STRATEGIC PLAN IN ACTION
Retaining Outstanding Faculty

It's no accident that St. Margaret's most senior teachers chose SMS, and it's no secret why they've stayed. Now the school is learning from their lessons to recruit and retain additional outstanding faculty - the number one thing that parents look for in a school. "I came (in 1979) because St. Margaret's is a church school, and I stayed because I've been supported in my mission as a teacher," said History Department Chair Louise Velletri. Foreign Language Department Chair Marshall Lloyd (1982), English Department Chair Shannon Spears (1973), and Director of Studies ViAnn Farmer (1983) agree. Each can give examples of the kind of support that makes a difference, both through the years and as a result of the school's current strategic plan. It's often a matter of meeting both personal and professional needs. Miss Velletri, for example, has served the school in a variety of positions, including director of residence and college counselor. Within her discipline, she has enjoyed the freedom to teach a range of courses, including American Foreign Policy and The Twentieth Century. It's a win-win situation. She enjoys greater job satisfaction, and girls get to take electives that few small schools can offer. "One of the reasons I've stayed," Miss Velletri said, "Has been the ability to try different things without having to move to another school and rearrange my whole life." When Mr. Lloyd wanted to earn a master's degree in classics, SMS held his position open for a year and paid his health insurance while he studied at the University of Georgia. Students benefited from the new insights he brought to the classroom after 15 years of teaching, and he had the peace of mind necessary to attain his career goal. Five years later, when his growing family needed more room than his modest campus home could provide, Mr. Lloyd was afraid he'd have to seek a position elsewhere. St. Margaret's came through with a larger, recently acquired house, part of its strategic plan commitment to quality faculty housing. Today, Marshall and Lucia Lloyd offer a positive example to students as they stroll across campus with Kendall and Mary or take family meals in the dining hall. Shannon Spears, whom other teachers affectionately refer to as "our oldest living faculty member," has spent most of her career at St. Margaret's. When she was selected last year as the first recipient of the Wellford Faculty Award, it was, in a sense, a form of recognition for many of her peers. "It was nice to see the award go to someone who's given so much to SMS over the years, someone you respect and care about," Mrs. Farmer said. "That sent a great message to faculty about what St. Margaret's values." Miss Spears used a portion of the prize money to purchase a set of novels for the library. The recently reprinted titles by Janet Lambert were favorites of hers when she was a teenager, and will bring hours of pleasure to girls. She plans to put the remainder of her award towards a return trip to England and the haunts of Hardy, Tennyson, and the Brontes, an experience she'll share with students in her British Literature class. Mrs. Farmer is the first to participate in St. Margaret's newest professional development program. For years, she's been coordinating the academic component of SMS's student exchanges with sister schools in Australia, England, and New Zealand. In February, she spent a month at St. Margaret's School in Berwick, Australia, to initiate the faculty exchange. It's another opportunity that speaks to both the personal and professional. She worked on developing the teacher exchange for future participants and stayed with the Hayres family, friends she made through her daughter's (Katie '00) independent study project in 2000.

FOCUS ON FACULTY & STAFF Goal: St. Margaret's will attract, support, and retain the highest caliber of personnel in order to support the school's mission. Rationale: Recruiting and retaining qualified, committed adults who teach by example allows us to sustain a healthy community that supports the intellectual, physical, and spiritual growth of young women. Actions Taken:   Starting teacher salaries made more comparable to local public and similar independent schools   Faculty exchange program initiated with other Queen Margaret of Scotland Schools   E.E. Ford Foundation to provide $50,000 for expanded professional development program, contingent on matching Annual Fund gifts