Strategic Planning

How, in the next 5 years, can we thrive as a school with strong academic excellence and living our mission?

This was our focus question as we began a missionoriented strategic planning process for Mercy’s future. While we would study academics, activities, athletics, admission, fundraising, and many more topics, our primary focus was how we would keep our mission, our core values, and our Mercy heritage front and center.

We wanted the strategic plan to be action-oriented, not a long study that would end up in a binder, dusty on a bookshelf. We wanted to involve all Mercy constituencies – alumnae, faculty, staff, parents and students – who could help to develop practical plans to benefit the students and the school.

We engaged the Center for Strategic Facilitation, a group known for assisting in the development of plans that are participatory and results-oriented. The process was lead by a Design Team consisting of Head of School - Karen Hanrahan, Assistant Head of School for Academics - Lauren Conklin, Assistant Head of School for Student Life - Claire Rietmann-Grout ’04, along with leaders from the Center for Strategic Facilitation. Over 40 volunteers from all Mercy constituencies agreed to be part of this 6-month long process.

The Process

A Launch Meeting opened the planning process, in which the group got to know one another and each person’s relationship with Mercy. We looked at key indicators that have led to Mercy’s successes and determined what we learned from our past that could help us positively address our future needs.

The next step was Practical Visioning. We looked at trends, paradigms, and approaches emerging in the field of education, and explored what we wanted in see in place at Mercy High School in 2022. The planning group looked at everything from holistic, student-centered education and our facilities, to career exploration and creating the next generation of empowered women leaders.

We also looked at the roadblocks and contradictions that could potentially prevent us from achieving our 2022 vision. The group examined stakeholder interests and expectations, competing priorities, disparate objectives, logistical challenges, and much more. The discussions were thorough, open, and honest.

We then began to look at Strategic Directions, answering the question, “What innovative, substantial actions will move us toward our vision?” A list of four key areas began to emerge.

Community Input

After the key Strategic Directions were developed by the Strategic Planning Committee it was time to get input from outside the group. Faculty and staff spent time in a faculty meeting reacting to the Directions and making suggestions. During a collaboration period, we invited the students to share their thoughts - they filled every table in the cafeteria to look at the committee’s ideas and to share their own about the future of Mercy. On a Saturday morning we invited parents, alumnae, and Sisters of Mercy to gather and share their ideas. The input from all these meetings encouraged us to change some of the Strategic Directions and refine others.

Outcomes

After much discussion, deliberation, and hard work by all members of the Strategic Planning Committee, the following Strategic Directions were made part of the Mercy Strategic Plan:

Engaging All Stakeholders

Looking at how we can reach out to and collaborate with each of our stakeholder groups in the most effective ways possible. The Stakeholder groups include parents, alumnae, parents of alumnae, Sisters of Mercy, the Burlingame community, schools and parishes and the Greater Bay Area Community.

In this area we will study the following:

Optimizing the Academic & Student Life Environment

• Data Driven Programs – continuing to strengthen the academic programs by incorporating data and technology

• Nuturing Student Resilience – looking at school start and ending times, social emotional programming and physical health

• Reimaging Academic Requirements – partnering with colleges to understand what they seek in students and evaluating AP and other academic offerings in relation to what is best for the whole student

• Enhancing Athletics, Student Life and Community Service Programs –investigating the viability of our current programs and determining their future direction and possible additions

Ensuring the future viability of the school by fundraising efforts that will make all this planning possible.

Funding Our Vision

• Planning and executing a capital campaign for the construction of an Athletic and Student Life Center on the campus

• Increasing and diversifying other fundraising strategies to enhance the operations of the school, increase financial assistance and provide for specific projects

Developing plans for:

• The Athletic and Student Life Center

Building for the Future

What’s next

Leaders have been appointed to chair committees that will address each of the four areas. These action-oriented groups will explore and lead the ideation, and will report regularly to the Strategic Planning Committee. As implementation plans are developed they will be incorporated into each of the key areas. We appreciate your support and participation as the work continues!

• Campus-wide improvements including science labs, art rooms, Mansion maintenance and new bathrooms

• Adapting classrooms to maximize teaching

“Words cannot express my thanks for your kind hearted generosity which has allowed me to stay at Mercy these past four years. To each of you, my thanks for not what you have done for me, but what you have done for countless others. Your generous donations have made it possible for girls like me to have this wonderful experience.

Every girl who benefits from tuition assistance has a different story, yet we all have one desire in common…a desire to attend Mercy and to become a member of this passionate and close knit community where every girl belongs to a second family. Thanks to your support our dreams are being fulfilled every day at Mercy. ”

Gianna DeRanieri ‘18