for school, for life,
for berkshire
Berkshire School | Strategic Plan 2016
“This Strategic Plan charts a course that reflects both our character and our ambition— all in service of the transformational experience we envision for our students.” – Pieter Mulder, Head of School
CONTENTS
01
A Letter from the Head of School
and Chair of the Board of Trustees
03 Mission Statement 04
Our Core Values
06 Portrait of a Berkshire Graduate
Student photo credits:
08 A Vision for Berkshire
Opposite, clockwise from top left: Henry Binder ’19, Ana Tolvo ’17, Annie Wilson ’16, Henry Binder ’19, Ana Alvarenga ’15, Henry Binder ’19, Ana Tolvo ’17, Brooks Hamilton ‘16, Sherry Yang ’19, Annie Wilson ’16
Instilling a Sense of Place
Learning for Life
Teaching for the Future
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Strategic PrioritieS
For School
For Life
For Berkshire
This page, clockwise from top left: Henry Binder ’19, Hannah Honan ’15, Anna Flaherty ’16, Annie Wilson ’16, Lexi Merison ’15, Josiah Tolvo ’16
As Berkshire looks forward to the coming decade with confidence, our community has come together to determine the educational experiences that matter most for our students. In planning for that future, we affirmed Berkshire’s commitment to academic, artistic, and athletic excellence. We take heart that the values our founder Seaver Buck made important in 1907 still resonate today, even as the challenges of preparing young women and men to lead lives of passion and purpose continue to evolve.
Students and families choose Berkshire for an education that fosters authentic learning, character development, opportunities for self-discovery, strong college outcomes, and one that intentionally prepares students for success in life. We offer an experience that is easily recognized and valued for its distinctive character, one that balances the immediate goals of a college preparatory school with a broader commitment to developing young people for future service and success as leaders in their personal, professional, and community lives. We are fortunate to undertake our strategic planning from a position of great strength. Over the past decade, Berkshire has experienced unprecedented progress in all areas of school life, and our unique setting under the Mountain continues to inspire our community and define our culture. Today, we are at a significant moment in our history. We have leadership dedicated to the promise of Berkshire, who share with the trustees an unwavering commitment to the School’s future; students who value, respect, and celebrate their part in this community; families who believe in and support our work; faculty and staff who are deeply committed to Berkshire’s mission; and alumni across all generations who are immensely proud of their alma mater. As we assess our strengths and identify areas for improvement, we recognize an important opportunity to underscore our mission and core values. We have already invested thoughtfully to build and restore a campus worthy of our work and mission. Now, we must similarly invest in Berkshire’s people, for great schools are built upon great teachers and ultimately known not for the grandeur of their buildings, but for the character and dedication of their faculty, staff, and students, and the depth of learning that takes place between them. Therefore, the strategic plan that follows charts a course that reflects both Berkshire’s character and its promise. The challenge before us is to make the most relevant and authentic use of our extraordinary setting, campus, resources, and people – all in service of the transformational experience we envision for our students. We hope you will join us on our journey: “For School, For Life, For Berkshire.” Respectfully,
Pieter Mulder Head of School
Alice Cole Chair, Board of Trustees 01
GUIDED BY
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OUR MISSION Rooted in an inspiring natural setting, Berkshire School instills the highest standards of character and citizenship and a commitment to academic, artistic, and athletic excellence. Our community fosters diversity, a dedication to environmental stewardship, and an enduring love of learning. 03
Integrity our core VALUES
To be honest and accountable to oneself and to others, to trust and be trusted, to be disciplined and responsible, in all academic pursuits and in all relationships.
Berkshire instills the following values in all members of our community:
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Curiosity To question, to explore, to discover, to learn about oneself and others, and to embrace new experiences, not just for school but for life.
Perseverance
Respect
To be steadfast and persistent in the face of challenge or obstacle, to rise above mistakes and failures, and to see things through to completion.
To respect oneself and others, one’s place and surroundings, to consider intent and impact, and to act in ways that demonstrate empathy and understanding.
Inclusion
Resilience
To understand and learn from differences, to welcome the open exchange of ideas, and to create safe and affirming communities that value every person.
To set a new direction in response to changing circumstances, to manage and adapt to adversity, and to bounce back and regain one’s footing with confidence and purpose.
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portrait of a berkshire graduate In the early stages of our strategic planning process, students and faculty were asked independently to develop a portrait of a Berkshire graduate. Both groups focused on the skills, experiences, and values that we hope all our graduates will carry forward with them. The striking consensus that quickly emerged from these different perspectives was both affirming and inspiring:
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Berkshire graduates are
Berkshire graduates
LEADERs
explore their passions
They work collaboratively, compassionately, and persistently, to enlist and inspire the commitment of others. They respect themselves and others, and contribute to welcoming and inclusive communities. They understand the importance of making safe, mature decisions and of leading a healthy, balanced life. They know the importance of gratitude and humility, they embrace fun and humor, and they understand that they are a part of something larger than themselves.
In doing so, they learn to think critically and creatively, and to solve problems with innovative perspectives and approaches. They communicate effectively and persuasively, in speaking, writing, and presentation. Their dedication to environmental stewardship and sustainability is distinctive. And in their commitment to excellence, in all areas of school life, they demonstrate that risk-taking, perseverance, and resilience are the ultimate foundations of success.
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A VISION FOR BERKSHIRE
Instilling a sense of place
SCHOOL Our vision is rooted in Berkshire’s mission, our history, our unique setting, and in the distinctive education we provide young people:
Seaver Buck chose this place with a clear sense of purpose and stewardship. Our students feel the presence of the Mountain, calling them to reach their best selves as they look up and as they look within. It is a symbol of all that they can reach and of all that is greater than themselves. Our setting at its base embodies the balance between ambition and humility that we work tirelessly to instill in all members of our community.
We must strengthen this sense of place, and our connection to it, as we define our educational mission, practices, and programs.
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Learning
Teaching
FOR LIFE
for the future
To know one’s self, to discover and pursue academic passions, to foster an enduring love of learning, to communicate and work effectively with others, to understand different perspectives and experiences, to be an effective teammate—these are the lessons that prepare Berkshire students for school and for life.
Our adults build relationships with young people in the classroom, on the stage and playing fields, and throughout the community using a breadth of approaches and models. We are committed to aligning our work with students to reflect new understandings of how they learn best and to prepare them for a world driven by exponential change.
We must continue to develop the habits of mind and character in our students that prepare them equally for success in their academic futures and in their personal and professional lives.
We must invest in the professional development of our adults, so that Berkshire is universally recognized as a school where student learning experiences are authentic, rigorous, and forward-thinking.
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strategic
10
priorities
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FOR
SCHOOL
Our commitment to relevant, student-centered teaching and learning We will provide an educational experience that is relevant and student-centered, where teachers authentically engage students, working alongside them as facilitators; where learning requires students to work independently, collaboratively, and between disciplines to demonstrate problemsolving skills and deep learning; and where the development of analytical, quantitative, communication, technological, and research skills engages students in authentic applications.
Strategic Priority To enhance and differentiate Berkshire’s academic program • Increase our commitment to interdisciplinary study • Emphasize effective communication (written, public speaking, presentation) • Integrate diversity, inclusion, cultural and global understanding in our curricular offerings • Embed place-based educational experiences that utilize the Mountain and our unique setting • Design new models for student assessments that measure our desired educational outcomes • Implement revised daily and weekly schedules that more directly support our educational mission
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Our commitment to faculty and staff excellence We will dedicate significant resources to professional development and training for faculty and staff in order to support teaching excellence at Berkshire. Only by investing in our faculty and staff, by clarifying standards and expectations for excellence, by balancing their professional and personal responsibilities, and by empowering them to design new learning experiences in collaboration with students and each other, can we recruit and continue to retain the most talented faculty and staff. Strategic Priority To recruit, develop, support, and retain the most talented faculty and staff
• Examine a new balance of responsibilities for faculty and staff across all areas of school life • Integrate and refine evaluation and assessment models for faculty and staff • Expand professional development opportunities and expectations for faculty and staff • Diversify faculty, staff, administration, and board • Maintain competitive compensation for faculty and staff
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FOR
LIFE Our commitment to a residential community that promotes diversity, citizenship, character, and leadership The Berkshire community is cohesive, spirited, and affirming. Students and adults care genuinely about each other, and there is a strong sense of family and belonging. From this foundation of being known well, our students are able to strive, risk, and reimagine their potential in all areas of their development. We inspire young people to lead healthy, balanced lives, to work collaboratively to achieve common goals, and to find strength and support from all members of our community. We seek to make the Berkshire community even more diverse and inclusive than it is today, knowing that our students will enter a world where the ability to respect, understand, and work effectively with people from different perspectives and experiences will be critical to their success in life and in leading others.
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Strategic Priority To ensure Berkshire’s students lead healthy, balanced, and engaged lives • E stablish a comprehensive, four-year program for students that supports character development, citizenship, identity, decision-making, diversity, leadership, and college transition • E xpand advisor training, resources, expectations, and scheduled time with advisees • Increase diversity and inclusion education for all members of the community • Maintain commitment to supporting our students’ athletic and artistic co-curricular success 15
FOR
BERKSHIRE
Our commitment to ensure Berkshire’s future Berkshire has experienced significant success in fundraising and in creating an environmentally sustainable campus. We have built inspiring academic buildings and restored nearly every corner of our campus. With the completion of the Hail Berkshire campaign, it is time to invest even more powerfully in our people and programs, for our greatest resource will always be the students and teachers of Berkshire. In addition, we must examine our programs, staffing, revenues, and expenses to ensure that we are wisely managing our resources and planning for the future.
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Strategic Priority To ensure Berkshire’s institutional sustainability • Examine and refine scope of curricular and co-curricular offerings • Increase endowments for financial aid • Increase endowments for faculty/staff compensation • Establish a comprehensive alumni engagement and advancement program that includes college, internship, career, and fundraising networks • Expand our renewable energy and sustainability commitments as a school • Establish summer revenue opportunities targeted for admissions recruitment • Continue 15-year financial modeling to ensure the school’s sustainability • Update 2005 campus master plan to incorporate future facility improvements and new faculty housing
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for school, for life,
for berkshire 19
245 North Undermountain Road Sheffield, MA 01257 Admission: 413.229.1003 admission@berkshireschool.org Advancement: 413.229.1907 alumni@berkshireschool.org
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www.berkshireschool.org