Strategic Planning for the Future of The Storm King School

As The Storm King School embarks on its next phase of growth and transformation, we are preparing to shape the next chapter in our long and storied history. For 157 years, Storm King has consistently demonstrated its ability to adapt, weather challenges, and emerge stronger with each passing decade. Now, through a focused strategic planning process, we are poised to ensure that the School remains resilient, forward-thinking, and ready for the future, building on our enduring strengths and legacy. The strategic planning process, led by our Board of Trustees and Head of School Lisa Shambaugh, marks another exciting chapter in Storm King’s journey. It is a reflection of our long-standing commitment to providing an exceptional educational experience and an opportunity to ensure that we are prepared for the future that lies ahead.

A Strong Start: Engaging Leadership & Vision

In October 2024, the Storm King School Board of Trustees gathered at The Heartwood at Vassar College for a three-day strategic planning retreat as the first step in this critical process. For Ms. Shambaugh, a Vassar alumna, it was a meaningful return to her alma mater and her first in-person meeting with the Board. For our Trustees, the retreat provided an opportunity to re-engage, reflect on Storm King’s mission, define a shared vision for the future, and identify the strategic goals that will guide our efforts in the coming months and years.

At the core of the process was a series of discussions focused on what makes Storm King unique. With guidance from Educators Collaborative, a leading consulting firm specializing in independent school strategy, the Board explored questions such as: What do we do best? What is our distinctive value proposition? And how can we leverage our strengths to shape a dynamic future for the school and its students?

Through these discussions, the Board outlined several draft strategic goals. The areas they focused on included the future financial sustainability and resources of SKS, leveraging the School’s location and unique strengths, continuing to build partnerships and connections with other organizations and local resources, and improving campus facilities and building for the future.

Next Steps

Following the Board retreat, the School’s administrative leadership team conducted surveys and focus groups of students, faculty/staff, parents, and alumni to gather additional insights. Those ideas and insights were incorporated into the draft strategic plan, which the Board reviewed in detail at the January 2025 Board meeting. Over the next few months, we will continue to engage with the SKS community—parents, students, alumni, faculty, and staff—to ensure the resulting strategic plan reflects the diverse perspectives of all those invested in the School’s future.

Looking Ahead: Strategic Goals and Next Steps

Having decided upon the primary areas of focus, the School’s administrators and Board will continue to refine and detail out those areas. At their April meeting, the Board will vote on the finalized strategic plan, and unveil the details to the school community. The strategic plan will serve as a roadmap for the School’s leadership in the coming years, allowing Storm King to build on its strengths and navigate the challenges of the future.

As Ms. Shambaugh has emphasized, the strategic planning process has been a collaborative effort throughout, relying on the voices and ideas of everyone who cares deeply about Storm King’s future. That involvement of the entire SKS community–students, parents, alumni, and faculty–will be essential to ensuring its success.

Board of Trustees Welcomes Two New Members

Michael Fischer ’82

After graduating from The Storm King School, Michael attended Colorado Mountain College, where he was on the ski team. Following a ski injury, he pursued further education at New England College. He began his career at Herbert Construction, later becoming Project Manager for HRH Construction, overseeing projects for the New York School Construction Authority.

From 1995 to 2005, he served on The Storm King School Board of Trustees and has managed equestrian operations for Fischer Enterprise Inc. since 1995. He also held roles at Aquarius Management Corporation, overseeing $40 million in construction projects, including New York City’s first commercial indoor rock-climbing facility.

Michael represented owners for major developments in New York City and the Bronx, served as Managing General Partner of Stevenson Commons (a low-income housing complex) from 2005 to 2017, and was an Owner/Partner at Corx Wines and Liquors from 2012 to 2016. Most recently, he founded Milan LLC for co-management of Stevenson Commons with Grenadier Realty.

Peter Fox ’77

Peter Fox is the former Director of Managed Accounts Technology at TIAA, a Fortune 100 financial services firm, where he oversaw the integration of a San Francisco-based fintech startup. Previously, he led the Fixed Income and Derivatives Technology Team at TIAA, collaborating with investment managers to implement technology supporting their strategies. Peter’s experience also includes consulting for firms like Harris Direct, Morgan Stanley, and Lehman Brothers on investment performance projects. He began his career as an engineer at IBM’s Poughkeepsie plant and held various roles there before transitioning to financial services technology as a Product Manager at Merrill Lynch. Peter is a CFA charter holder with a Master’s in Management from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, as well as a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering with a minor in computer science from Fairleigh Dickinson University.