Strategic Plan
July 2017
The Board of Trustees has approved Cushing Academy’s Strategic Plan for 2017-2022. The Strategic Plan is entitled “Embracing Our Legacy and Positioning For Our Future.”
The Board of Trustees has approved Cushing Academy’s Strategic Plan for 2017-2022. The Strategic Plan is entitled “Embracing Our Legacy and Positioning For Our Future.”
This Strategic Plan has been nearly ten months in the making. The process began in earnest in August 2016, with a comprehensive analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing Cushing Academy. The results of that analysis showed that Cushing needed to focus on nine distinct strategic initiatives to ensure that the founding ethos of Cushing Academy, enunciated so clearly by Thomas Parkman Cushing in 1850, remained at our core, while recognizing and adapting to the profound changes in our world that have occurred since then.
The strategic planning process was intentionally designed to optimize input from students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and the Board of Trustees. Thoughtful input from these Cushing stakeholders resulted in 27 iterations of this Strategic Plan. Our final Strategic Plan is ambitious, but it will help us map a sustainable future, steward our resources more effectively, and emerge a stronger institution that is best positioned to achieve its mission for our students.
Our Strategic Plan is posted on this page. A more comprehensive version of the Strategic Plan, which includes historical perspectives and specific action steps required to achieve identified objectives, can be found by clicking here.
The Board of Trustees is deeply grateful to all who lent their insight and ideas to the Strategic Plan. We are especially appreciative of the efforts of those who served on the NEASC Standards Committees and integrated their work on the Self-Study with the formulation and evolution of the Strategic Plan.
Introduction
Strategic planning is essential to any School’s long-term sustainability and priority setting. It enables the Board of Trustees to measure performance of strategic initiatives and objectives and hold staff accountable for implementing action steps to achieve the objectives and initiatives. In turn, a formal strategic plan enables the Head of School to implement the tenets of the strategic plan in a transparent and sequential manner while making necessary adjustments to the operating plans that become the responsibility of the School’s leadership team.
Strategic planning is essential to any School’s long-term sustainability and priority setting. It enables the Board of Trustees to measure performance of strategic initiatives and objectives and hold staff accountable for implementing action steps to achieve the objectives and initiatives. In turn, a formal strategic plan enables the Head of School to implement the tenets of the strategic plan in a transparent and sequential manner while making necessary adjustments to the operating plans that become the responsibility of the School’s leadership team.
Given the absence of formal planning for a number of years on campus and the upcoming NEASC Site Visit November 5–8, 2017, the Board in partnership with the Leadership Transition Team determined it expeditious to incorporate the eight Strategic Planning Work Groups into the NEASC Self-Study Process.
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Composition of the Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees
The Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees provided essential input into the development of the Cushing Strategic Plan, and enabled faculty and staff the opportunity to engage in professional development while concurrently modeling institutional collaboration.
The Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees provided essential input into the development of the Cushing Strategic Plan, and enabled faculty and staff the opportunity to engage in professional development while concurrently modeling institutional collaboration.
Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees
Chairs and Members Listing
Chairs and Members Listing
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Name of Work Group:
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Standard 2 Committee (Governance)
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Chair:
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Robert Foote, History & Social Science Department
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Committee Members:
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Christopher Howes, Dean of Students
Amy Logan, Special Assistant to the Board of Trustees Michael Zahn, History & Social Science Department Gisele Zangari, Math Department Head |
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Name of Work Group:
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Standard 3 Committee (Enrollment)
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Chair:
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Jessica Devin, Director of Diversity; Academic Support Department
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Committee Members:
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Lottie Barton, Mathematics Department Fellow
Stirling Ince, English as a Second Language Department Caitlin O’Brien, Senior Director, Development Chrystel Pit, History & Social Science Department William Troy, Director of Athletics |
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Name of Work Group:
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Standard 4 Committee (Program)
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Chair:
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Julia Ohm, Performing Arts Department Head
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Committee Members:
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David Bennett, Science Department
David Branham, English as a Second Language Department Craig Burt, Science Department Brad Caswell, Academic Support Department Carolyn Johnson, Visual Arts Department J.R. Neiswender, Dean of College Counseling Brandon Sousa, Mathematics Department Fellow |
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Name of Work Group:
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Standard 5 Committee (Experience of Students)
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Chair:
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Shawn Gebhardt, Grade Dean for 11th grade, Academic Support Department
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Committee Members:
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Donald Connors, Coordinator of Student Activities
Richard Devin, Math Department Joan Hathaway, Visual Arts Department Desh Hindle, Director of Music Xiaofen Qiao, Classical & Modern Languages Department Aaron Santos '06, Academic Support Department, Admissions Department William Wenning, Science Department |
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Name of Work Group:
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Standard 8 Committee (Residential)
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Chair:
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Mary Frances Hanover, Science Department Head
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Committee Members:
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Ian Boldt, Assistant Director of Admissions
Deborah Harmon, Academic Support Department Andrew Jehle, Math Department Catalina Reinoso, Classical & Modern Languages Department David Stone, Dean of Faculty Brett Torrey '85, Director of Alumni Programs April Winter, Athletic Trainer and Development Liaison |
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Name of Work Group:
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Standard 9 Committee (Faculty)
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Co-Chair:
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Rebecca Pressman, English Department Head
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Committee Members:
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Norman Carey, English as a Second Language Department
Rebecca Cinclair, Visual Arts Department Deborah Gardner, Visual Arts Department Janet Gross, English as a Second Language Department Bara Mbengue, Classical & Modern Languages Department Chris Sheehan, Classical & Modern Languages Department |
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Name of Work Group:
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Standard 10 Committee (Administration)
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Chair:
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Joanne Dinsmore, Classical & Modern Languages Department Head
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Committee Members:
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Dwight Curtis, Grade Dean for 10th grade, English Department
Cathleen Melanson, Controller John Price, School Counselor Jeffrey Quebec, Associate Director of Admissions Philip Wexler, Creative Director |
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Name of Work Group:
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Standard 13 Committee (Communication)
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Co-Chair:
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Sandra Michelman, Associate Director of College Counseling
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Committee Members:
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Mark Burke, Math Department
James Cormier, Assistant Director of Admissions Heather Hill '90, Director of Marketing & Communications Alicia Mayer, Director of Student Activities, English Department |
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Name of Work Group:
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Standard 14 Committee (Infrastructure)
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Chair:
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Robert Johnson, Visual Arts Department Head
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Committee Members:
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Robert Gagnon, Assistant Director of Admissions
Ellen Harrington '70, Audio Visual Director Bill Marks, Lead Computer Technician Ryan Suchanek, Math Department Sara Weiskittel, Classical & Modern Languages Department Fellow |
Composition of the Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees
Each NEASC Standards Committee was assigned a Strategic Plan objective related to the particular NEASC Standard.
Each NEASC Standards Committee was assigned a Strategic Plan objective related to the particular NEASC Standard.
The Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees were charged to meet, deliberate, and complete the Work Group Reporting Templates.
The final iteration of the Reporting Templates was forwarded to the Leadership Transition Team and the Pappas Consulting Group with a copy to the Board Chair on or about April 14, 2017. This input became an integral part of the Strategic Plan. Subsequent, iterative work steps were then undertaken as outlined in the timeline that follows.
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MAY 2017
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Task
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Start
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End
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NOVEMBER 2016 - JANUARY 2017
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Initial Draft Strategic Plan developed by the Pappas Group as the result of input received from approximately 500 stakeholders, interviews, focus groups and surveys throughout the fall semester as well as existing documentation.
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11/16/16
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1/11/17
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Initial Draft Strategic Stakeholder Review Process created to engage the Cushing faculty and staff in crafting action steps required to complete each objective in the Initial Draft Strategic Plan. Decision made to integrate the Strategic Planning Work Groups within the NEASC Self Study. Responsibility given to the Leadership Transition Team to implement the process timely. Draft process design presented to the Board of Trustees for input.
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12/15/16
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1/13/17
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Revisions to the Initial Draft Strategic Stakeholder Review Process and material completed in partnership with the Board of Trustees and Leadership Transition Team.
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1/14/17
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1/31/17
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FEBRUARY 2017
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Initial Draft Strategic Plan presented to the Board of Trustees at its February 3, 2017 meeting.
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2/3/17
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2/3/17
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Strategic Planning Work Group Agendas and Templates prepared for Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees. Leadership Transition Team charged with distribution and timely follow up.
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2/13/17
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2/13/17
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Strategic Planning Process presentation created by the Pappas Group and provided to the Leadership Transition Team to use as a tool to communicate to Cushing faculty, staff, students and external stakeholders.
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2/21/17
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2/23/17
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MARCH 2017
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Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees meet 2-3 times to work on their respective Draft Strategic Plan Templates.
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3/1/17
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3/27/17
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Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees release Draft Strategic Plan Templates to Co-Head of School Academic Affairs and Student Life and other Leadership Transition Team members for review and comments.
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3/28/17
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3/29/17
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Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees release updated Draft Strategic Plan Templates to the Leadership Transition Team, and the Pappas Group.
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3/30/17
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3/30/17
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APRIL 2017
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Pappas Group provides input for clarity and completeness. Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees provide Second Draft Strategic Plan Templates to Leadership Transition Team for input/amendment.
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4/6/17
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4/12/17
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Strategic Planning Work Groups/NEASC Standards Committees forward Third Draft Strategic Plan Templates to the Leadership Transition Team, the Pappas Group and Chair of the Board.
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4/14/17
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4/14/17
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Based on input from Cushing Academy stakeholders, Pappas Group prepares First Working Draft Strategic Plan for Board of Trustees review.
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4/14/17
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4/18/17
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Pappas Group forwards First Working Draft Strategic Plan to the Board of Trustees and the Leadership Transition Team for amendment.
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4/18/17
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4/18/17
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The First Working Draft Strategic Plan is reviewed by the Board of Trustees at its April 21, 2017 meeting.
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4/21/17
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4/21/17
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Comments to the First Working Draft Strategic Plan by the Board of Trustees forwarded to the Pappas Group.
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4/21/17
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4/28/17
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Revisions made to the initial draft by the Pappas Group. Second Working Draft Strategic Plan uploaded to webpage for community input.
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5/3/17
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5/3/17
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Pappas Group collects community input and amends Second Working Draft Strategic Plan, as needed.
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5/3/17
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5/21/17
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JUNE 2017
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Final Draft Strategic Plan presented to the Board for further amendment/approval.
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6/12/17
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6/23/17
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JULY 2017
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Final Strategic Plan released on dedicated Cushing Academy webpage.
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7/7/17
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7/7/17
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Cushing Academy
39 School Street
Ashburnham, Massachusetts 01430
978-827-7000
admissions@cushing.org
Ashburnham, Massachusetts 01430
978-827-7000
admissions@cushing.org
Cushing Academy
Cushing Academy exists for students and develops curious, creative, and confident learners and leaders. Founded in 1865, Cushing is a co-ed, college preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12 and PG. Our students, who come from over 30 states and 30 countries, excel in our outstanding academic, art, and athletic offerings. We welcome you to visit our community and beautiful 162-acre campus in Ashburnham, Mass., just one hour from Boston, to experience all that Cushing has to offer.
