Strategic Plan 2023-2027

PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST

A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF NEWARK ACADEMY (2023 - 2027)

Newark Academy sits in an incredible position of strength as it approaches its 250th birthday. Students who walk through NA’s doors enjoy an outstanding experience that rivals that of any independent school in the country. Inside and outside the classroom, students are inspired and challenged by transformational teachers, coaches, and mentors who push them to nurture their passions and become the very best version of themselves.

Thanks to responsible planning and careful strategy, the school remains a model of financial health and continues to achieve record-setting application numbers and yield percentages. Meanwhile, the strategic thinking of school leadership and the strength of the broader community empowered Newark Academy to not only survive the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, but continue to deliver the excellent academic program for which it is known.

Newark Academy’s previous strategic plan, “Building for Belonging,” charted the course for significant changes over the past four years, including the expansion of the financial aid program, the creation of the Innovation in Teaching and Learning Fellowship program, impactful facility improvements, and various programs and initiatives to promote an even greater sense of belonging.

At this momentous milestone in Newark Academy’s history, Newark Academy’s next strategic plan will once again build on the institution’s many strengths as well as author for the future. Even as we pursue the new goals and innovative ideas listed later in the plan, we remain committed to the core elements and essential values of who we are:

• A joyful and collaborative community of learners united by intellectual curiosity and a global mindset

• A diverse and inclusive community where all members are respected and feel a sense of belonging

• An engaged and involved community distinguished by the deep connections and lifelong relationships with each other and Newark Academy

• A dedicated community that recognizes the value of socioeconomic diversity and ensures that a Newark Academy education is accessible and affordable to all

All of these institutional values align with our “north star,” the school’s mission statement: “Newark Academy will contribute to the world engaged individuals with a passion for learning, a standard of excellence and a generosity of spirit.” Likewise, the newly-defined, aspirational goals from “Putting People First” reflect the three central tenets of our mission statement.

THE PLAN’S REFLECTION OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Pushes Newark Academy to reexamine and refresh elements of our program and our campus in continual pursuit of a STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE

Fosters a PASSION FOR LEARNING through a commitment to innovative, skills-based teaching and learning and a joyful student experience

Embodies a GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT by promoting a healthy and inclusive experience for all community members and ensuring that we safeguard our campus and the environment for generations of students to come

In the creation and execution of this strategic plan, Newark Academy hopes to continue to embody those three tenets, striving and evolving to become an even better school as we start our next 250 years.

OUR GOALS

1 SUPPORT FACULTY & STAFF – OUR GREATEST ASSET

2 PRIORITIZE AN EXCELLENT STUDENT EXPERIENCE

3 PROMOTE AUTHENTIC & MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

4 COMMIT TO IMPACTFUL SPACES & SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

SUPPORT FACULTY & STAFF–OUR GREATEST ASSET

SUPPORT FACULTY & STAFF–OUR GREATEST ASSET

Renew our commitment to providing all faculty and staff with the resources and support to grow, succeed and thrive throughout their careers

• Recruit, retain and support relationship-centered, skillsfocused and culturally competent educators who will challenge and inspire our students

• Reexamine Newark Academy’s approach to compensation, health benefits, housing benefits and retirement benefits to ensure the school is the market leader for educators at all stages of their careers

• Reevaluate and revise processes and practices around faculty and staff hiring and evaluation

Synthesize, coordinate, expand and communicate institutional efforts around innovative, skills-based teaching and learning, cementing Newark Academy as a leader among independent schools

• Charge faculty and academic leadership to establish a clear, cohesive vision for innovative teaching and learning at Newark Academy in service of an excellent student experience

• Enhance and support existing cornerstone programs and frameworks of the academic experience, including experiential education and the 6 C’s among others

• Ensure that faculty and staff possess the skills to harness the power of technology

• Coordinate school-wide teaching and learning programs and initiatives, including individualized, actionable, classroom-focused professional development; the Innovation in Teaching and Learning Fellowship program; the Instructional Coaching program; and the Growth and Renewal process

• Foster and encourage risk-taking, collaboration and professional growth among faculty, thereby also helping to identify, attract and retain educators aligned with our approach

Recommit to efforts to ensure that Newark Academy’s administration, faculty and staff reflect the diversity of our student body through an evaluation and revision of institutional hiring and retention practices

GOAL 2

PRIORITIZE AN EXCELLENT STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Evaluate and “refresh” student life to improve its design and implementation, ensuring that the holistic experience is joyful, healthy, equitable, inclusive, and meaningful

• Extend and/or adapt Growth and Renewal process to cocurricular and extracurricular offerings

• Promote greater connection and collaboration between curricular and co-curricular programs to ensure a healthy ecosystem for every student

• Reexamine the school schedule and calendar with the lens of what best serves student learning and health

• Prioritize student health and well-being while evaluating student life programming, recognizing the need for proactive support for mental health

Renew commitment to excellence beyond the classroom

• Communicate the efforts and achievements of the arts and athletics programs, recognizing their role in building community

• Evaluate arts and athletics programs to provide the requisite resources to achieve a standard of excellence in all offerings, beginning with the disciplines and sports in greatest need of support

• Coordinate, integrate and synthesize co-curricular and extracurricular programs (e.g. experiential education, service learning, DEI, clubs, sustainability, etc.) into a clear, cohesive and meaningful experience for students

PROMOTE AUTHENTIC & MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Establish deep, lifelong connections with Newark Academy alumni

• Promote greater engagement of the alumni body through both broad-based outreach and intentionally-segmented programming

• Continue to expand the role of the Board of Governors as the stewards, supporters and leaders of the alumni community

• Expand affinity groups in order to connect alumni with NA and each other

Cultivate our historical connection with the city of Newark

• Continue to incorporate Newark into our curriculum and program where appropriate

• Explore additional opportunities to partner with community organizations in Newark

Continue to identify ways to engage parents and promote their understanding of the school’s mission, programs and approach

COMMIT TO IMPACTFUL SPACES & SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

Create and institute a “top-down, bottom-up” institutionwide sustainability plan that includes a commitment to:

• Increase integration of sustainability-related topics into the school’s curriculum and program with clear connections to interdisciplinary and experiential learning

• Hire a Director of Sustainability who will lead an institutional team and broadly facilitate and communicate the school’s progress toward becoming a more sustainable organization

Create an updated Campus Master Plan to ensure a clear timeline and appropriate allocation of resources to address facility needs in service of the student experience and the needs of faculty and staff

• Prioritize the renovation of legacy spaces (e.g. older classrooms, library, dining hall)

• Develop or create new student-focused spaces on campus for learning, collaboration and socializing

Formulate a plan to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the institution

• Build funds to grow the school’s endowment

• Continue to monitor and manage the true cost of attending Newark Academy in order to ensure the school remains accessible and affordable to all families

• Create policies and allocate funds to support families of varying socioeconomic backgrounds

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2022 - 2023

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Samuel W. Croll III ’68, Chairman

Lawrence G. Cetrulo ’67, Secretary

Marika Alzadon ’89

Donald M. Austin

John H. Bess ’69

Patricia Budziak

Lauren Hedvat ’01

Wayne D. Kent ’85

Robert Marcus

TRUSTEES

Rohit Bawa ’93

Debra Caplan

David Castelblanco

David Crall

Ajay Dhankhar

Robert Fink

Karen Guy-Smith

Milwood Hobbs, Jr.

Rebecca Moll-Freed ’94

Andrew Kogan ’90

Leigh Mumford

Lisa Powers

Valerie Radwaner Virany

Michael Rockoff ’87

Melissa Tassé

Rasheea S. Williams Hall ’95

Kalenah Witcher ’87

Elizabeth Christou Woodall

EMERITI

Louis V. Aronson II ’41

Paul Busse ’38*

Robert Del Tufo ’51*

William D. Green ’69

William D. Hardin ’44*

Nancy Baird Harwood ’75

K. Kelly Marx ’51

John L. McGraw ’49

Robert S. Puder ’38*

Gary Rose

William T. Wachenfeld ’44

* Deceased

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE

Patricia Budziak, Chair

Donald M. Austin

Tom Ashburn

Catherine Atwell

John H. Bess ’69

David Castelblanco

David Crall

Ajay Dhankhar

Basel Kayyali

Traci Osterhagen Brock

Lou Scerra

Jeff Vinikoor

Kalenah Wichter ’87

Samuel W. Croll III ’68

91 SOUTH ORANGE AVENUE

LIVINGSTON, NJ 07039

P: 973.992.7000

F: 973.992.8962

newarka.edu