Schools – like people – are always in the process of becoming. They are always a work in progress and under construction.

This is certainly true of Poughkeepsie Day School as it approaches its eightieth year.

Since its founding 1934 PDS has established a legacy of change and innovation. But it has always been a process of becoming itself in that it has held fast to values and  beliefs about learning and the needs of children. The words take on new meanings, classes graduate, the emphasis shifts, locations change and walls go up (and down) but always with a steadfast belief in children as born learners, teachers as guides and learning as something that has both joy and purpose.

Change, then, is part of the DNA of the PDS way.  And that legacy agility and adaptability comes in handy in this fast-paced, digitally-driven and global connected world.

The strategic planning process that began in the fall of 2012 provided an opportunity to step back and explore the wider context within which PDS exists and to look at the changed landscape for learning. The team looked at some of the bigger questions of identity and community and at where PDS has been,  where we are now and where we want to go and how we will get there. the introduction to the plan provides greater detail about the process and the people on the team.

Since the 2010-2011 school year NAIS has produced an annual Trendbook for Independent Schools. They provide timely research for schools to consider, data points, action step suggestions and resource lists.

Find an Overview to the NAIS 2013-2014 Trend Book here.

The 2012- 2013 NAIS Trendbook presents the major trends that school leaders need to know to survive and thrive in the year to come. Each chapter includes data points to support school decision-making, action steps and lists of resources for more information. I’ve added the summary points to the list of topics. These are national trends but it’s interesting to see how our region and PDS compares. Many apply to PDS, but some not-so-much. This edition, the third in an annual series, covers:

• The Economic Outlook: The recovery is much slower than anticipated; wealth inequality is growing; the cost of education is increasing and families are examining their spending and saving priorities.
• The Consumer Outlook and Market Demand: Consumers want hard data about school value; younger generations are seeking multicultural and global perspectives; open education resources are growing in importance.
• The Demographic Outlook: Cohabitation is increasing but fewer Americans are marrying; births declined during the recession; the number of interracial families is growing, blurring many racial boundaries.
• The Enrollment Management Outlook: a more complex environment calls for more collaborative, research-based approach to managing the school’s biggest source of revenue, enrollment.
• The Financial Aid Outlook: More high-income families are requesting and receiving aid; there is greater scrutiny of who receives aid so accountability in financial aid decision-making is increasingly important.
• The International Student Outlook: the number of Chinese students enrolled in U.S. independent schools is increasing rapidly; many schools are seeking outside help to recruit and vet international students; some day schools are looking to expand their markets by adding international students, and some are moving from homestays to creative boarding arrangements for international students
• The Philanthropy Outlook: donors are demanding greater transparency; mobile technology and social media are transforming philanthropy; online fund-raising and text giving are growing
• The Legislative and Judicial Outlook: the emphasis on tax reform is threatening the charitable tax deduction; states and local governments are facing decreased revenues and increased debts; schools must focus on their “public contexts” and on demonstrating the benefits they offer to the community.
• The Equity and Justice Outlook: Socioeconomic Diversity: schools are examining issues of socio-economics and class; there is a growing disparity between “have-nots”, “haves” and “have-even-mores” in independent schools; while racial achievement gaps are on the decline, there are growing achievement gaps by income.
• The Human Resources and Workforce Outlook: Baby Boomers are working beyond traditional retirement are;  employee well-being is becoming a driving force in the workplace; teachers are increasingly dissatisfied with the teaching profession but independent schools offer distinct benefits.
• The Environmental Sustainability Outlook: Healthy Food: independent schools are promoting healthy eating and food awareness; many schools are incorporating food from campus gardens or from farms at mealtimes  or offering organic or local options.
• The Teaching and Learning Outlook: Mobile Schools for a Mobile World: the number of Americans with mobile devices is increasing rapidly; there is a growing digital divide among young children; independent schools are embracing mobile devices to enhance teaching and learning.
• Conclusion: Management versus Leadership: NAIS president Pat Bassett outlines the need for managers ( who manage complexity by planning and budgeting, organizing and staffing, controlling and problem-solving, producing predictability, order and consistency) and leaders (who lead change by setting a direction, aligning people, motivating and inspiring and by producing useful and dramatic change)  in schools and demonstrates why independent schools need leaders, not just managers, more than ever.

The two earlier Trendbooks were equally useful in identifying shifts and providing pointers for navigating what the U.S Army War College calls a VUCA (for volatilie, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world.

The inaugural publication, 2010-2011 Trendbook for Independent Schools, identified the following issues for schools to consider:

• Economic uncertainty in the United States and abroad requires independent schools to be even more attuned to those factors affecting markets and constituencies, especially regional and local trend data such as employment, housing, income, demographics, competition, etc.
• Schools on the leading edge emphasize both traditional and innovative instructions that can be differentiated, experiential, immersive, and blended.
• The American demographic landscape is shifting.  The continued growth of our population, its racial and ethnic diversification, its aging, and its uneven educational attainment were major issues that impacted our country in the first decade of the 21st century.
• In the current economic environment, anticipating the degree to which schools’ financial aid budgets and policies need rethinking will depend largely on local economies and income distribution, housing markets, tuition levels, and competitive alternative for families.

• Schools are growing their use of social media tools to nurture relationships with constituents more effectively and to advance organizational objectives.

• While it is important to take a comprehensive approach to global education, schools may find it useful to tackle individual elements.  A school is considered global through curriculum, language teaching, international students and faculty, exchanges, sister schools, service learning, trips abroad, and digital partnerships with schools in other regions.

• Questionable content sources and the sheer number of education options available will raise concerns about the quality and validity of online content and learning experiences and create demands for quality assurance.

• Schools are paying more attention to energy efficiency, green buildings and renovations, which has resulted in schools achieving LEED certifications for both new construction and rebuilds.

Guided by core convictions, a focus on learning, leading questions, broad community input and with an eye to the future the strategic planning team developed  this strategic framework for the school.

MISSION

Poughkeepsie Day School develops educated global citizens with a passion for learning, leading and living.    

VALUES

Curiosity, creativity, connection, collaboration, compassion, contribution, wonder, integrity, self-awareness.    

GOALS  

Identity and Community. Program. Teaching. Facilities. Finance.  

LEARNING COMMITMENTS

Learning is:    Permeable, Deep, Social, Active, Relevant, Empathetic, Playful, Deliberate, Self-correcting.

STUDENT OUTCOMES

Anchored by its mission and its values PDS strives to graduate:

Students who are:

• Independent, entrepreneurial individuals
• Engaged and educated global citizens
• Innovative problem seekers and solution finders
• Environmental stewards
• Empowered creative contributors
• Bold Navigators
• Self evolving/ self directed self sustaining learners for life