Strategic Plan

BBHS Long-Range Strategic Plan

Following a year-long process engaging over 700 stakeholders, the Bishop Blanchet High School Board of Directors adopted a new, long-range Strategic Plan on September 10, 2022. This plan outlines a vision for the next 7-10 years with six goals focused on enhancing our student programs, employee experience and overall institutional vitality. We are grateful to all those who participated in this process, particularly the Steering Committee and Topic Team members.

The document outlining the full Strategic Plan can be accessed here and a summary of the six goals is provided below

6 Key Goals

Goal 1: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Anchored in Catholic Social Teaching

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Anchored in Catholic Social Teaching

Bishop Blanchet will deepen our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion anchored in Catholic Social Teaching fostering a true sense of belonging that unites all members of our community through the example of Christ and unconditional love of God for all of creation.

Living out our mission to “inspire students to transform the world,” implies deepening our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). We do this by firmly anchoring this work in Catholic Social Teaching. Principles such as Solidarity, Subsidiarity, Human Dignity and the Common Good provide the framework for our engagement with the themes of DEI. We seek to empower our students with the lens and the tools to seek justice and foster true belonging within our BBHS community and beyond. Through this goal, we seek to articulate and make explicit our school charism - the animating force that compels us to put our faith in action and form the inclusive community that is Bishop Blanchet. Ultimately, we seek to enkindle in our students the example of Christ. We encourage them to seek the margins and to transcend and include differences. We draw out the unity and true potential of each person by providing a real encounter with the unconditional love of God.

Goal 2: Integrated Spiritual Growth

Integrated Spiritual Growth

Bishop Blanchet will further a culture of integrated spiritual growth rooted in Gospel Values and based on encountering and accompanying students from where they are on their spiritual journey.

To truly foster a “life-long commitment to faith, scholarship and service,” our students must experience a culture of spiritual growth as an ongoing journey. Using the example of Christ in the Gospel as our guide, we seek to engage our students with a spirit of encounter and accompaniment. This process will meet students where they are and lovingly walk with them toward their unique God-given potential. Experiencing a culture of integrated spiritual growth calls for intentionally designing a four year journey for students. This approach will span theology coursework, retreats, service learning, liturgy and a whole range of community building experiences. Our intention is to build a culture of continuous spiritual growth that carries beyond a four-year experience into a life-long journey that fosters a true sense of identity, calling, and love of God and neighbor.

Goal 3: Healthy, Balanced Young Adults Prepared for Life

Healthy, balanced young adults prepared for life

Bishop Blanchet will foster healthy, balanced young adults and prepare them for life by prioritizing holistic student wellness and formulating a comprehensive, student-specific college and career transition plan.

Recognizing our mission as a “Catholic, college-preparatory” high school, we seek to prepare our students for success in higher education. We will also empower them with life-skills and a vision for personal wellness and professional opportunities. This requires an intentional program to accompany students and families over four years. The school will lead students through a process of assessing and planning for student-specific college and career pathways. We recognize that a college-preparatory program is multi-dimensional, calling for deep care of the person, a commitment to social emotional learning and building competencies that foster personal wellness and balance. Through this goal, we will deepen our capacity for students to match at their best-fit postsecondary opportunity and in doing so send them forth as healthy and balanced young adults.

Goal 4: Optimize the Employee Experience

Optimize the Employee Experience

Bishop Blanchet will optimize the employee experience by dedicating resources that support personal, professional, and spiritual growth and create a working environment characterized by excellence, wellness, and belonging.

In order to “educate students within a challenging, positive and diverse learning environment,” we must foster a work environment for employees that creates a balance of excellence, wellness and belonging. Our mission in action lives most explicitly through the engagement of our employees with the students entrusted to our care. Excellent, healthy and whole employees require intentional investment in their personal, professional, and spiritual growth. Through this goal, we will clearly establish Bishop Blanchet as the top professional environment for faith-filled educators and, in turn, inspire deep commitment from all employees toward advancing our institution, shaping our students, and fostering a true sense of belonging among all.

Goal 5: Deepening Awareness, Engagement and Affinity

Deepening Awareness, Engagement and Affinity

Bishop Blanchet will more deeply engage the wider community of current families, prospective families, faculty, staff, alumni and friends, increasing awareness of, engagement with, and affinity to Bishop Blanchet High School.

Fulfilling the mission and actualizing the full potential of the Bishop Blanchet community requires engaging and animating a richly diverse array of stakeholders. With this goal, we seek to empower and mobilize alumni, current families, employees and friends as ambassadors for the life-changing experiences that come through belonging to the BBHS family. Through this collective effort, we strive to continually welcome a diversely talented group of prospective students and families into our community every year. By more deeply engaging the collective energy of all our stakeholders, the positive impact of Bishop Blanchet can be more widely extended to those seeking the transformative community experience we offer.

Goal 6: Enhancing Institutional Sustainability

Enhancing Institutional Sustainability

Bishop Blanchet will enhance institutional sustainability by increasing revenue in support of accessibility for families, investment in employees and excellence in programs and campus facilities.

Bishop Blanchet High School was established with a long-term vision in mind - to be a flagship Catholic educational institution in service to the Archdiocesan and the greater Seattle communities. To ensure institutional vitality for future generations, a deep commitment to sustainability on all levels must guide our decision-making and resource allocation. Through this goal, we seek to increase revenue to invest in employees, program excellence, accessibility for families and campus improvements with an emphasis on environmental sustainability.

More Information

Strategic Planning Steering Committee

Sandra Zinsmeyer, Committee Chair
BBHS Board of Directors
BBHS Parent 2021, 2022, 2024

Nancy Belcher
BBHS Board of Directors
BBHS Parent 2010, 2012, 2015, 2025

Tony DeSapio
BBHS President

Justyna King
Assistant Superintendent, Office for Catholic Schools

Shannon Langer
BBHS Alumni '90
BBHS Parent 2021, 2023

Christian Paige
BBHS Board of Directors

Heidi Pouley
BBHS Theology Department Co-Chair

Sam Procopio
BBHS Alumni '00
BBHS Principal

Jeff Roe
BBHS Parent 2017, 2020

Rahel Schwartz
BBHS Board of Directors
BBHS Parent 2022

Janah Valenzuela Cardin
BBHS Director of International Student Services

Brian Vath
BBHS Parent 2024, 2025

BBHS Community Topic Team

Ramona Emerson, Chair

Sofia Lopez, Liaison

Samuel Carlson, Staff Rep

Joe Cussen, Staff Rep

Jesse McFeron, Staff Rep

Kaitlyn Overman, Staff Rep

Jennifer Shapiro, Staff Rep

Christian Paige, Strategic Planning Steering Committee Rep

Jen Bergman, Community Rep

Monica Duke, Community Rep

Fr. Bill Heric, Community Rep

Sally Hunt, Community Rep

Mark Markuly, Community Rep

Human Resources Topic Team

Stewardship and Sustainability Topic Team

Chris Butler, Chair

Mary Beard, Liaison

Corey Eriksen, Staff Rep

Julie Gallaudet, Staff Rep

Twi McDonnell, Staff Rep

Tom Ramsey, Staff Rep

John Willey, Staff Rep

Joel Blair, Community Rep

Bill Condon, Community Rep

Jennifer Dold Graves, Community Rep

David Holt, Community Rep

Diane Kocer, Community Rep

Korrie Miller, Community Rep
Karen Rich, Community Rep

Kelli Smith-Bailey, Community Rep

Brian Vath, Community Rep

Heidi Westing, Community Rep

Student Development Topic Team

Sherri Johnson, Chair

Laura Meaux, Liaison

Rebecca Davis, Staff Rep

Ann Martin, Staff Rep

Nicole McCoy, Staff Rep

Veronica Pietrzak, Staff Rep

Stephen Russell, Staff Rep

Shannon Langer, SPSC Rep

Angelica Dampier, Community Rep

Lizz Dexter-Mazza, Community Rep

Steve Dougherty, Community Rep

Monica Duke, Community Rep

Kari Hatlen, Community Rep

Teresa Jolly Holt, Community Rep

Barnabus Sirak, Community Rep

Tarah Voss, Community Rep