Crossroads School Launches Their Strategic Plan

Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California, launched their strategic plan this week. A result of nearly 18 months of work by the school, including the strategic planning steering committee, faculty, staff, and board, the new plan is an exciting vision for the school. An ISA client for many years, we completed the strategic plan in partnership with the school over the past 18 months.

“Backed by a philosophy that values developing our students’ full human potential—as learners, artists, critical thinkers and engaged community members—Crossroads has nurtured thousands of students since its inception in 1971 and empowered them to effect positive change locally, nationally and internationally.

Yet the world our students will inherit is constantly evolving. As a school, it is imperative that we identify and strengthen our institutional priorities so that we may continue to fulfill the promise of our philosophy well into the future. To this end, Crossroads has developed a new strategic plan, which will guide the School over the next five to seven years.

The plan articulates the School’s priorities and objectives identified during the recent self-study as well as the strategic planning work overseen by the research and planning firm Ian Symmonds & Associates, with the participation of individuals from all across our incredible community. Serving as our North Star, the strategic plan will guide Crossroads in our efforts to improve, to grow and to guarantee the School’s long-term sustainability.

The School’s plans to enhance the student experience, expand our presence in Los Angeles and beyond and ensure our future success reflect our steadfast dedication to our founding commitments: to academic excellence; to the arts; to the greater community; to the development of a student population of social, economic and racial diversity; and to the development of each student’s physical well-being and full human potential.”

— Bob Riddle, Head of School, Crossroads School

We are very excited about the future of this extraordinary beacon of progressive learning in Southern California, the West Coast, and the nation. You can download the entire plan here or visit the strategic plan launch page to learn more.

The Hewitt School Selects ISA

The Hewitt School in New York, New York has selected Ian Symmonds & Associates for a strategic visioning process. Our work commences this month and will continue throughout the spring, summer, and fall. We are very excited to welcome this innovative and powerful girls school to our client community.

The Hewitt School is an independent, K-12 girls school in New York City, New York. The school serves girls from Kindergarten through 12th Grade, in three divisions: Lower School (K-4), Middle School (5-8), and Upper School (9-12). The Hewitt School is housed in four buildings on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The Hewitt program is carefully constructed around four academic pillars, including presence, empathy, research, and purpose. These pillars shape the way their teachers teach, their students learn, and, ultimately, the way both teachers and students live their lives: beyond the expected, beyond the easy answer, and beyond what seemed possible.

Houston Christian High School Announces Landmark Pricing Program

Houston Christian High School has announced a landmark tuition pricing program in the Houston region. The new Mustang Promise is an indexed tuition program that will promote greater access and inclusivity to the school throughout the city. We are very proud of our long-time client as they made their bold announcement on KHOU’s Great Day Houston program.

According to the school, tuition is no longer a one-size fits all model at Houston Christian. Indexed tuition is essentially a scaled tuition model based on annual income, allowing families to immediately see the potential cost of their education. Houston Christian is the first high school to launch this innovative tuition model in Texas. This bold step will keep us at the forefront of education as an academic leader while reaching more families throughout Houston.

Houston Christian High School has been an Ian Symmonds & Associates client school for well over a decade. Over the years we have developed several strategic marketing and enrollment plans, as well as strategic planning retreats with their board of trustees and administrative teams. HCHS rose to Houston area independent school prominence with their development of the Passport to Leadership program nearly a decade ago and is home to the George and Barbara Bush Center for Leaders and Scholars. The Bush Center is the only high school leadership center bearing the name and integrating the leadership legacies of a U.S. president. The center develops scholarship and leadership among gifted students from across the world.

Father Ryan High School Leads with Exceptional Strategic Plan Video Launch

Father Ryan High School has just hit a home run with this exceptional strategic plan launch video. The school went public with their strategic plan yesterday, complete with a Strategic Plan Landing Page, featuring the video and the PDF file of the plan. We completed the strategic plan for Father Ryan High School this past fall and could not be more proud of their work. Kudos to Jim McIntyre and the whole team!

King School (CT) Selects ISA

King School in Stamford, Connecticut has selected Ian Symmonds & Associates for strategic plan development. Our work began in January and will continue throughout the spring and summer. We are excited to welcome this extraordinary institution into the ISA family of schools.

King School is a highly selective, PreKindergarten-Grade 12 co-ed, independent day school. King is actually the convergence of four distinct independent schools that, from the beginning, shared similar educational missions. The school believes academic excellence stems from the interaction among a challenging program that requires students to be engaged, active learners; support by exceptional faculty; and a kind community.

King is dedicated to preparing its students to thrive in a rapidly changing world. The school provides an excellent, progressive education, grounded in the traditional disciplines of the arts and sciences, committed to the nurturing of individual potential, and designed to promote critical thinking and reasoned reflection. Using rich and innovative methods, King’s Teachers facilitate each student’s fullest academic and personal achievement. They champion the development of character, self-confidence, and talent through challenging intellectual, creative, athletic, leadership, and service opportunities.

King believes that individual accomplishment must go hand in hand with respect for others. The King culture of respect fosters collaboration as well as independence. They community embraces human and cultural diversity and values responsible citizenship.

If I Had a Dime > The Fallacy of Pure Marketing

Oh, if I had a dime. If I only had a dime for every time I have heard a board member say the following, in a very convinced tone, I would be happy man.

“Our enrollment would be fine if we just marketed and told our story better so as to differentiate ourselves from the competition”.

We hear this a lot from our clients and some of their key leaders. They actually remain convinced that their enrollment and sustainability challenges are primarily an issue of promotional efforts. And, it is simply not true. Most strategists would agree that there are a myriad of factors that play into enrollment sustainability, including market trends, effective strategic enrollment management, history and heritage, image and reputation, and, yes, marketing.

But, there some age-old advice for those who still subscribe to this belief. If you want to distinguish yourself from the competition, then actually do something different! It starts with program development, creating a set of flagship programs and services that are truly worthy of promotion. Marketing is never a silver bullet but, at best introduces great products in an audience-centric way. It is important, but it cannot deliver on a product that is poor in quality or not unique.

Now, back to counting dimes.

Why Non-Profits Matter More Today Than Ever Before

We live in turbulent times. I don’t believe there has ever been a moment in North American history where our world seems so fragile and uncertain. Three significant shifts are among the most responsible for this moment in time, and they include:

1. the pace of change and innovation,

2. a divided geopolitical environment both nationally and globally, and

3. acute generational shifts.

Together, these changes have literally altered the landscape of our day to day life, from transportation to retail to entertainment to politics. And, they produce so much anxiety and dissonance in our culture. We are so connected as a people and yet are so divided as a culture. We live in unusual times and are traveling in unchartered territory.

I remain hopeful, though, about our future. I look to the role of the non-profit organization in these times as a beacon of light to provide a path to our direction. I have been drawn to the work of non-profits my entire life, largely due to the durability of their missions and for their potential for human and cultural transformation. Whether it be a school, college, university, association, church, health cause, or human rights advocacy group, all non-profits share in the common the durability of their mission and their potential for transformation in this rapidly changing world..

The late Peter Drucker reminded us often before he passed away about the importance of our work. He always had the right words to tell us how important our work was in the context of our changing world.

““The 21st century will be the century of the social sector organization. The more economy, money, and information become global, the more community will matter. And only the social sector nonprofit organization performs in the community, exploits its opportunities, mobilizes its local resources, solves its problems. The leadership, competence, and management of the social sector nonprofit organization will thus largely determine the values, the vision, the cohesion, and the performance of the 21st century society.””

— Peter Drucker

Drucker was right. We have to remember the importance of our work. At a time when it seems that our world is fragile, uncertain, and divisive, we have to remember the human condition never changes. People have needs, and collectively they build communities that are interdependent and rely on each other to meet those needs. We have to keep in mind that our work remains of critical importance, regardless of the pace of change or the political landscape.

We are all connected. We all desire to live in communities that thrive. We all want a better world for our children. What we do in the non-profit social sector world matters greatly. MLK Jr. reminded us that life’s most pressing and urgent question is “what are you doing for others?” I remain highly confident that the nonprofit social sector organization has been - and continues to be - preoccupied with this question. I remain hopeful for a better future. And, I believe that our collective work has the power to transform the world.

Ian's Upcoming Spring Speaking Engagement Dates Released

Ian’s upcoming speaking engagements for the spring are now posted online. As part of our (isa) Institute’s mission of promoting professional development and thought leadership for the social sector through writing, speaking, seminars, conferences, and webinars, Ian will be providing keynote addresses at Puget Sound Independent Schools in Seattle in May, Enrollment Management Association in Los Angeles in May, and Florida Council of Independent Schools in Palm Beach in July. Dates and times can be found on our (isa) Institute page here.

Tampa Prep Selects ISA

Tampa Prep has selected Ian Symmonds & Associates for research and strategy services. We will partner with this highly innovative independent school beginning in the new year as they develop their next strategic plan. Tampa Preparatory School is the premier private school in the Tampa Bay area for students in grades 6 – 12. As a leader in education, Tampa Prep incorporates progressive ideas into the curriculum, schedule and facilities on a regular basis. The school has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for innovation, leadership and educational excellence.

Happy Holidays from Ian Symmonds & Associates

ISA wishes you the very best of the holiday season.  In an effort to afford ourselves the opportunity to refresh and reflect, ISA will be closed from December 21st through January 6th.  During this time, ISA staff members will be checking email, voicemail, and our Basecamp collaboration feeds only periodically.  We wish you a safe and enjoyable holiday season and look forward to our work together in the New Year!

The Baylor Strategic Plan

The Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee recently launched their strategic plan. The heritage-laden and leadership-rich leader in day and residential education in the Southeast, Baylor has a long history of building successful and innovative strategic plans. The result of over a year of effort at the board, administrative, and faculty levels, the Baylor School strategic plan stands out as a remarkable roadmap to the the future. You may download a copy in PDF format here.

Understanding Why Some Strategies Work and Others Don't

Most of us develop strategies for our organizations on a regular basis. However, we often forget exactly what we are trying to accomplish in that strategy. In other words, to what end or intended outcome does each strategy accomplish? We think this fundamental issue has a lot to do with why a particular strategy is successful or not.

We have found that there are five distinct purposes or intended outcomes under which you can categorize any strategy. They are:

Missional Mandate
Achieving this goal will purely align with your mission.

Competitive Imperative
Achieving this goal will be responsive or "catch up" to marketplace demands.

Element of Distinction
Achieving this goal will position your organization as the only one of a kind in a specific category.

Revenue Producer
Achieving this goal will produce revenue which can be invested back into program or product.

Innovative Disruptor
Achieving this goal will create disruptive change in the industry, altering the trajectory of the sector or changing the rules of the game in the future.

If your strategy does not meet any one these five criterial, you might want to question exactly what it does accomplish for your organization. A successful portfolio of strategies typically are balanced among the four distinct purposes listed above. For example, it is often best if your organization is meeting missional mandates, being responsive to the market demands, creating new distinctions, and generating new revenue to invest in program.

Remember a strategy is in and of itself not enough. It must be intended to accomplish a specific objective. Understanding what you are trying to accomplish and aligning your strategies accordingly is a best practice in planning.

Finally, look to your vision to help formulate strategy. If your organization does not have a vision, or have answered the question of “why” you do what you do, then it is time to go back to the woodshed. We will talk about the importance of vision in formulating strategy in our next post.

ISA Welcomes Dr. Gary Daynes to Consulting Team

Ian Symmonds & Associates is pleased to welcome Dr. Gary Daynes to our consulting team. Gary will join our team as a consulting associate, leading strategic efforts with our clients in both (isa) education and (isa) nonprofit. He offices and lives in Eastern North Carolina.

Gary Daynes has over twenty years experience as a professor, author, school leader, and innovator. Through those years, though, his work has focused on a few key beliefs: that communities must organize themselves in order to flourish, that schools are essential parts of flourishing communities, and that the relationship between teachers and learners is the key factor in educational success. Gary is a listener, a problem-solver, and a conceptual thinker. He’s also the father of four college-age daughters.

Gary has taught at large universities and small colleges on topics as varied as American intellectual history, community organizing, and the relationship between place and vocation. He has led initiatives on service-learning, learning communities, mentored student research, electronic portfolios, and retention, all with the purpose of deepening student learning. He has published and presented on the civil rights movement, social change in America, and the activism of Jane Addams. His current work focuses on the ways that small schools and small communities can succeed in the face of competition from larger institutions.

As a school leader, Gary served Westminster College in Salt Lake City, UT as Associate Provost for Integrative Learning, and later as the Vice President for Strategic Outreach and Enrollment. He is currently the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Barton College in Wilson, NC where he has led academic affairs, enrollment management, and marketing for the college. Gary’s success in these leadership roles is based on his ability to work across boundaries--both organizational and human.

Gary is a civic leader as well. He co-founded the College Access Network of Utah, and chaired the boards of City Academy, an urban charter high school in Salt Lake City, UT, and the Utah Humanities Council. He is currently the board chair for the St. John Community Development Corporation, a non-profit sponsored by the St. John AME Zion church, and dedicated to the educational success of underserved children in eastern North Carolina. Gary is also a leader in economic development in eastern North Carolina, having just been part of a team to win a million dollar grant to start an innovation hub and co-working space in Wilson, NC.

Gary has led strategic planning efforts for non-profits, K-12 schools, and independent colleges.

Marymount School of Santa Barbara Selects ISA

Marymount School of Santa Barbara (CA) has selected Ian Symmonds & Associates as their strategic planning partner for their upcoming plan. Marymount of Santa Barbara is an independent school for boys and girls age 4 through 8th grade. Marymount places equal value on the intellectual, social and emotional, and ethical dimensions of learning. Our work will commence in March 2019 and continue on through the calendar year. We are excited to welcome Marymount of Santa Barbara to our client community.

Father Ryan High School Launches Strategic Plan

Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Tennessee has launched a bold, new strategic plan. Feel free to download new plan - “Forming Lives of Excellence in the Catholic Tradition” - as a PDF file here.

Father Ryan’s mission is to be an experience of the living Gospel while challenging students to reach their spiritual, academic and personal potential. The school seeks to be a superior Catholic high school, providing excellence in religious and moral formation, academics, athletics, and the arts while remaining accessible to those seeking an education in the Catholic Tradition.

Founded in 1925 as Nashville Catholic High School for Boys, Father Ryan is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville. It was the first racially integrated high school in Tennessee.

Cascades Academy Launches Their Strategic Plan

Cascades Academy in Bend, Oregon has recently launched their new strategic plan. We are pleased to present our Strategic Plan, “Poised and Ready.” This plan is the culmination of 18 months of research, reflection, and community discussions that have resulted in an ambitious plan for the school’s exciting future. We are immensely grateful to the students, staff, parents, board members, and community partners who contributed their time and insight into creating such a forward-thinking plan. You can view the web version of their strategic plan here.

Cascades Academy was founded in 2003 in order to fulfill the need for an independent, PK-12 college preparatory school in Central Oregon. The school opened its doors on Studio Road in mid-town Bend with 61 students. In the fall of 2013, the school moved to a 21-acre campus in Tumalo, and added a third wing to its campus in 2017. Cascades Academy offers a challenging academic curriculum that integrates experiential learning, outdoor education, fine arts, and service learning. Small class sizes allow teachers to discover every student's unique potential - finding the right balance of challenge and support to help each student excel in a caring and dynamic community. Cascades Academy is an engaged, vibrant community that weaves challenging academics with experiential learning to inspire socially responsible individuals ready for a diverse and changing world.

The Avery Coonley School Launches Their Strategic Plan

The Avery Coonley School in Downer’s Grove, Illinois - part of the ChicagoLand Metropolitan area - has just launched their strategic plan. The Avery Coonley School is an independent day school for academically gifted students in Preschool-8th grade. Their mission is to provide a learning environment that is appropriate both for academically bright and gifted children who are motivated to learn and have demonstrated the potential for the scholastic achievement necessary to succeed in a challenging academic program, in order that they may become positive, productive, and respectful members of society. Check out the strategic plan here.

St. Mary's Hall Launches Strategic Plan

St. Mary’s Hall in San Antonio, Texas has launched their strategic plan. After a full 9 months of research, analysis, and planning, the school proudly launches “A Bold Plan for Excellence”, providing the roadmap for the next five years.

Saint Mary's Hall was founded in 1879 on the principles of knowledge, self-confidence, and respect for others. Originally organized by the Episcopal Church, Saint Mary's Hall is now an independent and coeducational campus for students and families of all faiths. Saint Mary's Hall creates a culture of trust where every student is known. Recognized as an academic powerhouse, SMH echoes the offerings of a liberal arts college with a rich, rigorous curriculum, passionate, expert faculty, extensive fine arts, and a competitive athletic program with unique sports offerings. Graduates go forth confidently armed with the skills, knowledge, and self-awareness needed to thrive in college and find fulfillment in life.

You can read the PDF file of the plan here or visit their website to view a web presentation of this bold plan.

Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley Launches Strategic Plan

Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley in the Bay Area of California recently launched their strategic plan. The strategic plan was launched during a social gathering at the art gallery Kala Art Institute located in Berkeley, on October 2018. Parents, trustees, alumni students, parents as well as faculty and staff joined the event to learn about the new plan.  Read the PDF file of the plan here or check out the video above to learn more.

Awareness is a Powerful Start for Independent Schools

File this one under the “for what it’s worth or “news you can use” category.

We’ve just finished several powerful strategic projects for our clients across the nation, as well as launched brand new projects over the past few weeks and months. Add a keynote speaking engagement for MISBO at Hilton Head Island in October, as well as contributing to an upcoming featured story for the Enrollment Management Association, it feels like we have really had the opportunity to be in touch with what people in the independent school field are feeling.

Independent schools are starting to see the issues, the challenges, and are grappling with them in an honest way that I have not seen in the past. There appears to be a building awareness among those that I connect with of three main strands of thought:

1. The business model of independent schools is broken, was never sustainable, and is in the process of being recalibrated.

2. The classroom has already changed and will never be the same; it is up to us to adjust to a new learning and teaching environment.

3. Delivery of education in the future may undergo as radical of change as we have seen in retail, transportation, and entertainment.

It is a good moment in time. Awareness is a powerful start for creating the necessary change in our model. I sense more urgency as a result of the awareness of the issues at hand. I still believe that independence remains the most powerful attribute of independent schools and colleges. We can exercise our independence by leading the change in the education industry. I see leaders and school communities wrestling with this new reality with a renewed sense of purpose. This is a critical first step at moving the industry sector forward.