STRATEGIC PLAN

Strategic planning is a process of discovery, reflection, discussion, community building, and priority setting through which an organization defines its overarching direction, sets goals, and develops objectives. A good strategic planning process generates goals that are aspirational, but also practical and obtainable, through a methodology that depends upon the participation of the school community.

The best strategic planning process results in a plan that is institutionally resonant—it reflects the unique characteristics and goals of that institution. Our new strategic plan will guide the school for the coming years.

There are several external factors that call for the development of an updated strategic plan: the unprecedented pace of technological change; the growing and changing Long Beach community; imaginative, new ways of teaching and learning; and the need to make more environmentally sustainable decisions.

Internal factors are equally important in determining why plan now. Westerly participates in Strategic Planning every three years. Our last strategic plan was for 2019-2023 and was extended through 2024 due to the COVID-19 pandemic delaying our plans. Therefore, the 2024-2025 school year is the year to develop our next strategic plan.

As you know, Westerly went through our accreditation process during the 2023-2024 school year, which lays out the requirements from CAIS (California Association of Independent Schools) for Westerly to be an accredited, independent school. The result of the accreditation visit was a thorough plan with recommendations on what our community needs to continue to grow financially, academically, and socially. The timing is perfect as the accreditation report has a significant role in the strategic planning process informing the steering committee and Mission Minded of where Westerly is now, and where we are headed.

The Board has a desire and a fiduciary responsibility to set a clear vision and ensure alignment with the school’s future goals; to set the school up for success with changes in enrollment and attrition trends, ensuring our school continues to head in the right direction; and a desire to revisit and reaffirm the school’s mission to ensure it reflects our community's needs.

This strategic planning process does not exist to correct any deficiency, fix any problem, or remediate any function or program of the school. Instead, it begins from a position of strength and provides the opportunity for our school to plan for even greater accomplishments in the future. Its purpose is to build upon our solid foundation.

The strategic planning process will provide opportunities for every member of the community to share their opinions and ideas. The process will include a select number of one-on-one interviews with identified individuals, two community-wide surveys, and in-person community sessions. Furthermore, the head of school has a Steering Committee that has been appointed by the Chair of the Board and the Head of School to help guide the planning process. The committee comprises individuals who bring different and varied lenses to the work:

Alex Jackson, Board Chair and Steering Committee Chair

Rebecca Geary, Head of School

Amber Dickens, Director of Admissions

Molly O'Brien, Communications Manager

Gina Ashworth, 5th Grade Teacher

Nancy Cherin, 2nd Grade Teacher

Adrian A. Mendoza, Art Teacher

Tiffany Starr, WPA President

Jackie Caplan Wiggins, Alumni Parent

David Wright, Middle School Current Parent

Michael Hagen, Middle School Current Parent

Anita Cochran Morris, Lower School Current Parent

Charles Smith, Lower School Current Parent

Karen Rosolowski, Board Member

Tonya Porter, Board Member

Members of the Steering Committee will meet throughout the process to discuss information gathered in the process of discovery and collaborate in the creation of the plan’s goals and objectives.

The more opinions we hear during the process, the better the plan will be. Please participate in interviews, surveys, and community sessions when invited.

The first survey you will receive will be your opportunity to reflect on your Westerly experience and provide your thoughts, opinions, and feedback on what is top of mind for you. We ask that you be as honest and transparent as possible as that is the only way for us to have a successful strategic plan.

After the first survey, there will be an invitation to attend in-person community sessions on campus in which we will share the results of our research and present the priorities the Steering Committee has selected based on your feedback. We will then ask for your ideas on how to accomplish the prioritized goals. This is your opportunity to share your ideas for solutions and initiatives on how Westerly can get to where we want to go.

The last survey will be sharing the ideas that have collected, and further prioritizing what you believe Westerly school focus on for this next three-year strategic plan.

Again, we ask that you please participate in each of these steps. While we won't be able to accomplish everyone's goals, we will be ensuring our strategic plan reflects the entire community.

To help us in this endeavor, we have retained Mission Minded, a strategy and creative firm with deep experience guiding good causes to greater impact.

Their role will be to function as our partner in creating an inspiring and practical plan that responds to the needs of our community and allows us to flourish while advancing our mission. Their impartiality and focus on the project will allow the planning to progress without reducing the working capacity of school staff.

Once a strategic plan is completed, it becomes a guiding framework for the school's decisions and initiatives. The next steps involve implementing the plan’s objectives, tracking progress, and adjusting as needed to ensure the school achieves its long-term goals. This will be led by Rebecca Geary, our Head of School, the Board of Trustees, and a select group.