Mirman School Strategic Plan

S T R AT E G I C P L A N

2018

2021

A blueprint. A roadmap. A schematic. A wish list.

No matter what metaphor you use to encapsulate Mirman School’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan, it represents something equal parts daunting and invigorating. The words you’re about to read point the way to our community’s future — at least how we envision it unfolding over the next three years.

While the process of arriving at any Strategic Plan can sometimes seem lofty, a process as much about looking at where one comes from as it is about dreaming up where one might go next, I hope you’ll find our goals to be as achievable as they are aspirational.

And whether what resonates with you most is becoming a more inclusive institution, recruiting and retaining a world class faculty, or looking towards what it means to sustain an evolving and integrated curriculum to serve the complex minds in our care, I’m thankful to have your partnership as we pursue these various trajectories together over the next few years.

Respectfully,

Dan Vorenberg Head of School

Mirman now » Mirman next Mirman’s 2018–2021 Strategic

financial sustainability and

Plan was created in collaboration

advancement, and campus and

between representatives from

facilities. These focus areas were

the Board of Trustees, faculty,

then further broken down into

administration, past parents,

distinct initiatives for growth and

alumni, and current parents. Far

institutional change intended to

more than can be described with

be mapped out along a three-year

categorical statements of their

period.

roles in the Mirman community, the people and perspectives

Far from existing in isolation, this

whose voices gave shape to

Strategic Plan builds on Mirman’s

this plan represent an incredibly

larger history as well as more

diverse and multi-faceted group

specific recent successes. From

of leaders who have seen Mirman

Dr. Norman and Beverly Mirman’s

iterate and innovate for more than

living room to our beautiful and

a half a century.

expanded campus, each period of institutional growth adds depth

From small steering committee

and layers to a living, breathing

meetings to a larger daylong

legacy here on Mulholland Drive.

retreat, the ideas generated for this Strategic Plan were broken

Whether you’ve spent time in

into six focus areas: mission

our community for decades or

and philosophy, community

semesters, you’ve been a vital

and inclusivity, program and

part of our past and present. We

curriculum, faculty and staff,

invite you to join us as we build our future.

Mission & Philosophy Develop strategies to ensure we live and communicate our mission and philosophy.

Rationales 1. To ensure that our school best serves the needs and potential of our highly gifted students.

2. To ensure that we fully and broadly communicate Mirman’s institutional identity and impact to both internal and external constituents.

3. To more effectively engage prospective families who may face obstacles in their quest to access gifted education.

4. To enhance understanding of gifted education through a cultural competency and equity lens.

Action Steps 1. Ensure the congruity of our educational practices with our mission.

2. Establish ourselves as a thought leader and resource in gifted education through on-campus programming, teacher training, partnerships with other gifted education leaders, and delivery of curated and original digital content.

3. Evaluate contemporary best practices in gifted identification and propose recommendations to the admissions process.

4. Communicate more frequently and strategically to both internal and external constituents on how Mirman lives its mission, educational philosophy, inclusivity statement, and core values.

Community & Inclusivity Articulate clear objectives and implement strategies to ensure an inclusive, equitable, diverse, vibrant, and connected community of learners, families, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Rationales 1. To prepare our students to succeed and thrive in an increasingly diverse and complex society.

2. To demonstrate that Mirman’s institutional commitment to racial/ethnic and SES (socio-economic status) diversity is essential to a vibrant educational process.

3. To ensure an inclusive school culture and climate that fosters a safe learning environment for students to explore, take risks, and be civically engaged both locally and globally.

Action Steps 1. Recruit a diverse population of educators, students, and trustees, which includes increasing Latinx and black/African American representation and enhancing SES diversity.

2. Train all Mirman constituents in cross-cultural effectiveness skills through new models of communication, interaction, and identity development.

Program & Curriculum Develop and deliver an inspirational, innovative, and integrated curriculum for highly gifted students.

Rationales 1. To ensure instructional practices are aligned with contemporary best practices for highly gifted students.

2. To inspire students to value discovery as an essential factor in lifelong learning.

3. To empower students to discover and channel their unique talents to positively impact the larger community.

4. To integrate and advance a multicultural, anti-bias curriculum that reflects all dimensions of diversity and connects Mirman’s community of educators and learners.

Action Steps 1. Continue implementation of a challenging thematic and integrated curriculum.

2. Develop a comprehensive, integrated, and developmentally appropriate socialemotional K-8 curriculum.

3. Integrate core values with curricular goals and Mirman’s school culture.

4. Create mission-driven signature programs and curricular experiences that promote creative, collaborative, and critical thinking skills and that allow students to explore their passions and talents.

5. Develop and implement initiatives to increase student retention in the Upper School.

Faculty & Staff Continue to recruit, recognize, develop, and retain a highly qualified and diverse faculty and staff.

Rationales 1. To empower our staff to advance their praxis and the mission of the school.

2. To provide our students with role models who reflect our core values and our diversity of thought, experiences, and identities.

3. To attract and retain highly qualified faculty, staff, and administrators from a broader demographic and geographic range.

4. To grow and sustain institutional stability in our professional community as a whole.

Action Steps 1. Provide ongoing professional development that focuses on gifted pedagogy, socialemotional learning techniques, cultural competency, and the development of an anti-bias curriculum.

2. Build a professional growth plan that provides tiered benchmarks to allow additional opportunities for upward growth, rewards, and recognition for faculty and staff.

3. Formalize hiring practices with a focus on teacher excellence, institutional fit, core values, and increasing diversity. This also includes formalizing job expectations and onboarding initiatives for all positions.

Financial Sustainability & Advancement Commit to a vigorous fiscal strategy and comprehensive fundraising plan.

Rationales 1. To ensure the school’s financial independence, sustainability, and growth.

2. To ensure Mirman is accessible and affordable to Mirman families across a wide swath of SES diversity.

3. To support the enhancement of new and innovative curricular programs and facilities.

Action Steps 1. Ensure that Finance and Advancement initiatives follow current best practices and are designed to directly support the strategic objectives and vision of Board governance and the Head of School.

2. Identify strategies focused on endowment growth, as part of comprehensive financial and fundraising plans.

3. Launch a public capital campaign to fund a campus improvement project.

4. Explore new and improve existing alternative revenue streams and fundraising opportunities.

5. Research and analyze various tuition and financial aid models, and propose recommendations that espouse Mirman’s inclusivity statement and commitment to SES diversity.

Campus & Facilities Expand the creation of contemporary learning spaces both on and beyond our physical campus.

Rationale To pioneer and modernize learning spaces shaped by Mirman’s mission and educational vision.

Action Steps 1. Obtain entitlements for the implementation of the Campus Master Plan.

2. Explore/develop opportunities for improvement of existing facilities.

3. Explore opportunities for learning settings and strategic relationships beyond existing facilities.

Mirman School Strategic Plan Committee

Administration

Trustees

Parents

Juyun Barnavon

Modi Wiczyk, Chair

Lori Aramian

Brad Barry

Claire Cui

Elizabeth Currid-Halkett

Connie Chiu

Mayee Futterman

Josh Jones

Noah Kaufman

Sharon Perlmutter Gavin

Kelli Kirkland

Stephanie Leung

Kourosh Ghassemieh

Lauren Lake

Tessa McKeown

Jennifer Hinman

Mark Landecker

Michael Novak

Anessa Karney ‘77–‘82

Paddy Spence

Jenn Salcido

Alan Mirman

Dena Scott

Erich Nall

Ron Simmons

Steve Oh

Rita Anne Smith

James Peace

Michael Taggart

Karen Sherwood

Dan Vorenberg

Aparna Sulé Lauren Turner

Faculty

Kiko Washington

Stephanie Feder

Kate Phillips Wiczyk

Jeffrey Flagg

Alex Wuo

Hazel Heredia Nicolás Kello

Former Trustees

Jeff Maynard

Susan Berman

Elizabeth Nelson

Wally Marks

DESIGN: WARREN GROUP | STUDIO DELUXE

Leslie Mirman Geffen

16180 Mulholland Drive Los Angeles, CA 90049 (310) 476-2868 mirman.org