Case Study
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Girls’ Boarding School
Strategic Plan
What students and alumnae love about this elite New England girls’ boarding school is also its Achilles heel: its small size. The intimacy of its campus and individualized attention to each student serve as hallmarks, while the diverse student body and range of academic offerings are comparable to larger schools. A top concern for the board and administration was how to maintain these qualities in a competitive marketplace where single-sex boarding schools face unique challenges.
Challenge
Many questions surfaced simultaneously. Was it feasible to maintain the school’s size, given rising costs? Was it possible to create larger classes of students and maintain standards of excellence? What investment in facilities and programs was wisest? What role might marketing play in the school’s long-term success?
Solution
A strategic plan would allow the school to take a comprehensive look at its direction, while linking decision to a shared vision. This vision would serve as a platform for marketing targeted to new students not familiar with the school, potential faculty members to replace impending retirees; new board members; and donors who would steer fundraising efforts.
Process
• Facilitated an inclusive strategic planning process that engaged students, parents, faculty, administration, alumnae, and the board to yield a compelling vision and set of four major goals.
• Led the board through a transformative retreat and development process to better prepare it for the leadership needed to ensure the school’s long-term sustainability.