At the core of the Episcopal High School experience is an exceptional education that prepares students for intellectual challenges in college and beyond. The School aspires to create and deliver a curriculum that is rigorous, innovative, and evolving. Outstanding academics rely on a capable and committed faculty, so one of the School’s highest priorities is to provide an environment that makes EHS the top choice for a talented faculty who embrace boarding school life. At Episcopal, the faculty collaborates with each other and with students to develop within students the knowledge, understanding, curiosity, and ingenuity it takes to succeed, contribute, and lead in a changing world.
Goal One: Curriculum
Empower students to live lives of consequence in an increasingly global, connected, and technologically sophisticated world.
Strategy 1: Establish an academic structure to provide leadership for comprehensive, ambitious, and ongoing review of curriculum.
Approach: This strategy will begin with a comprehensive, one-year review of the academic program, including the academic schedule and calendar, graduation requirements, and Advanced Placement programs. To sustain the focus beyond this review, a Committee for Curricular Design and Innovative Teaching will be established to ensure that fresh thinking infuses the academic program in an ongoing manner. The committee will establish and conduct cyclical review of the academic program; keep abreast of best practices for program assessment; make recommendations for program enhancements; and identify opportunities for faculty to engage in the national dialogue with regard to curriculum and teaching methodologies.
Strategy 2: Sustain emphasis on development of strong
writing skills while strengthening development of oral communication skills;
focus on reinforcing critical curricular areas, including science, technology,
engineering, and math.
Approach:
Status reports will be prepared
to provide a point of departure for a thorough assessment process. The reports
will include information on current coursework and activities, as well as
average number and grade level of students engaged in each and will be provided
to the Academic Planning Task Force, to whom requested feedback and input will
be provided.
Strategy 3: Align curriculum with the June 2010 Core
Competencies of an Episcopal High School Graduate.
Approach:
Assessments
will be conducted to determine the extent to which EHS graduates demonstrate
the identified Core Competencies. In accordance with the assessment findings,
the curriculum will be modified to ensure that the Core Competencies are
advanced and emphasized in the student experience.
Strategy 4: Pilot academic programs that will lead to
greater global information “literacy,” interdisciplinary study, and
distinctively “EHS” programming.
Approach:
Three
action items include the development of “Capstone” senior electives in each
discipline, and the expansion and strengthening of the Washington Program. In
addition, the School will provide students and parents with information
regarding service leadership opportunities for breaks and summer vacation.
Goal Two: Faculty
Recruit
and retain outstanding faculty who are committed to EHS values and who
significantly contribute to the intellectual, ethical, emotional, spiritual,
artistic, and athletic lives of the students.
Strategy 1: Focus on recruitment and retention of faculty
who embrace the unique opportunity and responsibility of teaching in a boarding
school, engaging with students in academic and residential settings throughout
the day as teachers, mentors, coaches, advisors, and confidants.
Approach:
The
School will pursue the development of a faculty mentoring program, both in the
academic and personal realm.
Strategy 2: Attract and retain a diverse faculty to best
deliver a dynamic curriculum to a broad and diverse student body.
Approach:
The
School will explore the possibility of a teacher intern program, and will identify
new candidate pools from which to recruit.
Strategy 3: Remain intentional about providing the best
possible professional boarding school environment in which faculty work and
live.
Approach:
The
School will maintain a high level of faculty support for graduate study and continue
to increase the number of faculty residences on campus. In addition, other
areas of support for the family lives of faculty will be part of ongoing
consideration and enhancement, including facilities, campus life, opportunities
for childcare, etc.
Goal Three: Teaching
Establish
an institutional focus on effective teaching methodology and innovation, and
encourage and support faculty in their professional pursuit of these
objectives.
Strategy 1: Employ best practices in academic pedagogy that
have the potential to inspire further state-of-the-art teaching methodology.
Approach:
The School will employ
innovative teaching methods to include interdisciplinary work, oral
presentation, international connections, and learning through reflection on
doing. In addition, alternative assessments and inquiry-based
projects will be implemented, the role of technology in the classroom will be
evaluated, and the appropriate student/faculty ratio for delivery of an
interdisciplinary program will be determined.
Strategy 2: Concentrate on an enhanced faculty evaluation
system to encourage and promote professional growth and creativity.
Approach: The School will research,
develop, and implement processes for effective performance assessments, leading
faculty toward the development of goals that inspire professional growth.
Strategy 3: Provide opportunities and incentives for faculty to explore and develop new programs; encourage germination of ideas and innovations.
Approach:
Action
items include the alignment of professional development priorities with
Strategic Plan goals, the allocation of additional time for departmental and
cross-departmental discussion of teaching methodology and curriculum, and increased
opportunities for attendance of national meetings and conference.