List of 3 items.

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  Strategic Discovery

  In 2024, Wilmington Friends School focused on Strategic Planning through thoughtful inquiry and community engagement.
  
  
  Shu Shu Costa from Leadership + Design guided a comprehensive, community-rooted strategic planning process. This collaborative and reflective journey involved faculty, staff, students, families, board members, and administrators, all working together to shape a shared vision for the future of our school.
  
  

  The process began with the formation of the Strategic Planning Team and Steering Committee, who grounded themselves in context and culture through school-based interviews and team-building exercises. From there, the team conducted extensive stakeholder interviews and hosted parent, faculty, and staff think tanks to uncover key questions and opportunities.
  
  

  As the year progressed, the Strategic Planning Team engaged in deep inquiry, exploring areas such as peer school comparisons, emerging educational practices, and the unique strengths of our community. This work led to the creation of "Design Briefs" that framed the development of innovative and actionable ideas.
  
  

  The fall featured a vibrant Community Design Day, where members of the school community came together to generate forward-thinking strategies aligned with our core values. Following this, the Strategic Planning Team synthesized the input into a draft strategic framework, presenting detailed goals and initiatives for feedback and refinement.
  
  

  By the end of the year, the Steering Committee reviewed and iterated the plan, ultimately presenting it for Board approval. We launched our implementation phase in June 2025 with a Compass Team Leader meeting designed to build shared purpose and momentum.
  
  Planning Work in 2025-26
  

  In August 2025, the full Implementation Team convened for a kickoff meeting, where they began to engage in active research and early-stage prototyping—exploring best practices, gathering insights, and testing ideas that bring the strategic plan to life.
  
  

  In November, the full team gathered for an all-day session to present preliminary initiatives, share prototypes, and receive feedback. From this, we were able to identify overarching themes that cut across multiple initiatives; clear prioritizations based on what resonated most strongly; examples of synergy, showing where teams’ ideas naturally connect; and recommendations to tighten language, clarify goals, or strengthen impact.
  
  

  Ultimately, the initiatives came together as outlined in our final plan supporting many, if not all, of the compass teams. For some of the initiatives, task forces were created. For others, we identified current departments or committees that could take on the work. 
  
  

  2026-27
  Task forces are meeting to work toward deliverables for this year and beyond. Look for updates on our progress!

  In November, the full team gathered for an all-day session to present preliminary initiatives, share early prototypes, and receive feedback that will inform the next phase of development. This iterative approach continues in January 2026, when the Board will receive its first update.

  In February, Compass Teams will beginning formulating questions for focus groups to gather feedback and deepen community engagement. Teams will continue to refine their ideas and approaches through the spring, informed by ongoing research, dialogue, and testing.

  By May 2026, teams will finalize both short-term actions and five-year strategic plans, and present year-to-date accomplishments and future goals to the Board. The year will conclude with internal presentations to faculty and staff in June, celebrating the work completed and reinforcing a shared commitment to the next phase of strategic progress.

  This structured, collaborative, and forward-thinking implementation process ensures that Wilmington Friends School not only advances its strategic vision—but does so through inclusive inquiry, purposeful experimentation, and a deep commitment to lasting, mission-aligned impact.
  Wilmington Friends School
• 

  Key Ideas

  As we look to empower generations for the next 275 years, our strategic plan holds these ideas at the forefront of our vision.
  
  
  

  The world has changed for students and parents.

  Student problem-solving, resilience, and resourcefulness look different than they did a generation or two ago. Students are whizzes at utilizing YouTube and forming online collaborations and communities, however, do they have similar experiences in the real world? There has also been a shift in the expectations and needs of families along with a shift in how teachers are reaching students and managing classrooms. 

  
  

  Science supports experiential learning.

  Brain science and research show that experiential, hands-on learning allow students to engage in learning in ways that increase curiosity, creativity, and agency – capacities and mindsets that will prepare them for the future of lifelong learning and increase joy. 

  
  

  Science supports regular time outside. 

  Research shows that regular contact with the outdoors is necessary for students’ cognitive functioning, mental health, social interaction, resilience, attention restoration, and compassion for the environment (in addition to obvious physical benefits). 

  
  

  Quaker education is more important than ever.

  Quaker education offers rigorous academics with depth, truly asking students to think critically, to collaborate, to be creative, to take risks. The Quaker values that have guided our school since its founding have increased relevance and power in today’s educational environment. 

  
  

  Our values are critical in navigating the digital landscape. 

  The promise and reality of technology both opens up exciting opportunities and is another arena to build skills and hold firmly to our values of integrity and stewardship. Digital literacy and citizenship are critical in today’s world. 

  
  

  Our community connections are rich and deep.

  Our alumni and families are engaged and productive citizens who can hold the door open for our students. Our local and global connections can provide priceless, real-world learning opportunities. 

  
  

  Our teachers are innovative.

  Through curriculum grants, summer stipends, and other professional development, many of our teachers continue our pioneering mindset, evolving their classrooms as new information emerges about learning and teaching. We are perfectly poised to further our innovations in a cohesive vision and plan to proactively provide a future-forward program that serves today’s students.

  
  

  We can learn from others.

  Exploring innovative practices at other schools and staying informed about the latest research on educational advancements, student well-being, and innovative strategies for learning will be key to our thinking and planning.

  
  

  Financial sustainability is key.

  Financial sustainability and support will be key to our efforts.

  
  
  
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  Implementation

  Following the completion of the strategic plan, Wilmington Friends School launched its implementation phase in June 2025. 
  
  2025-26
  "Compass teams" each focused on “Compass Points” which reflected areas  of aspiration for the School—Students, Program, Community, and Spaces—to build on the work of the Strategic Planning Team. Teams engaged in active research and early-stage prototyping, exploring best practices, gathering insights, and testing ideas to bring the strategic plan to life. After meeting together to share proposals and get feedback, proposals were fine-tuned, and we identified overarching themes, priorities, synergies and recommendations to tighten language, clarify goals, or strengthen impact.
  
  

  Ultimately, the initiatives came together as outlined in our final plan. For some of the initiatives, task forces were created. For others, we identified current departments or committees that could take on the work. 
  
  2026-27
  Task forces, departments, and committees are meeting to work toward deliverables for this year and beyond. Look for updates on our progress!