MESSAGE FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL

a message from our

heAd of school...

dear FriendS oF Providence HigH ScHool,

Welcome to another edition of Pioneer Connections! You’ll notice we have an exciting new look with this edition. Thank you to our talented Publications Coordinator, Mrs. Allison Hastings Knowles ’99, and the rest of our Advancement Office, for giving this wonderful publication a new and lively appearance.

We recently submitted our 2015-2016 Strategic Plan to the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA), and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This Strategic Plan included input from all stakeholders – students, parents, alums, faculty, staff, administration, and our Board of Regents – through surveys, committees, and face-to-face meetings. The process of creating this Strategic Plan began in 2012 and included recommendations from our 2014 Self Study and our 2015 Visiting Committee Report from our recent accreditation process. I must give a huge THANK YOU to our Strategic Planning Committee which included Board of Regents members, administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and alums. This talented and hardworking group of people gave so much of their time and talents, and I am forever grateful to them. This is the most well thoughtout, inclusive, and thorough Strategic Plan that I have ever been a part of in my over 25 years of private school employment.

Here are our main Strategic Goals which have led to the creation of very thorough Action Plans which will move us forward:

1. Create a school-wide vision for instructional planning that both seizes upon meaningful interdisciplinary connections and values the variety of teaching approaches at PHS.

2. Develop and implement a strong teacher evaluation program that links evaluation to professional development and growth, especially focusing on teaching practices to foster student engagement.

3. Establish a strategic financial plan that sets sustainability guidelines for the future including a close review of financial aid and establishment of an endowment. 4. Revise and clarify the role of the Board of Regents in actively cultivating and soliciting donors while creating a culture of philanthropy. Develop and implement a formal and regular selfevaluation process within the Board of Regents.

5. Establish and implement the vision for a data driven culture, in which the school engages in assessment practices that include the collection, analysis, and effective use of relevant data to inform decision-making in the school’s educational programs and schoolwide operations.

6. Create and execute a long-term plan for the current maintenance and future development of the physical plant in support of the mission and programs of the school.

We are all VERY excited to move forward with this inspiring Strategic Plan, and we look forward to your support!

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Check in at our new public website – www.providencehigh.org – and come out to school events. You are always welcome!

I wish you a Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

YourS in Providence,

Joe Sciuto Head of School YOU BELONG HERE.