Strategic Plan 2020

Authentic Engagement

Cary Academy will foster the intellectual and cultural elasticity needed to adapt and thrive in the world.

Dive Deep

Enable community members to identify and delve deeply into areas of passion

  • Develop specialized platforms to allow for students to explore interests more deeply, such as capstone experiences, mastery badges, or graduation tracks or certificates
  • Create an organizational hub for coordinating and expanding opportunities for outreach, e.g., service, diversity and inclusion, and businesses/not-for-profits
  • Develop methods to equip students with the practical skills needed to pursue learning opportunities outside of CA
  • Develop internship or fellowship programs to allow for real-world applications of learning at local businesses or non-profits
  • Expand professional links among employees and colleagues inside and outside of CA

Take Risks

Ensure community members have opportunities to expand cultural awareness and develop cultural competence

  • Increase opportunities for students to learn through exploratory projects that require the use of design thinking and inquiry beyond the classroom
  • Provide a menu of service and other learning opportunities that challenge students and encourage risk-taking
  • Utilize our existing relationships and expand partnerships to create opportunities for students and employees to work with diverse communities outside of CA
  • Review the world language exchange and other travel and visitation programs with eye to expanding cultural immersion opportunities

Progress

YEAR 4 (2018-2019)

  • Continued Dialogue work, with all-school dialogue on political identity offered in the fall and employee winter dialogue on school climate and culture. Began more detailed training and rollout of advisory-based dialogues.
  • Launched Center for Community Engagement and, after comprehensive review, hired new director for Equity and Community Engagement.
  • Launched student-directed “Community Engagement” course focused on poverty and inequality in Raleigh; expanded work experience program for third year in a row; and launched pilot of Learning Sprint program.
  • Conducted R&D for entrepreneurship programming, with new course scheduled for next year and partnership with MIT for design challenge club.

YEAR 3 (2017-2018)

  • Develop protocols to support “Dialogue Across Difference” to empower deeper community trust and engagement
  • Plan “micro-school” project for 2018-2019 launch
  • Explore models for “Experiential Education” philosophy, program, and organization at CA
  • Launch new US advisory program
  • Partner with independent schools in California, Singapore, Germany, India, and South Africa to explore authentic educational opportunities for faculty and students

YEAR 2 (2016-2017)

  • Grew the Work Experience Discovery Term Program for juniors and add a Lenovo Scholars program during the school year
  • Studied micro-school platforms
  • Expanded blended course program with new courses in fictional worlds, reimagining classic literature, Hispanic film, and ADV environmental and political studies
  • Began a new faculty Authentic Engagement grant program to encourage new curriculum units, with first courses in ADV biotechnology and social sciences slavery and human trafficking
  • Reviewed the US advisory program

YEAR 1 (2015-2016)

  • Pilot a Work Experience Program as part of the junior year Discovery Term for 22 students
  • Expand the SEED program (curriculum-focused diversity and inclusion) to include a second cohort of employees and a new cohort of parents
  • Expand the pilot of blended learning courses to include new courses in multivariable calculus, architecture, and anatomy and physiology
  • Pilot a faculty exchange program with the American School of Bombay with a one-month, on-site fellowship for the ASB director of research and development at Cary Academy

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