Strategic Vision 2026+ Planning

Progress & Milestones

Having successfully completed our Strategic Vision 2020-2025, work is well underway on the planning process for the future. CAIS has engaged a firm called Living Strategy to create the inclusive and comprehensive process for this vision planning cycle. Watch this space for more details to come regarding community involvement in the process, milestones, and details of the long-term plan ensuring a thriving future for CAIS.

Opportunities for Parent Involvement in Strategy Making

There will be a number opportunities for parents to participate in the strategy making process, including:

Parent focus groups with the consultants
A crowdsourcing survey for research to be administered before our winter break
The opportunity to preview and provide feedback to a draft plan before it goes to the Board of Trustees for consideration and approval
Participation on a 30-40 person Strategic Planning Task Force made up of representatives from key stakeholder groups

Strategic Planning Task Force

In order to ensure an inclusive and representative process, we are looking for a handful of parent volunteers to serve on a Task Force. The Task Force will work with the input from stakeholder groups, do additional research as required, discuss ideas, and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The Task Force will begin meeting in-person monthly, for 90 minutes after school. Most meetings are tentatively scheduled for the second Tuesday afternoon of each month; a more precise schedule is forthcoming.  We need Task Force members who are representative of our parent population and are able to make the necessary time commitments. We have asked faculty and staff to nominate parents whom they believe would bring value to this process. Additionally, if you would like to nominate a fellow parent for the role, or if you yourself are interested in serving, please click this link for more information.

September/October 2025 — Community Input Sessions

As shared at the Info Sessions before each Back to School Night, we will be hosting three Community Input Sessions the week of September 29. During these sessions, we will gather input on what parents and community members would like to see the Board of Trustees prioritize in our next strategic plan as we think together about:

next steps to enhance our educational programs & offerings
continued opportunities to optimize use of our new campus
ways to ensure the forever future of CAIS in our forever home

Each session will be the same opportunity for input with Q&A. We hope you will be able to join us for one of these sessions.

Evening Input Session on Zoom

Mon., 9/29
7:00-8:30 p.m.*
See CAIS Notices 9/16 for Zoom link

Afternoon Input Session at CAIS

Tues., 9/30
4:00-5:30 p.m.

Lower School Library (2nd floor, Room 222)

Morning Input Session at CAIS

Wed., 10/1
8:45-10:15 a.m.

Lower School Library
(2nd floor, Room 222)

* Apologies to 5th grade families who also have the Taiwan Info Session ending that evening at 6:30 p.m. We hope that one of the other two Input Sessions will work for your schedule so you needn’t have a marathon CAIS day.

September 2025 — Strategic Vision Info Sessions

A half hour prior to each of the upcoming Back to School Night events (see schedule below) Head of School Jeff Bissell and consultants Lana Guernsey and Gilbert Wai from Living Strategy will share brief presentations on the Strategic Vision work that began this past spring, touching on the themes that emerged from the community surveys and explaining how the work will progress this year and what opportunities there will be for families participation. There will be time for Q&A as well. Please note that the content will be the same at all three sessions and families are welcome to join any of the three. Click on the graphic above right to view the slide deck presented at the Info Sessions:

Strategic Vision –
Preschool Info Session

Date: September 4

Time: 4:30-5:00 p.m. (immediately prior to Preschool BTSN)

Location: K-5th Grade Library (second floor)

Strategic Vision –
K-5th Grade Info Session

Date: September 11

Time: 5:00-5:30 p.m. (immediately prior to K-5th BTSN)

Location: Hong Yen Chang Learning Center (third floor)

Strategic Vision –
Middle School Info Session

Date: September 16

Time: 5:30-6:00 p.m. (immediately prior to Middle School BTSN)

Location: K-5th Grade Library (second floor)

August 2025 — Faculty Staff Strategic Vision Session at Launch Week

Before the start of school Lana Guernsey and Gilbert Wai led faculty and staff through a lively, hands-on exercise to envision the CAIS of the Future. In addition to building camaraderie, the activities tapped into colleagues’ creativity to brainstorm how the school can “Become its Best Self!” See a slideshow of some of the fun below:

April 2025 — Initial Planning Survey Shared

A brief survey has been sent to CAIS trustees, faculty/staff, and families to identify areas for research and exploration next year during the planning process. Trustees, faculty/staff and current families are asked to check their email for the link to complete the survey by April 30, 2025.