Think. Do. Learn. Grow.
Strategic Plan 2024-2030
A strategic plan for continuously improving and impacting our campus and community
Making the most of the moment
What we can accomplish together through education offers hope for a bright future. Working together, we can prepare the leaders our communities and workplaces need as they grow and change. Our Strategic Plan gives us a clear direction to work toward, and we invite you to be a part of what comes next. Imagine the future with us, and stay tuned for engagement opportunities as we move forward together. Let’s make the most of the moment we’re in, with Westchester leading the way.
As a parent, board member and community member, I’m excited to see where Westchester will be in another decade based on our work in the next few years. I’ve always felt fortunate and proud to be a part of this school. Knowing we can join together and take it to the next level, not only for our students but for our region overall, is thrilling.
-- Tom Van Dessel, Board of Trustees President
How we began and what’s next
During the 2023-24 school year, Westchester identified the next steps in our institutional strategic planning. We listened to the voices of every group within our community, including students, alumni, parents, current and retired faculty, staff members, and community partners — gaining insights from those who know us well and those who know us only from a distance. We received valuable guidance from Explo Elevate and our dedicated Board of Trustees throughout the planning process. Over the coming months, we will work together to refine the action steps needed to make meaningful progress in our Five Strategic Areas of Focus and positively impact our future.
Strategic Planning CommitteeCommittee Chair: Kristy Le
Jay Brinson '94
Kristin Sams Crowe '01
Mary Keever, Head of School
Frank Morelli, Middle School English Teacher
Priya Paruchuri
Jackie Tyson
Tom Van Dessel, Board of Trustees President |
A diverse and dedicated team put much thought and conversation into where our focus should be over the next five to seven years. We look forward to identifying specific goals for enhancing our nurturing learning environments, becoming a leader in student and faculty wellness and much more. Through it all, people will continue to be our greatest strength.
-- Mary Keever, Head of School
Center of Gravity
- Westchester Country Day School will stand out as a visionary institution preparing all students to flourish. We prioritize the whole child, balancing moral, academic, artistic and athletic excellence and social-emotional health.
- We will serve and support our local cities and communities in the Piedmont Triad and Carolina Core region and strive to be a visible and active leader.
Five Areas of Strategic Focus
We're deep thinkers and risk-takers who work together to discover and create.
Our commitment to designing the most effective and encouraging learning environments never ends. WCDS will balance the "tried and true" with the "bold and new" as we pursue continuous improvement through advanced teaching methods, enhancements to campus learning and community spaces and rethinking school schedules to ensure we meet our students' diverse learning needs.
- WCDS will deploy the most effective teaching methods using evidence-based practices and approaches.
- We will tailor spaces and schedules to best fit the learning needs of our students.
- We will balance tried and true approaches with bold, new methods.
Our teachers model a love of learning.
Our educators uphold high standards, inspire students, and prepare them fully for college and life. We will attract and retain a diverse pool of top teaching talent, compensate them competitively, and offer outstanding professional learning — such as bringing in guest speakers, sharing best practices, and providing specialized training to cultivate resilient students ready for college and life.
- WCDS will allocate financial and human resources to the professional growth of its faculty.
- WCDS will seek a talented and diverse pool of candidates.
Every connection shapes who we become.
We want Westchester students to understand that knowledge has the power to solve problems and serve others. WCDS will connect students, faculty and families with opportunities in the community to share their expertise, skills and talents. The future we're working toward includes dynamic partnerships across the region, guest speakers visiting campus and more real-world experiences integrated into student learning.
- WCDS will establish dynamic partnerships in the broader community to be part of the future success of our region.
- WCDS will produce real-world experiences for all students to better prepare them for college success and lives of meaning and impact.
We've built an incredible community -- now let's invest in leading the way forward.
As an independent school, Westchester enjoys freedom and flexibility in teaching and serving our students, but our non-profit status means we must also be self-sufficient and thoughtful stewards of our resources. WCDS will ensure financial stewardship by modeling responsibility and fostering a spirit of giving. Our community will help us create a vision for what our school should invest in, and we'll pursue it together, intentionally, purposefully, and with great excitement for the future.
- WCDS will manage its resources wisely and establish long-term financial plans to ensure an evergreen financial strategy.
Wellness is a value here.
Research and our own experience tell us that young people face new and different challenges today. We can be leaders, supporting our students in ways that build their resilience and promote well-being across our entire school community. In the coming months and years, Westchester will strengthen the social, emotional and physical health and wellness of our students, faculty and staff by developing programs, promoting safety, and supporting connectedness and a sense of belonging for students and families.
- WCDS will allocate the necessary resources to meet the critical needs of its teachers’ and students’ mental and physical wellness.
- WCDS will be assertive in developing programming that prioritizes the ongoing wellness of all of its teachers and students.
Let's define our future together
Westchester Country Day School is an exciting place of learning, discovery, caring and personal excellence, and even though we have half a century under our belt, we’re just getting started. We want to do more for our students and our region. Stay tuned to this web page for updates to our strategic planning and be part of helping us define what’s possible at, through and with Westchester. We value you, we need you — and together, we can create the kinds of leaders and opportunities that set us all on a course to a bright future. Reach out to learn more.
