Strategic Plan

The Strategic Plan for Pine Point: 2004-2010

Written in June 2004

Over the next 5 to 7 years, Pine Point will continue to provide an exemplary learning environment that focuses on the whole child, that stresses close relationships among all constituencies, and that balances the core intellectual skills with enriched learning experiences. Our Strategic Plan articulates and outlines measurable action goals for Pine Point to continue flourishing and emerge as the pre-eminent learning community of its type in southern New England.

We welcome your feedback. Please submit comments to co-chair of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee Debby O'Brien.

View the progress reporting matrix (updated 12/06):
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 The Strategic Plan Report 

Areas of focus:

Educational Program

Pine Point School will continue to provide a powerful learning experience. To that end the School will ensure for each student a challenging curriculum that promotes excellence in academics, the arts, athletics, and service to the community, while actively working with the local community to enrich the education of Pine Point students.

Students will continue to broaden their horizons through exposure to the world both near and far. The School's facilities and grounds, combined with its accessibility, offer unique summer enrichment opportunities that will be expanded. The School will endeavor to develop supportive programs that serve students and families, with the intent of both strengthening existing partnerships and introducing new individuals to Pine Point.

Personnel 

Pine Point School must attract and retain dynamic, diverse, and highly qualified faculty, staff, and administration to advance its mission. The School will aim to make a measurable difference for the personnel at the School, with its impact benefiting the overall education of the students.

Admissions and Marketing 

Enrollment must always work to identify students and families that would most successfully flourish at Pine Point and in return enrich the community. Pine Point strives to have as broad and diverse a community as possible. Fostering this diversity is by enhancing the financial support program and by broadening Pine Point's presence and exposure in the community of southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island is a priority.

Finance

Prudent financial stewardship will require the School to balance revenues and expenses such that they will provide sufficient support to achieve Pine Point's educational goals. The School will secure and implement a plan to provide all necessary financial resources to carry out the School's mission in a fiscally responsible manner. 

Buildings and Grounds

The Pine Point campus must provide an environment that supports and enhances the mission of the School, that meets the needs of the academic program, and that is aesthetically pleasing. The facility must be flexible, user friendly, safe, functional, and available to the public as appropriate.

Governance

The Board of Trustees must be fiscally responsible to ensure Pine Point students enjoy a stable yet dynamic educational environment in which academic excellence is pursued. Pine Point will be governed by a proactive, broadly drawn, capable and efficient Board, working in concert with an effective Head of School, so that Pine Point continues to flourish as a school worthy of note, recognized for an academic program of the highest quality.

Development

Institutions thrive where strong relationships among core constituencies exist. The development effort will broaden the School's base of support for institutional advancement in the decade ahead by building bridges to educational advocates and philanthropists in the community. Pine Point will focus its marketing efforts to its core constituencies, in conjunction with the Admissions Office, and will strive to heighten its visibility in the community.

Section 1 - Historic Summary

Pine Point School was founded in 1948 to provide the region with an elementary and junior high school that would offer the best possible educational opportunities for area children. More than fifty years later, this goal still guides planning by the School's Board of Trustees and administration.

Pine Point began with eleven students in an old house on North Main Street in Stonington. In 1956 the School was moved to its present location on Barnes Road, and Pine Point was accepted as a member of the National Association of Independent Schools that same year. A ninth grade program was added in 1963, a lower school building was constructed to meet the needs of the school community in 1967, and additional classroom space was added in 1973. During the early 1980's, the school was restructured to create a Lower School (Grades K-5) that utilized mixed-age groupings, and a Middle School (Grades 6-9). In 1985, a Capital Campaign was launched to support the construction of a gymnasium and fine arts building and renovation of classrooms. A Pre-Kindergarten Program and an Extended Day Program were added in 1991. Pine Point's Mission Statement and the 1991 Long Range Plan were approved the same year. In 1995 the school community undertook a long range planning process that lead to the adoption of the 1996 Long Range Plan.

Paul Geise was appointed Head of School in July 1999. A thorough examination of the physical facilities led to the development and adoption of a Campus Master Plan in 2000. A Capital Campaign was launched in 2001 to build a new library/technology center (which was completed in 2004); to develop an early childhood center; and to increase the School's endowment. A Connecticut Association of Independent Schools' Self-Study was completed in 2002. A Strategic Financial Plan was approved in 2003, and a Technology Plan was adopted in 2003. Also in 2003, friends of Pine Point made available to the School 16 acres of adjacent land for use by its approximately 270 students and 60 faculty, administrators, staff, and the community.

Under the leadership of Pine Point's nine Heads and its Boards of Trustees, the School has continually moved forward while remaining faithful to its initial purposes. Today, Pine Point is well poised to set a plan for the School's future, based on its history and its mission.

Section 2 - Overview of the Strategic Planning Process

Pine Point School's strategic planning process began in June 2003 as a natural extension of the School's self-study process, completed in 2002 (Appendix A-1), and the fulfillment of the goals of the long range plan (Appendix A-2). Board Members Deborah O'Brien and Karen Stone were appointed co-chairs of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. The Co-Chairs and Head of School Paul Geise identified 14 other individuals to join in a Steering Committee: formed a Steering Committee: Victoria Anderson, Gopa Bose, William Carlebach, Louise Desjardins, Kevin Fiftal, Elizabeth Gianacoplos, Valerie Grimm, Jonathan Heller, Patricia Kitchings, Damon Navarro, Page Owen, Diane Seltzer, Eunice Sutphen and Isabella Zagare (Appendix B-1).

The Strategic Plan Steering Committee met eleven times from October 2003 to June 2004 to oversee the development of the Strategic Plan for Pine Point. The Committee began by reviewing the Mission Statement (Section 3). Using the Mission Statement as a starting point, the Committee developed a Philosophy and Vision Statement for Pine Point (Section 4) that helped guide all individuals contributing to the plan.

The Steering Committee organized three data collection meetings that brought in essential information from Pine Point and surrounding communities and set the tone for the whole strategic planning process:

• Board, faculty and staff retreat, facilitated by consultant Gaelen Canning, held at the Weekapaug Inn on October 1, 2003 (Appendix A-3)
• Regional community leaders roundtable discussion, led by consultant Christopher Cox, held at Pine Point School on November 11, 2003 (Appendix A-4)
• Regional education leaders roundtable discussion, led by facilitator Susan Funk, held at Pine Point School on December 4, 2003 (Appendix A-5)

Seven Strategic Plan sub-committees were formed from the standing Board committees, with additional Pine Point individuals and other community members added as appropriate (See Appendix B-2). The sub-committees were charged with proposing specific measurable goals, within their respective arenas, that the School would achieve over the next five to seven years. These sub-committees addressed six strategic areas identified at the board, faculty and staff retreat: Education Program, Students and Parents, School Leadership and Partnership: Board and Head, Maintaining and Developing the Campus, Supporting the Faculty and Staff, and Securing the Future: Finance and Development.

All sub-committees relied upon the Pine Point Mission Statement, the 1996 Long Range Plan, the 2000 Campus Master Plan (Appendix A-6), the 2002 Self-Study, the 2003 Strategic Financial Plan (Appendix A-7), the 2003 Parent Survey (Appendix A-8), the 2003 Technology Plan (Appendix A-9), the 2003 Myers/Briggs Core Values Discussion (Appendix A-10), and the 2004 Web Site Strategic Plan Feedback (Appendix A-11) as background material. The information gathered from the October 1, 2003 retreat, the roundtable discussions, and core value discussions were used to inform their planning processes. In addition, the sub-committees gathered suitable data, input and information about their respective areas to use in developing their strategic visions, action items and benchmarks. Each sub-committee met several times during the 2003-04 school year to formulate goals that would be achieved over the next five to seven years and to prioritize their objectives. The sub-committees reported periodically on their progress to the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, culminating with a draft vision statement, action items list, and benchmarks list.

Jon Heller, Lieutenant Commander at the United States Coast Guard Academy and a professor in the Department of Leadership and Management, assisted members of the Steering Committee in the strategic planning process. Seven Coast Guard cadets, who were students in the program, followed Pine Point's planning process and assisted in planning exercises. The cadets served as scribes for the small group discussions at the retreat and for the community roundtable discussions, directed the Board core values exercise, and contributed to sub-committee work. Lieutenant Commander Heller served on the Steering Committee and directed the cadets.

A vital component of the strategic planning process was a re-examination of the Pine Point Mission Statement (Section 3). The Mission Statement is central to the planning process because it must serve as a complete, overarching framework for all of Pine Point's pursuits. The Steering Committee and the Board reviewed the Mission Statement and concluded that the content represented the mission of the School, in particular its connection to the community. Board suggestions that the Mission Statement be shortened were noted and deferred to the Board for further discussion in 2004-05.

In the process of "planning to plan" the Strategic Plan heads recognized a need for Pine Point to identify and publish its "core values." Core values are " ...statements of what defines the institution and gives it its soul. Values clarify and resolve issues, help determine direction, and build community." The Steering Committee solicited input on core values from a broad range of stake-holders through Board discussions, a parent/faculty/staff survey, an alumni web site survey, a letter to former Heads of School, and Strategic Plan Steering Committee discussions. The four core values chosen (Section 5) will resonate in all that the School does. The core values are: respect, integrity, moral courage, and excellence. The Board of Trustees at the April 2004 board meeting approved these core values.

As the work progressed through the year and the sub-committees developed their lists of strategic plan action items, the Steering Committee recognized the need to ensure that the Strategic Plan implementation process would be well integrated. Under the guidance of Steering Committee member Kevin Fiftal, the Steering Committee developed a "matrix" of action items cross-mapped with the respective sub-committee(s). The matrix provides a clear picture of action items that are "owned" or impacted by more than one sub-committee. It allows prioritization of responsibility for each action item, i.e. which sub-committee "leads" and which contributes, advises, or is impacted. The action plan matrix (Appendix C) will be a valuable tool in implementing the Strategic Plan and furthering collaboration across committees.

The Steering Committee also recognized the need to develop a strategy for communicating the Strategic Plan to all constituencies of Pine Point and the wider community. Through clear and appropriate communication of the plan, the new core values and strategic vision can be understood and embraced by the community. The end result will be effective implementation of the plan and a reaffirmation of the Pine Point culture and ethos. The Steering Committee, led by Kevin Fiftal, developed a matrix to communicate the plan through an array of vehicles and venues, from reports and letters to banners and emails. The audience for each of these vehicles was matched with the content and intent of the communication to ensure maximum impact and utility. The Steering Committee identified ownership and timing for each vehicle to ensure effective implementation of the communication plan (Appendix D).

By April 2004, all of the sub-committees had drafted vision statements, action plans and benchmarks and submitted them to the Steering Committee Co-chairs. All of the Strategic Plan work products have been consolidated in this draft "white paper" for submission to the Board of Trustees (Appendix B-3) for review and approval. The next phase of the Strategic Plan process is to develop and execute an implementation plan (Section 7). This process will commence in the fall of 2004. A flow chart of the strategic planning process is presented on the following page.

Section 3 - Mission Statement

"Strong Minds, Caring Hearts"

Pine Point School is a dynamic partnership of students, faculty, and parents of diverse experiences committed to academic excellence. Children are actively engaged in their own learning in a caring and supportive environment. The school stresses the importance of individual accomplishment and the power of collaborative effort.

Our mission is to develop in each student:

-an inquisitive, creative, and disciplined mind

-a firm foundation of core academic skills

-a strong sense of responsibility for community and self

-an appreciation for both the arts and athletics

-a passion for learning

Section 4 - Philosophy and Vision Statement

The development of human potential requires careful attention to all aspects of an individual's growth. One learns best when actively engaged, when compassionately instructed, when presented with varied environments, when equipped with a disciplined approach to learn within those environments, and when expected to achieve and accomplish at a high level. Each individual finds greatest success when he or she has gained the habits, skills, and knowledge to make a meaningful and relevant impact on the world. Every learner is inextricably linked to family, community, nature, and society. As a result, educational opportunities are omnipresent.

Our children are being shaped by, and will help to shape, their world. Pine Point has a moral mandate to prepare its graduates with the finest habits of mind, the strongest skills to think critically, and the most ethical courage to act toward the greater good. Pine Point must articulate its priorities and aggressively strengthen those components that will carry out its mission. The School will:

• Attract and retain the finest personnel;
• Present a balanced scope and sequence that focuses on the excellence within each student;
• Target methods of teaching that enhance collaboration and partnership;
• Maintain fiscal stewardship and financial security;
• Provide facilities and surroundings that serve both the school community and larger community; and
• Embrace diverse experiences within our school population as well as with those learning opportunities we explore.

Pine Point stands firm upon its core values: respect, integrity, moral courage, and excellence. In our strategic decision-making processes, it will be those values that will transcend the people and programs in place. Our Strategic Plan articulates and outlines measurable action goals for Pine Point to continue flourishing and emerge as the pre-eminent learning community of its type in southern New England.

Section 5 - Pine Point School Core Values

In April 2004, the Board of Trustees approved four core values that represent the intrinsic nature of Pine Point and are essential elements to the Pine Point experience: respect, integrity, moral courage, and excellence.

During the 2003-04 academic year, the Strategic Plan Steering Committee sought input from all of Pine Point's constituencies, including the faculty, staff, administration, and Board of Trustees, as well as parents, alumni, former Heads of School, and former Board Presidents. Input was also requested through the School's website, where other members of the Pine Point community gave their suggestions.

Over several months, all this critical thinking was collated, categorized, prioritized, and discussed at a series of meetings. A list of possible values was composed that incorporated the best elements of all the words generated by this initial search. Since one goal was to create a short list of values to represent the soul of the school, this list was discussed in several meetings, and further refined. From these discussions evolved the four values that best represent the essence of Pine Point's outstanding qualities—past, present, and future.

The Board has embraced these values and the concepts they represent, and has added them to the fabric of the Strategic Plan to help define Pine Point, along with the Mission Statement, for future generations.

RESPECT

INTEGRITY

MORAL COURAGE

EXCELLENCE

Section 7 - Implementation

Goal Setting: The focus of the strategic planning effort during the 2003-04 year has been to develop a strategic direction for each of the seven areas of the School: program, marketing, governance, physical plant, personnel, development, and finance. The Strategic Plan itself is made up of the vision statements, action plans, and associated benchmarks developed for each area of the School.

Implementation: The next step is to prioritize the action plans and to develop a realistic implementation schedule and plan for accomplishing these action items, based on projected costs, the School's budget, and Capital Campaign income. In the summer of 2004, Head of School Paul Geise and the Executive Committee will meet with the Sub-Committee Chairs to merge all of the Sub-Committee Reports into a unified, prioritized list of action plans for the School. Action items will be categorized as "immediate priority, " "priority, " and "wish list" items, in relation to the School's finances. A proposed timeline will also be developed that reflects the projected work that will go on in each area of the school over the next seven years. The "immediate priorities" will provide a road map for the School and the Board Committee work during the 2004-05 year, while the timeline will offer a snapshot of the School's projected priorities through 2010. These priorities and the timeline will be reviewed annually.

Section 8 - Acknowledgements

The Strategic Plan Steering Committee is deeply grateful to all of the dedicated faculty, administrators, staff, parents, trustees, alumni, past-parents, grandparents, and friends who have generously contributed their valuable time and talents to produce the Strategic Plan for Pine Point.

Your differing experiences, perspectives, skills, and talents have truly enriched the Plan and the process. Every student in Pine Point's future will benefit from your involvement.
Our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you.