The most critical aspect of this planning was to address the immediate learning needs of students. Berwick has been fortunate to have the autonomy and flexibility, to focus on on-campus learning for the bulk of the year. While faculty have had to shift their approaches, the student academic experience has been largely unaltered. Our students are moving forward in their coursework, innovating, and thriving. Building on this momentum, the Board and leadership recommit to planning. The focus is in five areas; increased financial sustainability through a future comprehensive campaign and more robust auxiliary programming; better understanding our relationship with our natural heritage and our responsibility to teach about and steward the environment; increased opportunities for innovation through partnerships; embracing and redefining our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (see pages 10-11); and a review of the academic systems in place to continue to support our innovative curriculum (see pages 8-9). Head of School Jim Hamilton approaches this work with a sense of optimism. Berwick’s culture, in many ways, has set the School up to find success through challenge.
“Pausing to reconsider what ‘normal’ looks like as we emerge from the pandemic is an important opportunity.” —Jim Hamilton
“Pausing to reconsider what ‘normal’ looks like as we emerge from the pandemic is an important opportunity,” says Hamilton. The School’s willingness to embrace evolution is critical in its future. We don’t know what the future of work will look like for our students, so we must prepare them to adapt. School leadership is modeling the need to think and do differently. Hamilton is focused on providing the most comprehensive educational experience possible for all Berwick students. “We will do that armed with what we learned throughout the pandemic,” he says, “and bolstered by our outstanding faculty and staff and the leadership of our board.”
TODAY
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