The following pages set forth the Strategic Plan for MICDS 2005 – 2008. The text has been re-formatted for ease of use on the MICDS website but is otherwise unchanged. It should be noted that the administrative version of the Strategic Plan is accompanied by tables setting forth timelines, required reports, oversight procedures and measurements to be used by the School to gauge its progress in accomplishing the goals described in the text of the Plan. Because these tables were built for internal use, they are omitted herein.
The Strategic Plan for MICDS 2005-2008 represents a three-year extension of the most recent five-year Strategic Plan. While it includes a number of substantive modifications, it preserves the essential framework of the earlier Strategic Plan and is designed to bridge the period during which the School completes its scheduled accreditation process with the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) in 2007-08. Like its predecessors, the purpose of this Strategic Plan is to assist the School in a continuous process of evaluation and growth. The 1995 – 2000 Plan focused on the direct actions necessary to blend two strong schools into one, in the wake of the merger of Mary Institute and Country Day School. The 2000 – 2005 Plan then challenged that one strong school to become even greater by stretching itself further toward excellence in definable areas. The Strategic Plan for 2005-2008 will take full advantage of the self-study and institutional introspection provided in the normal course of the re-accreditation process to chart a clear direction for the School.
As in previous planning cycles, this Strategic Plan began with a careful analysis of the degree to which the School is carrying out its mission in the lives of the students who presently attend. The analysis was conducted against the backdrop of the MICDS Mission Statement, the School’s “coordinate concepts” of excellence and community, and the realities of our environment. Time was taken to consider the present state of education at MICDS; strengths, areas for improvement and opportunities were explored at length. Anyone who studies in any depth the present at MICDS soon gains an understanding of and appreciation for the strength of the past, and what MICDS can accomplish in the future is tied directly to what we presently value.
Informed by the past and cognizant of the present, this Strategic Plan through study and assessment encourages the School to transform itself and reach new heights in furtherance of its rich history. MICDS is blessed with unparalleled physical facilities, sound financial resources, a curriculum of remarkable breadth, an increasing ability to attract and nurture the most talented teachers, and a vibrant community of passionate supporters and stakeholders. The Strategic Plan challenges the School to refocus these assets to the most essential goal of fully engaging each individual student in a genuine process of learning that begins in the classroom and carries the student into a life of purpose and service.
The Strategic Plan is organized around twelve key reporting segments that together encompass the entirety of MICDS. Within each reporting segment, “result areas” are identified that signify quantifiable targets for improvement. Each result area is accompanied by measurements designed to track and assess the School’s progress toward its goals. The measurements in this plan appear challenging, but they are critically important to ensuring that the desired result areas are accomplished. Finally, while all elements described in the result areas are important, they do not provide meaningful guidance to the School unless an effort is made to prioritize them. Hence the Strategic Plan sets forth “Priorities” that form the plan’s nucleus. The progress of the School towards its long-range goals will be measured over the next three years by its success in meeting these Priorities.
