Vision 2030: Creating Our Strategic Plan


Posted by Admin on April 24, 2018 at 10:32 AM

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Pictured left-right: Kathryn Maxfield, Janice Gladstone, Ellen Sprenger, and Ann Elisabeth Samson. Linden parent Kathryn Maxfield produced a beautiful graphic recording of our first strategic long-range visioning exercise (see below for the full image and more information about Kathryn). 

When I joined Linden in 2015–2016, I felt it was essential to revitalize our mission and develop a strategic roadmap for the whole community. We created a plan that allowed us to set priorities for the next three years, spanning 2016–2019. Our success in achieving these goals to date has spurred us to think ahead to the more distant future. To this end, we have engaged Ellen Sprenger of Spring Strategies, an international management consultant who specializes in non-profits and provides leadership and management services to many organizations around the world. Our thanks to Nancy Ruth who has generously sponsored Ellen and her colleague, Ann Elisabeth Samson, to work with us. Together, we will develop our vision for "Linden 2030," while focusing on a core plan that will guide us in the next three years, from 2019–2022.

Our planning process includes the following key steps:

1. April 2018: Long-range Visioning for 2030
Using the Delphi Method, Ellen Sprenger led a visioning exercise with a group of Linden leaders, including faculty, staff, board members, alumnae, and parents. Energizing and inspiring, this session allowed participants to define meaningful goals for Linden's future while taking into account our changing world and demographics.

2. June 2018: Strategic Planning Consultation with Faculty and Staff
This consultation will provide further insight and help us draft our vision, framework, and underpinning strategies accordingly.

3. June–July 2018: Parent Survey
Based on the above consultations, parents will be asked to complete a survey that will further inform our strategic priorities.

Collectively, we will build a strategic plan that reflects our growing community needs while strengthening our mission and values. I am excited by this prospect, and welcome the opportunity to take us into the next decade.

Sincerely,

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Janice Gladstone
Principal, The Linden School

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Strategic Plan Visioning: Graphic recording by Linden parent Kathyrn Maxfield (click image for detailed view and read more about Kathryn below).

Takeaways from our March 2018 visioning exercise with Ellen Sprenger:

"The whole process and facilitation was remarkably efficient and dramatically insightful. The teachers and alumnae reminded us how subtly and significantly different Linden is." —John T. Sutton, Linden Board of Trustees

"With the progress that the school has made in the past several years, many of the objectives in the 2016–2019 strategic plan are now complete, and it's time to look forward to what Linden can do to be a force for positive change in the world. I was inspired by the passion that faculty, alumnae, parents and Board members have for Linden and look forward to the next steps in the planning process." —David Bryson, Co-Chair, Linden Board of Trustees

"Heading into my 15th year of teaching at Linden, I am inspired by the passion and energy of our community — families, faculty, alumnae, and board members alike. Linden is a remarkable place where we manage to combine the cutting edge of pedagogical research with what we know — from listening to our students and adjusting course day by day—and what girls need from their school to thrive. Doing this creatively and on a tight budget requires agile thinking and resourcefulness, and it was a pleasure to be part of this team as we imagined the future together." —Beth Alexander, Curriculum Lead

"In our two-year acquaintance with Linden, I've been very impressed with the Linden board and faculty's willingness to seek out new research and information and adapt their curriculum and school framework to best serve the world as we know it now. The strategic planning workshop demonstrated this flexibility writ large. It was a fascinating examination amongst founding board members, current faculty, alumnae, parents, and the founding principals, and how they can best adapt to serve the needs of girls and society in the future. As a parent, I felt privileged to participate." —Caitlin O'Leary, Member, Advancement Committee

"My biggest takeaway is: why isn't there a waiting list of families enthusiastic about the Linden experience for their daughter(s)?! We're looking forward to the spring term, and then reflecting on our fabulous first year at Linden. I am eager to learn more about how the discussions generated at the strategic planning workshop will help me answer my burning question!" —Lori O'Leary, New Parent

About Kathryn Maxfield: Graphic Recorder, Illustrator —AOCAD

Graphic Recording is a dynamic and powerful tool that increases participant engagement, communicates ideas and creates beautiful lasting summaries of events in workshops, meetings, collaborative sessions, and live speaker events.

Kathryn creates visual notes or Graphic Recordings, by listening to content live, synthesizing and capturing ideas in real-time with markers on large-scale artboards at the front of the room. Kathryn works with corporate and non-profit companies across North America to engage audiences and teams. Visual notes align with how we learn best — and they are a proven tool for helping people remember, connect ideas, innovate and thrive!

Learn more:

www.greenmarkerstudios.com
www.visualtalks.ca