Sacred Heart Greenwich Strategic Plan 2023

FIVE-YEAR ::

STRATEGIC PLAN

We believe in the strength, intellect, vitality, spirit, friendship, and faith of women. We transform the world, one girl at a time.

Dear Friends,

If our Foundress, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, were alive today, would she claim Sacred Heart Greenwich as one of her own schools? We believe the answer is a resounding “Yes!”

Pursuing Excellence is a comprehensive five-year strategic plan that stays true to Sophie’s vision and elevates our Goals and Criteria through three key strategic choices: advance, engage, and invest. These choices create the framework for the initiatives and investments Sacred Heart Greenwich will make in the lives of our students — academically, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

As we embark upon our 175th academic year, we remain rooted in our Sacred Heart heritage and invigorated by the promise of the future set before us — one that strives for excellence in all things. Together, with your continued support, we can build this future through Pursuing Excellence at Sacred Heart Greenwich.

With great hope,

Imma De Stefanis, RSCJ, Ph.D. President Trustee Co-chair of the Strategic Design Team Co-chair of the Strategic Design Team

Michael F. Baber

Mission

Sacred Heart Greenwich, an all-girls, independent, Catholic school, educates and empowers students to pursue excellence, build courage and confidence, and lead lives of purpose and integrity.

Vision

Sacred Heart Greenwich envisions a world where all girls and women are able to shape the future through learning and service, defined by our Goals and Criteria. We transform the world, one girl at a time.

Values

At Sacred Heart Greenwich we live our values daily with:

FAITH: We believe faith informs and guides our decisions and actions in the pursuit of truth and knowledge.

INTELLECT: We believe we have an obligation to develop our intellectual talents and skills as reflective, lifelong learners who create a positive impact in the world.

JUSTICE: We believe we have a responsibility to confront injustice, seek equality, practice compassion, and respect the dignity of each and every person.

COMMUNITY: We believe our Sacred Heart community fosters an inclusive environment in which all are welcomed, embraced, and challenged to contribute to the good of the whole.

WISDOM: We believe we are called to grow in wisdom and lead discerning lives characterized by self-knowledge and the understanding of how our choices impact ourselves and others.

Strategic Direction

Elevated by the Goals and Criteria

Advance

our vision for educational excellence and commitment to leadership formation as defined and measured by the Goals and Criteria.

ARTICULATE the student outcomes and philosophy of learning at Sacred Heart.

ALIGN curriculum and pedagogy, and regularly assess for ongoing relevance, consistency, and excellence.

DEVELOP unique Sacred Heart assessments to showcase student learning and work, and to measure progress and growth.

ENSURE cohesion among and between divisions to deliver a consistent and intentional educational progression for every student.

INTEGRATE service learning and cocurricular offerings into the core program as vital aspects of intellectual, spiritual, and leadership development.

REINFORCE standards of teaching excellence to attract talented and diverse educators to Sacred Heart, and regularly assess development and performance.

DESIGN mission-aligned, student-centered support mechanisms that attend to the positive and holistic development and growth of girls.

COMMIT to innovative and inclusive practices and pedagogies that promote equity in learning and create conditions for every student to thrive and succeed.

Engage

with community members and the wider world to cultivate meaningful relationships and powerful contexts for learning, service, and leadership.

COMMIT to inclusivity and belonging as conditions for learning and growth, preparing students to live as one body within our Sacred Heart community and to thrive in a multicultural world.

ATTRACT a broad diversity of mission-aligned students, families, faculty, and staff to expand our impact and enrich learning for all.

FOSTER experiences and practices that promote belonging for all our students and community members.

CREATE structures of student and community feedback to assess climate and culture, inform institutional decision-making with data, and engage with constituents in continuous improvement.

BUILD community alliances beyond campus with local and global organizations where students can learn, serve, and lead.

PARTNER with alumnae and families to build an ecosystem for learning via networks and collaborations, and internship, sponsorship, and mentorship opportunities.

CULTIVATE and strengthen relationships between and across Sacred Heart Network schools to share resources and expand opportunities for adult and student learning, student growth, service, and cultural immersion experiences.

Invest

in talent and programmatic and physical assets to ensure strong alignment of resources to our vision and mission for students.

Talent

STRENGTHEN and enrich our diverse, dynamic student community by creating financial access and support for talented students of all backgrounds.

RECRUIT, support, and develop talented and diverse educators who possess the scholarly expertise and pedagogical mastery to prepare learners to thrive in and contribute to our multicultural world.

BUILD collaborative and cohesive administrative and strategic teams to drive priority work and excellence in the student experience.

EVOLVE systems and practices for governance and leadership development in order to sustain a strategic and resilient organization.

REIMAGINE daily and annual schedules to create time for adult learning and collaboration.

Invest

in talent and programmatic and physical assets to ensure strong alignment of resources to our vision and mission for students.

Program and Campus

DESIGN innovative programs where students can exercise choice, explore interests, build purpose, and grow into women who transform the world through leadership and service.

DEDICATE and reimagine versatile campus spaces that stimulate creativity, innovation, and teamwork in our comprehensive curricular, cocurricular, athletic, and arts programs.

CREATE learning hubs on campus to support our focus on leadership skills, spiritual formation, and intellectual development, inspired by the vision of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat.

Resource Development

CULTIVATE a lifelong commitment to the Sacred Heart mission among all students and families through deep and consistent relationship building throughout the continuum of experience.

EXAMINE and align the management and deployment of Sacred Heart’s financial resources to support the realization of our vision now and in the future.

ADVANCE the case for investment through strong engagement, development, and enrollment strategies that center on the mission, vision, and impact of a Sacred Heart education.

Strategic Design Team

Co-Chairs

Michael F. Baber :: President

Imma De Stefanis, RSCJ, Ph.D. :: Trustee

Committee

Kevin Bailey Director of Academics

Jenn Bensen, P’10, H’15 Director of Student Leadership, Health & Wellness

Dreux Dubin Claiden, ’77, P ’13

Former Trustee

Lisa Burke Fallon, ’89, P ’22, ’25

Former Trustee

India Knight, ’12

Alumna

Cynthia Mansfield Assistant Early Childhood Education Director

Ryan Sfreddo, P ’24, ’25

Current Trustee

Siobhan Toohey, P ’22, ’24, ’25, ’34

Former Parents Association President

Joseph Valentine Upper School History Faculty