Q & A with Mr. Carney

What was the genesis for the Strategic Plan? What prompted Fordham Prep to undertake a strategic planning process? At the start of his tenure as President of Fordham Prep, Fr. Devron recognized the need to engage the Prep community in a collaborative process that would help guide the school in the coming years. His predecessor, Fr. Boller, engaged the community in a similar process 10 years earlier when he assumed the role of President. The results of that earlier process helped chart a path that led to the construction of a new science center and the introduction of the 1 to 1 computer program, as well as many other initiatives that helped the school to grow. Strategic planning is essential if institutions are going to advance and strengthen their mission for the future. As we looked back over the past 175 years this year, our strategic plan will help us look forward to the next 175.

When was the planning process initiated and how was it implemented? Our strategic planning process began at the Board level during the 2014-15 academic year. Discussions at board meetings led to a comprehensive plan to engage all stakeholders in this planning process. During 2015-16, Bill Meehan, Prep Class of 1970, presented to the faculty and staff an overview of how best to approach strategic planning and Fr. Devron shared a

Statement of Issues document with the faculty and staff to help discern what issues are most critical for Fordham Prep at this stage in our history. At the beginning of the 2016-17 school year, parents, faculty, staff, administrators and trustees completed a survey to help assess the school’ s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A drafting committee, comprised of faculty and trustees, organized and prioritized feedback from the survey, the Statement of Issues document, and meetings with various constituencies, and began the first draft of a strategic plan. Faculty, staff and trustees met throughout the process to review each draft of the plan. In addition, faculty, staff and trustees have also developed a set of strategic actions for each priority and a timeline for implementation. The plan was approved unanimously at the June 2017 Board meeting.

Who was involved in the process? Was there a committee of stakeholders involved? The drafting committee for the plan included trustees: Patricia Fink P’ 08,’ 10,’ 13, Maurice Hyacinthe’ 77 and John Freeman’ 80, along with faculty members Paul Homer, Dr. Patricia Lee, and Nelson Ritter’ 96. Several faculty meetings were held to give the faculty and staff ample opportunity to discuss the plan. Each committee of the Board of Trustees reviewed the plan at several meetings. A small group of parents also was assembled in the spring to review the plan.

What is the major focus of the Strategic Plan and how will it be implemented? Our strategic plan focuses on six key areas that are critical for strengthening and ensuring our mission for the next five years. In each area, we have developed several priorities for the next five years. For each priority we have identified a set of strategic actions and a timeline for their implementation. Departments and individuals

responsible for each priority will review progress on the strategic actions on a quarterly basis and will contribute to an annual progress report that Fr. Devron will share with faculty, staff, parents and alumni.

What sort of changes can students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends of the school expect to see as a result of the strategic plan? In the sense that the plan is ultimately about strengthening our mission, we can all be sure that the core mission of Fordham Prep, to educate young people to be men of faith, scholarship and service, certainly will not change. We hope people will see a new vibrancy to this mission, responsive to the changing needs of our students. The changes in our physical plant are already apparent with a new chapel and group study space completed this past summer along with renovations to three classrooms and two locker rooms. The ongoing renovations of the physical plant will help to improve the learning environment at Fordham Prep as will the priorities related to academic excellence. In five years, we hope people see a curriculum even more deeply aligned with our mission, which aims to promote Ignatian values that form men of competence, conscience and compassion. A focus on greater global competency and skills for the 21st century will allow us to better prepare students for a world that is more technological and interconnected than at any time in history. Through the generosity of our benefactors, we hope to have new funding sources that will support and expand faculty professional development opportunities, our Global Education and Christian Service Immersion programs, and services for students from low income families. Finally, as a result of our work I think people will see a faculty, staff, students, parents and alumni who are even more deeply committed to our identity as a Catholic Ignatian school.