Bishop Fenwick High School Strategic Plan 2019-2023

FENWICK

“Every teacher here at Fenwick is always available, because to them, our education comes first.”

Cory Bright ‘19

Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Introduction

Dear Members of the Bishop Fenwick Community, It is with great pleasure that we invite you to examine the Bishop Fenwick High School Strategic Plan 2019-2023. The mission, vision, and core values of our institution serve as a guide in the development of this plan. It not only represents careful examination and assessment by the members of the Strategic Planning Committee, but also portrays the goals and desired direction of the school in the years to come.

We seek to provide a rigorous, value-centered education for students where they can strive for and achieve excellence intellectually, spiritually, and creatively. Meeting this goal requires a clear vision, and a clear plan to achieve that vision. This Strategic Plan identifies the key priorities and objectives required for success.

Realizing our vision will require the efforts of the entire Bishop Fenwick community.

Operational plans will be developed for each strategic area, including specific objectives and initiatives. Progress will be reviewed and measured on an ongoing basis with staff and the Board of Trustees. Challenges and successes will be shared with all members of our community.

The future offers challenges for Catholic education, to be sure. However, this is an exciting and energizing time for Fenwick. In the fall, we welcomed to campus our highest enrollment in recent years (589 students from 5 countries and 47 different communities).

In addition, we are in the middle of a two-phase renovation project to our academic building and campus so that we may continue to offer our students the opportunities they need to achieve their personal best.

We look forward to a continuing partnership with all members of our community and thank you for your ongoing commitment to Bishop Fenwick. Together, we will ensure that the values and beliefs that are hallmarks of a Catholic education are sustained.

Warm regards,

Dan Dunn, Ph.D. President, Board of Trustees

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Bishop Fenwick High School Five Year Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

History

B

ishop Fenwick High School, the first coeducational Catholic high school on the North Shore, was founded in 1959 by the late Richard

Cardinal Cushing, and was named for the second Bishop of Boston, Benedict Joseph Fenwick, SJ. Sitting on 59 beautiful acres of land north of Boston, Fenwick is located on the Peabody-Salem-Danvers line.

Originally staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, an international Catholic religious congregation, the school thrived under the sisters’ deep commitment to education. The Sisters fostered the motto of their foundress, St. Julie Billiart, “to teach whatever is necessary to prepare the students for life.” Currently, the school’s faculty is comprised almost entirely of dedicated lay men and women. Fenwick remains committed to its Catholic educational mission and creating an environment where all students can strive for and achieve excellence intellectually, spiritually and creatively, as well as recognize their responsibility to serve others.

At the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, Fenwick’s enrollment was 589, with students coming from 47 communities and 5 foreign countries.

The faculty and staff remain committed to creating an academically and personally challenging environment. With a 100% college acceptance rate, Fenwick offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, including over 20 Advanced Placement (AP) courses, 27 athletic teams, and more than 30 clubs and organizations.

As well, Fenwick collaborates with

Boston University to offer AP Physics and with Endicott College for dual enrollment, college credit courses.

As Fenwick approaches its 60th anniversary, it remains highly committed to its mission of offering greater opportunity so every student may achieve his or her personal best. Campus Ministry, technology, student activities, athletics, and development have all evolved in recent years, and continue to change and grow as needs arise. Enhancements to the school’s science and technology infrastructure, art and athletic facilities, the O’Rourke Library, and the school chapel demonstrate Fenwick’s focus on modernizations that keep Fenwick in the forefront of Catholic, college-

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

History continued

preparatory education. During the summer of 2018, Fenwick underwent significant renovations, including the installation of new, energy efficient windows, enhanced sound and lighting systems in the theater, new turf on the main athletic field, and resurfacing of the tennis courts. Additional renovations are planned.

The summer of 2018 also saw the start of a new chapter for Fenwick. On August 1, 2018 Fenwick announced it was assuming sponsorship of St. Mary of the Annunciation School in nearby Danvers. Like Fenwick, St. Mary’s maintains an important tradition of excellence that will continue to grow through this exciting partnership. While Fenwick’s Head of School will formally administer St. Mary’s, its recently appointed principal will handle daily operations.

Since 1959, Bishop Fenwick continues to sustain a legacy of educational success and special accomplishment. Scholarship, character, faith, service, goodness and loyalty remain the core principles of Fenwick.

Mission

B

ishop Fenwick High School is a Catholic, academically rigorous, and supportive co-educational college preparatory school. Bishop

Fenwick is dedicated to creating an environment where all students can strive for and achieve excellence intellectually, spiritually, and creatively, as well as recognize their responsibility to serve others.

Vision

B

ishop Fenwick graduates will enter the world prepared, inspired, and able to excel in all they do, embracing the importance of service to

others.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Plan Priorities

1. Cultivate a holistic education grounded in Catholic teaching that encompasses the vision and charism of St. Julie Billiart.

2. Build on a foundation of academic excellence. Achieve distinction as a school with high academic expectations and standards for all students. Support a rigorous academic environment, preparing students for post-secondary education and life-long learning.

3. Provide opportunities for students to participate in co-curricular and athletic activities. Encourage students to develop from a creative, spiritual, and athletic and community perspective.

4. Stabilize and grow enrollment. Effectively communicate the value of a Fenwick education to prospective students, parents and the community.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Plan Priorities

5. Increase fundraising by fostering a culture of philanthropy, increasing alumni engagement, building a major gifts program, and developing an effective and efficient Advancement function.

6. Implement an enhanced technology solution to meet future school needs.

7. Formulate a campus facilities master plan that supports the initiatives of the strategic plan.

8. Ensure financial stability and establish a pattern of annual growth. Improve short and long-range financial planning.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal I – Mission Cultivate a holistic education grounded in Catholic teaching that encompasses the vision and charism of St. Julie Billiart.

Objective A: Sustain and enhance our mission.

Ensure that Bishop Fenwick’s mission is embedded in meaningful ways in all curricular and co-curricular activities.

1. Provide orientation for new staff members and ongoing formation to deepen the understanding of the tradition, educational vision, and mission of Bishop Fenwick as a Catholic secondary school in the Archdiocese of Boston.

2. Integrate Church teaching on social justice and human dignity throughout the curriculum.

Objective B:

Ensure access to Catholic spirituality and academic

excellence.

Provide students with access to an integrated experience of Catholic spirituality and educational excellence.

1. Allocate necessary resources to provide tuition assistance to eligible families who desire the benefits of a Bishop Fenwick education but lack the financial resources.

2. Maintain a campus ministry experience that develops personal spirituality and that supports and enhances the school’s mission and curriculum.

3. Cultivate alliances with Catholic parishes for recruiting students and seeking financial aid.

4. Nurture students to recognize the importance of developing one’s gifts and sharing their gifts with the broader community.

Objective C: Foster Board leadership.

Establish strategies for the recruitment, cultivation, and formation of new Board members, to ensure the effectiveness and advancement of the Board.

1. Determine key strategic priorities, and the skills and expertise needed on the school’s Board of Trustees to help achieve those priorities.

2. Identify and solicit individuals that are passionate about Bishop Fenwick and its mission, possess the time to serve, and can assist with its fiduciary responsibilities and fundraising goals.

3. Effectively engage Board Members in oversight and implementation of the strategic plan.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal II – Academic Excellence Build on a foundation of academic excellence. Achieve distinction as a school with high academic expectations and standards for all students. Support a rigorous academic environment, preparing students for post-secondary education and life-long learning.

Objective A: Accountability for achievement.

Align the curriculum with approved and published course guides that coincide with and reinforce intended student outcomes through evaluation and review.

1. Align curriculum to standardized testing. Benchmark scores to national, state, and local testing.

2. Constantly review and revise established curriculum guides along with the intended student learning goals.

3. Continuously explore opportunities to expand and enrich the curriculum along with opportunities for delivery.

4. Continue to examine the school’s class schedule and refine as needed to ensure that students are able to maximize desired options.

Objective B: Strong faculty and staff.

Maintain an effective evaluation process that reinforces improvement of instruction. Provide continuous learning opportunities for faculty.

1. Continue to plan and implement systematic supervision and evaluation

procedures

for

instructional

faculty

and

staff.

Communicate clear job objectives and evaluate performance against expectations.

2. Provide ongoing, content-rich professional development programs that address established instructional goals.

3. Ensure that the faculty is modeling what is being taught.

4. Attract and retain high-quality, mission-driven faculty and staff.

Offer competitive compensation and benefits.

Objective C: Enhance the role of technology in the curriculum.

Explore additional strategies to integrate technology into the curriculum to support instructional goals.

1. Maximize the use of available technology to support the curriculum through instruction.

2. Continue to manage the school’s three-year technology plan to more effectively supplement instruction.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal III – Co-Curricular and Athletics Provide opportunities for students to participate in co-curricular and athletic activities.

Encourage students to develop from a creative, spiritual, athletic, and community perspective.

Objective A: Strengthen co-curricular offerings.

Provide co-curricular activities that impact aspects of students’ lives and experiences. Encourage students to participate.

1. Establish activities that support the school’s mission and promote cooperation, leadership, communication and life balance.

2. Evaluate and improve the mix of activities to encourage students to participate, including opportunities for fine arts.

3. Support and enhance successful programs.

4. Attract and retain effective faculty and staff moderators to best support student activities.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Objective B: Ensure a robust campus ministry program.

Ensure campus ministry programs that encourage students to develop from an intellectual, physical, creative and spiritual perspective.

1. Sustain a strong Campus Ministry program rooted in the school’s mission and values. Provide programs that increase opportunities for students to share their talents/gifts toward service to others.

2. Sustain and grow active service programs that explicitly connect service, retreats, liturgies and the religious curriculum.

3. Continue to improve Peer Leadership Programs. Encourage peer leaders to take a more active role in interfaith dialogue, faith formation and community.

Objective C: Evaluate and continue to grow athletic programs.

Support an environment where healthy competition challenges student athletes to discover their strengths while providing each student an opportunity to participate in interscholastic and intramural athletics.

1. Continue to assess existing and new sports programs in light of the school’s mission and tradition.

2. Improve intramural programs, working with the Student Activity Council to promote offerings and participation.

3. Ensure that athletic offerings are well supported by school facilities.

4. Attract and retain high-quality athletic coaches and staff.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal IV – Enrollment and Marketing Stabilize and grow enrollment. Effectively communicate the value of a Fenwick education to prospective students, parents and the community.

Objective A: Stabilize and grow enrollment.

Increase the number of prospective students and applicants.

1. Continue to bring more business rigor to recruiting and outreach.

Establish and execute comprehensive “Fenwick� strategies to increase contacts with prospective students and families. Target students of all faiths who value our mission.

2. Tie enrollment goals to specific financial goals for the next 5 years.

3. Utilize the entire school community to communicate a consistent message about the value of a Fenwick education. Train all faculty, staff and students.

4. Streamline databases so that they are accurate and support the analysis of critical information to promote effectiveness in increasing enrollment, advancement, and communications with each constituent group. Tie data needs from enrollment to other areas. (Academic, Student Records, Billing and Financial aid).

5. Improve financial aid practice. Adopt approaches to increase admission yield. Continue to enhance financial aid awarding based on both merit and other criteria, including student leadership.

6. Establish net tuition revenue goals for the next 5 years.

7. Continue to work closely with academics, co-curricular, and athletics to implement strategies to attract and retain students and families.

Objective B: Enhance student retention rate.

Increase the number of students entering the school and continuing on to graduation.

1. Develop and refine student retention practices. Implement specific strategies with a goal to retain and graduate 100% of all entering first year and transfer students.

2. Enhance specific summer offerings for current students, including in the areas of leadership and career exploration. Summer programs should have a business plan to ensure that each program is financially self-supporting while also contributing to net revenue for the school. Establish a summer revenue goal for the school.

3. Establish an enrollment contingency reserve to provide funding to help stabilize enrollment.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal IV – Enrollment and Marketing

Objective C: Improve marketing practices.

Identify more effective ways to communicate the value proposition of the school. Project to the market a single Fenwick message, and a single Fenwick voice.

1. Revise the campus marketing group with faculty, staff, parent, and student representation to adopt best practices and to attract a wider constituency. Appoint a director from the campus marketing and advancement to lead this group.

2. Continue to create consistent messaging and protocols in message delivery to promote the Fenwick “brand.�

Objective D: Improve presentation and communication.

Update, expand and maintain content and materials so that they are current and consistent.

1. Continue to improve all communication materials including: printed materials and publications; digital materials and sites; and web-site content, messaging, presentation and timeliness.

2. Effectively leverage both traditional and new creative modes of delivery, including newspapers, social media and other local media.

3. Encourage and support opportunities to highlight the scholarly work and achievements of students, faculty, staff and distinguished alumni.

4. Develop and enhance web applications with formal, consistent branding across all campus groups.

5. Establish a formal PR/Communications role at the school.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal V - Advancement Increase fundraising by fostering a culture of philanthropy, increasing alumni engagement, building a major gifts program, and developing an effective and efficient Advancement function.

Objective A: Increase fundraising.

Support financial assistance to students, the annual budget and capital needs.

1. Increase Annual Fund giving and minimize the need for other types of fundraising.

2. Identify and cultivate Leadership and Major Gift prospects for key initiatives, including the Annual Fund, Sponsor a Student, and Capital Improvement programs.

3. Establish a planned giving program, through donor bequests and estate planning.

4. Increase giving by corporations and foundations.

5. Develop a comprehensive Case for Support to educate donors and potential donors on our top priorities and needs.

6. Increase participation by alumni and parents. Continue to personalize contacts and enlist fellow alumni and parents to foster relationships.

7. Assess effectiveness of existing fundraising events and focus on a limited number of special events.

8. Develop and implement a plan to grow endowment.

9. Institute class gift program across all grades.

Objective B: Provide support for advancement.

Provide adequate resources to support advancement, including staffing, publications and technology.

1. Research latest advancement tools and invest in technology, if necessary.

2. Improve integrity of constituent information within advancement database.

3. Make effective use of School President and Board of Trustees to improve fundraising, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.

4. Establish a fundraising advisory council with representation from major donors, alumni, parents and staff.

5. Continue to evaluate staffing needs for the Advancement Office.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal V - Advancement

Objective C: Improve Outreach.

Increase and improve outreach by utilizing Communications and Marketing plan.

1. Create a communications and marketing plan that will promote and elevate Fenwick’s reputation within our local communities.

2. Build the Alumni Ambassador program and Athletic Hall of Fame to increase alumni engagement.

3. Improve donor relations and stewardship through focused strategies.

4. Strengthen use of social media to promote outreach and continued contact with all constituents.

5. Explore technologies to manage the advancement database and to support more efficient communication with potential donors.

6. Establish policy for outreach to alumni and donors, including timing, content, and message delivery. Work with the Communication and Marketing team to ensure consistency and best practices.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal VI - Technology Implement an enhanced technology solution to meet future school needs.

Objective A:

Sustain and enhance a comprehensive technology

infrastructure. Maintain an enhanced solution designed to support current and future needs.

1. Review and update the school’s existing three-year technology plan.

2. Evaluate the need for additional resources to manage infrastructure and collaboration with faculty.

3. Develop a plan to schedule and fund equipment replacement.

Objective B: Improve communication.

Refine and implement tools to effectively communicate with all constituencies.

1. Expand the use of the school portal, web-site and other solutions to enhance communication with parents.

2. Sustain and support the use of the school’s new web-site, including training and content management.

Objective C: Sustain and enhance administrative systems.

Evaluate and augment administrative systems to meet current and future needs.

1. Assess opportunities to improve student information systems, including more comprehensive strategies that support the lifecycle of a student from first inquiry through alumnus.

2. Review technologies to best support school activities, including advancement, alumni systems, athletics and the arts.

3. Evaluate and sustain campus security systems to ensure protection of students, faculty, staff and school property.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal VI - Technology

Objective D: Sustain and enhance the use of technology to support curriculum.

Support the role of technology in academics. Create a technology rich curriculum. Prepare students for post-secondary education and life-long learning.

1. Review current and future classroom teaching tools, including interactive solutions to engage students and improve presentation.

2. Promote solutions that facilitate group work by students and faculty, including outside of the classroom.

3. Enhance computer course offerings. Allow students to explore varying aspects of technology. Seek faculty to support curriculum.

4. Support on-line learning activities in all classes. Increase integration training and assistance to promote on-line and interactive learning.

5. Further develop the Student Help Desk to support curriculum and the school community.

6. Adapt the school’s Acceptable Use Policy to reflect appropriate device and on-line activities.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal VII – Facilities Formulate a campus facilities master plan that supports the initiatives of the strategic plan.

Objective A: Assess the overall capital needs of the school.

Assess campus facility needs and develop a plan, including a priority list of improvements.

1. Assess the condition of campus facilities on an ongoing basis.

2. Assess campus facility needs, including considerations for future enrollment and programs, accessibility and campus safety.

3. Develop comprehensive five and ten-year facilities plans, including a priority list of improvements.

4. Maintain a long-term capital budget plan, including projected costs, and a timetable for implementing the plan.

5. Engage the Finance and Advancement committees of the Board to help ensure the necessary funding for the projects.

Objective B: Update and modernize facilities.

Maintain a campus master plan that seeks to maintain, upgrade, renovate and expand the current school facilities and property.

1. Modernize classrooms including technology, furniture and fixtures.

2. Continue to renovate school facilities to support existing athletic offerings.

3. Upgrade technology infrastructure throughout the campus to further support creative teaching and learning experiences.

4. Promote a green campus. Encourage responsible stewardship for our resources on and off campus.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal VIII – Finance Ensure financial stability and establish a pattern of annual growth. Improve short and long-range financial planning.

Objective A: Ensure financial stability and establish growth.

Establish and meet financial goals. Continuously improve the school’s financial position. Secure funds to achieve operational, technology and facilities goals.

1. Optimize school enrollment to maximize revenue to achieve and maintain the school’s Mission and Vision.

2. Create a comprehensive financial plan that considers school priorities and demonstrates the relationship between the strategic plan and financial stability.

3. Continue to streamline and modernize budget processes, fundraising

endeavors,

financial

aid,

planned

giving

and

endowment growth.

4. Provide timely, accurate and efficient monthly financial reporting.

5. Collaborate with the Archdiocese of Boston to secure long-term sources of funding to achieve objectives.

6. Optimize strategies for short and longer term investment of school funds to ensure appropriate returns, flexibility and risk.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Goal VIII – Finance

Objective B: Enhance short and long-range financial planning.

Establish and adhere to challenging, yet feasible, short and long-range financial plans.

1. Integrate the annual operation budget into a five-year planning projection. Establish and meet goals for enrollment and revenue growth, and management of expenses.

2. Develop a longer range financial planning model to support the assessment of the feasibility of financing strategic priorities and the potential impact of enrollment, debt and other factors on financial growth and stability.

3. Incorporate contingency requirements into annual operational and capital planning. Budget appropriately to address contingencies.

4. During planning activities, understand and reflect trends and developments for the school and for competing schools.

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

Strategic Plan Participants

Administration

Parents/Alumni/Friends of Fenwick

Brother Thomas Zoppo, FSC

Michael Bothoff P’16, ’18, ’21

Head of School

Sr. Geraldine Burns, SND

James Grocki ’96, Vice Principal

Neil Corcoran P’13, ’14, ’16, ’19, ’21 Christine Faro P’17, ’19

Faculty/Staff

Maryellen Farmer Feeley ’81

Steve Driscoll

Genevieve Fiorente P’97, ’00, ’04

David Dugan ’90, P’20

Betsy Keady - Keady Communications

Diane Colozzi Eromin Laura Foley

Board of Trustees

Paula Hannon P’13, ’14, ’16

Daniel Dunn ’74, President*

Julie St. Pierre ’75 Hart P’13, ’15

Maura Sullivan ’83, Vice President*

Rosa Mazzeo P’21

Sharon McNiff ’77 McCarthy P’03, ’05,

Cecile Murray ’77 McCarthy P’11, ’14, ’17

Board Secretary

Christine Nagle

Peter Andruszkiewicz ’75*

Charles Roop

Michael Craffey P’12, ’15, ’18

Christopher Russell P’22

Patrick DeIlius P’05, ‘05, ’07, ’10, ’17

Jenna Timpson

Neil Harrington P’05, ’06, ’11

Celeste Trifero P’18

John Hamel

Julia Velonis

Mary Graw ’85 Leary

Jodi Vigneron P’14, ’16

Rick Lord

Timothy von Jess

Arthur Makar ’68

David Woods P’17, ’19

James Moore P’14, ’17 Mary Alice Norton P’17, ‘18 Peter Tremblay ’76 P’08, ’12 * Co-chairs - Strategic Planning Committee

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Bishop Fenwick Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023

FENWICK

Where opportunity and achievement meet.

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