Strategic Plan / Katrina Experience

Unparalleled, Unbroken, Uninterrupted…
Until August 29, 2005

Ursuline Academy sustained major catastrophic damage to all of its buildings and grounds in the events that followed Hurricane Katrina. The administration, faculty and staff made countless sacrifices to prepare the Academy to reopen its doors on January 3, 2006. And when those doors opened, 80% of its students returned.

The oldest school for women in the nation is unwavering in its commitment to its students, to its alumnae and to the city of New Orleans. Ursuline was the first educational institution in the New Orleans area, and we are asking for your donations to ensure its continued presence.

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Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan Goals:

  1. Faculty

    • Attract and maintain an exemplary faculty
    • Preserve an environment where excellence is recognized and rewarded
    • Develop formalized faculty evaluation / growth program
    • Establish and implement formation programs in Ursuline mission

  2. Facilities

    • Establish objectives, priorities and programmatic needs for reconstruction of State Street gym and old laundry
    • Enhance instructional and administrative technology
    • Maintain the Academy’s historic campus

  3. Finance

    • Undertake capital drive
    • Create maintenance endowment
    • Cultivate parents and alumnae

Vision for Ursuline Academy Strategic Plan:

  • The Academy will maintain its Ursuline character as outlined in its Mission statement, the Ursuline core values, and rooted in the spirituality and charism of Angela Merici.

  • Ursuline will distinguish itself through: SERVIAM; Spiritual Formation; Academic excellence, particularly in math and science; The Arts; Athletic competitiveness; Leadership development; ethnic and socio-economic Diversity.

  • The goal is to enhance the Academy’s position within 5 years as a leading place for girls in the Greater New Orleans area to obtain an excellent education, preparing them for a wide variety of opportunities in a complex and diverse society, engendering leadership skills and a focus on service.

  • Ursuline is to remain an Academy, with pre, elementary and high school divisions.

  • The Academy should remain small, with small classes, so that we can maintain a welcoming, personal, nurturing environment. With regard to clarifying what is meant by “small,” maintaining a sufficient number of students in elementary and high school to provide approximately 100 high school graduates has been suggested as a guideline.


Faculty

Recruit, form, evaluate, and retain master teachers who insist on academic excellence within a caring and nurturing environment

Goal Implementation Steps Measures
Recruit Teachers Offer competitive salaries Compare UA salaries to those of local public and private schools
Offer student teaching opportunities to UNO, Loyola, and Xavier students Support at least one student teaching opportunity each year
Form Teachers Create and implement mentor teacher program Present program
Provide instruction in Ursuline identity and guidance in Ursuline mission integration Present program
Promote and encourage innovative professional development for faculty Present comprehensive professional development plan
Evaluate Teachers Develop standards to measure teacher performance and professional growth Present plan
Retain Teachers Offer tuition assistance to Academy teachers seeking advanced degrees or curriculum-related education Raise dollars (part of total faculty endowment) for professional development
Offer tuition discounts for children of faculty Raise new dollars for faculty endowment

Facilities

Improve the quality and maintenance of our campus buildings and green space

Goal Implementation Steps Measures
Reconstruct Inoperable Buildings on Campus Complete Auditorium project Project completed
Prioritize, establish program needs, and design redevelopment of State Street gym, old laundry and surrounding site Design accepted
Complete State Street gym, Early Childhood Learning Center, and north end campus site Projects completed
Provide Superior Instructional and Administrative Technology Research new database systems Present research
Adopt database system connecting all departments of Academy Run parallel system for one year
Train faculty in best practices that maximize technology’s potential for instruction Track and record completed training activities
Maintain and Improve Historic Buildings Create a 3-5 year facility maintenance plan Present plan
Create a financial reserve for repair, maintenance and renewal of our facilities Raise new for maintenance endowment

Finance

Ensure the school’s financial viability and health for the future

Goal Implementation Steps Measures
Build Ursuline Academy’s Endowment Launch a campaign to raise new dollars for the school’s endowment (maintenance, salaries, financial aid, insurance) over five years Successfully raise new funds
Establish planned giving program directed to endowment Program materials and paperwork prepared
Raise Dollars for Capital Projects Embark on a national fundraising campaign Successfully raise new funds
Solicit grants from national foundations and corporations Hire grant writer and raise new funds
Build Ursuline Academy Alumnae Support Improve contact information on alumnae Track numbers of alumnae successfully contacted
Maintain the ongoing strength of the Serviam Annual Fund Successfully raise Serviam annual fund goal
Enhance reunion program and chapter gatherings Track attendance at events
Make personal visits to top alumnae prospects Track visits
Establish Levels of Tuition for 4 Divisions of the Academy Perform detailed per pupil cost analysis Present cost analysis
Determine if establishing levels of tuition produce sufficient increase in tuition dollars Present comparisons to same level tuition