Strategic Planning Discussions with Dr. Ted Fish

Last year, we made a pivotal decision to extend our current strategic plan to 2025. This deliberate choice allows us to align our strategic planning cycle with the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) re-accreditation process, mirroring the successful alignment we experienced in 2019. It proved to be immensely beneficial, providing us with a unique opportunity to engage in deep, comprehensive reflection about our school identity and our aspirations and the pathways to achieve our goals.

BT will enter Year 1 - Preparation of the ISACS process during the 2025-2026 school year. At that time we will be forming a strategic planning committee to inform not only the strategic plan, but also the ISACS self-study report. However, our preparation begins now, and we are taking steps to gather valuable insights that will guide our committee structure and planning process.

I am delighted to share that we have invited education leadership consultant Ted Fish to visit BT on October 14-16. Dr. Fish will lead a series of discussions with various groups within our community, helping us to uncover new perspectives and ideas.

During BT’s in-service on October 14, administrators, faculty, and staff will participate in facilitated discussions. These sessions will focus on our current strategic plan, explore current and enduring trends in education, and envision the future of BT. The following day, October 15, we will extend this opportunity to Middle and Upper School students and parents across all divisions, inviting them to participate in similar conversations. Your voices and insights are invaluable as we chart our course forward.

To ensure we capture a comprehensive view of the BT experience, we will conduct a community-wide survey in November. This survey will include our alumni, whose perspectives are crucial in understanding the long-term impact of a BT education. The information culled in October and November will be used to create structures and implement strategies for success as we officially launch our strategic planning and re-accreditation efforts next school year.  

Thank you in advance for your participation and candor as we seek to better understand why you choose BT, where you believe we are excelling, and what areas of growth you envision for our programs, services, and community.

Together, we will build upon BT's strong foundation and shape a future that continues to inspire, challenge, and nurture our students.

Sincerely,

Kristi N. Gibbs, Ed.D.
Head of School

More about Ted Fish

Dr. Ted Fish has been immersed in the practice of leadership since he founded an elementary and middle school at the age of 25 in Santa Fe, NM. He now guides leaders at universities, startups, multinational corporations, k-12 schools and nonprofits across North America, Europe and the Middle East. What distinguishes his work is a seamless integration between strategy, culture and leadership – helping organizations achieve the highest results because of how they lead, support their people, and aspire to excellence.

In k-12 education, Dr. Fish consults widely with independent, public and charter schools. He served as the Executive Director of the Gardner Carney Leadership Institute (gcLi) for 10 years. Under his guidance, the gcLi became a premiere source of professional development for independent school educators, running national Symposia with Teachers College, Columbia University, and the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. He currently works with Heads, Leadership Teams, and Senior leaders at dozens of schools across the nation and collaborates with regional associations to provide high impact cohort-based training.