The Masters School Strategic Plan 2015-2020

The Masters School • Strategic Plan 2015-2020 1

STRATEGIC PLAN2015-2020


Our MISSION STATEMENT and 5 belief statements provide the inspiration

for our STRATEGIC PLAN, which consists of 6 overarching goals.

When community members come together to think deeply and about our values, our strengths, and our future, the result is an important roadmap for The Masters School.

STRATEGIC PLAN2015-2020

The Masters School celebrates active participation, deep understanding, and meaningful connection. A community of diverse individuals, we gather to learn, to strive, to dare, to do—to be a power for good in the world.

MISSION STATEMENT


Since 2000, The Masters School has been guided by creative, ambitious strategic planning. During this period, the School has experienced meaningful growth and enrichment in every area.

Masters has attracted and retained a committed faculty who design and deliver a challeng-ing, student-centered academic program that is based on Harkness pedagogy and offers opportunities for global connection, New York City exploration, service learning, and ethi-cal leadership development. In addition to academics, our diverse student body—which has grown from 390 to 664 students since 2001—engages in arts offerings and takes part in athletic team pursuits. A vibrant residential program—for students from 15 states and 31 countries— enriches life for both day and boarding students. Successful fundraising and well-managed annual budgets have resulted in opportunities to invest in new programs and facilities. Our beautiful 96-acre campus now includes Morris Hall, a dedicated Middle School, 55 faculty housing units, and the Greene Family Field and Track. The 2015 opening of the MAAC (Masters Athletic and Arts Center) will further transform Masters by offering students and faculty a campus hub for arts, athletics, student leadership, meetings, and recreation.

STRATEGIC PLANNING THAT WORKS

The Masters School celebrates active participation, deep understanding, and meaningful connection. A community of diverse individuals, we gather to learn, to strive, to dare, to do—to be a power for good in the world.

to learnWE BELIEVE that students learn best when they construct their own meanings. This belief is reflected in the architecture of the classroom itself: the Harkness table gathers students and teachers to build knowledge and learn from one an-other. Our students practice communication and thinking skills by developing and supporting their ideas, listening carefully to others, working collaboratively, and sharing feedback. In the process, they come to understand their own ap-proaches to learning and value those of others. This group experience fosters a sense of collective responsibility, an appreciation of others, and a feeling of accomplishment in creating something unique and profound.


In 2013, the Board of Trustees determined it imperative that Masters embark upon a comprehensive strategic planning process, one that would build on the School’s strengths, honor our mission, and include the perspectives and experiences of all Masters’ stakeholders.

Over eighteen months, a Strategic Planning Steering Committee coordinated and oversaw several strategic planning initiatives that involved more than 125 trustees, alumnae/i, faculty, staff, parents, and students. In October 2013, trustees, faculty, and administrators discussed key trends in inde-pendent schools and analyzed Masters’ Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Next, Study Groups identified strategic priorities in five critical “pillars”: 21st Century Teaching and Learn-ing; Learning Beyond the Classroom; Technology; Enrollment and Marketing; and Financial Sustain-ability. At a two-day Retreat in April 2014, the Study Groups’ findings were presented and analyzed. Finally, guided by the Retreat recommendations, strategic goals and related strategies were devel-oped. The Board of Trustees approved the strategic goals at its November 1, 2014 meeting.

Simultaneous to the creation of the final Strategic Plan, the Mission Committee developed The Masters School’s new Mission and Beliefs Statement, which was also approved by the Board on November 1, 2014.

2015-2020 STRATEGIC PLAN

to striveWE BELIEVE that our environment must inspire students to strive to be their best selves—in academic, athletic, artistic, and all other endeavors. In working to achieve their goals, stu-dents learn to persevere. A community-wide focus on growth enables them to navigate challenges and become resourceful, confident, and resilient.


GOAL #2

GOAL #1

Our students are growing up in a world in which technological change is rapid, libraries of information are available instantly and wirelessly, individuals are increasingly mobile and social groups more and more diverse. The Masters School must respond to a changing world by teaching students the skills they need to thrive in this environment. Because change is happening so rapidly, it is impossible for us to teach our students everything they need to know by the time they graduate from The Masters School. Thus the most important skill our students need is the ability and inde-pendence to teach themselves, along with the flexibility to evolve and grow in a dynamic environment.

Curriculum and pedagogy are inseparable from each other and from all aspects of school life. A 21st century curriculum must be supported by a progressive pedagogy that in turn both reflects and creates the school culture. Because faculty are central to our ability to deliver our academic program, we must attract, develop and retain those who are best suited to engage our pedagogy. And, beyond their academic responsibilities, our educators must be committed to the education of the whole child—supporting stu-dent academic, moral, ethical, social, and emotional development.

Embrace Deep and Transformational Learning

Build a Faculty of Distinction that Embodies Our Philosophy and Pedagogy

The Masters School will:

Create a school culture that embraces the idea that the best learning is deep and transformational.

Ensure that faculty design a curriculum that engages students in authoring and assessing their own learning.


Align our pedagogy with our mission and core beliefs.

Ensure that our faculty are experts in their disciplines and are aligned with the Masters philosophy and pedagogy at all stages of their careers.

Articulate, internally and externally, our distinctive educational philosophy and how it is supported by our teaching meth-ods and practices.

to dareWE BELIEVE that we must empower students to dare—to wonder, to question what is known and to explore what is unknown. Our culture of kindness and inclusivity applauds students who take risks, learn from setbacks, and gain new perspectives.


GOAL #4

GOAL #3

Our faculty are encouraged to intentionally explore and apply new and effective pedagogies to enrich teaching and learning.

Maintaining a faculty of true distinction requires The Masters School to offer a highly competitive compensation structure, in which we include salary, housing, professional development and other benefits. We reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that we are in a strong competitive position vis-à-vis our peer schools in the area of faculty recruitment and retention.

Lead in Innovative Teaching

Support Growth and Excellence in our Faculty


Continue to evolve as a center of interesting and innovative learning, a place where all teachers strive to make visible and transparent the “craft” of learning.


Recognize the important role of competitive compensation in Masters’ ability to attract, develop and retain a faculty of true distinction and the necessity for a compensation system that is equitable and transparent.

to doWE BELIEVE that learning is doing. We ask our students to be more than consumers of content—we ask them to use what they learn to solve problems and design new visions for the world and their place in it. For our students, learning is experiential, and experience shapes learning.


GOAL #5

GOAL #6

The Masters School is an intentionally diverse, multicultural, and global learning community. Our Middle School and Upper School day students come from across the tri-state area, and boarding students join us from across the country and around the world. Our intellectually curious and engaged students excel in and ap-preciate athletics and the arts and are committed to making the world a better place. Their interests and talents mutually enrich each other’s lives and extend classroom learning.

The Masters School is at an exciting juncture in its history, and we are well positioned to sustain our positive momentum. In the near term, enrollment growth is not anticipated so we must diversify revenue sources in order to decrease reliance on tuition revenue and protect against financial downturns.

Celebrate Our Rich and Inclusive Learning Community

Guarantee the School’s Financial Future


Continue to develop a vibrant and inclusive learning community by enrolling the most mission-appropriate students—day and boarding—and ensuring that Masters is accessible to students whose backgrounds, experiences, and thinking will expand the world for all of us—in and out of the classroom.


Ensure that the current and future finan-cial well-being of the School is a priority and that adequate resources are available to invest in students, faculty, programs, campus facilities, and technology.

to be a power for good in the worldWhen Eliza B. Masters founded The Masters School in 1877, she set out to educate each student “to be a power for good in the world.” Today, we continue to hold this mission as central to everything we do. As our students contend with real-world issues both in and out of the classroom, they gain empathy, confidence, and a sense of responsibility to fulfill Miss Masters’ most important mission.


From October 2013 through November 2014, more than 125 members of the Masters community—trustees, faculty, administrators, alumnae/i, parents, and students—took part in study groups, served on committees, and attended the two-day Retreat held in April 2014. We thank the people listed below who gave so generously of their time and wise counsel to develop The Masters School’s Strategic Plan.

Schellie Archbold ‘69, P’16 Amy AtleeKarole Dill Barkley ‘78, P’17 Lisa Berrol P’13, ‘18Adriana BoteroChris Brakey ‘16 Sarah Brown ‘03 Karen Brown P’16Tim CampbellJeff CarnevaleJennifer CarnevalePedro Ceron P’16 Edith Chapin ‘83, TrusteeErica ChapmanJonathan Clay P‘19, TrusteeJohn ComfortoMichelle Coppola P’17 Ellen CowheyGillian Crane ‘92Alexander Daibes ‘15 Michele Dennis P’21Lee Dieck P’10Henry DuBeau ‘14 David Dunbar P’00, ’02Mary Duncan P’17 Stacey Farley P’13, ‘14, ‘17 Stephan Feder P’15, ‘19, TrusteeRob FishMaureen Fonseca P’05, ’08, TrusteeMark FrankelJustin Friedman ‘15

Darren Friedman P’15 Payton Fu ‘14 Vincent GalganoHenry Ginna ‘09 Barbara Goodman P’14, ‘17 Chris GoulianNancy GormleyFrank GreallySusan GreallyLynn Greenberg P’17 Michael Greene P’10, ‘13, TrusteeElise Griffin ‘47, P’77, TrusteeHelen Grim ‘53, P’84, Hon. TrusteeElizabeth Gross ‘05 Christina Guarin ‘14 MA HaskinLinda Heath ‘69 Nancy Hebard ‘61 Alex Herzan P’13, TrusteePriscilla Hindley ‘66 Sheree Holliday P’16, ‘20, TrusteeKeith HoltonBob Horne P’15Matt IvesTim Kane P’15, ‘20Lusyd Kourides ‘70Francesca LaPasta ‘15 Elyse Lazansky ‘78, P’16, ‘20 Evan Leek ‘01 Clay Lifflander P’14, ‘16, TrusteeTracy Limpe ‘80, P’18, Board ChairSusie Mackay ‘58

Sydney Macy ‘70, TrusteeJohn ManganielloEdgar Masters, H’98, Life TrusteeKeryn Mathas P’19 ’22, TrusteeAmalia Mayorga ‘15 John McGovern ‘07 Margaret McKean ‘15 Jason McLeod ‘15 Mindy Meads P’11, TrusteeStephanie MestyanJerrie Miller P’10, ‘14Seymour MintzerJulie MiranKeith Morgan P’17, Trustee Susan Morris ‘57, Life TrusteeChristine Neikirk ‘84, TrusteeBeth Nolan ‘69, TrusteeJessica NuñezRicardo Oelkers ‘03 Suzie Paxton, ’88, TrusteeDan PereiraSheldon PerlyskyJanet Pietsch P’09, ‘20, TrusteeGilles PugatchPenney Riegelman, TrusteeColleen RocheBob RooneyRalph Rosenberg P’13, ‘15, ‘16, ‘19, TrusteeKim-Adele Rosner P’17, ‘18 Tom RossiniMary Rotella

Leslie Rusoff P’17, ‘17, ‘18 Mary Ryan ‘00Eli Salzman P’11, ‘17 Judith SchechtmanMary Schellhorn P’08Brandon Schneider ‘15 Miguel SegoviaAmie Servino ‘95Eric ShapiroHeather Sherman P’14Richard SimonMichael Skrilow ‘99 Lynn Sobel ‘71, P’99, ‘05, TrusteeAnna Sobel Mudrick ‘99 Diana Spencer ‘56, P’84, TrusteeKristen TregarMarianna van BrummelenKevin Versen P’13Lynne Versen P’13Tim Weir P’17Serena Wessely ‘15 James Wexler P’19 Everett “Doc” Wilson P’09Madeline Wilson P’05, ‘08Darren WoodKathi WoodsCori Worchel P’19, ‘21 Lew WymanSkeff Young P’13, ’18Marianna Zapata ‘16 Shan Zhu P’16, Trustee

STRATEGIC PLANNING PARTICIPANTS

STRATEGIC PLANNING STEERING COMMITTEEAlex Herzan P’13, ChairTracy Tang Limpe ’80, P’18Maureen Fonseca P’05, ’08

Adriana BoteroTim Kane P’15, ‘20Mary Schellhorn P’08

THE MASTERS SCHOOL | 49 CLINTON AVENUE, DOBBS FERRY, NY 10522 | MASTERSNY.ORG P: 914.479.6400 | F: 914.693.7295 | [email protected]

Documents

The Masters School Strategic Plan 2015-2020