Spring is in the Air- Growth Happens

We are in the home stretch of the school year. Every school in America is putting the finishing touches on their school year. It seems like it is always a mad rush to the finish line. Yet, for us, it is just the beginning of the work we have set forth in our strategic plan. The close of a school year is always a time to celebrate the work that has been done and we have much to shout about as it relates to our strategic plan in year one:

• Our iPad pilot program has been a great success with our 8th graders. Students and teachers have reported a more "connected" learning environment, improved organization and greater access to information, not to mention the side benefit of "lighter backpacks". Our soon-to-be graduates could see the importance of this technology interaction in their visits to prospective high schools.  With this in mind we are expanding the program to include grades 6-8. Professional development and expanded learning continues as we combine the best of face time with teachers and a tool to enhance learning. This move clearly ties back to our Educational Experience goal to grow our use of classroom technology to prepare our children for the present and future. [Educational Experience, Goal #2, Classroom Technology to prepare our children for the present and future]
• The more coordinated effort and expanded opportunities in the after school programming has led to our highest participation numbers to date. Stay tuned for more offerings coming this fall. Imagination Stage, a leader in the area of creativity, will be launching a program in conjunction with The Woods in the fall after school. Publicly partnering with great organizations in the county and expanding our after school offerings tie back to goals in the Educational Experience and Public Private Partnership sections of the plan. [Educational Experience, Goal #5, Rising Enrollment/After School Opportunities and Public Private Partnerships, Goal #2, Become an increasingly important organization in the county]
• Our marketing efforts have led to a more streamlined communication process, upgrades to our publications and a soon to be launched marketing campaign. Getting The Woods name out there more has been a priority. We are starting to see an "uptick" in applications and over 80% of the families accepted to The Woods this year are coming. This is a great yield for us and aligns with our Advancement goals to grow our applicant pool and marketing efforts. [Mission and Identity, Goal #3, Work with all marketing efforts to see our Mission is being communicated]
• This year saw us maximize space in two strategic areas. The art room renovation, complete with outdoor classroom patio, has been a tremendous addition to our program. It is truly a beautifully used space. The kitchen upgrades have made this space much more functional as well, benefiting our cooking Owls, our new lunch provider and after school classes. Maximizing and enhancing the use of our existing space is a key area of focus in the Facilities section. [Facilities, Goal #3, Maximize and enhance use of our existing space]
• Last, but not least, our new mission statement is being infused into the life of the school. We are in the process of creating a new Profile of a Woods Academy Graduate, which will be presented at graduation this year. This profile is a direct link back to our mission and a vision for our children to carry forward. Leading a life of significance goes beyond the years here at the Woods. The Mission and Identity goals focus on incorporating the new mission statement into all elements of the school community and illustrate the outcomes we expect of our students. [Mission and Identity, Goals #1 and #2, Incorporate Mission Statement into all elements of the Strategic Plan and Create the profile of a Woods graduate that illustrates the outcomes we expect of our students]

The work that has begun with our strategic plan lays the foundation for our future. As the tree on the cover of our strategic plan brochure illustrates, our plan is about growth. Growth of children. Growth of faculty. Growth of a community. Growth that calls us to lead lives of significance.