Strategic Planning Process

The GHS Strategic Plan identifies the mission and long-term goals and objectives, as well as implementation steps that drive all that GHS delivers.

The strategic planning process is an exercise in which constituents from our community -- parents, faculty, staff and board members -- come together to review, revise and develop the long-term priorities for GHS. A cross-section of parent participants are selected by the board and administration based upon experience, school volunteer activities, and previously expressed interest in additional school involvement.

If you would like to contribute toward achieving our articulated goals and objectives, please talk to our Head of School about the various parent committees and consider giving some of your time in this capacity. Together, as a community, we continue to build on our core strengths and further the growth and development of our very special school.

Strategic Plan Goals & Objectives 2019 - 2025

Strategic Goal: Demonstrate educational excellence

Golden Hills School prides itself on providing an excellent educational program for students that inspires a love of learning and empowers each child to achieve his or her personal best. Pedagogy changes over time and we must make sure that we keep pace with that change. With high standards in academics and character development, we prepare our students to be confident and successful global citizens.

Objectives

• Continue to refine and update as required, the scope and sequence at each grade level to ensure appropriate transitions from one grade to the next
• Continue to encourage a collaborative educational culture where teachers share and learn
• Maintain, evaluate and improve, as necessary, the technology infrastructure, tools, devices and content
• Continue to adopt technology to help facilitate, guide and activate unique learning paths for students

Strategic Goal: Demonstrate organizational excellence

All constituents of an organization are integral in ensuring continued success. It is of utmost importance that the Board of Trustees evaluates its structure, size, skills and composition to ensure its effectiveness. Golden Hills School prides itself on recruiting and employing high caliber administration, staff and teachers. The School needs to ensure that it develops a competitive compensation package in order to attract and continue to retain its high quality personnel. Supporting new families and students is also an integral component in ensuring continued excellence. The cornerstone for all constituents of organizational excellence at Golden Hills School is the school’s mission.

Objectives

• Continue to use admissions criteria to empower all admitted students so they can thrive and support school’s mission
• Continue efforts to develop a competitive and more comprehensive total compensation package for all employees including additional benefits that would assist in attracting and retaining high quality staff.
• Assess and address the size, skills, and committee structures of the Board to ensure sufficient processes and resources for strategic planning, fundraising, self-perpetuation, succession planning, training, and evaluation of its effectiveness.

Strategic Goal: Maintain a vibrant school culture and pride

Golden Hills School is a close, diverse community that values school spirit and believes strongly in cultivating a culture of integrity, respect and service to others. The School maintains high standards in character development and places great value on embracing citizens that take pride in themselves, their school and the greater community. A successful and healthy educational institution embraces and encourages a collaborative relationship between families and the school, which helps foster and support student success.

Objectives

• Develop a strong program for encouraging a broad base of parental involvement
• Work with the Administration to coordinate all volunteer efforts on campus
• Continue to implement and promote the Characters of Gold program

Strategic Goal: Develop and execute a comprehensive marketing and admissions program that supports incremental enrollment growth and strong retention

A continued and prominent focus on marketing and admissions is necessary in order to ensure the health and stability of Golden Hills School. It is very important that the school communicate its brand and value to the internal and external community in order to remain competitive and grow enrollment. The school needs to clearly define its differentiators that set it apart from local schools, as well as continue to embrace additional possibilities that will further help the school maintain top status in the area. Consistent outreach to alumni and maintaining a relationship with them is integral to a successful marketing and admissions program.

Objectives

• Use survey and demographic data to develop an internal and external marketing/communications plan that articulates the school’s value proposition to its targeted (re) enrollment markets in an effort to decrease attrition and increase enrollment rates.
• Focus on developing a cohesive, consistent internal communications

Strategic Goal: Ensure the financial stability of the school

Financial sustainability is of paramount importance in any educational institution. As a school, it is important to use our long-range budgeting tool to successfully fund all strategic initiatives. This will require the school to evaluate tuition levels and fundraising capabilities. The school successfully provides high academic standards which necessitates a faculty and staff of high caliber. To maintain this quality of education, GHS must create a plan to offer a more competitive compensation package. Furthermore, increasing diversity is of great importance and offering financial aid will further our diverse population, as well as provide additional tuition revenue through increased enrollment. In the event of economic uncertainty and any planned or unexpected facility needs, it is imperative that the school establish a stronger cash reserve balance. Stronger fundraising efforts will provide much needed support for funding the school’s goals and strategic initiatives.

Objectives

• Long range financial planning will be used to ensure the school sustainability and promoting growth of strategic programs
• Generate revenue to appropriately fund strategic objectives and increasing cash reserves
• Develop external sources of revenue
• Create a multi-year revenue strategy and institute a need-based financial aid program