The Strategic Plan Process

The Academy of the Holy Names' five-year strategic plan is aligned with the school’s mission and communicate the vision to inspire our future. Over the course of eight months of planning, the Steering Committee worked collaboratively with the administration to collect and analyze data and feedback that informed the goals and objectives of the 2023-2028 plan. At the conclusion of the planning process, and the launch of Light the Way, the school was positioned to pursue new and emerging opportunities, while also honoring and strengthening the rich tradition that has been evident at the Academy for the past 140 years.

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Timeline

Mission Statement

The Academy of the Holy Names is a Catholic, independent school founded and guided by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. In a faith community of exceptional love, the Academy empowers students to be authentic individuals who, in pursuing their highest academic potential, engage in critical thinking, are inspired by creativity, and lead culturally aware, spiritually rich lives.

At the start of any strategic planning process, it is critical that the school community has clarity and a shared understanding of our core mission and purpose. Consequently, in December of 2021, the Board of Trustees, along with the Leadership Team, participated in an exercise to review the school’s current mission statement and to determine opportunities to enhance it respective to the current needs of our students and community. This updated mission statement will be used as the “north star” for our new strategic plan.

Areas of Focus

Over the next nine months, we will examine eight critical domains, or areas of school life, focusing on where we have been, where we are, and where we want to be in the future. At the center of the domains is our Catholic identity and the vision and values of the Sisters of the Holy Names. This process is a participative and collaborative effort, and we look forward to getting input from the Academy of the Holy Names community through surveys, round-table discussions and conversations. Every voice is critical to the development of an authentic strategic plan that will be the basis for our decisions over the next five years.

Steering Committee

We are very blessed to have dedicated domain chairs and staff members working on this endeavor. These volunteers are generously offering their time, talent and energy to build a greater future for our school community.

Steering Committee Chairs

Daphne McConnie

Past Parent,

Board of Trustees Vice Chair

Paola Schifino

Past Parent,

Board of Trustees member

Kevin Whitney

President,

Academy of the Holy Names

Domain Chairs

SNJM Vision & Values, Catholic Identity

Sister Ann Regan, SNJM
Greta Dupuy '97, Alumna & Past Trustee
Katie Solomon Holland '95, Alumna & Parent

Academics & Instructional Technology

Olivia Martinez '10, Alumna
Isaac Ruiz-Carus '94, Alumnus & Parent

Finance

Ed Bulleit, Trustee & Past Parent
Kim Dingle, Trustee & Past Parent

Governance

Stephanie Crane Lieb '99, Alumna, Past Trustee, Parent
Jason Woodside '01, Trustee

Advancement & Communications

Doug Bogle, Parent
Martha Minahan, Trustee

Enrollment & Marketing

Steve Matesich, Past Parent
Paola Schifino, Trustee & Past Parent

Facilities & Technology Infrastructure

Ernie Garateix, Trustee & Past Parent
Todd Schweitzer, Parent

Student Life

Velen Diaz Thompson '83, Alumna, Trustee, Past Parent
Renee Murphy, Parent

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Strategic Planning?

Why is Academy of the Holy Names completing a five-year Strategic Plan?

The Academy’s Board and administration recognize that the school has grown and accomplished much. We have a proud history of graduating young men and women who become models for transforming the world. We also realize that is imperative that we have a documented vision that guides us, ensuring that our longstanding history of Catholic education triumphs in these ever-changing times. Over the next several months, we will examine eight critical domains and focus on where we have been, where we are, and where we want to be in the future. Please know that this process is a participative and collaborative effort, and we look forward to getting input from the Academy of the Holy Names community through surveys, round-table discussions and conversations.

Why does it matter to you?

What is the role of the domain chair on the Steering Committee?

Each set of domain chairs has been provided with a “book of knowledge” containing historical data pertinent to their area of focus. This data, combined with additional data gathering (surveys), interviews and community engagement, will help to construct a three to five-page narrative for each domain. The narrative is a historical document that outlines the past and present. It is a statement of fact and offers no ideas or suggestions for goals or programs for the future. This summer and early fall, this information will be compiled, analyzed and cross-referenced with other domain reports to find commonalities, trends and identify key issues and opportunities. A SWOT analysis is also part of the strategic planning process. A retreat is planned in November with the Board of Trustees, Steering Committee, Leadership Team and key constituents to draft the strategic goals and objectives of the next plan.