Cannon School Report 2021

School Report 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS I. COVER LETTER FROM CHRISTOPHER JONES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 SAIS ACCREDITATION TEAM MEMBERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 CANNON SCHOOL: SAIS-SACS ACCREDITATION STEERING COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 STEERING COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

II. SCHOOL SNAPSHOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 MISSION STATEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 CANNON SCHOOL CORE VALUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 CANNON SCHOOL’S FUNDAMENTAL VISION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 BRIEF HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 DESCRIPTION OF SELF-STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 IMPROVEMENT PLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

III. GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 SCHOOL HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 MILESTONES IN CANNON SCHOOL’S HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 CURRENT LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 ENROLLMENT HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 DIVERSITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 FINANCIAL AID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 UNDERSTANDING OUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 MISSION, VISION, & VALUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 UNDERSTANDING OUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 THE ADAPTIVE EXPERTISE (AE) MODEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 DIVISIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 CANNON SCHOOL STUDENT PERFORMANCE DATA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 THE ARTS AT CANNON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 LOWER SCHOOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 MIDDLE SCHOOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 UPPER SCHOOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 AN ATHLETICS EDUCATION AT CANNON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 BELONGINGNESS AND INCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 PARENT GROUPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 EXTENDED DAY AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 CAMP CANNON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 EXECUTIVE UPDATE: THE YEARS AFTER OUR 2015 SAIS ACCREDITATION AT CANNON SCHOOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 WHAT WAS NEW IN TEACHING AND LEARNING IN 2020-2021 (DEALING WITH COVID) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

IV. OVERVIEW OF STRATEGIC PLAN AND SELF STUDY PROCESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 SELF STUDY PROCESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 THE FIVE FINDINGS OF OUR SELF STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 BUILDING OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 STRATEGIC DRIVERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 NEXT STEPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

V. A PLAN FOR GROWTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 OUR FIVE TASK FORCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 CANNON SCHOOL’S INITIATIVES FOR GROWTH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

I. COVER LETTER FROM CHRISTOPHER JONES

Welcome to Cannon School September 24, 2021 Dear SAIS Visiting Team, On behalf of our learning community, I thank you for the investment you are making in the growth of our school, our profession, and the lives of our students and educators today and tomorrow. We aim for your experience with us to reflect the heart of our G. Christopher Jones school and exude tangible examples of our ethos. Our culture is grounded in a deep commitment to, and a lived experience of, our mission every day. It is reinforced by individuals, leaders, and teams, who not only profess our values but who more importantly expect to live by them every day. And it is strengthened by a belief that as a school and community, we have not arrived, but that we are always growing while seeking new ways to contribute to Cannon’s impact in our world. In that spirit, we are excited to learn alongside you during your visit on October 24-26. As Co-Chairs of this effort, Beth Wilner and Fabio Hurtado have led a strong team of educators to support your time with us and prepare our community for the growth opportunity your visit presents. Amid an international crisis and leadership transition, this extended period of preparation and reflection allowed us to develop a clear strategy, and we are eager to discuss it with you. We have tried to think of everything, recognizing your time with us is precious. We wish to make your visit as convenient and productive as possible, so please let us know if you need anything. If you have questions prior to your visit, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.

Warmly,

G. Christopher Jones Head of School COVER LETTER FROM CHRISTOPHER JONES

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SAIS ACCREDITATION TEAM MEMBERS Co-Chairs:

Mr. Dave Michelman, Duke School

Dr. Quinton Walker, University School of Nashville

Visiting Team Members: Ms. Karen Bradberry, The Galloway School

Ms. Shannon Dishman, Atlanta Academy

Mr. Gregg Ledbetter, Pulaski Academy

CANNON SCHOOL: SAIS-SACS ACCREDITATION STEERING COMMITTEE Co-Chairs:

Fabio Hurtado, JrK-12 Director of Studies

Beth Wilner, Director of College Counseling

STEERING COMMITTEE

Deanna Dobbins, Lower School Dean

Julia Finneyfrock, Upper School Academic Coordinator

Melissa Fox, Lower School Dean of Studies

Paula Hylton, Upper School Social Studies Teacher

Christiana Hoyler, Middle School Dean of Students

Joe Trojan, Upper School Dean of Students/ Upper School Math Teacher

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Stephen Wildfeuer, Middle School World Language Teacher

School Snapshot

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II. SCHOOL SNAPSHOT MISSION STATEMENT Cannon School nurtures relationships at the heart of learning and engages the learner in a journey of growth.

CANNON SCHOOL CORE VALUES Courage, Integrity, Passion, Respect, Teamwork, Kindness

CANNON SCHOOL’S FUNDAMENTAL VISION Cannon School envisions a world of wholehearted and adaptive contributors. Each of our learners—student and adult—is unique and gifted. The ongoing realization of our whole selves, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually is a building block to productive engagement and citizenship. Cannon envisions all of its learners showing up in their relationships and in their communities with confidence and a deep understanding of themselves. Each of our learners—student and adult—will face increasingly complex, open-ended, and ill-structured challenges. These problems demand that one applies prior knowledge to new ill-defined situations with flexibility and imagination. Cannon envisions all of its learners bringing a deeply developed set of critical skills and learning habits to their relationships and communities. Each of our learners—student and adult—will choose to observe or to engage, to accept or to improve, and to consume or to produce. In our learners’ academic, professional, civic, and religious communities, and with families and friends, the opportunity to contribute will always exist. Cannon envisions all of its learners choosing to better the relationships and the communities to which they belong through their contributions.

BRIEF HISTORY Established in 1969 as Cabarrus Academy and renamed in 1998, Cannon School originally occupied the historic downtown Concord residence of textile entrepreneur J.W. Cannon. In the early years, as the school established its student body, it was known primarily for serving grades K-6. In 1994, the school relocated to its current 65-acre campus on Poplar Tent Road, one mile east of Interstate 85—a major step toward regionalization and growth. In addition to its name change in 1998, Cannon School added Upper School students, beginning with those in the ninth grade. Today, under the leadership of Head of School Christopher Jones, Cannon School serves approximately 1,030 students in Lower, Middle, and Upper School divisions. In addition to serving students from the Concord area, Cannon families hail from Charlotte, Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Mooresville, Kannapolis, and Salisbury. In the five decades since it was established, Cannon School has transformed itself into one of the Charlotte region’s top independent college-preparatory schools. Leadership: Cannon School has an organizational structure that includes separate entities to carry out the distinct functions of governance and day-to-day management. Cannon School is governed by a Board of Trustees, numbering from 18-25 members, which focuses on responsibilities associated with governance to identify respective charges, policies, and relationships with management. Cannon’s Board of Trustees has established policies and procedures that recognize and preserve the executive, administrative, and leadership prerogatives of the Head of School. The Head of School acts as the Chief Executive Officer and the official advisor and executive agent of the Board to exercise the general management of all the affairs of the school. The Board delegates the general management responsibilities for the school to the Head while maintaining general oversight of these activities.

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SCHOOL SNAPSHOT

DESCRIPTION OF SELF-STUDY The preliminary work of our 2020 self-study process began in the late summer of 2018, with the administration of the SAIS Value Narrative Survey to all school constituencies including students, faculty, staff, parents, trustees, alumni, and alumni parents. Reviewing survey results led to the creation of The Summit @ Cannon School, which took place in October 2018. The focus of The Summit @ Cannon School was on finding the right questions the school needed to be asking moving forward. Qualitative, quantitative, and anecdotal data from The Summit @ Cannon School led to the development of questions centered around three main areas: • growing our people • growing our learning programs • growing our place in the community We spent the 2018-2019 academic year funneling data discovered during this event and gathering more data from constituent groups to explore mission-aligned growth areas for our school. The strategic vision was then developed from five findings discovered: Community, Students, Educators, Wellness, and Sustainability. COVID-19 disrupted our scheduled SAIS visit in 2019-2020 and delayed the accreditation process to a March 2021 through October 2021 timeframe. By August 2020 the Head of School, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees, and working from the self-study findings, developed five strategic drivers to govern the next five-year strategic vision. These five drivers have also allowed us to build initiatives for a school improvement plan based on what we commit to as a school: Cannon School commits to Community: Belongingness, Engagement, and Access Students: Developing Critical and Confident Learners Educators: Distinctive, Personalized Professional Growth Programs Wellness: Structures that Promote a Culture of Health and Balance Sustainability: Mission-Responsive Resources and Partnership

SCHOOL SNAPSHOT

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IMPROVEMENT PLAN Once we had these five commitments melded within our strategic drivers, we engaged a two-pronged (short-term and long-term) approach: 1. (Short-Term) We developed a set of initiatives to move us forward in the 2021-22 year. Those were executed and finalized this year.

Here is the document that contains the initiatives.

2. (Long-Term) We engaged in an inclusive process with students, parents, administrators, and board members during the 2020-21 academic year to develop initiatives for the next 3-5 years. The goal of the process was to deliver a set of initiatives as a growth plan to move forward as a school based on our five drivers. We formed one task force per strategic driver and from January 2021-May 2021 each task force created and delivered a set of initiatives for the school’s leadership team to consider. In May 2021, and during a two-day off-site retreat in June, the school’s leadership team both reported on the completion of the shortterm goals (above) and discussed the set of initiatives proposed by each task force to move forward long-term. During this retreat, five long-term initiatives were chosen for the school’s improvement plan. These initiatives are fully explained under Part IV of this School Report. Here they are in brief: Community: Belongingness, Engagement, and Access Enhance Cultural & Community Engagement Cannon believes and lives out its motto: “You belong here.” We believe that your identity, as well as your richness of experience and background, improves our academic community and our school culture. Cannon reinforces the skills and habits that allow us to engage productively and grow in the context of differing opinions, real stakes, and intense emotions. Cannon seeks avenues for you to engage fully, to know that you belong wholly, and to access the educational experiences we offer without barrier. Students: Developing Critical and Confident Learners Study a Revision of Educational Philosophy—Adaptive Expertise 2.0 Our goal over the 2021-22 academic year is to revisit and revive the Adaptive Expertise (AE) model for all learners at Cannon. This endeavor holds critical value in that AE is our educational philosophy supporting all of our ideas around good teaching and learning from JrK-Grade 12. We are seeking to amend the model to make it more useful and applicable in all learning situations. Educators: Distinctive, Personalized Professional Growth Programs Enhance the Overall Educator Experience Our vision is to enhance the experience of our educators throughout each school year. We want to reconnect faculty and staff with school goals and objectives by making sure that they are provided with opportunities to become engaged within our community. We want to be more intentional about connecting, rather than separating, faculty and staff professional growth programs and helping each employee view themselves as an “educator.” Wellness: Structures that Promote a Culture of Health and Balance Align and Balance JrK-12 Schedule and Space Use The growth that our school has experienced, both in enrollment and in infrastructure, over the past five years, as well as all the progress we have made in bringing grading and assessment to a more mission-aligned model, has created the opportunity to develop JrK-12 schedules (both divisional and school-wide) that prioritize the learning needs of students, and that support our mission, vision, and our strategic drivers around critical thinking and inquiry-based exploration. Sustainability: Mission-Responsive Resources and Partnerships Consider Expanded Enrollment Model Both Cannon’s enrollment and retention health suggest that we are in a position to explore increasing our overall student population. Our vision is to grow Cannon’s overall enrollment over the next 5 years to a sustainable and market-driven level that maximizes our ability to deliver our mission.

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SCHOOL SNAPSHOT

Getting to Know Our Community

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III. GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY The purpose of this section is to familiarize the reader with our community by giving you a more detailed overview of all aspects of school life. The section may be used to access information about each aspect separately or can be read in its entirety for a detailed picture of our school community. Some of the areas which were introduced in the School Snapshot are developed in this section.

SCHOOL HISTORY Established in 1969 as Cabarrus Academy and renamed in 1998, Cannon School originally occupied the historic downtown Concord residence of textile entrepreneur J.W. Cannon. In the early years, as the school established its student body, it was known primarily for serving grades K-6. In 1994, the school relocated to its current 65-acre campus on Poplar Tent Road, one mile east of Interstate 85—a major step toward regionalization and growth. In addition to its name change in 1998, Cannon School added Upper School students, beginning with those in the ninth grade. Today, under the leadership of Head of School Christopher Jones, Cannon School serves approximately 1,030 students in Lower, Middle, and Upper School divisions. In addition to serving students from the Concord area, Cannon families hail from Charlotte, Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Mooresville, Kannapolis, and Salisbury. In the five decades since it was established, Cannon School has transformed itself into one of the Charlotte region’s top independent college-preparatory schools. Cannon School provides strong academics, integrating its mission, vision, and core values into its curriculum and culture. It has strong character development and advisory programs, excellent fine arts opportunities, and competitive athletic programs as part of the Charlotte Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA). Cannon has a meaningful history of assisting students in moving confidently from our school community to college and beyond, with more than 1,300 alumni. Since moving to its Poplar Tent campus in 1994, Cannon School has dramatically expanded its physical footprint to include more than 90 classrooms, multiple science labs and art studios, dedicated media, technology, and maker spaces, a performing arts center (CPAC), an indoor/outdoor dining hall, a stadium, turf field, field house, and strength and a conditioning center.

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GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY

MILESTONES IN CANNON SCHOOL’S HISTORY 1969

Cabarrus Academy opens its doors at 65 Union Street in Concord, NC, in the childhood home of Charles A. Cannon. There are 89 students enrolled in grades K-6, and Herbert Buttrick is the first Headmaster.

1972

The first Cabarrus Academy senior class graduates eleven students and welcomes second Headmaster John Hughes.

1975

Cabarrus Academy eliminates Upper School; Walter Blanchard is named third Headmaster.

1976

Kindergarten is added.

1981

Charles Elbot is named as the Academy’s fourth Headmaster.

1984

Cabarrus Academy achieves its first accreditation.

1986

The Board votes to drop Middle School, making the Academy K-6.

1988

Richard Snyder is named the fifth Headmaster.

1994

The school relocates to a 65-acre campus at 5801 Poplar Tent Road.

1997

Board decision to add back the Upper School grades beginning with ninth grade in 1998-1999.

1998

The school changes its name from Cabarrus Academy to Cannon School. Groundbreaking is held for Lower and Middle School additions, as well as the new Upper School facility.

2002 Cannon graduates its first senior class, consisting of fourteen students. 2005 The “Outback” is built, providing additional Middle School classrooms. 2006 Matthew Gossage is hired as Cannon School’s sixth Head of School. 2007 Cannon adopts the educational philosophy of “Adaptive Expertise.” 2008 Cannon School expands its Upper School educational facilities and modernizes its track and field. A nearly 18,000-sq. ft. addition to the Upper School building added eighteen new classrooms and three new state-of-the-art science labs. Cannon’s newly configured track and field accommodated the school’s track and field program, as well as its soccer, lacrosse, and football programs, and gave every student a new place to exercise as part of Cannon’s physical education curriculum. Cannon is invited to join the Charlotte Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA) and adopts “Go Beyond” as its motto. 2011

A new front entrance is added, providing a warm welcome to Cannon families and visitors.

2014

Construction is completed on the Cindric Performing Arts Center, Andrews Strength and Conditioning Center, Randy Marion Family Field House, enhanced locker spaces, coaches’ offices, the Bryant Central Green, and an expanded Middle School— all part of the Building Bright Futures campaign.

2015

The Randy Marion Field is completed, allowing for field use in different weather conditions, and expanding the ability of all students to use the field for athletic events and PE classes. Also, the Dining Hall Expansion, which added 175 seats and provided a covered, open-air seating area, is completed.

2018

Doors open to the new Middle School addition and “The Mill” thanks to the parent-initiated Imagine Tomorrow campaign. The Mill is a state-of-the-art Technology and Design Studio for Upper School students and includes a maker space, a media arts studio, a fabrication studio, and a video/audio recording studio.

2019

Cannon School grows to serve more than 1,000 students, welcomes seventh Head of School Christopher Jones, and celebrates a half-century of growth and progress.

2020-2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cannon develops a hybrid model to serve its students and promote both a strong educational experience, as well as student and faculty health. The success of it is evidenced by an increase in enrollment and retention in all three divisions during 2020 and into 2021-22. We also added the Hill Grimmett space to be used by sports teams as an indoor facility. GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY

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CURRENT LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE 2020-2021 Board of Trustees Chairman, Mr. Benton Bragg, Sr. Vice-Chairman, Mr. Jeff Leck Secretary, Dr. Kym Selden Treasurer, Mrs. Karin Cain

Members Mrs. Joan Ankrom Dr. Brett Busby Mr. David Butow Mrs. Lisa Combs Mrs. Blake Evans Mr. James Hartsell Mr. Andrew Hudson Mr. Christopher Jones, Ex-officio Mrs. Kimberly Leatherman Mr. Cary Majors Mr. Michael McDermott Mr. Harry McKay Mr. Grant Mills, Jr. Dr. Porter Kelling Peterson Mr. Alan Springate Dr. Jon Ter Poorten Dr. Nehal Thakkar Mrs. Laurin Titus Mr. Jonathan G. Ward Mrs. Terri Zandhuis

2020-2021 Leadership Team Christopher Jones, Head of School Deb Otey, Head of Upper School Carla Moyer, Head of Middle School Regina Nixon, Head of Lower School William Diskin, Director of Admission and Financial Aid Todd Hartung, Director of Advancement Katie LaRue, Director of Athletics Whit Brown, Director of Business and Finance Beth Wilner, Director of College Counseling Lisa Scurlock, Executive Assistant to Head of School Bill Donovan, Director of Institutional Technology Fabio Hurtado, JrK-12 Director of Studies

Here you will find the school’s current leadership organizational chart. Here you will find the school’s current Board organizational structure.

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GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY

Cannon School Quick Facts HISTORY • Founded: 1969 • Head of School: Christopher Jones (2019) • JrK-12th Grade • Enrollment: 1030 • Average class size: 16-18 • Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 20% • Core Values: Courage, Teamwork, Respect, Integrity, Passion, and Kindness • School Motto: “Go Beyond”

ACADEMICS • Cannon’s educational philosophy, Adaptive Expertise, defines how we teach and learn. Adaptive Expertise combines habits of mind and habits of spirit to provide our students with a strategy to find purpose, seek mastery, communicate, and live with empathy. • AP classes: 11 • Advanced Topics classes: 8 • Seniors with National Merit recognition: 6 • World languages offered in Lower, Middle, and Upper School: Chinese, French, Spanish • Advanced electives include: The Voice: Fiction and Poetry Writing; Film Studies; Honors Discrete, Probability and Finance Mathematics; Honors Anatomy and Physiology; Honors Marine Science; Honors Economics, Law, and Politics in America; Advanced Topics: Computer Science; Honors Coding and Computer Science; AP Psychology; Honors Psychology; Advanced Topics: United States Government; Global Education • An Upper School Capstone experience for twelfth graders and a Middle School Cornerstone experience for eighth-graders to culminate studies in each respective division.

ATHLETICS • Team name: Cannon School Cougars • Middle School sports: baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, wrestling • Varsity sports: baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, wrestling • Varsity state championships/semifinals, (past three years): girls’ golf (state champions three years in a row), softball, lacrosse, and both the girls’ and boys’ basketball (state champions) 11

ATHLETICS

(CONTINUED)

• Athletic conference: GCMSAA (Middle School), CISAA (Upper School) • Cannon School and Concord First Assembly (CFA) Academy joined varsity football teams in 2019. The joint venture came as a response to create healthier numbers in one combined group of athletes. Fielding a football team requires more participation than any other sport. As both Cannon and CFA Academy were faced with team numbers that would lack the appropriate depth for the 2019 season, both schools were compelled to create a safer environment for their student athletes who wanted to compete in varsity football. This team is named the Cabarrus Warriors. One goal of combining programs was to field a team of more than thirty players with at least fifteen of them having significant experience, size, athletic fitness, and an understanding of the game. This partnership also provided the opportunity for a 7th-9th grade team. While this younger group of athletes does include students from CFA Academy, it is considered a Cannon School team and is named the Cannon Cougars. Over the years, Cannon and CFA Academy Athletic Directors and students have developed a good relationship based on mutual respect. Competitors in this sport from both schools have had a unique opportunity to learn, and the two parent bodies have created an even bigger community to encourage student athletes.

NEW IN 2020-2021 • SWIVL technology in every classroom to deliver synchronous lessons to off-campus students in grades JrK-12 • Managed challenges of learning in a COVID environment • Summer 2020 course in Hybrid Learning required for all faculty through NCAIS • Athletic Lights Campaign (baseball field and tennis courts) • Arts Renovation Campaign • E-Sports competitive team and fundraising campaign • First use of funds from The John Riley Endowed Fund for Science, Service, and Travel • New Marketing Website developed, launched summer 2021 • Distinguished Alumni Awards - launched November 2020, honored in October 2021 • Multiple crisis communications and web pages developed to inform families about COVID protocols and developments • New Athletic Hall of Fame Display outside Boswell Gym - May 2021 • State championships in Boys and Girls Basketball, golf, and state finals in softball • A growing student leadership program and enhanced professional development for coaches • First year using the Inclusivity Index climate assessment in all three divisions • Year-long focus on Racial Equity through the 21-Week Racial Equity Challenge with faculty and staff

OUR YEARLY CALENDARS: • Here is the School Calendar 2020-2021 • Here is the School Calendar 2021-2022

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STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION Admission Procedure: Our goal is to make the appropriate match between our school community and motivated, hardworking students who seek the benefits of a Cannon School education. We actively seek a diverse student body that embraces learning, discovery, and personal growth. Enrollment decisions at Cannon are based on an assessment of each applicant’s ability to succeed in a challenging, yet supportive, college-preparatory environment. Academic records, teacher recommendations, entrance testing results, writing samples, and a student visit form the basis of this assessment. In an effort to ensure a high probability of student success -- and create a diverse student population -- Cannon School accepts students based on a variety of criteria. Those criteria include readiness and motivation to learn, appropriate academic skills, and academic potential. The goal of Cannon School is to serve children and their families within the context of our available resources. Families wishing to pursue enrollment at Cannon School should complete and submit the online Enrollment Application, with the required application fee, to the Cannon School Admission Office. Required steps in the admission application process: • Campus tours are encouraged for all families. • Completed applications, with an accompanying $95 non-refundable fee, are accepted within one year prior to the desired enrollment date. • Student visits are required for all applicants. These visits vary by grade level. [COVID-19 protocols require that the student visit be completed virtually. The “virtual visit” is a conversation via Zoom with relevant faculty and/or Deans] • Entrance evaluations are required for all candidates. Entrance evaluations vary by grade level. All applicants for grades 4-12 complete the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE). • Teacher recommendations should be completed online by the teacher(s) and submitted electronically to Cannon School. • Record release requests should be signed by the parents and given to the previous school, permitting that school to forward copies of transcripts, standardized testing results, and any behavior or discipline reports. • An applicant’s file is presented to the division-specific Admission Committee only when the entire application process is complete. Cannon School accepts students without regard to gender, national origin, race, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

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ENROLLMENT HISTORY 1032

2020-21

164 989

2019-20

141 1011

2018-19

153 1000

2017-18

140 1021

2016-17

156 1003

2015-16

162 0

Total Enrollment New Students

200

400

600

Total Enrollment New Students 2020-21 1032 164 2019-20 989 141 2018-19 1011 153

800

1000

1200

Total Enrollment New Students 2017-18 1000 140 2016-17 1021 156 2015-16 1003 162

DIVERSITY

STUDENTS OF COLOR

OTHER

Asian: 84 Black/African American: 85 Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 4

Hispanic/Latino: 26 International: 3 Middle Eastern American: 4 Native American: 3 Total: 1,031

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GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY

Two or More Races: 54 Unsure/Not reported: 57 White: 711

FINANCIAL AID Cannon School strives to make an independent school education available to families of diverse financial means. Monthly payment plans and financial aid are available beginning in Junior Kindergarten. Financial aid grants are need-based and are processed using School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS). Financial aid grants will be made without regard to gender, national origin, race, religion, gender identification, or sexual orientation. • Financial aid is determined on the basis of the financial need of the family. • The financial aid process is completely confidential. • The parents of each applicant must submit – annually -- the parent financial statement (PFS) required by SSS.

FINANCIAL AID DATA 2020-21 Financial Aid Statistics

Number of Students

Total Granted

Avg. Grant

LS:

77

$532,661

$6,917

MS:

67

$589,180

$8,793

US:

104

$1,374.782

$13,219

Total:

248

$2,496,623

$10,067

Total School Operating Budget 2016-17

$18,137,979

2017-18

$18,519,871

2018-19 $19,330,372 2019-20

$19,492,059

2020-21 $20,477,736

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UNDERSTANDING OUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY MISSION, VISION, & VALUES Mission Statement Cannon School nurtures relationships at the heart of learning and engages the learner in a journey of growth. The Cannon School community celebrated the unveiling of a new mission statement in 2017. It was the culmination of an intentional, inclusive, and inspiring process that involved Cannon’s administration, trustees, faculty, staff, students, and parents. Throughout this process, we asked ourselves questions about our purpose, our motivation, and our legacy. We believe that this new statement is a clarification of who we are as a school community—one that nurtures all relationships in order to engage each individual learner in finding his or her own path to growth. As we celebrated our 50th anniversary as a school community throughout 2019-2020, we looked forward to living out our mission statement with Cannon families and friends in support of this incredible generation of young people. School Motto “Go Beyond.” These two simple words say everything about a Cannon School education. They go right to the heart of the School’s passion for excellence and readiness to embrace change. They speak to our students’ desire to stretch themselves beyond their comfort zones and to exceed expectations in all that they do. They encapsulate the myriad ways that teachers inspire in their students a lifelong love of learning. Our school motto, “Go Beyond,” uses the mission statement and our core values as its base and captures the spirit and energy that inspire faculty, students, staff, and parents at Cannon. Core Values • Courage: Willingness to take risks, be innovative, and embrace change. • Integrity: Knowing and doing what is right. • Passion: Enthusiasm for excellence. • Respect: Valuing self as you do others, their differences, and their property. • Teamwork: Cooperating, communicating, and collaborating to achieve a common goal. • Kindness: Taking the time to care for others. Fundamental Vision Cannon School envisions a world of wholehearted and adaptive contributors. Each of our learners—student and adult—is unique and gifted. The ongoing realization of our whole selves, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually is a building block to productive engagement and citizenship. Cannon envisions all of its learners showing up in their relationships and in their communities with confidence and a deep understanding of themselves. Each of our learners—student and adult—will face increasingly complex, open-ended, and ill-structured challenges. These problems demand that one applies prior knowledge to new ill-defined situations with flexibility and imagination. Cannon envisions all of its learners bringing a deeply developed set of critical skills and learning habits to their relationships and communities. Each of our learners—student and adult—will choose to observe or to engage, to accept or to improve, and to consume or to produce. In our learners’ academic, professional, civic, and religious communities, and with families and friends, the opportunity to contribute will always exist. Cannon envisions all of its learners choosing to better the relationships and the communities to which they belong through their contributions.

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GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY

UNDERSTANDING OUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY THE ADAPTIVE EXPERTISE (AE) MODEL Adaptive Expertise is more than a concept at Cannon School. It is something that we as teachers, parents, and students consider daily in our respective roles. We create opportunities to talk about the habits, to live those in the classroom, and to build creative partnerships between parents and the school. The type of expertise we advocate is built upon effort and a daily commitment to hard work, acknowledging that there is always more to learn (e.g. curiosity, flexibility, meta-cognition) and that growth can be of itself a desired destination. We are convinced that Cannon School has a responsibility to prepare students for the type of shifting world experienced during the 2020-21 pandemic year. Our teaching and learning model is built upon a presupposition that both children and adults are learners who come into classrooms wanting to continue to make sense of things and to construct meaning. This model encourages all learners to begin by asking themselves what they think about the topic at hand. Teachers then take those insights to guide learning by asking the right questions and by breaking down problems into essential pieces. The goal is to seek deeper experiences, engage relationally, and assess beyond the content, thereby equipping our students to learn how to learn. In the last five years, we have applied the AE model as an educational philosophy guiding us to give feedback without grades in 5th and 6th grade, to a mission-aligned use of a standards-based grading model in 7th through 12th grade, and to the revamping of the Lower School report card to a skills-based competency model. In the Upper School this AE mindset, along with our mission, has inspired us to move courses in the last five years from the College Board AP model to our very own Advanced Topics (AT) model. Further afield, Cannon School’s commitment to Adaptive Expertise acknowledges that today’s and tomorrow’s jobs will call for people who have skill sets that transcend boundaries between one profession and the next, who have the emotional quotient to contribute on teams of individuals bringing important perspectives, and who realize that challenges and opportunities exist in a global market. Adaptive Expertise, as a cornerstone to an educational philosophy, seeks to develop habits to help students confront life’s challenges, both seen and unforeseen, and offers our children the opportunity to meet challenges head on with resolve and a true sense of hope.

Risk Ta k i n g a tion ogni n M C io E

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et

e

N

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P

N

R

ct

U

P

S

O

O

H A B I T S O F

N

Flexib ilit y

A DA P T I V E

n

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vi A u t t o n o m y

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S

E XPERTISE

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20

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DIVISIONS Lower School (Junior Kindergarten – Fourth Grade) The Lower School experience is pivotal in the educational journey of our students. From JrK through grade four, we are committed to knowing, understanding, and celebrating every child in a learning environment that is hands-on, engaging, and full of energy. Because all voices are valued, our students embrace their curiosity, creativity, and confidence as learners. Nurturing relationships with students support overall emotional and social well-being in a healthy environment. On a journey of growth, children thrive, grow, and mature through a developmentally-appropriate curriculum and learning experiences helping them to cultivate natural and developed talents. Intellectual curiosity and a love of learning will be developed through in-class activities, as well as co-curricular classes like science, music, library, art, Spanish, physical education, technology, and STEAM/Makers experiences. Middle School (Fifth – Eighth Grade) Our Middle School is alive with the incredible energy of our students and faculty. We strive for full engagement in the classroom and a sense of camaraderie and teamwork as we face challenges together with a willingness to take risks and try new things. We believe that through a strong partnership with families, we enable students to develop as learners, athletes, artists, and young people of character. The academic program in Middle School emphasizes knowing yourself as a learner, using your strengths while improving areas of challenge, and pushing yourself to achieve growth toward your potential. Students support each other as they work toward excellence in the classroom, as collaboration is a hallmark of our Middle School philosophy. Teachers focus on process rather than product, deeper learning of concepts as they work through content, and student ownership and autonomy in learning. Our daily advisory program enables students to grow in confidence through the support of their peers and teachers. Throughout the week, students get help with organization, participate in discussions related to character and core values, and engage in advisory games and weekly trivia. We model balance, explore adaptive expertise habits, and continually develop executive functioning skills. In addition, our students take advantage of many opportunities to thrive outside of the classroom. Seventh and eighth-grade students participate in interscholastic athletics, and students at all grade levels can choose from various clubs, academic competition teams, and enrichment programs. Teachers work with students in building their time-management skills as they balance their academic excellence with their co-curricular activities. Upper School (Ninth – Twelfth Grade) Every morning, the halls of Cannon’s Upper School echo with “cougar growls” as our advisors and deans celebrate students who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to our core values. In this student-first community, we value and appreciate the distinctive characteristics of developing young adults. We meet them where they are, and we provide opportunity, support, and encouragement as they navigate the victories and challenges that these four years can provide. Students “Go Beyond” in a myriad of ways in Cannon’s Upper School. We offer a complex and engaging academic environment, competitive athletics, sophisticated arts programs, and a range of leadership and social opportunities through our many clubs and our unique House System. Students, with help from their advisor, dean, academic dean, and college counselor, design a personal program of study and extracurricular activities that supports their interests, passions, and talents. While the Upper School has a successful track record of effectively preparing students for colleges and universities, we feel our mission is to prepare students for the challenges they will encounter throughout their lives in a future we cannot predict. To that end, we are deliberate about designing an academic program and supportive environment that empowers independence and advocacy as students seek mastery, reflect and communicate growth, and become accustomed to managing uncertainty. Here you will find the School Profile for 2020-2021 as prepared by College Counseling

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CANNON SCHOOL STUDENT PERFORMANCE DATA Currently, all students in grades 2 – 12 participate in standardized testing annually. The information below highlights our students’ results on standardized tests during the past few years. Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Students in grades 2-4 participate in standardized testing by taking the MAP Growth assessment three times a year (Fall, Winter, Spring). For the 2021-2022 school year, third and fourth graders will move to the ERB assessment in the spring. Educational Records Bureau (ERB) Students in grades in grades 5–8 participate in standardized testing by taking the ERB in late September/early October each year. PSAT This October, students in grades 9 – 11 will take the PSAT. Teachers in the English and Math Departments work with students to improve their knowledge in preparation for this test. The registration fee for the PSAT is included in the annual tuition. In prior years, we have offered the preACT to students in grade 10 and the PSAT to students in grades 9 and 11. SAT and ACT While not a requirement, in a typical year nearly all of Cannon’s seniors will have taken either the SAT or the ACT at least once prior to the start of their senior year. By the time they submit applications, most seniors will have taken as many as three standardized tests. Within the current test optional college admission landscape, the College Counseling office recommends that most seniors sit for at least one test before determining if they will proceed without test scores as part of their college applications or if they will continue to sit for additional testing. In the most recent application cycle, roughly 50% of our seniors applied without test scores. Advanced Placement (AP) In 2020-2021 Cannon School offered 12 Advanced Placement courses and 7 Advanced Topics courses through which students may choose to sit for optional Advanced Placement exams. The following chart highlights the changes in students and tests over the past few years as well as improvements in passing rates. MAP Scores Spring 2021 ERB scores from 2020-2021 AP scores from Class of 2016 through Class of 2020 ACT Score from the Class of 2021

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GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY

THE ARTS AT CANNON Cannon School believes the Arts are essential. Our JrK to Grade 12 program inspires students to love art, to explore its many forms and to become driven, innovative thinkers. We aim to create for our students educational experiences that combine dedicated hard work and freedom to play, inviting them into art study and practice as both a rigorous and fulfilling endeavor. Our talented faculty members commit to providing optimal environments for student growth, which include space and time for self-expression and reflection as students work on mastering fundamental skills. Visual arts, music, and theater classes at Cannon challenge students to dive deeply into risky and rewarding processes wherein they can learn through doing, trying, and yes–from failing–in safe, supportive spaces. Within those spaces our students discover how to use their unique creative voices to inspire others. Dedicated arts instructors provide students in junior kindergarten through fourth grade with extensive art and music instruction. Beginning in fifth grade and continuing through twelfth grade students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of different performing music ensembles in Band, Strings and Chorus, 18 classes in all. In addition, we offer two non-performing music classes General Music in Middle School and Music Technology in Upper School. We also offer 10 performing and technical theater courses and 17 different visual arts classes. Cannon’s student-artists have received regional and state awards for visual arts as well as superior ratings in band, choral, and orchestral competitions. Individual students participate in county, state, and national competitions and festivals. Cannon’s theater department was one of forty high school theater programs in the nation to perform at the renowned Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2017. Our Middle School has two annual theater productions and our Upper School has two fall productions and one musical in the spring. Cannon arts spaces include four visual art studios, four music classrooms, two makerspaces, a performing arts center, a digital media computer lab, and a recording studio.

Lower School Beginning in JrK, students participate in weekly classes in both our music classroom and our visual art studio. In addition, students have the option of taking private lessons in piano, strings, theater, and dance. Our lower school visual art program is based on a learner-directed model known as TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior). Within this model, students are taught techniques, concepts, and how to use a variety of media. Students then use this knowledge to create works of art that are meaningful to them. Student choice, interests, and autonomy are valued in the art room, where students learn not only how to work as artists, but they also learn 21st century skills such as how to be critical thinkers, risk-takers, problem-solvers, and collaborators. An Art Appreciation Program prepared by parent volunteers provides additional exposure to masterpieces and other works of art. Cannon’s lower school music program uses the Orff Approach where children begin with what they do instinctively: play! Imitation, experimentation, and personal expression occur naturally as students become confident, life-long musicians and creative problem solvers. The Orff Approach to teaching is a model for optimal learning in 21st Century classrooms.

Middle School Cannon School believes middle school students deserve a synergy of arts experiences as a way to foster multidimensional people, to provide students opportunities to explore and develop their own humanity, and for students to develop an independent artistic vision. Students are exposed to more than one art form as they are discovering who they are. This approach acknowledges that middle school students need choice as they have rapidly changing interests and ever-changing motivational levels. With a diverse exposure to many art forms, students and faculty grow together in many ways. Students participate in the arts on a daily basis rotating on an A and B day schedule.

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5-6th Grades 5th and 6th grade students choose between band, chorus, and strings, and are required to take that class for two years. On the rotating A and B schedule, they are also exposed to visual art, general music, theater, and small group lessons. During the small group lessons students are allowed to explore more deeply the concepts taught in the chorus, band, and strings classes. 7-8th Grades 7th and 8th grade students take two year-long arts classes on an A and B day rotating schedule. Course offerings include band, strings, chorus, creative explorations, visual art, theater, stagecraft, photography and tech art fusion.

Upper School Fine arts are considered an integral part of a Cannon School education. Upper School students are required to take two year-long arts courses to fulfill the two-credit fine arts graduation requirement. Students are encouraged to take as many additional fine arts electives as ability, interest, and academic load will allow. The Arts in the Upper School seek to enrich the lives and expand the minds of students. Creativity, empathy, and performance are essential to deep learning and developing successful leadership skills. We encourage students to work towards mastery in their chosen medium of self-expression. At Cannon School we offer Acting, Chorus, Concert Band, Creative Design & Engineering, Jazz Band, Media Arts, Media Productions, Music Technology, String Orchestra, Studio Art, Theater Production, and Yearbook. Extra-curricular offerings include Cannon Theater Company, Varsity Chorus, Varsity Orchestra, and Varsity Band. Honor Societies include: Tri-M Music Honor Society and the National Art Honor Society. Our after school program entitled Beyond the Bell, offers students a variety of private music lessons for all grade levels including: voice, piano, guitar, wind, string and brass instruments, as well as percussion. There are likewise a variety of visual arts courses offered to our Lower School and Middle School students.

AN ATHLETICS EDUCATION AT CANNON Participation in athletics provides unique opportunities to grow both as individuals as well as collectively. Within Cannon Athletics, we strive to provide a positive, encouraging, rigorous, and fun environment in which students can 1) challenge themselves and take risks at levels that may make them uncomfortable, 2) learn how to make mistakes with grace, humility, and courage, and 3) learn how to deal with that impending failure in a constructive and meaningful manner. The opportunity to participate in athletics at any level is viewed as a privilege at Cannon—a gift that should be valued and honored every minute of every practice, and every instant of every contest. The opportunity to identify the highest possible athletic challenge, and then to commit to it with a team of equally invested coaches and teammates, offers an educational experience with no parallel. Competing with passion, courage, enthusiasm, and integrity are the hallmarks of a quality athletic program. Such is the goal of Cannon Athletics. Athletics is not viewed independently of the academic curriculum. Focus on Cannon’s core values is stressed, as is a constant pursuit of Adaptive Expertise. Cannon’s coaches undergo professional development that is designed with strategic planning principles and core values in mind so that coaches provide a seamless educational environment for student-athletes. Cannon coaches are often members of Cannon’s faculty or staff. Cannon Athletics is not just about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. The Cannon community strives to honor and celebrate the hours and hours of hard work that go into improving, into making each other better, and into making both their teammates, and their teams better. Emphasis is put on taking care of each other, on competing together, on playing the game the right way, and on having fun. Student-athletes at Cannon have the opportunity to play for coaches with coaching and playing experience at the highest level in their respective sports. Coaches have won national championships at the Division I level, they have coached professional athletes, and they have coached and played on many state championship teams around the country. And, most significantly, they care deeply about the students at Cannon School.

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GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY

BELONGINGNESS AND INCLUSION This is our current diversity statement as of June 2021: Many Perspectives. One Foundation. Going Beyond by Respecting Each Other. We believe having a commitment to belongingness and inclusion is the right thing to do and is essential to providing a full and complete Cannon School educational experience. We welcome qualified students and provide educational, arts, athletic, financial assistance, and employment activities without discriminating based on race, ethnicity, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender identification, or physical ability. Our commitment to belongingness and inclusion is rooted in three guiding principles: Learning is enhanced when diverse viewpoints are present, analyzed, understood, and respected. Leadership potential is enhanced when one is able to constructively interact with people from all walks of life. Life’s experience is enhanced by having positive contact with an ever-changing but increasingly interconnected world. We believe students succeed and develop best when they are introduced to multiple perspectives. We want Cannon School to be a place where adults—teachers, parents and administrators—model acceptance and understanding in a way that helps young people to grow into even more tolerant and productive individuals. We strongly endorse a Cannon community that respects the similarities and uniqueness of its members. We strive to provide an unmistakable learning advantage – one that safely exposes Cannon students to perspectives that may be different or unfamiliar to their own. We are committed to having Cannon students achieve their fullest potential as part of a lifetime of learning. We strive to have them learn from those around them. Although we come from a broader community consisting of many perspectives, we choose to build upon a foundation of respect for all. Our steadfast belief that the virtues of belongingness and inclusion should be embraced is at the heart of all we do and motivates us to believe in the possibilities of tomorrow. Belongingness and inclusion offer ways to “Go Beyond” in our commitment to our students and those around us by including perspectives that may be different or unfamiliar to our own. Our work around writing an updated statement on inclusivity and belongingness has continued in summer 2021 with a writing group that has developed a preliminary draft as a “Commitment to Inclusivity and Belongingness”. This new statement will go before the Board of Trustees in October 2021 and then will be shared with the community. The new mission-aligned and dialogue-driven statement includes action-orientated language that will allow us to reorganize our efforts in this area. GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY

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PARENT GROUPS Parents At Cannon (PAC) is Cannon School’s active parent volunteer group dedicated to enriching school life for our students, teachers, and parents through membership and volunteerism. The PAC group is composed of four individual organizations that work together to organize PAC events for the school community. In addition, each organization specializes in support of a particular area of school life. • Cannon Connections supports school-wide social and educational events and activities. • Cannon Cultures supports school-wide diversity awareness events and activities. • Cougar Club supports the school’s athletic and physical education programs. • Cannon Advocates For The Arts (CAFTA) supports the school’s performing arts and visual arts programs. Membership in PAC helps to fund meaningful social, cultural, athletic, and arts events and activities for our school community. Membership in PAC demonstrates a commitment to Cannon School and in particular, to our students. Cannon families are annually encouraged to join PAC groups.

PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES Cannon School’s learning support program is designed to help students with learning differences become successful learners and selfadvocates. We are a strengths-based and growth-minded support program, focused on the process of self-awareness and self-advocacy, that strives to maximize the achievement and success of students with learning differences at Cannon School. Junior Kindergarten through second grade is a time of varied developmental growth. The learning specialist supports teachers in these grades in identifying, supporting, and assessing students as needed. Parents, teachers, counselors, and the learning specialist engage in regular communication regarding students who are having difficulty and may be displaying signs of a possible learning difference. Together, the learning specialist, the counselor, and teachers collaborate to differentiate and create interventions for teachers to use in the classroom. At times, additional help may be needed and parents are able to independently contract with speech therapists, tutors, and other providers. Learning support in third and fourth grades focuses on the beginning of self-awareness as a student. Students are encouraged to understand their learning style and discover how they learn, study, and interact. Students are served by a team that consists of teachers, counselors, and the learning specialist. This team works together to encourage students to self-advocate for themselves. Learning support in grades 5-8 focuses on the continuation of self-awareness as a student. Students are encouraged to understand their learning style and discover how they learn, study, and interact. Students are served by a team that consists of teachers, Advisor, Dean, the counselor, and the learning specialist. The team works to encourage students to use their accommodations as well as to self-advocate. Students are initially made aware of their accomodations in one of three ways; parents may share the plan with the student, the learning specialist may share the plan, or the student and parents can meet with the learning specialist. The choice is based on parental preference, student readiness, and development. At times, additional help may be needed and parents are able to independently contract with speech therapists, tutors, homework coaches, and other providers who are invited to work on our campus. At the heart of this stage in learning support is the goal of encouraging students to access their accommodations, embrace their learning difference, and realize that everyone learns differently. Upper School students continue to grow in the process of becoming self-aware, understanding their unique learning style and developing lifelong learning skills such as time-management, organization, effective communication, study skills, and self-advocacy. Students are served by a relational team approach to intervention and to academic support. The team led by the US Learning Specialist is composed of the student, his/her parents, teachers, Upper School Dean of Academics, Student Dean, Upper School Counselor and Advisor. Additional support is available from subject-specific tutors and ADHD/Executive Functioning work coaches that are independently contracted and that have been invited to work with students on Cannon’s campus. Recognizing a relational approach to student support requires time. The support program strives to meet the needs of our students with learning differences through developmentally-appropriate focus goals. Juniors and seniors are provided assistance with requesting College Board and ACT testing accommodations.

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COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM Community service at Cannon School is a cross-divisional, developmentally-appropriate program. Our mission is to develop in our students a respect for others and a sense of personal responsibility for the environment and the broader community. Our program begins in the Lower School with outreach to build community relationships and continues to mature through the Middle and Upper divisions into a program that involves students in active and direct service. Cannon School Community Service Program Goals: • Create meaningful relationships with organizations within Cannon School and its broader communities • Foster future leaders empowered to serve our communities • Teach empathy by creating opportunities for students to put kindness into action • Promote teamwork through community outreach projects • Develop the ability to communicate respectfully with all individuals • Promote personal integrity through the breaking down of stereotypes and misconceptions • Inspire students to explore and step out of their daily routines and interactions • Encourage a respect for and a commitment to the well-being of the planet • Instill passion for lifelong commitment to service and advocacy Lower School Every year the Lower School Student Council focuses on three goals: creating school spirit, encouraging Cannon core values, and leading a community service project. It holds a meeting to discuss what service project it would like to tackle for the year. Council members listen to each other, discuss the pros and cons of their ideas, and vote on that year’s project. The process includes planning, promoting, and executing the service project. Most recently, we raised funds for Rescue Ranch, a non-profit animal welfare and educational organization. In addition to the projects led by Student Council, each grade level participates in community service activities that are developmentally-appropriate. Kindergarten reads with the elderly at an assisted living center and makes cards for people in the military. First grade uses their “needs and wants” unit as a springboard to help homeless and impoverished children in the Charlotte area. Second grade writes letters to veterans, reads books to residents at a local nursing home, makes blankets for a local animal shelter, and collects books to donate to children in need. Third grade assembles birthday boxes for Meals On Wheels and visits a local nursing home to read to and engage with the residents. Fourth grade also puts together birthday boxes for Meals on Wheels, including items such as toiletries, puzzle books, socks, slippers, notepads, pens, and such. Middle School The Middle School believes in the importance of reaching out and helping others in our school community as well as communities beyond our campus. By embracing components of service learning, students will have the opportunity to investigate service opportunities based on curricular studies or community needs as they arise. Through guided research and reflection they will work to identify a specific need and develop an action plan to address that need. Through this work, students will develop a better understanding of the importance of civic participation and the way communities work. They will build critical thinking and problem solving skills, and ultimately, they will apply what they learn to improve their communities in real, meaningful, and lasting ways. In addition, the Middle School enjoys a long-standing relationship with the Special Olympics of Cabarrus County, where our students volunteer as buddies and in the Olympic Village. Students also get off campus to learn and engage. Upper School The Upper School service program strives to instill in its students a sense of personal responsibility and commitment to contribute to and serve our community. Upper School students are encouraged to use their passions, interests, and individual gifts to first identify needs and then engage in and develop relationships with organizations both within and beyond Cannon School. Students will execute service projects on an individual, advisory group, or class-wide basis through direct service, advocacy, and fundraising. The goal is to give students enough autonomy to allow them to experience the altruistic and mutually-beneficial sense of giving and receiving that occurs through community service. The goal is to give students the autonomy to choose community outreach opportunities in line with their own personal passions and interests that will allow them to experience the altruistic and mutually beneficial sense of giving and receiving of serving others.

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EXTENDED DAY AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS The Extended Day and After-School Programs provide students with a comfortable, safe, and caring environment in which to participate in constructive activities during after school hours. Based on this foundation, our instructors recognize each child as an individual while teaching values and creating experiences that go beyond the classroom learning environment. Parents can enroll students from one-to-five days per week or choose the “drop-in” option. Enrichment Programs: Beyond the Bell Classes Beyond the Bell offers a collection of extracurricular enrichment programs for Lower, Middle and Upper School students. These varied offerings provide students with the opportunity to ignite their imagination, pursue their passions, and develop skills in a variety of areas including the arts, athletics, and the humanities. Beyond the Bell classes are offered in three sessions of ten weeks each.

CAMP CANNON Camp Cannon strives to provide the community with fun and enriching summer programs that promote personal growth and instill a lifelong love of learning in a safe, diverse, and inclusive environment. Camp Cannon is in operation for seven weeks each summer and it is open to both Cannon School and non-Cannon students. 26

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EXECUTIVE UPDATE: THE YEARS AFTER OUR 2015 SAIS ACCREDITATION AT CANNON SCHOOL Since our last SAIS accreditation and self-study process in 2015, the school has made substantial progress on the recommendations made by the 2015 visiting team as well as on the initiatives of our last strategic planning model. Below, we share both the recommendations of the last visiting team as well as the school’s response. The content, we hope, underscores our tangible and resultsoriented commitment to a growth mindset as a school community. Recommendation #1: Taking risks in defining and employing assessment methods that reflect the Core Values and habits of mind and spirit fostered by Adaptive Expertise (AE). School’s response: • Cannon School devoted 2016-2017 and will devote 2017-2018 to exploring assessment, grading, and grade reporting, in order to better align assessment and grading practices with AE across the three divisions. • We devoted four full faculty PD days during the academic years to assessment, grading, and grade reporting. • We read and are using Thomas Guskey’s text On Your Mark to inform our practice. • We used a design thinking approach to help teachers and administrators think through and implement change. • We selected an administrative Terrain Team to make decisions in defining and employing assessment and grading practices that reflect the AE Habits. • We ran teachers-teaching-teachers’ workshops on assessment throughout the year to help innovative practices spread across the school. • We ran a “Standards Based Grading Summer Institute” for Cannon teachers ( June 6, 7, 8, 2017) to teach the methods of a practice better aligned with AE. • We explored and have started using standards based assessment in select courses. • We explained and further developed language of AE with faculty through PD time. • We changed the 8th grade Cornerstone program so that student projects center around AE habits and growth. • In October 2017, we brought assessment expert and educational author Rick Wormeli to present to faculty through our Maria DeHaas Speaker series. • We developed PD training for faculty to use AE in the development of curriculum and assessment. Recommendation #2: Continuing to explore pedagogy and best practices in teaching through the lens of Adaptive Expertise. School’s response: • We held varied Middle and Upper School advisory discussions and activities dealt with the topic of empathy as an AE habit. • We created JrK-12 Academic Aims of a Cannon Education to show the journey of growth our students experience. Here you will find the Aims of a Cannon Education • We emphasized the use of creativity, autonomy, and reflection in our assignments and teaching practices. • 6th and 7th grade students prepared their spring parent conferences to point out AE traits in which they either excelled in or where they felt they needed additional growth. • We continued to learn the “how to” in terms of exploring pedagogy through AE with teachers during faculty PD days. • We created two school-wide professional development conference days for our faculty with teachers running sessions on teaching and learning for colleagues across divisions. • We prepared and ran AE days for students in the Lower School in which the normal schedule was dropped and students were provided with an opportunity to explore the AE habits in greater depth. • We successfully ran a Winterm week in the Upper School in order to give students opportunities to take week-long courses in non-academic and practical topics of choice. These courses allow them to develop many AE traits. • We used “E-Portfolios” in Middle School courses to give students the opportunity to showcase accomplishments and display learning growth. In their “reflection” on each accomplishment, students are asked to discuss any applicable AE traits involved. GETTING TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY

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Recommendation #3: Developing greater clarity in expressing the “what and why” of Adaptive Expertise and its role in the learning environment. School’s response: • We wrote essential questions for each AE Habit that clarify how we can develop classroom environments that place those habits at the center of learning. • We shared essential questions for each AE Habit with all faculty through professional development. • We wrote learning outcomes around AE habits for each grade and course in the 2017-2018 year. • We developed a pilot program to receive student feedback through student focus groups. • Through a June 2017 “Institute for Cannon,” the school began to explore how standards-based assessment promotes the habits of AE in grading. Recommendation #4: Synthesizing performance evaluation and professional development in a programmatic way to help promote and support the goals of deeper learning and Adaptive Expertise. School’s response: • We weaved AE habits into faculty observations and performance evaluation documents and reflection for faculty. • We used classroom walkthroughs and department clinicals to explore problems of practice in the US beginning in 20162017 and expanded them to the MS beginning in 2017-2018. • Beginning in 2016-2017, the Board of Trustees created, funded, and hired a JrK-12th grade Director of Studies to coordinate professional development programs in all three divisions that support the goals of AE and deeper learning. Recommendation #5: Implementing a more formal new faculty mentoring process to ensure ongoing transmission of Core Values, Adaptive Expertise, Cannon School mission and philosophy, and best professional practices. School’s response: • We implemented 4.5 workshop days and CPR training to on-board new Cannon teachers prior to the first day of allfaculty pre-planning. • We followed up formal training with two other sessions that were social and voluntary to check-in on the process of learning and adapting to Cannon culture. • We assigned each new teacher a “buddy” (more of a “new friend”) as well as a “mentor” (more of a subject area mentor) in order to ensure transmission of Cannon culture as well as best teaching practices. • To reflect our Core Values, beginning in 2016-2017 all new employees received a handwritten note and a gift card midway through their first year. Recommendation #6: Continuing to explore opportunities/processes/resources to strengthen diversity in the student body and faculty to ensure the Cannon community mirrors the regional and global communities. School’s response: • We partnered with Cannon Cultures, a parent group at Cannon, to host educational programs throughout the year exposing students to Cannon’s cultural diversity. • We connected parent groups to the school by adding an administrative liaison to each group. These groups work together to plan, program, and build relationships from a diversity and inclusion standpoint. • We invited members of local minority communities to use our people or buildings as resources. • We maintained a relationship with KIPP Middle School in Charlotte by increasing our enrollment goal of admitting three KIPP students in 9th grade annually. • The school’s administrative team continued to work on personal and institutional goals related to increasing diversity at Cannon. • We continued attracting faculty through the use of NEMNET. 28

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Recommendation #7: Investigating new opportunities to attract a more diverse applicant pool. School’s response: • We created printed admissions materials that reflect our commitment to attracting minority applicants. • Through the Cannon Cultures parent group, we participated in community group events. • We connected with the minority business leadership program through the Cabarrus County Regional Chamber of Commerce. • We continued as members of the Charlotte and the Lake Norman Chambers of Commerce. • Members of our administrative team are attending Leadership Cabarrus, a program aiming to inform local leaders about the assets and challenges of our region. • We contacted the Harvey Gant Cultural Center of Charlotte about connecting with them to educate our students about the richness of the African-American culture in our region. • In 2020-2021 Cannon launched the Teaching Fellows program as a way to attract three recent college graduates each year to spend a year exploring a teaching career, being involved in the day-to-day operations of a division, and receive instruction on teaching and learning. Teaching Fellows seeks candidates who have been underrepresented in independent schools. In 2021-22 we have one teaching fellow per division. Recommendation #8: Seeking opportunities to increase financial aid offerings. School’s response: • We shifted funds to increase financial aid dollars by 300% in order to attract new Lower School students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. • We established an endowed fund for students with learning differences and have begun to provide help to students out of those funds. • We offered course payment for students of need who are taking online courses through Cannon. • We initiated and funded financial aid for educational testing and tutoring of students with learning differences. Recommendation #9: Engaging a marketing firm to hone messaging of the distinctive experience, grounded in relational teaching and Adaptive Expertise, at Cannon. School’s response: • We engaged Ian Symmonds and Associates during the 2015-2016 school year to conduct an institutional identity study. Ian Symmonds is an expert in the field, having worked with more than 200 independent schools and universities across the country. Ian’s research included: an electronic survey of current Cannon parents, qualitative research through phone calls with current Cannon parents, an electronic survey of parents who were offered admittance to Cannon but did not attend, and a demographic trends analysis and an educational landscape analysis • His research culminated with a campus visit in the fall when he conducted focus groups with Cannon parents, students, faculty, administrators, and board members. • Ian advised Cannon to position itself based on its unique school culture. He advised that Cannon is a school community characterized by inclusivity, intentionality, and innovation, where students come to belong, find their purpose, and invent the future. • We used the messaging pillars Ian provided to inform Cannon’s marketing efforts in 2016-2017 and moving forward. • In 2016-2017, we engaged Whipp, a creative agency in Spartanburg, to bring Ian’s recommendations to life. • As a result, we produced a new advertising suite, social media campaigns, testimonial videos, and promotional materials.

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WHAT WAS NEW IN TEACHING AND LEARNING IN 2020-2021 (DEALING WITH COVID) • We had JrK through 5th grade return 100% in person in August 2021. 6th through 12th grade returned 50% in person, with groups that rotated every week. By March 2021 we were 100% on campus, while still accommodating students who desired to stay home for the year. • We published a COVID dashboard to maintain the community informed. • The Leadership Team maintained weekly meetings to review protocols and teaching and learning strategies. • We kept our community safe and our school open through a faithful approach to COVID protocols and a SWIVL system to deliver teaching and learning synchronously to students both in school and on-campus. • Community spread at Cannon never occurred and we mitigated using various methods including quarantining and allowing students who opted to be 100% at home to be synchronously in classrooms everyday through SWIVL technology. • Trained all faculty during summer 2021 in hybrid learning best practices as well as the use of SWIVL technology. • The Academic Aims of a Cannon Education: The JrK-12 department chairs team, along with guidance and leadership from academic deans, developed a set of statements that articulate the academic aims of a Cannon education by department and across the grades. We felt, during a year of educational upheaval, that seeking foundational commitments about our academic aims would be a worthwhile endeavor.

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Here you will find the Aims of a Cannon Education

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Overview of Strategic Plan and Self Study Process

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IV. OVERVIEW OF STRATEGIC PLAN AND SELF STUDY PROCESS SELF STUDY PROCESS Summer 2018

Planned and created community engagement for the year

August 2018

SAIS Value Narrative Survey - All constituent groups were invited to take the Survey. Great response kicked off self-study from a place of strength/voices of community heard.

October 2018

The Summit @ Cannon School. All constituent groups represented. Unique aspect: we invited the community to be a part of the day. Keynote panel. Breakout sessions. The day was focused on not finding answers, but rather finding the right questions. We worked from a Harvard Business Review article and research about discovery through questions-the Question Burst.

Fall 2018

Self-Study Committee digested data gathered from survey and Summit to identify areas of mission-aligned growth of greatest interest to community members.

December 2018

Professional Development Day. Faculty/staff in small groups reviewed a select group of questions and chose essential questions to explore in greater depth. It became clear by December that the engagement of faculty/staff together (mixing up of divisions) was well received and welcomed by the community. This engagement across divisions and the faculty/staff divide had great benefits.

February 2018

Professional Development Day. Faculty/staff were placed in small groups for morning and afternoon. Specific questions that had risen to the top were discussed in small and larger group settings. The focus was thinking about these questions “from where you sit.” An effort to consider the question from different people’s vantage points on campus. We continued with making sure people from different areas were engaged. We also had “Walk and Talks” - with one faculty and one staff leader for each group.

Spring 2018

Student focus groups were held using questions faculty and staff had discussed on April PD day.

April 2018 PD

Self-study is the year-long process we completed 2018-2019 that culminated in five findings. Reporting back to faculty for year’s research and findings and Rose, Thorn etc. exercise/collected feedback.

Here is the presentation that was used to share findings from the year with faculty and staff.

2018-2019

Throughout the year worked with the Admin Team at each stage for feedback on the process, the data, etc.

August 2019

Admin Leadership Team begins working on a bridge from the five self-study findings to the creation of a strategic plan.

Fall 2019

Board of Trustees begins to work with HOS on a Vision statement to drive the next five year strategic plan.

October 2019 PD

Workshops offered to faculty and staff all center around the five findings of the self-study.

December 2019 PD First Strategic Planning Retreat held with 30 selected admin, faculty, and staff members to begin to develop a set of strategic drivers that will govern the next five-year strategic plan. January 2020

The Self-Study Committee reconvened as the Accreditation Team to see through the process of SAIS Chair and Team Visit for Accreditation.

February 2020- July 2020

Leadership Team works on drafts of a vision statement and set of strategic drivers to present to BOT.

August 2020 Board Advance

Head of School presents first version of strategic design package to BOT. This includes mission, core values, (new) vision statement, and set of 5 strategic drivers.

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OVERVIEW OF STRATEGIC PLAN AND SELF STUDY PROCESS

THE FIVE FINDINGS OF OUR SELF STUDY What must we do to attract, develop, and nurture learners who are caring, relational, inspirational, adaptive experts? What must we do to help our learners grow in curiosity, teamwork, collaboration, ethical decision-making, empathy, and time management? What must we do to balance the demands our academic programs, our character education, our artistic and athletic offerings place on our learners? What must we do to grow as an inclusive community of learners? What must we do to foster purposeful, regular, continuous school engagement with the Concord community?

BUILDING OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN Context With the addition of a Vision and five Strategic Drivers, the Leadership Team and members of the Board of Trustees completed Cannon’s Strategic Design. This was accomplished by: building upon our existing core values; aligning with our 2017 mission statement; using our 2018 community-wide self-study; and, hosting multiple workshops and discussions with faculty and staff and parents. The strategic design should guide both expansive all-school investments of resources, and day-to-day choices made by teachers and staff. In contrast to any strategic plan, the power of this strategic design is that it will provide institutional, divisional, departmental, team, and individual direction every day, for every program, project, system, or decision.

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STRATEGIC DRIVERS Cannon School commits to Community: Belongingness, Engagement, and Access Cannon believes you belong here. Your identity, your richness of experience and background, improves our academic community and our school culture. Cannon reinforces the skills and habits that allow us to engage productively and grow in the context of differing opinions, real stakes, and intense emotions. Cannon seeks avenues for you to engage fully, know that you belong wholly, and access the educational experiences we offer without barrier. Students: Developing Critical and Confident Learners Cannon pursues learning experiences that promote critical thinking and inquiry-based exploration. Cannon values experiencedbased, active learning across all disciplines and grades. A Cannon education prepares a student for the complex academic and competitive life challenges they can expect, and those they cannot. Cannon believes in the power of the teacher-student relationship as its learners develop the habits of Adaptive Expertise. Educators: Distinctive, Personalized Professional Growth Programs Cannon delivers world-class teaching. Teachers and staff are at their best when challenged individually to meet their potential. Cannon seeks to curate a unique growth experience for each teacher, leader, and staff member. Cannon reinforces a professional culture organized around a growth mindset in service of constant improvement and innovation. Wellness: Structures that Promote a Culture of Health and Balance Cannon fosters an experience of balance. In a world of quickening pace and social pressures, Cannon reinforces the whole-child concept, supports developmental differences across ages, and acts to cultivate a school culture that values our learners’ whole selves. Cannon evaluates and develops school programs and systems that promote our learners’ health and well-being. Sustainability: Mission-Responsive Resources and Partnerships Cannon intentionally develops and uses financial and campus resources in support of its mission. Cannon places mission at the core of its systems and structures to ensure we deliver upon our daily purpose more effectively and efficiently. Cannon establishes strategic and programmatic partnerships beyond its campus to accelerate and enhance each learner’s journey of growth.

NEXT STEPS While the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) deferred all member-schools’ accreditation cycles by one year, Cannon is ready to declare its future direction. Following appropriate Board action, we will present the full strategic design (mission, core values, vision, and strategic drivers) to faculty and staff during post planning in June 2021 and pre-planning in August 2021. This will include the set of growth initiatives we are committing to for the next few years. The work on initiatives will begin in August 2021.

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OVERVIEW OF STRATEGIC PLAN AND SELF STUDY PROCESS

A Plan for Growth

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V. A PLAN FOR GROWTH In January and February of 2021, we convened and engaged five task forces, organizing each one around a driver of our strategic design. Each task force met and worked between February and May 2021. Each task force included two leaders selected from our faculty and staff, as well as other faculty and staff members, parents, and members of the Board of Trustees.

OUR FIVE TASK FORCES Community: Enhance Cultural & Community Engagement Students: Study a Revision of Educational Philosophy—Adaptive Expertise 2.0 Educators: Enhance the Overall Educator Experience Wellness: Align and Balance JK-12 Schedule & Space Use Sustainability: Consider Expanded Enrollment Model By May 2021, the task forces had delivered 50+ initiatives around the five strategic drivers. Those 50+ initiatives were reviewed and refined by both the Leadership Team and the Board of Trustees in June 2021 working meetings. From those meetings, 12 projects or initiatives were selected for the 2021-2022 academic year. We are pleased to share five of those with SAIS. The remainder of the initiatives may be found under our Strategic Road Map 2021. Here you will find the School Profile for 2020-2021 as prepared by College Counseling

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A PLAN FOR GROWTH

CANNON SCHOOL’S INITIATIVES FOR GROWTH These five initiatives reflect a three-to-five-year commitment to those previously-discussed strategic drivers. Having drivers instead of a strategic plan allows Cannon School to earmark a set of guiding principles while remaining flexible and agile in our approach to deliberate thinking and planning each year. The beauty of drivers is that they remain faithful to the findings from our 2018-2019 self study in three identified categories: • People • Programs • Community

Community: Belongingness, Engagement, and Access Enhance Cultural & Community Engagement Where are We Now? (PROFILE) In the summer of 2021 a task force on Racial Equity was convened to address the social changes rapidly challenging American culture. From August to December 2021 faculty and staff engaged in a 21-week Racial Equity Challenge that involved all faculty and staff. In the spring of 2021 we used an Inclusivity Index (provided by an independent third-party) for the first time by administering the survey tool to all students. We used three separate versions of the survey to accommodate for the student’s age and we asked parents to take the survey with our younger students. Faculty and staff were asked to take the index responding as they thought students would respond. We then hosted a post-planning faculty workshop to take a preliminary look at data. Meanwhile, the work of our Cannon Cultures and the You Belong Groups (YBG) across divisions continued to request a new inclusivity statement expressing the growth needed as a school community. A team of educators was commissioned in the summer of 2021 to write a new Belongingness and Engagement Commitment. Where are we Going? (VISION) Cannon believes and lives out its motto: “You belong here.” We believe that your identity, as well as your richness of experience and background, improves our academic community and our school culture. Cannon reinforces the skills and habits that allow us to engage productively and grow in the context of differing opinions, real stakes, and intense emotions. Cannon seeks avenues for you to engage fully, to know that you belong wholly, and to access the educational experiences we offer without barrier. How are we going to get there? (TIMELINE) We now need to continue to analyze the data received from the Inclusivity Index. Each division will use what was learned at its post-planning workshop to develop a first set of initiatives in 2021-22 to move the work of inclusivity forward by division. We will repeat the same Inclusivity Index (version 2.0) in 2021-22 in order to compare results from the first index with what students feel is currently happening at Cannon . This work will allow educators to align their views to a truer reflection of what students are experiencing. We will use the finished Belongingness and Engagement Commitment with our YBG groups and Cannon Cultures in order to align all the work being done. We will also share that Belongingness and Engagement Commitment with our students, parents, and broader community. How will we measure that we got there? (RESULTS) Our students’ Inclusivity Index Overall Scores will improve in targeted areas. Our educators will better align their views with the student reality as shown on the Index. The new Belongingness and Engagement Commitment will help align the many groups doing this work in our school community. Donors will give to programs related to Belongingness and Engagement. In five years, our students’ overall scores will benchmark in the top 10% of schools using the Inclusivity Index. Our educators will consistently align their views with student reality. Donors will have funded significant and impactful Belongingness and Equity programming benefitting the Cannon community, as well as a regional audience.

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Students: Developing Critical and Confident Learners Study a Revision of Educational Philosophy—Adaptive Expertise 2.0 Where are we now? (PROFILE) The Adaptive Expertise (AE) model used at Cannon for the last dozen years received a facelift leading up to our 2015 accreditation as we synthesized all of our previous PD opportunities to the “one language” of the model. This model comprises 12 habits around what has become our educational philosophy involving teaching and learning. While that synthesis successfully delivered clarity around many disparate ideas, the past few years have revealed that the AE model still lacks the ease of use to be applied in classrooms to drive teaching and learning. Where are we going? (VISION) Our goal over the 2021-22 academic year is to revisit and revive the AE model for all learners at Cannon. This endeavor holds critical value in that AE is our educational philosophy supporting all of our ideas around good teaching and learning from JrK-Grade 12. We are seeking to amend the model to make it more useful and applicable in all learning situations. While we will study possibilities of a revamped AE model this year, we will be intentional in leaving space to pivot on its future use at Cannon. How are we going to get there? (TIMELINE) Two leaders will be named to drive the initiative for 2021-22 and those leaders will gather a small team across the school. The team will include students and parent representation. The first task will be to evaluate the twelve habits to see if combining or condensing is warranted. We will also review practices for how we currently “teach” the AE model to onboard new faculty and staff, as well as new-to-Cannon students. From that exercise the team will develop and create an online course to help the community understand the AE model, and its usefulness in teaching and learning. This model will ensure that we safeguard all the gains we have made in developing AE before we seek to change it. Once that is done, in the spring of 2022, we will explore options to modify AE. How will we measure that we got there? (RESULTS) We will have feedback from the community, including new faculty and new-to-Cannon students, on their understanding of AE, as well as its perceived value. We will have developed and delivered an online course. There will be a report written by May 2022 including recommendations of how to move beyond 2021-22. We will develop a new plan for AE to cover the next 3-5 years.

Educators: Distinctive, Personalized Professional Growth Programs Enhance the Overall Educator Experience Where are We Now? (PROFILE) Cannon has always worked to create an environment ensuring that our educators feel supported, valued, and refreshed. Current initiatives in place for wellness and engagement of our educators include extra days at Thanksgiving, true workdays to allow focused and collaborative time for our faculty, mentoring for new teachers, inexpensive family meals provided by our food service team, and access to our strength and conditioning center. We have also offered quarterly faculty and staff professional development programs, with an effort toward connecting all of our employees to Cannon’s objectives and goals. However, we see room for growth. Where are we Going? (VISION) Our vision is to enhance the experience of our educators throughout each school year. We want to reconnect faculty and staff with school goals and objectives by making sure that they are provided with opportunities to become engaged within our community. We want to be more intentional about connecting, rather than separating, faculty and staff professional growth programs and helping each employee view themselves as an “educator.” We see a need – especially after COVID – for increased connectivity and togetherness to help grow and sustain the positive environment that we all appreciate at Cannon. We want to find the right balance between helping our educators become connected with others on campus and having autonomy for getting work done and spending time with their families. How are we going to get there? (TIMELINE) During the 2021-2022 school year, we will survey our educators to gain a baseline understanding of their experience within the Cannon community; we will implement an enhanced staff on-boarding process to complement what we do for faculty; and we will build on our current Cannon staff/faculty professional development programs. We will also implement new wellness initiatives and develop additional programming to promote cross-divisional interaction focused on our community and wellness.

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How will we measure that we got there? (RESULTS) We will measure our growth in enhancing our educators’ experience through three key indicators: increased employee retention; increased positive responses on surveys inquiring whether or not our educators feel valued, supported and well; and increased opportunities for community engagement by all educators.

Wellness: Structures that Promote a Culture of Health and Balance Align and Balance JrK-12 Schedule and Space Use Where are we now? Our divisional (LS, MS, US) schedules are a holdover from the last ten years. Over that time they have been tweaked and modified. Given how much the school has changed in the last decade, our mission, and our current vision and strategic drivers, we believe this is the time to explore and adopt a new JrK-12 schedule that considers our current spaces and resources. In the past five years our enrollment in all three divisions has grown; for example, over the past two years, we have seen a 15% increase in Lower School enrollment Where are we Going? (VISION) The growth that our school has experienced, both in enrollment and in infrastructure, over the past five years, as well as all the progress we have made in bringing grading and assessment to a more mission-aligned model, has created the opportunity to develop JrK-12 schedules (both divisional and school-wide) that prioritize the learning needs of students, and that support our mission, vision, and our strategic drivers around critical thinking and inquiry-based exploration. By adjusting schedules JrK-12 we are aiming to improve student well-being and balance of academic, social, and extra-curricular lives. How are we going to get there? (TIMELINE) A JrK-12 team of leaders met at the 2021 SAIS Summer Conference to both learn from experts in the field on the topic of studentfirst schedule creation, as well as to lay out a project charter for this initiative for 2021-22. This charter calls for the team to begin by exploring the help that such an expert can provide in this area long-term, while looking to align a few short-term needs in space and time. In the fall of 2021 the team will research and interview three consultants. One will be chosen to walk us through a 2021-22 process as a framework for decision-making long-term with the objective of having a new schedule for the 2022-23 academic year. How will we measure that we got there? (RESULTS) A new schedule will be in place for all three divisions by 2023-24 which will better reflect our mission and the values we have identified in our strategic drivers around wellness, sustainability, and developing critical and confident learners. We will review the success of the schedule over 1-2 years and make changes as needed. We will also consider the changes proposed by our Campus Master Plan and how that connects to our availability of space, time, and human resources.

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Sustainability: Mission-Responsive Resources and Partnerships Consider Expanded Enrollment Model Where are we now? (PROFILE) Enrollment at Cannon School has been healthy and growing steadily since 2008, when we were a school with roughly 820 students. At that time, we envisioned growing our total student population to over 1000, and we achieved that goal within 6 years. In fact, across the past 13 years, we have also met or exceeded enrollment targets 10 times, and we have maintained a high retention rate of 93-96%. Most of our enrollment growth has occurred in the Middle and Upper Schools - the Middle School has grown by over 60 students and the Upper School by over 100 - however, we have also seen recent strengthened interest in our youngest grades, with our Lower School enrolling approximately 85 new students for each of the past two admission cycles versus 49 new students in the 20192020 school year. We find ourselves in a market that continues to grow at a high rate, and our projections for the 2021-2022 year will be our highest overall enrollment to date, with 1035 incoming and returning students. Where are we going? (VISION) Both Cannon’s enrollment and retention health suggest that we are in a position to explore increasing our overall student population. Our vision is to grow Cannon’s overall enrollment over the next 5 years to a sustainable and market-driven level that maximizes our ability to deliver our mission. How are we going to get there? (TIMELINE) During the 2021-2022 academic year, our Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) group, along with a small team of administrators and faculty, will study the feasibility of enrollment growth in current market conditions, analyze various options for such growth, and estimate the length of time needed to achieve the targeted enrollment. If enrollment expansion is determined to be possible and sustainable and a clear choice for how to achieve this is determined, we will work with the Campus Master Planning team to consider the facility and infrastructure needs associated with enrollment growth. How will we measure that we got there? (RESULTS) We will measure our results in two ways. The first is to successfully determine if expanding our enrollment is sustainable, and if so, in what ways. Second, assuming growth is feasible and desirable, we will establish annual growth targets that, if met, will demonstrate success.

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5801 Poplar Tent Road Concord, NC 28027 704-721-7199 www.cannonschool.org

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