsible, caring, proactive citizens of the world.

2. How do (a) the school calendar, (b) the school schedule, (c) class size, and (d) student­teacher ratio reflect the values that the school holds, and how do they impact the student learning experience?

The School calendar reflects the School’s intention to create an enriching and fulfilling school experience for students and families, and the high value we place on maintaining a strong learning community. The calendar presents exciting annual events, such as the Back to School BBQ, as well as more regular but important times, such as picture day and testing days throughout the year. Families know what to expect, and they look forward to opportunities to connect with the community. Parents share that they and feel enriched by the students’ joyful 28

school spirit.

The School schedule shows the importance placed on offering a healthy array of learning opportunities for students. In addition to consistent time given to core academic subjects like math and language arts, the School provides ample time for learning in specialist classes (“specials”) in dedicated classrooms each day. Most specials take place in the afternoons, and upper grade students have longer class periods as developmentally appropriate.

Small class sizes and low teacher: student ratios (1:7) facilitate differentiation and the warm, intimate learning environment the School strives to create. These conditions allow teachers to nurture each student socially, emotionally, and academically. Students know that they are cared for, supported, and valued.

3. If a team of campus anthropologists were to systematically visit all of the classrooms, labs, studios, athletic fields, and other learning spaces at the school during a normal class day, what typical types of learning activities would they observe the students undertaking? Which of these learning activities would be most common or dominant? To what extent would the students regularly appear to be excited or engaged by their learning? In what ways would these activities be reflective of the school’s mission and assumptions or beliefs about learning?

If a team of campus anthropologists were to visit the School, they would likely observe:

● A small group of students working together on a social studies research project with iPads in the courtyard ● A whole class of students conducting a class meeting, sharing acts of kindness they have observed and ways to deal with conflict on the playground ● A class receiving whole group instruction in comprehension strategies after a Teacher Read Aloud ● An upper grade class reading picture books to students in a lower grade class ● A class of students in science individually designing and building a musical instrument from recycled materials based on what they have learned about sound ● A small, targeted group of students working with a teacher to review a specific math concept, using manipulatives or drawing pictures ● A small group of students working on a service learning presentation on a laptop with help from the Technology Integrator ● A class receiving praise and feedback from the PE teacher after a collaborative game of Chicken in the Coop ● An ECP class discussing a display of their work and reflecting on what they learned 29

● A class in the Library watching a multimedia presentation about traditions from a different culture, handling authentic material from that culture, seeking information from Library resources, and producing oral or written responses ● A whole class working quietly and independently on a writing assignment while the teachers circulate and offer support

The most common learning activity would likely be a small group of students working together, as a team collaborating on problem solving or a project. Depending on the activity, a teacher might be teaching and guiding them as they work, or the group might be working independently after the teacher has set out clear expectations and objectives for the work session. Another common, but more difficult to recognize learning activity, is that students also need time to work and reflect independently. Teachers intentionally provide opportunities to support independent work.

Students appear to be engaged in their learning on a regular, consistent basis. They are excited by the many creative, hands­on, integrated learning activities and projects their teachers plan for them, and they are highly motivated by using technology resources and collaborating with peers.

4. Given the importance of evaluating the school’s practices in educational assessment:

● Describe the discussions occurring in the school about the nature of effective assessment.

How have these discussions informed assessment practices across the grades and/or deepened teachers’ understanding of assessment? ● What specific kinds of evidence have been most useful in assessing engagement and learning? ● How does the school determine the quality of students’ engagement and their growth as learners, particularly given the school’s mission and the objectives of the educational program?

Effective assessment is part of a continuum of discussion and research in weekly grade level meetings, teacher meetings with the Academic Dean, and school­wide meetings, and professional development. Discussions focus on curriculum planning and instruction, and the use authentic assessments to improve and inform them. Through small and large group collaboration, academic staff engage in developing commonality among expectations and vertically aligned standards of performance. Last year, we reviewed and improved upon our quarterly report cards and calibrated the standards to more closely reflect the learning outcomes our students attain.

Three years ago, as a professional development opportunity, we researched and studied formative assessment.

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Consistent evaluation of student engagement and learning is provided through measures that include report cards, student projects and presentations, and anecdotal evidence of behavior and the emotional tone of the School culture. Informal assessment of program effectiveness also includes parent feedback through conferences and surveys, anecdotal information from area middle schools, and the recipients of service learning projects.

The most useful evidence in assessing engagement and learning includes the students’ work presented at our annual Celebration of Learning event, and student performance on formative and summative assessments such as CPAA, MAP, and ERB tests. Trinity School’s Celebration of Learning takes place each spring for two weeks, when every student showcases his or her best and most meaningful work from the year. Students present their work to the School community through plays, presentations, artwork, writing, and cross­curricular projects. Through the variety of work presented and the students’ presentations and reflections on their work, we gain a holistic view of each student’s academic growth and progress as well as social growth and maturity. Additionally, we use achievement and reasoning scores from standardized tests to assess academic growth, comparing scores as students progress through the grade levels.

5. What does the school do to help students understand how they learn, to capitalize on learning strengths and talents, and to address their learning needs and challenges?

As a small school with small class sizes, students become well known to their learning community, and this provides the basis for developing warm, positive working relationships between students and teachers. Paraeducator support further enables teachers to work closely with students in small groups and individually in the classroom and on the playground. As such, the student­teacher relationship becomes the primary vehicle in helping students understand how they learn. Teachers work with individual students to set learning goals, both academic and social, and to scaffold students as they begin to take responsibility for their learning and behavioral choices.

Learning is differentiated and personalized for each student. Teachers guide students in recognizing their strengths, emphasizing the social­emotional objectives embedded in our curriculum. Where appropriate, teachers give students a voice in how to design, manage, and/or execute various assignments and projects throughout the year. In every setting across campus, from Chapel to the playground to the classroom, students have many opportunities to participate, to share their work and ideas, and to feel valued for the unique gifts they each bring to the learning community.

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In addition, the Academic Dean and teachers meet weekly to discuss student achievement. We also have in place “Student Achievement Referral Process” to identify students with learning differences or those who need intervention. When warranted, the team confers with parents to explore areas of academic need and to recommend additional evaluation outside the School. The School provides the names of individuals and organizations who provide these services and asks that evaluation results be shared with the School so that accommodations can be made. After evaluations, a conference with parents, teachers, Academic Dean and therapists is scheduled to discuss implementation. The teacher then has a conversation with the student about accommodations, including why, when, and how using them will help the student reach his or her academic potential. Accommodations and modifications are tracked by teachers.

Finally, in Grades 4 and 5, the Head of School, Academic Dean, Grade 4 and 5 teachers, and parents meet to discuss middle school placement and potential matches for each student. Based on academic achievement and work habits, the student’s unique strengths and interests, and the parents’ vision of their child’s school experience, home and School consider goals for students and potential placement options. Grade 5 students visit and apply to area middle schools. During that time of the year, class discussion and counseling from Grade 5 teachers focuses on finding a comfortable match for each child’s learning style, personal strengths, and preferred learning environment.

6. Explain how technology and library resources are used to enhance teaching and learning.

What commitments or objectives guide decision­making about the use of technology? How does the school evaluate its use of technology and gauge its impact on student learning?

Technology and Library resources are used extensively to enrich Trinity’s curricular program.

Teachers use these resources to integrate curriculum across subjects, to serve different learning styles and needs, and to encourage stronger student engagement.

The School’s Tang Library houses a collection of approximately 16,000 books, and includes seven iPads for student use, an Apple TV, a document camera, and space and materials for crafting, artwork, building, and Legos. The Library is open to students before school and during recesses.

Each class meets weekly with Trinity’s full­time Librarian who collaborates with teachers to create relevant and necessary lessons on topics that support classroom learning. The Librarian also manages classroom collections in ECP and the Book Bag program for ECP students.

Lessons in the Library may include a book talk, a multi­media presentation, craft making, a guest

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speaker, or an emphasis on library skills. Library class always includes a selection of relevant books available for the students to borrow and enjoy. Parent volunteers support Library classes.

Trinity’s teaching practices have been heavily influenced by using technology in the classroom, and our robust technology resources help us meet our commitments to differentiation, to developing engagement and a deep love of learning, and to preparing our students for academic success beyond Trinity School. iPads, laptops, desktop computers, document cameras, Apple TVs, and SmartBoards are used consistently and intentionally throughout the week. Technology standards at each grade level guide teachers in choosing the best tools to use for a variety of lessons, daily practice of skills, and longer­term projects. Examples of technology use enhancing our curricular program include: using iPad apps to create personal narratives, using the mirroring function of iPads and Apple TVs for students to share their in­class practice with their peers, using laptops and limited internet searches to conduct research for social studies reports, and using the SmartBoard and teacher computers to read a story to ECP students via Skype.

In Technology Core meetings led by the Technology Integrator and Director of Information Technology, we regularly track technology use in our programs and evaluate its effectiveness in both teaching and learning. In weekly grade level collaboration and planning meetings, teachers regularly discuss and reflect on best practices and appropriate technology use in teaching young children, working to strike a balance between the developmentally appropriate use of technology and more traditional hands­on learning experiences. The evaluation of technology use, selecting the most valuable online programs and apps, and evaluating their impact on student learning forms the heart of this discussion.

7. ​ What input does the school gather directly from the students themselves, and how is this information used in curricular and other decision­making?

Each year as school begins, teachers intentionally set out to build relationships with students individually and as members of the class. Through team­building activities, student surveys, class projects such as time capsules and personal narratives, and weekly class meetings, teachers and students come to know each other as learners, individuals, and valued members of the community. Teachers are receptive to student preferences and personalities and use student feedback to plan future projects and activities when appropriate and beneficial to student learning. Differentiating by product, by process, and by content ensures that student voice is heard. In weekly grade level team meetings that include the Academic Dean, teachers collaborate and brainstorm adaptations or changes to the current curricular programs that will encourage greater engagement and learning outcomes. Examples of student input informing our curriculum include: project based learning in the ECP program, inquiry based units in science, the 33

implementation of Reading and Writing Workshop, the Grade 5 student project ​ Changemakers​ , and the methods which provide a wide berth for student input and choice.

8. In the past few years, what have alumni/ae generally reported as the most valuable or appealing features of the learning experience, as well as areas that the school should work to improve? Has the school made any changes in response?

Currently, the School does not have in place a formal vehicle or tool for gathering or evaluating alumni feedback. Informally, we have gathered anecdotal information about what has worked well for students. This is an area where further work needs to occur. After completing this Self­Study, we will determine the best communication tools to solicit and analyze information.

9. Based on the responses to the questions above, what does the school conclude are the two or three most important areas that it should address to optimize the student learning experience?

Extend Project Based Learning: As a school, we pride ourselves on “meeting students where they are.” We use a variety of assessments to determine where each child enters any given learning progression, and the support he or she will need to successfully understand the standards presented. We are adept at differentiating the content, the process, and the product based on teacher determination of student need. However, we need to further differentiate by adding more student choice and more negotiated curricular content. Through dialog and professional development, we have explored how content, process, and product can be differentiated by student choice so that students experience more opportunities for designing a project or learning opportunity from inception to completion. To this end, we are studying all of the components of project and problem based learning, refining what we do, and are adding more opportunities to each grade level curriculum.

Communicate Student Accommodations: We do not have a learning specialist or counselor on staff. We continue to refine our Student Achievement Referral process. The School is very deliberate about selecting the students whom we know we can best serve educationally. Through pre­admission testing and parent interviews we choose students whose learning needs and learning differences match the educational program we offer. Students whose performance do not match grade level expectations are identified through a variety of assessments and observations. We use this data to counsel students to obtain further evaluation or to obtain additional support when needed to achieve at appropriate grade levels. This year we are further refining the process to include a regular report to parents of students with educational evaluations. This report reflects the accommodations and modifications provided in the

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classroom. As our population of students with learning differences has grown, we need to continue to explore options to ensure that their needs are being met.

Obtain Alumni Feedback: Create a process for soliciting alumni/ae feedback regarding “appealing features of the learning experience, as well as areas that the School should work to improve”.

Primary Authors: Nancy Palmer, Self Study Coordinator and Grade 3 Teacher; Lana Harkness, Academic Dean Contributing Authors: Nancy Castaneda, ECP Pine Room Teacher; Bim Cleland, Physical Education and Grade 1 Paraeducator; Linh Fanger, Kindergarten Assistant Teacher; Kathy Hoekenga, Grade 5 Teacher; Joy Jones, Grade 4 Co­Teacher; Caroline Kirkpatrick, Junior Kindergarten Teacher; Sue Krishna, ECP Site Director and Mentor Teacher; Katy Roybal, Technology Integrator; Linda Rutherford, Grade 1 Teacher; Ali Steele, Grade 4 Co­Teacher; Alex Williams, Grade 2 Teacher; Emily Wong, Kindergarten Teacher; Becky Zeren, Librarian

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Section II: Teaching and Learning

4. Faculty and Pedagogy

To engage students deeply, cultivating in them both a seriousness of purpose and a delight in learning, is the work of an effective faculty. A school’s core pedagogical values and practices must not only take into careful account the characteristics of the learners and the nature of the subject matter, but also reflect the school’s educational mission. Therefore, the faculty is at the heart of the school’s work. Their competencies and gifts as professionals, their relationships as colleagues, and their human qualities not only shape the learning environment, but also deeply impact the students’ individual experiences in and beyond the classroom. A school’s assessment of and reflection on these critical elements are essential to the vitality and effectiveness of the instructional program.

Standard 4: The school has a clear set of criteria for teacher effectiveness that reflects its mission and pedagogical goals and that informs hiring, professional growth, and evaluation. Through regular assessment of pedagogical effectiveness, which includes student learning outcomes, the school seeks to strengthen teaching and learning.

Indicators of meeting Standard 4: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. Teachers consistently embody the core values, mission, goals and ethos of the school.

2. The educational background, professional experience, and training of faculty members qualify them for the specific teaching responsibilities to which they are assigned.

3. The faculty support and work constructively with each other and the administration in achieving the school’s goals for teaching and learning.

4. Faculty members pursue ongoing personal and professional growth.

5. A regular faculty evaluation process is consistent, well defined, and broadly understood and supported by the faculty.

6. Teachers work collaboratively and actively pursue building positive relationships with their students and other adults in the school community.

7. Faculty members actively engage in the ongoing review of program and pedagogy and in the design and development of innovations and improvements in teaching and learning practices.

8. The school has written, published learning expectations across grade levels and subject areas.

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9. There is thorough, comprehensive, and secure cumulative record­keeping in place for the documentation of student progress.

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 4: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. A process of faculty evaluation is regularly undertaken and documented. ​ Yes

Questions:​ ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. How effectively are faculty members engaged in the process of assessing and improving teaching and learning?

Faculty members engage in assessing and improving teaching and learning through a continuum of collaboration and professional development (PD). Throughout the year, weekly Team Tuesday meetings, weekly grade level study groups, and numerous PD opportunities ensure that teachers and administrators work closely on evaluating teaching and learning at the School. A key element in this work is weekly meetings between teachers and the Academic Dean. They meet to discuss curricular questions, assessment results and differentiation, and the social­emotional needs of students. Curriculum maps are analyzed and refined.

Another key element is that teachers reflect on their own practice, the needs of their students, and curricular content that is relevant and rigorous. Teachers bring forward their own ideas for curricular or school change that positively impacts students learning.

2. Explain the process by which the school determines the qualifications of teachers for the courses they teach. List and explain any faculty assignments that do not align directly with academic preparation. How does the school support faculty with such assignments and ensure their effectiveness?

The School employs classroom teachers who hold a teaching certification and at least two years of experience teaching children. Specialist teachers hold bachelor or master degrees, or degrees 37

in their specialty and or teaching certifications in their subject matter and teaching experience.

When specialist teachers are not certified in their discipline, they are hired based on relevant work experience and professional development. All current teachers meet these requirements.

3. Evaluate how program decisions are made within the school through the involvement of teachers and academic administrators in program planning and decision­making. Assess the process in terms of its effectiveness and its consistency with the philosophy and culture of the school.

Teacher feedback, student performance and assessments, and curriculum maps are the impetus for program changes. A curriculum review cycle guides the evaluation and adoption of new standards and/or new resources for each core curricular content area. Student assessment data is reviewed each trimester, yearly, and over time to determine gaps, overlaps, and successes in the academic program. Data from curriculum maps, from student assessment, and teacher feedback provide critical information in determining program decisions.

During in­service, study group meetings, or during weekly staff meetings, data is discussed and analyzed. Programmatic decisions are then based on the identified strengths and weaknesses of the program. The Head of School and/or Academic Dean consult with faculty members on decisions that will directly impact the faculty or program, and take faculty feedback into consideration in decision making. They also advise faculty of necessary changes they foresee in the School’s future.

4. Given that a school’s values must be embodied by the faculty, what elements of the recruitment, hiring, and orientation processes help to ensure that new teachers will actively embrace the school’s core values, especially with regard to their pedagogical approaches?

As a small school, we value and rely on teamwork and productive working relationships. The hiring process and new teacher orientation reflects this spirit of collaboration and helps to ensure the selected candidate is a strong match for the School. When a new teacher is needed, a committee of teachers and administrators is formed to screen resumes, participate in interviews, and observe potential new hires in teaching demonstrations lessons. Careful listening and observation during interviews and demonstrations helps the committee determine whether candidates share the School’s pedagogical values, which include:

● Teachers having a fundamental affinity for children and the ability to find the lovable in every child ● Teachers having​ professional training and experience of implementing a range of 38

teaching practices and methodologies that enable them to meet and serve the student learning needs represented in the class ● A combination of training and experience in supporting the social­emotional growth in a range of students ● An inclusive world view and commitment to personal and professional growth concerning diversity and related issues

New teachers are invited to visit the school, observe the classroom, and get to know the students and faculty before their employment begins, if mutual schedules permit.

Prior to the start of the school year, new teachers typically meet with the Academic Dean for a three day training. In August, all faculty members attend a two­week, full day professional development session on campus called Summer Institute. During this time, new teachers have the opportunity to learn more about the teaching culture of the School. During a three day Orientation prior to the first day of school, new teachers join all personnel as we review procedures and renew our commitment to the School’s mission. During their first year of teaching, new teachers meet weekly with the Academic Dean and have the support of a mentor teacher to help her or him integrate and have a successful year. Professional development training in technology tools, Understanding by Design, curriculum mapping, and other School systems support for new teacher integration.

5. Evaluate the extent to which a commitment to the school’s values and purpose is broadly shared by the faculty, and explain what happens when this is not the case.

When a teacher is hired but does not perform to the School’s expectations, the Academic Dean confers with the teacher and offers feedback and support. The Head of School, the Academic Dean and the teacher also meet to design a specific plan, including proficiencies that must be met. Professional development, counseling, or coaching, may be offered. Over a set period of time, the teacher and administrators meet regularly to note goal attainment. Every situation is unique and may result in the teacher growing into the requirements or, in some cases, not being re­hired for the next year. If deemed necessary the teacher may be put on administrative leave or terminated.

6. How were the school’s criteria for teacher effectiveness developed, and how well do they support the improvement of teaching?

The criteria for teacher effectiveness were developed over time in response to institutional priorities and best educational practices. There are four standards for teacher effectiveness, 39

including curriculum planning, the ability to teach all students, family engagement and support, and participation in a professional collegial culture. From these standards, the following values and targets have emerged. They include:

● The Trinity Teaching Standards form the basis of individual competence in teaching. ● An ability and desire to collaborate for the common good of the School ● A commitment to lifelong learning and continued professional development ● A commitment to diversity and promoting respect for and appreciation of diversity in our students and on campus ● A professional commitment towards goal setting and achievement

Administrators gauge teacher effectiveness based on the criteria stated above. Lesson Study teams and classroom observations are employed to support teachers, helping them to examine practice and gather feedback and information that can lead to growth and reflection.

7. Assess the quality and effectiveness of the professional development that the school provides for teachers as individuals, as members of departments or divisions, and as a larger group of colleagues.

Teachers are engaged in high quality professional development (PD) throughout the year, individually and as members of the faculty.

In the weeks before the start of school, teachers and administrators attend Summer Institute, an in­house, two week professional development time which sets the tone for working and developing as professionals together. Summer Institute may include team­building activities, visiting speakers, and training for a specific curricular area. In summer of 2014, Summer Institute included the School hosting John Hunter and the World Peace Game. Teachers had the opportunity to observe the World Peace Game in action in the mornings and received training in problem based learning methods from John Hunter in the afternoons.

During the year, teachers regularly attend conferences and workshops held by ASCD, Understanding by Design, and CAIS professional days when offered locally. Six times per year, teachers participate in half­day, in­house professional development sessions based on current curricular needs or institutional initiatives. Two years ago, all teachers and administrators participated in a 10­week course of study in mindfulness, including incorporating mindfulness into classroom practices.

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Individual summer projects, travel, or training that will directly benefit the teacher’s professional growth are strongly encouraged and made possible by the School’s Faculty Venture Grant program. Recent examples of summer professional development conferences and workshops include ISTE conferences, National Endowment for the Humanities and The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History workshops, Reading and Writing Workshop training at Teachers College, Learning and the Brain Summer Institutes, Responsive Classroom workshops, and 1:1 iPad workshops.

In addition, teachers may be granted tuition reimbursement for graduate studies in a relevant field, and many teachers have earned Master’s degrees in education while teaching at the School.

8. Describe and assess the extent to which a culture of collaboration exists for teachers across different grades, disciplines, and divisions and the impact of it on program and student learning.

Collaboration is an integral part of the teaching culture at Trinity School. At weekly Team Tuesday meetings, all teachers and administrators discuss relevant topics and plan upcoming events. Teachers share current classroom projects, new technology resources, and what they have learned from recent professional development conferences or trainings.

Collaboration is focused on curriculum at weekly grade level meetings, which include the Academic Dean, Technology Integrator, Librarian, Science and Garden Teacher, and class teachers, (grouped by grade levels ECP­JK, K­2, and 3­5). Teachers take turns leading the meeting and use this time to present upcoming units of study or projects, to ask questions, to discuss curricular or classroom issues, to share resources, and to receive feedback and support.

Grade level meetings inform teachers about the learning occurring in neighboring classrooms and helps to ensure continuity in academic and behavioral expectations.

Collaborations across grade levels are encouraged and supported by the School. There are two school­wide collaborations that involve most teachers and students.

First, our service learning program, Student Teacher Leadership Team (STLT), is a year­long collaborative effort for teachers and students in Grades 2­5, although all teachers and grades participate. Every two weeks, teachers and a small group of representatives from Grades 2­5 meet during lunch to research, plan, and execute a service learning project led by one of the classes. Students and teachers work in mixed­age groups to conduct research, write letters or emails, make posters, and create Chapel announcements and skits. Students form new friendships and feel united in the pursuit of a common goal. Many students anticipate STLT and report that a particular service learning project was their favorite part of the year.

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Secondly, all grade levels (except Grade 1, who have Chapel Buddies) find great joy in working with a partner class as “Reading Buddies.” Twice monthly, paired classes meet and older students model taking turns, cooperation, good listening, and fluent reading for their younger friends. Teachers collaborate to set expectations for their respective classes and to determine reading, behavioral, and social objectives.

Classroom teachers also collaborate across grade levels and with specialist teachers for projects and activities unique to their classrooms. Two recent collaborations include:

● Each year, Grade 5 meets with Kindergarteners to discuss being kind, fair, and inclusive on the playground. Kindergarteners share their concerns and potential situations of conflict, and classes break into small, mixed­grade groups to write short skits showing cooperation and peaceful conflict resolution. Grade 5 students record the Kindergarteners performing these skits and create short iMovies which are presented to the whole School in Chapel. ● In January, Grades 2 and 3 participate in the annual Trinity School Measurement Olympics. Over four consecutive Fridays, students in mixed­grade teams work on various problem solving and measurement “events,” such as the Cotton Ball Shot­Put and Straw Javelin Throw. At the closing ceremonies, student teams are rewarded with medals for achievement in Cooperation, Leadership, Kindness, Resourcefulness, Teamwork, Tenacity, Organization, and Creativity.

Collaborative activities such as these have a positive, palpable impact on our School program and student learning. They reflect the School’s mission. Strong working relationships among academic personnel model the cooperation and communication skills we seek to develop in our students. Students make connections in sharing their learning with peers and develop empathy and an appreciation for others’ strengths and perspectives. Students develop a positive self­image and feel valued in their community.

9. What are the school’s expectations of all faculty members in addressing the social, emotional, and ethical development of their students? How effectively are these expectations met? How does the school determine this?

The School expects faculty members to address social, emotional, and ethical development with caring and respect for each student. Social­emotional learning and ethics are embedded in our daily School routines and within the standards we teach.

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All students in elementary grades attend morning Chapel, which is based on the Anglican service of Morning Prayer. Students start the school day together as a community. The Chapel Team strives to make the service child­friendly and participatory, including a brief homily or story of ethical instruction, primarily from the Bible, as well as Chapel skits performed by older students on Fridays. The service ends with prayers initiated by students and announcements regarding service learning projects, sustainability initiatives, or other relevant news. All classes have 30 minutes of religious studies during the week, reinforcing weekly themes presented and discussed in Chapel.

At the beginning of the year, teachers lead their classes in developing a set of classroom expectations, or “agreements,” that guide student behavior and reflect the safe and productive classroom culture students prefer. Teachers use a traffic light system to guide student behavior, with developmentally appropriate adaptations and expectations in each class. Teachers speak privately with students who present disruptive or inappropriate behavior and encourage them to reflect on who they are, how they are feeling, and the choices they are making.

All classes conduct regular class meetings that focus on the students’ social­emotional experience, mindfulness, good citizenship, and conflict resolution. Students are able to share their joys, excitement, worries, fears, and questions. Class meetings help to give each student a voice, as well as to reinforce the students’ sense of community and the value of every member’s contribution.

Teachers consider the playground to be another classroom, where social, emotional, and ethical development is manifest. Teachers and paraeducators are on duty during recess and snack/lunch.

The Academic Dean meets regularly with paraeducators to discuss playground issues and to identify students needing support. All faculty are in close communication regarding conflicts and the emotional well­being of students. Teachers and administrators use our online database to communicate and track areas of concern, steps taken, and resolutions.

Teachers use Talk It Out, a conflict resolution curriculum, to help students resolve social issues with peers. At the start of the school year, teachers dedicate class time to reteach and review the Talk It Out program with students. This program teaches students to use a specific set of steps to cool down, to air their grievances, to listen carefully, to work together to arrive at a compromise, and to make a commitment to move on in good faith. Students are comfortable with this program. Teachers mediate these discussions as much or as little as needed.

In 2013, academic faculty worked together to adopt social studies standards which include social­emotional and ethical development, (Personal and Social Responsibility).

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10. Based on the responses to the questions above, what does the school conclude are the two or three most important areas that it should address to maximize faculty effectiveness?

One of the most important areas that we continue to address is working with a unique population of independent school parents. In the past our faculty and staff have meaningful and relevant ways to build parent/school partnerships without compromising the educational program. Our teachers would benefit from tools and knowledge that intentionally research who independent school parents are and the values they hold for their children. We have used NAIS publications as the foundation for critical conversations. We want to further support teacher effectiveness by identifying support resources in this area of development.

We are a school committed to diversity. We continue to engage in dialog and professional development training that support, our knowledge base about all people, their needs, their wants, their similarities and differences. However, while some staff have participated in some areas of diversity professional development, newer staff have not. We need to create a system for ensuring that all staff have opportunities to experience the content that is the foundation of School values, perspectives, and commitment.

Primary Authors: Nancy Palmer, Self Study Coordinator and Grade 3 Teacher; Lana Harkness, Academic Dean Contributing Authors: Nancy Castaneda, ECP Pine Room Teacher; Bim Cleland, Physical Education and Grade 1 Paraeducator; Linh Fanger, Kindergarten Assistant Teacher; Kathy Hoekenga, Grade 5 Teacher; Joy Jones, Grade 4 Co­Teacher; Caroline Kirkpatrick, Junior Kindergarten Teacher; Sue Krishna, ECP Site Director and Mentor Teacher; Katy Roybal, Technology Integrator; Linda Rutherford, Grade 1 Teacher; Ali Steele, Grade 4 Co­Teacher; Alex Williams, Grade 2 Teacher; Emily Wong, Kindergarten Teacher; Becky Zeren, Librarian

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Section II: Teaching and Learning

5. Climate and Community

While every school is built around the core values and purpose in the mission, the capacity to live out that mission depends on the quality of relationships among the people who constitute the school community. The “feeling tone” of a campus—what is often called the climate—reflects the human dimension of school life: the sense of comfort and inclusion, trust and respect, integrity, playfulness, and collaboration that suffuse daily life. School climate can be challenging to measure but is essential to understand because it bears directly on the school’s quality of life and its capacity to implement change.

Standard 5: The school maintains a healthy climate that mirrors the mission. That climate is sustained through highly effective communication and supports the learning and personal growth of each student. It reflects a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and it is evident in the engagement of the school community.

Indicators of meeting Standard 5: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. The school regularly assesses school climate through an inclusive process in order to gauge and improve the health of the community.

2. Faculty­administration communications and relationships are open, comfortable, and productive.

3. In its communications to parents, other school constituencies, and the wider community, the school seeks to ensure understanding of the school’s mission and to inspire loyalty and constructive involvement in the life of the school.

4. Alumni/ae and their parents—as well as other constituencies beyond parents of current students—are actively informed about, appropriately engaged in, and supportive of the school.

5. In the context of its mission, the school actively promotes diversity and equity in its student body, fosters cultural competence in its faculty and staff, and seeks to instill in students an appreciation for and understanding of difference. Students experience the school as a safe, equitable, and inclusive place.

6. The school is committed to identifying and supporting the needs of the full spectrum of its students.

7. Employee morale is high, and employee turnover is low. Student morale is high and attrition low. Students and adults generally enjoy and look forward to coming to school.

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8. Constituents appreciate, understand, and use avenues of communication with the school.

9. Students, staff, and parents are strong advocates of the school and a significant public relations asset.

10. There is an effective process by which families are informed and educated about policies and practices of the school.

11. There is a positive culture of problem­solving and institutional resilience evident in the faculty and administration of the school.

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 5: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. The school has clearly stated policies and expectations regarding the behavior of members of the school community, which are well publicized in handbooks, on websites, or by other means.

Yes

Questions:​ ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. Briefly describe the climate of the school. How does the school assess its climate, and how are members of the community engaged in conversations about the results?

The climate of the School is characterized by a strong sense of communal purpose. Staff members strive to model positive, respectful communication and collaborative relationships for our students. We appreciate a strong tradition of volunteerism, and families have a diverse range of opportunities to participate and feel welcome in the School community. Together, Trinity School staff, students, and parents work as a community built on trusting relationships to bring Trinity’s mission to life.

The School’s climate is assessed through a variety of means, and open, honest communication is encouraged. Teachers gauge the climate of their parent group through parent­teacher conferences by responding within one day to parent emails and arranging a meeting if needed. Teachers also blog consistently about life in the classroom and curricular contents. Twice a year, each parent group meets informally with the Head of School, Academic Dean, and class teacher for a Class 46

Coffee, where the academic program and social­emotional tone of the class is discussed at length. During the annual Learning at Trinity event, parents are invited to a breakfast presentation created by academic staff where one area of the curricular program is presented in depth. From this event the School receives a wealth of feedback regarding School programs, teachers, and student life, in the form of personal conversations, emails, and phone calls. Parent questions, concerns, and feedback are welcomed and addressed.

In addition, parents are regularly surveyed regarding their overall experience at Trinity School.

Their anonymous responses are used by the School to better understand how to serve students and their families. The results of these surveys are shared with parents via Trinity Talk, the weekly school newsletter and in parent­group meetings during the year. The feedback from these surveys has renewed our commitment to open communication, compassionate problem solving, and timely responses.

2. What are the recurring rituals and traditions in the school that feel “sacred” to students and adults? How do they capture or express—and in what ways do they challenge—the school’s identity and core values?

Trinity School enjoys numerous rituals and traditions that help to create a robust and meaningful school life for each family. Several are school wide events, while others are specific to a grade level. The following are representative examples.

● In September, we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi with a Blessing of the Animals Chapel in the beautiful courtyard. Students bring their pets, a photo, or a beloved stuffed animal to be blessed by the chaplain. ● In October, our first service learning project begins with Penny Panic, in which classes excitedly compete to fill their class buckets with the most coins. This project provides funds for several service learning projects throughout the year. ● In December, we celebrate Christmas with the annual Advent Lessons and Carols service, in which all students participate in performing the story of Jesus’ birth in St. Bede’s Church with Grade 5 actors and carolling Junior Kindergarten ­ Grade 4 students. ● At the end of the year, the whole School enjoys an afternoon of outside collaborative games and activities in mixed­age teams on Fun Day. ● Throughout the year, students look forward to participating in the Birthday Book program. ● At Chapel on or near her or his birthday, the student’s class gathers at the front of the Church for a birthday prayer and song. The Librarian presents the Birthday Book chosen by the student which is donated to the Library.

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At each grade level, there are rituals and traditions that become milestones the students look forward to as each year begins.

● The Grade 1 mascot, Timmy the Timberwolf, a stuffed animal, is taken home for sleepovers and photographed with the student at home, adding a personal connection to Grade 1’s unit study on wolves. ● In Grade 3, students begin performing chapel skits on Fridays, alternating with Grade 4 and 5 students. It is a new responsibility students look forward to with nervous anticipation, which supports their learning in reading fluency and public speaking. ● Role playing all of the characters in the case, Grade 5 participates in a mock trial at the San Jose Federal Courthouse presided over by a Federal judge, who is a former Trinity School parent. This culminating activity supports student learning about the justice system. ● An individual or class can be awarded the Blue Marble for demonstrating sustainability stewardship and commitment to reducing our school­wide carbon footprint. ● Each class is responsible for promoting one area of reducing, reusing, repurposing, and/or wasting less. Through student presentations, monitoring, and analysis, we are able to become a greener, more sustainable community.

These rituals reflect the School’s commitment to character development and social responsibility. Such engaging and beloved traditions provide child­centered ways to develop the students’ sensibilities as caring, engaged citizens. They also emphasize Trinity School’s core belief in honoring each child as a unique and valuable member of our community. They capture the School’s identity as a learning community that works together to effect positive change in the world, and gives each child a voice in what that change will be.

3. Every school is a self­renewing community, into which new members—students and adults alike—are continuously invited. Assess the effectiveness with which newer generations enter into, come to embody, and in turn change, the culture of the school?

New families are warmly welcomed and given plentiful opportunities to connect with the School community. Upon enrollment, the School reaches out to new families with invitations to attend School events, where they are paired with parents whose child is in the same or a close grade.

During the summer break, current families reach out to new families, arrange play dates and make themselves available to answer questions and offer support. Also during the summer and into the new year, new families can attend several organized social activities which help them feel comfortable and to facilitate a smooth transition into the School. At the New Family 48

Orientation the day before school begins, personel introduce themselves and welcome each new family. Finally, near the end of the first quarter, the Head of School contacts new families to make sure that they are making connections within the community and feeling comfortable.

4. How effectively does the school engage alumni/ae, grandparents, and others beyond the immediate members of the school community?

Trinity alumni students and families are welcome to come back to Trinity for school events or to simply visit. Alumni often attend events such as the Back­to­School Barbecue, the Advent Lessons and Carols Service, Literacy Nights, Celebration of Learning, Fun Day, and Graduation.

The School stays in contact with alumni informally and celebrates their accomplishments as they move on through life. Several years ago alumni were invited to participate in focus groups and to provide feedback regarding the School’s programs and their experience, at Trinity School.

For many families, grandparents are active, valued participants in the life of the School, and they relish opportunities to attend school events. As part of the annual Celebration of Learning, Grandparents and Special Friends Day welcomes these esteemed adults into the classrooms, where they take part in specially planned activities with their grandchildren and host children and then enjoy brief student presentations over breakfast in Lehman Hall.

Through a wide array of learning activities in the classroom, teachers guide students in becoming active, informed citizens who appreciate and value diversity.​ ​ They engage with their local, national, and international communities in many meaningful and engaging ways:

● In Trinity’s service learning program, students explore problems in the world that concern them and often reach out to service organizations who work to serve in that area.

They typically write emails with teacher guidance. At times they invite local experts to visit the School to speak about the organization’s work. Recent projects have focused on the international community, including an ongoing relationship with an elementary school in Kenya, outreach to a school in Pakistan and another in the Philippines, and educating the School community on child labor throughout the world.

● At the end of the year, the Grade 5 students grant Heart of Trinity awards, $100 raised in Penny Panic and a medal, to service organizations who work in five specific areas of need. After reflecting on Trinity values and the service learning projects they have contributed to during their time at Trinity, students form small groups to research organizations who work in these areas. They vote to determine the recipients of the awards, writing thoughtful and detailed letters explaining why they think the organization 49

is important and expressing recognition and gratitude for the difference the organization’s efforts are making in the world. Considering this is an award given by children from a small, independent school, it is remarkable how many recipients respond with sincere gratitude and, when possible, enthusiastically come to accept their award during Chapel.

● Students collaborate with students at other schools locally and nationally. Every year, students enjoy learning with students from Beechwood School, a charter school in East Menlo Park, and with Menlo School, a nearby independent high school. In both cases, students from these schools visit Trinity to participate in group projects: for History Day, Beechwood students visit the School and spend the day reenacting a variety of activities from Colonial times. Menlo School Japanese language students help translate pen pal letters between Trinity School students and Midori Elementary School, Fukushima, Japan. In recent years, students across the grades have enjoyed writing to pen pals in North Carolina, England, Japan, Kenya, and Taiwan. Finally, students in Grades 3 and 4 have fun learning about children in other states by participating in Mystery State Skype calls.

5. With what diversity­related issues does the school most seriously grapple? How has the school made progress in addressing diversity through the curriculum and in the life of the school?

We are a small school, which presents some issues related to diversity. When prospective parents tour the School as part of the admission process, we hope they see their child’s identity represented. We are careful to represent diversity in our curriculum, marketing materials and any area within our control to demonstrate our value in attracting diverse families, and as a school aspire to represent many forms of diversity.

Our ambitious goal is to develop a student body that reflects the diversity of the wider Bay Area community. We can increase racial, religious, and socioeconomic diversity. Our student body is predominantly Caucasian, coming from financially prosperous homes, and mostly Christian.

Trinity’s​ Admission Director works to attract applications from any family who is a potential match for the School. She educates parents and guardians about the School’s tuition assistance commitment, and its value of enrolling families who add to the diversity of the community. The admission team, including Head of School, Academic Dean, CFO, and Admission Director make special efforts to reach out to and to follow up with families who might enrich the diversity of Trinity’s​ community. For the 2014­2015 school year, these efforts increased the number of applications for assistance and the actual socioeconomic diversity of the School.

Religious diversity in an Episcopal school is a continuous conversation about the nature of faith 50

and spiritual expression. Most students identify as Christian. Daily Chapel, holiday celebrations, and religious studies are integral parts of school life. The School adheres to its Episcopal identity through daily Chapel, service­learning, weekly religious studies class for all grades, and by upholding personal and community values. Families of all faiths or no faith are welcome, and the School community includes Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim families and staff. In Chapel and in classrooms, Trinity’s goal is to encourage respect for shared values and expressions of faith while building understanding. The School uses the holy days of various religious traditions to extend awareness and to create inclusion. These include learning about Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Hanukkah, Ramadan, the Chinese Lunar New Year, Diwali, and celebrating Martin Luther King week.

In recent years, the School’s work on diversity has included a deeper discussion of gender identity, sexual orientation, and differing family structures. This work has included in­house professional development, such as reading selected books, watching videos, attending lectures through the Common Ground Speaker series, and participating in area workshops.

Teachers incorporate diversity themes during the year through daily teaching and concepts embedded in the curriculum. The Tang Library’s collection includes a high percentage of books supporting multicultural literature. ​ Trinity’s​ Librarian is especially passionate about collecting materials that promote an understanding of diversity. The Library’s robust resources help to make visible a great variety of cultures, traditions, religions, lifestyles, and people throughout the school year. Our goal is for every student to see him or herself represented in the life and environment of the School.

Teachers and the Librarian work to include perspective of all relevant peoples and cultures represented in the School community when planning and developing units of study in literature, social studies, and science. Some examples are:

● Grade 2 students learn about early American cultures, including the Cahokia and Taos peoples, in language arts. ● Grade 3 studies the history of our local community and the many peoples and traditions who have influenced, and continue to influence, our culture and daily lives. ● Grade 4 studies the history of California through the lens and perspective of marginalized groups who helped build a culture, a structure, and a strong economy but whose critical contributions still remain largely invisible. ● Grades 4 and 5 work together to study immigration to the U.S. in mixed­grade book clubs in reading/social studies. ● In science classes at every grade level, students learn about biodiversity and the 51

advantages it brings to life in many forms: “diversity” means “different,” and that the more diversity there is, the stronger an ecosystem is.

The School celebrates the diversity of languages families in the School represent. The community includes speakers of Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, various dialects of Hindi, Urdu, German, French, Dutch, Greek, Gaelic, Russian, and Spanish. Teachers invite students, parents, and staff to visit and teach mini­lessons about home languages and cultures, which has recently included Cyrillic, Norwegian, Greek, Mandarin, Japanese, and Turkish as part of language arts and social studies, both in the classrooms and in weekly library time.

6. How do current parents contribute to a positive school climate and strengthen the sense of community on which institutional health depends?

Trinity School Parents’ Association (TPA) promotes, organizes, and supports administration and staff in implementing numerous school­sponsored activities throughout the year. Parents have many choices in their level and manner of participation. These opportunities include Library Volunteer, Guest Readers in Kindergarten, whole school events, driving on field trips, the Parent Ambassador Program, accompanying the Grade 4 and 5 camping trip, serving on Benefit committees, to name some examples. The TPA enjoys good support and participation from School families, although recruiting volunteers and the success therein is the result of diligent work by the TPA Leadership Team.

The TPA also organizes social events for parents and families such as the Moms’ Mixer and Dads’ Night Out. Many families form strong bonds with other families at the School that last for years beyond their time at Trinity School.

7. Provide a recent specific example of healthy, effective communication between faculty and administration regarding a difficult issue. What factors made it successful?

In the spring of 2014, our revered and long­time Chaplain, Marylou Taylor passed away at the age of 90. Chaplain Taylor had taught Religious Studies and led weekly Chapel service for over 25 years at Trinity School. She wrote plays and led children in the weekly Chapel skit and brought joy and excitement to the Blessing of the Animals every year. Chaplain Taylor had been a patient, loving presence for every student since their first day at the School.

Faculty and administration considered the best way to communicate the sad news of Chaplain Taylor’s passing to the student body. We met and discussed the questions and conversations we anticipated, and how to acknowledge and appropriately address the reactions of young students.

We felt an urgency to be prepared to support the students as they processed this great loss.

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Together, faculty and administration brainstormed the most appropriate way to honor Chaplain Taylor’s service to the School. During this difficult time, faculty and administration communicated in an effective way that highlighted our ability to work well as a team. Our overriding concern for the care and well­being of our students further unified us.

8. Reflect on what sustains and strengthens the school’s climate and community and what its vulnerabilities might be. If a group of current constituents set out to undermine the school’s community, how difficult would it be? What steps could be taken to reduce the school’s vulnerability in this area?

The School is a close­knit community of families and faculty. Throughout the year, school­wide events are held that promote less formal, positive interactions and increased communication, as well as a cycle of teacher­parent, teacher­administrator­parent group meetings that increase productive, open communication. For academic staff, there are regular meetings on both 1:1, small­group, and at whole­group levels to maintain awareness of school climate and any situations of concern.

If an issue arises, we discuss the problem openly. Discussions include relevant groups of School staff as well as individual or groups of parents as appropriate. By sharing information and maintaining strong lines of communication, we seek to prevent the ability of others to undermine our community. Because we interact and communicate with such regularity, it would be difficult to destabilize the strong bonds and trusting relationships that are the foundation of our School.

We have found that concerns generating negativity can be brought to light and resolved quickly due to our commitment to open and honest communication.

9. Reflect on a time in the last six years when the climate of the school became significantly challenging. Describe the process used to identify and address the problems that arose.

In the 2012­2013 school year, the School implemented a 1:1 iPad program in Grades 4 and 5.

This decision and the process going forward was announced and outlined in a communication to all concerned families. While this initiative was met with enthusiasm from many families, the School was surprised by the amount of resistance and/or negative feedback from others. It was not difficult to identify this reaction, as parents called, emailed, and approached faculty with their concerns, or reported conversations heard among the parent community. The climate of the School felt tense due to the resistance and mistrust expressed by this constituent group. Because the group was made up of upper grade families, this tension had a negative impact on some families in lower grades, looking ahead at what to expect for their children.

The decision was made to schedule after school meetings and orientations open to all parents, 53

with teachers, administrators, and our Technology Integrator present to openly discuss the program and to address the parents’ concerns. This went far in allaying concerns of too much screen time, less interaction with the teacher, and a perceived potential weakening of the curricular program.

When the school year began and the iPad program was launched, students received direct instruction in digital citizenship and appropriate use. Parents were required to attend an orientation meeting to discuss the expectations and the explicit teaching around iPad use for schoolwork. Both students and parents were required to sign contracts, explicitly restating the guidelines set out by the School before students took the iPads home. Later, as the first term was underway, a survey was sent out to parents to check on the impact and success they thought their student was experiencing with the iPads at home and to solicit further questions and concerns.

This feedback was addressed with individual families or as a class group as needed. Another iPad survey was sent to parents later in the year to check again for concerns. This second survey demonstrated a significant decrease in parent concern as compared to the program launch. Going forward, each year the School leads parents new to the iPad program through a similar orientation process. The program now proceeds smoothly from year to year.

10. Cite concrete examples—a major event, achievement, crises, and/or challenges—where the character of the school community clearly showed itself.

There are three stand­out examples of challenges and achievements where the character of our community showed itself clearly, and of which we are proud.

● In 2013, as the Back to School Barbeque was winding down on Saturday evening, a water pipe in the Tang Library inexplicably broke, flooding the entire Library and offices in the building. Once discovered, a group of faculty, staff, parents, and students immediately began moving thousands of books, expensive electronics and technology tools, and furniture out of harm’s way. They worked past midnight, saving what they could. Our amazing janitorial staff arrived and continued working for over 24 hours. A family who owns a storage company offered their resources, as the School needed to store a tremendous amount of material. The carpet and bookshelves were removed, a few books and some materials were thrown away, and some walls were torn down and replaced.

The next week, the staff and administration needed to move to new quarters, which meant squeezing into the workspaces and offices of others. For some, the only available space was Aerie, the art classroom. As a result, art class was held in classrooms and the 54

Librarian worked with teachers on the best way to continue serving the needs of the students. Everyone at the School had to be flexible and patient, and the whole community worked together in a positive manner until the Library and offices were functional again.

● The School community quickly joins in loving, caring ways when a member of the community has a medical crisis. Parents and faculty quickly form groups to make meals, drive students to activities, and offer help at home. A Trinity student has chronic health problems and, over the years, has been hospitalized a number of times, and for long periods.

During these times, families have generously cared for the children of this family, providing rides, meals, sleepovers, and comfort. Parents generously donated money to help with medical costs. Students, teachers, and staff visited this student regularly in the hospital, and the entire staff made decorations for his room at the hospital. His class kept in contact digitally, sharing personal greetings and stories via the VoiceThread app.

Last year, this student was presented with his own robot, “Robob,” from the Make­A­Wish foundation. Robob is a means for this student to remotely participate in school. He proudly brought Robob to School, and with support from the Technology Integrator and Director, students learned how to communicate through Robob and to guide him around campus. In Chapel, Robob was introduced in a way that took the focus away from the student’s illness, placing it instead on exciting technology.

● The Heart of Trinity Awards are given by graduating Grade 5 students and demonstrate the School's character in very specific ways. In the past, the School awarded the graduates for achievements in academic excellence, leadership, empathy, reading, and citizenship. We no longer do so. Now, it is the students themselves who grant awards to service organizations they admire and respect. The School is very proud of this change and of students’ reflection, wisdom, and representation of the School’s mission and values.

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11.

Take 10 pictures or five 30­second videos that richly convey the climate of the school.

Please submit them with an explanation of how these particular samples were created and why they were chosen.

This picture was taken during our Kindergarten Morning Meeting when the children took turns opening a “snowball” to read the name of a classmate to greet. Developing our class community in Kindergarten is extremely important. We begin each day gathering together as a group to say good morning to one another, to read our morning message and to look at the schedule for the day. This routine is an inclusive and fun way to begin our school day while strengthening and solidifying our relationships and connectedness as a community.

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Listening, singing, dancing and moving to a wide range of music, both in English and in Spanish, give these ECP children the opportunity to tap into their natural talent and joy in music. It introduces them to the Spanish language and the different cultures of Spanish­speaking countries. Understanding basic musical terms, while learning and speaking Spanish vocabulary, can increase the pleasure and appreciation of music and different languages. In addition to music and movement being fun, it contributes to helping children focus, to moderate their body movements, and to be more aware of personal space. Weekly practice of music and language skills builds confidence and self­esteem.

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In Junior Kindergarten we use the scientific method and our problem solving skills to create solutions around the school. Here students work on the early stages of a bridge project to solve a safety issue they discovered on campus: when the water comes, how will students safely cross the stream?

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These Grade 1 students demonstrate the importance of ‘Reading with a Partner’ as part of the Reading Workshop program. We start the year by reviewing the basics of good partner reading, including their favorite phrase, “EEKK!” This stands for elbow­to­elbow, knee­to­knee so that each partner has equal access to both the words and illustrations in the shared book. When we re­designed our learning space this year, the beautiful, blue chair­and­a­half was a perfect addition to this important part of our everyday reading.

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These Grade 2 students learn to measure by...measuring. Across grade levels, teachers are always trying new ideas to help students develop a deeper connection with academic concepts.

Different learning styles impact teachers’ planning and teaching across the curriculum. Some students “do” to learn best. Of course, collaborating with a partner helps too!

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Grade 3 students meet with their Junior Kindergarten (JK) Reading Buddies twice per month to practice reading fluently and to model strong reading habits. Reading easily accessible JK level books bolsters the older students’ confidence and their ability to read with expression. It also reinforces the older students’ position as role models for the younger grades. JK students feel welcome and supported in the new learning environment of the Upper Campus and love having an older friend. This photo captures Trinity School’s spirit of collaboration and emphasis on nurturing the whole child.

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Teachers regularly employ small group teaching stations to challenge and support each student at his or her appropriate level, target teaching specific skills. Here Grade 3 students work together in the courtyard to practice addition in a child­centered, personalized way.

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The Grade 4 students make several presentations throughout the school year. On the first day of school, the Grade 4 students shared ‘About Me’ Keynotes with classmates. The students were video­recorded on their individual iPads and then self­assessed their own presentations. Students track and measure their presentations throughout the year and reflect on individual growth. This photo captures teachers’ spirit of empowering students and giving each child a voice as we encourage and teach Trinity School students to develop and hone presentation skills.

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Community and team building is an important component of life at Trinity School. PE games engage students and require teamwork while encouraging positive relationships, trust, and respect for one another. Students practice physical fitness skills through these organic applications.

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Grade 5 students research heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. Then they meet with their Kindergarten buddies to discuss big ideas and themes, focusing on classroom and recess conflicts and solutions. This helps the students connect the important values they are learning to everyday life and to lead younger children to think about their actions and how to resolve conflicts. The Grade 5 students write, direct, and create short films with Kindergarten actors based on these big ideas. Upon completion, both classes present their films in chapel to celebrate Martin Luther King Day.

Primary Authors: Nancy Palmer, Self Study Coordinator and Grade 3 Teacher; Lana Harkness, Academic Dean Contributing Authors: Nancy Castaneda, ECP Pine Room Teacher; Bim Cleland, Physical Education and Grade 1 Paraeducator; Linh Fanger, Kindergarten Assistant Teacher; Kathy Hoekenga, Grade 5 Teacher; Joy Jones, Grade 4 Co­Teacher; Caroline Kirkpatrick, Junior Kindergarten Teacher; Sue Krishna, ECP Site Director and Mentor Teacher; Katy Roybal, Technology Integrator; Linda Rutherford, Grade 1 Teacher; Ali Steele, Grade 4 Co­Teacher; Alex Williams, Grade 2 Teacher; Emily Wong, Kindergarten Teacher; Becky Zeren, Librarian

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Section II: Teaching and Learning

6. Residential Life

Trinity School does not have a residential life program.

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Section II: Teaching and Learning

7. Preschool

Schools offering preschool programs must commit themselves to providing a high level of care and supervision and to meeting all published state licensing requirements for preschool operations. These licensing requirements address issues specific to the needs of the very young children, and they may include the on­site inspection of facilities by the local regulatory agency.

Preschool programs can play a significant role in implementing an institution’ s educational philosophy, and they can be a crucial element in an overall enrollment management strategy as well. Skilled staffing is integral to the success of any preschool program, and it requires appropriate training combined with caring and patient attitudes.

Standard 7:​ ​ The preschool offers a high quality, developmentally appropriate program that fosters both independence and socialization in a stimulating, safe, and caring environment. The social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of children is supported by a qualified, nurturing early childhood staff.

Indicators of meeting Standard 7: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. Play is a foundational component of the program.

2. Children, parents, and faculty look forward to school each day.

3. The facilities and equipment in the Preschool are clean, safe, and well.

4. Early childhood teachers and staff members are well qualified for their positions, and adult staffing ratios are appropriate.

5. The program is developmentally appropriate and aligned with the mission and philosophy of the school.

6. The program addresses the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical needs of the child 7. Teachers understand and utilize instructional practices that take into account individual and group settings.

8. Teachers engage with children in ways that promote trust and demonstrate their care.

9. The indoor and outdoor environments reflect the developmental needs of each age group.

10. The education and inclusion of parents is an important part of the program.

11. The faculty and administration share information with parents regarding their children’s progress and growth on a regular and ongoing basis.

12. The school provides professional development about best practices, current research, and pedagogy in early childhood education.

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13.

There is a clear policy about admission to the preschool and its relationship to possible matriculation into other school programs.

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 7:​ ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. The preschool is in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations mandated for preschool programs. ​ Yes

2. The faculty and administration share information with parents regarding their children’s progress and growth on a regular and ongoing basis. ​ Yes

3. The school maintains documentation demonstrating that the faculty and staff are qualified for their roles as early childhood educators. ​ Yes 4. All inspections of the site are up­to­date and documented. ​ Yes 5. A parent handbook contains policies and procedures specific to preschool. ​ Yes

Questions:​ ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. Describe the role of the preschool in the overall program of the school, and assess how effective it is in supporting the school’s mission.

The Early Childhood Program (ECP) is the foundation for the whole Trinity community. From wearing uniforms, to introducing the inquiry­based philosophy that is practiced across the grades, the Early Childhood Program aligns with school­wide traditions and pedagogy. A core element of Trinity’s mission is to give each child a voice. This is accomplished by blending the student’s interests with developmentally appropriate key concepts and standards in our emergent curriculum. We support students in the acquisition of social skills through play­based and guided instruction, and by emphasizing the importance of family participation in the child’s education.

The Early Childhood Program involves families by conducting monthly meetings and maintaining a daily blog that makes the child’s day at School available to parents. The affiliation between St. Bede’s Church and Trinity Church upholds the Episcopal traditions between both campuses.​ ​ The ECP program is the bridge between early education and elementary education. It encourages all students to love learning. Trinity School’s ECP is also accredited by the National 68

Association for the Education of Young Children.

2. What are the educational theories and practices that have shaped the current preschool program?

Trinity School Early Childhood Program ​ provides an inquiry­based program founded on constructivist theories and the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which values the child as the center of all learning. To further the intentional, tangible, emergent, and project­based curriculum, the staff at the School has developed a triangular model of instruction:

● An intentionally designed environment fosters curiosity and provokes learning for students and teachers. ● Materials are developmentally appropriate, novel, and support inquiry and creativity. ● The program builds caring and collaborative relationships among and between parents, students, and staff.

Each of these program elements ensure that the School’s mission and philosophy are embedded in student learning.

3. ​ How does the preschool assess and document each child’s growth and development within the program?

The Preschool uses a multimetric system to assess developmental benchmarks established from key concepts and standards for three, four, and five­year old students​ . ​ The benchmarks track development in the following domains: Initiative and Social Relations, Social and Emotional Development, Language and Literacy, Communication Tools, Mathematics Learning and Development, Science, and Music and Movement. Each quarter teachers report student progress on each of the domain areas and share these with parents in conferences or via email.

Teachers conduct formative and summative assessments during small group lessons and short and long­term inquiry projects. Formative assessments include first and foremost, teacher observation and documentation. Children’s Progress, (CPAA) an adaptive online assessment, is also administered three times a year to​ ​ the four and five year old students. This assessment measures competency in language, literacy and math. Student portfolios demonstrate performance­based learning and are shared with parents each quarter, and with a special celebration at the end of the year.

The small group work and inquiry projects are outlined with attached results in Atlas Curriculum 69

Maps.

4 & 5. How does the school assess the quality and developmentally appropriate nature of the program itself? What do the results indicate, and how are they used?

Program quality and developmental appropriateness are measured in a variety of ways. In house, collaborative staff meetings are held bi­weekly. These meetings facilitate dialog and decision making that ranges from topics such as student behavior, potential resources, current research, etc. Curriculum maps provide information about gaps and repetition in the program. Maps are analyzed and updated monthly, and data from the maps inform curricular as well as other program decisions.

Additionally, Trinity Early Childhood Program is licensed by the California Department of Social Services and is also accredited by NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of the Young Child, a leading voice for early childhood education. Two years ago we completed the detailed NAEYC self­study and received full accreditation, confirming that we were in the forefront of early childhood pedagogical practices. As a part of the process, staff, administrators, participating families, and the accrediting team provided input and feedback on the quality of the program.​ ​ The results from all measures indicate that Trinity School Early Childhood Program is a developmentally appropriate and high quality program for three, four, and five­year old children.

6. Evaluate the effectiveness of the communication and collaboration of the preschool staff and faculty with the faculty and staff of other divisions.

Lead Teachers have consistent opportunities to interface with the faculty and administration of the main campus. These communications include the following:

● Team Tuesday: Weekly faculty and administration meetings ● Summer Institute: Two weeks of professional development focused on team building and overall school development ● Orientation: Three consecutive days when all staff meet to launch the new year ● Grade Level Meetings: Focused collaboration on individual classrooms and curriculum ● Phone check­ins/meetings as required ● Other teachers in the preschool team communicate to the faculty of other divisions through Lead Teachers and requested meetings ● Class collaboration determined by request from teacher to teacher

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7. What are the most significant strengths of and challenges for the preschool and its program?

Strengths:

● Qualified professionals provide responsive, relationship­based care and create a stimulating environment for children. ● A well­defined, emergent, and inquiry­based philosophy focuses on children’s holistic development. ● Small teacher/student ratios and flexible routines provide the opportunity to differentiate and assess teaching and learning in the classroom. ● A supportive community with talent and resources shares willingly with the program. ● There is depth and richness of resources and materials through annual budgeting. ● A collaborative environment prevails, where each teacher, student, and parent is valued for who each is and the strengths each brings.

Challenges:

● The proximity of the Preschool to the main campus is one challenge that the faculty and parent community experience. ● Maintaining socioeconomic diversity in our population is a challenge. ● Finding high quality, experienced, and reliable substitute teachers, when required, is also a challenge.

Primary authors: Sue Krishna, ECP Site Director and Mentor Teacher; Nancy Castaneda, Pine Room Teacher; Jenny Nakagawa, ECP Paraeducator; Caroline Kirkpatrick, former Pine Room Teacher and current Junior Kindergarten Teacher Reviewed/edited by: Lana Harkness, Academic Dean; Nancy Palmer, Self­Study Coordinator and Grade 3 Teacher; Mary Menacho, Head of School

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Section III: Financial Sustainability

8. Admissions and Enrollment An admission process, when well conceived, enables a school to attract new members to the student learning community whose talents and personal qualities will enhance the life of the school. The interactions of the admission staff and other school personnel with applicants and their families constitute some of the most direct and important marketing and public relations opportunities available to the school. A thoughtfully designed and effectively implemented admissions and enrollment process is important in conveying the essence of the school and ensuring its long­term sustainability.

Standard 8: The school has published, consistently applied admission and financial aid policies and procedures that demonstrate a commitment to access and diversity in accordance with the school’s mission. The admission process identifies students and families who are well matched to the school’s program and values. Admission practices are mission­driven and designed to support the financial sustainability of the school.

Indicators of meeting Standard 8: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. The school is meeting its targets for enrollment.

2. Student attrition is low.

3. The school has clear, published criteria for the allocation of need­based financial aid (and for other forms of financial aid, if they exist.)

4. Applicant families are provided information that clearly defines the program, communicates the total costs of attending the school, and identifies the school’s expectations of students and families.

5. The school has explicit, published policies with respect to considering applicants who are (a) siblings of currently enrolled students, (b) children of alumni/ae, or (c) children of school employees.

6. Admission personnel are actively involved in marketing and public relations activities that promote the school and generate inquiries and applications.

7. The school has in place admission and financial aid policies and practices that are inviting and welcoming to the broadest possible range of applicant families suited to the mission of the school.

8. The school has published policies regarding diversity that are well understood and that serve as guiding factors in the admission and enrollment program of the school.

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Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 8: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. Admission criteria and information are published and easily accessible to applicant families.

Yes 2. School admission and financial aid policies and practices comply with the CAIS Statement of Fundamental Membership Requirements and the CAIS Code of Ethics (​ www.caisca.org​ ). ​ Yes 3. Admission policies and practices comply with all applicable federal, state and local non­discrimination statutes and regulations. ​ Yes 4. The school has a published non­discrimination policy. ​ Yes

Questions:​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1.​ ​ Analyze and interpret the school’s dashboard data on admission, enrollment, and financial aid. What are the main findings and the chief implications for the school that emerge from examining the data?

Several of the tracked categories in admission have remained relatively steady over the last five admission seasons, including: the number of applications per new student, acceptance rate and yield. Due to the small size of Trinity School (168 students at full enrollment), it is important to understand each year’s story behind the numbers, especially to explain variances between years.

For instance:

● The school’s 2014­15 yield of 74% is 9% higher than the next highest year’s yield, a significant improvement. However the increase in this number was partially due to the eleven applications received between April and August. Ten of these applicants were offered admission, all of whom enrolled, positively skewing the overall number for the season. It is important to note that while the School’s yield increased considerably, the applications per new student were the lowest in five seasons. This lower ratio might indicate that the School’s selectivity was more limited this year, or that the School had a stronger overall applicant pool in the grades with available seats. It is widely believed 73

among Bay Area independent schools that we are receiving a higher percentage of mission­qualified families than in previous years due to the accessibility of information on school websites. For instance, Trinity School provides descriptions of the School’s expectation at each grade level by offering a snapshot of that age student, as well as an example of the teaching in each of the specials classes. From reading about Trinity’s service learning program, parents will appreciate the value placed on understanding a student’s role in the global community. ● When the acceptance rate is high, over 90%, it has meant that we have received applications in the grades with open seats.

The main implications for Trinity School of examining the dashboard data can change dramatically from year to year, given the small size of our School and the relative small size of the applicant pool.

The School’s most consistent admission statistic is its yield of between 60 and 65 percent for four years running, with an anomaly 74% in 2013­14, as explained above. This consistency has provided the admission team with a yield number that is used during committee decision meetings.

2. What data does the school collect and analyze with respect to such considerations as socioeconomic diversity, parental background, ethnic and racial diversity, and other factors relevant to the school’s admission objectives and overall mission? Who analyzes the data, and what has been learned from that analysis?

The School collects the following background information from parents on the admission application: primary language, other languages, ethnic origin, occupation, and religious affiliation. We ask parents who are separated or divorced to describe the child’s home and/or custodial arrangements. The application also includes the following optional question: Trinity School values diversity of all forms. Are there any ways in which your child would contribute to the diversity of the Trinity School community?

The Head of School reviews the admission application prior to meeting with all applicant parents, which allows her to explore real and potential areas of applicant and family diversity.

The Head of School records notes from the parent meeting, which become part of the application file.

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The admission committee considers this diversity information qualitatively in its decision meetings, as it seeks to form diverse classes that reflect the larger communities in which families reside.

3.​ ​ Describe the policies and process by which all admission decisions are made. Who participates and at what level? Evaluate the effectiveness of this process.

Typically admission decisions are made at the beginning of March, after applicants who are part of the standard admission cycle, have completed the application process. Additionally, the School accepts applications on a rolling basis after the March admission season concludes.

Completed admission files are routed for review by the Head of School, Academic Dean and Director of Admission.

A completed file includes the results and feedback from admission activities determined by the grade in which the student is applying. Faculty and staff members contribute to the information gathered in an application file:

● The ECP teachers, Academic Dean, Head of School and Director of Admission record their observations during 30­minute playgroup sessions for ECP 3­4 applicants. ● ECP JK and Kindergarten teachers, Academic Dean, Head of School, Librarian and Director of Admission record observations during 45­minute playgroup sessions for JK and Kindergarten applicants. ● The Head of School, Academic Dean, Librarian and Technology Integrator conduct one­on­one student evaluations using the Missouri Kindergarten Inventory of Developmental Skills (KIDS) assessment for JK and Kindergarten applicants. These evaluators offer notes on their interactions with applicants as part of the evaluation outcomes. ● The Librarian uses sections of the WIAT III to assess students applying to Grades 1 through 5. These results, along with notes on her interaction with the student, are included in the applicant’s file. ● The Head of School conducts a 30­minute interview with the parents of each applicant.

Notes from this meeting are included in the applicant’s file. ● In addition to the above items generated by the School, the admission office requires an evaluation to be completed by a current teacher for students applying to Grades 1 ­ 5. ● Completed admission files are routed for review by the Head of School, Academic Dean and Admission Director.

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This structure of the School’s admission process follows steps typically included in the admission processes of independent schools in the Bay Area. The Admission Director, as a one­person office, is actively involved in the Bay Area Directors of Admission group and its South Bay Region break­out group, Directors of Admission of the South Bay Peninsula. The members of these groups serve as a sounding board in considering solutions for issues as they arise and for gathering information related to admission trends.

Trinity School’s size allows easy and direct communication between the members of the Admission Team, even outside weekly meetings. This culture allows flexibility to make minor adjustments to the process when necessary. Such a change was made this year (2014­15) that relates to our need to understand real and potential learning differences in applicant students. The communication around that instance prompted adding a question to the admission application as well as further intentional dialog about potential learning differences during applicant parent meetings with the Head of School going forward.

The admission process continues to be effective at assessing student and family fit, moving applications through the process internally, and allowing the team to come to consensus for admission decisions.

4. Describe the policies and process by which all financial aid decisions are made. Who participates and at what level? Evaluate the effectiveness of this process.

The School has well established policies for the Financial Aid Program and clear procedures for applying families. There is also a welcoming web page on the School’s website on “Affording Trinity” that outlines the School’s mission to enroll a socioeconomically diverse community of families. ​ Affording Trinity web link

The table on the next page highlights metrics regarding the effectiveness of the Financial Aid Program for the past four years.

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2014­15 est.

2013­14

2012­13

2011­12

Financial aid $ awarded

$458,040

$332,840

$369,350

$325,732

Total tuition revenue

$4,209,900

$4,179,222

$3,892,167

$3,763,271

% of financial aid per tuition $

11%

8.0%

9.5%

8.7%

# of applications

36

26

24

22

# of awards

26

21

21

20

% of award to application

72%

81%

87%

91%

Awards to returning families

17

16

16

20

Awards to new families

9

5

5

0

Enrollment

160

163

155

156

% of students on financial aid

16.25%

13%

13.5%

12.8%

# of awards > 50% <75%

8

not available

not available

not available

# of awards >75%

12

not available

not available

not available

The Financial Aid Committee consists of two members – the Board Chair and an alumni parent, Judge Edward Davila. The School CFO is the staff liaison with the Committee, preparing materials for the Committee’s review and interfacing with the applying families to ensure applications are complete. Because the School community is small, the School is particularly sensitive to the confidentiality of applying families and their financial information. Applicants’ financial information is only shared among the Committee members and the CFO. The Head of School recuses herself from review and decision on financial aid to alleviate any perception of conflict of interest; her grandchildren are enrolled in the School.

During the annual financial aid awards cycle in March, the Committee reviews all Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST) applications thoughtfully, giving full consideration to the information provided by the applying families, plus any unique circumstances (short or long­term) that would affect the family’s ability to pay full tuition. Each application is treated individually and deliberated within its own merits. Additional information, if needed, is requested from families.

The Director of Admission may also be consulted for additional observations, though no family’s financial information is shared with the Admission Director.

The School offers a tuition remission benefit to full time staff and faculty for a child or children enrolled in the School. Remission is 50% of tuition and is not need­based. Staff and faculty can apply for additional financial aid under the Financial Aid Program. These applications are reviewed with the rest of the applicant pool without preferential treatment.

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In addition to the tuition, the Financial Aid Program provides an allowance per student of up to $1,000 per school year to cover additional school expenses. This alleviates the financial barrier for families to fully participate in School events. This allowance is well received by the families in the program.

We believe the Financial Aid Program is effective in supporting the School’s mission to broaden the socioeconomic diversity of Trinity’s student/family community. We have consistently made a positive impact for 10 – 15% of community families by making a Trinity education more affordable. In the 2014 – 15 school year, as a result of implementing the Board approved Financial Assistance Endowment Spending Policy, we were able to increase this impact to 16.25% of the student body with total awards over $450,000 (a 13.7% increase from the prior year). Our experience is that students in the program progress through the School until graduation, thriving with their cohorts socially and academically.

5. Describe and evaluate the financial aid program in terms of funding, long­term sustainability, and how effectively it reflects the school’s values and meets near­ and long­term goals.

As stated in the Financial Aid Program policy, it is the goal of the Board of Trustees to set aside at least 10% of tuition income to fund awards of financial aid. By and large, this funding level has worked well for the School in the past. For the three school years 2011 ­ 14, we awarded 8% to 9.5% of tuition revenue each year as financial aid.

One of the potential challenges of tying the funding directly to tuition revenue is if enrollment fluctuates downward, the School’s ability to fund the existing program could be compressed and its outreach to new families in need could be compromised.

In 2014, the Board approved a policy on spending for the Financial Aid Endowment. The policy allows drawing from the Financial Assistance Endowment at 4% of the trailing 12 quarters’ average of the Endowment’s total asset value, provided that the post­distribution fund value exceeds $1M. Under this policy, the School was able to add $32,000 to the budgeted 10% of tuition financial aid funding pool for 2014­15. This additional funding in extends the scope and depth of the Financial Aid Program.

As we continue our development effort in growing the endowment, our ability to draw on this additional income could play a vital role in mitigating the downside risk of fluctuating enrollment.

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Going forward, Trinity has the following strategic goals to further strengthen the Financial Aid Program:

● Support the School’s enrollment goal to reach full capacity ● Support development efforts in growing the Financial Assistance Endowment. Include the existence of the Financial Assistance Endowment in the Financial Aid Program brochure. ● Develop a stronger outreach program to expand the applicant pool for financial aid students as the Financial Assistance Endowment increases the funding the School is able to provide

Primary authors: Shelley Willig, Admission Director and Community Relations Coordinator; Mo­Lan Chan, CFO Reviewed/edited by: Mary Menacho, Head of School

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Section III: Financial Sustainability

9. Finance

The strategic management of school finances is essential to providing a high quality educational program and to ensuring the long­term fiscal health and sustainability of the institution.

Effective financial management depends on the right combination of professional expertise, well­trained personnel, appropriate policies, internal controls, complete and accurate records, compliance with IRS and other regulations, and a strong sense of fiduciary responsibility on the part of administration and the Board.

Standard 9: The school has an operating budget sufficient to carry out the school’s mission with designated sources of funds to support the school program, plant, operations, and personnel. The school’s finances ensure the long­term sustainability of the institution, and they are regularly reviewed by the Board of Trustees, well managed by a qualified staff, appropriately documented, and compliant with all applicable regulatory and legal financial requirements.

Indicators of meeting Standard 9: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

The school is in general compliance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) (​ http://www.fasb.org/home​ ).

The school has written comprehensive financial policies, including those that address risk management issues.

The school has budget policies and practices that are consistent and well documented, and it has a documented annual operating budget, formally adopted by the Board.

The school has personnel specifically trained in finance, accounting, and non­profit business operations.

The school has regular audits or reviews in compliance with CAIS policies.

The school has a philosophy and practice of compensation that is effective in attracting and retaining qualified personnel.

Tuition, fundraising, and other revenues are sufficient to cover annual operating expenses.

The school has a documented, multi­year financial strategy.

The school has a policy and practice of building financial reserves for long­term facilities needs and unforeseen financial emergencies.

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Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 9: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. The school has an annual audit or review, and an audit in the fiscal year that ends immediately before the year during which the school is to be visited by an accreditation team. Copies of all audits, reviews, and IRS Form 990s are kept on file at the school. ​ Yes. The school is exempt from Form 990 filing as a religious institution.

2. The school’s financial policies and practices comply with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations. ​ Yes 3. Within the school’s business operations there is a clear segregation of responsibilities that is understood and consistently followed. ​ Yes 4. Financial records, whether digital or paper, are secured against fire or other potential loss. ​ Yes 5. The school has written policies for the management and oversight of investments. ​ Yes

Questions: ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. Analyze and interpret the school’s dashboard data that pertains to finance. What are the main findings and the chief implications for the school that emerge from examining the data?

The key focus of the School’s Business Office is to support the School’s mission with a steady and sustainable financial foundation. Financial safety and soundness are the top priorities.

Processes are in place and are continuously being refined to ensure that they reflect the current operating environment of the School. The School develops a balanced budget for each school year, conservatively considering enrollment and advancement outlooks, while fully reflecting the costs planned to support the School’s academic programs. Under this disciplined approach, the School has proactively managed finances to generate positive cash flow from operations for the last 5 years, with $675K reported in 2013.

The School has also been blessed with an engaged and committed family community; tuition and pledge collection has been uneventful with less than 1% write­offs. Advancement efforts and support from the community are strong with unrestricted contributions for the last three years in

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the $625 – 675K range. Restricted contribution towards the Financial Aid Endowment Fund was in the $180K range for the last two years.

The School refinanced the variable rate bond to a favorable fixed rate bond in 2013, simplifying the borrowing structure and lightening the debt burden with a predictable obligation going forward. This significantly mitigates the interest rate risks and augments the financial stability of the School. At the end of the last school year (6/30/2014), the bond payable balance was $4,991,448.00 and the School’s unrestricted reserve was at $5,600,234.00 reflecting a stable and strong debt servicing capacity.

2. What other financial data, including comparative data from other schools, has the school identified as useful in its financial management? Who analyzes the data, and what has been learned from that analysis?

Trinity participates in both the NAIS and CALISBOA surveys. When setting tuition, we use data from these surveys for regional, school size, and grade level benchmarks. We also use survey data for benchmarking key position salaries. For teacher salaries, we gather compensation scales and metrics from the three local public school districts as benchmarks with the goal of remaining competitive. In general, we find these benchmarking exercises helpful in sketching a broad boundary, but we are also working with NBOA to refine the drill­down tools to get even more relevant data for a subset of “Trinity­like schools” with small elementary enrollment, which operate in exceptionally affluent communities.

In addition to the above surveys, the Business Office also uses formal RFP processes and multiple vendor evaluations for large scale engagement such as debt refinancing and major facilities related purchases.

3. Describe the process for the preparation of the annual operating budget. To what extent does the operating budget reflect the school’s mission, policies, values, and strategic priorities?

Budget setting is a 9­month process, starting with tuition setting in January, campus use fees negotiation with the Churches in February, staffing and salary planning in March, major expenses (program and technology) and capital plans detailed in May, and re­enrollment/admission monitoring throughout the year. The CFO updates the Board’s Finance Committee with key assumptions and modeling. The final budget is submitted to the Board for approval at the September Board Retreat for the new school year.

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As stated in Response 1. above, the School operates with a balanced budget, taking into consideration enrollment and advancement outlooks, while fully reflecting the costs planned to support the academic programs of the School. There is direct line of sight between the financial plan and the key goals and strategies from the Board. Budgets are set for instructional and enrichment programs with proper accountability assigned to each teacher. The technology budget, including the retirement and purchase of new equipment, is detailed and reviewed by the Director of Information Technology with final approval by the Head of School. All capital investments are outlined with supporting quotes and final approval by the Head of School.

Staffing costs are built bottom­up and reflect employment contracts offered. Reimbursements to the Churches are negotiated and properly reflected in the budget plan.

With this detailed set of work, the ultimate goal of the annual operating budget is to provide a plan that supports and provides line of sight to the mission of the School with clear accountability and ownership, regarding the execution of the plan.

4. Describe and evaluate the types of insurance and coverage limits that the school now carries.

In looking to the future, what changes may be necessary?

The School uses an insurance broker, SBC Insurance Services, to evaluate market bids for workers’ compensation insurance. For the school year 2014­15, the School purchased workers’ compensation insurance from Oak River Insurance Company. Limits of liability are: ● Medical benefits: by law, workers’ compensation insurance pays all medical expenses incurred as a result of work­related injury. ● Disability: disability limits are determined at 66 2/3% of an employee’s wages. The maximum limit for temporary disability and permanent total disability is $916 a week and the minimum temporary disability is $137 a week. ● Death: $250,000 single dependent, $290,000 two dependents, and $320,000 three or more dependents ● Bodily injury: by accident $1,000,000 each accident, $1,000,000 each employee, and $1,000,000 policy limit

The School uses the Church Insurance Agency Corporation for the purchase of Commercial Excess Liability insurance. For the calendar year 2014, the School purchased Commercial Excess Liability insurance from Philadelphia Insurance Companies with the following limits of liability: ● $10,000 retained limit ● $5,000,000 each occurrence ● $5,000,000 general aggregate limit 83

● $5,000,000 products/completed operations to aggregate

The School also uses the Church Insurance Agency Corporation for the purchase of Directors & Officers Liability (D&O) coverage. For the 4­1­2014 to 3­31­2015 period, the School purchased D&O insurance from Chubb Group Insurance Companies. The combined maximum aggregate limit of liability for all claims under all liability coverage (D&O liability and entity liability, and employment practices liability) each policy year is $1,000,000.

The School also purchases student accident insurance from National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh. The School uses the Educational Markets as our broker. Limits of liability are as follow:

● Accidental death & dismemberment: $15,000 / $30,000 ● Accidental death & dismemberment aggregate limit: $250,000 per accident ● Accidental medical expense excess: $1,000,000 with $0 deductible integrated and 104 weeks benefit period

The School believes that this comprehensive set of insurances provides adequate risk mitigation and loss containment for the School. Going forward, the School will consider participating in NBOA’s consortium for obtaining competitive bids to evaluate potential price and term advantages.

5. Who reviews and evaluates the school’s financial, investment, and endowment spending policies, and how often does this occur?

The Board Finance and Investment Committee meets six scheduled times during the school year.

The agenda is set to review the School’s financials and forecasts periodically. The budget is approved at the September Board Retreat. The spring forecast for the full school year is reviewed in either the January or March Committee meeting. A second full year forecast is also reviewed with the Committee in May before the close of the school year. The emphasis of these reviews is on actual vs budget variances and highlights any substantial changes in the School’s operations.

The School engages Hood & Strong LLP to perform a financial audit annually. The Board Finance Committee reviews the audited financial statements with the audit partner. There is also a private session during the meeting for the Committee, without staff present, to talk with the audit partner about the School’s operation.

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The Board Investment Committee meets quarterly to review the investment portfolio results and asset allocations. A dashboard highlights compliance with investment policy. The Investment Committee approves all asset reallocation decisions; the CFO initiates said reallocations with the investment firm.

The School set its Financial Assistance Endowment Spending Policy in 2014, defining guidelines on spending while keeping the Endowment investment balance threshold at a minimum of $1M. The School has been building on this Endowment with a direct appeal “Fund­a­Need” campaign at the annual Benefit Galas. The positive response from School families, plus the investment gains, grew the Endowment to over $1M for the first time in 2014.

In addition to the above Board Committee reviews, the CFO, in her weekly meetings with the Head of School, reviews financial results and highlights any issues that need to be addressed.

6. Assess the effectiveness of the school’s financial management policies and procedures, including the use of technology and staffing levels. What is being done to correct any inadequacies?

As a self­assessment, the School deploys disciplined financial management with the positive outcome of running a balanced budget. Net assets and reserves have increased in the last five years. The School’s debt servicing capability has improved. The balance sheet and cash flow are strong.

Key pedagogical programs are supported with a proper level of investment. Teacher staffing levels in the classroom have increased from a “lead teacher + part time paraeducator support” to a “lead teacher + full time assistant teacher” model for those grades with close to full enrollment.

The School has also been successful in implementing its technology integration strategy. Trinity enjoys a 1:1 device per student in Kindergarten ­ Grade 5. Also the full time Technology Integrator supports faculty and students implementing grade­appropriate, technology­enhanced pedagogies.

The network infrastructure of the School has also been upgraded with new servers and a more robust wireless network to support the growing network needs.

The School also started a project in 2014 to implement an integrated administration system, Rediker System, to replace the myriad of admission, registrar, advancement, and family communication systems we have had. The new system will bring improved consistency and efficiency to the School’s administrative processes.

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In addition to the above infrastructure and staffing enhancement, all faculty is expected to take advantage of professional development classes/conferences to bring new ideas to their pedagogical practices. The School continues to implement a graduate school tuition reimbursement benefit to encourage and support professional learning.

7. How is the segregation of duties and responsibilities of Business Office personnel supervised and ensured?

The Business Office is staffed with a CFO and an accounting manager. We augment this limited staff with the following internal controls to ensure proper segregation of duties.

● All cash receipts are logged by the Office Manager. ● All bank statements and investment statements are received and signed off by the Head of School before being turned over to the Business Office for reconciliation. ● An outside contract accountant is hired to perform reconciliation on all the investment accounts and to review the checking account reconciliation prepared by the Accounting Manager. ● All checks over $5,000 need dual signatures by CFO and Head of School. ● All contributions are duly reconciled between the Business Office and the Development Office.

8. How does the school ensure transparency in its financial operations, and how are school constituencies made aware of and educated about the financial condition of the school?

The School publishes an annual report with financial highlights included so that current and potential new families are aware of the financial status of the School.

The Board Finance Committee is chartered with oversight of the financial performance of the School. All materials and reports, along with meeting minutes, are posted on the Board’s private website. The CFO addresses all inquiries from the Board, the Board Committees, and the parent community on a timely basis. The CFO also updates the Head of School about all inquiries and related responses.

9. What is the school’s overall assessment of its financial condition, what are its greatest financial challenges, and what plans are in place to ensure the school’s future sustainability?

The balance sheet is “clean” with very minimum risk exposure to the allowance for collection.

Cash flow is well managed with positive cash generated from operations to reserve. The interest 86

rate risk on liability is managed with a fixed and low rate bond. Liquidity is good. Investments are well diversified in marketable instruments with minimum exposure to credit and liquidity risks. Overall, our self­assessment is that the School has a solid financial foundation.

As in any small school, the greatest challenge and potential stress point of the School lies in enrollment. The School runs at break­even if enrollment dips to around 150. Engagement with the community and ensuring that the value proposition of the School is well understood by current families and that they act as proactive ambassadors for the School is essential to meeting ongoing enrollment goals.

Another challenge to the School is continuous momentum in fund raising. The School has enjoyed success in its annual fund, Faculty Venture Grant and annual Benefit Gala. Legacy giving ebbs and flows. With a small community, it can be challenging to continuously run fund raising campaigns without the risk of donor fatigue.

The relationship with the two Churches also plays a prominent role in the School’s financial stability. Trinity has enjoyed a mutually productive and beneficial arrangement with the Churches. The respective Use Agreements provide reasonable frameworks for calculating the use fees that tie to the revenue generating capacity of the School. Nurturing these relationships continues to anchor the School with stability regarding its “rent/lease rate.”

Primary author: Mo­Lan Chan, CFO Reviewed/edited by: Mary Menacho, Head of School; Immanuel Thangaraj, Chair of Finance Committee

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Section III: Financial Sustainability

10. Advancement

A school’s advancement program—which coordinates initiatives in fundraising, marketing, communications, and constituency relations—is essential to institutional success. Given that most schools have a significant reliance on their development efforts to help close the gap between tuition and the actual cost per student, the leadership and philanthropic capacity of the Board of Trustees play a key role in advancing the institution toward the achievement of its strategic goals, which typically require expanded funding for people, program, and plant. The advancement staff and the Head of School must also contribute crucial expertise if a school is to move forward, particularly as they position the school to improve its public relations and to secure transformational gifts.

Standard 10: Consistent with its mission and proportional to its needs and resources, the school engages in fundraising, marketing, communications, constituency support, and community relations to attain its goals and ensure its future viability.

Indicators of meeting Standard 10:​ ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. The school has a comprehensive plan and set of strategies for its fundraising initiatives, ensuring the coordination of planning and implementation efforts to maximize support for institutional needs.

2. There are school personnel with appropriate training, developed skills, and specific responsibilities for institutional fundraising activities.

3. The school has a well planned and executed annual fund program, which draws upon Board leadership, volunteer dedication, and staff expertise to ensure high constituency participation levels and meaningful funding totals.

4. The school has a robust major gifts program, which has led to the successful identification and cultivation of donors who have the capacity to make lead gifts to the institution.

5. The school is able to raise significant amounts of money for capital and endowment campaigns.

6. A planned giving program is established, and the school has secured commitments from donors who have identified the school as a future beneficiary of their estates.

7. The school maintains positive relationships with and garners support from key constituencies, including trustees, current parents, alumni/ae, alumni/ae parents, 88

grandparents, foundations, corporations, and friends.

8. The Advancement Office takes the lead in connecting the school with the broader community, with a particular emphasis on communications and marketing, supported by effective work with the school’s website, its publications, and social media.

9. The Advancement Office and Business Office work collegially and systematically on recording gift records and restrictions.

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 10:​ ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. The school consistently and accurately documents all gifts to the school and monitors the designated use of restricted contributions to operations and endowment. ​ Yes

Questions: ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. Analyze and interpret the school’s dashboard data that pertains to fundraising. What are the main findings and the chief implications for the school that emerge from examining the data?

Trinity School had a steady increase in Annual Fund revenue from FY 2009 through FY 2014, with the exception of an insignificant decrease in FY 2013. Total gifts have decreased steadily from 2011 as the Capital Campaign ended and remaining payments were fulfilled. The School’s Corporation/Foundation revenue has increased over the previous two years due to a more focused effort in obtaining corporate matching funds from our community. Trinity School has had little or no grandparent participation in recent years and no alumni participation. In past years we solicited grandparents to give, but participation was low and the “ask” seemed to undermine the inclusive intention of the School’s messaging to this constituency. As a result, the School stepped away from soliciting grandparents. Alumni giving is an area the School has not recently explored, again, because of very low results in the past. Rather the School tries to engage young alumni in beloved School traditions and events and invites grandparents to visit the School and enjoy time with grandchildren.

2. How does the school evaluate and, if necessary, change the “culture of giving” among 89

trustees, current parents, alumni/ae, alumni/ae parents, and employees of the school?

Trinity School is a unique and blessed institution in that we have received 100% family, staff, and trustee participation in the Annual Fund for the last nine out of ten years (in 2013­14 one family did not participate). This philanthropic commitment is not only shared by adult constituents, but is practiced with students through multiple service learning activities throughout the year at every grade level.

3. Identify the roles that the administration, faculty, and trustees see themselves as having in the cultivation of potential support for the school. What education and support are provided to each group to ensure their engagement and effectiveness in these roles? Are any changes necessary?

Trinity’s administration and trustees work together closely to determine annual development goals for each campaign/fund. With these defined goals, our administration, trustees, and fund chairs collaborate to define strategy, communications, and events/activities to fulfill the goals.

Trustees cultivate support by leading campaigns, pledging early, and recruiting fellow families to co­chair, match funds, or provide in­kind gifts to create momentum for fundraising activities.

The Faculty Venture Grant Fund is an additional gift request during the Annual Fund Campaign and contributes to the budget for faculty professional development. In addition several parents and trustees are venture capital and/or financial professionals who share fundraising and networking experience with development initiatives.

No changes are needed at this time, however we will seek the help of a development consultant or hire a Director of Development/Advancement when the time comes to initiate a capital campaign.

4. Assess the ways in which the school maintains contact and builds relationships with alumni/ae, engages them with regard to the advancement objectives of the school, and cultivates them as potential future donors.

Trinity School uses Sustain Software, a School Information System (SIS), to track alumni students and parents. We have a small group of alumni who “opt in” for our weekly newsletter to stay current on events. We extend invitations to alumni and alumni families for Graduation and the Back to School BBQ. Expanding our alumni support is a challenging area for us as an elementary school.

5. Assess the Board’s effectiveness in leading the school’s fundraising efforts through their own 90

contributions of major and other gifts and through their involvement in the cultivation and solicitation of other donors.

Trustees account for 9% of annual giving donations. They also make up a significant percentage of major gifts to the Legacy Fund and to past capital campaigns. The Legacy Fund (a non­capital, major gift campaign) is chaired by a Trustee. The Annual Fund Campaign is led by another Trustee, the Chair of the Development Committee.

6. What steps has the school taken to identify, research, cultivate, and solicit donors with the capacity to make gifts of such magnitude that the school’s plans, facilities, programs, financial aid resources, or endowment could be transformed?

Trinity School has carefully planned and successfully completed three capital campaigns since 1996. We have utilized tools such as Wealth Engines and Zillow, a home value website, to determine the community’s capacity and propensity to give. With the support of the Development Office, we have successfully utilized the parent and trustee community to cultivate and solicit major gifts for successful past capital campaigns. Through the ongoing Legacy Fund Campaign, we encourage families to consider a one­time significant donation to Trinity School.

This campaign allows us to build the Board designated reserve to ensure the financial foundation of the School and to position it to meet future needs, including the launching of a future capital campaign.

We have a clearly defined timeline, process and procedure for the Annual Fund Campaign.

Although we may have different parent co­chairs over the years, the Development Office provides the consistent infrastructure to guide the team. We host an annual Head’s Dinner to recognize and appreciate significant donors.

7. Describe and analyze the scope and effectiveness of the school’s marketing and communications efforts. What conclusions can be drawn and what do these conclusions suggest should be the school’s future priorities in this area?

Trinity School manages its external website, renewing content through blog posts and links to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Online inquiry and admission forms are linked to the internal SIS, Rediker Systems, for tracking and reporting.

Trinity School’s most effective form of marketing is by word of mouth. To marshall this powerful resource, the School created the Parent Ambassador Program. Parent volunteers participate in admission tours with prospective families, reaching out to them as Trinity parent 91

resources. These parent volunteers also represent the School at local educational fairs. This team helps support our efforts for family retention if concerns/issues arise. A team of parent volunteers worked closely with the School to renew signage two years ago. Knowledgeable parents advise as requested on external marketing initiatives.

The School’s admission inquiry packets include a 4­color brochure and a detailed FAQ about our programs. Additionally, we publish an Annual Report to recognize donors to Annual Fund, Faculty Venture Grant Fund, Legacy Fund, and Fund­a­Need.

We connect with neighboring communities through press releases to share unique events happening at the School (e.g., John Hunter World Games, Play­i Teacher Workshop, Imagine K­12 product beta testing, etc.).

Current priorities with future implications include:

● More fully utilizing social media marketing and local advertising vehicles ● Further engaging a small group of parents to assist with family retention ● Installing permanent perimeter signage on the Upper Campus ● Exploring parking lot or increased perimeter signage on the Upper Campus

8. Describe and evaluate the school’s community relations activities with respect to such entities as other schools, neighborhood associations, and governmental officials (e.g., planning commissioners, city council members, city staff, etc.).

Trinity School enjoys long and productive histories with the two host churches, Trinity Church and St. Bede’s Church. While the Churches and the School tend to occupy the campuses at different times, each organization has the stewardship of the campus and the well being of the other firmly in mind when planning events or strategic initiatives.

The School is a member of the Common Ground Speaker Series and hosts that planning board’s monthly meetings. The Common Ground Speaker Series presents distinguished speakers in education, parenting, and health at venues on the San Francisco Peninsula.

Trinity School’s administrators belong to local and state professional associations.

9. Based on the responses to the questions above, what would the school identify as the two or three biggest issues that it currently faces with respect to advancement?

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As an elementary school, Trinity is often the first organization to educate families about the critical importance of annual giving. It may take families two to three years to determine their commitment to the School and to fully understand independent schools’ advancement needs, especially if they join at the preschool level.

Also, as an elementary school, maintaining an alumni network is a challenge because as students and families progress through middle school, high school, and college, they are increasingly asked for philanthropic participation. It is also difficult to track students as they establish their own mailing addresses.

An average of 120 families form the Trinity School community from year to year. After factoring out financial aid families or those who have less capacity to give, the School depends on fewer than 120 families to contribute above the Annual Fund ask. While a challenge in educating families, the School enjoys a good culture of giving.

Primary author: Cindy Tipton, Development Coordinator Reviewed/edited by: Mary Menacho, Head of School; Shelley Willig, Admission Director and Community Relations Coordinator

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Section IV: Operations

11. Human Resources

The school’s faculty, administrators, and support staff all play essential roles in the school’s ongoing efforts to offer an engaging learning environment for the students. Independent schools pride themselves on the adults they employ, seeing all as important teachers, mentors, and role models for students. Sustainable schools have in place policies and procedures to maintain work environments that simultaneously meet or exceed legal mandates, make employees feel recognized and valued, inspire employees with respectful and meaningful performance feedback, provide opportunities for input during the school’s deliberations, and offer ongoing professional development options. Schools that are dedicated to creating and sustaining such environments optimize the potential for their students and community members.

Standard 11: The school maintains positive working conditions, fair and consistent personnel policies—including hiring and evaluation practices—and appropriate compensation. A collaborative culture with open communication is fostered to create an optimal environment for the community of the school.

Indicators of meeting Standard 11: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. The school has an effective employee organizational structure for achieving the school’s mission, carrying out school policy, and conducting the program of the school.

2. The school has a published employee handbook or personnel policies manual that is provided to all employees.

3. Salaries and benefits are sufficiently competitive with local region peer independent schools to attract and retain qualified personnel.

4. Employee benefits are understood by employees and meet all legal requirements and regulations.

5. There is a sufficient number of administrators, faculty, and staff to carry out the program of the school, to ensure the supervision, safety, and health of the students, and to maintain financial sustainability.

6. The school ensures that all faculty and staff assignments are appropriate in terms of their education, training, and experience.

7. There are structured opportunities for faculty and staff to be appropriately involved in institutional planning and decision­making.

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8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

There is an understood process for employees to express work­related concerns to their supervisor or other appropriate school personnel.

There are regularly accessible and funded opportunities for the continuing professional education of employees.

Decisions affecting the faculty and staff are consistent with the school’s own employee handbook and written personnel policies.

The school’s recruitment and employment policies and practices are consistent with all applicable labor laws and regulations, and they comply with the CAIS Code of Ethics for Employment (​ www.caisca.org​ ).

Supportive, professional working conditions and clear, transparent decision­making and communications contribute to positive employee morale.

Administration, faculty, and staff derive a strong sense of self­efficacy and satisfaction from their work in the school.

Standard 11: Human Resource

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 11: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. The school maintains an organizational chart or some other written document that clearly delineates reporting relationships at the school. ​ Yes 2. The school has written job descriptions that clearly delineate the responsibilities for each position. ​ Yes 3. Fully consistent with the CAIS Code of Ethics for Employment, the school has appropriate guidelines to assure non­discrimination in hiring, and it publishes its non­discrimination policy (​ www.caisca.org​ ). ​ Yes 4. The school undertakes and documents a process of performance evaluation of all employees.

Yes 5. The school complies with applicable local, state, and federal labor laws and regulations. ​ Yes 6. Personnel records for all employees are securely maintained. ​ Yes

Questions: ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

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1.​ ​ Analyze and interpret the school’s dashboard data that pertains to personnel. What are the main findings, and what conclusions does the school draw about its personnel practices, compensation program, and staffing structure? What are the chief implications for the school that emerge from examining the data?

As the dashboard shows, the School has invested in its personnel in the last couple of years, bringing FTE to over 30 (highest in the last 5 years). All of the increase in personnel has been for instructional staff (from 20.8 in 2009­10 to 23.9 in 2013­14). This brought the School’s number of instructional FTEs per 100 students up to 14.5, the highest level in the last 5 years. The instructional staff per student for 2013­14 was 7:1. We believe this has a positive and direct impact on anchoring a rigorous program for the School and supports the School’s mission on creating a child­centered environment with innovative pedagogical practices.

The supplemental chart in the dashboard on faculty salaries in comparison to the three local public school districts reflects the School’s salary administration philosophy of staying competitive with the public schools’ salary scales. Over 80% of our faculty is paid within the 90% to 110% range of their public school peers with similar teaching experiences.

2. ​ ​ Since the last accreditation team visit, what new needs have come into focus, and what changes have occurred to the school’s personnel organizational structure? What factors have led to these changes? What impact have these changes had on the school?

Overall, the School has maintained its personnel organization structure. We continue to find that it serves the School’s mission well. We adjusted the staffing levels within each class depending on enrollment. We have deployed more team­teaching structures, such as two co­teachers, one lead­teacher and one associate teacher depending on our assessment of the needs of the specific classes. We also added a full­time technology integrator position to support the faculty implementation of a technology­enhanced pedagogical program.

On the administrative side, the structure has been stable with the exception of eliminating the position of Development Director when that position became vacant. With the prior capital campaign completed and with the Annual Fund Campaign process well defined, the Head of School decided to work with a Development Coordinator and the Development Committee of the Board to drive development efforts until another capital campaign begins. With the School’s size, the administrative staff is taxed to be deep in their respective roles while also being flexible to collaborate on major school events.

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3.​ ​ What are the benefits policies that are in place to attract, retain, develop, and support employees (e.g., sick leave, sabbaticals, innovation grants, etc.)? Assess the effectiveness of current policies in meeting the objectives of the school in this area.

As outlined in the Personnel Handbook, the School offers rich benefit programs to its staff.

Holidays, sick and pregnancy leave and other paid and unpaid leaves allow teaching staff the time to recharge and take care of personal and family needs. Year­round employees also have vacation time. All staff are offered a comprehensive health/dental plan through the Church Insurance Program with costs for employees covered by the School and the option to purchase for dependents. For additional risk protection, eligible staff are also covered by salary continuation benefits.

For retirement savings, the School offers a strong retirement saving plan with a maximum of 10% salary matched contribution to eligible staff.

To further support staff, the School offers a professional development program which staff can apply to in order to attend professional workshops and conferences during academic year. The Faculty Venture Grant Program provides up to $2500 to full time returning teachers to further research or participate in professional development over the summer break. The School also offers a graduate degree tuition reimbursement benefit to eligible full time staff. We believe these benefit programs, plus the competitive salary, put the School in good position to retain and attract staff.

4. ​ ​ How does the school assess its effectiveness in identifying and hiring qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds? What are the findings from this assessment, and what changes, if any, does the school want to implement in this area in the future?

The School is an equal opportunity employer with an inclusive philosophy. The School does not discriminate against applicants or employees with respect to any terms or conditions of employment on account of race, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, citizenship, or military service status, or any of the characteristics protected by state or federal law or local ordinance other than religion.

The School adopts an open recruiting process, drawing eligible candidates from internal staff and external pools. We hire the best fit candidate. We believe this open and inclusive process has served the School well, and we will continue with this practice.

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The School employs related parties. The Head of School’s daughter is the School’s Technology Integrator; the Grade 5 co­teacher’s daughter is the Service Learning and Religious Studies Coordinator. While related parties may function well in other school communities, this small community is sensitive to the potential for conflict of interest issues that might arise. Current policy and procedures eliminate the School’s exposure in this area going forward. Please see the Personnel Handbook sections on Conflict of Interest and Relatives and Personal Relationships.

5. ​ ​ How effectively is the current employee performance evaluation process working in promoting positive change and growth? Is there anything in this area that would benefit from review and possible change?

We believe the current employee performance evaluation process has served the School well in creating a line of sight to support the School’s Mission and the School’s goals while incorporating a rich dialog between staff and their supervisors on professional development opportunities. The check­ins and mid­year review on goals allow opportunities to explore progress, to expand resource allocation if needed, and ultimately to uphold accountability on achievements.

6. ​ ​ What are the school’s greatest challenges in the area of human resources, and how will the school attempt to address them?

The School, much like any organization, looks at personnel as its chief asset in promoting and fulfilling its mission. The quality of the School lies in the leadership and innovation each staff member brings to his/her role. The greatest challenges will always be recruiting for the best candidates, retaining the best staff, and supporting them towards their goals in professional development so the staff individually and collectively can bring their best forward and feel engaged and accountable.

One of the School’s potential challenges in the intermediate term (one to five years) is succession planning. We have some long­term staff who are likely approaching retirement.

Planning for these transitions will be delicate yet essential in maintaining the momentum of the School. We don’t believe there is one set approach, but through open dialog and creative solutions, we will manage these transitions effectively. To this end, part of this year’s goal planning is to have such a plan in place by the end of March 2015.

Primary author: Mo­Lan Chan, CFO Reviewed/edited by: Mary Menacho, Head of School

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Section IV: Operations

12. Facilities: Buildings and Grounds

The physical plant has both tangible and intangible influences on teaching and learning, faculty and student morale, enrollment and retention, and school climate and culture​ . ​ A well maintained, safe, and appropriately sized physical plant is crucial to the educational program.

The effective physical plant supports student learning, provides a sense of place, and is reflective of the qualities of community that the school hopes to embody.

Standard 12: The physical plant supports and enhances the mission of the school and enables the school to implement its program effectively. The physical plant is a safe, well maintained, secure, and healthful environment for students and adults. The school is regularly attentive to the physical plant, creating and executing plans for the current maintenance and future development of the facilities in support of the mission and programs.

Indicators of meeting Standard 12: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. Instructional facilities—including space, furnishings, and areas for recreation and play—are age­appropriate and support the educational program.

2. Sufficient personnel and financial resources are devoted to plant maintenance and repair.

3. The school engages in an inclusive, long­term facilities planning process on a regular basis and has a published plan for the renewal, repair, and replacement of the facilities.

4. The school complies with applicable local, state, and federal requirements for fire, health, safety, access, sanitation, toxic substances, and emergency preparedness.

5. Independent of regulatory requirements, the school itself has a process for the reporting of unsafe or problematic conditions in the physical plant.

6. The school has comprehensive emergency plans and regularly reviews its safety procedures.

7. The school manages its traffic and parking in ways that are controlled, safe, and respectful of the surrounding community.

8. There is appropriate signage on campus so that personnel, students, and visitors feel welcomed and are able to navigate the campus safely and easily.

9. Mitigation of the school’s environmental impact and the long­term sustainability of the physical plant are clear priorities for the school.

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10.

There is a reporting process in place to address needed repairs, safety issues, and maintenance concerns with regard to the physical plant.

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 12: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. The school complies with applicable local, state, and federal codes and regulations with respect to health, building, and safety considerations, including access for persons with disabilities​ . Yes 2. The school maintains records of all relevant inspection reports from local authorities (e.g., fire department, health department, etc.). ​ Yes

Questions: ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. What are the school’s overall strengths with regard to the physical plant, and how has the school made efficient and creative use of space in meeting its needs?

The School campuses are located on two sites with the Early Childhood Program on the Trinity Church site and the Elementary Program on the St. Bede’s Church site. The proximity of the two campuses facilitates collaboration among faculty and staff while giving the preschool students an intimate setting for exploration and the elementary students a campus that is conducive to their learning.

The two campuses are beautiful and clearly a strength for the School. Trinity’s spacious campuses and naturalistic grounds are carefully designed, constructed, and landscaped to meet the needs of young children. The St. Bede’s, or the Upper Campus houses three separate buildings designated for its program ­ the new Learning Center, the School Center, and the Classroom Building. Together, these afford ample rooms for grade level classrooms, special classrooms for science, Spanish and music, art, a well­stocked library, conference room and school offices that are conducive to productive work and meeting environments. The outdoor space is thoughtfully designed to provide 1.3 secure acres dedicated to learning and play. This “LEAF” area (learning, environment, arts, and fitness”) provides an extensive outdoor laboratory 100

for the science and gardening curricula, an amphitheater for student performances and community events, a field and hard courts for physical education, and plenty of enticing play, nature walk, and exploration opportunities. The labyrinth and the extensive courtyard gives students a unique space for contemplation and reflection. The entire campus is well secluded from busy Sand Hill Road.

The Lower Campus on the Trinity Church site creates an intimate learning environment for students starting their educational journey. The space, three contiguous rooms (the Pine Room, the Laurel Room, and the art studio) and the secured playground, is ideal for nurturing young children to explore and build a strong foundation to solidify their love of learning. The areas are set up to provide whole group, small group, and individual spaces where young children feel safe to interact with each other, with the teaching staff, and with the environment. Through engaging in spontaneous play, children use their creative, imaginative, and curious selves to explore and to build skills in the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical arenas.

In addition to buildings and grounds, the School has made substantial upgrades to classroom furniture for Kindergarten, Grade 1, 3, 4 and 5, and the Preschool over the last two years. The renewed classrooms create flexibility for collaborative learning and boost efficacy in the School’s technology­integrated curriculum.

2. ​ What are the school’s needs and challenges regarding the physical plant in terms of the stated ​ mission of the school and its programs, and how are those needs and challenges currently managed?

The two campuses align well with the School’s mission. The Learning Center, which was completed in 2008, has been a shining addition to the Upper Campus. The community’s response in fundraising for the capital campaign then was enthusiastic. The School prudently manages its financial operation and has since built a reserve that is close to the debt balance. The School is well positioned to embark on future capital projects, should it that become a strategic priority.

The Classroom Building, which currently houses the grade classrooms on the St. Bede’s site, while functional, is nonetheless showing its age. The School plans to evaluate the viability of renewing/rebuilding the Classroom Building in the upcoming strategic planning horizon. The School will start the investigation phase of this initiative by conducting a structural assessment of the Classroom Building in the current school year.

3. Are there any current plans for the further development of the campus? If so, describe the school’s vision, and describe the factors that might affect the implementation of these plans.

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Please see answer in Response 2. above.

When the School embarks on a capital campaign to rebuild/renew the Classroom Building, the scope and complexity of the project will depend on community response, fundraising capacity, financing options, Church endorsement, project planning, architectural design and interim classroom location during construction. This will be a multi­year initiative requiring much of the Board and Church as well as School staff’s bandwidth.

4. Evaluate the adequacy of plant maintenance, including such factors as the custodial care, staffing, and financial resources allocated to it.

The School has secured Site Use Agreements with the two Churches specifying the roles and responsibilities of the Church and the School regarding site maintenance, repairs and upkeep.

The School meets with the Treasurers and the Church’s Building and Ground Committee representatives during the annual Site Use Agreement meeting to review longer term facilities projects to ensure collective line­of­sight and support on them. The Site Use Agreements provide predictable, forward­looking and revenue­aligned base level coverage on facilities expenses for the School. They serve as a leveling tool and provide mitigation on the ebbs and flows of maintenance costs. In addition to the basic level of facilities costs covered by the Site Use Agreements, the School engages with contractors to handle the custodial and landscaping maintenance and projects.

Conditions and needs of the physical plant are assessed by several internal groups independently.

These groups include the Churches’ Buildings and Grounds Committees, the Head of School and the CFO, and periodically, the Board. Depending on the needs identified, group members communicate and work together to plan for repairs, renewal, and replacement. The process has worked well for major projects and for routine maintenance, thanks to great collaborative teamwork between the Churches and the School.

5. What approach has the school taken to address environmental sustainability with regard to buildings and grounds? What specific measures have been implemented, and what additional initiatives, if any, are contemplated?

The School acts as a responsible citizen and takes environmental sustainability as a top priority.

The School practices the “recycle, renew and reuse” model on campuses. There are bins throughout campuses clearly labelled for garbage, compost, and recycle disposal. Teachers engage students in various learning projects on raising sustainability awareness and practices. In 102

the past years, for example, students participated in a creative up­cycle makers’ project and analyzed campus energy bills. This later exercise created student dialog and changed students’ practices as they endeavored to conserve energy.

The Learning Center was designed to be highly energy efficient with radiant heating and natural ventilation. Throughout the campus furnaces and air conditioners are on timers to conserve energy when School personnel and students are not present. All light fixtures are energy efficient, and water heater thermostats are maintained at a nominal level. Irrigation systems are on timers, and drip irrigation is used whenever possible. Alongside these measures, school personnel are encouraged to be informed and diligent about conserving energy.

6. Based on the responses to the questions above, what does the school envision as the two or three most important areas that it should address with respect to the physical plant?

See answer in Response 2. above.

Primary author: Mo­Lan Chan, CFO Reviewed/edited by: Mary Menacho, Head of School; Shelley Willig, Admissions Director and Community Relations Coordinator

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Section IV: Operations

13. Health, Safety, and Wellness

For schools to be successful in fostering growth and learning, they must make the health and safety of the students and adults in their on­campus communities a top priority. Accordingly, health, safety, and wellness provisions are an essential component of a school’ s operations, and they convey important messages about a school’ s values and purpose. At a minimum, each school needs to maintain consistent compliance with local, state, and federal health and safety codes and regulations. Beyond that, every school must devote itself to sustaining an environment that strongly supports the physical and emotional health and safety of its community members.

Standard 13: The school has established and effectively implemented policies and procedures that promote the health and ensure the safety of students and adults on campus and at school events. The school complies with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements in this regard, and it takes responsibility for educating community members and for promoting policies, habits, and practices that encourage and sustain individual and community wellness.

Indicators of meeting Standard 13: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. All employees understand and have in their job descriptions that the supervision of students to ensure their safety is a priority in all on­ campus and school­related settings at all times.

2. The school has written procedures to deal with injury and illness that are distributed to and clearly understood by school personnel, parents, and students.

3. The school provides adequate instruction and supervision to reduce hazards to health and safety.

4. Adequate provisions are made for the health care and safety of students while involved in school activities on and off campus.

5. Sufficient resources, both human and financial, are allocated to the essential work of maintaining the health and safety of students.

6. There are documented, systematic reviews of safety procedures and practices.

7. The school is in full compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal safety and health codes and regulations.

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Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 13: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist. ​ Please note that the checklist for this section is not intended to be inclusive of all legal and regulatory requirements that a given school may need to adhere to. Each school has the responsibility to confer with its legal counsel for professional guidance and advice regarding requirements that are applicable to its own situation.

1. The school has a sufficient number of staff who maintain current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid certifications, and up­to­date records of these certifications are kept on file at the school. ​ Yes 2. All students have been fully immunized for diphtheria, haemophilus influenzae type b, measles, mumps and pertussis, poliomyelitis, rubella, tetanus and any other disease deemed appropriate by the State Department of Health Services​ . ​ Yes (4 students have Personal Beliefs Exemption to Required Immunizations on file) 3. The school has policies and procedures in place concerning the release of children to the correct legally designated adults. ​ Yes 4. Food services, if available, are licensed. ​ Yes 5. For schools with food service employees, there are written policies—provided to appropriate staff—governing the handling, preparation, and distribution of food. ​ Yes 6. There are adequate provisions for the health, care, and safety of students while involved in off­campus school activities. ​ Yes 7. The school has documented policies and procedures for dispensing medications and prescription medicines to students. ​ Yes

The following documents are available for review by members of the Visiting Committee during their visits to the school:

● County health department kitchen inspection permit (if applicable): ​ Not applicable as food service is delivered ● CPR certifications: ​ Yes

● Student emergency authorization forms: ​ Yes ● Immunization records: ​ Yes ● List of student health concerns: ​ Yes ● First aid procedures: ​ Yes ● Medical release forms (for athletics and other physical activities): ​ Yes ● Parent authorization forms (for field trips and school activities): ​ Yes 105

● ● ● ●

Bloodborne pathogens plan: ​ Yes Student and adult accident report forms: ​ Yes Sexual abuse policy: ​ Yes Harassment policy: ​ Yes

Questions: ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. In light of the legal and regulatory considerations raised in the Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 13, what has the school learned about itself with regard to health, safety, and wellness policies and practices? What possibilities or priorities for change come out of this review?

Reviewing the Baseline Requirements, we see that these are met or surpassed by our practices.

As a small school, we manage our health care needs with CPR/First Aid trained personnel. We do not have a school health employee (nurse) on staff. The Early Childhood Program is licensed and meets both licensing and the National Association of Education for Young Children’s (NAEYC) standards for health and safety.

All staff assigned to student supervision duties are trained in advance. This training includes playground supervision and First Aid. Employees are required to use walkie talkies when supervising.

Pick­up and drop off is planned to be safe and secure. All employees are trained and most have duty for either morning or afternoon on the Upper Campus. We continue to refine and attend to classes dismissing on time, parent and student safety in the parking lot, and courteous driving and parking practices.

2. What steps has the school taken to establish and effectively implement policies and procedures that promote and ensure the safety of, respect for, and inclusion of students and adults on campus? How effective are these policies and procedures with regard to such issues as harassment, bullying, racial and cultural prejudice, gender bias, and discrimination based on sexual orientation? What data does the school have to support its conclusions about the extent to which students and adults feel safe in the school?

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Diversity and inclusion are topics of discussion and professional development throughout the year during inservices and weekly Team Tuesday Meetings (faculty and administration meetings). Teachers, formally and informally, include social skills instruction to all students, and all academic staff have been trained in ​ Talk it Out​ , a conflict resolution program, which is taught and reinforced at each grade level. Each grade has class meetings, where students discuss fears or concerns anonymously or in person. Students are also trained to advocate for themselves and to seek help. Parents are encouraged to communicate with teachers, the Academic Dean, or the Head of School when safety, inclusion, or respect is a concern. In Grades 4 and 5, the School annually conducts a short series of classes for boys and girls on sexual development, interpersonal relationships, peer to peer communication, and substance awareness. The Technology Agreement, which all students review and sign, establishes the School’s values and expectations for students regarding online safety and the appropriate use of technology tools.

The curriculum is rich with diversity instruction at all academic levels, and the School Library is a rich repository of print resources for students, parents, and teachers.

3. Describe and evaluate the school’s efforts to educate constituents with respect to practices that promote the health and wellness of the students, as well as of the adults who work on their behalf at the school. How effective are these efforts?

The School’s PE program promotes healthy habits and instills a life­long commitment to physical activity and wellness. Enrichment Express, an after school program, offers classes and activities such as hip­hop dance, yoga, golf, basketball, and general fitness classes. Given the size of the student population, many families rely on community sports programs for organized sports for students.

The School, working with the TPA, selects a third party lunch service provider with high quality and healthy food choices for students.

The School participates and promotes the Common Ground speaker series, expanding access to the myriad of leading edge educational speakers and resources for the community on parenting, child development, and other relevant topics.

The health and dental programs offered to staff is inclusive and competitive. Through the Church Insurance Plan, the School also offers an Employee Assistance Program with 24/7 access to a wide range of resources on work and life topics.

The School has also offered a ten­week mindfulness practice training, adding tools to manage work and life balance for faculty and administrators.

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4. Describe and evaluate the programs that are offered to help students understand issues of peer relationships, including sexuality if older students are enrolled.

Please see Response 1., paragraph 1.

5. What is the process for developing, updating, and communicating procedures, policies, and plans for routine safety issues at arrival and dismissal times, including carpool procedures?

The basic outline of these procedures is in the Handbook, distributed annually, and posted on the School’s website. New parents receive orientation to arrival and dismissal procedures during New Parent Orientation before the school year begins. The School publishes reminders to the community as needed through Trinity Talk, an electronic newsletter, and through emails to the community.

6. What are the school’s supervision and safety policies and procedures concerning the transportation of students by the school or by contracted transportation providers?

All field trip drivers are required to provide a valid driver’s license and evidence of insurance prior to each trip. Drivers are required to carry liability coverage of at least $100,000 per person and $500,000 per occurrence. Each driver agrees in writing to follow School rules regarding transportation of students.

The School carries student accident insurance and general liability coverage.

School personnel are not allowed to transport Trinity School students other than the employee’s child or children.

7. If the school has programs that take students away from campus for one or more nights, what risk management policies and procedures are in place for such trips? Evaluate their adequacy and effectiveness.

Grade 4 and 5 students participate in an overnight outdoor education camp. The trips are well planned and supervised by School staff, parents, and a licensed outdoor program organization, Naturalists at Large. The student to adult ratio is around 3:1.

Parents give permission in writing for camp participation and instruction for medical care, as well as a liability waiver for Trinity School and a separate one for Naturalists at Large. Staff take 108

copies of permission forms and emergency contact forms on the trip, as well as prescribed student medications, which teachers safeguard and distribute per individual prescription indications. Consistent communication between staff at camp and staff on campus keeps the emergency recovery and notification process on track, should such be needed.

8. Describe and assess the adequacy of the school’s policies, procedures, and practices designed to prepare for and respond to major emergencies. Please consider natural disasters (e.g., fires, earthquakes, floods, etc.), as well as “man­made” emergencies (e.g., campus intruders, weapons on campus, neighborhood crises, etc.).

The School has an emergency preparedness plan with practices scheduled throughout the School year. All staff and students participate in drills. All staff are assigned to roles in the emergency response team.

Emergency supplies are reviewed and replenished annually at the beginning of the school year.

Three types of drills are practiced: fire drill, lock and shelter drill, and earthquake drill.

Attendance, visitor(s) sign in/out, and staff sign in/out procedures are enforced to ensure rescue accounting is accurate.

On a daily basis School personnel use walkie talkies for instant communication needs. This provides a continuous communication practice that will be invaluable in an actual emergency.

The Director of Information Technology ensures that these devices are in good repair and accessible to teachers and administrators.

9. As the school considers the health, safety, and well­being of its community members, what are the greatest challenges that it faces? What possible steps might be contemplated to address these challenges?

An ongoing challenge is the open nature of both the Lower and the Upper Campuses. While the School has installed gates and signage where possible, it is a continuous balance to ensure that the campuses remain open and welcoming to the needs of the two Churches, while also ensuring the students’ safety as well as the assurance of security for parents. To this end, all employees have the responsibility for maintaining locked doors, for sending elementary children in pairs, and for immediately reporting the presence of unknown adults to the School Office on the Upper Campus or to the Site Supervisor on the Lower Campus, who then communicates closely with the Church Office. Also, parents are ​ encouraged to be vigilant and to report the presence of any strangers on campus to the Office​ . An example of mitigating this risk was the installation outside the classrooms on the Upper Campus over the past two years of security cameras and a video 109

monitoring system. Trinity Church, where the Lower Campus and ECP Program is located, does not want to install such a system at this time. Nevertheless, Trinity Church has worked closely and vigilantly with the School when a security question has arisen. The challenge of open campuses has long been in the School’s awareness and is part of the positive and continuous conversation between the Churches and the School.

Primary Author: Mo­Lan Chan, CFO; Lana Harkness, Academic Dean Reviewed/edited by: Mary Menacho, Head of School; Sue Krishna, ECP Site Director and Mentor Teacher; Rev. Gia Hayes­Martin, Rector of St. Bede’s Church; and Rev. Matthew Dutton Gillet, Rector of Trinity Church

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Section V: Institutional Stewardship and Leadership

14. Governance

Primary among the leadership responsibilities of the Board of Trustees are establishing the mission of the institution, hiring the Head of School, planning strategically for the school’s future, and securing the resources necessary for the school’s success. The Board works closely with and in support of the Head of School to make sure that it establishes appropriate policies which are upheld and adhered to. A systematic process that brings those individuals onto the Board who possess the desired skills, resources, commitment, and dedication will constantly reinvigorate the Board’s membership and heighten its effectiveness.

Standard 14: The school has an active, engaged, and committed governing Board comprised of members whose collective and individual strengths support and advance the school. The Board of Trustees clearly understands and acts on its responsibilities, ensuring that its size, composition, and practices enable it to be effective. The Board of Trustees sets and safeguards the mission, and it hires, evaluates, and supports the Head of School. The Board also holds fiduciary responsibility for the institution, and it strategically plans for the school’s future.

Indicators of meeting Standard 14:​ ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. The Board is aware of and acts on its responsibility to regularly review the mission and to update it as necessary.

2. The Board ensures that it operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, maintains appropriate and updated bylaws, and has its members abide by a conflict of interest policy.

3. The Board takes responsibility for systematic planning for the current and future financial health of the school, establishes and oversees the annual operating budget, and effectively engages in fundraising.

4. The Board develops and implements a thoughtful and thorough process for the selection of the Head of School, using consulting resources as needed, while taking into account the school’s mission, its challenges and opportunities and input from the school community about effective leadership for the future.

5. The Board and Board Chair make it a priority to develop and maintain a mutually supportive working relationship with the Head of School, mindful of the differences

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6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

between head and Board responsibilities, while using a systematic process for head evaluation to assist with this work.

The Board undertakes systematic planning on a periodic basis, establishes the major strategic priorities for the school, and takes the lead in implementing Board­level initiatives that follow from those priorities.

The Board operates as an independent entity—or with functional independence within a larger organization—it has a clearly defined process for its perpetuation, and it has established leadership succession procedures and practices.

The Board conducts a comprehensive program for new member orientation and ongoing Board education.

The Board is knowledgeable about the school and it systematically gathers, analyzes, and uses data to make important decisions.

The Board has a clearly understood and regularly used process for evaluating its own effectiveness, individually and collectively, as well as the value and effectiveness of its composition and committee or task force structure.

The Board has a clearly documented committee or task force structure with specified responsibilities and projects for each.

The Board itself helps the school community to understand the scope of its responsibilities and the necessary differences between Board and administrative authority, responsibilities, and purview.

There is a documented job description for individual trustees and for the Board as a whole, which includes standards and expectations for attendance, participation, and committee or task force involvement.

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 14:​ ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. The Board operates in compliance with a set of written, formally adopted bylaws. ​ Yes 2. The Board reviews the completed IRS Form 990, and its actions are recorded in the minutes.

No. As a religious institution, this is not a requirement.

3. Board policies are documented and current. ​ Yes 4. Minutes of all Board meetings are kept on file at the school. ​ Yes 5. Board fiduciary responsibilities are clear and documented, and the Board formally adopts the school’s annual operating budget. ​ Yes 6. The Board regularly conducts a performance evaluation of the Head of School. ​ Yes 7. The Board regularly conducts an evaluation of its own performance. ​ Yes 112

Questions:​ ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. What kinds of data and information are provided to the Board of Trustees during a typical school year, and how is that data and information used both to address the school’s progress in achieving its stated goals and mission and to inform Board decision­making?

At the annual Board Retreat in early September of each year, the Board receives a data set overview of Trinity School statistics. This set includes financial, development, admission/placement, and academic assessment information, representing the current as well as the prior four years. For the past two years, the School has used the CAIS dashboard as the primary vehicle for compiling and sharing this information.

Over the course of the year, the Board receives regular financial, investment, enrollment, placement, admission, and personnel reports at the eight board meetings. In November, the Board receives an additional data set demonstrating Trinity School’s tuition comparisons with a local comparison group for the past several years. This data set, in addition to the draft proposed budget for the following school year, provides the Board with the information by which to set tuition for the following year.

2. Assess the effectiveness of the Board’s composition, organization, committee or task force structure, and use of meeting time.

Nineteen members serve on the Trinity School Board of Trustees. The rectors of the two Churches and three parishioners from each Church comprise eight of the nineteen. Of these, four of the six parishioners are current or past parents of Trinity students. The Head of School from another school, the Head of Trinity School, and nine others are at­large members. Of the nine at­large members, seven are current parents of Trinity students and two are parents of alumni.

The Board has the following committees:

● Executive Committee consists of the Chair, the Vice­Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Head of School. The Executive Committee meets prior to each Board meeting to set the agenda and to review with the Head of School current and strategic issues in the spirit of 113

●

● ●

● ●

“no surprises.” This committee serves as a personnel committee should personnel matters arise. It also serves as nominating committee, and in that function includes the two rectors.

Finance Committee oversees the financial health of the School in the short and long terms and includes the following sub­committees: Investment and Buildings and Grounds.

These committees respectively manage the School’s investment portfolio and act in a consulting capacity for major facilities projects.

Development Committee oversees the School’s three areas of development: annual fund, Benefit (run by the TPA) and the Legacy Fund, a major gifts program.

The Head Support and Evaluation Committee is the link between the functions of the Board and the Head of School. It is responsible for the Head’s evaluation process and related communication to the Board.

Trustee Committee oversees education initiatives for the Board, orients new trustees, oversees the Board’s evaluation process, and assists with Board policy review as needed.

Accreditation to Strategic Planning is an ad hoc committee focused in the accreditation year on working with the Head to ensure a productive Self­Study and accreditation process, which will produce a basis for proceeding into a Strategic Plan to be completed in Fall 2015.

The Board generally meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month during the academic year, except December and February. Meetings focus on the strategic needs of the School over the course of the year: setting annual goals, setting the budget and tuition, committee reports on progress against annual goals, Head and Board evaluation, and nomination of new trustees. From time to time, faculty may give special presentations on aspects of the curriculum or professional development accomplishments. Trustees are thoughtfully engaged with the work of the Board and the health and progress of the School.

3. How do the Board and its members evaluate their own effectiveness—both individually and collectively? How productive is this process? What procedures are in place to address ineffective or problematic Board members?

The Board sets annual goals for itself as a whole at the beginning of each school year.

Effectiveness is measured in part by progress toward and accomplishment of these goals.

Additionally, the Board has used the NAIS Board Evaluation tool for the past several years, previously having used the Independent School Management (ISM) tool, to evaluate the Board as a whole, as well as individual trusteeship. The results of the annual evaluation inform the Board in setting goals for the following year. However, this past year only half of trustees completed the Board evaluation and, as a result, one of the Board’s goals for the current year is 114

to achieve 100% participation on the evaluation survey. In the rare instance of an ineffective or problematic trustee, the Chair meets with the individual. The potential exists, and was used during the last accreditation term, for a trustee to be asked to resign from the Board. This most recently occurred when a trustee appointed by one of the Vestries was asked by that Vestry to resign.

4. How are the work and role of the Board, including its work in setting strategic priorities, communicated to the constituents of the school?

The Handbook outlines the role and function of the Board of Trustees. The School website provides individual profiles of trustees. Additionally, one or two newsletter articles annually address the work and role of the Board. Through the strategic planning process, the Board has engaged the community in a variety of ways to seek input on potential plans and to provide feedback on strategic initiatives. For example, over the past several years, moving the School’s enrollment toward a target of 168 has been a strategic goal. The Board worked with a consultant and actively supported the formation of a Parent Ambassador Program. As the administration launched this program, the Board maintained strategic oversight and awareness as the initiatives associated with enrollment and retention evolved. ​ The Board has an additional option to enhance communication about the Board to the community which is described below in Response 9.

5. Using a recent significant Board­adopted school policy, explain its origin and the process by which it became a policy. How does it support and strengthen the school? How do its adoption and implementation demonstrate the separate roles of the Board and administration?

The Strategic Plan of 2009 calls for increasing the funds annually available for financial aid from 10% of tuition­related income to 12%. The means for doing this was to increase the Financial Assistance Endowment to a minimum level of $1,000,000, with the goal of sustaining that minimum while using funds from that source to increase the level of financial aid annually available. Thankfully, over the past several years, the annual Benefit’s Fund­a­Need generated donations to the endowment that achieved the goal. The Investment Sub­committee of the Finance Committee drafted a disbursement policy, and that policy was vetted and approved by the Board in May 2014. Through the Financial Aid Committee, the available funds were then awarded. The strategic goal of increasing financial aid to the equivalent of 12% of tuition­related income has been partially achieved with an increase to 10.9% of tuition­related income for this year.

From Strategic Plan to community involvement to the role of the Investment and Financial Aid Committees, the formation of the disbursement policy and its implementation involved the Board 115

and the administration each working within their respective roles and responsibilities to make a positive difference for children and families.

6. Briefly describe how the Board has undertaken strategic planning. Using a recent example, describe the Board's effectiveness with regard to identifying strategic issues, formulating strategic priorities, and implementing productive initiatives.

The last Strategic Plan was approved in 2009 and has largely been accomplished. The Board at that time used a Board­driven process that was informed by a parent roundtable breakfast, where eight different table groups provided input on a set of strategic initiatives the Board had drafted.

These strategic initiatives were derived from analysis of the accomplishments of the prior Strategic Plan as well as a Board­conducted Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) assessment and ensuing discussion. Since the implementation of the 2009 Strategic Plan, the Board has annually considered the remaining initiatives as well as emergent needs, such as the focus on achieving stable enrollment at 168. That focus led the Board to hire a consultant to work with the community through forum groups and an analysis of the School’s enrollment trends to support the formation of the Parent Ambassador Program. The focus on enrollment as well as achieving the goals for the Financial Assistance Endowment have been the Board’s primary strategic foci for the past two years.

With the accreditation process the focus of this year, the intent is to use the Self­Study process and resulting document to identify potential areas for strategic work going forward. These ideas will be further informed by feedback from the Visiting Committee. In early fall, the School will implement a process for community vetting of nascent strategic ideas and will incorporate that input and feedback into a new Strategic Plan with a three to five­year timeline. Annually, the Board and administration will reflect upon and adjust the plan as needed to continue to serve the strategic needs of the School going forward.

7. For schools with a religious affiliation: What is the relationship of the Board of Trustees of the school to the governing Board of the religious institution or sponsoring organization, and how effective is this relationship in serving the mission and supporting the independence of school operations?

Trinity School is separately incorporated from the two Churches with whom it shares campuses and facilities. The Vestries of the two Churches are the members of the School’s Articles of Incorporation. The Trinity School Board of Trustees functions independently of the two Vestries.

The rectors of each Church and three Vestry­appointed trustees from each Church serve on the Trinity Board. Use agreements between the School and each of the two Churches articulate the 116

terms of campus use as well as the process for setting the use fees the School pays each Church.

These structures and agreements have provided clarity and sustainable relationships for each of the three institutions. Additionally, the School enjoys goodwill relationships with each of the Churches. The inevitable challenges of shared space use and facilities needs have been and are communicated with professionalism, goodwill, and positive awareness while upholding our separate and mutual missions.

8. Assess the clarity and effectiveness of the separation of the Board’s role, purview, and scope of authority from those of the administration.

From year to year the Board and the administration have clarity of role and purpose. Trustee orientation, the guidance of the Chair, the presence of the two rectors, and the experience and support of trustees for the work of the administration have created a productive and professional series of systems, such as those for budget and tuition setting, managing the School’s investments, creating and working to annual goals, the development processes the School uses, and the Board’s processes for its own evaluation and that of the Head of School.

Feedback from a community survey in May 2014 brought awareness to the Board that some members of the community might not fully understand the respective roles and functions of the Board and Head of School, particularly regarding operational decisions. This led to substantial Board­level conversation that has surfaced mixed understanding within the Board itself of its role and function, particularly in hearing and vetting concerns brought by community members to parent trustees.

This challenge raised the opportunity for further Board­level conversation and education, as well as consideration of how to communicate the work of the Board to the community proactively.

We see an opportunity to increase community awareness of the work of Board committees as well as the Board’s attention to strategic issues, such as increasing funds for financial aid and supporting the target enrollment goals. The Board continues internal conversation on the ways and means to create broader community awareness of the Board’s appropriate role and function in safeguarding the mission of the School, hiring and supporting the Head, and ensuring the School’s financial stability.

9. Based on the responses to the questions above, what are the two or three most important areas that the Board of Trustees should address with respect to strengthening governance and meeting major needs of the school?

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The Board has several opportunities to strengthen its governance and to meet the major needs of the School.

● Through its goals for this year, it can pursue two areas of challenge: ○ Build greater consensus within the Board itself on its role, purpose and interface with the roles and function of administration in dealing with concerns raised within a small and deeply engaged community ○ Implement a communication plan with the community by which to regularly provide positive visibility around the role and function of the Board with particular emphasis on its strategic processes and initiatives. ● The Board can proceed with the process outlined for using the accreditation process to identify the potential initiatives and the scope of the next strategic plan. It can finalize the plan in Fall 2015 through a process that includes input from the Visiting Committee and the Trinity School community.

Primary Author: Mary Menacho, Head of School Reviewed/edited by: Eric Hass, Vice­Chair of Board of Trustees; Bess Kennedy, Trustee; Grace Limaye, Trustee; Michelle Swenson, Chair of Board of Trustees; Jeanne Cooper, Trustee; Paul Collins, Trustee; Ward Johnson, Trustee

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Section V: Institutional Stewardship and Leadership

15. Administration

The Head of School and administrative team have full responsibility for developing, leading, and supervising the operations of the school. The administration’s responsibilities entail collaboration with the Board regarding strategic issues and also with the faculty and staff regarding the school’s efforts to build and sustain a high quality program. It is the work of administration to build a professional culture where the faculty are committed to their own development as teachers and learners; where curriculum is regularly reviewed and renewed; where communication is open and frequent; where future directions arise from a clear educational vision and a spirit of collaboration; and where every adult is committed to the nurture and support of every student.

Standard 15: The administration effectively leads the school in assessing, planning, and innovating, as well as in managing the educational program and the overall operations of the school. The administration takes responsibility for establishing and maintaining a healthy, collaborative, and supportive environment for teaching and learning, and it actively promotes ongoing school improvement.

Indicators of meeting Standard 15: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. The school’s administrative leaders, working in collaboration with the Board, prepare for the next stage of growth, help to organize strategic planning processes, and plan for resources needed in the future.

2. The school’s administrative leaders provide direction and deploy resources to sustain and improve curricular and co­curricular programs and to make the student learning experience as positive as possible.

3. The Head of School, who is qualified by education, experience and abilities, effectively articulates a shared educational vision and embodies the values of the school in his or her work.

4. The members of the school’s administrative team are qualified by education, experience, and abilities to carry out the duties and responsibilities which are delegated to them and to support the school’s efforts toward institutional improvement.

5. Opportunities are provided for administrators, faculty, and staff to be involved in the planning and decision­making processes concerning professional development activities.

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6.

7.

8.

9.

The administration ensures that there are communication channels available to students, parents, faculty, and staff to offer suggestions and voice concerns.

The Head and administration work effectively together, both individually and as a team, modeling the kinds of collaborative professional relationships they seek in faculty.

The Head makes it a priority to develop and sustain a mutually supportive working relationship with the Board Chair and Board members.

The Head and administrative team members communicate effectively with one another and with the faculty and staff. The faculty and staff experience this communication as being regular, reliable, open, honest, and effective.

There are no Baseline Requirements Checklist for this Standard.

Questions:​ ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. What are the strengths of the administrative team, and how are they reflected in the environment that the school has created for teaching and learning?

The School leadership team are all professionals with well established tenure in their respective fields. We encourage lifelong learning and support continuous professional development. A small team, we have the opportunity to meet formally with each other and have informal exchanges in response to situations that emerge in the daily life of the School. The collaboration and good will of the administrative team contributes to the positive relationships with the faculty and the community of the School as well as the staff members of the two Churches with whom the School shares campuses.

2. What structures and practices are in place to ensure effective communication among administrators, individually and as a team, and between administration, faculty, and staff?

We have a multitude of communication channels with informal feedback and structured meetings.

● Weekly faculty and administrator meeting ● Grade­level group meetings with Academic Dean and key specialist teachers ● Individual faculty member meetings with Academic Dean ● Weekly Head of School and key administrator individual meetings 120

● ● ● ● ●

Weekly Head of School, Academic Dean and CFO meeting Administrative team meetings as needed Email communication Ease of interpersonal access Respect for the professionalism, time, and work­flows of each administrator and faculty member

3. How have the professional growth and development goals for administrators been determined and pursued? Has this process been effective in developing needed strengths in administration?

Professional growth and development goals are part of the annual goal­setting and evaluation process begun in the fall and culminated in the spring. These goals are jointly developed by staff and Head of School with the objectives of supporting the School’s mission, deepening the staff’s expertise, and building a robust school community and professional network. Additionally, each administrator belongs to professional organizations focused on the administrator’s particular role. It is not unusual for these administrators to assume leadership roles in their respective organizations.

All professional development requests are reviewed and approved by Head of School with funding reviewed by the CFO, and for academic personnel, the Academic Dean.

4. What avenues and programs are in place that help to develop leadership capacities among current and potential administrators at the school?

As part of annual goal setting and review processes, administrators may indicate interest in further education or leadership opportunities. It is the intent of the School to support professional growth and career development for all interested employees. The School supports professional growth to the extent that budget allows through professional development. Additionally, the School offers a maximum of $5000 reimbursement for full time administrators and teachers pursuing a Master’s degree in an area related to the individual’s role or the needs of the School.

Those interested in expanding his or her professional role can find difficulty in doing so in a small school such as Trinity. Leadership in professional organizations or taking on leadership of strategic initiatives within the School are two means for internally supporting continued professional growth.

5. What is the role of administrators in clarifying the school’s professional expectations for faculty and in addressing deficiencies in the quality of any teacher’s performance?

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The Academic Dean and the Head of School communicate closely with each other about teaching quality and professional growth support needed to either support a teacher’s professional growth or to address deficiencies. Through frequent individual meetings with teachers, the Academic Dean provides guidance and mentorship. The Head of School sits in on some of these meetings and participates in annual goal setting and review processes for faculty.

Third party mentoring, peer to peer mentoring, professional development, and continuous conversation are the primary means of addressing both growth opportunities and deficiencies.

Needed areas of improvement are identified with teachers and may form part of the goal­setting process or be brought into that process over the course of the year. Depending on the need, the approach generally is to provide awareness, resources, and support. Where the situation does not improve, it may lead to placement in another, more suitable role or potentially the non­renewal of contract.

6. How do administrators, individually and as a team, gauge institutional and programmatic needs? Describe how they typically deploy resources to meet those needs. Are these processes effective?

Trinity School is a standards­based school. We use multiple forms of both formative and summative assessment that provide data on student performance over the course of the year, allowing the Academic Dean and teachers to make instructional adjustments as needed. The School has a strong commitment to differentiated learning to help groups of students meet and surpass academic standards. Through individual meetings between teachers and the Academic Dean, where student progress is regularly reviewed, teachers further fine­tune instruction for differentiated groups. Teachers also use a robust set of apps and online programs to meet individual and small group student needs. The School encourages use of technology resources that provide data aggregation to teachers in order to monitor student learning needs and progress.

In general, the School finds these processes and resources to be highly effective in helping students meet and even surpass the academic standards.

7. How do the Head and administration manage the aftermath and challenging outcomes from difficult decisions? Cite a recent example that illustrates key dynamics.

The Kindergarten class of two years ago was a particular cohort that brought to light a multi­level issue that included home­school communication, teacher performance, and the transition from the Lower to the Upper Campus for some families. The result of these compounded issues was significant unrest among the parents of this class, leading to several families leaving over the course of two years, and a lower enrollment with gender imbalance for the current Grade 2.

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As parent unrest and dissatisfaction evolved, the Head of School and administration increased teacher mentoring and added a co­teacher. At the same time, the Head and administrative team increased communication with the group and with individual parents to ensure that the needs of individual children were being addressed. The admission team and Parent Ambassador Program worked on the evolving enrollment issue with diminishing effect until this school year.

With a new teaching team in Kindergarten, and with some progress toward increasing enrollment for this class as well as bettering the gender balance, the Head and the Academic Dean, at the suggestion of the Board Chair, invited a third party consultant from Parents’ Place, an area non­profit dedicated to parent education, to work with current Kindergarten families to help manage parent anxiety and concern about children beginning what some parents can view as “real school,” that is, Kindergarten.

In planning for this, the Head and administrative team decided to broaden the opportunities for parents to have an additional set of resources at natural transition points in the life of the School: Lower to Upper Campus during the Kindergarten transition, the evolution of social and emotional peer interaction and play patterns in early elementary, and the transition from elementary school to middle school through Trinity School’s annual placement process.

To date these additional resources and opportunities for conversation among Trinity School parents seems to be positively received. The Head and administrative team will continue to monitor parent feedback and to evaluate the efficacy of using third party parent education resources to engender productive conversations within the School community.

8. What are the most significant dilemmas that the Head and administration face that do not have easily identifiable solutions? What headway, if any, has been made in these areas?

Two significant dilemmas are enrollment and the balance of serving the needs of all learners.

Achieving optimal enrollment is a continuous challenge. The admission season is year­round, with emphasis on the traditional fall to spring timeframe. Yet for the past several years, summer enrollment has made the margin of difference for meeting or surpassing budgeted enrollment targets. For this reason, enrollment has been and remains a strategic challenge for the School.

The good news is that for the past two years, through the excellent work of the Admission Director and the Parent Ambassador Program with the strong support of the entire personnel and support of the Board, School has opened with more than expected students. Making strong enrollment more of a “given” is a priority. Enrollment as a strategic priority is a situation the School has historically faced for at least the past twenty years. Another current factor impacting enrollment can be attrition in elementary grades. Thus retention is an area of particular focus this 123

year through the internal marketing branch of the Parent Ambassador Program. Retention also has the poignant attention of all personnel.

Another endemic area of challenge is meeting the needs of all learners. The School accepts children at age 3 when nascent learning issues may not be readily identifiable. Additionally, some families withhold evaluative information while others, fortunately, readily share these reports and often connect the School with the outside resources families use. The result, however, is that in some classes, the number of children with mild to moderate learning differences is higher than the 10 to 20% that is the School’s target. For example, one class currently has 60%. The challenge is that the School wants to maintain enrollment and is, in fact, an excellent mainstream environment for many children with mild to moderate learning differences. When a cohort gets over balanced with the variety of learning differences, the School works closely with each family and may provide additional teaching assistance. As the School achieves its strategic goal of full enrollment with wait lists, it will be more able to manage the learning style balance in the elementary grades.

9. Based on the responses to the questions above, what are the two or three most important areas that the school should address with respect to the administration or the challenges that lie ahead for it?

● In considering the continuing need to increase and stabilize enrollment, the School will want to strategically focus on both internal and external communication processes to both address the enrollment targets while also managing the profile of the candidates admitted to narrow the variety of learning differences currently being served. ● Additionally, the School should consider another administrator to allow for greater focus on internal and external communication on behalf of the School. ● Finally, should the School, through its strategic planning process, decide to pursue a capital campaign, it will be necessary to hire a development administrator.

Primary Authors: Mary Menacho, Head of School; Lana Harkness, Academic Dean; Mo­Lan Chan, CFO Reviewed and Edited by: Shelley Willig, Admission Director and Community Relations Coordinator

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Section VI: Institutional Improvement and Sustainability

16. Self­Assessment, Decision­Making, and Change

Taking stock of a school’s institutional health on a regular and ongoing basis and analyzing the resulting information and data to guide change and improvement are important key elements in developing long­term institutional vitality and sustainability. Substantive school improvement is built upon an examination of meaningful data that reveals trends, and change requires a candid assessment of strengths, needs, weaknesses, and opportunities. Schools that ignore data gathering and analysis in major decision­making place themselves at risk, as it is challenging to make consistently wise institutional choices when important facts are unavailable. By contrast, sustainable schools analyze data, ascertain its meaning, and use it to inform and guide institutional change initiatives. The data gathered through this process can help not only to deepen the understanding of challenges facing a school, but also to promote collaborative reflection, planning, decision­making, and, ultimately, school improvement.

Standard 16: The school regularly engages in assessment practices that include the collection, analysis, and effective use of relevant data. This data is employed in evaluating the school’s educational programs, as well as in informing decision­making in other areas of school operations. The school readily identifies and promotes changes needed for school improvement in a manner that marshals sufficient resources and garners the community support necessary for successful implementation.

Indicators of meeting Standard 16: ​ Schools that are meeting the standard at a high level will typically exhibit most or all of the following indicators.

1. Student performance data and information gathered about student learning are used to inform ongoing instruction, program review, and revision.

2. The staff has a clear role in organizing and providing useful data indicators of school health and effectiveness.

3. Board members and staff are experienced and adept in the use of data in decision­making.

4. Avenues are created for students, parents, school personnel, and alumni/ae to provide feedback on the school’s effectiveness and considerations for improvement and change.

5. Data and information gathered about student learning guide a systematic professional development program designed to achieve continuous improvement.

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6.

7.

8.

Major change initiatives are a) based upon the analysis of relevant data, b) carefully planned, c) guided by the school’s mission, d) communicated to constituencies, and e) monitored through an accountability plan.

The school additionally uses data from external sources to understand social, demographic, economic, and other trends and to inform its decision­making.

There is broad appreciation within the school of the importance of a strong capacity for institutional self­ awareness and of sustained engagement with the understandings that such awareness provides.

Baseline Requirements Checklist for Standard 16: ​ Schools are typically expected to fulfill all of the baseline requirements listed below, as they are essential to the operation of an effective school. If the school responds “no” to any of the items, an explanation for that response is necessary and can be entered at the end of this section below the checklist.

1. The school fully completes the annual data entry in all sections of the Independent School Dashboard. ​ Yes 2. The school participates fully, accurately, and in a timely manner in the data collection undertaken annually by CAIS and NAIS. ​ Yes

Questions: ​ Please respond to each of the following questions, keeping in mind that they are intended to promote institutional self­reflection and depth of thought. Responses that display insight and succinctness are preferred over those that rely heavily on sheer volume and length.

If, in order to avoid potential redundancy, a school chooses to answer two or more questions simultaneously with one essay response, it should be clearly indicated.

1. Using three major change initiatives in the past five years, demonstrate how data was used to identify a challenge and formulate the needed change. How does the school assess the effectiveness of the new initiatives?

Additional Human Resources in Classrooms:​ The School’s long­standing practice was to have a single classroom lead teacher and a full time paraeducator in lower grades and part time personnel in Grades 1­5. With the increased focus on differentiated instruction, and the need for this as demonstrated through formative and summative assessment tools, the School has taken a more flexible approach to human resource allocation. In Kindergarten, a second credentialed teacher works with the lead teacher as an assistant teacher, rather than a paraeducator. Grade 1 this year has the equivalent of a full time paraeducator. Grade 2 has an additional teacher for two English language learners. Grade 3 has the equivalent of a full time paraeducator, and there are co­teachers in Grade 4, and a lead teacher and assistant teacher in Grade 5. The addition of these 126

human resources has allowed instruction to be more carefully calibrated to the needs of each of these groups of students. Continuous monitoring through student assessment tools will inform needed allocation of teachers going forward. This was a qualitative decision based on observations and dialog among academic personnel and the Head of School.

New Data Management System​ : Trinity has used a variety of data management systems, each tailored to the specific needs of that school function: registrar, admission, development, library, grading/reporting student progress, and business office. Last year the School embarked on the search for a more integrated system and, after the review of the several systems most used by independent schools, decided to contract with Rediker Software. The adoption of this system has created improvements in the integration between registrar and admission functions and a shared parent/student information database that works for all of the data management functions of the School. The Business Office remains on a separate system. In its first year of implementation, the School is using baseline functions and foresees positive potential for more sophisticated use going forward. Through administrative team meetings and feedback from teachers on the new grading and reporting systems, the School will continue to evaluate the merits of the new system.

Parent Survey System:​ Surveying the parent community for feedback on their experience of the School has been a sporadic function over the past several years. The School used focus groups three years ago, nothing the following year. In May 2014, using a tool that is relatively new and little used as yet in the independent school industry, Trinity implemented a two question survey process, the Net Promoter Score. The two questions asked are, “How likely are you to recommend Trinity School to a friend or colleague?” and “Why did you respond as you did?”

The first question is a 1­10 rating; the second is a narrative response. With the strategic goal of increasing enrollment and with that initiative closely linked to word of mouth recommendations from current parents, this short yet open­ended tool holds the potential of providing current feedback on the likelihood of parents recommending the School as well as insight into the reasoning behind their responses.

The May 2014 survey results created a thoughtful and thorough process for the administration and the Board, affecting the focus of Board and administrative goals for the current 2014­15 year that include heightened focus on communication of School processes such as communicating with parents as a School team regarding student issues, demonstrating program quality more explicitly, and articulating the respective roles of Head and the Board.

The survey was given again in October 2014. The results had not yet been shared with the Board at the time of completing this Self­Study and are therefore not included here. The survey will be given again in May 2015. The intent is to use this tool for several years with a two­fold intention: 127

to provide parents with an open­ended and regular means of anonymous feedback on the School and for the Board and administration to use the major trends in the feedback to attend to perceptions currently affecting the community as well as those with the potential for strategic direction. Creating a baseline of net promoter scores and feedback trends will take several years, and will be the means for assessing the efficacy and merit of this survey system.

2. How does the school educate the faculty and administration in the appropriate use of data to inform instruction and improve teaching and learning? What, if anything, could be done to make these education efforts more successful?

The Academic Dean analyzes and reviews data from several assessment tools with teachers over the course of the year. At the beginning of the year, teachers use phonic and reading comprehension tools from the CORE assessments in individual child evaluations. Also, math assessments help teachers calibrate the delta between students’ end of year progress and current skill/concept levels. These two data sets help teachers formulate initial instructional groups for reading and math. These are flexible groups that change as student progress indicates over the course of the year. Additionally the School uses Children’s Progress ERB three times a year in ECP 4 through Grade 2. These adaptive, formative assessments provide detailed feedback on student progress as well as instructional resources for remediation or advancement. With similar aims, Grades 3­5 take the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment three times a year.

Writing is a valued area of the curriculum. The School uses ERB’s Writing Assessment Program (WrAP) to monitor writing proficiency in Grades 3­5. The Educational Record Bureau’s CPT IV is given in the fall of the year so that the results at a class and at an individual level can further inform instruction and curricular pacing. To make these education efforts even more useful, a data integration system that somehow aligned the various data sets would be invaluable. A tool of this kind would ensure that the use of data is integrated into teachers’ decision making about student grouping, curricular content, and pacing. Until such is available, continued education for teachers in analyzing and interpreting assessment results will support data­based decision making.

3. In its decision­making processes, how does the school simultaneously encourage innovation and manage risk as it plans for the future or contemplates change? Provide relevant examples.

The School manages itself conservatively and tries to anticipate risks while also planning for the implementation of ideas that will improve School operations or create better learning potential for students. With a lean administrative team and an efficient Business Office, the Head and the team can readily engage in long term planning as well as respond to opportunities or threats that may arise in the shorter term. Following are examples of response to a threat and an opportunity.

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In early September 2013, during a School community function, a pipe under a sink in the Library broke, flooding the Library in about 2­3 inches of water in 45 minutes. Thanks to parent volunteers, staff, and professional crews, the flooding was stopped and books and book shelves saved. The School and the Church worked closely and seamlessly together over the next six to eight weeks to make all of the substantial repairs and return the Library to full use. While less dramatic and more often with advance planning available, similar processes or step by step professional and collegial planning have resulted in multiple facilities improvements between the School and the Churches.

An opportunity for the School over the past several years has been access to small companies developing apps or educational tools for the education market, particularly regarding the use of iPads in the instructional program or coding for students. A local incubator for these companies, Imagine K­12, has worked with Trinity School, and the School with developers to consider and then to test products the School assesses could benefit students. In this process, interested teachers or the Technology Integrator or Director of Information Technology make initial contact with a developer or small company through the Imagine K­12 fairs held several times a year.

Usually the School invites company representatives to a meeting of interested teachers or to the combined weekly meetings of faculty and administration. Interested teachers may decide to work with the app with the support of the Technology Integrator and Director of Information Technology. This process has resulted in the School adopting and even contracting, for example, with a small company for student management ­ Class Dojo, and another for measuring reading fluency ­ Literably. These are but two small companies the School has worked with to the benefit of both parties and particularly of students.

4. What data that the school does not currently have would aid decision­makers in their work of leading the school? Is there potential data regarding factors that are hard to measure that the school would find useful in decision­making and planning?

NAIS’s DASL and the National Business Officers’ Association (NBOA) provide the most robust sources of data for comparison to other independent schools. Still, getting data on the School’s particular geography is a challenge. It would be helpful, for example to have access to the following:

● Middle school placement statistics for nearby independent schools ● Average attrition rates for K­6 schools under 200 in the Bay Area ● Average experience levels, educational qualifications, and tenure for faculty in K­6 schools under 200 in CA

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Additionally, to position the next initiative regarding school facilities, the School will need to complete the structural analysis of the classroom building on the Upper Campus.

5. Using concrete examples, describe how significant change has occurred in the past at the school. When it has been successfully proposed, implemented, and embraced, what factors have made this possible? When proposed change has not been implemented or when it has been implemented but has not been successful, what has impeded it?

In 2012, with the Board’s approval and encouragement, Trinity School launched the Parent Ambassador Program in three parts ­ a more concerted and organized engagement of parents to establish relationships and support for prospective families, to focus on internal marketing of the School, and to plan/implement external marketing. The engagement of parents in the admission process has yielded positive feedback from new parents, who have felt supported and informed throughout the admission process. Internal marketing first focused on campus signage and was successful in working with St. Bede’s Church to install signage on campus and at the entrance.

Internal marketing is this year more focused on the work of a small number of parents and the administration to connect with and be aware of internal concerns that may lead to attrition. These areas of change engaged parent interest, loyalty, and provided tasks that were and are “doable.”

Administrative support and organization by the Director of Admission and the strategic leadership of the Parent Ambassador Program have made these two of three arms of the program successful and sustainable.

Even in the first year of the program, the administration and Parent Ambassador Program leader soon ascertained that there was less parent interest and leadership in external marketing. This is an example of an area of proposed change that did not “stick.” In analyzing the reasons for this, the School determined that parent leaders were not willing to use personal connections to leverage awareness of the School within their associations or business networks. This is a strategy that has worked in other communities, but did not gain traction at Trinity. Rather, the administration considered and continues to work on the best ways to use online and print publications via press releases and social media to increase awareness of the School externally.

The viability of change initiatives would seem to depend upon shared understanding of and commitment to the need for change as well as a manageable structure for implementing and sustaining the change that does not overtax the resource base ­ parent volunteers in this case.

6. As the school looks ahead at the prospect of implementing the major changes identified as important in various chapters of the self­study, what are the two or three most important things it must do to set the stage for the successful implementation of these changes? Are there any

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considerations regarding the overall process of change at the school that need attention or resolution at this time?

● Create strong and productive relationships with the families of the School. This is foundational to the success of change process in a small and engaged community such as that of Trinity School. See Action Plan 4 in the last section of this document for details of current initiatives focused on positive and productive relationships with families with the intention of reaching closer to enrollment capacity and increasing year to year retention. ● Articulate a relevant and robust vision of the School by engaging the community in helping to identify and/or understand the direction of the School to put context around the potential need for any proposed change. Here we tie our rationale for new ideas directly back to the mission of the School and how it is currently being lived out, as well as what could yet be. ● Ensure that there are the human, physical, financial, and time resources to implement strategic change over a reasonable timeline. The School has used project­related additional resources from time to time to ensure it has the expertise or the most effective means of accomplishing a strategic change. ● Bring the School’s constituencies along in the process of change and celebrate milestones or re­engage constituencies when adaptations become needful. Here we circle back to the importance of continually bringing the community along through the celebration of milestones and the consistent use of relevant communication vehicles.

7. What are the two or three most important areas that the school should address with regard to its effective use of data for self­assessment, decision­making, strategic planning, and the implementation of change?

● Continue to focus on robust enrollment: more than 155 and as close to 168 as possible with wait lists for most classes with particular attention to retention ● The School is poised to consider its next fund­raising and development initiatives. These will be closely tied to the direction of the next strategic plan.

Primary author: Mary Menacho, Head of School Reviewed/edited by: Lana Harkness, Academic Dean; Mo­Lan Chan, CFO; Shelley Willig, Admission Director and Community Relations Coordinator; Cindy Tipton, Development Coordinator; Michelle Swenson, Board Chair; Immanuel Thangaraj, Finance Committee Chair

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Summary: Self­Study Findings And Conclusions

This summary section should be written after the rest of the self­study work has been completed through the broad involvement of members of the school community in examining and assessing all of the essential components of the school’s educational program and operations. This is an opportunity for the school to synthesize the results of its deliberations and writing into an overview that captures the broadest and most significant information and understandings that emerged from the self­study process. Please respond to the following questions.

1. What emerged from and was substantiated by the self­study process as the school’s areas of greatest strength?

● Trinity is a school that knows itself through the solid articulation of its mission and appreciates that the mission, while long representing the School, continues to be vibrantly relevant and manifest in the School’s programs. ● The School enjoys a well balanced, effective academic program. ● Students are well prepared, kind, critical thinkers, problem solvers, with compassionate world views. ● The service learning program is a major conduit of School values and Episcopal school identity. ● The School has long enjoyed stable and productive working relationships with Churches. ● The School enjoys financial stability and conservative fiscal management. ● Trinity’s is a philanthropic community that achieves both financial and participation development goals. ● From year to year the School benefits from talented, compassionate, and capable parent association leadership. ● Trinity’s is a faculty that is well qualified, committed to student success, and interested in professional growth. ● The stability and reputation of the School are strong assets. ● Both ECP and elementary programs thrive on beautiful campuses.

2. What new and useful information about the school was generated by research or discussions associated with the self­study process? What did the school discover about itself?

Through the Self Study process we have rediscovered these main points:

● We have the need to effectively communicate the solid processes of the School that are already in place.

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● We are a reflective and courageous community able to appreciate the merit of our work, while continually looking at how to improve/extend it. ● Our size and our professionalism allow us to respond to opportunities and needs in thoughtful and proactive ways.

3. In drawing upon the analysis of issues and the identification of future work contained in the various self­study chapters, what would the school now designate as its most important five to eight institutional strategic priorities for the next several years?

The following are potential strategic priorities drawn from the various chapters of this Self­Study.

● Chapter 2: Tech/touch tools and approaches ­ focus on tools and pedagogies that support student learning, engagement, and achievement ● Chapter 2: Project Based Learning ­ Increase performance based assessments that flow from more project­based learning aligned to the School’s academic standards ● Chapter 2: Writing Workshop ­ Train all teachers in this model ● Chapter 2: Next Generation Science Standards ­ Fully transition from prior science standards to the NGSS ● Chapter 2: Parent Understanding of Social Emotional Curriculum ­ Increase visibility of the social emotional learning that takes place daily in classrooms and on the playground ● Chapter 3: Student Learning Plans ­ Refine the process to regularly report to parents of students with educational evaluations on the accommodations and modifications provided in the classroom ● Chapter 4: Understanding Parent Expectations and Needs ­ Increase tools and knowledge regarding the expectations of independent school parents and their needs in the current environment of the wider culture and within Trinity School. ● Chapter 4: Diversity Training ­ Ensure ongoing diversity training for all personnel and in both campus environments ● Chapter 7: Lower to Upper Campus Connection ­ Further develop the connections between the two campuses with focus on the parent constituency ● Chapter 7: Preschool Substitutes ­ Increase the pool of high quality, experienced, and reliable substitute teachers ● Chapter 8, 9 and 15: Enrollment ­ Support the School’s enrollment goal to reach and sustain enrollment of 168 with robust wait lists to balance class numbers and learning styles. ● Chapter 8: Message Financial Aid ­ Further align the marketing message for the Financial Assistance Endowment to the Financial Aid Program 133

● Chapter 9 and 10: Philanthropy Education ­ Continue constituent education regarding the three parts of the School’s fund raising programs to ensure parent understanding ● Chapter 9 and 13: School­Church Relations ­ Continue to safeguard and nurture the good will and open communication and planning processes enjoyed by the School with each of the two Churches and particularly regarding the challenge of ensuring student safety with an open campus priority ● Chapter 10: Alumni Tracking and Connection ­ Plan for realistic and manageable ways to stay connected to Trinity School alumni ● Chapter 11: Succession Planning ­ Plan for succession resources and processes for senior administration and Board leadership ● Chapter 12: Classroom Building ­ Evaluate the future viability of the classroom building to meet current and forward­looking needs of the School ● Chapter 14: Board Role ­ Build greater consensus within the Board on its role, purpose, and interface with those of the administration when community concerns surface ● Chapter 14: Board to Community Communication ­ Implement a communication plan to represent the role and function of the Board to the community as a body focused on strategic initiatives ● Chapter 14: Strategic Planning ­ Carry forward the learning and input from the Self­Study and Visiting Committee into a strategic planning process to culminate by fall 2015 ● Chapter 15: Additional Staffing ­ As strategic planning concludes consider what configuration of additional administrative staffing will be needed to support future advancement and communication needs

The personnel of Trinity School reviewed the above points from Chapters 2­7. Based on the priorities set by that group through an anonymous survey, the top three institutional priorities received the most points and have therefore been crafted as Action Plans 1­3 in the following section of this Self­Study.

In a parallel process, the Board of Trustees and Trinity School administration reviewed and ranked the institutional priorities listed above for Chapters 8­15. The three top­ranked have been drafted into Action Plans 4­6 in the following section of this Self­Study.

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Future Planning Document

Following the receipt of the Visiting Committee report, the school will develop a unified, comprehensive plan for the future, one which articulates goals and implementation steps that a) follow logically from its self­ study work, b) integrate the findings of the Visiting Committee report, and c) take into account the results of any other institutional planning efforts. This plan—which may be formulated as an action plan, strategic plan, strategic agenda, or some other document—will be due to CAIS (in electronic form) between July 1 and December 1 during the year in which the Visiting Committee comes to the campus. The CAIS Board of Standards and the school’s Visiting Committee Chair will review this plan for completeness and alignment with the school’s self­study and the Visiting Committee report. A complete plan is an integral part of the total accreditation process and a requirement for continued accreditation; it includes the following for each plan element:

● Statement of the strategic priority or goal ● Brief statement explaining why the priority or goal is important ● Potential impact on students ● Specific implementation steps ● Projected timeline ● Person(s) responsible for implementation ● Resources needed ● Ways of assessing progress ● Means to report progress to all members of the school community

See the following pages for the Trinity School Action Plans included in the 2014 Self­Study.

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Action Plan 1: Tech/Touch Balance

● Strategic Priority:​ Demonstrate through specific examples how teachers create and continue to refine the ​ balanced use of technology tools, materials and artifacts along with teacher interface to promote students’ critical thinking, engagement with learning, and the acquisition of concepts and skills.

● Rationale:​ Primary to student learning is the child’s relationship to and rapport with his/her teacher and the child’s connection to his/her classmates. As Trinity School continues to embrace technology tools to personalize learning for students, to refine differentiated instruction, and to capitalize on student motivation and engagement, we want to preserve and even to deepen those core relationships between student, teacher, and peers. Additionally, we want to ensure that students engage in a balanced way with both actual artifacts/materials and virtual tools.

● Potential Impact on Students:​ The impact on students is the potential for more thorough learning that is scaffolded by both the positive emotional benefits of productive, warm relationships, as well as greater ownership and engagement for students through tools tailored to their learning.

● Specific Implementation Steps:

○ Communicate the commitment of the School to date in this area and articulate the goal going forward. (fall 2014). ○ Plan for professional development internally and with external resources to support teachers’ continued refinement of teaching practices using a broad spectrum of teaching strategies and resources that encourage students’ critical thinking, engagement with learning, and the acquisition of concepts and skills.

(2014­16 and potentially beyond). ○ Engage the group of dedicated parents who participated in the Innovation Committee during spring 2014 to review and participate with faculty in shaping how the School further develops the goal and articulates it to the community. (fall to early winter 2014­15). ○ Encourage teachers to blog a monthly example that demonstrates the objectives of Tech/Touch at work in his/her class. (academic year 2014­15). ○ Evaluate the merit of using Tech/Touch as the theme for Learning at Trinity.

(November/December 2014) If merited, plan for student demonstrations of Tech/Touch to be presented to the community. (early February 2015).

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● Projected Timeline:​ See notes attached to each step above.

● Person(s) Responsible for Implementation:​ Technology Integrator, Director of Information Technology, Academic Dean, Head of School, teaching faculty, Trinity students

● Resources Needed:​ There are no or little costs associated with the steps outlined above. A more detailed plan needs to be developed that includes the steps above. As the plan is further developed, it could have significant implications for future facilities planning and equipment acquisition, as well as professional development. These considerations would be part of the strategic planning process. Timely and thorough communication with the parent community will be a vital resource.

● Ways of Assessing Progress:​ Conduct student interviews with Grade 4 and 5 students, a sampling of Grade 4 and 5 parents, and a sampling of elementary teachers to gain further insight into student experience with using tech tools, apps, and realia as well as feeling connected to teachers and peers in the learning process.

● Means to Report Progress to All Members of the School Community:​ Communicate the core findings of the interviews through Trinity Talk in May 2015. Also feature in Trinity Talk on a monthly basis one of the teacher blogs demonstrating Tech/Touch.

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Action Plan 2: Project Based Learning

● Strategic Priority:​ Increase the use of performance­based assessments that flow from more project­based learning aligned to the School’s academic standards.

● Rationale:​ As teachers explore ways to use Project Based Learning (PBL) as a vehicle for teaching to standards, they will need to incorporate forms of authentic assessment that tie student outcomes to project objectives as well as Trinity School standards.

● Potential Impact on Students:​ The impact will be to increase student motivation and investment in learning while also assuring that students are acquiring the skills, concepts, and critical thinking processes articulated in the School’s standards.

● Specific Implementation Steps: ○ Create a “bank” of assessment forms currently in use for PBL. ○ Analyze the “bank” for developmental appropriateness, needed additional forms. of assessment, and the clarity and usefulness of feedback each assessment reveals. ○ Teachers map project­based units, identifying assessments used and results. ○ Continue professional development opportunities tied to PBL. ○ While promoting PBL, also continue the conversation across grades and at each grade level on the appropriate balance of this methodology with others in use.

● Projected Timeline:​ The focus for this work will be the 2015­17 academic years with continued experimentation with PBL in the current 2014­15 year.

● Person(s) Responsible for Implementation:​ Academic Dean, faculty, Head of School

● Resources Needed:​ Funding for professional development, either on an individual basis or as part of Summer Institute.

● Ways of Assessing Progress:​ Students progress against standards as informed by Project Based Learning assessments as well as the other forms of student assessment in use at Trinity School.

● Means to Report Progress to All Members of the School Community:​ Teacher blogs, student demonstrations through open classroom times, Celebration of Learning.

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Action Plan 3: Writer’s Workshop Training

● Strategic Priority:​ Implement Writer’s Workshop school wide

● Rationale:​ Writing proficiently is a core skill for all students. Writing standards articulate grade level expectations, yet the methods for instruction vary from grade to grade. With the success of Writer’s Workshop training for some teachers, we have seen a positive result for students and intend to extend that benefit.

● Potential Impact on Students:​ This would be more consistent methodology in teaching writing, while creating authentic writing opportunities for students to improve. Students also benefit from leading substantive reflection and dialog about his/her writing process, a key element of critical thinking.

● Specific Implementation Steps:

○ Continue to support teachers who have received Writer’s Workshop training.

Provide opportunities for these teachers to share processes in use. ○ Determine whether better to bring in a trainer or to send individuals to training. ○ Teachers map writing units, reflect on student results, and continue to refine processes.

● Projected Timeline:​ Summer 2015 through the 2015­16 academic year for training all current teachers and continuing as new personnel come to the School.

● Person(s) Responsible for Implementation:​ Academic Dean, faculty, Head of School

● Resources Needed:​ Professional Development funding so all lead teachers receive Writer’s Workshop training by Summer 2016. Plan for continued refinement of practice and training for new personnel within 24 months of employment if needed.

● Ways of Assessing Progress:​ Monitor student writing progress and assessment results through WrAP, WPP and teacher observations.

● Means to Report Progress to All Members of the School Community:​ Through teacher blogs focused on student writing and periodic Trinity Talk articles on the writing process, provide broader context for individual student performance.

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Action Plan 4: Build Internal Relationships to Increase Enrollment and Stabilize Retention

● Strategic Priority:​ Trinity School aspires to consistently positive and productive relationships School families to more fully reach enrollment aspirations and to increase student retention.

● Rationale:​ Strong and productive relationships between current families and the School are foundational to the success of any change process or processes in a small and engaged community such as that of Trinity School.

● Potential Impact on Students:​ The potential impact on students would be positive through robust enrollment to further stabilize student retention, allowing the School to better balance student learning profiles within classes.

● Specific Implementation Steps:

○ Continue the current work of the Parent Ambassador Program while implementing its retention arm through TPA leadership meetings. ○ Continue and refine the transparent communication initiative, reinstated in fall 2014, whereby all parent concerns are shared from inception to follow­up with the teacher, the Academic Dean, and the Head of School. ○ Conduct check­ins by the Head of School and Admission Director with new families in fall and at mid­year. Conduct follow up check­ins with parents sharing a concern or complaint. ○ Implement a rolling, three­month communication plan that better ensures that the processes and policies of the School are communicated to families in a timely manner and with sufficient context. ○ Use the qualitative and quantitative feedback from the fall and spring surveys to further refine communication needs with the community.

● Projected Timeline:​ These steps will be implemented over the course of the 2014­15 school year and will be further refined for potential carryover into the following year through the strategic planning process.

● Person(s) Responsible for Implementation:​ Head of School, Admission Director and Community Relations Coordinator, Parent Ambassador leadership, all personnel, TPA leadership

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● Resources Needed:​ There are no or little costs associated with the steps outlined above. A valued resource is the input and feedback of the persons responsible to further refine and detail communication initiatives as these evolve and are implemented.

● Ways of Assessing Progress:​ The continued use of the NPS survey will be one way of assessing the efficacy of these communication plans, which are targeted at stabilizing enrollment and retention through sustaining strong parent­school relationships. The Administrative Team will review and refine communication plans regularly to ensure relevancy and readership. Also, measurable outcomes will be enrollment trends over the next several years.

● Means to Report Progress to All Members of the School Community:

○ Through Trinity Talk and in class meetings, communicate this strategic priority to the School Community in fall 2014. ○ Through Trinity Talk and in class meetings, report on results of NPS surveys in November 2014 and again in late May 2015. ○ Through Trinity Talk and in class meetings, communicate enrollment and retention results in fall 2015.

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Action Plan 5: Strategic Planning

● Strategic Priority:​ Formulate a new Strategic Plan for Trinity School.

● Rationale:​ Carry forward the learning and input from the Self­Study and Visiting Committee into a strategic planning process to culminate by fall 2015 with the end of prioritizing strategic initiatives and communicating these to the community of the School.

● Potential Impact on Students:​ Prioritizing and planning for improvements and initiatives is always conducted with a focus on improving learning opportunities for the students the School serves.

● Specific Implementation Steps:

○ Use the Self­Study process to outline shorter­term or more tactical initiatives that may have implication or carry over for a strategic planning process and begin to work on these according to the respective timeline included in each Action Plan. ○ Communicate the Action Plans to the community as part of the background and context for the strategic planning process. ○ Incorporate feedback from the Visiting Committee as the School further refines Action Plans and positions itself for strategic planning. ○ Enlist the Board’s ad hoc committee on Accreditation to Strategic Planning to define the scope and process for further defining a strategic plan to be completed in fall 2015. ○ Implement the strategic planning process that includes community input in early fall 2015. ○ Complete the strategic plan, submit it to WASC/CAIS, and share it with the Trinity School community.

● Projected Timeline:​ Present through mid­November 2015

● Person(s) Responsible for Implementation:​ Head of School, Board Committee on Accreditation and Strategic Planning, Administrative Team, Church rectors

● Resources Needed:​ Time and potentially funding for a consultant if such a resource should be chosen for constituent input in fall 2015.

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● Ways of Assessing Progress:​ The Committee on Accreditation and Strategic Planning and the Head of School will ensure that the milestones outlined in the steps above are accomplished.

● Means to Report Progress to All Members of the School Community:​ Outline the process for having created the Action Plans, articulate how the School listens to community feedback through the NPS survey during this school year, and articulate the process for community involvement in the strategic planning process that will be implemented in fall 2015. This can be done through articles in Trinity Talk and by speaking to this topic at spring coffees. Once the strategic plan is finalized, it will be publicized to the School community and the community at large. As it is implemented, the School will communicate progress and accomplishments to the community.

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Action Plan 6: Board Role

● Strategic Priority:​ Build greater consensus within the Board on its role, purpose, and interface with those of the administration when community concerns surface.

● Rationale:​ In spring 2014 a few comments registered confusion within the School community about the role of the Board. This led to extended conversations within the Board that further revealed varied perceptions among Trustees on how to handle/direct/respond to concerns parents may voice.

● Potential Impact on Students:​ Modeling where and how to direct concerns holds much positive potential impact for students.

● Specific Implementation Steps: ○ Further conversation/background for trustees on the role and function of trustees/administration. ○ Practice by processing situations as these evolve over the course of the year. ○ Consider hiring a consultant to speak to Board role and function in a small independent school.

● Projected Timeline:​ These steps will be implemented over the course of the 2014­15 school year and will be further refined for potential carry over into the following year.

● Person(s) Responsible for Implementation:​ Board Chair, Committee on Trustees, Head of School

● Resources Needed: ○ Trustees attend the Trustee/Heads’ Conference in Los Angeles in January 2015. ○ Funding for a consultant to the Board regarding trustee role and function.

● Ways of Assessing Progress:​ Trustee feedback on the Board evaluation tool and Head of School survey that trustees complete in April and May 2015

● Means to Report Progress to All Members of the School Community:​ Through periodic articles in Trinity Talk, represent the Board as a whole in a positive professional light.

Individual trustees model directing concerns to the Head of School when approached by individual parents.

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