A "Retreat" to Go Forward

A few weeks back, the Board of Trustees along with members of Joe’s Administration met for an off-site planning retreat. It was the second such gathering in two years when we came together for a full day to discuss the development of the school’s Strategic Plan. In 2011, we were armed with a Parent Survey, a Strategic Plan that was concluding, and a myriad of ideas about where the school should place priorities. That meeting was the first step in creating our current plan.

Two years later, and one year after the current plan was launched, the group met again to discuss key parts of the plans objectives. In particular, discussion focused on the Facilities and Finance sections of the Five year plan. As Board Chair, I believe it is important for the community to know that the Board and Administration are working to make sure that The Woods will continue to fulfill its mission, without interruption, where we have been since 1977. Our Strategic Plan is about “growing” The Woods well into the future.

Then

Now

Additionally, the Board and Administration are aware of the financial demands placed on families in these often uncertain, if not difficult, economic times. We are also aware that our families want The Woods to be positioned to periodically evaluate, change or add programs in order to fine tune and advance its educational offerings. Often there are costs involved with those programs in the form of materials, staff, training, etc. Finding the appropriate balance between these two sets of issues is a key focus of the Board. 

With that in mind the Finance Committee developed a Five Year Financial model to aid in the budgeting for new and recurring initiatives. The objective is to provide predictable financial planning for the education portion of our families' budgets. This is a highly iterative process between Administration, Board Committees, Director of Finance, and the Finance Committee. It means setting priorities and creating stretch goals for success. It is Strategic Planning at the financial level and hopefully the result is a consistent, high quality education product at predictable, market pricing. We will use this model as the Administration forms its budget for future years and continually revise it as long range objectives come more clearly in focus. 

-Doug Cooper, Chair of the Board of Trustees