School Leadership

Here are some of the highlights of Westtown’s Strategic Plan that will be taken up in the 2006-07 school year, the first year of the Plan’s implementation: Printable Version of the complete Plan

Program

  • Focus on learning styles and multiple intelligences as they impact curriculum, pedagogical approaches, and assessment
  • Develop advanced-level coursework in all Upper School academic areas to replace AP classes
  • Decide whether to add a non-western language to the curriculum
  • Strengthen interdisciplinary and thematic curricular offerings schoolwide
  • Coordinate the teaching of writing and oral presentation skills within the language arts, pre-K-12
  • Strengthen faculty support and evaluation
  • Begin dialogue about increasing the overall professional development budget; emphasize professional development for coaches this year
  • Write an environmental mission statement; begin to develop lake preservation plans
  • Begin planning for renovations to the science and arts centers, the next phase of the AFI, health center expansion and renovations, and expansion of the dining room/kitchen in order to determine funding needs for a capital campaign

People

  • Assess Westtown’s overall organizational design and staffing needs, looking at strengths and weaknesses of the present structure, to achieve greatest efficiency
  • Enrollment initiatives:
    • Involve all faculty/staff in Admission efforts
    • Develop language and opportunities to convey the benefits of the boarding program
    • Position Westtown both nationally and internationally as a premier boarding school
    • Increase financial aid to approximately 25% of the operating budget, and fund Full Access
    • Maintain a Quaker presence of 20% of the student body, and continue support of the Quaker Leadership Program for students
  • Participate in the Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism (AIM)
  • Foster and maintain a strong sense of community among faculty and staff
  • Develop a five-year marketing plan to bring Westtown’s message to mission-appropriate students, families, and educational professionals
  • Begin to develop targets for increased faculty/staff compensation packages to be implemented over the next five years
  • Seek funding for additional senior faculty housing

Progress

  • Build a culture of stewardship within the Westtown community
  • Increase non-tuition revenue
  • Identify capital campaign core needs
  • Seek ways to improve visibility, transparency, and communication with all Westtown constituencies on the part of the Board of Trustees

Project Teams

Virtually all objectives and action steps in the strategic plan will be implemented by existing committees and groups. However, the following special project teams have been created:

Compensation/Benefits/Professional Development

Organizational Design

Environmental Issues/Sustainability

Non-Tuition Revenue