“We create a caring community of learning and development where cultures connect and individuals matter. Our commitment to excellence in academics, wellness, athletics, creativity, and service contributes to a lifetime of engagement and global competence.”
Bishop’s College School, as I have always known it, has represented community, character, leadership, and excellence, earning it a reputation as an outstanding place of learning and development. Those values continue to thrive today in an increasingly inclusive, diverse, and caring school, where traditional standards of excellence are integrated with a supportive approach that empowers a wide variety of talented youth.
I could not be happier with our new mission statement and the 2016 BCS Strategic Plan, which promote a culture of openness and engagement that will maintain BCS’ leadership position well into the 21st Century. In this document, we present five priority initiatives that will lead to the continual advancement of our school. As I was always asked to do as a student, BCS will strive for excellence in everything it does.
Our Voices, Our Plan, Our Future
STRATEGIC PLAN
Message from the Chair of the Board of Directors
This plan is the distillation of a multitude of voices that care deeply about BCS, and we are fortunate to have such broad and deep commitment to our school. On behalf of the BCS Association Board of Directors, I would like to thank the many volunteers who contributed their thoughts, including students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the school. We now invite you to join us as we press forward with these ambitious initiatives in a continuing effort to realize the potential that we see in our students and our school.
Tim Price, BCS’75 Chair
Message from the Head of School
The tremendous momentum that BCS has enjoyed in the past several years has positioned the school perfectly for a thoughtful and inclusive discussion about how we take our next leap forward. From every level of the school, there has been enthusiasm for a re-examination of our strategic plan to better reflect renewed ambitions for the future of BCS. We are operating from a position of great strength with a diverse student body that is striving for excellence every bit as much as the passionate faculty who inspire them.
Within this plan, you will hear the voices of every constituent group in our community, and it is these voices and their unified desire to shape the BCS of tomorrow that have painted the picture of a modern school grounded in a deep and proud tradition. Through this plan, BCS will adopt the best practices of 21st Century education, while continuing to instill the timeless values that are evident in, and exuded by, our ambitious and accomplished students
and alumni. We hope you will take the time to read these words and recognize in them your own voice. You will hear the voice of our generation’s educational leaders, the passionate perspective of our students, and the sage experience of our faculty, parents, and alumni.
This is truly Our Voices, Our Plan, Our Future – thank you for building it with us.
Tyler Lewis Head of School
Pathways to Excellence
Stimulate the ongoing growth of knowledge, skills, and character in our students through continual development of challenging and appealing programs that encourage the pursuit of excellence.
Prepare students for success in university and life by developing essential skills and nurturing curiosity, community engagement, and a passion for learning.
Prioritize moral and character development by modeling and reinforcing universal ethical standards.
Engage and support every student in their personal development along their leadership journey.
Adopt the most promising pedagogies and programming of the 21st Century.
pursuing excellence
prioritizing community
INITIATIVE
Campus as Community
Leveraging the historical assets of our school, a comprehensive campus master plan will envision our future through a sustainable layout that prioritizes community and builds program excellence.
Visually represent our future plans, the growth of our programs, and our infrastructure through a comprehensive 20-year vision for the evolution of our historic and inspiring campus.
Design a desirable, modern, and inspiring environment for BCS students and the BCS community.
Maximize the use of our physical resources toward creating an ideal community for living and learning while achieving our financial, philanthropic, and enrolment goals.
Excellence Community Character Leadership
Engaged Communication INITIATIVE
Prioritize transparency and engagement in school communications to ensure a collective vision and deepen the inclusivity of the school community in strategic and operational decision-making.
Stimulate energy and involvement among all constituents to maintain transparency and to develop a shared vision and understanding of priorities and action.
Empower the internal and external communities to contribute to continual improvement of the BCS experience.
Capitalize on the diversity of our community to enrich our collective and individual intercultural competency and emotional intelligence.
Excellence Community Character Leadership
Our Voices, Our Plan, Our Future
deepening connections
developing expertise
INITIATIVE
Promoting Professional Growth
Develop a human resources program that promotes professional and personal growth, creates a culture of life-long learning, and offers staff and faculty the opportunities to pursue balance and well-being.
Support our adult community in achieving their highest potential as educators, role models, and community members.
Retain and attract talented and diverse faculty, staff, and administrative team members.
Bridge the challenges of generational change in the evolution of the workplace.
Excellence Community Character Leadership Leadership
INITIATIVE
Proudly Building the Plan
Set the cornerstone of the strategic plan by creating a dynamic multi-year financial plan, including the promotion of a culture of philanthropy and connection to the school, and the development of campus-wide strategies for enrolment, recruitment, and retention efforts.
Position the school for long-term financial sustainability, institutional stability, and affordability to current and future generations of families.
Engage all BCS community members in the tradition of participation and support that is necessary for BCS’ ongoing success, growth, and development.
Understand our place in the global market and ensure our recruitment efforts are aligned with our desire to have the strongest, most diverse student population possible.
looking forward
Constituent Groups
Participating
Method
Preliminary Results
• Students
• Faculty & Staff
• Current Parents
• Past Parents
• Alumni (spanning five decades)
• Board Members
• Administration
• Friends of the School
• School Leaders
• CAIS Executive Director
• NAIS former Executive Director
• Three separate two-day retreats with the full 25-member Strategic Planning Committee (SPC):
• December 4-5, 2015;
• January 22-23, 2016;
• April 8-9, 2016.
• Countless SPC steering committee calls and meetings.
• Hundreds of surveys completed by students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni.
• Five updates to the BCS Association Board of Directors throughout the 2015-16 school year.
• Board approval on May 25, 2016.
• Updated Mission Statement and Core Values
• Five Goals
• 17 Rationales
• 73 Action Steps
• Start of Campus Master Planning Process
NEXT STEPS
With these five strategic initiatives clearly articulated as our guiding principles, the obvious questions become: What’s next? How will BCS move forward with these initiatives?
The 2016 BCS Strategic Plan is designed to inspire discussion, engagement, and action in our community, and we welcome creative input. Some exciting action items are already underway and, with the investment of our community, we can do much more.
• We are implementing 21st Century learning best practices, leading with the adoption of the International Baccalaureate (IB). Ongoing curricular improvements will be pursued.
• Our entire faculty have completed intensive professional development as part of BCS’ commitment to the IB program.
• A campus master planning process has begun, envisioning the redevelopment of our historic campus to best serve the strategic initiatives of current and future BCS generations.
• We are expanding communications efforts to better engage all BCS constituencies in the ongoing planning and progress of our school.
• A comprehensive financial plan is being developed to secure necessary funding for strategic initiatives and ensure BCS’ long term sustainability.
A good strategic plan is one that evolves with time, and we are just getting started. Each year’s priorities will be determined by the changing landscape before us and through consultation with our community.
We encourage you to be involved with BCS as we embark on this exciting era of growth and advancement, leading us forward with confidence, vision, and strength through the 21st Century.
