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Leading With Purpose: OES Strategic Plan 2030

On behalf of the Board of Trustees for Oregon Episcopal School, we are thrilled to share our strategic vision that will take us to 2030 and beyond. We are grateful for the tremendous community input we received to help us build this plan over 18 months. Thank you to the dedicated committee members and engaged stakeholders who shared their hopes and dreams for our school through brainstorming sessions, think tank events, and survey responses. We invite you to learn more and get involved by exploring this page and attending upcoming events for our school community.

Get a First Look at the Future of OES

Building on Our Foundation

To achieve our vision for the future, we will build on the foundation of our recognized strengths as a thriving and dynamic educational community. We will continue to center students and their learning, showcase our signature academic, arts, experiential, and athletics programs, build a beloved community amidst the beauty of our Portland campus, and support a thriving faculty and staff dedicated to mission-aligned, purpose-driven education.

Our Mission

Oregon Episcopal School educates students to realize their power for good as engaged citizens of the world.

Our Vision

In a dynamic, joyful community of scholars, OES ignites a passion for lifelong learning and empowers students to become the architects of their education. OES students navigate complexity, collaborate in partnership, and lead with purpose as the innovative, compassionate, ethical citizens the world urgently needs.

Leading with Purpose

In a rapidly evolving world, OES is committed to developing in students the skills to lead with purpose, adapt with agility, and strive for excellence to realize their power for good. This mission-aligned strategic plan focuses on deepening learning, developing ethical leadership, and fostering human connection so that students might make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world.

Our Commitment
  • As a rigorous academic school, we develop a community of scholars shaped by a unique approach to inquiry-based education; students strive for independence and excellence, developing agency as the architects of their education.  
  • As a 21st century Episcopal school, we value a pluralistic approach. We cultivate community, develop character, and engage with people, perspectives, and traditions that honor the enduring wisdom of humanity.
  • As an open and inclusive school, we strive to build a beloved community where all people are seen, known, and affirmed. We strive for justice and peace and respect the dignity of every human being.

Fostering Excellence Through Inquiry
DEVELOP EXCELLENCE AND SCHOLARSHIP THROUGH ACTIVE LEARNING AND MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION

OES will advance its position as a recognized leader in academic excellence and scholarship through inquiry-based learning and experiential education, elevating a model that fosters student agency, independence, and excellence, while integrating existing preK-12 programs across the school. At OES, inquiry meets action and learning is transformational. Our educational approach turns questions into real-world impact as students connect head, heart, and hand to realize their power for good. Accordingly, we will fully define our commitment to inquiry and build the programs, facilities, and professional development that match our aspirations and support the educators who deliver on the promise of our mission.

  • Amplify Signature Programs: Enhance programs in STEM, humanities, and social-emotional learning while introducing new programs in computational thinking and data science, engineering and machine learning, environmental studies and climatology.
  • Expand Real-World Learning: Develop internship programs, partnerships, and research opportunities with local, national, and global organizations.
  • Build Inspiring Facilities: Construct new spaces for inquiry, arts, and design, with enhancements to existing learning spaces.
  • Nurture a Thriving Faculty and Staff: Provide impactful professional development and support to attract, retain, and nurture the next generation of exceptional educators.

Cultivating Character Through Connection
STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT NURTURE CHARACTER, COMPASSION, AND CONNECTION
OES will prepare students to be agile thinkers and empathetic leaders who apply their learning to the challenges of a complex, interconnected, and changing world. At OES, cultivating our humanity directs and grounds our intellectual pursuits. We prioritize the human to human connections grounded in applied authentic intelligence. Therefore, OES will prioritize the responsible integration of technology and artificial intelligence while strengthening human-centered skills. These include community building, active listening, and ethical decision-making.
  • Promote Student-Led Ventures: Support initiatives in leadership, social entrepreneurship, and innovation through community partnerships.
  • Advance Environmental Stewardship: Engage students in sustainability projects using the campus and beyond as living laboratories.
  • Emphasize Ethical Technology Use: Prepare students for AI-integrated futures to advance learning while prioritizing empathy and thoughtful, ethical decision-making.
  • Amplify Athletic and Wellness Programs: Expand facilities and programs to support both competitive athletes, underscore the character and leadership qualities nurtured through athletics, and promote health and wellness for all students.

Building Community Through Belonging
CREATE A DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC LEARNING COMMUNITY CULTIVATING CIVIL DISCOURSE AND RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING.

OES will celebrate the diversity of people and perspectives, broadening access to the OES experience and creating a more diverse and dynamic learning community. At OES, our signature boarding program is unique. All of our students benefit from global perspectives in a locally grounded context for inquiry and engagement. Similarly, our Episcopal identity affirms a foundational commitment to inclusion, pluralism, and building a beloved community. We create a culture of belonging to honor individuals, broaden our perspectives, and affirm our shared humanity. Therefore, OES will leverage and strengthen these unique markers of our identity as we create a transformational educational experience.

  • Elevate the Boarding Program: Develop a premier small-size boarding program with modern facilities and robust student programs.
  • Expand Financial Aid and Scholarships: Strengthen commitments to accessibility and affordability through increased aid and scholarship opportunities.
  • Promote Diversity and Inclusion: Deepen efforts to recruit and retain a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff.
  • Amplify Chapel Program and Civil Discourse Initiatives: Position the chapel program as a model for inclusion, understanding, and exploration of diverse perspectives.
Looking Ahead

Pursuing these strategic pathways relies on the solid financial and operational planning that OES has developed over many decades. Careful oversight and intentional implementation will help to realize our strategic goals. As we distribute resources, we will make decisions that are mission-informed, strategic, and reflect responsible allocation of time, personnel, and program in the service of students and their education at OES and beyond. The School will provide annual updates on progress and implementation plans in the fall of the 2025-26 academic year.

A Special Thank You