SPAR TA N S P OTL I G H T
The Steward School has always provided an atmosphere of
limitless creativity and a rigorous curriculum. As we look to
the future, we see great opportunity for Steward to build
upon our successes and have a lasting impact within the
school, within the individual, and within the community.
Our plan will help guide us through 2022 and will focus on
FUEL THE MIND | STIR THE IMAGINATION | UNLEASH THE POSSIBILITIES
Steward’s influence in five specific areas .
Steward’s Compass Guides the Way
In September of 2018, Steward launched Compass 2022,
the Strategic Plan for the next five years, which highlights
five key areas of importance: Steward for Learning, Steward
for the Individual, Steward for All, Steward for Community,
and Steward for Life.
FUEL THE MIND | STIR THE IMAGINATION | UNLEASH THE POSSIBILITIES
Steward launched
Compass 2022 this
past fall, the Strategic
Plan for the next
five years created by
faculty, staff, alumni,
parents, students,
grandparents, and
trustees.
BY STEPHANIE BOYAR
14
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The Colonnade
“When I think about all five initiatives put together,” Head
of School Dan Frank said, “the through-thread that I see is
the idea of enduring relationships.”
Whether it’s in fostering a true curiosity in learning,
teaching students self-love, creating meaningful
connections between students of all different backgrounds,
encouraging partnerships with the Richmond community
and beyond, or serving as a lifelong home for alumni,
Steward values relationships of all kinds, and its place as a
community that can facilitate them.
In order to put these five initiatives into motion, Compass
2022 outlines detailed Milestones and Guideposts setting
specific goals and timelines for the school to reach each
goal. Committees were formed around each initiative, and
faculty and staff members were tasked with discussing,
evaluating, and mapping out plans to achieve their set
goals. Some of these committees were already in existence
at Steward in service of academics and programming, and
some are ad hoc committees consisting of faculty and
staff who volunteered to aid with an initiative that they
are particularly passionate and knowledgeable about. As a
result, “the vast majority of faculty will be participating in
the execution of the Strategic Plan,” said Mr. Frank.
Lower School Academic Dean Becky Groves is in charge
of coordinating all the Strategic Plan committee work
that touches curriculum and programming. She says the
early committee meetings have been productive and
exploratory in nature. “Many of the early Milestones in the
Strategic Plan were designed to set up self-study groups
to investigate within the initiatives,” she said. “So much
of what we’re doing this year is gathering information and
getting lots of voices to chime in on various topics.”
The many different voices of our community are
particularly important when discussing the Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion initiative set forth in Compass
2022 (Steward for All). “One of the things that has been
most exciting to me over the past several years has been
thinking about our curriculum as it relates to diversity,
inclusion, and equity,” Mrs. Groves said. “We’re continuing
to move forward in that direction, and I’ve seen great
synergy in the committee meetings with faculty across
divisions looking at their existing curriculum and seeing it
through that lens.”
Director of Development and co-chair of the Diversity
and Inclusion Council Shawn Morrison believes that
prioritizing diversity in our student body as well as faculty
and staff is imperative as it relates to Steward’s mission to