Tower Hill Strategic Plan

The Tower Hill School
Strategic Plan
2018 – 2021

#lionscommittedtosuccess

Message from the Head of School at Tower Hill,

In maintaining the Tower Hill history and traditions, we
are committed to continued excellence and all aspects of
student development. The strategic plan committee, along
with community and business members, parents, students,
and all stakeholders, were involved in a continuous
improvement process in creating this plan. We engaged all
stakeholders in community and business forums, parent
and student meetings, and staff forums concerning the
future of Tower Hill, and the strategic areas of this plan are
direct outcomes of the strategy change cycle used in this
process.

At Tower Hill, we are committed to full transparency with
the community and all stakeholders. We used the
Integrated Units of Management Approach which is a
process repeated yearly within the general framework
established by the organization. Periodic review and
modification of strategies is conducted and “based on
experience, changing conditions, and the emergence of
new strategies that were not necessarily planned in
advance” (Bryson, 2018, p. 326).

In closing, the success of this strategic plan rests on the
shared vision and community ownership between Tower
Hill and all stakeholders. It is our hope that the Tower Hill
community shares in the excitement as we work together
for excellence.

Elizabeth Cromwell Speers

Profile

Founded in 1919, Tower Hill School is a coeducational
private day school for students age 3 to Grade 12, dedicated

to living our motto Multa Bene Facta – Many Things Done
Well. Tower Hill is dedicated to providing students with

superior academic experiences, supported by development of
creativity through the arts, healthy attitudes through
athletics, and responsibility through service to the
community.

• Beautiful 44-acre campus in northwest Wilmington,
Delaware

• Urban location near large metropolitan area

• Reputation for being a top academic institution in the
region

• Ranked 47th of the top 50 private schools in the U.S

• State-of-the-art facilities

• Individualized learning support

• Equitable academic, service learning, and athletic
opportunities to students



Mandates

Formal:
1. Private schools must provide

regular and thorough instruction in
the subjects prescribed for public
schools in the state of Delaware
(Del. Code. Ann., Title 14, Sec.
2703(a)).

2. Private school must provide courses
in the United States Constitution,
the Delaware Constitution and
government, and the free-enterprise
system in grades 8 – high school
(Del. Code Ann., Title 14, Sec.
2703(a)).

Mandates

Informal:
1. Teacher certification is optional in

the State of Delaware. However,
Tower Hill expects its faculty to be
highly-qualified and participate in
ongoing professional learning.

2. Tower Hill will require all students
to take all three components of the
SAT; verbal, mathematics, and
writing.

3. Tower Hill will be a diverse and
inclusive learning
environment for
all students.

Vision

At Tower Hill School, we are committed to
providing opportunities to equitable resources,
developing and encouraging partnerships with
families and communities, and personalizing
instruction to meet the needs of the students.

Mission

Tower Hill School is committed to providing
equitable opportunities to students and families
from diverse backgrounds. Students will have their
individual needs met through active, engaging, and
rigorous learning environments in a student-
centered atmosphere, empowering graduates to be
college and career ready and successful in a 21st
Century global society.

Values

Tower Hill School emphasizes the
value of college and career readiness:

• active citizenship,
• personal integrity,
• collective responsibility,
• team building and collaboration,
• creative and innovative thinkers,
• mutual respect.

SWOC Analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

• Between 2016-2018, 80% of new • Ineffective public relations/web

hires had advanced degrees. design. How do we represent

• Ranked 47th of the top 50 best ourselves and our mission to

private day schools. our potential families/students?

• Student placement in top • Do not offer advanced

colleges. mathematics courses.

• 9th most affordable tuition of top • Do not offer scholarships for the

50 private day schools. Lower School.

• Student engagement in • Lack of diversity of student and

community service. faculty populations.

• Parents of African-Americans at • Lack of arts integration in the

Tower Hill (PAATH) committee. curriculum.

• Wilmington, DE is a diverse area

• Urban area

Opportunities Challenges

• Increase student writing • Only 60% of students and

proficiency with the requirement parents view the curriculum is

of the SAT Writing component. innovative and creative.

• Increase rate of student and • Tuition costs are high.

parent satisfaction. • Bring your own device school.

• Increase alumni engagement.

• Better convey our value to our

stakeholders.

• Increase student presence in the

community.

Strategic Area #1: Academics

Goal 1: Increase Science, Technology,
Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics
(STEAM) course offerings to diversify
the curriculum.

Strategy 1: Actively develop curriculum
rich in STEAM content, with an emphasis
in the arts, creativity, and writing.

Strategy 2: Integrate project-based and
personalized instruction into all content
areas.

Strategic Area #1: Academics

Goal 2: Increase SAT achievement scores
by 10% each year, over the next 5 years.

Strategy1: Require all students to complete
the writing component of the SAT.

Strategy 2: Offer Advanced Placement (AP)
courses, with an option of offering dual
enrollment credit courses.

Progress Baseline Data 2019-
Indicators Metrics Review 2020
Actual

Increase professional development 0% of the Bi-yearly
in STEAM content instructional
strategies Faculty Trained

Increase of average SAT scores in 0 PD Offered
Verbal, Mathematics, and Writing
Verbal 650 Yearly

Math 670

Writing 0

Increase of 10% number of students taCkuinrrgently 0 Yearly

courses offered in Advanced students

Placement and Dual Enrollment

Strategic Area #2: Admissions

Goal 1: Improve how Tower Hill shares
its heritage, story, and impact with
current and prospective families.

Strategy 1: Public Relations Committee will
conduct an assessment of current external
and internal communication strategies and
develop opportunities to better solidify its
value to stakeholders.

Strategy 2: Build community and family
engagement opportunities through
meaningful and diverse interactions of all
stakeholders.

Strategic Area #2: Admissions

Goal 2: Increase enrollment at Tower
Hill School by 10% each year over the
next three years.

Strategy 1: Engage alumni and community
partners to increase annual scholarship
campaign to share Tower Hill’s mission to
students.

Strategy 2: Expand scholarship
opportunities to Lower, Middle, and Upper
School families.

Progress Baseline Data 2019-
Indicators Metrics Review 2020

Actual

Assessment of current strategies N/A Yearly

Conducted by end of year 1

Increase the number enrolled by 10% 727 students Yearly

Survey parents, students, and N/A Quarterly
community members of interest $2.5 Million Yearly campaign
Additional increase in scholarship 210 yearly
campaign by 10%

Increase the number of students
receiving scholarships by 10%

Strategic Area #3: Culture and
Climate

Goal 1: Increase diversity of student and
faculty population.

Strategy 1: Market admission process and
scholarship opportunities to students and
families underrepresented in current
student population.

Strategy 2: Develop cooperatives with
international independent schools to
broaden student and faculty experience
and perspective in global awareness.

Strategic Area #3: Culture and
Climate

Goal 2: Expand current character
education to include culturally
responsive education for all students
and faculty.

Strategy 1: Provide professional
development for faculty in culturally
responsive education practices.

Strategy 2: Incorporate character

education to be inclusive of kindergarten

to grade 12.

Progress Baseline Data 2019-
Indicators Metrics Review 2020

Bi-yearly Actual

Survey for Scholarship Day to attract N/A
potential students

Diversity of students and faculty Students: 32% Yearly
population Faculty: 0% Yearly

Increase number of students and 8 students Yearly
faculty participating in 0 faculty Yearly

exchange programs by 25% N/A

Professional development required
in culture and climate

Incorporate character education into Currently in

Curriculum K-12 K-8

Plan Assessment

This strategic plan will be assessed
quarterly and yearly using the integrated
units of management approach. In this

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by developing and implementing an
integrated set of strategies across functions
and levels (Bryson, 2018).
Additionally, the Tower Hill administration
will present achievement of goals to the
Board of Trustees and stakeholders at its
annual meeting in full transparency.
The strategic plan is current for three years
and will begin revised at the end of the
second year, in order to look ahead to the
future of Tower Hill.
Progress indicators provide accountability
at all levels in the organization.

Funds and Sustainability

In an effort to increase Tower Hill’s high standards
in the community, we have committed financial
partnerships with businesses and individuals who
support Tower Hill’s mission. Due to their generous
support, and the support of alumni, we are thankful
to be able to keep tuition stable over the next three
years, while increasing our strategic initiatives in
the areas of academics, admissions, and diversity
and climate.

This is an exciting time in Tower Hill’s long and rich
history. Accepting our largest freshman class last
school year, we are actively engaged in increasing
and diversifying our student body and faculty for a
richer experience for our families. In alignment
with Goal 2, strategy 1, Tower Hill will work to
increase scholarship opportunities and begin to
offer scholarships to the Lower School families, in
addition to increasing scholarships for Upper School
families.

Our leadership team and strategic planning
committee will review goals, outcomes, and
indicators annually each autumn, reviewing
financial resources needed for success and
sustainability of the strategic plan. These yearly
updates will be a component of the annual
assessment previously outlined in our plan.

Strategic Planning Committee
Members:

Mr. Dennis Camt, Mr. Eddie Clem, Ms. Brandy Sawyer,
Ms. Rosemary Shaver, Mrs. Samantha Woodard, and the
Board of Trustees

Head of School: Mrs. Elizabeth Cromwell Speers
Director of Advancement & Enrollment Mgmt.: Kristin
Mumford
Chief Innovation & Information Officer: Anthony
Pisapia
Director of Social Justice: Dyann Connor
Head of Upper School: Megan Cover
Head of Middle School: Paul Capodanno
Head of Lower School: Susan Miller

The committee would also like to thank the following
community partners for their involvement and input:

Patricia fforbes-Hamilton, Julia Stone, Dr. Mehmet Oz,
Megan Greenberg, Senator Chris Coons, Bank of
America, and Dupont

Dr. Blake Mackesy and Dr. Paul Reinert, Members of the
Graduate Faculty, School of Education, Wilkes
University

References

Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and
nonprofit organizations: A guide to strengthening and
sustaining organizational achievement (5th ed.).

Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Cooper, A. C. (2017, Summer). Millennial parents are driving
a market shift. Retrieved from

https://www.nais.org/magazine/independent-
school/summer-2017/market-shift/
Title 14 Del. Code Ann. § 2703(a) (2018).

The Spence School. (n.d.). About Spence. Retrieved from

https://www.spenceschool.org/page/about-
spence/mission--philosophy

Tower Hill School. (n.d.). Tower Hill at a Glance. Retrieved

from https://www.towerhill.org/page/about/tower-hill-
at-a-glance

Wyoming Seminary. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from

https://www.wyomingseminary.org/about-us