At Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, we believe that each person is created by God for an intended purpose. An Oak Knoll education guides students to discover that purpose and make a significant, positive impact on the world.
Our Process
During the 2021-22 school year, Oak Knoll embarked on a strategic planning process to help guide the school to continue to “meet the wants of the age” in our dynamic world. What follows is a strategic plan for Oak Knoll that prioritizes the people, program, and place that are the cornerstones of the school’s mission. This plan — which was developed over the course of a year and made for Oak Knoll by the very people who love and cherish this special institution — will serve as a roadmap to strengthen the vision, mission, and core values of the traditions and heritage by which we live. Through a series of surveys conducted by Triangle Associates and more than 40 in-depth interviews/coffees/virtual and in-person meetings with Head of School Jennifer G. Landis, feedback was received from dedicated, loving and proud parents/guardians, students, faculty and staff, alumnae/i, and the Board of Trustees.
Our Commitment:
- Oak Knoll will be a leader for transformative Catholic education committed to excellence.
- Our graduates will live lives of purpose, prepared to succeed and flourish with integrity in an ever-changing world.
People with Purpose
We will be an inclusive environment where all members of the Oak Knoll community can celebrate their intended purpose to make a significant, positive impact on the world.
Our Commitment:
- Attract and retain diverse and dynamic students who want to share in our global perspective and meet the wants of the age
- Attract, empower, invest in, and retain a diverse faculty and staff and provide them with the tools they need to help students meet their unique potential
- Cultivate meaningful relationships among community members, including opportunities to strengthen connections as a PK-12 institution
- Strengthen and build an engaged and active network of alumnae/i, past families, and schools within our global network of Holy Child schools
A Program with Purpose
We will build upon Oak Knoll’s distinguished academic and extracurricular offerings to cultivate the optimal development of our students and the discovery of their God-given talents.
Our Commitment:
- Deliver a PK-12 academic curriculum that is innovative, bold, interactive, inclusive and creative
- Elevate PK-12 STREAM program offerings while prioritizing service learning as a key component of Oak Knoll’s program, PK-12
- Build wellness, cultural competence, and life skills through academics, arts, athletics and service
- Develop new and compelling opportunities for faculty development to ensure we continuously adopt advanced, student-centered, and transformative methods of teaching and learning
A Place with Purpose
We will upgrade the campus to meet our current and future enrollment and programmatic needs.
Our Commitment:
- Plan for necessary short- and long-term renovation projects to modernize classrooms and upgrade the physical plant
- Increase accessibility and environmental sustainability across the campus for a safe, beautiful, and secure learning and working environment
- Cultivate a bold and aspirational philosophy of giving that supports the mission-driven strategic initiatives of the school
- Launch a Capital Campaign that supports the strategic objectives in this plan and the Campus Master Plan
Special Thanks to Our Strategic Planning Committee
Jennifer Landis
Suzanne Lewis
Barbara Lindner
Stephen Loughrey
Elizabeth Mercogliano
Suzanne Powers
Dennis Tupper
Cherie Weldon
Jeff Yuhas
How Can You Support Oak Knoll’s Strategic Plan?
We want you to be part of our transformative Catholic education. Please reach out to Cynthia Prewitt, Director of Institutional Advancement, to learn more about supporting the initiatives in this plan. A gift today supports tomorrow’s Students with Purpose.
Our Progress
Oak Knoll Gathers Feedback on Campus Master Plan
Oak Knoll’s Campus Master Plan will guide the physical development needed to support our mission and strategic plan, launched in August 2022. One of the key themes of that plan is Place, and this next phase will look at our campus in Summit and Chatham and how we can best meet the wants of the age for our students and the teaching and learning experience.
Oak Knoll Launches Sixth Grade Leadership Institute
With the start of the 2022-23 school year, Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child announced a new Leadership Institute in the sixth grade that instills creative thinking, design thinking, presentation, and leadership skills.
Oak Knoll Establishes Strategic University Partnerships
Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child has established strategic partnerships with Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania to ensure the entire senior class enters higher education with enhanced leadership confidence and students in grades 10-12 have the option of earning a certificate in Social Entrepreneurship.
