STRATEGIC PLANNING
WHO IS DOING THIS WORK?
Core Values Week Over the course of a week in December 2023, trustees, faculty, staff, administrators, students, and parent leaders engaged in thoughtful brainstorming exercises that considered, shared, refined, and discussed the values which could stand as the clearest expression of what we believe. After two months of careful conversation and data analysis, five core values emerged as reflecting what the community noted as most important to them. To further express the community’s intent, members of the strategic planning committee wrote core values statements to accompany each core value. Together, the core values and the statements were then forwarded to the Board of Trustees for their consideration and, ultimately, their unanimous approval. According to Juip, one of the most eye-opening moments of the process took place during Core Values Week. “Although we hosted many different workshops, a cohesive set of values emerged. Each of these groups worked independently, and yet all of them identified community, integrity, respect, excellence, and empathy as values that are core to ULS,” she said. “This unity highlights our alignment and inspires us all to commit ourselves to uphold these values.” Community Survey In addition to Core Values Week, the ULS community had an opportunity to share their perspectives and experiences through a survey which opened in November. More than 1,300 survey responses were received, providing an abundance of data that will inform the development of the strategic plan.
Three Strategic Planning Co-Chairs are leading this process, including Sheppard, Hellebuyck and parent and Board of Trustees member Maureen Juip. They are joined by a 17-member Strategic Planning Committee comprised of trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni who have answered the call to lead at an important point in the school’s history. “Right now, we’re ‘visioning the possible,’” said Hellebuyck, adding, “it’s an exciting time to be a part of the ULS community.” To partner with the Committee and help guide the process, ULS retained Christina Drouin, founder and executive director of the Center for Strategic Planning and a national leader in the field of independent school strategic planning. PHASE ONE: DISCOVERY Preparation for Our Vision. Our Future . began early in the 2023-2024 school year when the Board of Trustees consulted with ULS community leaders to identify Strategic Planning Committee members. Once goals were set and milestone dates were established, our four-phase strategic planning journey was officially launched in November 2023. The first phase of the strategic planning process was the Discovery Phase, which lasted from November of 2023 to March of 2024 and included significant work on our Core Values and Mission Statement. During this time, the Committee performed internal and external research, and began identifying strategic drivers.
STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Joan Primo ‘77
Elizabeth Jamett
Michelle Cureton
Paul Rossi
Mandy Johnson
Jennifer Dickey
Tom Sheppard, Co-Chair
Maureen Juip, Co-Chair
Paul Duhaime
Tony Smith
Gretchen Knoell
Kelley Hamilton
Leython Williams ‘03
David Nicholson
Adam Hellebuyck, Co-Chair
Jennie Osman
Chris Hemler
14 | PERSPECTIVE
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