A Time for Strategy

Message from the HEADMASTER

A Time for STRATEGY

Contrary to popular belief, there are clear advantages when one starts a new headship in January. Essentially, you are presented with the opportunity, for four or five months, to look, listen, observe, debate, think, and then to make judgments as to what future direction is most appropriate. Selwyn House has been an impressive school to watch, and these past few months have reaffirmed my belief in this truly great and remarkable institution. It is impossible not to be excited about the future.

There exists at Selwyn House a credible legacy created mainly through the efforts of my predecessor, Will Mitchell. The school, with a strong governance model, is poised to achieve any level of greatness we desire. In my opinion, there is simply no excuse. The groundwork has all been laid; the foundations are strong, now it is a matter of setting priorities, asking difficult questions, engaging in challenging discussions, dealing with the issues of education in a challenging and complex millennium, and then

Headmaster Hal Hannaford

Message from the HEADMASTER

A Time for STRATEGY

moving forward together sharing a consistent vision.

Strategic mapping is the process we will use to guide us. There is enough evidence to suggest that over eighty-five per cent of school strategies do not work; not because they are poor strategies, rather because there is an attempt to implement them without the establishment of clear performance measures or indicators. This is what we want to avoid at Selwyn House. Too much is at stake, and strategic mapping will help with the ambitions we all have.

For the past few months, I have worked on developing a Strategic Map for Selwyn House. Please refer to the diagram and note that each strategic component is clearly defined. The point is not to reinvent new ideas. Rather, the purpose is to build upon the direction already established. Over the next year or so there will be a serious, dedicated process undertaken to deal with all the issues presented. We will evaluate how we are performing based on a list of key functions at the school. We will establish strategic priorities, and then we will establish indicators for each strategic objective. It will essentially form the basis by which I will be evaluated. There is plenty of work ahead, but if we create a focus that is consistent, we gain a significant advantage. We must move to accentuate and articulate the Selwyn House advantages, celebrate the success of boys’ schools, determine what a bilingual education means to Selwyn House, figure out to how to clearly express our values, and, finally, we must ask ourselves what is required to prepare our boys for a successful university career. Challenging? No doubt, but necessary and attainable.

On a personal level, I would like to thank the entire Selwyn House community for the way in which I have been welcomed. It has made my transition to a new city and a new school as easy as possible, and I remain so grateful. My wife, Susan, my children, Alisse and Reid (who will be starting at Selwyn House in Grade 9 this fall), moved to Montreal at the end of June and share my excitement with this wonderful opportunity. We all look forward to many years of success at Selwyn House. I can’t wait for school to start in September. ■