Strategic Plan

Honoring Our Past, Inspiring Our Future

Since its founding in 1981 by Nancy and Dusty Heuston, Waterford School has boldly pursued the idealism of an educational experience that prepares students to lead lives of meaning and purpose. In a world more interdependent and interconnected than at any time in human history, our new strategic plan – Waterford Rising: Honoring Our Past, Inspiring Our Future – affirms our commitment to the breadth of the liberal arts experience and its profound durability to stimulate intellect, ignite passion, shape character, and inspire a life-long love of learning.

As you review the strategic plan, you will learn about our aspirations to improve key elements of the student experience both in and out of the classroom, to more comprehensively support our extraordinary teaching faculty, and to attend to stewardship and our fiscal health ensuring the ongoing vitality of the school we love.

A Waterford education trains students to adapt and thrive in a world of rapid and accelerating change. With our continued work, it is our goal that each of our graduates leave with the deep awareness to share their learning, engage their communities with curiosity, and ultimately embrace their responsibilities as citizens in a global society. We are delighted to share our ambitions with you, and invite you to join us on a journey that will advance Waterford School in the years to come.

Yours in partnership,

Andrew Menke
Head of School

Strategic Plan Updates:

May 05, 2022: Update IV by Andrew Menke, Head of School

October 28, 2019: Update III by Andrew Menke, Head of School

April 29, 2019: Update II by Andrew Menke, Head of School

December 17, 2018: Update I by Andrew Menke, Head of School

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

VISION

We inspire individuals to pursue lives of meaning and purpose.

WHAT WE DO

MISSION

We provide students with a world-class liberal arts education that stimulates intellect, ignites passion, and shapes character.

IDEALS WE LIVE BY

CORE VALUES

INTEGRITY
EXCELLENCE
RESPONSIBILITY
CURIOSITY
CARING

GOALS & STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

Promote teaching excellence in the liberal arts to enhance the educational experience for all students

  • Establish Waterford as a preeminent national leader in the theory and practice of liberal arts teaching.
  • Define a shared understanding of the liberal arts that informs a vertically aligned curriculum and consistent teaching methodology.
  • Develop and implement a comprehensive system for teacher evaluation, professional development and competitive compensation.
  • Explore opportunities for growth and continuous renewal of the teaching faculty.

Enhance the overall student experience and improve the school/family partnership

  • Pursue the liberal arts ideal of balance between challenge and joy in the experience of student learning.
  • Conduct a program review to enhance alignment between the liberal arts mission of the school and its current offerings and diploma requirements.
  • Develop a cohesive health and wellness curriculum.
  • Improve communication with students and parents.
  • Pursue initiatives to strengthen the connection and cohesion of families to Waterford.

Develop external partners to enrich the waterford experience

  • Expand opportunities for students to enhance their curricular experience through applied learning outside the walls of Waterford (internships, service learning, civic engagement, etc).
  • Elevate Waterford’s local and national reputation.
  • Utilize external networks to broaden faculty professional development.
  • Expand and engage our alumni network.

Raise awareness about the waterford experience, locally and nationally

  • Promote the Waterford mission.
  • Define Waterford’s marketplace position.
  • Articulate and widely communicate Waterford’s brand and value proposition.
  • Enhance outreach efforts to maintain mission appropriate students and expand the prospective family pool.

Ensure our long-term financial sustainability

  • Enhance Waterford’s culture of philanthropy augmenting annual fund and endowment growth.
  • Determine optimal student enrollment.
  • Complete a campus master plan to inform a targeted capital campaign.
  • Develop alternative revenue sources.