A Smart Future 2018: WT’s Strategic Priorities

555 Morewood Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213 412.578.7500 www.winchesterthurston.org

Year 1 Progress Report

September 2016

A Smart Future 2018:

WT’s Strategic Priorities

A Smart Future 2018: WT’s Strategic Priorities

2015-2016 Progress Report

Page | 1

A Smart Future 2018 – Year 1 Progress Report

With a deep and shared

commitment to Winchester

Thurston students, our

faculty, administration, and

Board are developing,

implementing, and

supporting initiatives that

sustain WT not only as the

smart place to learn and to

teach, but also as the place

that enthusiastically

embraces our founder’s

mandate to “think also of the comfort and the rights of others.”

Through strategic efforts in four domains, we will stimulate an

environment where smart meets heart. This document provides a progress

report from 2015-2016, the first academic year of our 3-year plan.

The four domains are:

1. Programmatic Innovation

2. Financial Vitality

3. Competitive and Sustainable Facilities

4. Generative Planning

Domain 1:

Programmatic

Innovation

Domain 2:

Financial

Vitality

Domain 4:

Generative

Planning

Domain 3:

Compettive &

Sustainable

Facilities



Page | 2

Domain 1, Goal 1: Distinguished by a broad spectrum of teaching

practices that engage students and enhance learning, WT will

continue its growth by expanding faculty use of innovative and

varied practices and by becoming a national leader in developing,

assessing, and sharing teaching practices that meet the needs of the 21st

century learner. Areas of emphasis include City as Our CampusSM

and eLearning.

Strategy 2015-2016 Activities Year 1 Progress

(June 30, 2016)

Draft an educational

framework that outlines

WT's approach to

teaching; a competency-

based curriculum;

assessment strategies that

assure learning is

documented and

measured effectively; and

professional

development.

Focus year faculty (those who are in a year of intensive

reflection and self-evaluation) will set goals and collect

data to inform and enhance their teaching practices.

We will finalize a competency-based curriculum and

assessment strategies.

In order to provide resources to help other schools

replicate WT's approaches, we will document the

professional development process and examples of

teaching strategies in City as Our Campus,

eLearning/STEM activities.

To create and share a model of competency-based

curriculum and assessment activities, we will begin in

the Middle School, where faculty will work with

Department Chairs to develop competencies for each

subject area.

We will develop new forms of assessment to measure

learning in project-based, community-based, and other

21st century activities.

Increase local and

national recognition of

WT’s approach

We will survey faculty and staff to identify programs

and approaches that provide promising topics for

conferences and publications, then identify conferences

and publications, providing support for proposals and

articles.

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Domain 1: Program-

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Innovation



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Year 1 Measures of Success and Accomplishment

Number of returning focus year faculty who met their goals to

enhance teaching practices and/or implement assessment strategies

based on data collection.

100%

Completion of document outlining curriculum and assessment

strategies.

Portions were created in a set of

disciplines

Completion of document that includes examples of teaching

strategies in City as Our Campus, eLearning/STEM activities.

Portions were created from

various initiatives

Number of faculty and staff who present at local and national

conferences, and/or publish in local and national publications.

A survey is planned for 2016-17

to gather data.

Number of departments completing the creation of a competency-

based curriculum. 75%

of Middle School departments

Number of divisions prepared to implement assessment strategies

based on competency-based curriculum. 25% (1 of 4)



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Computer Science in Second Grade

Second graders studied programming concepts and

wrote code using the app PlayCodeMonkey. As a

culmination, Dr. Fay introduced a lesson in which

students applied and extended the concepts they

learned to move a robot around the classroom. The

students were given new commands and had to order

them in a sequence to move the robot to specific spots

and pick up an object. In teams, they analyzed the

steps needed, and tested their code by having members

of the group execute the commands. When they

identified bugs, they fixed their programs. The

children even created new procedures: They taught the

robot to dance by sequencing Step, Turn, and Jump

commands and wave by sequencing Arm Up and

Hand Left and Right. While creating Dance and

Wave, students discovered the idea of a Loop

command so that they could make the robot repeat

the sequence many times.

Seventh Grade Students as Science Teachers

Seventh graders studied electricity, specifically Ohm's

Law, which relates current, voltage, and

resistance. Building on what they had learned in

Lower School, they constructed circuits, then added

resistors to them. Throughout the year, their teacher,

Ms. Hannan, had posted video clips on her web page

to reinforce concepts; when she had difficulty locating

suitable clips about Ohm's Law, she challenged the

students to create their own. In groups using iMovie,

students had to clearly explain the variables, how they

work together, and solve a problem. “The students

really took off with this assignment in their own

creative ways,” recalls Hannan. “We spent a class

watching all of the videos. The student feedback was

great and they commented that they really felt like

they understood the concepts better when they were

asked to teach them. They had a lot of fun too!”

WT Teaching Rubric

Developed in 2014, this rubric is

used by faculty to set goals,

design curricula, and enhance

teaching practice to ensure

student learning and faculty

growth are at the core of a

Winchester Thurston education.

New teaching demands a learning

environment in which the

teacher:

• Responds to the fact that

students no longer merely

consume information, by

requiring them to construct

meaning and create content for

a real world audience.

• Designs lessons recognizing that

problem solving itself is a

curriculum as well as a process.

This requires students to

acquire and apply knowledge,

to employ self-directed learning

strategies, and to collaborate

with a team.

• Incorporates physical

movement to promote and

stimulate greater creativity,

communication, learning, and

cognitive retention.

• Integrates online resources

routinely and technology tools

comprehensively to support

curricular goals, recognizing the

new learner is fully immersed in

a virtual experience.

• Challenges students to use skills

and knowledge to develop new

ideas, design new solutions, and

create new products in

response to the needs of their

local and global communities.

This brings meaning to the

issues in question and

motivates students to produce

work that is valid and of high

quality.



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Computer Science Innovations Mentorship Program

Computer Science Innovations is a Level 3 Computer Science course taught by Mr. Nassar in

Upper School. Students bring a product to fruition by the year's end. They carefully research their

project, determining the best programming language and the best hardware to use. In 2015-2016,

students chose such topics as building an autonomous terrarium that will keep a plant alive with

no human intervention, creating a puzzle arcade game that teaches young children collaboration

skills, and developing an artificial intelligence that will write its own jazz melodies over standards'

chords. Through City as Our Campus, each student worked with a professional mentor. They met

with their mentor at the beginning of the year to discuss their project idea and receive valuable

feedback about how to move forward, as well as learn of potential pitfalls to avoid. Mentors

included founders of GreenSinner, a local terrarium company, members of the Entertainment

Technology Center at CMU, and CMU professor Roger Dannenburg, creator of free and

popularly used Audacity music software. Students were not only able to make better progress on

their projects with mentoring support, but also were able to see firsthand how their efforts in class

could lead to a successful career in a field in which they are interested. All students met with their

mentor midway through the year, so that they could show their progress to these professionals.

This midyear meeting encouraged students to stay focused throughout the process. Moreover, each

mentor was present at the end-of-year STEM Symposium to see the students' final work.



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Domain 1, Goal 2: WT will create enrollment demand by

developing and offering innovative, dynamic summer academic

programs that enrich and advance students at all ages, and

introduce prospective students and parents to the full WT

experience.


(June 30, 2016)

Develop a plan for

summer academic

enrichment and

advancement for students

PK through Grade 12.

Explore immediate themes of interest and demand.

Outline goals for several programs to be featured in

summer 2016. Launch and evaluate 2016 programs.

Work with Department Chairs and faculty to promote

new summer academic programs at WT.

Create team of faculty

and program partners to

define goals and

guidelines for tracking

student progress;

articulate program

outcomes (e.g.,

certificates, credit,

badges).

Identify prospective team members and partners, and

develop ideas for programming.

Increase profile and

recognition of summer

academic programs.

Elevate exposure so that

members of the greater

community look to WT

to help achieve academic

advancement for students

of all ages.

Identify academic events, conferences, competitions.

Research organizations that may be able to connect us to

students interested in summer academic advancement,

enrichment, and challenge.

Research connections with international schools; develop

strategy for summer 2017 to attract overseas students for a

2-, 3-, or 4-week intensive.

Explore how “smart meets heart” brand can tie into

marketing strategy for summer academic programs.

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Domain 1: Program-

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Innovation



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Number of summer academic courses

offered 2

(increase from 1 in 2014-2015)

Number of Grade 6-12 project-based, skill

building STEAM programs 9


Number of students enrolled in new

programs 50


Number of academic departments

engaged in defining new programs 7


Number of WT faculty engaged in

defining new programs and partnerships 4


Number of new partnerships created for

summer programs 1


Summer Academic Programs, 2016

• PreCalculus

• Speech

• Sharpen Your Skills Algebra

• Animal Behavior

• Make Your Mark Engineering Camp

• Urban Art

• Coding for Girls

• Clay Intensive

• WT MD

• CampE

• Video Game Design



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Domain 1, Goal 3: WT will seek to foster a culture of well-being

by exploring, developing and enhancing a program that

promotes moral life, student wellness, and equity and inclusion.


(June 30, 2016)

Investigate the

development of a

mindfulness curriculum

Investigate and evaluate various resources on mindfulness.

Invite all faculty to consider the Mindful Schools course,

framing the context and explaining our overall interest in

pursuing this as a school community. Hold a professional

development workshop in mindfulness.

Join Making Caring

Common and develop

programs as a result

Attend Harvard’s Making Caring Common conference.

Conduct Making Caring Common Climate Survey; use

results to identify issues specific to WT. Based on survey

results and conference, develop and /or enhance

curricula for WT.

Develop and implement

programs to promote

health and wellness

Ninth Grade Seminar: Develop seminar on Suicide

Prevention, Healthy Relationships, and Conflict

Resolution/Communication, to begin in 2016-2017.

Evaluate the Freedom from Chemical Dependency

program we have been offering and develop ideas for a

more comprehensive and expansive program.

Contract with Sam Bushman for educational sessions on

sexuality in 2016-2017 with eighth graders, eleventh

graders, and parents.

Promote cross-cultural

understanding

Draft and disseminate statement on Equity & Inclusion

to guide our strategic plans and actions.

Create a new position: Director of Equity & Inclusion.

Bring “Think also of the

comfort and the rights

of others” to life as our

guiding principle for

interaction, and for

developing students with

strong character.

Set goals and develop strategies and tactics for the 2016-

2017 school year.

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Innovation



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Equity and Inclusion Statement

As a means to fulfill our credo, “Think also of the comfort and the rights of others,” Winchester

Thurston will be an inclusive community and will pursue the social and pedagogical benefits that

diversity brings. We will place the highest value on enabling students to understand their own cultural

identity and those of others. It is our moral imperative to be courageous and intentional in promoting

understanding, addressing bias, identifying and honoring qualities of justice, respecting multiple

perspectives and contributions, and valuing the dignity of all.

Adopted by the Board of Trustees, 2015-2016



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Domain 1, Goal 4: WT will utilize the natural environment of the

North Hills Campus to enrich the learning experience for students and

differentiate the program; the school will also further the educational

collaboration between the City and North Hills Campus Lower

Schools to broaden the educational and social opportunities for

the students on each campus.


(June 30, 2016)

Develop the North Hills

Campus Outdoor

Classroom ethos to

enrich the learning

experience for students.

Create PK-5 Outdoor Classroom curriculum that aligns

learning objectives across grades and disciplines, and

provides at least one outdoor learning experience per

trimester, per grade level.

Provide time for all Lower School faculty to increase

collaborations in depth and breadth.

Connect "Think Also" and the core values to the Outdoor

Classroom, enhancing active engagement and applying

WT values to the unique assets of the North Hills

Campus.

Foster professional development related to outdoor

learning for North Hills Campus faculty.

To enhance both the

Outdoor Classroom and

City As Our Campus

experiences at the North

Hills Campus, increase

the number and depth

of the partnerships with

outside organizations

and establish the campus

as a thought leader in

the community.

Partner with City As Our Campus to co-develop

community-based partnerships.

Offer community events and support the work of campus

thought leaders to establish the North Hills Campus as an

educational leader and innovator, increasing brand and

awareness.

Explore feasibility and return on investment for

partnership with local schools.

Create Outdoor Classroom Learning Coordinator

position to champion development and integration of the

Outdoor Classroom curriculum and support faculty

implementation.

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Innovation



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Differentiate the

program in the

marketplace, partnering

with Admission to

positively impact the

enrollment of the North

Hills Campus.

Present the North Hills Campus and City Campus Lower

School as one program offering two different

environments; highlight collaboration to positively impact

enrollment at both campuses.

Create specific marketing materials for North Hills

Campus awareness building, recruitment, and retention.

Promote the unique benefits Lower School students at

both campuses receive, e.g. Computer Science, Outdoor

Classrooms, City as Our Campus.

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Fifth Grade Aquatic Habitats Pond Improvement

Project

The fifth grade aquatic habitats pond improvement project

sprang from science teacher Heather Capezzuti’s many years

of studying the pond at the North Hills Campus. “The pond

has gone through many changes. In the 25 years that I have

known WT, it has been dredged twice. As a result of these

observations, I decided to write a unit for my fifth grade class

called Aquatic Habitats. It is based on the essential question,

‘Is the pond a healthy aquatic habitat?’”

In this course, students initially take a walk around the pond

looking for evidence to support their ideas. “We make

observations that we categorize as poor, fair, or good, and

talk about what it means to be a healthy habitat. We learn

about watersheds and how the runoff that drains into our

pond can affect the water chemistry. We also conduct simple

water quality tests such as pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate,

temperature, and turbidity. We discuss how biotic and

abiotic factors in and around our pond interact with each

other and how small changes can affect this delicate balance. We look at aquatic food chains and food

webs, and search for indicator species, like macroinvertebrates, insects whose presence tells us about the

water quality.”

With all of this information, students then try to analyze and interpret results to make meaningful and

accurate conclusions. Adam Nye, Director of City as Our Campus, connected Capezzuti with AquaticEdge

in the fall. These consultants met with the students during a Lunch and Learn session to review and

discuss the variety of factors that affect pond health.

The students then went down to the pond during science class to collect water samples. The samples were

labeled and sent to a Penn State lab for analysis. After discussing and interpreting the results, students

decided to test for sodium and chloride to see if the high levels of total dissolved solids might come from

the winter salt application in the parking lot. They used the canoe to collect additional water samples.

“We also used digital meters to test for pH and total dissolved solids on sight.” Later in the year, students

took additional samples and discussed native, non-native, and invasive plant species to learn which native

species are best for controlling nonpoint source pollution (like the parking lot runoff) and which ones are

best to plant on-sight given the test results. “Our students are gaining real-world experience by helping to

solve real-world problems,” says Capezzuti.



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Number of outdoor learning experiences

offered at the North Hills Campus as a

result of the new curriculum

At least 1 per trimester at each grade level

Number of cross-campus collaborations

implemented between the two Lower

Schools

61 (increased from 27 in 2014-2015)

Number of professional development

trainings attended related to the Outdoor

Classroom

6

Number of community partnerships

created with City as Our Campus 11

Number of community engagement events

held 5


Number of prospective school partners

identified 4

Number of joint Admission events held

across the two campuses 11

(increase over 0 in 2014-2015)

Number of marketing pieces created for the

North Hills Campus specifically 9

(increase over 1 in 2014-2015)



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Domain 2, Goal 1: WT will evaluate the impact of increasing

international student enrollment; we will assess the needs of

international students and develop a plan to best serve these

needs.


(June 30, 2016)

Develop a support network for

international students and WT faculty

to improve the experience of both

students and teachers and to become a

more attractive school to prospective

international students.

Establish a Dean of International Students

position to support student activities and

serve as a liaison to international parents.

Establish a Middle School Advisor for the

increasing number of international students

in this division.

Hire an English as a Second Language

(ESL) instructor to work with students and

faculty.

Develop an International Student and

Parent Satisfaction Survey to be

implemented each summer.

Explore housing options for international

students.

Enhance WT's brand and reputation in

China to attract the most qualified

students

Expand outreach to placement agencies.

Research a visit to China in the fall of 2017

to meet with parents and alumnae/i and to

recruit students.

Evaluate the connection between TOEFL

score and academic performance to

determine the best indicator of academic

success at WT.

Change the Chinese name of the school to

be more reflective of school culture.

Ensure the enrollment of international

students has a positive impact on WT's

culture and community.

Gather feedback from the WT community

(faculty, parents, etc.) about ways that

international students may be impacting

our community, and to ensure a positive

experience for all.

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Number of faculty dedicated to international

students 2.6


Change in number of applications from

international students

-8 (from 25 in 2014-2015

to 17 in 2015-2016)

Strength of applicants, measured by change

in average TOEFL scores of 9th grade

applicants

+10 points (over 2014-2015 average TOEFL score)

Selectivity, measured by change in

percentage of international applicants

accepted

-1% (from 39% accepted for 15-16 to 38%

accepted for 16-17;

acceptance rate for 14-15 was 50%) Change in average GPA of international

students No change

(average international 9th grade GPA

was 3.75 in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016)



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Domain 2, Goal 2: WT will re-evaluate and redefine the brand,

positioning the school as an educational thought leader and

authentically promoting it to attract and retain students, growing

our enrollment and fundraising.


(June 30, 2016)

Differentiate WT by

connecting the brand to

tangible value elements.

Survey young alumnae/i on their WT experience; use the

data to generate differentiation messages that demonstrate

the value of a WT education.

Develop messaging platform for “Where smart meets

heart;” use it to guide communication and outreach to

admission and advancement constituents. Roll out

platform to faculty, staff, and other appropriate

community members (Parents Association president,

relevant Board committee members) and orient them in

its use.

Align what we have learned about our audience from

branding research into a comprehensive media strategy.

Inspire prospective

families to learn about

WT (to call; to visit; to

apply; to enroll).

Research differences between internally focused and

externally focused websites.

Develop and launch new web site and Admission

materials.

Realize regional and

national recognition by

positioning key

academic leaders as

thought leaders and

resources in the

education industry.

Develop media pitches, generate content highlighting

programmatic offerings: City as Our Campus; eLearning;

Outdoor Learning; Early Childhood education.

Identify opportunities for thought leadership. Coach and

encourage employees to share their expertise through

speaking engagements, editorial writing, and media

interviews.

Learn from what we do. Create and systematically disseminate event evaluations,

and use the results for future planning and

enhancements.

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Financial

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WT: where smart meets heart.

• Our academics are rigorous; students

achieve and succeed at the highest

levels.

• Our strong foundational academics

are paired with a dynamic, nationally

recognized approach to project-based

learning, City as Our Campussm;

students are prepared to thrive in the

real world.

• Our teaching is innovative; we’re

leading the way in academic learning.

• There is no “one” WT student; we

encourage students to be who they

are – smart, artistic, athletic,

community-driven – all at the highest

level.

• The only thing more powerful than

what students learn is why they

learn it; students’ academic,

intellectual, and extracurricular

pursuits are grounded in civic

responsibility and engagement.

• WT’s credo is as vibrant today as it

was when it was penned more than a

century ago: Think also of the

comfort and the rights of others.



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Domain 3, Goal 1: WT will establish a master plan that

prioritizes short- and long-term programmatic and

enrollment needs, and that can be implemented

incrementally resulting in facilities that maximize our

current footprint(s), match the quality of our educational

program, appeal to prospective families, and reduce our

carbon footprint.


(June 30, 2016)

WT will research Master

Planning firms with the

desire to engage an

expert in this field to

assist WT.

Research potential master planning firms and engage a

firm to work with WT.

WT will engage a

Master Planning firm to

create a master plan for

the school.

Engage the WT community to determine the

programmatic, enrollment and operational needs of the

school.

Fully support the master planning firm as it works with

the WT community.

Work with the sustainability steering committee to

identify opportunities for green design and building as

part of the master planning process, as well as

opportunities to deploy recommendations from the

energy audit.

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Competi-tive &

Sustain-

able

Facilities



Page | 19

Domain 4, Goal 1: To ensure an ongoing commitment

to innovation and sustainability, WT will monitor and

analyze trends, study and explore the feasibility of

long-term strategies, and recommend educational,

programmatic, and fiscal initiatives for future strategic

plans.


(June 30, 2016)

Develop a framework and

process for long-term

innovation planning.

Establish a Generative Thinking Task Force of the Board

to determine how we will accomplish this work.

Appoint the Associate Head for Strategic and External

Affairs to conduct research and guide efforts to develop

programmatic and business model innovation for WT.

Study innovation processes and structures in schools and

other organizations.

Articulate purpose as well as specific desired outcomes

and measures.

Identify and analyze key economic, societal, educational,

and technological trends.

Study innovative models.

Generate a set of prospective strategies to test and study.

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Domain 4: Generative

Planning

Documents

A Smart Future 2018: WT’s Strategic Priorities