The Future Looks Bright
Welcome to Spark, the new strategic vision of York House School.
The name says it all – the substance of this roadmap to a stronger future for our students was born from a spark of imagination that launched a two-year exploration, not to answer the question, ‘what should we do?’, but rather, ‘what is possible?’
We started by removing the boundaries that could limit conversation, and challenged ourselves to reimagine from the ground up, education more broadly, and York House School specifically.
Our community dreamed big and took the discussion to the outer limits of imagination. Then, we went to work digging into emerging theories, researching the future of work, consulting with experts in education and across professional fields, examining our resources, and finally, chiselling our ideas down to a concrete yet aspirational plan that will be transformational for our students.
We have a long way to go to see this work through, but with the passion and expertise of our faculty, staff, leadership and Board of Governors, along with the ongoing participation of a committed community of parents, guardians, alums and students, we will continue to hone, refine and perfect a strategy that invites thoughtful evolution.
We live in complex times and they are not going to become simpler. Students today are the hope for a better future and they must be equipped to take their considerable talents and ambitions into the world successfully. To achieve that, we must be cognizant of the fact that although we can’t predict what the world might look like in ten years, we can develop a dynamic program that enhances superior academic mastery while also elevating fundamental skills as the core elements of a comprehensive and relevant education. We’ve put life skills, creativity, and character development as equal companions to a powerful academic program so that young women are empowered to thrive in an ever-changing environment.
We hope as you read through this material, that your imagination will be sparked too. Join us as we forge a new path and an exciting future for York House School.
Sincerely,
Joanne Lee-Young ’90 and Deryn Lavell
Deryn Lavell
Head of School
Joanne Lee-Young ’90
Chair, Board of Governors
“There is an attitude and culture at York House that encourages free-range thinking. It is incredibly refreshing to be among a community that is unafraid to challenge convention, and which welcomes new ideas. Our unique history grounds us but does not hold us back from growth.”
Deryn Lavell, Head of School
“We had to ask the tough questions, sketch out dream possibilities, and think deeply about who we are. It was revealing of our strengths and weaknesses and made clear what we needed to do in the short and longer terms. That rigour will ensure that we have a substantive, ambitious, yet workable plan.”
Joanne Lee-Young ’90, Chair of the Board of Governors and Strategic Planning Committee