A Strategic Plan and Case for Brandon Hall School Atlanta, Georgia brandonhall.org
Mission Statement: Focusing on the strengths of the individual, Brandon Hall provides personalized college preparatory classes for students who desire a more intensive educational setting and whose strengths and potential have yet to be fully realized and celebrated. On behalf of the Brandon Hall Community I am pleased to share with you our plans for the school s next five to seven years. This plan is the result of a process that stretched over nearly one and a half years, beginning with a campus-wide town hall style meeting in September 2010. The process of examining our Mission, educational program and facilities has engaged people from the board of trustees, every department, and from the school community at large. As a result of this thorough review process the school s Mission Statement has been revised and the strategic plan developed, providing the school with clear direction moving forward. As the plan is implemented, our ability to faithfully and sustainably honor the school s mission of serving young people will be enhanced. I want to particularly recognize the Strategic Planning Committee and its members for their extraordinary commitment of time and talent: Merridee Michelsen Jeff Holloway Chris Grimwood Terry Lufkin Deborah Marshall Ken Michelsen Mike Serzan Scott Boice Yasmine Seyfi Brian Chapman Karen Vaught Aris Michelsen Johnny Graham Kurt Michelsen Independent School Counsel (ISC) Collins, Cooper, Carusi Architects (CCCA) Dave Skillen Photography Buffingham Studios Brandon Hall School Board of Directors: Jim Langendorfer, Chairman Alan Butler, Vice Chairman Robbin Shipp, Secretary Paula Owens, Treasurer* Anthony Bondoch Scott Duncan OC Lam John L. Singleton, Ed. D. Jo Ann Mustain Joe Wright* Rod Austin, Ex-Officio *Former members who participated at the beginning of this process
Executive Summary Brandon Hall School has undertaken a participatory and comprehensive strategic planning effort. This document provides a summary of that process and its outcomes. Our process not only incorporated formal activities related to strategic planning, but also introduces our new campus master plan. Founded in 1959 by Theodore and Shirley Hecht, Brandon Hall School is located on a pristine 27-acre campus on the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta, Georgia. The campus is the former summer estate of prominent Atlantan Morris Brandon and his wife, Harriet Inman and includes the original 1920 s residence. Today, Brandon Hall is a nonprofit college preparatory day and boarding school serving students from twelve states and 13 countries. During the 52-year history of the school, tuition revenues have consistently provided near 100% of the operating budget. Approximately twenty-five years ago, four major buildings were erected due to the dedicated service of Walter Huff. Since that time, no significant capital investments have been made, with the exception of a $2M loan acquired approximately ten years ago to renovate the historic Great Hall. Beginning in 2010-11, a new administrative leadership team was established and the role of the Board of Trustees was brought into clear focus. Immediate action was taken to address the financial stability of the school. The introduction of girls boarding, significant technology upgrades, strengthening of community relations, and national marketing are now actively increasing fiscal sustainability, all in support of the school s mission. In reviewing the context within which the school plans for its future, Brandon Hall School emphasizes the school s mission and shared vision, the strategic goals and priorities that cut across the entire campus, programmatically defined objectives that build on the strengths of the school and the community, a new campus master plan, and our goals for departmental development. Departmental development, strategic budgeting, and infrastructural updates will enrich the learning environment for students and enable further program growth. Our first priority is funding the immediate infrastructural needs by providing appropriate male and female residential facilities, repurposing Corley Dining Hall, providing a new Cafeteria/Student Center as a gathering and commons area, updating the Middle and Upper School facilities, adding facilities specific to the Arts, providing a separate Upper and Middle School, upgrading current faculty apartments, adding more long-term faculty residences, redesigning the athletic field complex, and addressing the need for additional indoor sports and athletic events. Both campus and community members were unanimous with regard to what they believe to be the one priority that weaves through all the other goals: a more prominent profile in the community, an increased awareness of what we do, and a singular identity associated with the unique mission and the tradition for academic excellence at Brandon Hall School.
Philosophy and Vision Preparing to be productive in a diverse society, Brandon Hall students learn to appreciate the opinions of others while gaining an understanding of various cultures and heritages, and to demonstrate civility in their relationships. A student s education is immensely enhanced when parents, teachers, and administrators work cooperatively as partners in education. The result is a Personalized Education Program (PEP) that continually evolves to accommodate students through teaching methods, assistive technology, and curricular content during a student s entire stay at Brandon Hall. Short & Long-term Objectives In the early stages of the planning process (fall of 2010) a goal was set to complete the process by the end of the 2011 calendar year. The process was to include educational program objectives, place and space requirements, and funding strategies. Following are comprehensive one, three and five year goals resulting from the planning process and the integration of the objectives of each of the key educational areas. It is acknowledged that time, circumstances and an on-going planning process will inevitably produce adjustments and modifications. This is viewed as being good and evidence of the schools sensitivity to influencing factors that should from time to time be considered.
One-Year Objectives What do you think? Brandon Hall will update infrastructure campus wide (residential housing for students and faculty, dining hall, technology department, fine arts, science, etc.). Brandon Hall will host campus events that bring together alumni, current families, and the community who promote the school, annual fund, and community relations. Brandon Hall will promote and build student leadership, focusing on student strengths, team building, and developing leaders for tomorrow who will reciprocate through service and fellowship. Brandon Hall will provide discipline specific training plans, providing for continuing education, professional development, diversity training, and global training initiatives for faculty and staff. Brandon Hall will purchase integrated campus software connecting advancement, finance, academics, and admissions. Brandon Hall will develop and implement global and specialized curriculums (diversity, private school with a public purpose, specialized Mandarin language offerings, etc.). Brandon Hall will develop a strategic school social media plan using new and traditional means. Brandon Hall will expand faculty to provide more specialized professionals, complementing enhancements in the curriculum. Brandon Hall will conduct longitudinal outcomes studies/assessments.
Three-Year Objectives Ideas? Brandon Hall will initiate a Capital Fundraising Program to build a new dorm and dining hall per Master Campus Plan. Continued curriculum development and growth in media, arts, diversity, foreign language, lecture series, and leadership will continue to propel Brandon Hall as a premier independent school in the south. Brandon Hall will continue to increase strategically planned local advertising and marketing to draw more appropriate applicants (including international) and add the position of Marketing Director. Enhancing the media center to include language lab, technology/catalogue system, resources, etc. based on evidence based research will encourage scholarly research for Brandon Hall students and faculty. Establishing partnerships with local colleges for internships, college fairs, and online enrollment will continue preparing Brandon Hall students for life in the 21st century. Unified facilities networks (security, thermostats, alarms, HVAC, etc.) will be installed to reduce the footprint of existing buildings as Brandon Hall strives to meet LEED standards. Increased parent involvement (Parent Guild, athletic booster club) will continue to perpetuate the schools vision for recognizing the importance of family participation in the educational process.
Five-Year Objectives Comments? Brandon Hall will continue to implement the Master Campus Plan (field, driveways, dormitory, dining hall, high school, fine arts center, middle school) through capital funding. Brandon Hall will establish an endowment fund to sustain annual financial aid and the on-going professional development of the faculty.
Campus and Facility Objectives Reconfigured Entrance, Exit and Interior Roadways Build a new Residence Hall Renovate Sipple Hall Build a new Dining Hall Renovate Corely Dining Hall into a new Student Commons Expanded Athletic Complex and Facilities Build an Upper School Facility Address Existing Facility Upgrades in Kimbrell as the Middle School Building and Huff as the new Fine Arts Building Reactions? BRANDON HALL SCHOOL MASTER PLAN 1 Great Hall 16 Current President s House 2 Kimbrell Hall 17 Overlook 3 Huff Center 18 Trail to Riverhouse 4 New Dining Hall 19 New Additional Parking 47 Spaces 5 Renovated Corley Hall/Student Activities Center 20 Tennis Courts 6 South Commons 21 Parking for Tennis Courts 10 Spaces 7 New Residence Hall/Faculty & Boys 22 Gate House 8 Renovated Sipple Hall/Faculty & Girls 9 North Commons 10 Drop Off 11 Short Term Parking 12 Upper School and Gymnasium 13 Parking 43 Spaces 14 Soccer Field 15 Faculty Housing (Master Campus Plan developed by Collins Cooper Carusi Architects)
Strategic Budgeting Thoughts? The strategic budgeting process is designed to engage Department Heads in managing resource usage against Departmental programs. Individualized planning and managing-to-plan promotes collective ownership by breaking down long term goals into annualized goals. Individualized plans also promote shared responsibility and performance monitoring of zero-based budgeting. This planning process will create purposeful spending according to plan and encourage collaborative discussions in the strategic plan success. Financial Strategy A school s Master Funding Plan helps to strategically target revenues and expenditures, including tuition, compensation strategy, program allocations, and reserve funds over a period of years. This funding plan will allow Brandon Hall to demonstrate its commitment to linking its Mission to money, resulting in comprehensive and strategic growth planning. Capital Development Objective To raise up to $37 M for capital improvements to the Brandon Hall Campus. Specific improvements include construction of a new dormitory, a new dining facility and a new building for the upper school. The existing Sipple Dormitory will be fully renovated. The Kimbrell Building will be renovated and become a dedicated fine arts building and Huff will be renovated to become the Middle School Learning Complex. New athletic playing fields will be added and the driveway to/from the school will be re-routed. Capital Development Strategy Vigorous capital fundraising will be initiated in 2012. Individual, foundation and corporate prospects will be identified and approached. Initial steps will be to secure leadership commitments equal to at least half of the total goal. Upon the success of those efforts, a more broad-based campaign will be introduced seeking the support of the school and regional community at large. Professional assistance will be engaged to provide counsel.
Summary January 2012 The strategic plan and process has been designed to addresses the following areas: the educational program, faculty development and support, the Arts program, the athletic and sports program, college advisement, student support, community outreach, partnerships, global educational, place and space requirements, funding and financial sustainability, as well as board and governance implications. As much as being a plan, we envision this document as being an affirmation of direction. Thinking too long term in today s uncertain environment can be unsettling. Being clear about direction is something about which we can be more certain. Other ideas?
Brandon Hall School 1701 Brandon Hall Drive Atlanta, GA 30350 770-394-8177 www.brandonhall.org