SEEKBOLDLY II the STRATEGIC PLAN for EPISCOPAL SCHOOL of JACKSONVILLE 2022-2026
EPISCOPALSCHOOL
of JACKSONVILLE
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BoardChairHelenSincerely,C.RowanofTrustees 3
Adam S. Greene The Rev. Adam S. Greene Head of School
Over the past year we completed a full and detailed update of our 2018 Seek Boldly Strategic Plan. Given the complex and constantly changing environment of our world today, the Board of Trustees believes that our strategic plan must continue to be a living document that guides us as we stay true to our school’s mission. Many members of our community worked to provide updates to this plan so that it continues to guide our decisions for the long term.
Strategic planning clarifies who we are and where we are going; when we speak of strategy, it is not a list of items to be checked, but a fundamental statement of our priorities and very essence, and how the school may keep fulfilling its mission while adapting for the future. Our strategic plan provides ESJ with the tools to set itself apart as a school. Our steps within the plan provide an actionable roadmap in our efforts toward completing these goals with accountability.
We would like to thank the Board of Trustees and faculty and staff for their work and dedication in preparing this updated plan. Thorough and in-depth discussions, data review, and modeling scenarios have helped us to chart an incredibly exciting course for the future. Our goal is always that we may continue to provide for our students the best education possible, and to help them deepen their understanding of themselves and their place in the world.
ESJ is fortunate to have a supportive and loving community of student families, faculty and staff, alumni, and friends, who are each a vital part of creating the successes we have experienced and continue to experience. We greatly appreciate and thank everyone who completed work on our 2018 strategic plan which has brought us to where we are today. Our 2022 strategic plan, Seek Boldly II, keeps us true to our vision of the highest level of excellence across our Four Pillars in an environment of Christian nurture and community.
Dear Community:Episcopal
Explore ways to excellencetechnologicalembedacrossalldisciplinesandfunctions
Enhance our understanding and ability to impact our theyregardingstudentswhobecomeasgraduates
Key themes underpinning our strategic plan are:
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Invest in our campuses and enroll appropriately in order to provide each student the resources necessary to reach potentialtheir
Reaffirm
We focused intently on the appropriate size of our enrollment. We have determined that our current range of grade sizes is optimal for ESJ to be most effective. This size allows for diversity of student thought, experience, and perspective, while also allowing for individual relationship-building and support. We will continue to invest in the support system within this enrollment range.
We are confident that our core strategies remain on point for the school going forward. We also recognize that we are on a journey, always working toward furthering our abilities to develop each student and helping them reach their individual potential.
ESJ is positioned to further its leadership among peer schools and across the region. As we evolve, we do so with our student families firmly at the front of our mind. Our focus is squarely on our students to provide them the best experience and preparation to become who they are as individuals.
ESJ now welcomes students from age one to grade twelve, creating a great opportunity to instill our core values and ethos in a younger group of learners. Going forward, all facets of who we are as an ESJ community will encompass how to execute activities and programs in an age-appropriate way, to match the lessons with the age level and developmental capacity of students.
To update our Seek Boldly Strategic Plan from 2018, ESJ engaged in a rigorous process to refresh our strategies and provide guidance for the next phase of excellence, leadership, and targeted growth. Our yearlong effort included the Board of Trustees, Head of School, faculty and staff, and ESJ community members. We reflected on the current strategies and their continued relevance and the progress we have made toward enhancing our capabilities and programming across the Four Pillars. We also contemplated the recent developments and experiences that have impacted our school and community, including the pandemic, moves to the Jacksonville area, continued innovation, and discussions regarding belonging and diversity.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
our core Seek Boldly strategies and our mission and vision
Extend the ESJ experience and Four Pillars to Lower Schools in an preservingcommunitytheway,age-appropriateconnectingoverallschoolwhileindividualtraditions
The Strategic Plan reflects our commitment to build on our strengths and innovate in ways that keep our pursuit of educational excellence progressive and dynamic. As part of the current work, the Seek Boldly plan was reviewed and reaffirmed. We have accomplished much, and have much more to do. The additions in Seek Boldly II are meant to be an extension of our current activities. ESJ will achieve this through the following strategic goals:
ESJ will seek to achieve these goals within a challenging, inclusive environment characterized by outstanding and committed faculty, staff, and students. It is imperative that we continue to attract and retain the most passionate and qualified educators who understand learner-centered strategies, are forward-thinking, and have an innate understanding of differentiated learning styles. It is also critical to our mission that we not only provide excellent opportunities across academics, arts, athletics and spiritual life, but also that every student has both the opportunity and support to engage across the Four Pillars in a way that best enables each to find his or her passion in an age appropriate way, beginning in the Lower Schools. Use of technology on campus can substantially impact student experience and ESJ must lead in this area. Finally, success of the plan is dependent on ESJ’s ability to positively contribute to the character development of each graduate: how they view themselves, how they view the world, their role, and the ability to make a positive impact.
Campus Expansion and Market Assessment –
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We will remain dedicated to our core 2018 Seek Boldly strategies and our mission and vision, including dedication to excellence across our Four Pillars; sustainability and governance; and identity, marketing, and reputation growth.
CONTINUE BOLDLY GROW BOLDLY DEVELOP BOLDLY
Portrait of a Graduate, Diversity, and Honor System –
Maintain Munnerlyn Campus enrollment range, align admission to account for market dynamics, evaluate sixth grade size, intentionally increase Lower School enrollment as is appropriate, develop campus expansion plan options and timing.
EXPLORE BOLDLY EXPAND BOLDLY
Connect Four Pillar elements across campuses, expand programming and opportunities to embody the ESJ ethos, and ensure curricular content, teaching excellence, and best practices deliver our value proposition while creating connectedness for students to matriculate to the Munnerlyn Campus.
Lay out a path for the role technology will play on campus, including operations, cyber security risk, and social media platforms. Develop strategies for how technology impacts the school experience in regard to curriculum and STEAM.
Discover how to support each student to grow within the school’s Portrait of a Graduate beginning in Lower School; develop how to measure success in this area. Continue as an institution of inclusivity through open communication and discourse opportunities. Evolve the honor code into an honor system, so that the core values of honor and respect are part of the ESJ ecosystem.
Core Seek Boldly Strategies –
Technology –
Lower School Development –
We
E 2018toWeGOALarecommittedcontinuingthe Seek Boldly strategies, as they were approved and adopted. We moreandaccomplishedhavemuchhavemuchtodo.
CORE SEEK BOLDLY STRATEGIES 6
As part of our work to update the strategic plan, the 2018 Seek Boldly plan was reviewed and reaffirmed. The school has been able to strengthen many of its capabilities and make great progress across all elements of the plan. will continue to explore and develop ways to solidify our progress in these areas.
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Institutional Sustainability –
With the school’s positive momentum and increasing population migration to the Jacksonville area, interest in the school has risen. This caused us to assess the overall size of the school, as well as at the grade level, to determine how to respond to the increased demand. We have determined that maintaining a size in the current enrollment range on the Munnerlyn Campus is the most appropriate for ESJ to be able to continue to deliver on our promises for each student and family. We will continue on a path of intentional and appropriate growth on our Lower School campuses.
Right-Sizing –
gatherings, and social interaction. These actions reflect the depth of our commitment to our mission and our focus on our students.
STRATEGIESFourPillars–
Commitment and Focus on Students –
ESJ has worked extremely diligently to manage through the pandemic. We prioritized in-classroom instruction, safe
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We have invested to ensure we can execute with excellence, and we manage our budgets prudently. Our community has been generous, and our endowment has continued to increase, allowing for our continued investment in student financial aid to ensure that ESJ has broad access.
We strongly believe that the Four Pillars of Academics, Arts, Athletics, and Spiritual Life provide our students with tremendous learning and understanding of self and prepare each student for college and beyond. We feel that our Four Pillar strategy, along with the increased capabilities and progress in each of these areas, is aligned with the expectations of our existing and potential student families. We must continue to focus on them, expanding these opportunities for students.
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E GOAL
CAMPUS EXPANSION AND MARKET ASSESSMENT
While Florida has traditionally been a destination location, the rate of migration to our state has distinctively accelerated in recent years. ESJ has seen increased interest recently from mission appropriate families to become part of the ESJ community and we need to plan so we can enroll strategically. Evolving our campus to provide the appropriate space (both amount of and type of space) to allow for students, faculty, and staff to get the most benefit from the campus experience is an essential part of enrollment management practices.
The growth of Jacksonville gives us opportunity. We must take a thoughtful and deliberate approach to ensure we stay true to our mission of educational excellence in a community focused on the individual student.
E Maintain competitive position relative to peer schools in support of our full value proposition and marketability
E Ensure we are prepared to lead through the evolution of our current facilities and curriculum, particularly related to STEAM
E Provide campus resources that enhance the overall ESJ experience
E Expand and reconfigure space so faculty and students may better connect
E The Board will contemplate the options and timing to decide the best path forward
E Understand the potential expansion options, what enhancements come with each option, and the cost of each
E Determine the timing and process for the project and the sourcing of capital
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E Ensure each student is fully engaged in the ESJ experience: Four Pillars, culture, diversity, and campus
E Ensure that facilities match the excellence of our programs
E Identify potential capital sources and move forward when components are well known and can be well managed
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E Develop Munnerlyn Campus facilities in line with our recent feasibility study
E Purposely focus on admission across grade levels to create the appropriate process for Lower School matriculation, partner schools, and new families
E Better understand the way families learn about the school, how they are oriented, and how they progress through each campus
E Maintain the overall Munnerlyn Campus enrollment range as well as the aggregate of grade sizes, and continue intentional and appropriate growth at our Lower Schools to best allow for execution of our ESJ value proposition
E Sixth grade will consist of matriculations from ESJ’s Lower Schools, as well as new students from a wide range of schools and locations
E Provide an enhanced experience for our current projected enrollment size
E Additions, moves, and renovations must originate from how to better serve the current population
E Increase classroom space, student gathering space, and update science facilities
Campus Strategies –
EnrollmentSTRATEGIESStrategies–
E Manage institutional financial sustainability, provide appropriate financial aid, efficiently manage operations, and maintain appropriate preparedness for economic uncertainties
E Allow for students, faculty, staff, and families to connect at a personal level, to learn from and with each other
E Maintain purposeful sourcing strategies to ensure that grade makeup is representative of area diversity and cultures
E Evaluate sixth grade size while accommodating a full admission process for this entry point
E Align the admission process with evolving market dynamics to ensure strategic matching of student candidates with available spots
LOWER SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
Develop the
E GOAL full ESJ experience and proposition in the Lower Schools in an age-appropriate way while creating connectedness within the overall school community yet still preserving individual traditions of each campus.
ESJ entered the elementary and early itsmergersmarketlearningwiththeoftwoofpartnerschools. 10
value
the Lower Schools in an ageappropriate way –
Enhance tangible preparedness and connectedness for students matriculating to Munnerlyn, so that the Lower School experience contributes to student success
E Create connections with the Munnerlyn Campus through events, programming, and planning, encouraging all students, faculty, and staff to embody the ESJ ethos
E At the same time, each campus will look to adopt best practices and continuity with each other and with the Munnerlyn Campus, such that the values, processes, and experiences all represent ESJ and remain consistent as students move from campus to campus
E Connect the Four Pillars – academic, arts, athletics, and spiritual life – such that both elementary campuses are extensions of the ESJ Munnerlyn Campus
E Create or extend academic curriculum into the Lower Schools in such a way that students seamlessly progress to the Munnerlyn Campus
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DevelopSTRATEGIESthefullESJexperience into
E Continue to strengthen programs that will support parents and students in the transition to sixth grade and the Munnerlyn Campus experience
Ensure that the quality and consistency of the curricular content and the teaching faculty are at the exceptional level that will successfully deliver ESJ’s value proposition
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E Tap into the resources and experience of ESJ to recruit, train, and develop faculty and staff
E Leverage school functions (e.g., admission, development, student services) to ensure each school is fully benefiting from the mergers
E Beaches and St. Mark’s Campuses each have some unique traditions and events that are part of their respective histories. ESJ will honor and respect these traditions and align them within the overall plan
Lead each Lower School to capitalize on the best practices from others, but respect and maintain traditionscherishedofeach
ESJ must stay current and develop a path forward regarding what role technology will play as it constantly evolves. ESJ has the opportunity and responsibility to lead in how technology impacts the school experience. Included in this area is cyber security and how the school can best mitigate cyber risk. Additionally, the school sees a role in which it must help students and families understand the risks and negative outcomes that can occur with outright misuse or unintentional harm committed on social media platforms.
12 TECHNOLOGYTechnologymustbeembeddedacrossalldisciplinesandfunctions,providingunparalleledopportunitiesforstudents,facultyandstaff,andourfamiliestotakefulladvantageoftheschoolexperience.
E GOAL
E Conduct joint planning sessions across department and across campuses with the goal of consistency and efficiency of technology utilization
E Understand and leverage the Veracross implementation to mitigate any of these vulnerabilities
E Include this subject matter in a peer school benchmarking exercise
E Complete the implementation of the Veracross operating platform
TechnologySTRATEGIESCurricularStrategies
E
E Enhance workflow and operating processes to ensure platform capabilities are being utilized
E Drive data efficiency through single entry processes
E Survey current and former students to better understand their preparedness and opportunities for enhancement
E Conduct a cyber audit to discover any existing vulnerabilities and create a plan to address them
E Ensure consistency from a user perspective, including students from class to class and grade to grade, as well as families from campus to campus
E Identify an area(s) in STEAM in which ESJ can set itself apart as the clear frontrunner
Operations Strategies –
E Educate student families how to best receive and send information and to communicate with the various areas of the school
E Educate our students to be responsible users and consumers of social media, including transparent guidance as to the risks and consequences
E Incorporate curricular changes and additions for the 2023-2024 academic year
E Assess our skills and capabilities to ensure we evolve our communication strategies as technology platforms change
E Build off of the current strengths within the math, computer, science, and fine arts departments to purposefully build out our points of distinction (e.g., science research projects)
E Continue to enhance how the school utilizes the various platforms to efficiently, effectively, and consistently communicate with each of the key ESJ constituents
E Continue to invest in support technology which enhances the learning environment for our students
E Address cyber security and privacy vulnerabilities to ensure we are proactively managing cyber risks
Enabling Technology Strategies –
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E Integrate social media education on all campuses into the curriculum in an age appropriate manner
Broaden our technology/computer science curriculum in such a way that ESJ is viewed as a leader when compared to our peer schools
Social Media CommunicationandStrategies –
E Manage our technology operations on a single platform to increase efficiency, information flow, and linkages across our functions and campuses
E Where feasible, be consistent across disciplines so that execution and engagement is less complex for students
E Leverage recent remote/hybrid learning experience to further our capabilities
E Conduct a technology benchmarking exercise with our established peer group to determine best in class strategies and how we compare
E Stay current with the technology trends and applications that will provide future opportunities (e.g., advanced analytics, gaming, coding)
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The school will recognize the similarities and differences of how students learn, adapt, engage, and build character at all grade levels. We must develop how to best support each student to this end, measure our success, and be accountable to deliver on the promise of the Portrait of a Graduate. As an Episcopal school we will provide a platform for communication and discussion to navigate specific topics in an age-appropriate way. Finally, we must evolve from our current Honor Code environment (defined by academic integrity and discipline), toward the concept of an Honor System, which focuses on how our students interact with each other and in the world.
PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, AND HONOR SYSTEM
We must support students so they can learn, develop, and build aGraduate,onthatage-appropriateandthroughoutcharacterchildhoodadolescenceinanwayisinclusive,deliversthePortraitofaandinstillsconceptofhonor.
E GOAL
As part of the Seek Boldly plan, the school created its Portrait of a Graduate (POG), which articulates the qualities and characteristics of who we aspire our students to become. It includes Seeking Understanding, Developing a Sense of Self, Living with Honor and Purpose, and Pursuing a Life of Faith, as its key tenets.
E Create consistent themes across all grades; educate and communicate on a level that is age appropriate
E Continue as an institution of inclusivity, accepting of all, and proactively set protocols, policies, and procedures that are both age-appropriate and in alignment with this position
E Provide each student and student group an open channel of communication so that protected conversations can take place
E Maintain open communication avenues, both public and private, to provide a trusted space for discussion and exchanges of learning
E Maintain communication with the entire ESJ community to ensure we are engaged and proceeding at an appropriate pace
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E Signature activity will create tangibility to the qualities and emotions represented in the Portrait of a Graduate
Diversity and Inclusion –
E Navigate evolution of the diversity topics without allowing issues to be politicized or influenced by social pressures
E Continue to execute our Awareness, Inclusion, and Respect (AIR) initiatives, taking the learning from prior years to increase visibility, transparency, and connectedness with our community
E Develop plans and processes that connect each of our Four Pillars to the Portrait of a Graduate, so that all we do and instruct reinforces the key tenets that we desire for each student
Graduate Promise –
E Continue annual collaboration sessions across faculty and staff to further integrate the POG into our Four Pillar planning
E Utilize both quantitative and qualitative inputs to develop high quality feedback and trend data to establish accountability
E Consider a culminating senior event or experience to illuminate to each student how who they are and their individual characteristics align with the Portrait of a Graduate
E The activity will be both an end (whom each has become) and a beginning (how to take this forward) along a journey beyond ESJ
DeliveringSTRATEGIESthePortraitof a
E Continue to purposefully seek diversity to join our community
E Become purposeful and constructive with students and families as to our aspirations and actions toward achieving the goals
E Devise a system of accountability and assessment to measure and manage how well we are delivering on this strategy
E Establish progress points over a student’s time with ESJ that allows the school to build support at all levels
E Follow our Christian philosophy when instituting our position, which accepts every individual as who they are and treats each situation with grace
E Allow for continued opportunities to increase diversity across our students, faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees, welcoming various perspectives and experiences
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E Allow for communication with families to share in the student development, maturity, and decision making
E Craft the ESJ Honor System vision, including students, faculty, and staff in the process
E Develop a cohesive plan that reinforces the vision from elementary grades through graduation with ageappropriate education, expectations, and experiences
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E Define the tangible decisions to build toward the vision and engage students to lead the evolution
E Broaden our ability to instill more holistic life skills in the areas of honor and respect, aligned across our campuses in an age-appropriate way
E Engage and reinforce the core values of honor and respect so that each student benefits from the cumulative effect of living these values within the ESJ ecosystem, from grade to grade and campus to campus
E Create processes to learn and improve over time
HonorSTRATEGIESSystem–
E Construct a communication and engagement plan with families to ensure this is a collaborative effort
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E Evolve from our current Honor Code environment toward the concept of an Honor System to incorporate much more of how students interact with each other and the world
E Devise the checkpoints and feedback mechanisms to ensure students are receiving the proper guidance
E PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
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During our strategic planning process, we reaffirmed ESJ’s founding mission and vision for the school. We identified a future road map that acknowledges past strategies and successes of the school and creates new opportunities, strengths, and sustainability for years to come. As we continue to achieve our strategic plan goals, we will reevaluate as needed and make necessary adjustments in order to maintain the best course of action. Implementation will be led by the Head of School, along with the faculty and staff. The Board of Trustees will oversee the progress to ensure that the school is moving forward appropriately.
Board of Trustees: John Adams, Mike Grebe, Paige Hakimian, Brian King, Helen Rowan
Market/Enrollment Consideration
STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEES
Honor System Evolution
Board of Trustees: Brian King, Beverly Bonaparte, Kate Moorehead
Faculty/Staff: Christy Hodges, Dean of Student Life
Faculty/Staff: George Terre, Director of Technology; Keesy Goebertus, Associate Head of School
Faculty/Staff: Natalie Herford, Head of Upper School
Board of Trustees: Kelly Flanagan ’02, Brian King, John Magevney ’89, Helen Rowan, Jack Schmidt ’70, Faculty/Staff: David Hess, Director of Campus Operations and Logistics
Diversity
Faculty/Staff: Samantha Hyde Geisler ’00, Executive Director of Admission and Enrollment; Florence Calhoun, Chief Financial Officer
Portrait of a Graduate
Board of Trustees: David Barksdale ’84, Brian King, Sidney Wells ’91 Faculty/Staff: Awareness, Inclusion, & Respect Initiative leadership
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A special thank you and acknowledgment to Brian King, Board of Trustees, for his time and counsel in developing this document and leading the Strategic Plan refresh in 2021-2022.
Technology
Campus Expansion
Merger Integration
Board of Trustees: Brian King, Helen Rowan
Board of Trustees: Alex Graham ‘00, Brian King, Mark LaBorde ’84, Helen Rowan, Amy Wacaster ’94 Faculty/Staff: Adam Greene, Head of School
Board of Trustees: Heather Fouts, Kelly Flanagan ’02, Brian King, Mark LaBorde ’84, Jeff Rosen
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EPISCOPALSCHOOL of JACKSONVILLE