Strategic Plan

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SCHOOL The School for Hearts and Minds

STRATEGIC PLAN MAY 2017

Mission Statement

Annunciation Orthodox School, having grown from a ministry of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, celebrates the diverse and individual qualities of all children and their families. AOS provides a superior education in a secure and stimulating Christian environment which encourages the individual child to achieve academic, spiritual, emotional, social, and physical excellence, and to become a responsible member of society.

AOS Strategic Planning Committee Sean Maher, Chair

Alisa Eng

John Anaipakos

Panos Georgiou

Jen Arntzen

Mark Kelly

Alan Christensen

Kris McGee

Sharon Corbett

Adrian Patterson

Laura Dols

Bryant Richardson

Clint DuBose

Rob Wise

Go with God.

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Dear AOS Community, The School’s strategic direction in the coming years will be guided by our new Strategic Plan, which was unanimously adopted by the Board of Trustees in May 2017. We are delighted to share the details of the Plan with you in the pages that follow.

The development of the Strategic Plan was a true community effort with hundreds of members of the AOS community participating in surveys and focus groups over the course of the 2016-17 school year. We are especially grateful for the hard work and thoughtful consideration of the Strategic Planning Committee, which led the effort to develop and draft the Plan.

The Strategic Plan identifies several key priorities and goals for AOS, together with specific action items, touching a wide range of topics.

The Plan is on track to be implemented over the next several years, with progress already made on several action items.

Throughout the strategic planning process, the passion and love for AOS among students, alumni, parents, faculty, and staff was abundantly evident. In addition, the planning process confirmed overwhelming support among the community for the AOS Mission, which remains at the core of the Strategic Plan.

As we focus on the future of AOS, we are mindful of our roots as a ministry of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral and so thankful for the thriving, special place that AOS is today. Thank you for your support of our School.

Sincerely,

John Anaipakos Chair, Board of Trustees

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Mark H. Kelly Head of School

STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE

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Topics: Mission and Diversity

Reaffirm our commitment to sustaining a strong and diverse school community based on the spiritual core, traditions, and culture of the Greek Orthodox Christian faith and heritage.

Rationales:

• To ensure the founding Greek Orthodox roots and cultural traditions are sustained by celebrating Christian tradition and values and remembering the school was established as a ministry with Greek Orthodox foundations that still define us • To be an inclusive, diverse, welcoming, family-oriented destination with a strong sense of community, one that respects racial, cultural, ethnic, physical, religious, socio-economic, and philosophical differences within our community • To assure long-term viability of the school

Initial Action Steps:

• Establish and offer an orientation to Greek Orthodox Christian values and traditions among faculty, staff, board members, students and parents • Educate our constituencies that our commitment to diversity is consistent with our moral values and supported by research that documents diversity bringing improved performance to institutions at all levels and improved critical thinking outcomes for students • Evaluate method and approach for increasing awareness of AOS to and attracting candidates from socio-economically and culturally diverse communities

Ευχαριστω, Ευχαριστω το Θεο για ολα τα καλα πραγματα

I thank God for all good things 5

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STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE

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Topic : Campus Safety and Faci lities Development

Update and refine the master plan for campus and facility improvements and additions.

Rationales:

• To expand visual and performing arts instruction facilities for better development of the whole child • To foster a positive sense of security by ensuring a safe and secure campus • To provide updated and/or new campus facilities for physical education, recess, outdoor education, athletics, and additional school needs

Initial Action Steps:

• Make progress on the master plan’s provision for visual and performing arts space and enrichment class space • Evaluate lighting and security needs on and around the campus • Investigate upgrading the existing campus field space with an artificial surface and a new drainage system

Ευγενια

Gentleness 7

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STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE

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Topic : Communication and Community

Improve communications school-wide, internally and externally, to augment transparency while celebrating the AOS community to all current and future constituents.

Rationales:

• To ensure transparency, responsiveness, impact, and consistency in all communications, internal and external • To differentiate our school from our competition, public and private, by identifying the ongoing and life-long benefits and value of the AOS education • To attract and retain the best mission-appropriate students and families by expanding the understanding of the value proposition of the school

Initial Action Steps:

• Define and create the position of communications director • Articulate and communicate our value proposition in multiple ways, including highly positive student outcomes beyond AOS • Execute a refresh of the website and an expansion of our social media presence together with an update of our current communication procedures and systems

Κοινωνια

Community 9

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STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE

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Topic : Curriculum , Teaching and Learning

Evaluate the curriculum, its continuity, delivery, and effectiveness and the balance between traditional and innovative teaching.

Rationales:

• To honor our mission statement which encourages the individual to achieve academic excellence • To review and define the school’s role in meeting the needs of students who learn differently, inclusive of gifted and talented and those in need of additional support • To assess and address strengths and weaknesses in content, curriculum continuum, delivery, and student engagement

Initial Action Steps:

• Form a task force of early adopter faculty who wish to expand their own repertoire of innovative teaching skills to educate themselves and their colleagues on current best practices • Improve communications with and education of the community concerning curriculum, content, and changes • Set expectations for all faculty to develop skills in differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all students with a range of learning strengths, learning differences, and learning styles

Εκπαιδευση

Education 13

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STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE

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Faculty, Administration , & Staff Growth and Development

Recruit, retain, evaluate, and reward faculty, administration, and staff talent so that we have the best employees possible for AOS.

Rationales:

• To provide AOS students a superior education • To support a culture of continued improvement and the expectation of life-long learning among the adults • To recognize and celebrate growth and success

Initial Action Steps:

• Evaluate the current recruitment, retention, feedback, and evaluation systems seeking improvements • Recruit for a more diverse faculty • Evaluate alternative compensation systems

Σεβασμοs

Respect 15

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STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE

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Topic : Financial Sustainabi lity

Foster and grow the culture of giving at AOS to ensure future generations will benefit from the same high quality AOS experience.

Rationales:

• To increase and diversify resources available to strengthen educational and extracurricular programs • To increase awareness of previous charitable giving and its impact on our AOS community today so constituents will carry on this sense of giving for future AOS students, families, faculty and staff • To assure a financially sustainable future which will support current and future funding needs including, but not limited to, programs brought forth from our strategic plan

Initial Action Steps:

• Support the resources of the Development Office to cultivate and grow the number of contributors, the percentage of donors in each constituency, and the average gift value • Increase endowment significantly, commensurate with the stature of our school and the levels of our peer schools • Develop a sustainable planned giving program for generating additional significant non-tuition revenues

Ταπεινοφροσυνη

Humility 17

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STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE

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Topic : Student Health /Wellness and Preparation for Life

Perpetuate and deepen an environment where all constituents (students, parents, and faculty/staff) recognize the importance of balance, self-advocacy, and resilience in the life of students at AOS.

Rationales:

• To preserve and enhance the positive and nurturing environment that fosters well-being and growth • To maximize personal, academic, physical, and spiritual growth and development • To reduce and manage stress and anxiety among all the constituents

Initial Action Steps:

• Identify, address, and communicate the causes of the endemic and growing student stress and anxiety among independent school students • Establish a task force (of counselors, division heads, and interested faculty) to create a PS-8 “life skills” curriculum whose content derives from “backward design” of the student outcomes we seek: i.e., balance, self-advocacy, spirituality, and character (“grit,” resilience, perseverance, “bystander intervention,” leadership, empathy, etc.)

• Formalize faculty and parent education to teach and model the skills of stress management and anxiety reduction

Ανθρωποs ψυχην και σωμα συμμετροs

Man is the soul and body in symmetry 19

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“Let him who would move the world first move himself.�

- Socrates

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SCHOOL

3600 Yoakum Boulevard Houston, Texas 77006 713.470.5611 www.aoshouston.org