Tr ue to Webb
Webb School of Knox ville ’s new s tr ategic plan embr aces the s treng ths of the pa s t while char ting a dynamic path for w ard.
Dear Webb School of Knox ville communit y,
Grounded in a tr adition of excellence and inspired by the possible, Webb School ’s nex t str ategic plan, True to Webb, offers a vision for the school over the nex t decade. In ser vice to Webb School ’s enduring mot to, Principes non Homines (“Leaders not Ordinar y People” ), True to Webb is a living fr amework, upheld by five interconnec ted pillars, that provides direc tion to our endeavors while remaining nimble, allowing space for adaptabilit y and innov ation
True to Webb reflec ts a firm acknowledgement of and commitment to what ha s alw ays differentiated the Webb experience – independence, honor, excellence, ser vice – while being ever mindful of and motiv ated by what ’s possible and “ what ’s nex t ” for us to more fully live into our mission in different, deeper, and dynamic w ays Indeed, this “both -and ” splendid instinc t of Webb – both grounded in who we are and eager for new horizons –is captured in our plan’s title, True to Webb.
True to Webb is the result of a t went y-month intentional process of eng agement, discernment, discussion, feedback, and dr af ting by the Str ategic Planning Steering Commit tee in par tnership with our consultant, Ian Symmonds of Ian Symmonds & A ssociates. The plan w a s endorsed by Webb’s Board of Trustees on September 26, 202 4 . The planning process itself w a s inclusive and expansive, relying on and reflec ting f acult y, staff, parent, student, alumni, and board input through ex tensive sur veying , listening sessions, focus groups, and design teams True to Webb w a s created for, through, and by the Webb communit y. We thank all those who g ave their time and talents a s this plan took shape, and we turn our eyes now with eagerness and anticipation tow ard making the plan a realit y.
Each member of the Webb School f amily experiences and understands what makes Webb special. A s stew ards of the school ’s future, it is our responsibilit y to create the environment in which Webb School ’s uniqueness thrives and deepens, and True to Webb equips us to do just that. It is an exciting time at Webb School and, a s you turn this page, we hope you will feel and share in this excitement and momentum. Go Spar tans!
M Ansel Sanders Allison Lederer 95 y President Str ategic Planning Str ategic Planning
Commit
tee Co - Chair
Commit tee Co -
Chair
Tr ue to Webb
Tr ue to Webb
We inspire and nur ture the full potential of each individual and prepare our s tudent s to ser ve a s leaders of char ac ter in tomorrow ’s world.
Cor e Val ues
Cor e Val ues
Our mission is suppor ted and achieved by our core v alues:
The pursuit of academic e xcellence.
A s trong sense of honor and personal integrit y.
The development of critical, creative, and socially conscious thinking.
A culture of inter ac ting with others in a respec t ful and produc tive manner in a vibr ant, caring communit y. 1. 2. 3. 4.
T he Por t r ai t o f t he
Webb
Gr
adua t e
Webb School is a world - cla ss, liber al ar ts- centered college preparator y school that also seek s to imbue it s gr aduates with the knowledge, skills, habit s, and char ac teris tics to pursue their pa ssions and eng a ge a s ser v ant leaders in an ever- changing world. A s such, we envision and org anize our school around a clear por tr ait of a Webb gr aduate de fined by confidence, capacit y, and e xcellence in the area s of collabor ation, communication, and empathy.
Webb gr aduates are proac tive, civil, de termined, disciplined, adaptive, and alw ays “hungr y and humble ” in finding ways to make a difference. Matriculation through the Webb educational experience offers an oppor tunit y and e xpec tation for our Spar tans to build tr ans formative relationships; develop sound intellec tual, social - emotional, and physical wellbeing capacities; communicate publicly, confidently, and curiously; move toward independence; and, ultimately, learn how to pursue pa ssions and take responsibilit y for living an honor able, ser vice - oriented life. Indeed, now more than ever, the world needs leaders equipped with these skills and dispositions. Now more than ever, the world needs Webb.
Guiding Pr ac t ices:
Through the s tr ategic planning process, the
following oper ating pr ac tices and norms emerged to help guide and balance priorities. These principles can also be utilized in decision - making a s the plan moves “ from theor y to pr ac tice ” and is oper ationalized, a s well a s ser ve a s a rubric to ev aluate the fidelit y of s tr ateg y and initiatives.
Focus on
what is essential and resis t adding more without subtr ac ting. Doing less allows the school to go deeper, thus enriching the e xperience for s tudent s and f acult y while f acilitating a s tronger, more fulfilling and marke table v alue proposition. This principle also enables us to be t ter org anize, s tew ard, and deploy resources: time, people, money, and physical space. Doing less or “cut ting the fluff ” is cour a geous and hard, a s it of ten entails making challenging decisions in the shor t term. “Less is more ” also orient s us “ from the inside out ” – the relationships and work that begin in our cla ssrooms, bet ween student and teacher, and emanate out.
Stay at tuned to what other e xceptional independent schools are doing , a s well a s current research, pr ac tices, and trends in education and socie t y, to help inform our work .
Inves t our time, talent, and trea sure in a “people and progr am” s tr ategic focus r ather than a more tr aditional “ f acilities and fundr aising ” model. Facilit y upgr ades and fundr aising tow ard specific s tr ategic area s should and will continue to be critical to the school, but we are also poised to significantly adv ance and develop tr ans formative relationships, human capital, and educational progr ams.
Embr ace and encour a ge small - scale e xperimentation in ever y a spec t of the org aniz ation a s a w ay to tes t new idea s and pr ac tices, cultiv ate a learning culture, and ensure nimbleness. Cultiv ate a culture of continuous improvement by seeking ongoing feedback and data from one another and Webb s takeholders to adapt and evolve with changing educational landscapes.
Interrog ate decisions through the lens of coherence and alignment. How does a decision or progr am cohere and align with the mission and the por tr ait of the gr aduate, or across and be t ween divisions / depar tment s and /or school culture?
Unlike tr aditional plans tied to a five -to -seven -year timeline, True to Webb is a decade - long s tr ategic plan, at lea s t Such a timeline re flec t s the plan’s both thought ful and ambitious nature. It also necessitates developing t wo -to -three -year pha ses that build on one another and build momentum, while recalibr ating the plan regularly in response to unforeseen challenges and oppor tunities. Finally, the ten -year timeline allows the school to “go slow to go f a s t ” –an approach that empha sizes intentionalit y and a methodical cadence to developing readiness, capacit y, and buy-in to ensure both shor t and long-term impac t via True to Webb’s implementation
A FAMILY OF TRUST, CONNECTION, AND CARE BUILT TO
LAST
A DESTINATION SCHOOL
THREE SCHOOLS, ONE WEBB AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS
Tr ue to Webb
Webb School of Knox ville ’s True to Webb s tr ategic plan is a dynamic blueprint that, upheld by five inter t wined pillars, ser ves a s a living compa ss in s teering our initiatives while remaining nimble and a gile in allowing for innov ation and fle xibilit y. Each of the pillars – A Family of Trus t, Connec tion, and Care; A Des tination School; An Eng a ged Communit y of Learners; Three Schools, One Webb; and Built to L a s t – contains a ssociated s tr ategies. A s presented in the following pa ges, each pillar can be read a s a response to the phr a se, “ Webb is…,” with the over view of the pillar ser ving a s a response to the words, “ We believe…,” and the related s tr ategies a s responses to the subsequent a sser tion, “ We will… .”
Webb is...
A FA MILY OF T RUS T, CONNEC T ION, A ND CA R E
We bel ieve...
We bel ieve...
Student s, f acult y and s taff, parent s and alumni should e xperience the school a s a f amily rooted in trus t, connec tion, and care. This culture builds la s ting relationships and a true sense of belonging and joy that allows all to be their authentic selves. A s in any f amily and human communit y, comple xit y inevitably arises, but the shared responsibilit y for Webb’s culture and mission ser ves a s common ground to navig ate comple xit y and identif y oppor tunit y. We envision Webb to be a school where we w ake up each morning inspired to go to school; feel safe, known, challenged, and loved while we ’re there; and re turn home fulfilled at the end of the day.
We w il l ...
1.
Elevate and recommit to Webb’s Honor Code a s a cultur al anchor to fos ter trus t, connec tion, and care, and promote civil discourse and eng a gement within the school communit y, including parent s a s par tners.
2.
Build intentional, wise, and trus ting teams of adult s across depar tment s and divisions, grounded in ps ychological safe t y, continuous improvement, and joy, while enhancing oppor tunities for parent s to connec t and learn.
Enhance school safety and securit y e ffor t s by for tif ying Webb’s relational culture,
3. pr ac ticing protocols, utilizing technolog y e ffec tively, and improving campus infr a s truc ture.
AT ION SCHOOL Webb is...
We bel ieve...
A DE S
T IN
Webb School ’s commitment to Principes non Homines, “Leaders not Ordinar y People,” registers a compelling philosophy for f amilies, f acult y, and s taff seeking an educational, co - curricular, and e x tr acurricular e xperience that is both broad and deep. We believe that talented, bes t-fit s tudent s, teachers, and s taff from across our region will be at tr ac ted to a school that remains both grounded in culture, people, and progr ams, and eager to position itself to be a destination for talent, innov ation, and oppor tunit y.
We w il l ...
1.
Position Webb School as the des tination for mission - aligned, talented, and diverse educators through innov ative recruitment, retention, and professional development e ffor ts while ensuring accessibilit y to Webb -ready students from Knox ville and alumni f amilies.
2.
Establish Webb School as a leader in ser vice learning and communit y eng a gement, positioning ser vice a s a centerpiece of the Webb e xperience.
3.
Develop a comprehensive wellness progr am that enriches a culture of belonging and suppor t s the health of s tudent s and adult s in mind, body, and spirit.
4 .
Research and potentially es tablish a “ four th division” to scale accessibilit y to the Webb e xperience by be t ter ser ving s tudent s with specific learning needs or interes t s.
5.
Position Webb as a leading voice in the independent school sec tor by ac tively par ticipating in local, regional, and national org aniz ations and a ssociations.
Webb is...
A N E NGAGED
COMMUNI T Y OF LE A R NERS
We bel ieve...
Webb School ’s tr adition of academic e xcellence delivers an e x tr aordinar y liber al ar t s education within a highly relational scholarly communit y and prepares s tudent s to e xcel in college and beyond. Such learning and development also occur out side the cla ssroom – athle tics, ar t s, tr avel, ser vice, clubs – a s means for dynamic grow th, where our s tudent s continue to learn about and embr ace hard work, persever ance, and dedication tow ard a goal. We believe it is the school ’s responsibilit y to eng age the mind and hear t of each s tudent, f acult y, and s taff member in es tablishing the bedrock for lives of learning.
We
w il l ...
1.
Ensure individualized suppor t and pathw ays for each s tudent ’s unique academic and
non - academic journey so that s tudent s e xplore and take adv anta ge of all Webb ha s to offer.
2.
Review and enhance curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular offerings to promote deep learning and academic excellence, cultural competency, college readiness, and alignment with the portrait of the Webb graduate, exploring the possibilities presented by emerging technologies to advance teaching and learning.
Re - envision and align the use of time tow ard Webb’s priorities, re flec ting a “less is
3. more ” approach for deep s tudent and f acult y grow th and development.
4 .
Foster a global mindset by providing oppor tunities for cultur al e xchange, e xplor ation of world his tor y, international tr avel, and collabor ation with s tudent s and educators worldwide.
Webb is...
T HR EE SCHOOL S, ONE WEBB
We bel ieve...
Webb’s dynamism is re flec ted through offering e xceptional learning and grow th oppor tunities, fueled by the e xper tise of our pa ssionate f acult y and s taff across all gr ade levels – from our Junior Spar tans through senior year. Teaching and learning in our Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School should be unique, given the different ages and s tages of s tudent s ser ved in each school. At the same time, Webb is one schoolhouse –a spirit and e xperience of connec tedness and coherence we a spire to fos ter and cultiv ate through creative and intentional endeavors.
We w il l ...
1.
Investig ate and develop Webb Centers of E xcellence to org anize s tr ategic focus area s and cultiv ate signature progr ams that enhance common student experiences and differentiation by developmental stages.
2.
Streng then academic, co - curricular, and ex tr acurricular coherence across divisions and depar tment s to ar ticulate an “arc of the e xperience ” for Webb s tudent s a s they matriculate through the school, aligned with the por tr ait of the Webb gr aduate and differentiated by developmental a ges and s ta ges.
3.
Evaluate and enhance the House System and advisory program in grades six through
twelve and FAMILIES in the Lower School to improve student support and engagement while exploring new traditions to galvanize the Webb family, engender school pride, and cultivate the joy that comes with being part of Webb School.
Webb is...
BUILT
T O L A S T
We bel ieve...
We bel ieve...
Webb School of Knox ville is a gif t that ha s been nur tured, cultiv ated, s tew arded, and handed down through the years since the school ’s inception in 19 5 5 . We now have that same oppor tunit y and responsibilit y. We aim to ensure an enduring leg ac y that is the gif t of Webb School for gener ations of Spar tans to come by e xploring , deepening , and broadening the requisite resources and capacit y to do so.
1. We w il l ...
Develop and deploy the necessar y resources (time, human capital, budge t, and physical space) to suppor t each pillar of the s tr ategic plan.
2.
Grow the financial foundation through s tr ategic endowment and annual giving , diversif y
4 .
Leverage generative AI/ emerging technologies to improve depar tmental e fficienc y and e ffec tiveness.
5.
Expand and strengthen the Webb community by enhancing relationships, increasing financial aid resources, and exploring innovative ways to meet the demand for a Webb education.
3.
Invigorate the alumni base to suppor t their alma mater through philanthropy, volunteerism, s tudent internships, and feedback to capture Webb’s impac t.
6.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement by soliciting feedback from s takeholders, ev aluating outcomes, and making informed decisions to adapt to the changing educational landscape.
Scan the above
QR code to learn more about our True to Webb
s tr ateg ic plan
Tr ue to Webb reflects a fir m acknowledgement of a nd commitment to what has a lways differentiated the Webb ex per ience –independence, honor, excellence, ser v ice –while being ever mind f u l of a nd motivated by what’s possible a nd “ what’s nex t” for us to more f u lly live into ou r mission in different, deeper, a nd dy na mic ways.
Thank you!
A special thank you to the following members of our Str ategic Planning Steering Commit tee for their hard work, dedication, and insight ful contributions during the str ategic planning process
Ansel Sanders
Jonathan Johnson ’93
Allison Lederer ’95
Mark Taylor
Mike Brown
Miller Callaw ay
Amy Cathey
Annie Colquit t ’05
Jennifer Cook ston
Meg Count s ’97
Dan Gill
Mat t Kaye
Mat t Macdonald
Jennifer Phillips
Ay a z Rahman ’98
Lisa Stinnet t
Abby White
Christ y Widener
Kristi Wofford