STRATEGIC PLAN

2013-2018

JOHN BAPST MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

Bangor, Maine

John Bapst Memorial High School

John Bapst is a coed, nonsectarian, independent

college-preparatory high school with a tradition of

excellence since 1928. Located in Bangor, Maine, the

third-largest city in the state, John Bapst prepares

students in grades nine through twelve for college and

university placement by offering challenging programs

in academics, athletics, and the arts. Accredited by the

New England Association of Colleges and Schools,

John Bapst is a member of the National Association of

Independent Schools, the Independent Schools

Association of Northern New England, and the Maine

Association of Independent Schools.

Welcome

A strategic plan is a roadmap – a travel document designed to help

us navigate. Following a strategic plan is a journey that says to

travelers, “Keep your eyes open. The world has much to offer; it’s

ever-changing. And when you

return, home may not look exactly

the same as when you left.”

Ranked #1 in northern New

England by the Washington Post in

2012 and given an “A” grade by the

State of Maine in 2013, John Bapst

Memorial High School enters its

strategic planning journey from a

position of strength and confidence.

To map out John Bapst’s future, the Strategic Planning Steering

Committee remained mindful of its past. The committee listened

to parents, students, alumni, faculty, and friends to identify

qualities that have contributed to the school’s success,

distinguished it as a caring community, and prepared its graduates

for college. And just as life at John Bapst has always been

grounded in a culture of achievement, integrity, and respect, this

strategic planning document confirms essential characteristics

which have defined a John Bapst education for decades.

All of the elements for continued success are present at our school.

As you turn these pages, you’ll find a plan that focuses on three

primary areas: Teaching and Learning, Community, and

Sustainability. You’ll recognize the Board of Trustees’

determination to preserve the unique character of John Bapst and

its students. Most importantly, you’ll see a community positioned

to stretch beyond the familiar, while still being guided by its past.

John Bapst’s strategic plan has been the effort of many people. My

deep appreciation goes out to all who contributed their time and

insights.

Head of School

Introduction

In August 2012, the Washington Post ranked John Bapst the #1

high school in northern New England based on the strength of the

school’s Advanced Placement program. Rankings change over

time, but the Strategic Plan has a key role to play in making sure

that John Bapst lives up to the challenge of being an outstanding

school.

Three key areas have emerged from months of surveys,

studies, and discussions: (1) Teaching and Learning,

(2) Community, and (3) Sustainability. The strategic plan that

follows groups its initiatives under these three headings.

John Bapst is a special place. As a place of learning, it embodies

excellence. As a community, it stands by its longtime motto –

integrity, achievement, respect – and follows its core concepts of

fairness, friendliness, responsibility, and maturity.

In the course of this strategic effort, the John Bapst Board of

Trustees affirmed several key features of the school:

John Bapst reaffirms its commitment to being a model of

educational excellence for Greater Bangor area day

students, the school’s primary constituency.

John Bapst reaffirms its commitment to excellence in

boarding education for international and domestic students,

keeping the proportion of boarding students within the

range of 10-15% of total school population.

John Bapst continues to commit to its historic building at

100 Broadway as its primary educational facility.

1.

1. Teaching and Learning: Reinforce, improve, and

differentiate the already strong teaching and learning

experiences at John Bapst.

Strategies

Invest in and improve teaching quality.

Improve and differentiate the curriculum.

2. Community: Reinvigorate and strengthen the John

Bapst community, reinforce the commitment to athletics

and fine arts, and promote individual student growth.

Strategies

Increase opportunities for students, staff, parents, and

alumni to gather and facilitate a greater sense of

community and school spirit.

Improve John Bapst’s hallmark co-curricular programs.

Enhance student safety, security, and wellness, and

improve communication with parents.

3. Sustainability: Ensure John Bapst’s long-term financial

and operational sustainability.

Strategies

Strengthen enrollment and retention.

Launch and successfully execute a capital campaign.

Implement budget practices and financial controls that

improve John Bapst’s business position.

1. Teaching and Learning

Goal: Reinforce, improve, and differentiate the already

strong teaching and learning experiences at John Bapst.

The learning environment is the single most important

factor in assuring that students get a great education at

John Bapst. The school must make investments in its

faculty in terms of the teachers themselves and the

environment in which they work.

John Bapst has two distinct challenges: (1) to attract

motivated local students of average, above-average, and

outstanding ability through a strong, responsive

educational program that meets their needs and clearly

differentiates the school from local competitors, and (2)

to attract strong international students with a program

that combines English immersion and Advanced

Placement with a nurturing, enjoyable residential

program.

Under teaching and learning, the strategic plan focuses

on teacher quality and effectiveness, technology,

curriculum, and preparation for college – all with an

eye to giving John Bapst a competitive advantage

among schools and John Bapst students a competitive

advantage as they apply to college.

Objective 1: Invest in and improve teaching quality.

Implementation Steps

Enhance effective teaching techniques school-wide to

motivate all students and meet the needs of all learners.

Improve teacher compensation and working conditions in

terms of classrooms and resources.

Bring professional development funding to the NAIS-

recommended level.

Improve teacher effectiveness and consistency through an

enhanced and more active mentoring, performance

evaluation, and feedback system.

Targeted Results

Attrition falls to 5% or below school-wide; applications

increase.

John Bapst is able to compete for and retain the area’s top

educators in terms of salaries and benefits.

1% of budget devoted to R&D. More consistent quality

across faculty and within departments. Support for

interdisciplinary teaching, teacher creativity, development

of STEM and global studies initiatives.

Improved teaching quality. Better support for teachers by

department heads and administrators. Annual use of student

satisfaction surveys.

Objective 2: Improve and differentiate the curriculum.

Implementation Steps

Develop and implement a comprehensive technology

initiative.

Create a distinctive 9th

-grade curriculum.

Strengthen the teaching and integration of ethics school-

wide.

Institute academic programs that encourage students to

pursue areas of individual interest while improving college

marketability.

Enhance on-campus standardized test preparation options

for all students. Enhance college counseling and guidance

services.

Targeted Results

Competitive advantage over other schools. Greater

technology role in classrooms as teachers adopt and are

trained in use of the technology. Students and faculty

become effective users of widely used applications.

Expanded use in film, graphic arts, and music.

Increased retention rate and first-year student motivation,

enjoyment, and performance.

Students become more effective mediators of conflicts. The

school better promotes a safe, appropriate environment for

student growth.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Economics, and

Math), Global Studies, and Fine Arts diplomas.

Increased TOEFL and SAT preparation added to the

curriculum, and for all students make John Bapst an official

TOEFL/SAT test center. Student needs are better served.

Improved quality and efficiency in college counseling as

measured by college acceptances and satisfaction surveys.

2. Community

Goal: Reinvigorate and strengthen the greater John

Bapst community, reinforce the commitment to athletics

and fine arts, and promote individual student growth.

For 85 years, John Bapst has created a strong

sense of belonging. By the time they are seniors,

students have spent so much time at 100

Broadway that they feel they own the school.

Faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and board

members are all invested in the kind of

community created when we come together to

volunteer, attend athletic and fine arts events,

and support student growth beyond the

classroom. The school recognizes that its special

strengths include athletics, the arts, and other

areas of student life.

The strategic plan offers an opportunity to

enhance key areas where resources and focus

are needed. Most notably, the school lacks

quality community spaces. The strategic

initiatives that follow address that need by

focusing on auditorium renovations, a kitchen

and dining solution, and new athletic facilities.

Also important are steps forward in character

education, communication with constituencies,

security, and resources for student health.

Objective 1: Increase opportunities for students, staff, parents,

and alumni to gather and facilitate a greater sense of community

and school spirit.

Implementation Steps

Improve space for food service (kitchen) and dining that

can double as a campus gathering place before and after

school and for student, parent, faculty, and alumni events.

Continue to improve the décor of the school to display the

school's history and culture.

Targeted Results

Improved community experience as students and teachers

come together in an attractive new space. Student, teacher,

and parent satisfaction will increase. Food service and

dining will become a recruiting asset rather than liability.

Improved nutritional value of meals. Alumni reunions

move on campus.

Present-day students will see and feel a connection to the

generations that went before them. Alumni will feel a

connection to the current school and return in increased

numbers.

Objective 2: Improve John Bapst’s hallmark co-curricular programs.

Implementation Steps

Renovate the auditorium stage and install new sound and

lighting systems.

Create a long-range plan for athletic facilities with

consideration given to a home court for basketball, soccer

and field hockey fields, and track.

Provide or improve physical education gymnasium and

fitness center.

Continue the school’s commitment to fine arts and

athletics.

Targeted Results

New auditorium sound and lighting system to cover

auditorium and eliminate need for rental and other

equipment for musical, graduation, and other events and

allow students to train on up-to-date technical equipment

before going on to college.

A unified athletic complex will give community a focal

point, increase marketability, and eliminate many rental

and transportation costs.

Safe, attractive, functional gym and fitness center (easily

accessed during school day).

Students continue to have access to strong fine arts

programs in vocal music, instrumental music, drama, and

visual arts. Students continue to have access to strong

interscholastic athletics programs.

Objective 3: Enhance student safety, security, and wellness, and

improve communication with parents.

Implementation Steps

Upgrade the security of all John Bapst buildings.

Increase nurse staffing.

Implement a robo-call or text-message system.

Targeted Results

More effective access restrictions to school properties:

single observable point of entry, cameras to record access

and movement inside and outside the building.

Health care professional on-site during all school hours and

on-call 24/7 for boarding students. Improved personal

counseling.

Stronger communication with parents during weather-

related changes and cancellations and in emergency

situations. Better record keeping.

3. Sustainability

Goal: Ensure John Bapst’s long-term financial and

operational sustainability.

The school’s commitment to the historic building at 100

Broadway requires the development of a facilities master

plan that both anticipates maintenance and renovation

needs and plans methodically for additions to the physical

plant. Inherent in strategic planning is the importance of

developing a strong financial model that supports annual

budgets, new initiatives, and physical plant renewal.

Testing enrollment scenarios and adjusting key revenue and

expense assumptions are part of the strategic planning

process.

Increased annual giving and new resources from an

envisioned capital campaign are important elements in

sustaining the school’s determination to improve. With the

understanding that the school depends on strong day and

boarding enrollment, the strategic plan calls for stepped-up

efforts in marketing. Alumni support is also vital – hence

the need for a dedicated alumni affairs position in the

Development Office.

Objective 1: Strengthen enrollment and retention.

Implementation Steps

Develop goals for day and boarding enrollment that will

allow achievement of Strategic Plan goals.

Develop a unified marketing plan.

Strengthen the Admissions Office.

Targeted Results

Predictable revenue stream that supports the phased-in

achievement of all goals that add to the annual budget.

Increased enrollment and retention rates.

Objective 2: Launch and successfully execute a capital campaign.

Implementation Steps

Determine which capital improvement projects identified as

Plan priorities will be included in capital campaign.

Conduct a campaign feasibility study.

Hire additional development staff.

Targeted Results

Target those capital improvement projects that are most

likely to bring in donations or are of the greatest need.

Identify major donors and other giving sources. Determine

a realistic amount to raise. Test donor reception to largest

capital needs and/or facilities improvements.

Ensure appropriate staffing to aid in the successful

implementation of the capital campaign.

Objective 3: Implement budget practices and financial controls

that improve John Bapst’s business position.

Implementation Steps

Stress-test the annual budget.

Build up the strategic reserve.

Develop a facilities master plan that inventories physical

plant issues with regard to purpose, utilization, deferred

maintenance, value, efficiencies, comfort, and annual cost

and that includes guidance for the acquisition and

disposition of assets in the future.

Targeted Results

Enhanced ability to determine and adjust for enrollment

levels, as well as the ability to fine-tune student-faculty

ratios and other budget levers.

Significant funds set aside for unseen financial needs.

Demonstrate adherence to a workable plan to which future

decisions can be referred and which is mindful of physical

plant capacity and utilization.

Strategic Planning Steering Committee

Kevin Carr, Chair

David Armistead

Jennifer Babcock

Adrienne Carmack

Angela Kearns ’92

Lisa Leonard

Mel MacKay

James Settele

Matthew Skaves ’99

Kathryn Hunt, Facilitator, Starboard Leadership Consulting, LLC

Adopted by the

John Bapst Board of Trustees

April 23, 2013

JOHN BAPST MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

100 BROADWAY

Bangor, Maine 04401

(207)947-0313

www.johnbapst.org