A Spotlight on Success

A Spotlight on Success

AN UPDATE ON WESTVIEW'S STRATEGIC PLAN

In the Spring of 2021, The Westview School Board of Trustees began the process of strategic planning for the school. Consultants from Gerhsenson and Associates surveyed and interviewed all constituents, including students, families, staff, and the Board, to identify key priorities for the future In the Fall of 2021, the Board adopted a 3 to 5-year strategic plan that includes increasing our investment in Our People, Our Campus, and Our Students’ Futures. Since the plan was adopted, we have made significant progress in the three areas. Here are some of the key accomplishments in each area:

OUR PEOPLE

Prioritizing professional development for our staff ensures that we are highly qualified to meet the diverse needs of our students. Some of the professional development completed in the last few years includes DIR Floortime for early childhood and pre-kindergarten teachers, Reading by Design for kindergarten and elementary teachers, UT Blended Learning for middle school teachers, and Nurtured Heart, Responsive Classroom, and Capturing Kids’ Hearts for all staff. The Westview School has also provided financial support for four teachers to earn additional credentials and certifications.

In order to retain and attract world-class staff, we conducted a comprehensive review of salary and benefits to ensure that The Westview School was offering competitive packages to employees.

Our Board of Trustees was also trained by The Education Group on best practices for school governance. The Board has implemented a new committee structure that allows for more active engagement in key areas of Advancement, Finance, and Governance. The Governance Committee has successfully recruited three highly qualified new members to join the Board.

OUR CAMPUS

World class facilities for our students was identified as a priority. We have done significant work inside and out, towards this goal. Installing dimmers on all lights in the 1900 building allows teachers to adapt the classroom environment to accommodate the sensory needs of students. The interior and exterior of both buildings have been repainted, the parking lots were resurfaced, and work is being done to regrade and resod the 1830 playground.

A feasibility study on vertical and horizontal expansion of The Westview School is being completed by The Education Group. The Board will review the report and make a decision on next steps in the fall.

OUR STUDENTS' FUTURES

Critical thinking, problem solving, and social skills were three of the primary needs identified during the strategic planning process. To ensure that all students have opportunities to develop these important skills, we have added new curriculum resources for early childhood and prekindergarten. New Amplify science and Fly Five social and emotional learning programs have been implemented in kindergarten through middle school.

Supporting families to ensure the best outcomes for our students’ futures has always been a top priority of The Westview School. There are several ways that we provide top notch support. Westview EDU is a free family education series. Topics are identified by families, and Westview finds speakers to address the need.

Eventually, all students are ready to transition to another school, and our admissions team and support specialists work hard to support families in finding the next school for their child. Whether it is attending an ARD meeting at their neighborhood public school or helping to identify another private school that would be a good match, our team of professionals takes great care in helping families at every step of the process.

I am proud of the great work that we have done towards achieving our key measures of success included in our strategic plan.