St. John’s-Ravenscourt School

Shaping Vision, Mission, and Values for the Future

St. John’s-Ravenscourt, a well-known independent school in Winnipeg, partnered with Berlineaton to refresh its vision, mission, and values as it approached the close of its current strategic plan. The goal was to ensure these foundational elements aligned with the school’s evolving aspirations and the needs of its community. This collaborative process set the stage for the next chapter of St. John’s-Ravenscourt’s journey, providing a strong foundation for future success. Read on to discover how our partnership helped shape the guiding principles that will drive the school forward.

Key Team Members
Shelly Berlin
Mackenzie Farrell

A Profound Experience

The process of refreshing St. John’s-Ravenscourt’s vision, mission, and values was an opportunity for deep reflection and alignment. Working closely with the Board and Senior Administration Team, we facilitated a thoughtful and collaborative approach to refine the guiding principles that would steer the school’s future. The discussions were grounded in the school’s rich legacy while ensuring the outputs were forward-thinking and adaptable to the school’s evolving needs. This careful balancing act helped set a strong and inspirational foundation for the school’s next chapter.

Practical Solutions

Our work with St. John’s-Ravenscourt involved a structured process designed to gather valuable input and ensure alignment among key stakeholders. We began by conducting a survey to capture initial perspectives from leadership, which set the stage for two in-person sessions focused on refining the school’s vision, mission, and values. Virtual working group sessions ensured continuity and alignment throughout the process. By emphasizing the need for “future-proof” guiding principles, we helped the leadership team create statements that would evolve with the school’s changing needs, setting a clear direction for the future.

Bolder Futures

The refresh of St. John’s-Ravenscourt School’s vision, mission, and values marks a pivotal moment in the school’s journey. This foundational work, guided by Berlineaton, provides the Board and Senior Administration Team with refined principles that reflect the school’s leadership aspirations and priorities. These statements, ready for validation by the broader community, will play a key role in the school’s comprehensive strategic planning process. As St. John’s-Ravenscourt embarks on a Head of School search, these guiding principles will serve as a solid framework for aligning leadership and shaping the school’s next chapter, ensuring it remains a leader in education for years to come.

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    Shelly Berlin

    BA, MBA, FCMC, ACC
    Strategist, Confidante, Entrepreneur.

    Shelly Berlin brings over 30 years of strategic insight and transformational leadership to Berlineaton as co-founding and managing partner.

    She began her consulting career with Andersen Consulting and Price Waterhouse – global experience that led to the launch of Berlineaton in 1996. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Alberta, an MBA from UBC, is a Certified Management Consultant and an ICF-certified Executive Coach. In 2017, Shelly and her partner Richard Eaton were named Fellows of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants and were later honoured with CMC’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. She also holds an ESG governance designation from Competent Boards.

    Throughout her career, Shelly has worked with more than 1,200 clients across government, not-for-profits, independent schools, and private sectors. She is known for her inclusive, collaborative approach and her ability to help clients execute strategy that achieves significant impact.

    As Chair of the St. Michaels University School Board, now in her fourth term, she led the global Head of School search that resulted in Dr. Jeff Aitken’s appointment and co-led the development of the Floreat 2020–2030 strategic plan.

    Shelly lives in Victoria with her family, including two teenagers, husband Richard Eaton, two cats, and a frog named Froakie.

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    Mackenzie Farrell

    BSC, MMgmt, CMC
    Collaborator, Community Builder, Go-Getter.

    Mackenzie is an Engagement Lead and Independent School Practice Lead at Berlineaton. Known for her experience in strategy development and execution, she brings an innate sense of curiosity, meticulous attention to detail, and a strong interpersonal focus to all aspects of her work.

    Mackenzie specializes in working with independent schools, helping them to navigate unique challenges and build stronger, more sustainable institutions. She has worked with over 20 schools across Canada.

    With a deep-seated passion in helping organizations foster visionary futures for themselves, Mackenzie excels in guiding organizations through an engagement and people-centric approach on growth and improvement. Her strategic insights and commitment ensure that her clients achieve sustainable success.

    Outside of the office, she can be found taking advantage of all the world-class access to nature that the West Coast of Canada has to offer, including her favourite past times, skiing, surfing, and hiking with her husband and dog Molson.