Reflections of Havergal: 1994-2019

The community’s response was very gratifying because the ideas provided by each constituent were rich and thought-provoking. Students from Grade 6 and beyond were certainly invested in the process—they had a lot to say: “Should teachers vote in elections? We need to be more environmentally friendly. Let’s have a grub day once a month. Uniform rules should be more consistent. Can we have a skating rink?” Given Havergal’s commitment to its core values, it is not surprising that the plan that emerged from this process contained the following preamble: We are committed to a Havergal environment that is open and supportive so that each student is challenged to do her best, can learn constructively by taking risks, can realize her individual goals and will be encouraged to be herself. This emphasis on the individual will be balanced with experiences that require cooperation and foster teamwork. We will expand the range of opportunities to recognize each individual’s achievement, and we will encourage students to develop a balanced perspective on their successes and disappointments. Where appropriate, aspects of the Havergal program will be responsive to women’s issues and will reflect the complex roles that women play in society. Based on the educational philosophy embedded in the Mission Statement, the plan provided an even clearer sense of what it means for students to realize their “maximum potential.” The plan • clarifies key outcomes with dynamic language: students will discover, develop, assess, take an active role; • broadens the idea of community and highlights social responsibility; • emphasizes the importance of “spiritual values” and a “philosophy of life”; and • asserts the importance of superior facilities.

David Taylor and Rosemary Corbett, Co-chairs, Strategic Planning Steering Committee.

Havergal’s first Strategic Plan reflects a vision that is at once prudent and bold: “[s]ome of the plan’s goals will be met in small incremental steps and others by great leaps forward.” One such leap forward was taken in November 1995, when the Board of Governors launched Our Time has Come: The Campaign for Havergal’s Future , chaired by James C. Temerty and Helen Sinclair 1969. Its goals were ambitious and very exciting: Havergal will have superior facilities that will support all elements of the school’s academic, extracurricular and residential programs. These facilities will reflect the needs for flexible, multi-use spaces, improved physical integration of the student body, [and] easy access to information technology, and will include facilities for enhanced cultural and athletic activities. The final year of the Strategic Plan, 1999, also saw the creation of the Havergal Statement, which built on the framework provided by the plan. The result of a two-year conversation among community members, the statement articulates the distinctive features of a Havergal education: which enables

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