Canterbury School Strategic Plan

OUR Journey of Pride & Purpose CANTERBURY SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN 2013-2019

OUR MISSION

The Canterbury School is dedicated to academic excellence within a caring and supportive community emphasizing character, leadership and service.

OUR VISION

We strive to prepare students of ability, promise and diverse backgrounds for success in the art of leading a meaningful life.

Noah Schwartz ’24 and Michael Payson ’14

prom•ise

[noun] : a reason to expect something especially: grounds for expectation of success, improvement, or excellence.

OUR PROMISE The Canterbury Graduate:

>> will possess a commitment to inquiry and harness internal motivation and critical thinking skills to innovate, communicate, solve and understand;

>> will

pursue lifelong learning with an open mind, instinctively seeking connections between disciplines and cultures in a global context;

>> will

persevere in exploring opportunities and have the confidence to trust their judgment; they believe they can succeed at whatever they attempt and recognize failure as an opportunity;

>> will lead by inspiring others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more; they follow their hearts while maintaining personal integrity and empower others to do the same;

>> will

internalize an ongoing commitment to make the world a better place; they are empowered by altruism to promote fairness, justice, diversity, environmental stewardship and universal kindness.

Fulfilling OUR PROMISE Founded in 1964, and grounded in the tenets of academic excellence, character, leadership and service, Canterbury School of Fort Myers has earned its stature as one of the finest college preparatory institutions in the nation.

As Canterbury approaches its 50th anniversary, our mission and vision are clear. Our results, in the classroom, on the stage or field, and in our community, demonstrate a commitment to excellence that few schools can match. Our promise, fulfilled by the accomplishments of more than 1,000 Canterbury graduates around the world, is evidenced by our decades-long track record of producing students prepared for the highest levels of success in college, leadership, service and in life.

While we celebrate these achievements, the School’s unwavering commitment to continuous improvement compels us to take the steps necessary to ensure the success of our students for the next 50 years and beyond.

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Securing OUR FUTURE Throughout 2013, a dedicated group of Canterbury trustees, administrators, faculty, staff and parents undertook a comprehensive strategic planning process, which has helped define our strengths and challenges and, more importantly, reaffirm the vision we all share for our school, the quality of education it provides, and our mission to equip our children to lead meaningful and productive lives.

Developed in collaboration with Independent School Management (ISM), the leading management support organization for independent schools in the United States and abroad, this visionary six-year Strategic Plan provides a thorough, data-based analysis of the school’s operations, finances, leadership, communications and community satisfaction. It also contains a Strategic Financial Plan that will serve as a responsible, pro-active and realistically attainable roadmap to a financially sound and sustainable future.

The main goals of the Strategic Plan are: • Maintaining the Heart of Excellence: Students & Faculty • Investing in our Resources: Program & Facilities • Securing a Strong & Sustainable Future: Finances & Philanthropy

Dedicated, Highly Qualified Faculty For fifty years, Canterbury School has cultivated a dynamic, results – oriented environment that is committed to excellence. At the heart of that commitment is the personalized teaching and mentoring by our passionate and highly-qualified faculty.

Recruiting, retaining and rewarding the highest caliber faculty is essential to enhancing the Canterbury experience. Like any great school, we must invest in the continual professional development of our faculty. Professional development enables the school to respond to emerging trends. It equips faculty with the latest knowledge and skills, kindles their own continued passion for learning, and ensures that Canterbury will maintain the highest level of teaching excellence for our students.

The Strategic Plan provides for a significant investment over the next six years in Professional Development and Competitive Compensation programs that include: • A model faculty evaluation and performance assessment, developed by a group of our finest teachers, that will support and recognize characteristics of professional excellence – affirming our commitment to the highest level of excellence in the classroom.

• Maintaining a benchmark for faculty salaries competitive with our peer independent schools.

• Investing an additional $375,000 in faculty professional development resources which will achieve national best practices for investment in our faculty.

• Recognizing the exceptional accomplishments of faculty members for their innovation and teaching excellence.

According to our school responses (students, faculty/ staff, parents, trustees and administration) to the April 2013 ISM Strategic Planning survey, our school’s strengths include:

> Mission and educational philosophy

> Deep respect for learning

and culture of academic rigor

> Safe and supportive learning environment

> Strong and dedicated faculty > Small class size > Strong sense of community, “family”

> Preparing well-rounded students

> Highly successful college counseling and graduate placement

> Individualized attention and programs

> A warm and nurturing school environment

> Developing students of

character, who lead and serve

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ex•cel•lence

[noun] : extremely high quality a: the quality of being excellent b: an excellent or valuable quality : virtue

Kelly O’Connor ’18 and Cara Summit, MS Science

Characteristics of Professional Excellence In support of Canterbury School’s Mission Statement and its Portrait of a Graduate, our faculty will exhibit: Knowledge of Subject Matter • Demonstrates a deep and broad understanding of content • Possesses conceptual understanding • Understands vertical alignment and ensures students have the prerequisite skills for future education

The Habits of a Reflective Practitioner • Seeks self-awareness • Adds to repertoire of lessons • Pursues professional development based on current needs • Strives to be a life-long learner A Growth Mindset • Embraces risk taking and exhibits resiliency • Accepts the challenges of providing a rigorous curriculum • Inspires students to achieve goals • Motivates students to fulfill their intellectual curiosity and to develop the capacity to change and grow

INTEGRITY • •

• • • • •

Serves as a positive role model Demonstrates trustworthiness and professionalism Exhibits diligence and adaptability Understands and accepts responsibility Collaborates Mentors and inspires colleagues Communicates clearly and respectfully

Relational Awareness and Appreciation • Knows and respects students as individuals and as learners • Fosters students’ character development and acts as an advisor • Creates authentic opportunities for students to serve as leaders • Recognizes families as partners • Collaborates with colleagues • Serves as an ambassador for the school

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Understanding of Pedagogy • Makes sound curricular choices • Establishes both long and short-term goals • Utilizes multiple paths to knowledge • Demonstrates preparedness and organization • Aligns assessment with instruction

The Art of Teaching • Designs intellectually stimulating lessons • Conveys knowledge in a meaningful and effective manner • Demonstrates flexibility and adapts instruction when necessary • Models appropriate discourse and questioning

Active Application of Knowledge • Encourages inquiry • Promotes critical and analytical thinking • Inspires innovation and creativity • Extends communication skills • Integrates learning across disciplines • Connects learning to life • Engages in learning, unlearning, relearning

Investing in OUR RESOURCES Program Innovation & Technology

The overarching goal of the six-year Strategic Plan is to prepare Canterbury students to thrive in a rapidly changing world. The evolving dynamics of our global society are being driven by innovation and the application of new technologies. $1.2 million over the next six years will be dedicated to upgrading the school’s educational innovation in technology.

The Strategic Plan will invest significant new resources to ensure that our students continue to be supported by a curriculum that is current, relevant and equipped with the tools to excel in a stateof-the-art learning environment.

That investment includes: • Upgrading and enhancing school equipment, infrastructure and curriculum.

• Recruiting a dedicated full-time Technology Integrated Specialist to guide all faculty eager to embrace technology integration in the classroom and all learning environments.

• Creating and launching a PreK – 12th grade Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum that engages students in hands-on learning experiences.

• Establishing a Student Advisory Technology Group, in partnership with our IT consulting firm Entech, to provide both student input and perspective in the development of technology initiatives.

• Implementing our prestigious Edward E. Ford Foundation grant providing $100,000 in seed funding to innovate and expand cutting edge curricular offerings, which will dramatically impact our students’ learning experience and will include significant technology upgrades in the Lower School.

Marlena Elmore, MS Civics

Learning Environment We must provide for the continual maintenance and improvement of our campus as well as the quality of our program not only for today, but also for the future. $2.7 million over the next six years will be dedicated to ensuring our facilities continue to provide a safe, effective and dynamic learning environment for our students.

Enhancing Diversity In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, Canterbury recognizes the value of educating students in an economically, ethnically, and culturally diverse learning environment that includes global education.

The school will continue to invest in the benefits of a diverse learning environment.

A strong financial commitment to our Canterbury families includes investment in a need-based financial aid program that allows us to attract top students, making it possible for diverse missionappropriate students to attend Canterbury School. The returns on this investment can be seen in students who are compassionate, confident global citizens and scholars.

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“WISDOM is the skill in the art of living” David Lucas, Canterbury Trustee, Parent and Grandparent

Nick Grey, US Arts/Drama with the cast of “Exit the Body”

Building a Strong & Sustainable Future With the Strategic Plan, the Board of Trustees and School Administration have taken the steps necessary to ensure the School’s financial strength and longterm sustainability. The Strategic Financial Plan (SFP) is the foundation that supports the main goals of the Strategic Plan. Through discipline, patience, focus and perseverance, the financial plan will provide the resources necessary to invest in new program initiatives, faculty professional development and campus improvements.

Finances & Tuition School revenues come from three sources: tuition, philanthropy, and endowment earnings. The most successful independent schools recognize that endowment earnings and philanthropy cannot be relied on to close the gap between the cost of tuition and the cost of educating its students. Instead, the true cost of education is covered by tuition. Philanthropy and endowment earnings are then used solely for student and program enhancements and for building cash reserves.

The Strategic Financial Plan has been developed to provide balanced and fiscally responsible guidelines while providing the resources necessary to deliver the School’s mission to our students.

> Fiscal “best practices,” directed by the Strategic Plan, call for a full operational expense audit, management of capital improvements and expansion of cash reserves to protect the institution against a “rainy day,” or to take advantage of opportunities that may arise.

> Going forward, tuition will begin to reflect more accurately the true cost of a Canterbury education.

> Beginning with the 2014-15 budget, tuition rates will include many of the

“extras” currently added during the school year, such as school day field trips, grade-wide testing, prom/dances and other compulsory program activities.

Enrollment contracts provided at the beginning of the year will include all anticipated annual expenses.

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Optimum Enrollment Continuing to recruit the region’s most talented and motivated students is critical to Canterbury’s future as one of the nation’s elite college preparatory institutions.

With a commitment to maintain optimal class sizes and student-teacher ratios, the Strategic Plan defines an enrollment plan that will recruit missionappropriate students who exhibit the potential to contribute to the strength of our student body.

True Philanthropy Philanthropy has built, sustained and transformed academic institutions throughout history. The Strategic Plan will position philanthropy in the future to become aspirational in nature, as it steadily lessens the school’s budgetary reliance on the Canterbury Fund and the annual Extravaganza.

Elijah Benzon ’14

Fundraising will be focused and prioritized to serve the strategic objectives of the entire school. The Canterbury Fund and Extravaganza will remain the centerpieces of our fundraising efforts providing the necessary resources to enrich and enhance the Canterbury educational experience.

The Canterbury Fund allows for donors to identify an area of interest that matches their own. Gifts to the Canterbury Fund drive each of our mission tenets and specifically fulfill our commitment to: • • • • • •

Technology & Innovation Academic & Faculty Excellence Creative Spirit – The Arts Leadership & Service Physical Well Being (Athletics & PE) Need-based Financial Aid

100% of the funds raised in excess of the Canterbury Fund annual goal will be directed to a student enhancements list. This list will be established by Senior Administration to identify the needs and aspirations of our faculty and programs.

Additionally, this list will provide opportunities for major gift consideration. It will provide our donors the opportunity to impact specific areas of interest that advance school objectives.

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The Next 50 Years

OF EXCELLENCE

The 2013-2019 Strategic Plan represents a turning point for Canterbury School. A comprehensive, fiscally responsible and proactive approach to the evolving needs of our students, faculty and facilities and will enable us to move forward together as a community. By detailing the steps necessary to fulfill our promise to better prepare students to be successful in college and in their lives beyond, the Strategic Plan ensures that we will secure our future as a school,

where

extraordinary happens every day

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