Our Strategic Action Plan

Aligned and Integrated with our WASC Accreditation

In SY22-23, our Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) re-accreditation process set the stage for a re-evaluation of the Taipei American School Strategic Plan. Bearing in mind the in-depth self-study process, aligned with the rigorous standards set for healthy, thriving school communities around the world, Taipei American School made the decision to align our strategic planning cycle with that of the WASC re-accreditation process.

After two years of work, from community engagement efforts to the all-hands-on-deck evaluation exercises with faculty and staff, our self-study process revealed a number of strategic areas of focus for our next chapter as an institution. Our successful re-accreditation in the Spring of 2024 and the creation of our Strategic Action Plan have launched the next phase of our collective work for a strong and vibrant school.

Refining Our Strategic Action Plan

Our Strategic Action Plan, created with hundreds of data points gathered by our employees, parents, guardians, students, administrators, and Board members, is the next phase of our mission-driven evolution as a school. While this plan is a natural evolution of our community's needs, it also represents an exciting opportunity to dig deeper into our mission and further enhance the educational experience and community at Taipei American School.

During the 2024-25 school year, we are refining our Strategic Action Plan as part of our continuous process of improvement. As we celebrate the work that has taken place and the exciting, mission-driven changes ahead, we are proud to share our community-based, evidence driven foundation for the years to come.

Explore the four strategic areas below, and learn about each of the goals that we will pursue in the coming years.

WASC Strategic Action Plan

;

Strategic Area 1: A Strong Foundation

A Strong Foundation

Goal 1:

To strengthen foundational structures through the implementation and assessment of systematic processes and practices, ensuring the delivery of a world-class education and achievement of the mission and schoolwide learning outcomes.

Aligned to: WASC Category A: Organization for Student Learning

Rationale:

To ensure the continued existence of a strong foundation that allows for the delivery of a world-class education, TAS must implement and evaluate, clear, systematic, and mission-aligned practices. This involves further establishing structured, research-based organizational and operational processes that foster a culture of shared commitment and collective accountability across all areas of the school.

1.1 Ensure Strategic Direction and Collective Accountability:

1.2 Optimize Board Governance for Continuous School Improvement:

1.3 Implement Consistent Structures for Community Feedback:

1.4 Establish Mechanisms to Enhance and Assess the Effectiveness of Professional Growth, Evaluation, and Development Processes for All Employees:

1.5 Attract, recruit, train, and retain exemplary faculty, staff, and administrators who are committed to carrying out TAS’s mission, values, and schoolwide learning outcomes:

1.6 Enhance the Educational Infrastructure through the Execution of the 2024 Campus Master Plan:

Progress on Area 1

SY24–25

SY24–25

Strategic Area 1: A Strong Foundation

Refined Strategic Plan & Benchmarks

Revised TAS Strategic Action Plan post-2024 WASC self-study to align with mission, values, and learning outcomes
Introduced SMART benchmarks and began building an integrated data dashboard for real-time goal monitoring, transparency, and accountability

Stakeholder Engagement

Held faculty and parent sessions to preview and refine key priorities (1.4, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1)
Leveraged community input to strengthen home-school partnerships

Experience Surveys & Focus Groups

Updated and administered 2024–25 TAS Experience Surveys per handbook guidelines
Conducted follow-up focus groups; re-established Faculty Advisory Council with clear structure and terms

Professional Growth & Evaluation

Launched Professional Pathways Model with Stronge & Associates for consistent evaluations of teachers, specialists, and administrators
Continued learning initiatives in Adaptive Schools, Cognitive Coaching, DEIB, and curriculum design

Recruitment & Onboarding

Implemented SkoolSpot platform to streamline hiring aligned with staffing goals
Published updated Recruitment & Hiring Handbook and enhanced new-staff onboarding

Campus Master Planning

Partnered with Rosan Bosch Studios on “Transforming Spaces” initiative
Engaged 200+ stakeholders in workshops to envision mission-centered, future-ready learning environments

Strategic Area 2: An Enduring Commitment to Learning

An Enduring Commitment to Learning

Goal 2:

To cultivate an enduring commitment to learning across the TAS community through the implementation of current research-based best practices.

Aligned to: WASC Category B: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment.

Rationale:

To reinforce an enduring commitment to learning, TAS must adopt a comprehensive approach encompassing the systematic development and documentation of curriculum, coupled with the strategic collection and analysis of student data to enhance teaching effectiveness and inform educational strategies. By investing in robust professional development opportunities aligned with evolving pedagogical landscapes and fostering methods for divisional and cross-divisional collaboration, the aim of Goal 2 is to ensure that all students experience a cohesive, research-driven educational journey supported by the implementation of a vertically and horizontally aligned curriculum and underpinned by data-driven decision-making.

2.1 Ensure the Mission and Schoolwide Learning Outcomes serve as the foundation of the curricular and extra-curricular programs:

2.2 Develop a Systematic and Well-funded Approach to Professional Development in Alignment with Schoolwide Initiatives and Professional Growth and Evaluation:

2.3 Actively Nurture a Consistent Culture of Collaboration:

2.4 Implement of a Documented, Horizontally and Vertically Aligned Curriculum that ensures the Achievement of the Mission and Schoolwide Learning Outcomes for All Students:

2.5 Promote Deep Transfer Learning:

2.6 Develop Processes for the Systematic Collection and Utilization of Data:

Progress on Area 2

SY24–25

SY24–25

Strategic Area 2: An Enduring Commitment to Learning

Curriculum Alignment with SLOs

Embedded Schoolwide Learning Outcomes into ATLAS UbD unit planning templates for K–12 coherence

Professional Development Framework

Published KA–12 PD Handbook clarifying eligibility and processes
Hosted EduLead Speaker Series featuring Denise Pope, Rosan Bosch, Homa Tavangar, and many

Collaborative School Culture

Trained a third Adaptive Schools cohort; offered refreshers and standardized meeting norms
Formed cross-divisional Coaching Task Force to build a TAS Culture of Coaching

Curriculum Repository & Leadership

Relaunched ATLAS Rubicon as centralized curriculum hub with phased faculty training
Continued curriculum review cycle; recruiting Middle and Upper School Academic Deans for 2025–26

Strategic Area 3: A Supportive, Personalized, and Empowering Student Journey

A Supportive, Personalized, and Empowering Student Journey

Goal 3:

To ensure every student’s academic and social-emotional needs are proactively identified and addressed.

Aligned to: WASC Category C: Support for Student Social-Emotional and Academic Growth

Rationale:

To ensure a systematic and schoolwide approach to identifying and supporting the academic and social-emotional needs of each student, TAS should implement the Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Framework, as well as the CASEL Framework to establish a cohesive and integrated model that encompasses both academic interventions and social-emotional learning. This approach will be reinforced by targeted professional development for faculty, as well as clearly defined roles and responsibilities of members within the Student Support Services Department, both of which will help to ensure consistent, personalized interventions for students. By doing so, TAS commits to fostering a nurturing environment where all students are empowered and supported to reach their fullest potential.

3.1 Develop and Execute a Process that Ensures the Systematic Implementation of Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) across KA-Grade 12:
3.2 Provide Targeted Professional Development and Evaluative Measures Surrounding Social-Emotional Learning:

3.1 Develop and Execute a Process that Ensures the Systematic Implementation of Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) across KA-Grade 12:

3.2 Provide Targeted Professional Development and Evaluative Measures Surrounding Social-Emotional Learning:

3.3 Clarify the Role and Responsibilities of the Student Support Services Department:
3.4 Ensure KA-12 Implementation of the CASEL Framework:

3.3 Clarify the Role and Responsibilities of the Student Support Services Department:

3.4 Ensure KA-12 Implementation of the CASEL Framework:

Progress on Area 3

SY24–25

SY24–25

Strategic Area 3: A Supportive, Personalized, and Empowering Student Journey

Inclusion & MTSS Roadmap

Conducted inclusion audit with Next Frontier Inclusion; created MTSS roadmap
Deployed August Schools data platform for proactive screening and progress monitoring
Integrated UDL and MTSS principles into PD offerings

Social-Emotional Learning & Student Success

Delivered SEL training on inclusive practices and relationship-building
Appointed first Director of Student Success and Well-being within MTSS framework

Strategic Area 4: Culture of Safety and Belonging

Culture of Safety and Belonging

Goal 4:

To nurture a secure, inclusive, and engaging learning environment.

Aligned to: WASC Category D: School Culture, Child Protection, and Parent / Community Involvement

Rationale:

To nurture a culture of safety and belonging, it is essential that TAS enhances policies and practices related to child protection, digital safety, DEIJ, multilingualism, service learning, and parent engagement, as well as providing opportunities for students to develop stronger connections with Taiwan and Taiwanese culture. These measures, collectively, will help to create a secure, inclusive, and engaging learning environment where every community member experiences a sense of belonging.

4.1 Enhance Child Protection Policies and Practices:

4.2 Implement a Comprehensive Digital Safety Plan:

4.3 Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Across the School:

4.4 Strengthen KA-12 Practices to Support and Empower Multilingual Learners:

4.5 Ensure Authentic Service Learning is Embedded into Curricular and Extracurricular Programs:

4.6 Incorporate Deeper Connections to Taiwan and Taiwanese Culture into Educational Programs:

4.7 Increase Opportunities to Strengthen Parent Partnerships:

Progress on Area 4

SY24–25

SY24–25

Strategic Area 4: A Culture of Safety and Belonging

Child Safeguarding & Bullying Prevention

Established K–12 Child Safeguarding Coordinator role (starting July 2025)
Revised Student Bullying Policy; implemented scenario-based ICMEC-aligned training

Digital Safety & DEIB

Rolled out workshops on responsible online behavior led by Allison Ochs
Supported divisional DEIB Coordinators; adopted Learning for Justice standards
Hired Director of Belonging and Social Impact to integrate DEIB and service-learning

Language & Service-Learning

Restructured MLL program; appointed K–6 MLL Coordinator
Offered service-learning PD with Cathy Berger Kaye; hosted Upper School Service-Learning Day on Taiwanese heritage

Home-School Partnerships

Launched Parent & Guardian Partnership Task Force; drafted new engagement commitments and handbook language
Introduced Wordly AI translation to enhance communication equity

Coming in January 2026: Strategic Area 5: Operational Excellence and Institutional Sustainability

In Development
Strategic Area 5: Operational Excellence and Institutional Sustainability

Operational Strategy Development

Convened Operational Leadership Retreat (April 2025) for SWOT analyses and trend-spotting
Began drafting multi-year departmental action plans and operational strategic objectives with employees across multiple operational areas

Next Steps

Finalize objectives, tracking systems, and stakeholder input mechanisms in 2025–26 to formalize area 5

Click to View the PDF of the Strategic Action Plan

English Version

Discover More

If this sounds like the type of education you want for your child or the kind of learning community you wish to join, we invite you to explore the people, places, and programs that help us foster our definition of success for every student on our campus.