Letter from the President and the Principal

Last year, we engaged Spectrum Nonprofit Services and Tom Kiely, Director of the Institute for Catholic Leadership at Marquette University. Through this planning cycle, a new five-year strategic plan was created in alignment with the National Catholic Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools –– all with the goal of sustaining us today, and looking forward to our needs of tomorrow.

 

We are pleased to share that in November 2019, the DSHA Board of Directors approved the 2019-2024 strategic plan entitled: Sustaining Our Mission.

 

As we envision the future, we’re excited to share several highlights from the plan with you:

 

• Further enliven the charism of the Sisters of the Divine Savior.

• More fully deepen and embed the DSHA Faith Formation Outcomes across the student experience.

• Address issues of inherent dignity of all people through student opportunities in programming or initiatives.

 

• Develop a master facility plan, focusing on: maximizing student and faculty opportunities for collaboration and interdisciplinary work, wellness support, and outdoor athletic facilities.

• Develop a comprehensive four-year professional development program for faculty covering strategic initiatives across the institution: diversity and engagement, adolescent mental health and wellness, Salvatorian charisms, etc.

• Research and evaluate the many Catholic, college-preparatory school inclusion programs to determine feasibility of implementation at DSHA.

• Explore and secure community partnerships with mental health professionals to expand the social and emotional support of students.

• Implement the new Applied Wellness program and evaluate its effectiveness.

• Develop and activate a long-range diversity and inclusion plan that engages all members of the DSHA community in dialogue with one another on topics that promote a community culture that values, respects, and promotes a sense of belonging.

• Formulate a comprehensive campus safety and security plan that includes policies, procedures, technology, physical plant, training, and staffing.

 

• Develop a plan to grow the endowment to $50 million.

• Based on Milwaukee demographics and levels of financial need, the target number of students will be identified.

• In order to maintain affordable tuition, adequate non-tuition revenue sources will be identified.

• Fifteen percent of all alumnae will be giving in some capacity to DSHA.

• The DSHA brand will be positioned within the greater Milwaukee community such that the points-of-difference (Catholic identity, all-girls, whole-person education), value proposition, and quality of education/student experience are accurately reflected and understood.

 

Our work at DSHA is never finished, but as we continue our visionary progress to be #1: recognized as the premier choice for a girl seeking to grow into her full potential as a woman of faith, heart, and intellect, we will know this strategic plan is impacting the lives of the young women of Milwaukee.