A. Implementation of the Prior Plan from the last Self Study
Rosary High School was accredited for six years with a midterm visit. During the time since the accreditation visit and midterm visit, there have been significant changes.
The original action plan established three goals. First, Rosary High School was to focus on finding alternative funding to better support student services and programs; it was also necessary to tap into unexplored resources. The second goal focused on curriculum development in the area of technology. In 2012-2013 school year, a 1:1 program was established. Students will be issued the third device starting with the 2017-2018 school year. However, the program has stagnated, and students and teachers alike need updated technology training. The final goal of the action plan was to better articulate the Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs). Since the last visit, the ESLRs were reviewed and change to Integrated Student Outcomes (ISOs). To address the last goal, teachers and staff constantly worked to ensure (and continue to work to ensure) that students are aware of the goals of the ISOs. Senior Exit Interviews continue to be one way to gauge their awareness and effectiveness.
During the 2014-2015 school year, it was determined that expert intervention was necessary. A management consultant visited the school, spoke to numerous stakeholders and made several suggestions to school and diocesan personnel. By the end of the school year, both the president and principal resigned, a new organizational structure was established, the school was renamed with an updated mission statement, and a new marketing campaign was established. With so much instability, enrollment also dropped significantly starting in 2012-2013. The 2015-2016 started with the naming of a new head and assistant head of school, and new directors of admissions and advancement were hired. The school name was officially changed to Rosary Academy. The focus was redirected toward the strategic plan, which was established by the management consultant. The Seven Benefits of Rosary, the Rosary Fund, enrollment, and curriculum became guiding forces for the new leadership. Although there seemed to be some progress by the end of the 2016-2017 school year, the head, assistant head of school, and the director of advancement resigned.
B. Current Educational Improvement Plan (EIP)
Area of Critical Growth: Catholic Identity
In order to honor our connection to the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph, who strive to answer God's call by serving their community, Rosary Academy needs to explore the possibility of mandating service hours for students and increase faith formation opportunities for our families.
Goals for the Action Plan
Rationale for the Action Plan
Action Steps
Acting Agents
Necessary Resources
Ways of Assessing Progress
Ways of Reporting Progress
Timeline for Completion
To instill in our students the importance of ministering to those in need and strengthen our communal faith by offering families (and
potentially other stakeholders such as alumnae) more opportunities to encounter Christ.
Surveys indicate not all students participate in service house and parents desire more faith formation opportunities.
1. Assemble a committee, including students from each grade level, to determine the benefits of mandating service hours for students.
2. Gather data from Catholic schools which require service hours; determine which service opportunities align best with Rosary Academy’s mission and philosophy.
3. Determine the logistics of mandatory service hours including the personnel needed to track hours and assist students; investigate the possibility of adding an additional van dedicated solely to assisting campus ministry with this effort.
4. Assemble a committee of stakeholders, especially parents, to determine faith formation opportunities and ensure their
alignment to Rosary Academy’s mission and philosophy.
5. Schedule and advertise faith formation opportunities for families and other stakeholders.
Our campus minister will be the organizing force in the efforts to investigate mandatory service hours for students and implement faith formation opportunities for Rosary Academy stakeholders. Additionally, the Rosary Academy faculty and staff will be involved whether through leading by example or facilitation.
Possible stipends may need to be budgeted for a service hour facilitator; financial resources are necessary to add a van dedicated to service; in addition, time must be allocated for those
involved in the planning of additional faith formation events.
Observation of and dialoguing with local Catholic high schools who mandate service hours; interviewing students, parents, and other stakeholders to assess which faith formation opportunities are vital.
Monthly (or more often) meetings between the head of school and campus minister.
Fall 2018 & Spring 2019: Assemble committees, observe and dialogue with other Catholic high schools, and decide upon validity of requiring mandatory service hours from students; determine additional faith formation events for families.
Spring 2019: Present formal plan to diocese for commentary and approval.
Fall 2019: Communicate findings to Rosary Academy Community.
Spring 2020: Finalize faith formation opportunities.
Fall 2020: Implement faith formation plan.
Spring 2021: Review and survey stakeholders on program effectiveness.
Area of Critical Growth: School Organization
Rosary Academy must decide on a permanent leadership structure that best serves the current school composition.
Goals for the Action Plan
Rationale for the Action Plan
Action Steps
Acting Agents
Necessary Resources
Ways of Assessing Progress
Ways of Reporting Progress
Timeline for Completion
To identify and install a school leadership structure that best serves the needs of the student and adult community. Individual roles must be discerned, defined, and delegated within both narrow and broad frameworks. School must move forward with a single leader, shared leadership, or a team model that is clearly communicated to all stakeholders.
The variety of leadership structures and individual leaders over the past decade, as identified in survey data, has been a destabilizing force in the institutional health of Rosary Academy. Moving forward with clear direction in this area will strengthen all growth efforts.
1. Allow current head of school to observe and discern the needs of school, then decide upon the best structure to solidify Rosary Academy as a thriving 21st-century institution.
2. Head of school will present a proposed school leadership structure to diocesan superiors for input, revision, and approval.
3. Changes to current structure will be communicated to faculty/staff and wider school community, with potential internal personnel moves decided upon.
4. Further necessary staffing issues will be advertised, vetted, and filled as needed.
5. School leadership structure moving forward will be communicated on school website and in school literature to allow for proper functioning and operations.
Head of school is the driving force behind this effort, with singular autonomy to decide upon the structure that best fits the unique needs of our academic institution. Diocesan leadership must approve and support the new structure and understand its nuances in an effort to enhance the abilities and performance of existing and future Rosary leaders.
Salaries for additional staff will need to be budgeted, should the new structure call for Rosary to add to its current number of positions.
Observation of current Rosary Academy operating functions plus research into schools with a similar size, budget, mission, and demographics will be essential.
Monthly meetings between the head of school and diocesan leaders.
Fall 2018-Spring 2019: Observe and decide upon best form of leadership structure.
Fall 2019: Present formal plan to diocese for commentary and approval.
Spring 2020: Reassign and reaffirm current leadership positions as necessary; communicate plan to community.
Spring 2020: Solicit and seek new talent to fill roles as needed.
Fall 2020: Begin training and process of utilizing formalized leadership structure.
Spring 2021 and subsequent school years: Evaluate effectiveness and functionality of school leadership structure. Adjust personnel and roles as needed.
Area of Critical Growth: Teaching and Learning
In order to elevate current academic programming, Rosary Academy must formalize both its instruction and assessment practices. Using an adapted PLC model, the Rosary Academy faculty needs to use measured data to drive instruction and collaborate across the curriculum to ensure continued student success.
Goals for the Action Plan
Rationale for the Action Plan
Action Steps
Acting Agents
Necessary Resources
Ways of Assessing Progress
Ways of Reporting Progress
Timeline for Completion
To continue providing a comprehensive, relevant, and balanced curriculum with clear progression in subject matter and skills, our faculty must participate in annual curriculum articulations and structured reviews of instruction and assessment practices. Teachers must be given time to work in modified PLCs to collaborate on common assessments and determine best instructional methods.
Teacher and student surveys reveal the need for more deliberate curriculum adjustments following assessments, including standardized tests; faculty surveys reveal teachers have limited time to collaborate with each other on instruction and assessment and would benefit from structured guidance in their curriculum development.
1. Schedule biannual curriculum articulation meetings, one of which uses an adapted PLC model for interdepartmental collaboration.
2. Provide guidance to Department Chairs on improved instructional methodologies and assessment practices; department
chairs should use this guidance at monthly meetings.
3. During monthly faculty meetings, schedule guided discussion and/or collaboration time solely for improving instruction and assessment.
4. Institute a curriculum self-reflection practice for teachers, allowing them the opportunity to consider their teaching methods, make appropriate changes, and review their performance with their Department Chair and the Director of Curriculum.
Faculty, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Department Chairs, Counselors (to guide teachers in the analysis of standardized test results).
Adapted PLC guidance forms (to use during curriculum articulation meetings, department meetings, etc.).
Curriculum Self-Reflection Form for teachers.
Continued financial support for teachers to attend relevant professional trainings.
Scheduled, structured time for instructional review time.
Monthly department meetings, faculty meetings, informal and formal departmental observations, Director of Curriculum and Instruction observations and review meetings.
Observations, Department Meetings, Counselor Meetings, Student surveys
Fall 2018- Spring 2019: Analyze standardized testing data (HSPT, PSAT), start designing adapted PLC model, develop common assessments within and even between departments, create curricular guidance forms for meetings, develop teacher self-reflection form.
Spring 2019: Investigate & attend PLC trainings.
Fall 2019 and ongoing: Complete all faculty observations and review data to determine needs; streamline and /or finalize adapted PLC format.
Spring 2020: Complete adapted PLC model guiding forms.
Fall 2020 & Spring 2021: Complete Curriculum Reflection Form; communicate curriculum improvement plan to all faculty for next school year.
Area of Critical Growth: Student Support
Rosary Academy must prioritize the social and emotional well-being of its students and teachers by using a mindfulness approach to reduce possible sources of stress and increase mental health awareness.
Goals for the Action Plan
Rationale for the Action Plan
Action Steps
Acting Agents
Necessary Resources
Ways of Assessing Progress
Ways of Reporting Progress
Timeline for Completion
Monitor possible sources of student and teacher stress and investigate strategies to emphasize the importance of mental health.
Student surveys indicate students experience a high amount of stress resulting from academic demands and co-curricular participation; ongoing reports of a crisis in teens' mental health suggests the need for continued emphasis on nurturing students' emotional well-being.
Teacher surveys indicate that teaching six classes is overwhelming and does not leave enough time to plan or assess student progress effectively, or allow for effective interdisciplinary collaboration. Retention of faculty, which helps maintain a stable environment for students, hinges upon providing a realistic, yet motivating environment for teachers.
1. Investigate opportunities to bring in assembly speakers for our students on topics relevant to raising mental health awareness: depression, teen suicide, anti-bullying, eating disorders, safe usage of social media, preventative self-care, etc.
2. Explore strategies to incorporate mental health awareness in academic and co-curricular settings. 3. Reinstate a policy that the class load of a "full-time" teacher is five classes. 4. Establish a consistent stipend amount for teachers who are asked to teach an additional class.
5. Find a bell schedule that improves class rotation and increases student contact so students retain information and have more access to their teachers.
6. Schedule a yearly one-on-one meeting for all students with their individual counselors to help students communicate their goals and understand their progression.
The Head of School in conjunction with the Director of Curriculum, the Director of Finance, Counselors, and faculty.
Potential finances needed to bring in effective mental health awareness speakers; potential finances needed to supplement the policy of full-time teaching load (five classes); research on effective bell schedules at other high schools; education for teachers, coaches, moderators, etc. on raising mental health awareness in academic and co-curricular settings, including any warning signs to look for in students.
Meetings with Head of School, Finance, Counselors, coaches, directors, and moderators as needed.
Meeting minutes (department, faculty, directors, etc.)
Fall 2018 & ongoing: Research potential speakers to raise mental health awareness; book assemblies and other potential events on master calendar; investigate strategies to incorporate more mental health awareness in classes, sports, clubs, etc.; implement new bell schedule increasing student contact and rotation; Head of School meets with finance director to monitor budgetary allowances for additional duty stipends.
Spring 2019: Bring in mental health awareness speakers for students.
Fall 2019: Meet with faculty to discuss the possibility of reestablishing a new full-time teaching load for the upcoming school year; review bell schedule with stakeholders; continue to monitor the stress load of students and teachers.
Spring 2020 & ongoing: Bring in more speakers for mental health awareness; adjust bell schedule as needed; continue meeting with faculty to review workload; incorporate wellness reminders into faculty retreats and meetings; continue to provide education for all stakeholders on how to provide students with social and emotional competency, resilience strategies, and a safe and positive school environment.
Area of Critical Growth: Material Stewardship
In order to promote our mission of Catholic values, academic excellence, and leadership training, we must grow our enrollment. This can be done through improving relationships and communication with donors, alumnae, and alumnae families regarding pertinent news, upcoming projects/funding needs and other advancement goals and objectives. In addition, Rosary Academy should continue to expand its relationships with Catholic parishes and partner schools to build enrollment.
Goals for the Action Plan
Rationale for the Action Plan
Action Steps
Acting Agents
Necessary Resources
Ways of Assessing Progress
Ways of Reporting Progress
Timeline for Completion
● Design a communication plan for all stakeholders.
● Increase pre and post event communication. Events include, but are not limited to, school tradition events, fundraisers, open houses, preview days, and admissions related events.
● In addition to email, communicate with stakeholders via social media, website announcements, and personal outreach.
● Continue outreach to partner schools including shadow days, school visits, advertising, auction donations, etc. ●Develop a strategic plan.
Various modes of outreach will improve relationships with all stakeholders, increase fundraising, and boost enrollment efforts.
1. Develop a communication plan based on events and messaging throughout the school year.
2. Email pre and post event information.
3. The director of curriculum should coordinate an articulation meeting for partner school principals.
4. The admissions team should continue meeting regularly to discuss admissions’ strategies
Head of School, advancement office, admissions team, director of curriculum, consultative board, and faculty.
Email marketing software, financial resources to fund donations, advertising materials, and hospitality efforts. Look into a third party to help develop a strategic plan.
Email analytics via email marketing software.
Quantitative analysis from email marketing software and qualitative analysis from feedback from donors, parents, and alumnae.
Fall 2018: Develop and begin implementing communication plan.
Spring 2019 & ongoing: Schedule articulation meeting to engage with partner schools; investigate opportunities to bring Rosary Academy faculty expertise to help partner schools; seek opportunities to unite Rosary Academy service goals with partner schools.
Fall 2019: Investigate and develop strategic plan.
Spring 2020: Review strategic plan with stakeholders.
Fall 2020: Communicate strategic plan to Rosary Academy community; continue communication and fundraising efforts with stakeholders.
Spring 2021: Review communication plan with stakeholders; make necessary changes; continue enrollment increase efforts.