Strategic Plan

Visitation School provides an excellent education within a Catholic environment permeated by Salesian spirituality and the living tradition of the Visitation Sisters.

For 150 years, Visitation School has sought to educate students in the Salesian philosophy inspired by our founders St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal. Throughout our history, we have thoughtfully crafted robust and innovative academic programs that integrate the search for truth with intellectual pursuits directed toward a faith-filled vision of life. It is from this position of strength that Visitation School launched a strategic planning process during the 2021-22 school year. Our process was led by Ian Symmonds & Associates, one of the premier firms in the field of strategic planning for independent schools. This strategic plan reflects the values of the Visitation Sisters while calling for bold and forward-thinking to ensure that Visitation School is well-positioned to prepare our students for the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.

We believe in the lifelong value of a Catholic, Salesian education. Through the passion and dedication of an extraordinary faculty and staff, Visitation pursues the highest standards of academic achievement, spiritual growth, service to others, leadership development and artistic and athletic endeavors in order to deliver a world-class education. Our strategic plan is bolstered by Visitation's foundation documents:

Portrait of a Visitation Learner

The Portrait of the Visitation Learner describes the skills, qualities, attributes and virtues cultivated in each Visitation student. Underpinning this Portrait is the school's mission to provide an excellent education in a Catholic community permeated by Salesian Spirituality. As educators, in partnership with parents, we work diligently to ensure that each student has the opportunity to develop each aspect of the Portrait to his or her fullest potential. Through their experiences students will be described as:

SUSTAINED BY FAITH

Understand and articulate the beliefs of the Catholic faith.
Actively participate in the life of a faith community through worship, regular personal prayer and reflection, and meaningful service directed at creating a more just world.
Mature in an ability to make connections between knowledge of the faith and examples of faith-filled lives, particularly those of the Sisters of the Visitation of Holy Mary.
Recognize God's ever-present grace and presence in the world, appreciating beauty in all its forms.
Infuse the principles of Catholic Social Teaching in their lives, fostering human rights and dignity for all people and creation.

ROOTED IN SALESIAN COMMUNITY

Experience the meaning of Salesian friendship and Salesian community by relating to others authentically, appropriately, confidently and honestly.
Develop strong, heart-to-heart relationships with others in the community, modeling the holy friendship between our founders, St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal.
Strive, with guidance from the Visitation Diversity Statement, to reach their potential by developing and sharing their unique God-given gifts with the community and gratefully celebrating the God-given gifts of others.
Embody the Visitation Sisters’ motto “Live Jesus” and practical living of the Gospel.
Make life-giving choices through attentive decision-making and practiced skills of discernment.
Build authentic relationships with a human touch, even in a highly technical world.
Value their connection to and interdependence on the natural world, and possess habits that model those values.

INSPIRED TO LEARN

Seek their highest levels of disciplined achievement and learning, while maintaining high levels of personal health and well-being.
Are well-rounded and lifelong learners, fueled by an inquisitive and curious spirit non scholae, sed vitae.
Contribute to the learning community with continuous efforts toward clear and courageous communication.
Apply creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving to diverse and challenging issues and questions.
Are equipped to locate, organize, analyze and evaluate information of varied natures and through varied methods.
Communicate effectively and appropriately through diverse methods and with diverse company.

ENGAGED GLOBALLY

Continually seek understanding of their own culture and history to better understand their place in both local and global communities.
Genuinely value the myriad factors influencing the cultures of fellow humans, based on a strong sense of their own culture.
Respect and foster human rights and dignity.
Enthusiastically communicate and empathize across cultures through language, the arts, music and experience.

POISED TO LEAD

Practice careful listening, patience with the pace of others, and sincere humility in all efforts and in all team settings.
Possess an internal moral compass, allowing for courageous decision-making and discernment.
Possess a strong respect and sense of self by truly being who they are and being that perfectly well, understanding that perfection is never fully reached but rather sought through consistent awareness and growth.
Promote the common good through individual and collective actions.

Strategic Plan Priorities

Introduction

Academic Excellence

Women in Leadership

Catholic, Salesian Identity

Vibrant Community

Investing in the Future

Strategic Plan Process

During the 2020-21 academic year, Visitation School launched a comprehensive strategic planning process. The strategic plan was developed to provide a long-range view of future school priorities created through a highly inclusive and participatory process. More than 60 members of our community participated in our design teams and steering committee. Our entire school community was able to provide feedback through valuable survey tools.

In order to build a base of sound information and to guide the planning process, the school enlisted the assistance of a research and planning firm, Ian Symmonds & Associates. The strategic planning steering committee worked collaboratively through a series of exercises designed to establish priorities based upon the findings of the research and the work of the design teams.

We want to thank our entire school community, Board of Trustees and Steering Committee for your guidance and insight. We are excited to share this strategic plan with our community and for the future of Visitation School

Download Strategic Plan Document

Strategic Plan Overview

Head of School Rene Gavic and Board of Trustees Chair Jamie Candee provide an overview to Visitation's Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan Design Team Members

We are grateful for the many community members who participated on the Visitation Strategic Plan Design Teams. Thank you for your time and guidance.

Jamie Candee*
Ann Marie Ziemetz
Holly Balfour*
Jennifer Doroff Sedivy '85*
Father Larry Snyder
Tom Gonzalez
Mark Larson
Mary Kenkel*
Danielle Harrison*
Anita Arockiasamy Wills '94*
Michelle Culligan '82
Amy Rauenhorst Goldman '85
Sue Huber
Ilse Norris
Ann Feitl
Mirella Maxwell Miller '08
Claire Kranz '10
Katie Bernabei Fenlon '98
Tim Scallen*
Paul Baillon
Bill Brady
Joe Gaylord
Laura Pearson '04
Betsy Russomanno
Meggan O’Shea
Anne Cherrier
Helen Twomey
Rene Gavic*

Kathy Daniewicz
Stephanie Rust Johnson '99
Michael Volpe*
Ronna Baca*
Anna Barter
Jessica Hallin
Elisa Ryan Manny '99
Amy Mitchell Rivard '87
Melissa Karlovich Murray '03
Amanda Rosas
Francie Cutter Sullivan
Caroline Little
Steve Wright
Kelsey Irizarry
Anne Eilers Williams '82*
Cecilia Petschel*
Carolyn Horttor*
Christina Capecchi Reis '00*
Gina Kastel
Liz Benz
Christine Cumming ’69
Anna Marie Ettel '63
Amy Kolar
Jennifer Schreier '85
Christine Bell
Nicole Sutton
Patrick Smith
Renee Kirscht-Rascher
Wendy Short-Hays