Overview
Saint Mary's Episcopal School (SMES) is on an exciting trajectory with increasing enrollment, sound finances, and the arrival of a new Head of School. While keeping our Episcopal Identity at the forefront, this Strategic Plan is the product of months of a comprehensive, inclusive, community-wide process and sets forth a vision and direction for the next three to five years.
Head of School Transition
The effective transition of our new Head of School is essential for a continued positive direction for SMES and for the implementation of the strategic plan.
The Board of Directors and the Transition Committee will ensure that Michael Zeigler is introduced, welcomed, and oriented to the St. Mary’s and Edmond communities and is supported throughout his transition.
Action Steps:
- The Transition Committee will meet regularly through Mr. Zeigler's first year to support his transition.
- There will be coordinated introductions for parents, alumni, supporters, and community leaders with the HOS.
- The Transition Committee will support and enable Mr. Zeigler's learning of the traditions of SMES.
Facilities
St. Mary’s is blessed with an attractive, well-designed building, ample land, and the church’s contiguous property and building. Enrollment has grown significantly in recent years. The addition to the lower school wing in 2023 provided four additional classrooms, yet the facilities are stretched to meet the needs of the current student body and programs.
Action Steps:
- The Board's Site Plan and Buildings and Grounds Committees will assess the most pressing needs and will immediately begin the planning process to add the most essential facilities.
- The Board's Site Plan and Buildings and Grounds Committees will update the school's master plan and will begin researching and planning the facilities necessary for increased enrollment and programs.
- We will continue to review protocols with the HOS to enhance the safety and security of the buildings and campus.
Administrative Leadership
St. Mary’s operates with a dedicated but lean administrative structure. While fiscally prudent, this staffing model limits what we are able to accomplish in the areas of program development and assessment, fundraising, marketing, and future planning. To better serve the School and enable future growth and expansion, we will examine several changes to staffing.
Action Steps:
- A CFO (Chief Financial Officer) will analyze and streamline financial operations and procedures while also developing a three to five-year financial plan to ensure the long-term financial health of the school.
- A Dean of Faculty and Curriculum with experience in evaluating and leading curriculum will ensure continuity in the program and alignment between the curriculum and standardized testing.
- School leadership will work with faculty and admissions to strive to admit and support mission-appropriate students and work with the Board to re-assess policy on class size.
- School leadership and administration will continue to examine admission and retention and work with the Board on opportunities to increase retention.
- Additional administration for the admission/marketing and development departments will facilitate the work of these departments.
Finance & Development
SMES is in a strong financial position after years of planning and cost-savings. Providing the Board and administration with the resources necessary to increase staffing, add facilities, and possibly add a middle school will require one and possibly two capital campaigns. Working with a consultant, St. Mary’s will plan and execute fundraising to generate the finances to make these projects possible.
ACTION STEPS:
- The Board, Head of School, and Development Director will investigate the feasibility of a capital campaign and engage a consulting firm to determine the community’s capacity to raise funds for additional facilities.
- The Board will establish a Development Committee who will work closely with the
Head of School and Development Director on advancing community fundraising. - The Finance Committee and the Board will study tuition levels, grants, and financial aid to meet the needs of the school.
Governance
SMES is fortunate to have a dedicated board, inclusive of church, parent, and community members. A robust, engaged board is essential for success with all that St. Mary’s wishes to accomplish. St. Mary’s will recruit Board members with strategic expertise, multi-term commitment, and philanthropic interest and ability. The Board will continue to develop its skills through development to uphold the mission of our school and the values and philosophy of Episcopal Identity and education.
Action Steps:
- The Board will work with school leadership to assist in the evaluation and execution of the strategic plan.
- The Board will examine its current skills and look to bolster areas such as strategic thinking, philanthropy, finance, and construction.
- The Board will engage in professional development and self-evaluation on an annual basis.
- We will examine and adjust the current bylaws to strengthen continuity of Board leadership.
- We will clarify the Board’s role to the St. Mary’s community and continue to partner with school leadership to communicate with constituents.
Episcopal Culture & Identity
The St. Mary’s community demonstrates and appreciates those attributes characteristic of Episcopal schools, namely an environment that is welcoming of all students and inclusive of all faiths and beliefs, developing character and integrity, serving both the school and broader community, and engaging in rigorous academics. As a parish day school, working in collaboration with St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and under the authority of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma, St. Mary’s celebrates its Episcopal heritage. Regular chapel and religion classes reinforce the Episcopal Identity of the School.
Action Steps:
- St. Mary’s will communicate to all constituencies the characteristics of Episcopal schools and reinforce those characteristics in the daily lives of the members of the St. Mary’s community.
- We will examine the community service program and opportunities for engagement in service-oriented experiences for students and the broader St. Mary’s community.
- We will continue to review and assess the chapel and religious education experience.
- St. Mary’s will investigate the possibility of increasing regular on-campus presence of Episcopal leaders.
- St. Mary’s will explore opportunities for environmental sustainability on our campus.
Program & Curriculum
Curriculum is central to the student experience, and St. Mary’s must ensure that it is coordinated across all grade levels and that students are appropriately challenged and supported academically. Our extracurricular offerings provide an opportunity for a well-rounded educational experience.
Action Steps:
- A comprehensive study of the curriculum will begin immediately to ensure a continuous, coherent program of instruction across all grade levels.
- The faculty and administration will study the standardized testing program to ensure that the appropriate tests are being used and that they align well with the curriculum.
- School leadership will increase opportunities for professional development for faculty and administration.
- We will explore expanding age-appropriate extracurricular opportunities for students, including athletic programs.
- We will assess and improve the BTC experience.
Middle School
There is considerable interest in extending the St. Mary’s experience through the eighth grade. Parents love the academic experience and nurturing environment and wish to continue this through the middle school years. There is a strong feeling that retention of current students and attraction of new students would likely increase if students were able to remain at St. Mary’s through the eighth grade. We recognize that adding a division requires considerable planning, facilities construction, and fundraising.
Action Steps:
- The Board and administration will engage a consultant to perform a feasibility study to assess the capacity for fundraising to create a middle school division.
- We will lay out a year-by-year plan to consider facilities, staffing, enrollment, retention, and programs, establishing benchmarks to dictate whether proceeding is prudent.
- Administration will ensure that enrollment is sufficiently strong and indicates that St. Mary’s is ready to begin adding middle school grades.