Action Steps for 2019-20

An ambitious list of action steps accompanies each of our four priorities for the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan. Below is a summary of steps for the 2019-20 school year, some already completed, some underway and some still to be addressed in the months to come.

Time spent on each of these action steps moves us closer to the 2022 vision for Spartanburg Day School. Approaches to each of these steps are expected to grow and shift with careful thought and planning. They are subject to change or redirection as the larger plan progresses.

Updates will be posted to this Strategic Plan page at least twice each year.

 

Elevate Learning & Teaching Excellence

  • Define the SDS educational philosophy
  • Complete "Portrait of a Graduate" and communicate broadly
  • Support educational philosophy and curricular alignment with dedicated professional development resources.
  • Conduct a needs analysis for a curriculum coordinator and department chairs, including structure and costs
  • Research and adopt digital citizenship curriculum
  • Review current cycle for technology replacement and make recommendations for future needs
  • Create Middle School after school program ✔️
  • Create athletic program mission statement/philosophy ✔️
  • Explore new opportunities to enrich fine arts programming
  • Add the German language as a course offering in the Upper School ✔️

Support Faculty Quality & Engagement

  • Reorganize the business office to create Human Resources expertise for school wide support ✔️
  • Evaluation process documented for all faculty.
  • Increase outreach to cultivate prospective faculty
  • Complete and present a faculty salary study to include competitor and industry information for salaries and benefits
  • Redesign on-boarding of new faculty with goals of informing and supporting ✔️
  • Create a comprehensive hiring process for all faculty
  • Develop a system to support ongoing professional growth and development for all faculty
  • Define the value proposition for faculty
     

Strengthen Culture & Community

  • Develop a process for annual survey implementation and feedback
  • Be more intentional in all aspects of the Griffin experience for every faculty member, student and parent.
  • Leadership Team to enhance internal communications
  • Parents' Community to focus programs on community building and parent connections
  • Increase social opportunities, educational programming and school spirit through athletics and other school events
  • Study the student experience by collecting data relating to wellness
  • Gather data through surveys and feedback opportunities to study school culture and inclusion

Achieve Financial Sustainability

  • Secure pledges of $2 million toward a $10 million goal by 2022
  • Raise $500,000 in unrestricted Annual Fund giving
  • Explore partnerships to support new student enrollments through endowed funding
  • Solicit two donor restricted funds of up to $25,000 for funding new programs and ideas
  • Build relationships with community partners to enroll new students
  • Increase international student enrollment
  • Foster and improve relationships with college partners for admission of new college partnership students. 
  • Reintroduce the planned giving program with a goal of $3 million in planned gifts by 2022
  • Study the impact of $2,000 - $4,000 grants to build enrollment
  • Update master plan for facilities renewal and replacement
     

* ✔️ completed