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For nearly 100 years as a community of learning and faith formation, O’Dea has provided a Catholic education to young men in an environment reflective of the cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity that exists in the greater Seattle region. O’Dea High School is a place of extraordinary transformation, confident in its mission as a Catholic high school founded in the tradition of Blessed Edmund Rice. The young men attending O’Dea share in a desire to cultivate their talents and use them for the service of others - to be a part of O’Dea's core belief in educational excellence and brotherhood for life. O’Dea provides a disciplined, safe environment where students mature and take responsibility for their learning and advancement of their school community. O’Dea students engage their education in an inclusive and encouraging atmosphere. They are challenged to become critical thinkers and independent learners, able to collaborate with others to seek, retrieve, evaluate, and communicate information in an evolving technological landscape. O’Dea continues to build upon academic excellence and remains at the forefront of Catholic education, guiding each student in the formation of his whole self while facilitating the development of his God-given talents and deepening a commitment to the core values of character, faith, and service. This strategic plan for the next five years focuses on preparing O’Dea for its 100th anniversary and beyond, emphasizing the four key areas of our work: • The O’Dea Student • The O’Dea Experience • The O’Dea Graduate • Financing the O’Dea Mission
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Vision For The O’Dea Student The O’Dea student body distinctively reflects the cultural, ethnic, socio-economic, and academic diversity that exists in the greater Seattle region. This diversity is a fundamental part of the school community and has been a signature strength since O’Dea’s founding in 1923. As the only all-male Catholic college preparatory high school in the Pacific Northwest, O’Dea is a unique and special place for young men to learn, mature, and embrace the core values of character, faith, and service. The population of Seattle and its surrounding communities is experiencing tremendous growth. With this transformation has come changes to demographics reflective throughout the region. Enrollment in Catholic elementary schools, from where most O’Dea students have historically come, continues to decline. Also, there is intense competition for high school students from public, charter, and independent schools in our community. With these shifting realities, O’Dea must be prepared to ensure enrollment remains at an optimum level with a student body that continues to reflect the character of our region and, most importantly, the core values grounded in the Essential Elements of an Edmund Rice Education. Key Initiatives For The O’Dea Student 1. Develop a five-year enrollment management plan with metrics to identify, locate, attract, and retain the desired O’Dea student(s). The plan will define and guide us to achieve optimum enrollment that reflects the changing demographics of our region. It will include robust programming, marketing, communication, and outreach strategies that anticipate increased competition for desired qualified students. 2. Develop a strategy and initial plan for the O’Dea community to more proactively welcome, include and support the broad spectrum of economic, cultural and academic diversity present in the students we serve and thus, authentically and comprehensively advance our mission as a Catholic school in the charism of Blessed Edmund Rice.
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Vision For The O’Dea Experience O’Dea has an exceptional, passionate, and committed faculty and staff who develop young men who strive for spiritual, intellectual, and physical excellence grounded in the core values of character, faith, and service. Faculty members intentionally use teaching practices designed to support the way young men learn; they focus on what is best for boys in the classroom, in interpersonal relationships, and every part of their day. The trust and mutual respect created between students and teachers give each O’Dea student the confidence to take risks, challenge himself in and out of the classroom, and to reach his full potential. O’Dea’s college-preparatory curriculum prepares young men for future academic pursuits by instilling self-confidence and individual responsibility. As Seattle’s first Microsoft Showcase School, O’Dea continues to demonstrate a commitment to embracing technology to transform education and improve learning outcomes. O’Dea’s urban campus elevates the traditional high school experience through its location in a vibrant intersection of city life. Located across the street from St. James Cathedral, between premier medical facilities, art museums, and college campuses, O’Dea students experience stimulating inner-city dynamics that serve to enrich their education. The school is prepared to meet the future generation of students as it sets the stage to meet the needs of its next 100 years. The O’Dea experience fosters bonds of brotherhood among students. The all-male student body enriches these bonds through shared experiences. The House System develops leadership skills and connects students, their school, and the community. O’Dea counselors support students academically, personally, and with college admission planning by forming a personal relationship with students. Student-athletes compete with honor and achieve success through hard work, discipline, sportsmanship, and a selfless focus on the team. The bonds of brotherhood do not begin with an application, nor does it end at graduation. It is genuinely a Brotherhood for Life spanning decades, lifetimes, and generations.
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Key Initiatives For The O’Dea Experience 1. Provide facilities that support the needs of O’Dea’s future generations. 2. Develop a five-year faculty recruitment, retention, and development plan to ensure members of faculty experience continuous professional growth and enrichment opportunities that enhance the O’Dea mission in service to our students. 3. Align and appropriately resource programs, curriculum, and pedagogy to build an Integrated Teaching & Learning Experience for all students, weaving together: • Curriculum so all students master the academic skills most critical to college and life readiness. • Robust technology to develop students with future-ready digital skillsets. • Expanded student counseling and House programs to help students reach their full potential. • Significant student engagement opportunities in the urban environment around O’Dea. • Essential Elements of an Edmund Rice Education throughout all aspects of O’Dea. 4. Value and celebrate O’Dea High School’s rich athletic tradition. Advance the student-athlete experience and learning taught through athletic participation: the pursuit of excellence through personal growth and teamwork, leadership and strength of character, and sportsmanship – respect for one’s opponent, winning with honor, and recognition of defeat with grace. Build community and pride through the engagement of students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and by creating opportunities for the extended school community to participate in the O’Dea experience. 5. Proactively and purposefully find opportunities to teach our students about the responsibilities of being young men throughout all elements of the O’Dea Experience, both inside and outside the classroom.
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Vision For The O’Dea Graduate Aligned with the values and compassion embodied in the Essential Elements of an Edmund Rice Education, an O’Dea High School graduate has the knowledge and skills in core academic disciplines and the critical thinking and learning competencies needed to meet the challenges of local, national and global citizenship in a rapidly changing world. An O’Dea graduate possesses character and confidence. He is committed to his faith and social responsibility by advocating for and serving others. An O’Dea graduate has acquired an understanding of how to actively listen and respond to the ideas of others, share responsibility for outcomes, articulate ideas clearly, and use technology tools to enhance communication. He has learned to explore his interests, take the initiative, set goals, demonstrate persistent effort, adapt to change with resiliency, and exhibit ethical leadership. An O’Dea graduate is prepared to live his life with a greater appreciation of his God-given talents and a deepening commitment to the core values of character, faith, and service. An O’Dea graduate understands the importance of continuing the legacy of O’Dea High School. He knows that carrying on the Brotherhood for Life is an ongoing commitment. As such, he cultivates relationships with other alumni and actively supports current students and the high school itself. O’Dea is committed to its alumni and their families by creating welcoming environments for them to gather in community and recognizes them for their accomplishments. Key Initiatives For The O’Dea Graduate 1. Develop a comprehensive alumni program to maximize opportunities for alumni to engage with students at O’Dea High School, further enhancing the O’Dea Experience. 2. Develop and grow high-impact programs and vehicles for interaction that continue to foster the brotherhood long after graduation, and instill a rich sense of community among alumni of all ages and geographic areas. 3. Implement and sustain communications with our graduates that are purposeful and connect them to O’Dea in the most appropriate way according to where they are in their own lives.
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Vision For Financing The O’Dea Mission O’Dea has comprehensive and sustainable forms of funding to ensure the school succeeds in reaching long-term goals and objectives to provide a quality Catholic education to young men, in a learning environment reflective of the cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic diversity that exists in the greater Seattle region. Funding ensures the O’Dea Experience is accessible to all students who reflect these characteristics and the core values of our education, regardless of their economic resources. The extended O’Dea community feels inspired to provide significant support to the school on an annual basis due to a strong belief in O’Dea’s mission and traditions, a clear understanding of its present and future needs, and attention to stewardship. O’Dea’s celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2023 inspires support of a long-term vision for our campus and establishment of a financial foundation for the next generations of students as we continue our mission of educating the mind, spirit, heart, body, and imagination of young men. Key Initiatives For Financing Our Mission 1. Develop a tuition structure and financial aid model to ensure O’Dea remains affordable at all income levels while meeting the operational needs of the school. 2. Prepare for and conduct a capital campaign associated with our 100th anniversary to ensure we are meeting O’Dea’s long-term capital and endowment needs. 3. Develop a robust giving program to cultivate new and already established relationships with members of our community.
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