STRATEGIC PLAN 2015-2020 The Masters School • Strategic Plan 2015-2020
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STRATEGIC PLAN 2015-2020 When community members come together to think deeply and about our values, our strengths, and our future, the result is an important roadmap for The Masters School. Our MISSION STATEMENT and 5 belief statements provide the inspiration for our STRATEGIC PLAN, which consists of 6 overarching goals.
The Masters School • Strategic Plan 2015-2020
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MISSION STATEMENT
The Masters School celebrates active participation, deep understanding, and meaningful connection. A community of diverse individuals, we gather to learn, to strive, to dare, to do— to be a power for good in the world.
STRATEGIC PLANNING THAT WORKS Since 2000, The Masters School has been guided by creative, ambitious strategic planning. During this period, the School has experienced meaningful growth and enrichment in every area. Masters has attracted and retained a committed faculty who design and deliver a challenging, student-centered academic program that is based on Harkness pedagogy and offers opportunities for global connection, New York City exploration, service learning, and ethical leadership development. In addition to academics, our diverse student body—which has grown from 390 to 664 students since 2001—engages in arts offerings and takes part in athletic team pursuits. A vibrant residential program—for students from 15 states and 31 countries— enriches life for both day and boarding students. Successful fundraising and well-managed annual budgets have resulted in opportunities to invest in new programs and facilities. Our beautiful 96-acre campus now includes Morris Hall, a dedicated Middle School, 55 faculty housing units, and the Greene Family Field and Track. The 2015 opening of the MAAC (Masters Athletic and Arts Center) will further transform Masters by offering students and faculty a campus hub for arts, athletics, student leadership, meetings, and recreation.
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to learn
WE BELIEVE that students learn best when they construct their own meanings. This belief is reflected in the architecture of the classroom itself: the Harkness table gathers students and teachers to build knowledge and learn from one another. Our students practice communication and thinking skills by developing and supporting their ideas, listening carefully to others, working collaboratively, and sharing feedback. In the process, they come to understand their own approaches to learning and value those of others. This group experience fosters a sense of collective responsibility, an appreciation of others, and a feeling of accomplishment in creating something unique and profound.
2015-2020 STRATEGIC PLAN In 2013, the Board of Trustees determined it imperative that Masters embark upon a comprehensive strategic planning process, one that would build on the School’s strengths, honor our mission, and include the perspectives and experiences of all Masters’ stakeholders. Over eighteen months, a Strategic Planning Steering Committee coordinated and oversaw several strategic planning initiatives that involved more than 125 trustees, alumnae/i, faculty, staff, parents, and students. In October 2013, trustees, faculty, and administrators discussed key trends in independent schools and analyzed Masters’ Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Next, Study Groups identified strategic priorities in five critical “pillars”: 21st Century Teaching and Learning; Learning Beyond the Classroom; Technology; Enrollment and Marketing; and Financial Sustainability. At a two-day Retreat in April 2014, the Study Groups’ findings were presented and analyzed. Finally, guided by the Retreat recommendations, strategic goals and related strategies were developed. The Board of Trustees approved the strategic goals at its November 1, 2014 meeting. Simultaneous to the creation of the final Strategic Plan, the Mission Committee developed The Masters School’s new Mission and Beliefs Statement, which was also approved by the Board on November 1, 2014.
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to strive
WE BELIEVE that our environment must inspire students to strive to be their best selves—in academic, athletic, artistic, and all other endeavors. In working to achieve their goals, students learn to persevere. A community-wide focus on growth enables them to navigate challenges and become resourceful, confident, and resilient.
GOAL #1 Embrace Deep and Transformational Learning Our students are growing up in a world in which technological change is rapid, libraries of information are available instantly and wirelessly, individuals are increasingly mobile and social groups more and more diverse. The Masters School must respond to a changing world by teaching students the skills they need to thrive in this environment. Because change is happening so rapidly, it is impossible for us to teach our students everything they need to know by the time they graduate from The Masters School. Thus the most important skill our students need is the ability and independence to teach themselves, along with the flexibility to evolve and grow in a dynamic environment.
The Masters School will: Create a school culture that embraces the idea that the best learning is deep and transformational. Ensure that faculty design a curriculum that engages students in authoring and assessing their own learning.
GOAL a Faculty of Distinction that Embodies #2 Build Our Philosophy and Pedagogy Curriculum and pedagogy are inseparable from each other and from all aspects of school life. A 21st century curriculum must be supported by a progressive pedagogy that in turn both reflects and creates the school culture. Because faculty are central to our ability to deliver our academic program, we must attract, develop and retain those who are best suited to engage our pedagogy. And, beyond their academic responsibilities, our educators must be committed to the education of the whole child—supporting student academic, moral, ethical, social, and emotional development.
The Masters School will: Align our pedagogy with our mission and core beliefs. Ensure that our faculty are experts in their disciplines and are aligned with the Masters philosophy and pedagogy at all stages of their careers. Articulate, internally and externally, our distinctive educational philosophy and how it is supported by our teaching methods and practices.
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to dare
WE BELIEVE that we must empower students to dare—to wonder, to question what is known and to explore what is unknown. Our culture of kindness and inclusivity applauds students who take risks, learn from setbacks, and gain new perspectives.
GOAL #3 Lead in Innovative Teaching Our faculty are encouraged to intentionally explore and apply new and effective pedagogies to enrich teaching and learning.
The Masters School will: Continue to evolve as a center of interesting and innovative learning, a place where all teachers strive to make visible and transparent the “craft” of learning.
GOAL #4 Support Growth and Excellence in our Faculty Maintaining a faculty of true distinction requires The Masters School to offer a highly competitive compensation structure, in which we include salary, housing, professional development and other benefits. We reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that we are in a strong competitive position vis-à-vis our peer schools in the area of faculty recruitment and retention.
The Masters School will: Recognize the important role of competitive compensation in Masters’ ability to attract, develop and retain a faculty of true distinction and the necessity for a compensation system that is equitable and transparent.
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to do
WE BELIEVE that learning is doing. We ask our students to be more than consumers of content—we ask them to use what they learn to solve problems and design new visions for the world and their place in it. For our students, learning is experiential, and experience shapes learning.
GOAL Our Rich and Inclusive Learning #5 Celebrate Community The Masters School is an intentionally diverse, multicultural, and global learning community. Our Middle School and Upper School day students come from across the tri-state area, and boarding students join us from across the country and around the world. Our intellectually curious and engaged students excel in and appreciate athletics and the arts and are committed to making the world a better place. Their interests and talents mutually enrich each other’s lives and extend classroom learning.
The Masters School will: Continue to develop a vibrant and inclusive learning community by enrolling the most mission-appropriate students— day and boarding—and ensuring that Masters is accessible to students whose backgrounds, experiences, and thinking will expand the world for all of us—in and out of the classroom.
GOAL #6 Guarantee the School’s Financial Future The Masters School is at an exciting juncture in its history, and we are well positioned to sustain our positive momentum. In the near term, enrollment growth is not anticipated so we must diversify revenue sources in order to decrease reliance on tuition revenue and protect against financial downturns.
The Masters School will:
Ensure that the current and future financial well-being of the School is a priority and that adequate resources are available to invest in students, faculty, programs, campus facilities, and technology.
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to be a power for good in the world When Eliza B. Masters founded The Masters School in 1877, she set out to educate each student “to be a power for good in the world.” Today, we continue to hold this mission as central to everything we do. As our students contend with real-world issues both in and out of the classroom, they gain empathy, confidence, and a sense of responsibility to fulfill Miss Masters’ most important mission.
STRATEGIC PLANNING STEERING COMMITTEE Alex Herzan P’13, Chair Tracy Tang Limpe ’80, P’18 Maureen Fonseca P’05, ’08
Adriana Botero Tim Kane P’15, ‘20 Mary Schellhorn P’08
STRATEGIC PLANNING PARTICIPANTS From October 2013 through November 2014, more than 125 members of the Masters community—trustees, faculty, administrators, alumnae/i, parents, and students—took part in study groups, served on committees, and attended the two-day Retreat held in April 2014. We thank the people listed below who gave so generously of their time and wise counsel to develop The Masters School’s Strategic Plan. Schellie Archbold ‘69, P’16 Amy Atlee Karole Dill Barkley ‘78, P’17 Lisa Berrol P’13, ‘18 Adriana Botero Chris Brakey ‘16 Sarah Brown ‘03 Karen Brown P’16 Tim Campbell Jeff Carnevale Jennifer Carnevale Pedro Ceron P’16 Edith Chapin ‘83, Trustee Erica Chapman Jonathan Clay P‘19, Trustee John Comforto Michelle Coppola P’17 Ellen Cowhey Gillian Crane ‘92 Alexander Daibes ‘15 Michele Dennis P’21 Lee Dieck P’10 Henry DuBeau ‘14 David Dunbar P’00, ’02 Mary Duncan P’17 Stacey Farley P’13, ‘14, ‘17 Stephan Feder P’15, ‘19, Trustee Rob Fish Maureen Fonseca P’05, ’08, Trustee Mark Frankel Justin Friedman ‘15
Darren Friedman P’15 Payton Fu ‘14 Vincent Galgano Henry Ginna ‘09 Barbara Goodman P’14, ‘17 Chris Goulian Nancy Gormley Frank Greally Susan Greally Lynn Greenberg P’17 Michael Greene P’10, ‘13, Trustee Elise Griffin ‘47, P’77, Trustee Helen Grim ‘53, P’84, Hon. Trustee Elizabeth Gross ‘05 Christina Guarin ‘14 MA Haskin Linda Heath ‘69 Nancy Hebard ‘61 Alex Herzan P’13, Trustee Priscilla Hindley ‘66 Sheree Holliday P’16, ‘20, Trustee Keith Holton Bob Horne P’15 Matt Ives Tim Kane P’15, ‘20 Lusyd Kourides ‘70 Francesca LaPasta ‘15 Elyse Lazansky ‘78, P’16, ‘20 Evan Leek ‘01 Clay Lifflander P’14, ‘16, Trustee Tracy Limpe ‘80, P’18, Board Chair Susie Mackay ‘58
Sydney Macy ‘70, Trustee John Manganiello Edgar Masters, H’98, Life Trustee Keryn Mathas P’19 ’22, Trustee Amalia Mayorga ‘15 John McGovern ‘07 Margaret McKean ‘15 Jason McLeod ‘15 Mindy Meads P’11, Trustee Stephanie Mestyan Jerrie Miller P’10, ‘14 Seymour Mintzer Julie Miran Keith Morgan P’17, Trustee Susan Morris ‘57, Life Trustee Christine Neikirk ‘84, Trustee Beth Nolan ‘69, Trustee Jessica Nuñez Ricardo Oelkers ‘03 Suzie Paxton, ’88, Trustee Dan Pereira Sheldon Perlysky Janet Pietsch P’09, ‘20, Trustee Gilles Pugatch Penney Riegelman, Trustee Colleen Roche Bob Rooney Ralph Rosenberg P’13, ‘15, ‘16, ‘19, Trustee Kim-Adele Rosner P’17, ‘18 Tom Rossini Mary Rotella
Leslie Rusoff P’17, ‘17, ‘18 Mary Ryan ‘00 Eli Salzman P’11, ‘17 Judith Schechtman Mary Schellhorn P’08 Brandon Schneider ‘15 Miguel Segovia Amie Servino ‘95 Eric Shapiro Heather Sherman P’14 Richard Simon Michael Skrilow ‘99 Lynn Sobel ‘71, P’99, ‘05, Trustee Anna Sobel Mudrick ‘99 Diana Spencer ‘56, P’84, Trustee Kristen Tregar Marianna van Brummelen Kevin Versen P’13 Lynne Versen P’13 Tim Weir P’17 Serena Wessely ‘15 James Wexler P’19 Everett “Doc” Wilson P’09 Madeline Wilson P’05, ‘08 Darren Wood Kathi Woods Cori Worchel P’19, ‘21 Lew Wyman Skeff Young P’13, ’18 Marianna Zapata ‘16 Shan Zhu P’16, Trustee
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