Time for Some Action

As most of you know, this year Dalat is embarking on developing a five-year strategic plan, and this last weekend we took a big step towards creating that plan.

Last Friday and Saturday, 24 members of the Dalat community met for two days of discussion and planning regarding the future of our school. This group of people, the Strategic Planning Committee, is made up of individuals representing all aspects of our community. Parents and teachers from each division, administrators, board members, and students were brought together to help cast a vision for Dalat. The planning retreat was led by Dr. Michael Ehrhardt who has helped international schools all over the world develop effective strategic plans.

The two-day retreat involved in-depth discussions about the school, its mission and vision, and our core values. The committee examined the strengths and the weaknesses of Dalat, considered the significant threats we may face, looked for ways to improve our programs, and identified big opportunities that could propel us to new heights.

At the end of two hard-working days, the team identified four major goal areas for us to explore and unpack this year.

• INNOVATIVE LEARNERS: Develop intrinsically motivated, curious, global citizens who thrive in a changing world.
• PASSIONATE PERSONNEL: Attract, equip, and retain talented, godly, mission-minded faculty to provide stability and inspire excellence.
• INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY: Engage our culturally diverse community to nurture caring relationships, promote mutual respect, and encourage meaningful involvement.
• AUTHENTIC TRANSFORMATION: Create engaging opportunities for students to experience God’s love and deepen their understanding of Him.

The work now gets turned over to action teams, which will spend the year researching and developing strategies to achieve these four goals and putting together the plan that will then go to the school board for final approval. We will keep you updated on the work being done throughout the year.

Do not hesitate to talk with me about the strategic planning process, your thoughts about Dalat and its future, and any ideas you might have on how Dalat can continue to provide an education for life for its students now and in the future.