embracing Virtue, Humanity, and Spirit
STRATEGIC PLAN 2020
Head of Sc H ool, Patrick r obert S
Adopted by the Board of Trustees, April 2015
Updated August 2015
D EAR PAL m ER T RINIT y S C hoo L Commu NIT y,
it is with great pride that we share with you the culmination of almost two years of work done by the Board of trustees, parents, faculty, alumni, and administration in this new Strategic Plan 2020. The comprehensive process was initiated by interim Head of School, tom reid, and led by dedicated Board member Frank corbishley and staff member Suzanne gottlieb calleja. Working together, we produced the final plan which was approved in april 2015. With a strategic focus on six specific areas: Pedagogy and learning, episcopal identity, Student experience, global education, campus Master Plan, and Financial Sustainability, this Strategic Plan will be our road map during the next five years.
as with any successful planning process, we began with a review and reaffirmation of our Mission. Palmer trinity remains committed to its vision as an outstanding co-educational, episcopal School. Providing academic excellence in all disciplines, while embracing character development, continues to be the driving force behind what we do as educators every day.
While reaffirming Palmer trinity School’s tradition of educational distinction, we must also continuously look forward to enhance and develop programs to best prepare our students for college and beyond. By all measures, our students will be competing and living in an increasingly diverse, global community. Preparing students to appreciate, respect and understand such a community is essential if we are to develop future citizens and leaders of the world.
in order to meet these educational challenges, we must maintain an exceptional faculty that is highly qualified, constantly growing professionally, and willing to engage in the full life of the School. Supporting such a faculty is critical if we are going to attract and retain the very best. a s we desire to provide the best educational experience possible for our students, a review and update of the campus Master Plan has identified specific facility priorities on the current 22-acres, as well as new facilities on our South campus. Finally, Palmer trinity School must seek to reach the goals of the accompanying plan in a fiscally responsible manner as we ensure the financial sustainability of our future.
a s we prepare to implement this ambitious plan, we know that the key to Palmer trinity School’s success has always been its people – faculty, students, alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends – working together as one community. We are excited about the outcome of the strategic planning process and are delighted to share the results with you. With unceasing persistence and optimism, together we will continue to make great strides toward achieving Palmer trinity School’s goals for the future.
Thank you for your partnership and continued support.
Sincerely,
Mic H ael b aia M onte
Patrick r obert S Chairman, Board of Trustees Head of School
I NN ovATI o N . T RADITI o N . So CIAL R ESP o NSI b ILIT y.
The Board of trustees wishes to thank the following groups for their commitment and intentional work during the strategic planning process: the Strategic Planning Steering committee, Steering committee task Forces, Palmer trinity School executive Staff, Palmer trinity School Faculty and Staff, PtPa Volunteer leaders, Booster Volunteer leaders, all members of the Palmer trinity Parents a ssociation, Palmer trinity’s a lumni and a lumni Parents, and all Strategic Planning participants.
INTR o D u CTI o N
Palmer trinity, Miami’s only episcopal Middle and Upper School, is a global-minded and forward-thinking institution, dedicated to the education, and the moral and spiritual growth of our students. located on 55 acres in Palmetto Bay, an area south of downtown Miami, the tranquil and beautiful open space of the campus provides an ideal backdrop to the dynamic and diverse curricular and co-curricular programs that foster personal growth and self-actualization, critical thinking, inquiry based learning, spiritual formation, character, and global citizenship in each student. The true mission of our school is reflected in our motto, Virtus, Huminatas et Spiritus, supporting the power of virtue, humanity, and spirit.
STRATEG y
The focus of PtS’s 2020 Strategic Vision is the enhancement of the quality of the School’s faculty and its academic and co-curricular programs to provide a world-class education for students. to support the goals of this Vision, the PtS community must:
• Build upon our long-standing tradition of inspired teaching, as it promotes engaged learning;
• Enhance all components of the academic program to strengthen the stature of Palmer trinity School in the independent school community;
• Enrich the quality of the students’ experience and programs that support their social, spiritual, ethical, and personal growth and development;
• Broaden opportunities within the School’s academic and student life programs to foster students’ global perspectives;
• Continue to provide an Episcopal foundation fostering a healthy environment of kindness and compassion for each member of our community.
Palmer trinity seeks to achieve its goals within an intellectually stimulating and inclusive environment, characterized by outstanding and committed faculty, staff, and students. Progress towards Strategic Vision 2020 will require the judicious use of existing human and financial resources through faculty and staff development programs, more efficient administrative procedures, measured growth in student body composition, and careful review of open and sustainable financial models. Full achievement of these objectives will be possible only with the continued commitment and support of the School’s alumni, parents, and friends. a s the School grows thoughtfully and strategically, hiring mission appropriate faculty, Palmer trinity School will continue to affirm its relationship with its neighbors and remain a contributor to the wellbeing of the greater community.
at this point in time, the School must bolster the continuity of the academic program and the vitality and relevance of the use of technology as a primary component. it must examine the role of strategic community partnerships and student life while defining the parameters to programmatic expansion, and address issues of faculty recruitment and retention – staying committed to attracting and retaining the very best teachers in the country. Most importantly, the School must afford sufficient time in the schedule for students to learn through exploration, delve deeply into classroom subject matter and balance academic pursuits with co-curricular activities and experiences. Thoughtful planning must ensure classroom support; enabling best practices and innovation to flourish. Simultaneously, Palmer trinity School must maintain its position of exceptional leadership in independent school education.
This is an exciting and momentous time for Palmer trinity School. together we have the chance to create a future even more outstanding than our past, a defining distinction in episcopal education.
PR o CESS
Our strategic planning process began in the fall of 2013 with an in-depth assessment of the School’s strengths and challenges, and it continued through the winter and spring of 2014. led by a Steering committee, the views of the broader community were solicited through surveys, focus groups, and interviews. Six task forces – made up of 80 board members, parents, faculty, staff, and alumni – assumed the responsibility of distilling the information brought forward and supplemented their findings with research, comparative studies of other independent schools, and further discussion with various stakeholders. a reas of inquiry included academic programming and student life, faculty, finance and development, physical plant, values, global perspective, and our flagship programs.
The outcome of the study revealed that the School, by every indicator, is healthy and robust. With a clear vision and strategic financial plan, Palmer trinity can strengthen itself further, seeking new opportunities and exploring innovative practices that will better enable it to meet its mission
in april 2014, approximately 75 members of the PtS community representing faculty, staff, trustees, current parents, alumni, and parents of alumni came together to review the findings of the task forces and cast a vision for the future of Palmer trinity. in addition to the focus areas of the task forces, through the process of the retreat two additional priority areas for review were identified – student body composition and school structure. embedded in each of these areas are Palmer trinity’s commitment to a mission that fosters academic excellence, values pluralism, and promotes global citizenship and sustainability. These recommendations, after being reviewed and prioritized by the Board and administration, form the core of this Strategic Plan.
This is an exciting moment for Palmer trinity School, and an urgent one. together we have the chance to create a future even more outstanding than our past, defining distinction in episcopal education.
tH e f oundation of Pal M er t rinity Sc H ool
The School has set forth its Mission and Philosophy, our guiding Principles, Portrait of a graduate, and educational Priorities as the focus of the Strategic Plan. together they form the foundation of a distinctive school experience.
Mi SS ion and P H ilo S o PH y
Palmer trinity is an episcopal school dedicated to promoting academic excellence and inspiring students to lead lives of virtue, humanity, and spirit.
Providing a supportive, inclusive environment for students, we emphasize academic distinction, ethical global citizenship, and character. a s members of the greater community, we educate students to lead lives of honor and social responsibility. Palmer trinity School is committed to diversity and includes students with varied academic interests, as well as students from a widerange of ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Our school community reflects the pride of shared purpose and love of learning in a values-based environment, where each child is respected for his or her uniqueness:
Spirituality
We respect the sacred and honor each individual as created in the image of god.
l earning
We cultivate curiosity, creativity, innovation, and scholarship as the foundation of intellectual growth.
De D ication
We maintain excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts.
community
We promote collegial relationships between students, faculty, staff, and parents.
Service
We encourage vision, initiative, and leadership in serving each other, the greater community, and the world.
Honor
We recognize the importance of leading lives of conscience and integrity.
r e S pect
We practice compassion, understanding, and respect the dignity of each human being.
Diver S ity
We embrace differences among individuals while celebrating our common humanity.
Balance
We honor the unity of mind, body, and spirit.
Portrait of a Graduate Palmer trinity School educates students to be:
• Passionate Learners who pursue enlightenment and learning across disciplines with curiosity and determination.
• Global Citizens who strive to recognize their universal humanity and appreciate their responsibility towards each other and the world.
• Problem Solvers who work with others to find diplomatic resolutions to challenge and change.
• Ethical Leaders who inspire others to work with purpose, clarity, and compassion.
• Independent Thinkers who apply their critical thinking abilities to engage in discourse about complex intellectual and ethical problems.
• Critical Listeners who listen to understand, not merely to respond.
STATE m ENT o F C omm IT m ENT
respecting the School’s episcopal practices and traditions rooted in Judeo-christian beliefs and ethics,
a s a School community we commit to:
• Provide an environment inspired by the traditions and practices of Episcopal schools.
• Provide a safe and healthy environment for students by maintaining appropriate behavioral expectations and high ethical standards.
• Employ professionals of solid character and expertise who are loyal to the mission of the School.
• Create a stimulating, innovative, and intellectually challenging academic environment.
• Communicate timely and appropriately.
• Prepare students to succeed at an institution of higher learning.
• Maintain an environment that ensures a collaborative partnership with your child.
a s Students we commit to:
• Strive for academic excellence and continued personal growth.
• Take pride in ourselves and our school community by living the mission of Palmer trinity and by representing our school in a positive manner at all times.
• Endorse and adhere to the School’s Honor Code.
• Build school spirit by participating in school activities, exhibiting good sportsmanship, taking advantage of all opportunities supporting one another.
• Engage in responsible and respectful digital citizenship.
a s Parents we commit to:
• Support in our words and actions the policies, standards, and expectations of our school as articulated in the Student Handbook and Honor code.
• Communicate concerns with school personnel through appropriate channels, ensuring the most efficient collaboration for the health and well-being of our children.
• Respect the School calendar, daily schedule, and our contractual obligations to the School.
• Utilize the School’s website, email, and other modes of communication to remain informed about school events, policies, and updates.
• Respect the professionals engaged in our child’s learning.
• Provide volunteer support and participate in the School’s annual fundraising initiatives.
• Engage in responsible and respectful digital citizenship.
a s faculty and Staff we commit to:
• Support and uphold the mission, vision, and values of the School.
• Recognize and cultivate the potential in every student.
• Create a supportive environment that is developmentally and academically appropriate.
• Support decisions and policies determined by the Administration.
• Fulfill our obligations as stipulated in the employee contract and outlined in the employee Handbook.
• Ongoing professional development.
• Engage in responsible and respectful digital citizenship.
a s a lumni we commit to:
• Advocate for and support Palmer Trinity School and its mission.
• Share the history, traditions, and memories of Palmer School, Trinity Episcopal School, and Palmer trinity School.
• Provide opportunities for current students to learn more about the alumni network, to which they will one day belong.
• Continue to build and maintain an active, informed, and engaged alumni community.
• Cultivate financial resources for the sustained prosperity of the School.
a s board of trustees we commit to:
• Support the mission, vision, and values of Palmer Trinity School.
• Further the work of the School through our time, our skills, and our financial support.
• Prepare and actively participate in the majority of regular and special board meetings and events, and maintain confidentiality of content therein.
• Speak with one voice and to avoid taking individual action on any issue. We will refer substantive information relating to real or perceived grievances from individuals or groups to the chairman of the Board or the Head of School. We will strive to be objective decision-makers and take into account the effects of our actions on individuals, the organization, and the community.
• Participate in all development and advancement opportunities within our ability to give, and commit to placing PtS high among the priority organizations of our philanthropic giving.
• Recognize that the board serves in a strategic governance capacity, approving policies and their implementation, and will defer to the administration the management of daily operations.
PAL m ER TRINIT y SC hoo L’S STRATEGIC v ISI o N
S trate G ic Priority #1
p romote i nnovative p e Dagogy an D l earning at Palmer trinity, we expect our faculty to cultivate academic excellence, through inquiry-based learning, in an increasingly global forum. a s we continue to strengthen our academic offerings and enrich our instructional practices, we ensure that each grade and division fully prepares its students for the next level, and that our graduates are well equipped for their journey through college, work, and life beyond.
Strategic initiatives:
• Complete our comprehensive scope and sequence of academic skills and content in each department.
• Enrich our academic programs through systematic program review and teacher evaluations, while examining the needs of our student population to address and support the diversity of learning styles.
• Recruit and retain the most experienced, talented, globally aware, and missionappropriate faculty.
• Review professional development funding to make certain that it aligns with our strategic priorities and allows for institutional growth.
• Broaden our forms of assessment and utilize testing data effectively.
• Research on-line, experiential, and blended-learning opportunities and determine our position on each.
• Continue to implement the most effective technology across the disciplines, and explore methods and opportunities for teaching responsible use.
S trate G ic Priority #2
c ele B rate our e pi S copal iD entity in a Diver S e c ommunity
Palmer trinity is the only episcopal middle and high school in Miami-Dade county and an active member of the national a ssociation of episcopal Schools. it should be noted that while many of the local elementary episcopal Schools join the Palmer trinity community, our overall student population is diverse. Palmer trinity School community is committed to fostering and nurturing compassion and respect while recognizing the uniqueness of each child.
Strategic initiatives:
• Continue to evaluate and enhance the overall curriculum of Religious Studies, providing all students with a solid foundation of religious literacy and a more consistent, comprehensive, and meaningful experience.
• Foster a welcoming environment of respect, kindness, and compassion for persons of all faiths and traditions.
• Clarify and improve overall school communication regarding our Episcopal Identity by sharing the national association of episcopal Schools’ (naeS) Principles of good Practice.
• Enhance and enrich weekly Chapel and Convocation services, by engaging a School chapel committee, and empower the student voice through the creation and implementation of a Student Vestry.
• Support the role of the Chaplain in building relationships through pastoral care and community service.
• Further cultivate the relationships among the Anglican Communion, the National episcopal church, and the School.
S trate G ic Priority #3
c ultivate Stu D ent e ngagement
Student life at Palmer trinity is founded on the values and principles of our founding schools, which had rich traditions as character-building institutions. comprehensive academic programming, citizenship, physical fitness and well-being, spiritual development, a commitment to service, and the development of the whole person were the common philosophies that were handed down when Palmer School and trinity episcopal School joined as Palmer trinity School in 1991. today, in order to enhance school spirit, pride, and a true sense of belonging, we must continue to provide opportunities for our students to develop stronger connections and enhance the overall student experience ultimately becoming members of the Palmer trinity a lumni network.
Strategic Priorities:
• Equip faculty with the tools and training to build and implement an effective and robust advisory program. Focus on the role of the advisor as one who strengthens our sense of community, generates dynamic discourse, fosters self-actualization, and supports students at each stage of educational and personal development.
• Manage and cultivate partnerships with local organizations to enhance servicelearning initiatives.
• Increase the presence and active participation of administrators and faculty in student activities in the arts, athletics, clubs, and service opportunities.
• Enhance opportunities for Middle School and Upper School collaboration focusing on internships, mentorship, service learning platforms, and academic learning.
• Strengthen and encourage an active alumni community that ensures and celebrates lifelong connections among students, faculty, and the School.
S trate G ic Priority #4
o ptimize our c ampu S for 21 S t c entury l earning With the recent approval of our Master Site Plan, Palmer trinity can update and modernize the current campus, and as the School raises funds, build new facilities on the School’s South campus. This work will ensure that the School’s physical spaces optimally support mission and programs. Our facilities will enhance our efforts to maximize interdisciplinary collaboration among departments and divisions, while energizing and showcasing the spirit of innovation. The campus will also demonstrate our commitment to sustainability and energy conservation, functioning as laboratories that help us educate our students to be prudent stewards of the global ecosystem.
Strategic initiatives:
• Finalize the process to secure a $10M loan for construction and campus-wide improvements, which will allow us to complete the infrastructure, on-site and off-site roadway improvements, and athletic fields on the 33-acre South campus.
• Build new facilities, and update existing facilities which will support the School. a s enrollment grows, classrooms must be a priority to provide additional educational space for faculty and students.
• Honor the natural environment we teach and learn in, and continue to enhance the existing 22-acre north campus with native trees that will provide a fertile landscape for all migratory birds.
• Consistent with our mission as an Episcopal School, the building of a chapel will be at the heart of our campus both physically and spiritually.
• As we embark on the implementation of our master plan, the following facilities will be included as part of our future build-out, not in any particular order, but understanding the areas of distinctiveness:
classroom Space
SteM lab/computer and Maker lab
athletic Fields, including but not limited to: tennis courts, football field, basketball courts, a featured performance field with full track and field lanes, baseball field, softball field, pool and diving well, and field storage facilities
a Performing a rts center
gymnasium and locker rooms
global initiatives center
a Student center
administrative buildings
Visual a rts and Media center
competitive swimming pool, pool house, and diving well
S trate G ic Priority #5
g lo B al c itizen SH ip at pt S
The rapid mingling of cultures, the complexities of enormous changes across nations, the unforeseen advantages and problems that arise out of the new global economy and the clash of cultures and groups, and the plight of the world’s poor are but a few of the conditions that make up the state of our world today. We seek to prepare our students to take their place as global citizens in the dynamic and challenging times they live in now and will encounter tomorrow. in preparation, Palmer trinity School is a founding member of the global education Benchmark group (geBg), a national institution of independent schools that have leading global programs and benchmark standards of learning, both academic and experiential.
Strategic initiatives:
• Develop and coordinate a structured program by integrating quality global content in curricula across divisions. Use specific benchmarks, at all grade levels, to continue to foster global citizenship that offers Margaret Mead’s “Habits of Mind and Habits of Heart”, encompassing our fellow human beings and our common earth as community.
• Showcase PTS’s international attitude and global perspective as an integral component of a world-class secondary education, through travel, both domestic and international, and service learning both at home and across the world.
• Strengthen the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program with processes and infrastructure to support the students and families it serves, while respecting and encouraging the student’s own language and culture.
• Enhance opportunities for collaborative and reciprocal “sister-school” programs, enrichment programs, and study-away programs for students.
• Provide our faculty with opportunities to have professional training lectures, as well as travel and learning that creates a shift in their intellectual and cultural understanding.
S trate G ic Priority #6
e n S ure our f inancial Su S taina B ility today’s independent schools must plan for the future and balance a number of competing needs. compensation levels must be competitive; tuition levels must be acknowledged as reasonable; the School should be accessible to various national, religious, and socio-economic groups if we are to broaden diversity in all its forms. The academic and co-curricular programs must be engaging and stimulating; facilities and physical plant improvements must be planned and monitored in a constant, consistent fashion; and the School must secure long-term financial stability. Success depends on prudent fiscal management, a commitment to building increased endowment, a strong and stable development program, and the active contribution of every member of the PtS community.
Strategic initiatives:
• Enhance a rolling three to five year operating budget including projections for capital expenditures, debt service, and tuition increases.
• Expand the School’s philanthropic fundraising program and programs for parent and alumni engagement as the School prepares to embark on a significant capital campaign.
• Redesign summer programs to generate revenue, and continue to explore missioncentered auxiliary revenue streams.
• Explore and identify additional opportunities for greater efficiency, particularly within administrative processes, as well as outright reduction of resource consumption.
• Increase risk mitigation and management to lower the School’s exposure.
• Establish reserves to accommodate unanticipated expenses, and to grow the School’s endowment.
S TRATEGIC P LANNING S TEERING Comm ITTEE
Frank corbishley (convener) Board of Trustees, Parent
Michael Baiamonte Chair, Board of Trustees, Parent
giovanna a rrien Staff and Parent
a ndrew Bennett ‘95, Alumni
Susana cetta Administration and Parent
evans crews ‘91, Alumna and Parent
a ndrew Bennett ‘95, Alumni
lauren Dowlen Staff
Suzanne gottlieb calleja Administration
Bekki Haggard Parent
ivan Morales Parent
Jan Morrison Alumni Parent
Danny reynolds Administration
Jeff rose Faculty and Alumni Parent
noel Schael Faculty
PAL m ER TRINIT y SC hoo L 2014-2015 b oARD o F T R u STEES
Michael Baiamonte Chairman
Bronwen rutter Vice-Chair
r icardo a lbarran Secretary
charles Klenk Treasurer
Donna abood
Susan Benenati
rev. Frank J. corbishley (Bishop’s Designate)
rt. rev. leo Frade
John Fumagalli
lynne Keller
tina lane
Hugo Mantilla
camilo Montaña
tina Portuondo
rev. Jennie lou reid
a lejandro rodriguez
isabel rodriguez
rt. rev. calvin Schofield
Beth Brockway Serrate
r iva Steinman
William Morrison Trustee Emeritus
STRATEGIC PLANNING TASK F o RCES
m i SS ion an D v i S ion ta S k f orce
c o- cH air S : Michael Baiamonte (chair, t/P) and iván Morales, (P)
c o MM ittee: lynley Walker ciorobea ‘96 (a l), rev. Wilifred Faiella (P), Manuel Hinke (P), genaro “chip” iglesias (P), lynne Keller (t/P), Peter Masteller (F), adrianna truby (F)
c urricular an D c o- c urricular ta S k f orce
c o- cH air S : evans crews ‘91 (a l) and Jeff rose (F/a P)
c o MM ittee: edgar Beleval ‘89 (a l), cathy Blackburn (F), Belkis Freedman (P), Katie lamiell (F/a P), laurie Hill (P), tina Portuondo (t/a P/P), a ldo regalado (F)
f inancial Su S taina B ility ta S k f orce
c o- cH air S : a ndrew Bennett ‘95 (a l), Frank corbishley, (P and Board Member)
c o MM ittee: carol Bonner (F), Jose chao (P/a), Mark chiaparra (P), Mateo de Sola (P), camilo Montana (P), William Morrison ‘07 (a l), nathan Zeder ‘98 (a l)
faculty an D Staff ta S k f orce
c o- cH air S : Bekki Haggard (P), noel Schael (F)
c o MM ittee: lucia de Sola (P/S), corey Krissel ‘95 (a l), Peter Masteller (F), cecilia Scullin (P), Kenley Smith (F), Peter tolmach (a), Kathy Vale (a F)
f lag SH ip Specialty p rogram S ta S k f orce
c o- cH air S : Jan Morrison (a P), Danny reynolds (a)
c o MM ittee: David cutler (F), Sherri Porcelain Forman (a P), Therese Foley (a P), Beth Forster Kalbac (P/a P), leo llinás (F), laura Massa (F), Juli reynolds (P), iraida robledo (P/S)
Stu D ent e xperience ta S k f orce
c o- cH air S : giovanna a rrien (S/P), lauren Dowlen (S)
c o MM ittee: ashley armato (S), tim cassel (F), Mike Haggard ‘88 (al/P), Sara Fumagalli (P), Brittney Hoffman ‘99 (a l), r iva Steinman (P/aP), tracey Waldman (P), chriss Wood (aP)
k ey
a Administration | a l Alumni | a P Alumni Parent | f Faculty | P Parent | S Staff | t Trustee
