Strategic Vision 2012-2017
Challenging Students to Think Expansively, Act Ethically and Lead Responsibly
In May 2012, Shady Side Academy adopted the strategic vision Challenging Students to Think Expansively, Act Ethically and Lead Responsibly, which provided a road map for the Academy's ambitious and successful future. From 2012-2017, the Academy made great strides toward achieving its goals. This final report lists the six goals of the Strategic Vision and their corresponding strategies, with notable progress and achievements listed beneath each strategy.
Goal 1; Academic Program
Deliver a rigorous academic experience renowned for preparing students to excel and lead in a complex, rapidly changing global society.
- Ensure an integrated PK-12 curriculum that is meticulously sequenced, pedagogically consistent and developmentally appropriate.
- Strengthen the science curriculum and the use of technology at all three divisions to inspire and prepare more students to pursue the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math at the university level.
- Develop an intentional global focus in our PK-12 curriculum and engage students in meaningful, age-appropriate opportunities to develop global awareness and competency.
- Expand the College Counseling curriculum to begin in ninth grade and emphasize a “best college, best fit” culture that encourages students to stretch themselves and apply to the best schools that fit their skills and interests.
- Introduce advanced course options across the disciplines at the Senior School to allow capable, passionate, motivated students to “take off.”
- Achieve the right balance and commit to excellence in our academics, arts and athletics programs at each campus.
- Improve our technology platform and support across all three campuses and add an educational technology team that will provide vision and leadership for integrating technology in our classrooms in meaningful ways.
- Revise Senior School graduation requirements to allow students more flexibility in course selection and a degree of academic specialization.
- Benchmark our academic program using empirical data from selected top schools around the country to ensure our competitive advantage.
Ensure an integrated PK-12 curriculum that is meticulously sequenced, pedagogically consistent and developmentally appropriate.
Strengthen the science curriculum and the use of technology at all three divisions to inspire and prepare more students to pursue the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math at the university level.
Develop an intentional global focus in our PK-12 curriculum and engage students in meaningful, age-appropriate opportunities to develop global awareness and competency.
Expand the College Counseling curriculum to begin in ninth grade and emphasize a “best college, best fit” culture that encourages students to stretch themselves and apply to the best schools that fit their skills and interests.
Introduce advanced course options across the disciplines at the Senior School to allow capable, passionate, motivated students to “take off.”
Achieve the right balance and commit to excellence in our academics, arts and athletics programs at each campus.
Improve our technology platform and support across all three campuses and add an educational technology team that will provide vision and leadership for integrating technology in our classrooms in meaningful ways.
Revise Senior School graduation requirements to allow students more flexibility in course selection and a degree of academic specialization.
Benchmark our academic program using empirical data from selected top schools around the country to ensure our competitive advantage.
Goal 2: Faculty
Invest in faculty and ensure the preservation of the faculty-student relationship that lies at the heart of the Shady Side Academy experience.
- Recruit and retain a diverse, well-rounded, academically talented faculty that believes in the teacher/coach/mentor paradigm.
- Advance the continued growth and development of our faculty through a directed professional development program, the promotion of a culture of constant self-examination and an enhanced teacher evaluation process.
- Improve the school schedule to ensure adequate time for faculty members to work collaboratively with students and colleagues, and to develop professionally.
- Promote a culture where excellence in teaching is recognized and teachers know they are highly valued members of the Shady Side community.
- Ensure greater faculty collaboration across disciplines and divisions.
- Support and recognize innovative thinking and teaching in and out of the classroom.
Recruit and retain a diverse, well-rounded, academically talented faculty that believes in the teacher/coach/mentor paradigm.
Advance the continued growth and development of our faculty through a directed professional development program, the promotion of a culture of constant self-examination and an enhanced teacher evaluation process.
Improve the school schedule to ensure adequate time for faculty members to work collaboratively with students and colleagues, and to develop professionally.
Promote a culture where excellence in teaching is recognized and teachers know they are highly valued members of the Shady Side community.
Ensure greater faculty collaboration across disciplines and divisions.
Support and recognize innovative thinking and teaching in and out of the classroom.
Goal 3: Students
Provide a distinctive student experience that develops outstanding scholars, ethical leaders and global citizens.
- Increase meaningful leadership development opportunities at all three schools, culminating in a required leadership experience at the Senior School.
- Foster the development of a strong moral compass in students by fully incorporating our Guiding Principles into a well-coordinated character education program that is taught by word and example at all grade levels.
- Foster an Academy-wide culture of service by engaging students at all grade levels in meaningful, ongoing service learning projects and adding a community service component to graduation requirements.
- Provide academic and personal counseling and support to students with a consistent staffing model and approach on all three campuses.
- Ensure that parents are actively engaged as partners in their child’s Shady Side Academy experience.
- Ensure a diverse student body by enhancing our financial aid program; expanding the five-day boarding program and pursuing the introduction of seven-day boarding; and developing new feeder networks in non-traditional source neighborhoods.
Increase meaningful leadership development opportunities at all three schools, culminating in a required leadership experience at the Senior School.
Foster the development of a strong moral compass in students by fully incorporating our Guiding Principles into a well-coordinated character education program that is taught by word and example at all grade levels.
Foster an Academy-wide culture of service by engaging students at all grade levels in meaningful, ongoing service learning projects and adding a community service component to graduation requirements.
Provide academic and personal counseling and support to students with a consistent staffing model and approach on all three campuses.
Ensure that parents are actively engaged as partners in their child’s Shady Side Academy experience.
Ensure a diverse student body by enhancing our financial aid program; expanding the five-day boarding program and pursuing the introduction of seven-day boarding; and developing new feeder networks in non-traditional source neighborhoods.
Goal 4: Community Connections
Leverage our robust alumni and parent network to establish meaningful connections and collaborative relationships locally, nationally and internationally that enhance the value of the Shady Side experience.
- Purposefully engage alumni and parents to become actively involved in the life of the Academy by sharing their diverse experience, expertise and access to opportunities.
- Create a board-level community connections committee to assist school leaders in identifying and connecting SSA with key constituents and external contacts.
- Partner with area universities, businesses and arts organizations to further strengthen our program and create engaged learning experiences for students.
- Build relationships with service and nonprofit organizations to support our PK-12 service learning program and commitment to giving back to the community.
- Establish partnerships with “sister schools” around the world and utilize technology to connect SSA students with international students and experts via virtual classrooms.
- Join local institutions at the forefront of the “greening” of Pittsburgh as part of our commitment to environmental sustainability and excellence in science.
- Create opportunities that foster meaningful connections between students at all three campuses to enhance the student experience and build community.
Purposefully engage alumni and parents to become actively involved in the life of the Academy by sharing their diverse experience, expertise and access to opportunities.
Create a board-level community connections committee to assist school leaders in identifying and connecting SSA with key constituents and external contacts.
Partner with area universities, businesses and arts organizations to further strengthen our program and create engaged learning experiences for students.
Build relationships with service and nonprofit organizations to support our PK-12 service learning program and commitment to giving back to the community.
Establish partnerships with “sister schools” around the world and utilize technology to connect SSA students with international students and experts via virtual classrooms.
Join local institutions at the forefront of the “greening” of Pittsburgh as part of our commitment to environmental sustainability and excellence in science.
Create opportunities that foster meaningful connections between students at all three campuses to enhance the student experience and build community.
Goal 5: Physical Resources
Leverage our extensive physical assets on each campus to support and enhance programmatic goals in an efficient and environmentally responsible manner.
- Continually invest in the Junior School renovation program to ensure the facility and its grounds support the delivery of 21st Century learning skills.
- Build a new science and technology center at the Senior School that supports our newly enhanced science program and is right-sized, architecturally compelling and as close to carbon-neutral as possible.
- Build a new residence hall at the Senior School to support expansion of the boarding program.
- Expand the number of campus faculty housing units to help attract talented teachers, support an expansion of the boarding program and build a stronger campus community.
- Expand the capacity of McCune Dining Hall to provide added scheduling flexibility at the Senior School.
- Utilize the luxury of our 170+ acres of outdoor space on all three campuses to maximize curricular and co-curricular learning opportunities.
- Improve the energy efficiency of the physical plant on all three campuses to yield significant reductions in energy costs.
Continually invest in the Junior School renovation program to ensure the facility and its grounds support the delivery of 21st Century learning skills.
Build a new science and technology center at the Senior School that supports our newly enhanced science program and is right-sized, architecturally compelling and as close to carbon-neutral as possible.
Build a new residence hall at the Senior School to support expansion of the boarding program.
Expand the number of campus faculty housing units to help attract talented teachers, support an expansion of the boarding program and build a stronger campus community.
Expand the capacity of McCune Dining Hall to provide added scheduling flexibility at the Senior School.
Utilize the luxury of our 170+ acres of outdoor space on all three campuses to maximize curricular and co-curricular learning opportunities.
Improve the energy efficiency of the physical plant on all three campuses to yield significant reductions in energy costs.
Goal 6: Financial Sustainability
Develop a financial master plan to support the mission of the Academy and the goals of this strategic vision.
- Operate the school at full capacity, enrolling approximately 970 students PK-12.
- Build the endowment to $70 million, en route to a longer-term goal of $90-$100 mission, to reduce pressure on the operating budget.
- Increase annual giving participation levels of all constituent groups to meet or exceed NAIS standards and participation rates at peer schools.
- Explore and expand opportunities to bolster revenues from auxiliary programs and facilities.
- Design a capital campaign to support the school’s strategic vision and priorities.
- Develop marketing and communications strategies to support the school’s strategic vision and priorities.