Dear St. Elizabeth’s School Community,
As we approach the conclusion of this school year, I am delighted to update you on our strategic initiatives that vividly illustrate St. Elizabeth’s distinctive purpose and ethos. This year, we have significantly deepened our commitment to inclusivity and sharpened our efforts in communicating our core identity, which resonates through every facet of our school life.
Purpose: St. Elizabeth’s unique purpose and model permeate our identity.
Visualization of Mission and Values
We have made our mission and values—Compassion, Curiosity, Courage, and Connection—visually prominent throughout our school. Notable installations include the Wings of Courage, the Community and Connection display at our entrance, and the Compassion Quilt, which features contributions from every student. These initiatives not only celebrate our values but also facilitate meaningful discussions among students across different grades.
Communication and Engagement
Effective communication is key to fostering a strong school community that supports student success. We kicked off the year with our first Parent/Caregiver Orientation to create community and share our collective work as adults in our children’s lives. We also worked this year to streamline communication via ParentSquare, emails, and social media. Our ongoing social media campaigns further highlight these values through regular posts that showcase school activities aligned with our foundational beliefs. In addition, our St. Elizabeth’s Parent Association (SESPA), worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for connection. Events like the Taste of St. E’s, Family Dance, and Fun Run, as well as several dine-outs, helped our community get to know one another and share about our myriad experiences.
Staff Training and Workshops
This year, we have significantly enhanced our faculty’s understanding and implementation of inclusivity through targeted training in inclusive language and culturally responsive pedagogy. We established a schoolwide theme of “Breaking Barriers, Building Futures” to focus our work and engaged in equity and belonging workshops as a staff to further our skills. These initiatives are continuously refined based on staff feedback, ensuring our training remains effective and relevant.
Community Outreach Programs and Partnerships
We extended our inclusivity efforts through community outreach programs specifically designed to promote equity and belonging, and through forming strategic partnerships with community organizations that align with our values These efforts are evaluated for their impact on diversifying our applicant pool, thereby enhancing our community's vibrancy and diversity. We also created a St. Elizabeth’s Community Business Directory on our website as a tool to share products and services from our community.
Financing: St. Elizabeth’s financial resources advance program, people, and facility priorities.
Fundraising
This year, our development team significantly increased fundraising efforts, surpassing last year’s totals. These additional funds have been crucial in advancing our program priorities around math and literacy and enhancing our facilities. Next year, we will have two additional classrooms for our two 5th-grade sections.
Tuition Scale
Furthermore, in collaboration with our Board of Trustees, our business office recalibrated the tuition scale to ensure we continue to attract and retain families from all socioeconomic backgrounds, reaffirming our commitment to accessibility and excellence.
As we move forward, we are committed to building on these foundations to foster a more inclusive, engaged, and supportive community. I am profoundly grateful for your continued support and engagement, which have been vital to our success. We look forward to continuing our journey towards a community where every member feels valued and has the opportunity to excel.
Best foot forward,
