THE BIG 3

There are three broad components to the Spark plan that encompass the main areas of focus – Human Capital and Unconventional Expertise; Transformational Program; and Dynamic Future. Taken together they form the concrete building blocks that will enable us to achieve our vision for the future.

1.

Human Capital and Unconventional Expertise

Portrait of YHS student smiling and looking off to the right.

The backbone of any serious attempt to achieve our goals begins with the quality, diversity, and passion of the people who comprise the brain trust of the school and the most important relationships for our students. Faculty, staff and leadership all play a pivotal role in the pursuit – and ultimate success – of our vision. Here are the key components:

  • Cultivate an outstanding faculty and staff for premium ‘bench strength.’
  • Harness subject matter experts as part of the learning experience.
  • Mobilize a highly skilled energetic and professional leadership team.
  • Diversify voices and experiences to provoke deeper conversations about complex questions that broaden students’ perspectives.

2.

Transformational Program

Group of girls laughing together.

This vision is not about putting new words around old ideas. We are envisioning a wholesale change in how we do education. The needs of our students demand that we take bold action, unafraid to try new approaches and infuse their experiences with fresh thinking and diverse perspectives.

Pursue Excellence
Academics
  • Redefine ‘academics’ to include creativity as the engine that drives excellence.
  • Maintain or exceed traditional academic standards.
Constant Improvement = Constant Learning and Growth
  • Invest in enhanced and innovative professional development opportunities.
  • Develop metrics to measure progress/program needs and evolve as required.
Post-Secondary Preparation with a Culture that Encourages Individual Choice
  • Maintain high academic standards to ensure university options while opening doors to explore individual passions and potential.
Functional Learning
  • Bring the classroom into the world.
  • Bring the world into the classroom.
  • Enriched Academics and Everyday Skills.
Asymmetrical Approaches to Teaching and Learning
  • Champion a mindset that pursues teaching and learning methods that go beyond ‘standard’ and challenge us to be unorthodox if it enhances the experience for students.

3.

Dynamic Future

Girl relaxed and smiling, sitting on the ground and leaning against a concrete wall.

Building the foundations to secure a thriving future means planning today. The plan itself must be dynamic, allowing for change as new opportunities emerge. We must be nimble enough to change course without taking our eyes off the goal. This third prong of the Spark plan is designed to scaffold our ambitions with solid metrics that will enable success.

Bricks, Mortar and Tech
  • Reimagine learning spaces within the campus.
  • Reimagine learning spaces beyond the campus.
  • Unleash the power of technology for learning using innovation, adaptability and flexibility.
Program Support
  • Secure a strong financial foundation.
  • Seek innovation in partnerships and alternative sources of revenue.
  • Sustainable leadership model.
Financial Sustainability

  • Substantially increase endowment to support ongoing operations of the school and broaden student base.

Image and Identity
  • Solidify brand identity and raise YHS’s profile to support all revenue-based objectives and program goals of partnerships and collaborations with other organizations.
  • Update public perceptions to align with YHS reality and vision.

“YHS encouraged me to speak up, think critically, and challenge convention. There were so many opportunities to explore the rich variety of programs which gave me the chance to find my passion and shape my vision for the future. Great academics are just the beginning of an experience that has guided and supported me throughout my career path ever since.”

Dr. Sarah Brayne ’03, YHS Alum Special Achiever Award 2023