home > strategic plan

Sycamore School Strategic Plan 2009-2014

Mission | Philosophy | Vision | Goals | Communication and Marketing | Community
Faculty, Staff and Administration | Finance | Governance | Program

Mission

Sycamore School exists so that academically gifted children can experience the enriched, accelerated education they need to reach their potential and to lead responsible, constructive, fulfilling lives.

back to top

Philosophy

• Gifted learners have special intellectual, social, and emotional needs. They need an open, enriched educational environment designed to develop superior thinking skills and the opportunity to complete a broad range of academic and artistic projects and products. The curriculum should offer greater complexity, more depth, and a faster pace than is typical. Students should have stimulating interaction with their intellectual peers and be encouraged to develop the skills and character traits of creative, productive, contributing members of society. Sycamore School values its positive, enthusiastic school climate that supports and nurtures school life.
• Sycamore School provides a full-time educational program to meet the needs of academically gifted students. The faculty members set criteria for evaluating students' academic progress, and promote and expect the development of personal responsibility, task commitment, selfdiscipline, independent learning, and respectful conduct. High standards of behavior and performance, as well as high aptitude, are expected.
• Sycamore has an ongoing commitment to leadership in developing and improving teaching methods, learning strategies, and curricula in gifted education. Its teachers are dedicated to learning from others in gifted education and to sharing their experience and expertise with the larger community for the educational enrichment of all children.

Vision

• Sycamore School will be recognized as the premier resource in Indianapolis, and among the best in the nation, for the education and development of the academically gifted child.
• The following six goals were identified through an intense, deliberative process which invited input from the Sycamore School Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, parents, alumni, and other members of the Sycamore community.
• Each goal is defined by a rationale statement, establishing the basis for that goal, and supported by a set of objectives.
• Finally, each Goal has one or more "Owners" from the Board of Trustees, the Administration, or both, depending on the nature of the Goal and the strategic or operational aspect of the resulting action items. The Owners will lead the creation, management and progress monitoring of the action items associated with each objective within each Goal.

Goals

• Communication and Marketing
• Community
• Faculty, Staff and Administration
• Finance
• Governance
• Program

Communication and Marketing

Goal Statement:

• Increase awareness of Sycamore's unique niche in the marketplace by developing greater understanding of our identity and of the value we offer for academically gifted children in the region.

Rationale:

• There is a fundamental market need to promote interest and demand for the school sufficient to meet enrollment expectations.
• The success of the school depends on strong internal and external marketing.
• Every effort must be made to facilitate positive and accurate communication within and about the school.

Goal Owners:

• Board: TBD
• Administration: Directors of Marketing, Admissions and Development

Objectives:

1. Routinely assess, update and execute the marketing plan through broad, enthusiastic participation.
2. Build understanding and awareness of what it means to be academically gifted
3. Strengthen the awareness of the special value of the Sycamore experience and education
4. Develop and strengthen opportunities for partnerships and other types of relationships with the greater gifted education community, universities, foundations, and other resources
5. Continue to cultivate and nurture positive relationships with referral sources and other community organizations
6. Enhance relationships with secondary schools

Community

Goal Statement:

• Continually share and reinforce the Sycamore experience as a positive and significant force in the formation of lasting relationships across the many dimensions of our community.

Rationale:

• The four respects of self, others, time, and property are core values of the Sycamore School.
• The development of character is as important as the development of each student's academic potential.
• Healthy relationships based on these four respects are essential to success at Sycamore and in life.

Goal Owner:

• Board: N/A?
• Administration: Head of School

Objectives:

1. Define, communicate, and embrace the roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities of the Board, the faculty and staff, parents, and students in the operation of the school
2. Reinforce and institutionalize the four respects of self, others, time, and property
3. Nurture positive and supportive relationships within and across the Sycamore community
4. Encourage and support an active alumni association

Faculty, Staff and Administration

• Attract, retain, and mentor a qualified, talented, and diverse faculty and staff to support the mission, philosophy, and vision of the school.

• The faculty and staff are the foundation of Sycamore's success.
• Faculty must be passionate about their work and be prepared to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of students.

• Board: N/A?
• Administration: Head of School

1. Promote and provide opportunities for professional development, including mentoring, to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of Sycamore students
2. Assure the continuous evolution and implementation of our evaluation system
3. Address leadership succession planning across the school
4. Implement effective strategies to attract, recognize, and retain faculty

Finance

• Ensure the long-term financial stability and affordability of the school.

• Prudent and thoughtful financial planning is necessary to ensure that resources are available to support the mission of the school.
• We have an obligation to operate the school on a sound financial basis and to be good stewards of our resources.
• Careful generation and stewardship of resources will ensure accessibility for qualified students across the demographic spectrum, fair compensation for our faculty and staff, and the continued maintenance and enhancement of our facilities.

• Board: Chair, Finance Committee
• Administration: Head of School and Chief Financial Officer

1. Develop and annually update a five-year strategic financial plan to include both operating and capital income and expenditures
2. Develop non-tuition sources of income such as grants, endowment, planned giving, major gifts, and gifted education curriculum/program resource sales

Governance

• Adhere to the National Association of Independent School's (NAIS) principles of good practice for independent school trusteeship and leadership.

• Appreciation and acceptance of the individual and collective responsibilities of board members is essential to a highly functional school and necessary for accreditation by the Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS).
• Competent and effective governance is required for schools to become optimal educational communities.

• Board: Chair, Committee on Trustees (President, Board of Trustees)
• Administration: N/A? (Head of School)

1. Communicate and model the role, responsibilities, and accountability of the Board
2. Promote a healthy and harmonious relationship among the Board, the school, and the SSA
3. Promote transparency in Board activities consistent with fairness, legal responsibilities, and good governance practices
4. Assure that the school is continuously served by a respected, dynamic, and generous Board that reflects the strategic expertise, resources, and perspective needed to achieve the mission and strategic objectives of the school
5. Promote a culture of philanthropy among our constituents

Program

• Exemplify leading practices and innovative methods and strategies in gifted education in a manner consistent with the highest performing schools in the nation.

• Sycamore School has a distinguished record of academic program innovation and achievement.
• Continuing this success will ensure that the school's programs and practices support the mission statement.

• Board: N/A?
• Administration: Division Heads

1. Promote differentiated instruction, flexible learning groups, acceleration and enrichment of content across all divisions
2. Strengthen continuity and congruence between and across divisions of early childhood, lower school, and middle school
3. Prepare students to become responsible twenty-first century world citizens
4. Support curriculum in areas of social responsibility, ethics, and character development
5. Encourage the internalization of healthy habits and lifestyles
6. Continue the thoughtful integration of technology across the continuum

back to top