Post #22: Strategic Vision #4: Cultivating Great Graduates (February 25, 2022)

Last spring I started a series of blog posts to elaborate on the five strategic vision statements in our 2020-2023 Strategic Growth Plan. Each of these vision statements describes what Augusta Prep will be by the end of 2023--as our motto is “To be, rather than to seem.” In my last blog post, I described strategic vision statement number three--how we plan to cultivate an even more diverse, inclusive, and safe community and so better attend to the social, emotional, and physical safety of our students. Today I would like to share updates on strategic vision statement number four which focuses on how we more fully live our mission to develop intellect, talents, and character to produce well-rounded graduates and thus ensure Augusta Prep is seen as the premier school in the area. 
To more fully achieve vision four, we developed these five objectives (not in any particular order) which address expanding opportunities for our students to develop their intellect, talent, and character:

  1. Develop a more intentional character education program with common language across all three divisions. We are thrilled to have three character development programs currently in place; (1) Our Honor Code, (2) The Social Institute advisory program (digital citizenship-see my last blog post), and (3) The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (explained below). We are currently researching the optimal means to tie all these programs together better to develop student character.

  1. Fully implement the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.  When I arrived in the summer of 2019, Augusta Prep was already conducting training for this program. OBPP is one of the best-known bullying prevention programs and has been proven to prevent or reduce bullying. The program works to improve relationships among all students, not just those who are being bullied or who are bullying others. We fully implemented the program during the 2019-2020 school year and are now in year three of adoption. As a part of implementing OBPP we survey all students in grades 3 through 12 each October as to if and when they perceive bullying behaviors in our community, and then OBPP faculty teams in each division make plans to address issues. Parents and guardians play a key role in this program. Your child is asked to tell an adult at school and at home if he or she is bullied or sees bullying happening at school. Our staff members have been trained to deal with various bullying situations, and students receive lessons on bullying during in their classrooms or advisory groups. Bullying should not be seen as “kids being kids” or something that students just need to deal with. Having a safe school experience is something that all students should be able to enjoy. Augusta Prep is the only school in Columbia County or Richmond County to implement the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. 

  1. Pursue new local and global partner organizations and schools to enhance the student experience. Since publishing this plan in the spring of 2020, we have pursued a number of new partnerships to improve opportunities for our students and faculty on and off campus:
    • The ALLIANCE FOR CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION (ACE) is a consortium of education and community partners working to raise the effective value of the 6-12 educational system and its integration into post-secondary education.
    • THECLUBHOU.SE is a division of Hack Augusta, inc., non-profit 501(c)3 dedicated to growing a culture of innovation and collaboration. APDS is the only PK-12 school in the area which is a member of this group and has access to their 4,500 square feet of co-working space and makerspace within the Georgia Cyber Center.
    • Prep’s membership in the  GLOBAL EDUCATION BENCHMARK GROUP provides faculty and students with resources to help develop the knowledge, skills, and empathic orientation required to understand multiple perspectives and to thrive in increasingly interconnected world systems. GEBG is an invaluable resource for best practices in global education and global travel and informs our new Global Connections program (see below).
    • The NETWORK OF COMPLEMENTARY SCHOOLS, Inc. is a group of US schools that understands the importance of providing students with a variety of experiences. By pooling their offerings, these schools present their students with a wider range of quality programs and opportunities. Many of these programs are structured to draw upon a special strength or resource of a particular school and, therefore, focus on a single area of interest.  Other programs simply present students  and faculty with the opportunity to experience an academic and geographic community different from that of their home school:
      • Student Exchanges. Students from member schools may participate in Network programs for a period of one to three weeks.  During that time, they live with local host families or in school dormitories.  While on a Network program, students interact with students from the host school and may meet students from other Network schools as well.
      • Faculty Exchanges. Prep Faculty who would like to explore the professional development opportunities provided by the Network will work with the Network Advisor at their home schools.  Faculty programs typically take place for one to two weeks. A Professional Development grant fund is available to help meet expenses of faculty exchanges.

  1. Develop a signature service program or event to better deliver on our mission of service to others. This year, we named Amanda Riggs as the first Service Learning Coordinator for Augusta Prep. Amanda is currently researching best practices and great programs at other respected independent schools. Students at Prep have always been involved in community service. Anyone with means can give time, money, or goods. We seek to be more intentional in that service by involving partnerships and including more educational value. 

  1. Expand student international travel, international matriculating population, and school exchanges. Just prior to the world shutting down in March of 2020, APDS established the Global Connections Program and named Tara Chokshi our first Global Programs Director. The program enriches the lives of students through experiential education by immersing them in a world that is increasingly interconnected. Global travel promotes deeper learning, greater empathy, and sharper cross-cultural communication skills. Through travel, we will better live the school’s mission to educate well-rounded, engaged students who embrace personal responsibility, global perspective, and service to others. This spring we are reviving the program and working on short term exchanges with a school in France this spring as well as  travel to Spain this summer. Look for more offerings as the world opens up again!

Through these five objectives coupled with our strong academic, athletic, and artistic programs, we will cultivate great graduates through their pursuit of individual growth, strong character, and opportunities to serve their local, regional, and global communities. We will not rest our 60-year tradition of academic excellence (rated #1 in the Augusta area by Niche.com), but rather look to the future and redefine what it means to be the premier school in the CSRA.
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Augusta Preparatory Day School

Augusta Preparatory Day School is an independent, college preparatory school serving children ages 2 through Grade 12 from the greater Augusta-Aiken area. Augusta Prep seeks to enroll a group of diverse students. We follow an open admission policy, whereby qualified candidates are admitted without regard to religion, race, nationality, economic background, or ethnic origin. 
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