Always Adapting, Never Changing: A Quick Glimpse at a High School Ecology

How do you reinvent an institution without reinventing its identity?

As technology, demographics, family expectations, and the pace of change continue to reshape education, organizations face a defining challenge: adapt—or become dated…or worse, irrelevant. Diane Marty will share how Rockhurst High School has strategically evolved its approach to recruitment, student formation, fundraising, and long-term planning while remaining unwavering in its Catholic, Jesuit mission.

Using one school's experience as a case study, participants will leave with practical insights into leading organizational change without compromising core values. The setting may be a high school, but the lessons apply to any mission-driven organization.

Diane - a former Plaza Rotarian who manages to cling to her somewhat tenuous membership in the Plaza Rotary Scotch tasting events - has spent her entire career in the nonprofit world, starting in community development before moving into full-time fundraising in 1998. She served various organizations in-house before starting her own consultancy (Faire Consulting LLC) in 2010. After earning her doctorate in education with a focus on human and organizational development, she accepted an in-house, full-time role with one of her clients, Rockhurst High School. (After all, educational organizational development is a whole petri dish of study for inquiring minds!) With Rockhurst full-time since January 2021, she appreciates the deep community connections, a 5-minute commute to work (except when State Line Road or 95th Street are under construction!), and the chance to learn something new every day. Diane and Kirk (and Zeke, their Bernese Mountain dog) live in Leawood and take every opportunity they can to visit sons Max and George (presently in Chicago and Minneapolis, respectively). Grateful for the invitation to visit with the Club on September 11!