Challenging and nurturing

Mind, Body, and Spirit, we

inspire boys and girls to
lead lives of purpose, faith,
and integrity.The Mission of The Episcopal Academy

2 0 1 0 S t r at e g i c P l a n
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Message from Ed Vick ’62, Chair of Strategic Planning Committee

We did not begin this process with an eye toward rearticulating everything that defines The Episcopal Academy.
Rather, we began with a premise: as a school, we are very good…excellent in many areas. But we can always
be better. Rather than try to reinvent the wheel across the board, let’s focus on a relatively few important areas
where more attention or clarification or effort could really make a difference.

We engaged an unprecedented number of our constituents in this process, beginning over a year ago. We did
this because we, the Board of Trustees, did not want to presume that we knew all the issues, much less all the
answers. What would current parents deem our most fertile areas for improvement? On what would our faculty
want us to focus? Or our alumni? We surveyed thousands of you and interviewed hundreds. We formed working
committees, made up of dozens of members of the Academy family, to tackle those aspects of Episcopal that
research told us were good, but could be better. We set our timeline as being the next three to five years.

Our goal was to develop a short list of meaningful strategies that, if executed, will make us significantly better.
We ended up with nine of what we are calling “Driving Strategies.” That doesn’t mean that these nine things
are all we are going to focus on for the next few years. It simply means that success on these fronts will really
drive us forward. Each of the nine Driving Strategies, laid out here, has a specific set of Goals attached to it, as
you will see. And behind these Goals, specific Action Steps are set and will be implemented by the Board, the
Administration, or the Faculty as appropriate.

This Plan begins with a revised Mission Statement. Without changing Episcopal’s fundamental position, the intent
was to move to a Statement which is more succinct, a bit more lofty and, importantly, memorable, especially for
our students. Virtually all of the Plan flows from the spirit of this Mission.
Strat e gy No. 1

We are The Episcopal Academy and we

enthusiastically embrace and honor all that means.

A fundamental value of being an Episcopalian school is religious openness and

acceptance. We are in every way respectful of all faiths and recognize that the
presence of students, families, and faculty of varied religions and backgrounds is
vital to the vibrancy of our diverse community. That said, at Episcopal we practice
our religious traditions every day, and we welcome and expect participation by
all. All members of the community will attend Chapel and all of our children will
engage with our religion curriculum.
Goal 1: State clearly our identity as a member of the
National Association of Episcopal Schools and in a
consistent manner represent our religious foundation in
our written communications.

Goal 2: Commit to chapel services that are based on the

We utilize our religious heritage, both in Chapel and elsewhere on campus, to Book of Common Prayer and that are respectful of our
teach not only religion, but also to develop character. pluralistic community.

“At The Episcopal Academy we value deeply our traditions without getting stuck in
them. We are an Episcopal school and our Chapel, with its regular services largely
structured in concert with the practices of The Episcopal Church, is important
and integral to both the academic and communal life of the School. Further, as a
faith-based school, we have implicitly promised that in the context of our students’
intellectual, physical, and emotional development, we will endeavor to enlarge
their spiritual lives and deepen their personal ethical competency.” —Task Force on
Religious Heritage
Goal 3: Review our course offerings in religion,
giving consideration to variety, academic rigor, and the
potential for a yearlong Upper School course.
Goal 4: Include character education as an intentional
part of the curriculum at every level.
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Strat e gy No. 2
We will elevate to the level of strategic importance
our historic belief in the value of challenging and
nurturing children in Mind, Body, and Spirit.
We will evolve our perspective and philosophy toward a robust approach to
Mind, Body, and Spirit, not as discrete activities, but as an holistic approach to
educating, nurturing, and developing boys and girls. We do not believe that Mind,
Body, and Spirit are competing interests at Episcopal, but rather that the three are
clearly inseparable and mutually reinforcing.
“It is the continuing responsibility of Episcopal to provide an holistic and multi-
disciplinary education that embraces Mind, Body, and Spirit from the beginning
of the day to the end; in the classroom and Chapel; on the athletic field and on the
performance stage or in the art studio.” —Task Force on Mind, Body, and Spirit
Goal 1: Articulate consistently our holistic approach to
Mind, Body, and Spirit as a distinguishing characteristic
of an Episcopal Academy education.
Goal 2: Ensure that educators in all three units are
continuously aware of Mind, Body, and Spirit in
themselves and their students and look for opportunities
to incorporate all three in everything they do.
Goal 3: Look for ways to enhance our students’ mental,
physical, and emotional health.
Goal 4: Create an ad hoc or standing committee that
works to be sure that Episcopal maintains its constant
commitment to Mind, Body, and Spirit throughout the
school.
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Strat e gy No. 3
Continuing to build academic excellence, we
will invest in and capitalize on new knowledge
surrounding how children learn.
Academic excellence, in teaching and in learning, is an endless pursuit. We know
there is no such thing as “excellent enough.” We will always strive to be better than
we are. In so doing, we will continue, with determination, to meld 21st-century
teaching methods and learning techniques into our classical curriculum, seeking in
effect to create a “New Classical” form of education.
We hope and expect to always be home to a range of intelligent, talented, and
interesting children with varied skills and learning styles. We will always want to
recognize and encourage the unique gifts of our children and teach in ways that
allow each to engage with our curriculum and take responsibility for his or her own
education.
Since we believe that children learn most effectively in a purposeful context that
integrates factual content, individual knowledge, and the ideas of others, we will
commit to greater active and participatory learning to complement the more
traditional “teacher to student” impartation of knowledge.
“Episcopal must offer a dynamic learning environment in which boys and girls master
21st-century skills within the framework of a classical education. In so doing, these
children will ultimately become creative, complex, and critical thinkers; effective and
artful communicators; respectful leaders; and successful collaborators. We want each
child to reach his or her own unique potential and to live, serve, and succeed in the
world of tomorrow.” —Task Force on Philosophy of Learning
Goal 1: Each academic discipline will develop a mission
statement which reflects Episcopal’s Mission and
Philosophy of Learning Statement.
Goal 2: Enhance and incorporate 21st-century methods
into Episcopal’s classical curriculum in a seamless manner
so as to avoid a dichotomy between that which is “21st
Century” and that which is “classical.”
Goal 3: Provide students with interdisciplinary
experience and courses.
Goal 4: Expand opportunities for active and experiential
learning including peer-to-peer group learning and shared
inquiry methods.
Goal 5: Encourage an awareness and acceptance of
varied learning styles for both students and faculty.
Goal 6: Recognize teachers and students for
accomplishments in new, creative, and 21st-century based
learning.
Goal 7: Commit to an ongoing process by which,
each year, one department will undergo a thorough
evaluation of its pre-kindergarten through VI Form
curriculum by outside experts that will address continuity,
academic rigor, foundational learning, relevance, and
comprehensive pedagogy.
Goal 8: Seek to develop a program to test and
benchmark for qualitative measures of an Episcopal
Academy education.
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Strat e gy No. 4

We will assume a greater responsibility for life

preparation, beyond college preparation, and we will
develop a more diverse and international perspective.

Guiding seniors to top colleges is not a lofty enough goal for Episcopal. The
preparedness of our children for meaningful success in life is more important to us Goal 1: Engage all community members,
than simply the list of colleges to which they attain entrance. But if we do our job administration, faculty, and parents with our philosophy
right, our children will have the characteristics that will make them strong college of “life prep beyond college prep.”
candidates as well as successful students and adults.
Goal 2: Become internationally minded, better
As an important part of life preparation, we will significantly enhance our preparing students to live and serve throughout the
world.
international perspective, recognizing our responsibility to prepare our children to
compete and contribute in a changing and complex world. Goal 3: Continue to pursue diversity.

In concert with this evolving international perspective, we will become an ever more Goal 4: Evaluate, at regular intervals, our graduates’
diverse community. Across our campus we will continue to seek more diversity in college and career preparedness through alumni surveys.
backgrounds and perspectives in our administrators, faculty, and students.

“The commitment of the entire academic community is to unleash the full potential
of every child and to provide academic experiences that are enriching and even
transforming.” —Task Force on Academic Excellence
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Strat e gy No. 5

Because the quality of education is a direct result of

the quality of teaching, we will work to make
Episcopal a place where excellent teachers can be
their best professional selves.

Our teachers must be more than smart, well-educated, and skilled. They must also
feel both satisfied and proud to work at Episcopal. We will develop specific plans
to ensure that our teachers enjoy the respect, trust, and quality of life that their
dedication deserves.
We will move toward a goal of compensating our faculty in the top quartile when
measured against other Joint Research and Planning Office (JRPO) and Pennsylvania
independent schools.
Recognizing our responsibility to ensure that an excellent teacher today remains
an excellent teacher in the future, we will increase our financial and institutional
commitment to the professional growth and development of our faculty.
All of our teachers must be excellent. We will explore more directly tying our
teachers’ performance evaluations to a development plan and, ultimately, to a renewal
contract.
Goal 1: Offer salaries in the top 25% of JRPO
schools and benefits in the top 25% of Pennsylvania
independent schools by 2015.
Goal 2: Provide continuing professional development
opportunities to support teachers as 21st-century
educators.
Goal 3: Foster a work environment that leads to a
superior quality of life for our faculty.
Goal 4: Develop an even more robust annual
evaluation process.
Goal 5: Consider a comprehensive plan whereby all
human resource functions are centered in an expanded
and well-defined position.

“Show me a school where the teachers are smart, well-educated, skilled, and happy to
be there and I’ll show you a group of children who are getting a good education.” —
Faculty Task Force, quoting from Susan Engel, psychologist and educator.
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Strat e gy No. 6
We want to build a truer sense of community on
our campus and within our extended neighborhood.
Episcopal is ensconced in a wonderful campus where our entire community exists
in very close proximity to one another. We want to use this proximity to our
advantage, to engage all members of the community, and cultivate an authentic
sense of belonging.
We will boost dedication to the qualities of civility, decency, and respect for others.
We will develop and institute a Community Code of Conduct throughout the
school. We will use our Episcopalian heritage and The Stripes as the foundation for
the Code.
In preparing our children for a broader life, it will be our goal to better embrace
local and global citizenship through “service doing” as well as service learning.
“The people of The Episcopal Academy, its faculty, staff, students, parents, and
alumni are the soul of the school, its greatest treasure. Let us truly become one
campus, one community, ensuring that all persons feel welcomed, appreciated, and
celebrated.” —Task Force on Community
Goal 1: Create specific initiatives to engage all
members of the community and cultivate an authentic
sense of belonging.
Goal 2: Constantly strive for clear, effective
communication, both from the school and within the
school.
Goal 3: From the chapel to the classroom to the sports
field and everywhere in between, all members of the
community will emphasize and celebrate our ongoing
commitment to courtesy, respect, and human dignity.
Goal 4: Invest in service learning so that it is an
integral part of an Episcopal education resulting in a
model of service doing.
Goal 5: Focus on maintaining our connection with
Philadelphia while building our ties with our new
neighbors.
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Strat e gy No. 7

We recommit to the value of successful sports teams.

At Episcopal, we believe that athletic competition provides life-long skills and

perspectives in shaping the character of children. We also believe that it is our
responsibility to give our athletes and teams every chance to win.

Further, we will reinforce our belief in the teacher-counselor-coach model and will
accept the challenges that will present in our staffing.
“Through the athletic experience students are challenged to make good decisions,
to experience team unity, to embrace leadership roles, and to manage adversity with
grace.” —Task Force on Mind, Body, and Spirit
Goal 1: Pursue athletic excellence with a systemic
approach that will ensure the success of our athletic
teams.
Goal 2: Emphasize the integration of Mind, Body,
and Spirit in every aspect of the athletic experience.

Goal 3: Increase the strength and fitness of our

student athletes.

Goal 4: Communicate all the above goals consistently

and effectively to students, parents, faculty, alumni,
and coaches.
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Strat e gy No. 8

We will work with our alumni to better harness

the invaluable resource that they represent.

We will take every opportunity to keep alumni integrated in the life of the school,
most specifically in counselor and mentor programs, which engage and benefit
students and younger alumni.
Goal 1: Collaborate with alumni to strengthen and
“The rich history and traditions of Episcopal’s alumni need to be passed on to its expand their involvement with Episcopal.
current students. A sense of inclusion will make Episcopal a stronger and more fertile
Goal 2: Work to engage alumni with school life and
environment in which to teach and learn.” —Task Force on Community our current students.
Strat e gy No. 9

In conjunction with this Plan, we will undertake,

beginning in 2011, an aggressive five-year endowment
campaign.

Consistent with the prior eight goals, the funds from this campaign will be used
primarily for three purposes:
x To improve the lives of our staff and faculty through compensation, benefits, and
professional development.
x To increase and provide a stable source of student financial aid.
x To build our diversity, global perspective, and international credentials.
2009- 201 0 S t r at e g i c P l an
Members

Chair of Strategic Andrea Danial Task Force Members Will Gibbs Gary Madeira ’72*
Planning Lower School Head 
 Matt Haldeman ’98 Jim Minnick
Philosophy of Learning
Anne Hall, Hon. Howard Morgan ’57
Ed Vick ’62 Brendan FitzPatrick, Hon.
Kris Aldridge Cathy Hall Doug Parsons
Trustee 
 Lower School Faculty 

Paul Anderson Mindy Hong, Hon. Mind/Body/Spirit
Chair of Steering Edes Gilbert Gretchen Burke* Linda Kinzig
Committee Consultant Gordon Cooney ’77 Carol Leach Gina Buggy, Hon.
Andrea Danial Chris McHugh Michael Ciccotti ’04
Debby Hirtle Peri Higgins
Lynne Hay, Hon. Henry Nassau ’72* Ham Clark
Trustee 
 Trustee
Andy McGregor Courtney Portlock Dan Clay
Mindy Hong, Hon. Holly Rieck ’91* Geoffrey Wagg Jeremy Coote*
Steering Committee Academic Dean 
 Caryn Rivers ’90 Crawford Hill ’70
Members Faculty Mark Luff, Hon.
Lori Kelly Laurie Robinson
Trustee 
 David Sigel Beth Corrigan Beinkampen Kim Piersall
Kris Aldridge
Joe Zoll Chuck Bryant, Hon. David Reape ’80
Former Faculty/Staff Executive Mark Luff, Hon. Brad Cates Anne Robinson
Committee Chair 
 Middle School Faculty 
 Episcopal Heritage
Elizabeth Cocco, Hon. Roy Simpson
Bob Bishop ’58 Gary Madeira ’72 Lee Billmyer, Hon. Melanie Cox* Bert Zug ’78
Upper School Faculty 
 Trustee Emeritus 
 Steve Copit ’80 Jeannie Haab ’84 Community
Gretchen Burke Jill Durovsik Peri Higgins*
Steve Morris Tisa Baena
Chair, Board of Trustees 
 Brendan FitzPatrick, Hon. Donna Maple
Middle School Head 
 Bob Bishop ’58
Meg Hollinger, Hon. Chris McConnell
Brad Cates Henry Nassau ’72 Sandy McCurdy ’57 Steve Morris Justin Brandon
CFO/Business Manager 
 Trustee 
 Patsy Porter* John Powell ’70 Rush Haines ’61
Ham Clark Nancy Reinhard, Hon. Jeff Semmer Lori Kelly*
Patsy Porter
Head of School 
 Jim Squire, Hon. Maude Kent, Hon.
Trustee 
 Finance
Carolyn Turner Mike Letts
Jeremy Coote Holly Sando Rieck ’91 Amy Bosio Aggie Malter
Connie Williams
Trustee 
 Trustee 
 Brad Cates Karl Mayro ’84
Geoff Worden ’57*
Melanie Cox Geoff Wagg Paige Peters LeGrand Rob Melchionni ’98
Academic & Curricular
Trustee 
 Upper School Head 
 Frank Leto ’77 Mark Turner
Excellence
Steve Dana Geoff Worden ’57 *Chairs
Kathy Crothall
Trustee 
 Trustee Steve Dana*
Beth Gadsden

The Episcopal Academy

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