Our Wildwood, Volume 47

FEATURE Building a Framework for the Future of Education

In February 2022, Board members Susan Olsen and Marc Frankel officially unveiled Wildwood’s Framework for the Future of Education during the State of School address. This living document, the culmination of three years of research and input from across the school community, outlines the four major priorities that will shape Wildwood’s strategy for serving its students in the years to come. “Wildwood has never been afraid of change; by our very nature as a progressive school, we embrace it,” Susan said. “With this Framework, designed to be alive, dynamic, and even provocative, we are helping to establish Wildwood’s place as a leader among all schools—today, tomorrow, and for years into the future.” The process for developing the Framework officially kicked off in spring 2019, following several year’s worth of Board-sponsored work ranging from Benefits and Compensation to Diversity. While the pandemic initially disrupted the work in 2020, it didn’t deter it. “We were forced to change timelines and collaboration mediums, but our goal remained clear and the process was still deliberate and sound,” Marc said. “In fact, resuming the process after some delay, we found our volunteers were relieved to be engaged again, thinking beyond these difficult years and committed to a shared vision of this school stronger and more future oriented than we had been before the pandemic.” Determined to help Wildwood emerge from the pandemic as a strong, ambitious, and future-focused institution, Susan and Marc led a task force of trustees, who, along with several members of the faculty, helped to lead six Design Teams. Composed of dozens of community members, these teams worked through the spring of 2021 to identify and evaluate best practices across educational disciplines, from teaching and learning, to wellness, technology, and service. The Design Teams presented their findings in May 2021, and from there, the recommendations were whittled down to a select handful. “Curating the priorities that became the four pillars of the Framework was both difficult and necessary,” Susan said. “In the process, however, the Framework became stronger, more cohesive, and ultimately more impactful for it.” DEVELOPING THE FRAMEWORK— DEFINING OUR FUTURE PRIORITIES

“With this Framework, designed to be alive, dynamic, and even provocative, we are helping to establish Wildwood’s place as a leader among all schools—today, tomorrow, and for years into the future.” —SUSAN OLSEN, BOARD MEMBER

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