GOALS FOR ST. MARK’S I Approved by the Board of Trustees at a Special Meeting February 23, 1984 I.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE St. Mark’s School of Texas is a non-sectarian, college-preparatory, independent day school for boys in grades 1-12. The Charter, (1950), states that the school is “designed to afford its students well-rounded physical, intellectual, moral and religious training and instruction.” The St. Mark’s board of trustees intends for the school to be a diverse community of teachers and students who share a love of learning and who strive for high achievement in whatever they undertake. Challenging studies in the Sciences, Arts, and Humanities form the basis of a St. Mark’s education. Teachers work to instill an enthusiasm for learning, to encourage independent and critical judgment, and to demonstrate the methods for making sound inquiries and for effective communication. To complement this academic experience, St. Mark’s offers boys a rich variety of opportunities for involvement and leadership in the school community and on its playing fields. Whether academic or nonacademic, activities at St. Mark’s should motivate students to realize their potential, rewarding those who strive as well as those who achieve. St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men for assuming leadership and responsibility in a competitive and changing world. To this end, the school professes and upholds certain values. These values include the discipline of postponing immediate gratification in the interests of earning eventual, hard-won satisfaction; responsibility of defending one’s own ideas, of respecting the views of others, and of accepting the consequences for one’s own actions; and an appreciation for the lively connection between knowledge and responsibility, privilege and the obligation to serve.
II.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL GOALS 1. To identify, attract, and retain an ethnically and economically diverse group of students who show promise of intellectual aptitude, scholastic motivation, wholesome character, athletic ability, and extracurricular interest; 2. To recruit and retain an inspiring, dedicated, and knowledgeable faculty; 3. To offer students challenging and motivating instruction in a strong curriculum of the basic Arts and Sciences, and to review this curriculum continually in an effort to refine and strengthen it; 4. To encourage students to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, and to review these activities periodically to see that they complement and enhance the school’s stated purposes;
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 1 of 14
5. To prepare students for lives of leadership, citizenship, and service; 6. To assist students to gain admission to the finest colleges and universities for which they are qualified and suited; 7. To operate the school on a sound financial basis at the highest level of efficiency consistent with the school’s programs and goals; 8. To build and maintain attractive facilities that are appropriate to the school’s programs and goals; 9. To provide sufficient financial resources for the school to meet its goals and to expand the school’s financial base as necessary. 1. GENERAL GOAL: To identify, attract, and retain a diverse group of students who show promise of intellectual aptitude, scholastic motivation, wholesome character, athletic ability, and extra-curricular interests. 1.1 SPECIFIC GOAL: To identify and invite outstanding boys to apply for admission to St. Mark’s in a manner that will assure the school of individual classes which are well-rounded from academic, ethnic, economic, and extra-curricular standpoints. 1.1.1
Action Step: Establish a research function in the Admissions Office to aid in the identification of outstanding potential candidates.
1.1.2
Action Step: Establish a tickler system in the Admissions Office to insure that outstanding potential candidates receive information about the school and are encouraged to apply.
1.1.3
Action Step: Use recruiting coordinator to administer pre-testing exams in minority areas to screen potential applicants prior to the normal testing dates.
1.1.4
Action Step: Use recruiting coordinator to organize an interested group of minority parents and teachers to supplement the school’s normal recruiting procedures.
1.1.5
Action Step: Advertise in local and suburban papers, more often than at testing periods, to inform the community that the school desires applicants for all grades.
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 2 of 14
1.1.6
Action Step: Use free local service announcements on radio and television stations prior to each testing period to make the public aware of the school’s testing program and of the opportunity to apply.
1.1.7
Action Step: Encourage administrators and teachers to develop relationships with the media to foster favorable articles on the school’s activities.
1.1.8
Action Step: Prepare a publication for distribution through relocation firms, realtors, major companies, chambers of commerce, ethnic and minority organizations, and other interested persons to increase their awareness of the school and its program.
1.1.9
Action Step: Upgrade the quality of the school’s catalogue, program of studies, and other publications used in Admissions.
1.2
SPECIFIC GOAL To insure that any boy qualifying for admission to St. Mark’s, having a place in the school, and wanting to attend will not be prevented from doing so for financial reasons.
1.2.1
Action Step: Increase financial aid resources making it possible for up to 20% of the student body to receive significant financial assistance in accordance with individual need.
1.2.2
Action Step: Waive testing fees for economically disadvantaged prospective students.
1.2.3
Action Step: Determine how to make transportation available to students who require it and who qualify for financial aid from the school.
1.2.4
Action Step: Make financial aid assistance available to financial aid students for tutorial purposes.
1.3
SPECIFIC GOAL To aid in the retention of students by establishing a strong in-school tutorial and support program.
1.3.1
Action Step: Improve the student-to-student tutorial program for the benefit of St. Mark’s students.
1.3.2
Action Step: Hold at least one workshop each year to increase teacher awareness of the emotional and social problems encountered by students, as well as of the
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 3 of 14
special problems of adjustment for minority and economically disadvantaged students. 1.3.3
Action Step: Evaluate the advisor system and administrative procedures to assure a regular flow of substantive information about student performance to both students and parents, particularly when a student’s performance in any significant area has deteriorated or improved rapidly.
1.3.4
Action Step: Recruit top-level ethnic minority teachers who, in addition to being inspiring teachers, will act as outstanding role models.
1.3.5
Action Step: Consider establishing a system for intensive summer review work in August to be administered by departments.
1.4
SPECIFIC GOAL: To insure that financial aid funds are fairly and effectively used.
1.4.1
Action Step: Conduct an annual review of each financial aid recipient at the school by the Faculty Financial Aid Committee, in consultation with, and as part of, the normal review process by the Curriculum Committee.
2. GENERAL GOAL: To recruit and retain an inspiring, dedicated, and knowledgeable faculty. 2.1
SPECIFIC GOAL: To expand the school’s faculty recruiting efforts.
2.1.1
Action Step: Establish a research function to identify inspiring teachers on a nationwide basis.
2.1.2
Action Step: Provide more funds to allow the headmaster and the Dean of Faculty to travel for the purpose of recruiting faculty.
2.1.3
Action Step: Encourage department chairmen to develop good working relationships with their local, state, and national associations (e.g., National Science Teachers’ Association, Advance Placement Service, etc.) for identifying outstanding teachers.
2.1.4
Action Step: Institute a Teaching Fellow, or Apprenticeship, program for recent college graduates.
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 4 of 14
2.1.5
Action Step: Publicize the Teaching Fellow program, the Excellence-in-Teaching program, the Master Teacher Chairs, and other opportunities available to St. Mark’s teachers in national education and independent school journals.
2.1.6
Action Step: Conduct a two-year administrative study to determine the importance of faculty housing as a factor in teacher recruitment.
2.2
2.2.1
2.2.2
2.3
SPECIFIC GOAL: To expand the scope and meaning of faculty evaluation. Action Step: Involve the faculty in refining administrative evaluation procedures that insure a candid and fair basis for making judgments on faculty retention, advancement, and salary increases. Action Step: Publish for the faculty and routinely review with the faculty evaluation criteria and procedures. SPECIFIC GOAL: To make St. Mark’s compensation package lead those of the best schools in the country by directing attention to the following concerns: salary levels, education of faculty children, retirement program, and family medical coverage.
2.3.1
Action Step: Keep a current compensation data base of “the best schools in the country” for the purpose of measuring progress toward the goal.
2.3.2
Action Step: Consider expanding the scope of the Excellence-in-Teaching program.
2.3.3
Action Step: Increase to seven the number of Master Teacher chairs.
2.3.4
Action Step: Bring St. Mark’s administrative salary level to the 90% for comparable NAIS schools.
2.4
SPECIFIC GOAL: To provide a stimulating atmosphere for professional growth and development.
2.4.1
Action Step: Exploit the potential for professional growth by developing peer evaluation procedures.
2.4.2
Action Step: Increase the level of endowed funds for mini-sabbaticals, lectureships, summer study, travel-study, etc.
2.4.3
Action Step: Provide no-cost or low-cost tickets for faculty to attend cultural activities in the community.
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 5 of 14
3. GENERAL GOAL: To offer student challenging and motivating instruction in a strong curriculum of the basic Arts and Sciences, and to review this curriculum continually in an effort to refine and strengthen it. 3.1
SPECIFIC GOAL: To insure regular comprehensive, and objective reviews of the curriculum’s effectiveness.
3.1.1
Action Step: Involve the faculty in the development of evaluative criteria and a reporting format for measuring and communicating how well students are doing and how effective the program of studies is.
3.1.2
Action Step: Form a “Board of Visitors” composed of prominent collegiate educators to visit the school on an annual basis for the purpose of suggesting programmatic improvements to the headmaster.
3.2
SPECIFIC GOAL: To strengthen the school’s curricular emphasis upon the basic Arts and Sciences.
1.2.1. Action Step: Proceed with completion of a written curriculum for elementary grades I-IV by the Curriculum Committee, to include a summary of transitional need for each level. 1.2.2
Action Step: Design and build a Lower School facility appropriate to the curriculum, the size, and the grade distribution of the anticipated Lower School.
1.2.3
Action Step: Employ a full-time teaching librarian for the Lower School.
1.2.4
Action Step: Build the Lower School library collection.
1.2.5
Action Step: Produce and implement a written rationale and curriculum for computer education at St. Mark’s.
1.2.6
Action Step: Acquire and maintain computer hardware and software to support use of the computer in the curriculum.
1.2.7
Action Step: Evaluate the Unified Physical Science course, its content and instructional methods, as well as the effect of this course on student performance and attitudes in their
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 6 of 14
subsequent science study. 1.2.8
Action Step: Evaluate the advanced science course offerings as to quality and cost.
1.2.9
Action Step: Increase the graduation requirement in science.
1.2.10 Action Step: Revise the foreign language program to insure greater foreign language proficiency among graduates. 1.2.11 Action Step: Design and offer an optional extended homestay program for language study in a foreign country.
3.3
SPECIFIC GOAL: To make better use of the school day and school year.
3.3.1
Action Step: Appoint a group to study the daily schedule and the yearly calendar.
3.3.2
Action Step: Address at the board-administration level the question of St. Mark’sHockaday coordination prior to undertaking the study of Action Step 3.3.1.
3.4
SPECIFIC GOAL: To establish a selective, tuition-free summer program of outstanding academic caliber attracting the most qualified students throughout the Dallas area.
3.4.1
Action Step: Gain support for this program from the local public school superintendents.
3.4.2
Action Step: Seek financial support for this program from businesses and foundations in the Dallas area.
3.4.3
Action Step: Recruit and appoint appropriate staff.
4. GENERAL GOAL: To encourage students to participate in a variety of extra-curricular activities and to review these activities periodically to see that they complement and enhance the school’s stated purposes. 4.1
SPECIFIC GOAL: To define the role, quality, and number of extra-curricular activities and to clarify the relationship between the academic and extra-curricular programs at St. Mark’s so as to improve the balance between them.
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 7 of 14
4.1.1
Action Step: Strengthen the ability of the Dean of Students, Class Sponsors, and Advisors to monitor better the extra-curricular load of each boy.
4.1.2
Action Step: Each spring, publish an informational and promotional handbook listing school activities with a description, eligibility requirements, contact persons, and approximate time commitments for each. Prepare this handbook with particular attention to Grades IX and X.
4.1.3
Action Step: Study and resolve the question of Academic Probation in a manner that helps to clarify the relationship between the school’s academic and extracurricular programs.
4.1.4
Action Step: Develop the computer capability for monitoring each student’s day in accordance with the following five categories: academic work, extra-curricular activities, athletic involvements, school and community service, and part-time employment.
4.2
SPECIFIC GOAL: To implement a life skills and fitness program in the St. Mark’s curriculum.
4.2.1
Action Step: Establish a task force, representative of the entire St. Mark’s community, to solicit suggestions on worthwhile life-skills programs and to submit recommendations to the Curriculum Committee.
4.2.2
Action Step: Establish a swimming requirement for each grade level.
4.2.3
Action Step: Develop a St. Mark’s Fitness Program establishing appropriate comprehensive standards.
5. GENERAL GOAL: To prepare students for lives of leadership, citizenship, and service. 5.1.1
5.2
5.2.1
Action Step: Establish committees in each school responsible for drafting and annually reviewing an appropriate code of conduct. SPECIFIC GOAL: To increase student leadership and participation in self-government by encouraging all students to be involved in rule-making and in school-governance. Action Step: Establish means whereby students have an opportunity to review annually their respective codes of conduct.
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 8 of 14
5.2.2
5.3
Action Step: Establish means whereby students take increasing responsibility, as deemed appropriate by the headmaster, with the concurrence of the faculty, for the daily operations of the school. SPECIFIC GOAL: To bring to the campus outstanding leaders for major addresses and for small group discussions.
5.3.1
Action Step: Establish an experimental speakers’ program for the 1984-85 school year which will lead to a permanent program.
5.3.2
Action Step: Establish a speakers’ committee to determine a budget, to fix dates, and to solicit requests from the school community on possible topics and speakers.
5.3.3
Action Step: Design and build a facility on campus for small group discussions with speakers during meal times.
5.4
SPECIFIC GOAL: To encourage students to develop habits of service to the school and community.
5.4.1. Action Step: Promulgate and periodically review policies governing service, including required and voluntary participation, internal and external programs, hours of service, faculty supervisors, etc. (Consider the feasibility of accomplishing this Action Step in conjunction with Action 4.1.2) 5.4.2
Action Step: Evaluate the quality and appropriateness of the school’s service projects, as well as of each student’s participation in them. (Consider the feasibility of accomplishing Action Step in conjunction with Action 4.1.1 as well as Action 4.1.4).
5.4.3. Action Step: Consider the requirement of an independent community service project for all seniors, consistent with the school’s goal to teach students about the service opportunities and organizations in Dallas as well as to expect them to perform some meaningful service of their choice as a regular part of the St. Mark’s experience. 5.5.
SPECIFIC GOAL: To maintain a Chapel program whose content is determined by the Chaplain with student and faculty counsel and with the full support of the Episcopal Diocese.
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 9 of 14
5.5.1
Action Step: Secure a Chaplain who is perceived to be an outstanding teacher, coach, and advisor, as well as a religious role model in his capacity as priest.
5.5.2
Action Step: Reach agreement with the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas regarding assistance with the compensation of the chaplain and with finding a suitable diocese or parish auxiliary position for the chaplain.
6. GENERAL GOAL: To assist students to gain admission to the finest colleges and universities for which they are qualified and suited. 6.1.
SPECIFIC GOAL: To provide effective counseling, guidance, and follow-up for students in the college placement process.
6.1.1
Action Step: Develop means whereby the advisor system can be used to assist the college placement office by providing curriculum counseling, by effectively using achievement testing results, and by following up individually on the application process. (This Action Step would probably entail giving Upper School advisors an orientation on the subject of college preparation and placement).
6.1.2
Action Step: Create a staff of appropriate size in the college placement office.
6.1.3
Action Step: Develop a method for teaching students how to prepare a compelling college application.
6.1.4
Action Step: Adopt a uniform program of limited preparation for PSAT, SAT, and achievement testing.
6.1.5
Action Step: Develop a system whereby the headmaster reviews with the college placement officer the status of each senior’s college applications and meets with seniors and/or their parents when appropriate.
6.1.6
Action Step: Develop means of broadening the students’ knowledge of what colleges are available to them.
6.2
SPECIFIC GOAL: To encourage parents and students to become active and informed participants in the college placement program.
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 10 of 14
6.2.1
Action Step: Develop a program that will directly involve parents in college counseling beginning no later than the spring of their son’s sophomore year.
6.2.2
Action Step: Improve the quality of the college placement materials being sent to parents and students.
6.2.3
Action Step: Insure that parents know that the headmaster is available for college counseling at their request.
6.3
SPECIFIC GOAL: To increase St. Mark’s stature in the eyes of the colleges to which St. Mark’s seniors commonly apply.
6.3.1
Action Step: Develop a program to insure that St. Mark’s and its key administrators enjoy an effective, close-working relationship with college admission officers, making colleges aware of the quality of St. Mark’s and making St. Mark’s sensitive to the different strengths and weaknesses of the colleges.
6.3.2
Action Step: Improve the quality of St. Mark’s literature and publications being sent to college admissions offices.
6.3.3
Action Step: Establish rapport with the Dallas alumni admissions committees of those colleges receiving the bulk of St. Mark’s applications.
6.3.4
Action Step: Establish a budget for college visitations by the headmaster and/or college admissions officer specifically to develop relations with deans of admission. (This budget might be coordinated with the Faculty Recruitment Fund set up in Action Step 2.1.4 and placed along with the Faculty Recruitment Fund in the headmaster’s budget).
6.4
6.4.1
SPECIFIC GOAL: To evaluate annually the effectiveness of St. Mark’s College Placement Program. Action Step: Establish a method of annually contacting graduates in college and their parents to ascertain the effectiveness of St. Mark’s college placement process.
7. GENERAL GOAL: To operate the school on a sound financial basis at the highest level of efficiency consistent with the school’s programs and goals.
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 11 of 14
7.1
SPECIFIC GOAL: To define the criteria for evaluating the financial soundness of the school.
7.1.1
Action Step: Develop a series of key financial ratios, guidelines, and statistics to demonstrate the financial condition and operating budget trends for the school.
7.1.2
Action Step: Develop a base of relevant statistical operating data from similar schools, and use comparative analysis as part of the budgeting process.
7.1.3
Action Step: Evaluate present fiscal budgeting procedures concerning the need to provide for future major maintenance costs and capital improvements.
7.1.4
Action Step: Develop a computer-based financial model with the ability to simulate the financial consequences of revenue, expense, curriculum, and capital expenditure alternatives.
7.1.5
Action Step: Monitor the performance of all the school’s funds and evaluate the appropriateness of the school’s spending policy related to its investments.
7.2.
SPECIFIC GOAL: To have in place a financial accounting and reporting system that monitors the fiscal and operating activities of the school and safeguards school assets.
7.2.1
Action Step: Develop a system of financial reports which will compare actual to budgeted expenditures, and remaining budgets to forecasts.
7.2.2
Action Step: Maintain an inventory of all school assets that reflects their state of repair and usefulness.
7.3
SPECIFIC GOAL: To determine and enhance the effectiveness of the school’s use of its assets.
7.3.1
Action Step: Determine the effectiveness of the school’s administrative and clerical staffs.
1.3.2
Action Step: Establish expanded and innovative use, wherever appropriate, of in-place idle assets.
7.3.3
Action Step: Develop a system for monitoring and accounting for the efficiency of energy use.
8. GENERAL GOAL Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 12 of 14
To build and maintain facilities that are appropriate to the school’s program and goals. 8.1
SPECIFIC GOAL: To obtain a comprehensive master plan for the land and buildings on the St. Mark’s campus.
8.1.1
Action Step: Determine the “ideal” student enrollment and grade distributions for the school.
8.1.2
Action step: Develop a comprehensive inventory of facilities needs up to the present and through the life of the long-range plan, including the following: Lower School facilities, cafeteria, locker room, McDermott Building, Middle School recreation area, greater security, an informal student relaxation area, fencing and gymnastics area, weight room, wrestling room, Lower School P.E. room, indoor racket-squash courts, formal dining area, gracious reception area, landscaping (particularly tress), computer-word processor facilities area, improved orientation of administrative spaces, utilities and communication system, etc.
8.1.3
Action Step: Hire a Master Planner with or without access to engineering expertise.
8.2
8.2.1
SPECIFIC GOAL: To maintain the facility in excellent condition. Action Step: Establish a scheduled program of preventive maintenance to insure safety, to minimize expenses, and to extend the life of the school’s facilities.
9. GENERAL GOAL: To maintain an effective and innovative development office. 9.1.1
Action Step: Maintain an appropriate size staff in the development office.
9.1.2
Action Step: Organize the development staff with clearly delineated areas of responsibility and encourage the development of individual expertise.
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 13 of 14
9.1.3
Action Step: Send staff members to CASE and other conferences needed for their professional development.
9.1.4
Action Step: Create a sophisticated data base on St. Mark’s donors, past, present, and potential.
9.1.5
Action Step: Consider the value of obtaining outside consultants where available and appropriate.
9.2
SPECIFIC GOAL: To establish a development plan with specific goals in all the following areas: public relations, publications, alumni relations, planned giving, and annual giving.
9.2.1
Action Step: Study the possibility of creating an alumni association with a number of programs offered to alumni, including trips, facilities and programs on campus, professionally-useful communications, an “Alumni College,” etc.
9.2.2
Action Step: Involve alumni in career days, student service projects, alumni orientations for seniors, etc. through coordination with appropriate faculty sponsors.
9.2.3
Action Step: Use development staff to review and coordinate all publications, advertisements, and press releases intended for use outside the school.
9.3
SPECIFIC GOAL: To organize and support a capital fund drive for the raising of funds in support of the long-range plan and of the master plan referred to in Specific Goal 8.1.
Office of Development & Alumni Relations St. Mark’s School of Texas
Goals for St. Mark’s I 14 of 14