concord academy sp 2002

8/4/2019 Concord Academy SP 2002

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166 Main Street

Concord MA 01742

(978) 369-6080

[email protected]

People& ProgramThe Strategic Plan for Concord Academy


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Concord Academy has always possessed the essential elements of a great school: intellectual

rigor; a caring community; and a stimulating atmosphere fostering growth and creativity.

To maintain this tradition of excellence while continuing to serve a diverse group of students

in a changing world, the school has periodically reviewed and revitalized its mission and

program.This strategic plan, written with the involvement and guidance of the entire school

communitytrustees, administrators, faculty, staff, students, parents and alumnae/i

continues Concord Academys practice of reexamining itself with an eye toward reinforcing

its strengths and identifying areas that will benefit from change and innovation.

The future that this plan describesa five-year spanis anchored in a revitalized mission

statement, a concise set of guiding principles that will serve as the point of reference for the

implementation of the plans goals and objectives.The mission statement, discussed more

fully in the pages that follow, reaffirms the schools commitment to intellectual challenge

and love of learning, appreciation for diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and human

interaction based on common trust.All the elements of this strategic plan, focused on people

and program, are drawn from that mission.

People & ProgramThe Strategic Planfor Concord Academy

MissionConcord Academy engages its students in a community

animated by a love of learning,

enriched by a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives,

and guided by a covenant of common trust.


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First and foremost,the plan reasserts the centrality of the academic experience at

Concord Academy. This means that the school will continue to seek effective ways to foster

intellectual growth; provide teaching that demands rigorous, critical thinking;and attract

a diverse group of students and faculty who will thrive in an intellectual environment.The

school remains committed to providing a superior arts program and to the belief that

participation in the visual and performing arts offers important life lessons in creativity, self-

expression and cultural awareness. Notably, the plan reinforces athletics as a co-curricular

experience that balances and enhances the academic program. By committing to goals and

objectives that support and strengthen athletics at all levels, the plan ensures that Concord

Academys program will provide students with every opportunity to grow in confidence,

skill and maturity.

Concord Academy believes that a v ibrant boarding program is essential to the experi-

ence of all students. In the years ahead, the school will further strengthen its boarding

program to make it vital and appealing to an academically strong, diverse group of students.

The initiatives presented here will enhance the extraordinary sense of community that has

always characterized the school by creating more space for student and student/adult inter-

action.At the same time, they will expand that sense of community by providing more activ-

ities that engage students in life beyond the campus.These initiatives include making better

use of the rich resources of historic Concord, and nearby Cambridge and Boston by offering

greater opportunity for off-campus learning experiences.

Concord Academy expects much of its faculty. Indeed, the close relationship between

faculty and students has always been one of the schools greatest strengths.Building on this

tradition and responding to the most recent educational research citing important connec-

tions among different levels of child developmentcognitive, social and emotionalthe

school will seek teachers who are committed to engaging with students in at least one other

activity outside the classroom.Without diminishing the centrality of the classroom, this

additional contact with students will provide a strong adult presence in all aspects of school

life.At the same time, teachers will be directed and trained to adapt their instructional

techniques to different learning styles.This affirmation of a teachers role in students overall

development and of the effect of learning styles on student achievement will ensure that

students receive a well-rounded education combining stimulating group interaction with

supportive individual attention.

Concord Academys long and valued tradition of offering the strongest academic challenges

and its resolve to seek dynamic adults and students committed to these high standards have

led the school to adopt a strategic plan centered around people and program.The campus

with its picturesque Concord setting, its historic houses, its intimate size, its Performing

Arts Center, its improved Science Center, its multi-purpose Math and Arts Center and its

Student, Health and Athletic Centercomplements the schools program and contributesin a tangible way to the quality of life of the people who live, learn and work here. Over the

years, generations of Concord Academy trustees have made strategic decisions based on the

belief that people, not buildings, form the essence of a great education.This plan reinforces

that belief by focusing mainly on the adults and students who form the core of the school

and the programs that bring them together.

Parts of the planthose that relate to the boarding experience, adult-student interaction

and quality of life for all studentsdo, however,include recommendations for campus

enhancements but only to the extent that they support people and programs essential to the

mission of the school. One of these recommendations involves expanding the Elizabeth

B. Hall Chapel. Over the years, the chapel has become not only an important gathering place

for the entire school but also a symbol of shared community values. For the past several

years, the chapel has been unable to accommodate all students, faculty and staff.The strate-

gic plan recommends enlarging the space in a modest, respectful way that would not alter

its cherished character.This proposed expansion does not signal an intention to increase the

size of the school but rather to keep this important building at the center of school life.

During the fifteen-month planning process, it was clear that all participants shared a belief in

the schools strength and core values. It also was clear that no school will remain strong if

it becomes complacent. Concord Academys strong program has benefited from the schools

tradition of looking beyond itself and into the future.By employing the strategies outlined

in these pages, Concord Academy is poised to define new and ever-better ways to educate its

students. By focusing on its people and program, the school will maintain its commitment

to engaging students in a community animated by a love of learning, enriched by a diversity

of backgrounds and perspectives, and guided by a covenant of common trust.With the

help of all segments of the schools extended community, the achievement of the plans goals

and objectives will ensure that the school preserve its tradition of intellectual excitement,

creative enterprise and rewarding human interaction while continuing to attract an able,

interesting and diverse group of students and adults in the years ahead.


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PeopleStudents

Concord Academy is committed to enrolling students who are bright and motivated.

All students at the school should enjoy learning, be eager to test their skills in a challenging

intellectual setting and aspire to explore and create. In addition, every student should

appreciate the unique opportunities offered by a community that values differences among

people and opinions, encourages learning from others and expects people to act with

compassion toward one another, thus honoring the schools commitment to common trust.Concord Academy believes that students possessing a combination of talent, energy,

open-mindedness and compassionbrought together in a challenging,diverse and car ing

educational environmentwill enjoy the best possible educational experience. As it

looks toward the future, the school is more committed than ever to building a student

community that reflects a diversity of backgrounds, experiences and talents.

Mission

Concord Academys mission statement was originally developed when the school was

incorporated in 1922.During the past eighty years, it has been reaffirmed and refined as the

school has reevaluated its purpose through changing times.At the start of this strategic

planning process, the Board of Trustees requested a thorough review and restatement of the

schools mission, which had last been revised in 1987.

Following outreach to all of CAs constituencies, months of discussion and the hard work

offinding just the right words to reflect the schools shared beliefs, the Task Force on Mission

presented a revised statement to the board, which unanimously approved the following

mission for the Concord Academy of today and tomorrow:

Concord Academy engages its students in a community

animated by a love of learning,

enriched by a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives,

and guided by a covenant of common trust.

The task force further developed the schools purpose by adding the following set

of defining principles to the mission statement:

Students and teachers work together as a community of learners dedicated

to intellectual rigor and creative endeavor. In a caring and challenging

atmosphere,students discover and develop talents as scholars, artists and

athletes and are encouraged to find their voices.

The school is committed to embracing and broadening the diversity of

backgrounds,perspectives and talents of its people.This diversity fosters

respect for others and genuine exchange of ideas.

Common trust challenges students to balance individual freedom with

responsibility and service to a larger community. Such learning prepares

students for lives as committed citizens.

The revised mission statement is the foundation for the strategic plan presented

in these pages.All elements of the planfrom core goals to specific objectivesreflect

some aspect of the overall mission and will be implemented with that mission in mind.

GoalsEnroll students who:

exhibit a genuine love of learning and the

capacity to succeed in a rigorous program

of study in a highly intellectual atmosphere;

possess strong personal qualities that will

allow them to benefit from and contribute

to the schools intellectually stimulating,

creative, diverse and open-minded atmos-

phere; and

reflect different backgrounds, experiences

and talents that, in total, provide a rich

educational experience for all members

of the community.

Objectives to Advance Goals Keep the academic program strong,

compelling and attractive to prospective

students of the highest academic caliber;

Develop a marketing and recruitment plan

highlighting the schools strengths anduniqueness, including a regional recruitment

initiative that identifies strong boarding

candidates who live within comfortable

driving distance from campus;

Develop strong programs that provide

academic, social and developmental support

to students once they become part of the

school community;

Strengthen the financial aid program so that

all students have equal access to the school s

full educational experience; and

Actively promote appreciation for and pride

in the variety of talents and attributes

possessed by CA students through enhancedcommunications and marketing tools.


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PeopleThe Adult Community

Over the course of Concord Academys history, one of its most enduring characteristics

has been its gifted and dedicated faculty.A goal of this plan is to ensure that outstanding

educatorsteachers, coaches, house parents, administrators and staff memberscontinue

to be attracted by the schools program, by the opportunity to teach and learn from an

exciting and motivated group of students, and by the chance to work alongside other caring,

dynamic and accomplished adults. In the future, the school will increase its commitmentto bringing a diverse group of adults to the campus who will work actively to support the

overall development of its students.

PeopleDiversity

Concord Academy has always sought to be a school where students and adults from

varying perspectives and backgrounds are welcomed, where differing views are encouraged,

and where opinions can be freely and responsibly expressed and respected.The school

believes that an inclusive community,which expands the vision and experience of all its

members, enriches education. In the revised mission statement, the board has recommitted

Concord Academy to this policy of diversity.The strategic plan emphasizes the schoolscommitment to racial, ethnic and socio-economic diversity.The school also recognizes the

importance of respecting other differences, including those arising from gender, sexual

orientation, religion, geography, learning style, individual talent and personal experience.

Looking ahead, a continued atmosphere of mutual respect and common trust will be essen-

tial if all community members are to thrive in this diverse environment.

GoalsIdentify, hire and retain:

faculty and staff capable of making

distinguished contributions to a stimulating,

rigorous program of academics, arts and

athletics;

adults who are student-centered in their

approach to education;

adults who are passionate about their workand interested in professional growth; and

adults who contribute in more than one way

to a community devoted to a love of learning

inside and outside the classroom.

Objectives to Advance Goals Raise compensationincluding salary, bene-

fits and access to housingfor faculty and

staff to meet the levels offered by the top

schools among Concords peers;

Strengthen the existing program of faculty

evaluation and professional development;

Hire adults with an eye toward maintaining

racial, ethnic, socio-economic and otherforms of diversity, which add value and rich-

ness to the school community;

Support faculty initiatives to develop curricu-

lar offerings that reflect the schools mission;

Seek faculty members who believe in the

importance of significant contact with

students outside the classroom, including

adults who want to be part of the boarding

experience or who have the skills and

experience to take on other responsibilities,

such as coaching, advising clubs or partici-pating in weekend and other extracurricular

activities;

Develop a program to support strong and

committed faculty interested in assuming

leadership roles in the school;

Develop and implement an ongoing educa-

tion and training program for faculty that

advances the use of educational technology

in the classroom;

Provide training that increases the facultys

understanding of different learning styles,

their effects on student performance and

their implications for classroom management;

and Provide more housing on and near c ampus in

recognition of the high cost of housing in the

Concord area.

Goals Identify and seek diversity of all kinds, includ-

ing racial, ethnic and socio-economic, in both

its student and adult populations;

Strive to ensure that all students and faculty

have equal access to and can benefit fromevery aspect of the schools program;

Teach students the importance of diversity

in society and in our lives; and

Instill mutual respect among people within

the community and for people beyond it.

Objectives to Advance Goals Employ a senior administrator who oversees

the diversity efforts of the school;

Develop a recruiting plan to identify and

attract students and adults with a broad

range of backgrounds and talents;

Increase financial aid for students fromdiverse backgrounds who show promise

and need;

Provide training to all segments of the

school community and time for reflection

about issues of diversity in order to

ensure that Concord Academy remain

a welcoming place for all; Work with academic departments to

review course offerings, with an eye

to achieving multicultural and gender

balance in the curriculum;

Improve the schools outreach to alumnae/i

of color;

Evaluate and improve the schools orientation

program for new students of color;

Create stronger links between the school

and New England Citybridge, especially

among adults; and

Develop programs that allow international

students to share their traditions and

experiences more directly with the rest ofthe community.


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ProgramAcademics

The core enterpr ise of Concord Academy is teaching young people to become motivated,

independent thinkers with a lifelong love of lear ning.Work on the strategic plan affirmed

the many strengths of the schools academic program while identifying improvements

that will enhance an already distinguished curriculum. Planners recommended exploring

more curricular offerings that reflect the diversity of the school and the world, paying

closer attention to different learning styles among students and taking advantage ofadvances in educational technology for classroom use. The following recommendations

reflect the schools continuing commitment to a program characterized by intellectual

rigor and richness.

ProgramAthletics

The athletics program at any leading secondary school, particularly a boarding school, is an

important part of the educational experience of all its students.Athletics play a vital role

in student development by teaching the value of healthy competition,teamwork and physical

fitness. One of the goals of this plan is to strengthen the schools athletics program in order

to enable it to take its rightful position as a co-curricular program in the school, comple-

menting and enhancing the schools distinguished academics and arts programs.The entireathletics curriculumevery level of team and club sport and every non-competitive

offeringmust be of the highest quality and must be supported by excellent teaching and

coaching.To achieve these goals over the next five years, Concord Academy must commit

sufficient resources to support and strengthen the schools athletics program.

Goals Instill in students a lifelong love of learning

while preparing them for higher education;

Identify, hire and retain faculty members with

an excellent grasp of their subjects, who are

passionate about their academic disciplines

and excited about teaching high-school-age

students;

Develop measurable ways to ensure that the

curriculum remain excellent and challenging

at all levels, in all departments;

Encourage and support faculty efforts to

reach cultural and gender balance in the

curriculum;

Provide training that equips teachers to

accommodate different learning styles in their

classrooms; and

Provide continuing education for faculty in

the use of technology to enhance learning.

Objectives to Advance Goals Provide time and resources for the faculty to

explore and develop student-centered

curricular materials and instructional methods;

Identify and commit additional funding for

professional development, allowing more

faculty members to pursue advanced study in

their fields, remain up-to-date in their

disciplines and in the newest educationalresearch, and develop their own instructional

materials;

Maintain ongoing training for faculty in the

uses of technology in the classroom; and

Regularly and rigorously evaluate the

academic program through internal review,

comparison with comparable schools,

surveys of alumnae/i and investigation into

the curricular expectations and offerings

at the college level.

Goals Seek and hire faculty and coaches who

can contribute to an athletics program com-

parable in quality to the rest of the school s

curricular offerings;

Offer all students an opportunity to challenge

themselves and grow in self-confidence

through teamwork and healthy competition

by providing a variety of team sports and an

excellent team experience at every level of

the competitive spectrum;

Help students develop a lifelong habit of

exercise with a varied program of team sports

and challenging, non-competitive physical

activities;

Train, evaluate and support faculty and

coaches to ensure that the athletics

program strengthens the school community

by reinforcing its values and ethos; and

Instill pride in the program by raising the

teams level of competitiveness among

peer schools.

Objectives to Advance Goals Offer a variety of choices at multiple levels of

engagement in order to address a diverse set

of student interests, abilities and experiences;

Include non-competitive offerings that

improve student well-being and teach the

value of lifelong exercise;

Teach skills and life lessons throughout the

entire program: team sports, club sports,

physical education, and health and wellness

offerings;

Regularly and rigorously evaluate the athletics

curriculum, facilities and operations to ensure

that they all continue to support an enhanced

athletics program;

Encourage interested faculty members

with the appropriate skills to become coaches

or instructors in the athletics program;

Identify athletics fields near the school to

add to the limited outdoor space on campus;

Assume a leadership role in the Eastern

Independent League, of which the school

is a founding member;

Promote the program to prospective students

interested in athletics;

Renew athletic spirit and pride by funding

special events and season-ending celebra-

tions, and inviting parents, alumnae/i,

prospective parents, and the wider school

and town communities to participate; and

Integrate the health and wellness curriculum

into the athletics program.


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ProgramBoarding

Families continue to choose Concord Academy as a boarding school because it offers

a comprehensive educational and cultural experience. Students who live where they learn

benefit not only from the schools superior curricular and extracurricular activities but

also from its diverse community. Boarding students enjoy nearly unlimited access to the

schools educational resources and are given a valuable opportunity to form close relation-

ships with other students and adults with whom they share a home. Concord Academyssmall size, its emphasis on knowing each individual within the community, and its ideal

location in the center of Concord and near Cambridge and Boston create a unique environ-

ment in which all students become part of a caring, close-knit community while enjoying

regular opportunities to engage in the wider world beyond the campus.

This strategic plan reasserts Concord Academys belief in the educational and cultural

benefits of a boarding/day school.In addition, the plan reflects the belief that the boarding

experience guides and shapes the school in ways that strengthen the overall program:

the stronger the boarding program, the stronger the school. By committing time and

resources over the next five years to enhancing its boarding environment, the school will

attract top students and provide a stimulating atmosphere for everyone at the school.

ProgramTechnology

Technology is a powerful tool for teaching and learning.In recent years, the school has

increased its use of technology in and out of the classroom and has hired staff and faculty

with technical expertise to help in that process. But the rapidly changing field of educational

technology has required the school to engage in continuous training of faculty and staff

and ongoing evaluation of its systems and curriculum to ensure that learning is up to date;

communication is facilitated; access is equitable;functions are dependable and supported;and administration is managed efficiently.The following goals and objectives are based on

an evaluation of the schools progress thus far and a study of the use of technology at

comparable schools. By supporting the initiatives outlined in this strategic plan, Concord

Academy will ensure that the educational experience defined by the schools mission is

enriched by the best possible use of technology.

Goals Build the life of the school around the board-

ing community by identifying ways to involve

everyone in the boarding experience;

Encourage and support more student-to-

student and student-to-adult interactions;

Enrich the weekend experience on and

off campus for all students, paying particular

attention to boarding students; and

Create opportunities for more contact

and closer relationships between boarding

parents and the CA c ommunity.

Objectives to Advance Goals Provide a place on campus for students to

pursue co-curricular, extracurricular, and social

activities and to interact with the adults in the

community;

Make the houses more comfortable and func-

tional by improving student rooms, enhancing

common areas and increasing technology

resources;

Establish appropriate adult presence in every

student house by having at least three faculty

apartments per house;

Organize house faculty schedules, on both

weekdays and weekends, to ensure a healthy

pace and a balanced life;

Provide attractive and appropriately-sized

adult living spaces that will help the school

attract and retain the best house faculty;

Introduce a new Boston Program that allows

students, particularly boarding students, to

learn from the communities that surround the

campus and benefit from the cultural, social

and service opportunities in Concord,

Cambridge and Boston; and

Schedule parents meetings and, where

possible, certain campus events at times that

are convenient for boardingparents and enlist

their help in finding other ways to increase

their contact with the school.

Goals Coordinate technology, teaching and learning

into a powerful partnership that will add

resources to the educational program, pro-

mote creativity and encourage curiosity;

Ensure that the technology program attendsto and supports multiple learning styles; and

Use the resources of a first-rate technology

program to facilitate positive, effective

and efficient communication throughout the

entire school community.

Objectives to Advance Goals Further integrate educationally-driven

technology into the academic program;

Assist in the evaluation of the computer

studies curriculum to ensure that it

supports the academic needs of studentsat beginning and advanced levels;

Make technology accessible to all members

of the CA community;

Support faculty use of technology through

release time, training and the services of an

academic technology leader;

Help all members of the community make

the best possible use of available technology

by offering instruction and support;

Hire and retain expert staff members who

understand educational institutions and the

need to keep all technology systems func-

tioning reliably; and

Develop a cohesive and long-term informa-tion technology plan that addresses space

allocation, access to equipment, replacement

costs and upgrades.


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ProgramActive Citizenship

Concord Academys mission challenges the school to prepare its students for lives as

committed citizens, to teach the value and importance of service to a larger community

and to embrace the diversity of backgrounds of the worlds people.The world of the

21st century requires students to have a knowledge of and interest in the global forces that

will shape the future. In response to these needs, the school must initiate programs that

take students beyond Concord Academy.The school must expand the experience of itsstudents by providing them with greater opportunities for community service, off-campus

programs and international engagement.

A Campus toSupport People & ProgramMost of the practical steps that the school will undertake in the next five years involve

allocating time and resources to its people and its program. But to realize fully the

revitalized mission and to allow people and programs to thrive into the future, it will

be necessary to allocate new resources to buildings and grounds. Recommendations forenhancing the physical plant are included within sections of the strategic plan.

Goals Involve students and faculty in the world

around themlocally, nationally and interna-

tionally;

Establish programs that help students

embrace diversity among people throughout

the world; and

Provide experiences that teach the value of

service to others.

Objectives to Advance Goals Develop an outreach program that is

incorporated into the curriculum;

Develop school-generated exchange

programs for students and faculty;

Explore the benefits of hiring a coordinator

of off-campus programs to identify and

oversee opportunities and resources that

exist outside the school for faculty and

students;

Develop a program that involves students

in a service opportunity before graduation;

Strengthen the connection between New

England Citybridge and the school, providing

further opportunities for tutoring, outreach

and experiencein Boston and Cambridge;and

Provide programs at school that allow

students and faculty to engage in meaningful

dialogue about world affairs.

Objectives to Advance Goals Construct a campus center that provides

a central, attractive gathering spacefor

students, clubs and other extracurricular

activities, student support services, and

community events and that allows for

interaction with adult members of the

community;

Expand and enhance the houses to provide

students with more comfortable rooms, larger

common space and room for technology;

Enlarge at least two of the student houses

to make room for new faculty apartments;

and

Acquire additional athletics fields in the

immediate area to relieve pressure on the

existing fields on campus, especially during

the spring season.

Longer-term ObjectivesThe following two longer-term objectives

also emerged fromthe fifteen months of study

and discussion:

Secure additional housing near the campus

for faculty families; and

Expand the Elizabeth B. Hall Chapel, wit hout

altering its character, to accommodate all

members of the community so it can continue

to serveas the gathering place for senior

chapel talks, quiet individual and group reflec-tion, and the marking of important moments

in the school and wider world.


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Moving Ahead

The strategic planning process proved invigorating. It provoked lively discussion that

reinforced Concord Academys many strengths while acknowledging room for improvement

as the school seeks to maintain its leadership position among other secondary schools.

It also encouraged people to look ahead and embrace the need for changes that will keep

the school vital for future generations.This forward-thinking approach was balanced

by a respect for the schools long and distinguished history, which has included not only aremarkable record of academic and artistic achievement but also a tradition of warm

human interaction and mutual respect. It is out of this rich past that the future of the school

will grow.This fact is no more evident than in the revised mission statement,which rein-

forces the schools long-held values through an even g reater commitment to love of learning,

diversity and common trust.

Though it represents the culmination of many months of hard work, this plan is by

definition only a beginning. In initiating the process, the Board of Trustees recognized that

its role was to identify broad goals, encourage the exploration of objectives to meet

those goals, direct the schools administrators and faculty to implement those objectives,

and evaluate their progress.

In coming months, the Head of School will coordinate a management plan that sets

priorities; establishes benchmarks and key indicators for monitoring progress and evaluating

success; identifies funding sources; and helps the community negotiate and benefit from

change.The Head of School will do this with the help of administrators, faculty, staff and

students, keeping the board,alumnae/i and parents informed and involved.

The trustees and all the strategic planning participants hope that the entire Concord

Academy community will share their excitement as the school works toward the

implementation of this plan. By engaging administrators,faculty and staff in carrying out

the goals of its plan, Concord Academy will continue to honor its mission and will send

into the world young people who are able and motivated, who contribute to society and

who possess a lifelong love of learning.

The Process

In May 2001, the Board of Trustees and Head of School established a steering committee

to coordinate the work offive task forces, each charged with investigating important aspects

of Concord Academys educational experience.There was no doubt in anyones mind that

Concord Academy is a great school that has honored its mission and evolved in positive and

productive ways through the years, placing it in a very strong competitive position among its

peers. But the responsibility of all boards and heads of school is to ensure that the institutionremain dynamic and vital, and this means planning effectively for the future, setting manage-

able goals and finding the best strategies to fulfill those goals.

In this spirit of continuing self-study and desire for improvement, the current strategic plan

was undertaken to gather recommendationsguided by the revitalized mission statement

embraced by the entire school communitywhich could be realized within the next five

years.These recommendations emerged from the work of the five task forces appointed by

the board, each of which studied one of the following aspects of school life:

the mission statement;

the composition of the student body;

the adult community;

the curricular and co-curricular program; and

the boarding program.

The task forces were chaired by an administrator and a trustee and included board members,

administrators, faculty, staff, parents and alumnae/i. Participants first identified key

questions they wanted to answer within each of their respective areas.They gathered answers

to those questions by reaching inside and outside the school community for information.

They surveyed all Concord Academy constituencies (including alumnae/i, students, faculty,

staff, parents and prospective families),r an focus groups, distributed surveys and facilitated

small- and large-group discussions.They also explored what other schools are doing by

arranging on-site visits or telephone interviews and developing questionnaires that could be

answered in writing.


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At a January 2002 retreat, the Board of Trustees took the first important step in the strategic

planning process by voting its enthusiastic approval of the new mission statement recom-

mended by the task force charged with its revision.With that set of guiding principles inhand, the board then reviewed the initial work of the other four task forces, identifying

areas of agreement and disagreement, and offering suggestions for further work.

In the months following the retreat,the Trustee Committeeon Diversity studied the progress

the school has made and offered recommendations for improving diversity in all areas of

community life and for educating students and faculty on the importance of difference.The

Finance and Facilities committees of the board also contributed to the process by examining

the financial and space implications of the strategies under consideration.Meanwhile, the

task forces worked on refining and redeveloping their recommendations.All these contribu-

tions were then condensed and organized by the steering committee into a strategic agenda,

an outline of themajor recommendations of each task forceand committee, which received

the boards resounding approval at its May 2002 meeting.

The task force chairs and committee membersworking with a body of information gath-

ered over fifteen months of study and using the mission statement as their guidedeveloped

this agenda into the more detailed, comprehensive strategic plan presented in these pages

and approved by the board in October 2002.

It became evident during the planning process that the way in which people worked together

at every stage, stressing the need for inclusiveness and soliciting ideas from all quarters,

reflected the very core values that the strategic plan intends to preserve. As was true during

this initial process, everyone involved in the plans implementation during the next five

years will continue to be guided by a commitment to inclusiveness, an abiding respect for

tradition, a shared belief in the schools overall strength and a renewed sense of mission.

Strategic Planning

Steering Committee

Henry Becton, Jr. P96, 02President, Board of Trustees; Co-chair

Deborah Jackson Weiss P00Trustee; Co-chair

Kathleen Fisk Ames 65, P95Life Trustee

Jacob A. Dresden, Head of School

Marion Freeman 69Past President, Board of Trustees

Gerrianne Goldstein P99, 03Trustee

Pamela J. Safford, Staff

Jacqueline Smethurst, Trustee

Strategic Planning Task Forces

Adult Community

Michael Haroz P98, 00Trustee; Co-chair

Frederic Stott, Staff; Co-chair

Maria Alexander-Bridges P04Trustee

Henry Becton, Jr. P96, 02President, Board of Trustees

John Drew, Faculty

Alan Hernandez 81, Trustee

Alison Smith Lauriat 64, P94, 96Trustee

Carol Shoudt P94, Staff

Antoinette Winters P00, Faculty

Boarding

Timothy Bergreen 82Trustee; Co-chair

David Rost, Staff; Co-chair

John Axten P03, Trustee


Debra Fine 77, Trustee

Mary Hult P98, 00, 02, Trustee

John Moriarty P02, 05, Trustee

Supawan Lamsam Panyarachun73, P05, Trustee

Cornelia Urban Sawczuk 80, Trustee

Joanne Smith, Faculty

Andrew Watson, Faculty

Composition

Kathleen Fisk Ames 65, P95Life Trustee; Co-chair

Pamela J. Safford, Staff; Co-chairHoward Bloom, Faculty

Frances Savoia Brown P04, Trustee

Anne W. Couch 50, P75, Trustee

Dean Forbes 83, Trustee

Susan Hall Mygatt P99, 01, Trustee

Barbara M. Osborne 62, Trustee

Hanka Ray, Faculty

Mission

Jacqueline SmethurstTrustee; Co-chair

Diane Spence P04, Staff; Co-chair

Susan Adams P98, Faculty

Markley Boyer, Jr. 78, Trustee


Thomas First 85, Trustee

Elizabeth Julier Wyeth 76, Trustee

Program

Gerrianne Goldstein P99, 03Trustee; Co-chair

Patricia Hager P06, Staff; Co-chair

Harvey J. Berger P01, 06, Trustee

Hilary Walther Cumming 87, Faculty

Jeffrey L. Eberle P99, 04, Trustee

Max Hall, Faculty

Kirsten Hoyte, Faculty

Peter Jennings, Staff

Babette Loring P98, 01, Trustee

Brian Racine, Faculty

Deborah Jackson Weiss P00, Trustee

Elizabeth Julier Wyeth 76, Trustee

Trustee Committees 2001-02

Diversity

Dean Forbes 83, Trustee; Co-chair

Wanda Holland GreeneTrustee; Co-chair

Maria Alexander-Bridges P04Trustee

Gerrianne Goldstein P99, 03Trustee

Michael Haroz P98, 00, Trustee

Barbara M. Osborne 62, Trustee

Shadeed-Ali Elliott, Faculty

Laurie Margolies P03

Sally Whitaker P02

Jos De Jess, Staff Liaison

Facility Planning

John Moriarty P02, 05Trustee; Chair

Frances Savoia Brown P04, Trustee

Jeffrey L. Eberle P99, 04, TrusteeSusan Hall Mygatt P99, 01, Trustee

Donald Kingman, Staff Liaison

Finance

Deborah Jackson Weiss P00Trustee; Chair

Henry Becton, Jr. P96, 02, Trustee

Harvey J. Berger P01, 06, Trustee

Jeffrey L. Eberle P99, 04, Trustee

Debra Fine 77, Trustee

Thomas First 85, Trustee

Dean Forbes 83, Trustee

Michael Haroz P98, 00, Trustee

Alan Hernandez 81, Trustee

Marguerite L. Lee 77, Trustee

John Moriarty P02, 05, Trustee

Jacqueline Smethurst, TrusteeElizabeth Reid Reynolds, Staff Liaison

Others lending support to the plan:

Gregory Floyd, Strategic PlanningConsultant; Vice President, BrowningAssociates, Inc.

Lucille Stott, Writer

Tara Bradley, CommunicationsConsultant

Nancy Howard, AdministrativeAssistant to the Head of School

Acknowledgements

The Board of Trustees wishes to offer special thanks to the following task force and committee membersfor their participation in the strategic planning process:

Approved by the Board of Trustees in October 2002. deceased

concord academy sp 2002

Documents