Our Mission
Head-Royce School develops students of character, intellect, and creativity.
Our Vision
We envision a future where education unlocks the promise and purpose of every student to better the world.
Students First
We prioritize student learning, development, and well-being.
Academic Excellence
We pursue knowledge and assess our learning to better ourselves and our community.
We embrace our different perspectives, backgrounds, experiences, and identities to expand and enrich what we can learn and do together.
We create the conditions in which everyone thrives and brings their authentic selves.
We connect students to the local community and beyond to enhance their academic experiences and foster genuine engagement.
Pathways to Purpose: Our Strategic Direction
Dear Head-Royce Community,
I am pleased to introduce Pathways to Purpose, a strategic direction that builds on Head-Royce’s enduring strengths and prepares our students for the challenges and opportunities of an evolving world. Grounded in our commitment to developing character, intellect, and creativity, this plan reimagines how we guide students to engage meaningfully with their education and their communities. We are uniquely positioned as a K-12 community to see the full arc of our students’ development— from their earliest years of curiosity in the Lower School to their graduation day. This perspective allows us to intentionally design an experience that nurtures growth, creates seamless transitions between divisions, and honors each student’s individual path.
Today’s rapidly evolving world presents both extraordinary opportunities and unprecedented challenges. Our students must navigate complexity with nuance, collaborate across cultural and geographic boundaries, and approach global issues with critical thinking and compassion.
Pathways to Purpose ensures that Head-Royce remains at the forefront of educational innovation, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical framework to thrive in and contribute to a changing world.
At the heart of this vision are three transformative priorities. We Educate Future-Ready Learners by fostering intellectual curiosity and real-world engagement. We Design for Belonging and Well-Being so every student feels genuinely seen, valued, and supported. And we Harness Our Community for Local and Global Impact by inspiring students to engage with diverse perspectives and make a positive difference.
We are already implementing initiatives that bring these priorities to life through innovative teaching practices, enhanced STEAM programs, expanded community partnerships, and new student leadership opportunities. By building on our strengths and embracing fresh ideas, we ensure that a Head-Royce education remains timeless in its values and responsive to the needs of an evolving world.
Pathways to Purpose reflects our responsibility to prepare students for lives of leadership and impact. We envision a future where education unlocks the promise and purpose of every student to better the world, and it is a privilege to guide them on this journey. I am deeply inspired by the possibilities ahead, knowing that each step enriches our students’ experiences and brings us closer to realizing our goals.
I am profoundly grateful for our entire community’s thoughtful participation in shaping this vision. Together, we will empower students to think boldly, act thoughtfully, and lead with purpose in an interconnected world.
With appreciation and optimism,
Head of School
Pathways to Purpose: Our Strategic Direction
At Head-Royce, excellence is our guiding principle, rooted in the conviction that education has the power to shape minds and transform futures.
The school’s faculty, administrators, staff, and Board of Trustees are committed to providing an exceptional educational experience and—as we have done many times since our founding in 1887— regularly take the time to pause, reflect, and confirm that we are fulfilling our mission to develop students of character, intellect, and creativity.
Pathways to Purpose: Our Strategic Direction
The strategic direction is our North Star, illuminating our goals, clarifying our priorities, and guiding us forward.
Rather than a checklist of tasks to complete, our strategic direction establishes foundational tenets—guardrails that ensure every action we take remains student-centered and aligned with our mission and vision.
Through dedicated working groups and task forces, the strategic priorities outlined on the following pages ensure that our students and professional community have what they need to succeed.
Pathways to Purpose: Our Strategic Direction
We prioritize our students’ growth and well-being, cultivating an environment where academic excellence thrives alongside personal development. Our approach integrates real-world projects and experiential learning, encouraging academic risk-taking, creative thinking, and complex problem-solving. We believe that true education goes beyond the classroom, infusing civic responsibility, character education, and leadership into our curriculum to nurture well-rounded, ethically-minded individuals.
Pathways to Purpose is a bold commitment to redefine excellence in education, offering a transformative journey that ignites passion, nurtures intellect, and cultivates character. Here, we’re not just preparing students for the future—we’re empowering them to shape it.
Review and regularly refine curricular choices, assessment methods, and school structures that support academic excellence for students across all divisions.
Integrate additional real-world projects and experiential learning throughout the K-12 experience to encourage academic risk-taking, creative thinking, and complex problem-solving.
Infuse civic responsibility, character education, and leadership into the curriculum to instill well-rounded development and ethical leadership. Expand and prioritize collaborative professional learning opportunities focused on supporting our faculty to implement and sustain these pedagogical best-practices.
Pathways to Purpose: Our Strategic Direction
Diversity and belonging are cornerstones of our community. We embrace different perspectives, backgrounds, and identities, creating conditions where everyone can bring their authentic selves and thrive.
Cultivate personal and community well-being by emphasizing balance, well-roundedness, and a healthy approach to challenge and stress.
Embed equity and inclusion practices more intentionally into all areas of school life and establish an evaluative framework to track metrics that promote community-wide belonging.
Attract, support, and retain a highly diverse professional community dedicated to delivering an exceptional learning experience for students.
Elevate participation in physical education, athletics, arts, and outdoor experiences as holistic and healthy lifelong practices.
We create learning spaces that ignite curiosity and encourage exploration, both on the campus and in the wider world.
By giving students opportunities to connect with community partners both locally and globally, they develop the skills and perspectives to make meaningful differences in the world.
Develop and continually evaluate a campus master plan for our new 22-acre campus that reflects the school’s core values and supports its commitment to environmental sustainability.
Monitor and appropriately shift our organizational structures and practices to ensure excellence and alignment in school operations to better meet our strategic priorities.
Deepen opportunities for students to engage with the diversity of communities in Oakland and the broader community to develop the mindset and skills to make a meaningful difference in the world.
Broaden equitable access to the full Head-Royce experience through enhanced equity and inclusion practices in the admissions and tuition assistance process.
Build a culture of transformational philanthropy and responsible financial stewardship that enhances the school’s ability to deliver on its mission.
Our 21-person Strategic Design Team—which included faculty, administrators, parents, trustees, and alumni—explored different facets of the school’s strategic goals, including teaching and learning, talent development, and well-being.
Through one-on-one conversations, full professional community brainstorming opportunities, Q&A sessions, and a powerful learning survey administered by Greenwich Leadership Partners (GLP), we examined the overall experience at Head-Royce, the effectiveness of our mission and our Philosophy of Teaching and Learning, and the evidence of productive and powerful learning experiences.
One outcome of the process was a first-ever vision statement and a rearticulated mission statement, both reflective of the school’s identity and aspirational in capturing its commitment to shaping future-ready students.
For regular updates on our strategic direction, visit headroyce.org/pathwaystopurpose or tune into “HeadWay,” our new podcast.
