Strategic Vision

Germantown Academy will offer learning experiences that are personalized, innovative, relevant, and meaningful. GA will also ensure that current and new academic programs align with our mission and 21st century skills. Because learning happens in and out of the classroom, we will focus on building student leadership, collaboration, and opportunities for creative learning, service, and social impact in our co- and extra-curricular programs.

Students

• We will continue to develop the essential skills for every student that will guide learning, teaching, curriculum, and assessment for the future.
• We will build on previous programs to promote student engagement, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, and innovation inside and outside of the classroom.
• We will make student engagement the first priority in all extra- and co-curricular activities—athletics, arts, and clubs—developing competitive and recreational programs in alignment with students’ abilities and interests.

Faculty & Staff

• We will embed professional development in the culture of the school by creating the conditions and setting clear expectations for collaboration, learning, research, and development for all faculty and staff.
• We will foster a culture of professionalism by continually developing standards for the best teaching, mentoring, and instructional practices in partnership with our faculty.

Parents & Alumni

• We will engage parents and alumni in the learning and growth at school and communicate in meaningful ways to keep them connected to the community.
• We will partner with parents around the developmental needs of their children—how they learn best and what they need to be healthy and successful.

Community

• We will strive to understand the needs and backgrounds of our community, foster mutual understanding and respect, and create a community which reflects the world around us in order to truly engage each individual.

Germantown Academy will emphasize and strengthen our commitment to early childhood education (ages four through eight), recognizing that these years are the building blocks for the development of engaged, curious learners and healthy, purposeful lives.

Engaging learning experiences and environments

• We will build upon an engaging curriculum that encourages students to be curious and take initiative in their education.
• We will create indoor and outdoor learning environments that reflect best practices around young children’s need to engage in multisensory and nature-based experiences.
• We will create intentional and authentic learning experiences that harness the growth that comes from a healthy challenge.

Developmentally Appropriate

• We will offer an education that emphasizes the development of the whole child, providing for each child’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs.
• We will base our learning experiences on the understanding of general patterns of growth in the early years as well as children’s individual development.

Academic Foundation

• We will create a rigorous academic foundation that meets each student’s individual trajectory and reflects the GA mission and prepares students for life.

Germantown Academy will enhance its culture of engaged leadership between and across the divisions to position the school for long-term success.

Leadership Development

• We will be intentional about developing leaders and aligning these efforts with ongoing strategies and the school’s human resource needs.

Governance

• Our Trustees will embrace the critical role of oversight for the school and its strategic vision and priorities. The Board will ensure stewardship and philanthropic support of GA.
• Our Trustees will continue to partner with the Head of School and leadership to ensure continuity of vision, values, and strategic focus.
• Our Trustees will commit actively to examine policies and practices in order to ensure the highest level of governance.

Organizational Dynamics

• We will examine organizational design to foster a culture of active, collaborative leadership throughout and across all aspects of school life as part of continuous succession planning.

Germantown Academy will continually adapt the Campus Master Plan and align priorities and phases with the objectives and goals of our student engagement-centered vision for the future.

Campus Plan Leadership

• The Board of Trustees will work with school leadership to adapt the Campus Plan and recommend prioritization of timing and resources to support engagement.

Key Needs

• We will analyze existing needs in campus planning and follow the Strategic Vision for the school when making key decisions around academic and extra- and co-curricular space.

Financial Sustainability

• We will examine the Campus Planning process in conjunction with the financial and environmental sustainability goals for the school.
• We will coordinate the necessary resources with the Campus Master Plan, determining where to invest strategically and why.

Germantown Academy will build and develop a flexible and innovative model for the future in order to best support the needs of our students.

Innovation and Collaboration

• We will create new opportunities, partnerships, and capabilities that strengthen learning experiences and expand our impact in the region without burdening the cost structure.

Non-tuition Sources of Revenue

• We will pursue additional sources of revenue to become less tuition dependent, to support the great programmatic work already happening at the school, and to open our vast resources to the larger community.

GA Community Engagement

• We will strengthen our culture of philanthropy and stewardship by engaging our community in the promise of GA’s present and its future as a leading learning institution.

Germantown Academy will build and develop a flexible and innovative model for the future in order to best support the needs of our students.

Communication

• We will provide students the necessary skills to engage in rigorous inquiry and civil discourse to build meaningful relationships.
• We will teach students effective oral and written communication skills for use in digital and non-digital spaces.
• We will guide students in learning how to manage conflict, negotiate difficult conversations, and practice advocacy on behalf of themselves and others.

Life and Wellness Skills

• We will help students prioritize their own mental and physical health and wellness.
• We will support students in developing perseverance, resilience, and the growth mindset necessary to imagine and explore new areas of learning.
• We will help students build the awareness and adaptability to use emergent technologies in productive, ethical, and healthy ways.

Civic Skills

• We will prepare students to navigate the systems that impact their lives, such as education, finance, healthcare, government, and the environment.
• We will encourage students to develop an appreciation for service and ways to play an active role in their local and global communities.
• We will help students develop cross-cultural competence and the ability to learn from and work with people from various cultures and backgrounds.

Student-Driven Lifelong Learning

• We will expand differentiated learning opportunities so that students gain exposure to a wide array of fields while diving deeply into their areas of interest.
• We will increase real-world and experiential learning so that students can take ownership of their own learning and apply it to the world beyond GA.
• We will create opportunities for lifelong learning that take place within and beyond the classroom setting for students, alumni, and families.