T h e
The Millbrook Campaign
GROWING SUPPORT:
Capital Projects Completed Barn Renovation:
$4,000,000
Squash Center Expansion: New Dormitory:
$1,700,000 $8,400,000
Health & Wellness Center: Dining Hall:
$400,000 $10,000,000
A gold level LEED certified student center
Building on the long tradition of excellent teaching and teachers at Millbrook, the second of the seven objectives in our strategic plan, known as Vision 2017, is to attract and retain the strongest faculty possible by improving salaries for classroom teachers to the median of a tenschool peer group, improving our retirement benefits, and adding to our faculty housing inventory. Labeled the Covenant with Faculty, it also includes a detailed rubric to describe excellence in classroom teaching. This rubric was developed by our academic department chairs, who were led in this effort by Dean of Faculty Kathy Havard P’11, ’13, and is now used in our assessment and development of classroom teaching. Significant adjustments in compensation have pushed salary levels up, and we continue to intentionally develop a school culture that is supportive of faculty in a variety of ways. Professional development opportunities are encouraged and supported—teachers can pursue graduate degrees, attend conferences and workshops, and work together to innovate and to grow as professionals in ways that enhance teaching and learning on campus. The covenant also supports teachers who have been with us for a number of years. They can earn a sabbatical or summer travel grant, and such an opportunity can work wonders for sustaining teachers and allowing them to renew and refocus. Finally, the school is also committed to providing appropriate and quality housing for faculty members, and three new townhouse units with six faculty homes are nearing completion. While we’re making progress, there are still gaps as compared to our peer schools and a deep need to sustain and enhance these initiatives with endowment. A growing endowment will allow Millbrook to attract and retain the very best teachers who will continue to work the Millbrook magic with generations of students to come.
a 44-bed facilty for girls, with four beautiful faculty homes
state of the art 400-seat facility for a student body of 300 and faculty & staff
Dorm Renovations: New Maintenance Facilities: Main Street Millbrook:
renovations to Prum, passages to the new dining hall
Trustee Robert Koenigsberger and his wife, Dilek, parents of Amber ‘13 and Ilayda ‘16, have stepped forward to make an unprecedented challenge to Millbrook School to address the school’s top capital priority: to raise the school’s endowment by a total of $20 million in 2017.
Zoo Improvements:
including renovation of the Mill
$1,500,000
Flagler Chapel Improvements: Faculty Housing:
$500,000 $3,000,000
Schoolhouse upgrades, lighting, landscaping, safety and security
TO BE ACCOMPLISHED
Faculty support:
professional development and salaries and benefits
Financial Aid: Program Initiatives & Innovation: Campus Facilities & Maintenance:
million – thanks to the tremendous support of our alumni, parents, trustees, and friends. We are closing in this year on our most ambitious goal ever - $2.2 million.
ANNUAL FUND 2016-2017
$2,200,000 $1,757,847.69 $1,679,671.35 $1,429,651.42
$885,769.92 $641,083.55
$142,364.58 $116,464.58
$55
New Admission Center:
The Annual Fund has grown by more than 400% since 1990 – from $425,000 to over $2.1
If we are successful in meeting this challenge, Millbrook will take another giant step forward. Needless to say, we are incredibly grateful to the Koenigsbergers, who have been catalysts for new facilities on campus prior to the current endowment challenge. This is an incredible opportunity for the school and is certain to go a long way towards making Millbrook inevitable as the best small boarding school in our country.
$600,000
Campus Improvements:
accounting for $10 million of the total goal through 2017.
Specifically, Robert and Dilek will contribute $1 for every $4 the school raises in gifts and pledges for endowment by December 31st. They will donate a total of $4 million if the school can raise $16 million this year. The Koenigsbergers believe strongly that a good school requires a healthy and growing endowment to accomplish its mission and to provide adequate support for the faculty, for financial aid, and for the ongoing maintenance of the physical plant.
In Progress
$84,915.08
Growing The Endowment
$55,000,000
8/1/2016
9/1/2016
10/1/2016
11/1/2016
12/1/2016
1/1/2017
2/1/2017
3/1/2017
$50
$1,500,000
$45
Recent records in annual giving participation are equally impressive and demonstrate the commitment
$40
our alumni have to making the current Millbrook experience even better than their own. In the recent Headmaster’s Challenge, an Annual Fund participation challenge for the classes of 1990 and above, three
$35
IN PROGRESS
845-677-8261 • www.millbrook.org
THE KOENIGSBERGERS OFFER EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE GRANT FOR ENDOWMENT
$500,000 $1,600,000 $1,700,000
For Endowment
Produced by Millbrook’s Development Office
Annual giving is important and integral to the current capital campaign,
$10,000,000
In Millions
The Endowment & The Covenant with our Faculty
Annual Fund Dollars and Participation
C a m p a i g n
Spring 2017
$33,000,000
classes from three decades were declared the winners:
$3 $25
class of 1997
$20
$10,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000
$18,500,000
$10,000,000
class of 2013
$0
’98 ’99
’00
’01
’02 ’03
’04
’05
’06
’07
’08
’09
’10
’11
’12
73.5%
class of 2003
$15,500,000
$15 $10
classes led the way; others followed very closely behind. By the end of the challenge on February 28th,
’13
’14
’15
’16
’17
69.1% 44.3%
GOAL by 6/30/1
T h e
The Millbrook Campaign
GROWING SUPPORT:
Capital Projects Completed Barn Renovation:
$4,000,000
Squash Center Expansion: New Dormitory:
$1,700,000 $8,400,000
Health & Wellness Center: Dining Hall:
$400,000 $10,000,000
A gold level LEED certified student center
Building on the long tradition of excellent teaching and teachers at Millbrook, the second of the seven objectives in our strategic plan, known as Vision 2017, is to attract and retain the strongest faculty possible by improving salaries for classroom teachers to the median of a tenschool peer group, improving our retirement benefits, and adding to our faculty housing inventory. Labeled the Covenant with Faculty, it also includes a detailed rubric to describe excellence in classroom teaching. This rubric was developed by our academic department chairs, who were led in this effort by Dean of Faculty Kathy Havard P’11, ’13, and is now used in our assessment and development of classroom teaching. Significant adjustments in compensation have pushed salary levels up, and we continue to intentionally develop a school culture that is supportive of faculty in a variety of ways. Professional development opportunities are encouraged and supported—teachers can pursue graduate degrees, attend conferences and workshops, and work together to innovate and to grow as professionals in ways that enhance teaching and learning on campus. The covenant also supports teachers who have been with us for a number of years. They can earn a sabbatical or summer travel grant, and such an opportunity can work wonders for sustaining teachers and allowing them to renew and refocus. Finally, the school is also committed to providing appropriate and quality housing for faculty members, and three new townhouse units with six faculty homes are nearing completion. While we’re making progress, there are still gaps as compared to our peer schools and a deep need to sustain and enhance these initiatives with endowment. A growing endowment will allow Millbrook to attract and retain the very best teachers who will continue to work the Millbrook magic with generations of students to come.
a 44-bed facilty for girls, with four beautiful faculty homes
state of the art 400-seat facility for a student body of 300 and faculty & staff
Dorm Renovations: New Maintenance Facilities: Main Street Millbrook:
renovations to Prum, passages to the new dining hall
Trustee Robert Koenigsberger and his wife, Dilek, parents of Amber ‘13 and Ilayda ‘16, have stepped forward to make an unprecedented challenge to Millbrook School to address the school’s top capital priority: to raise the school’s endowment by a total of $20 million in 2017.
Zoo Improvements:
including renovation of the Mill
$1,500,000
Flagler Chapel Improvements: Faculty Housing:
$500,000 $3,000,000
Schoolhouse upgrades, lighting, landscaping, safety and security
TO BE ACCOMPLISHED
Faculty support:
professional development and salaries and benefits
Financial Aid: Program Initiatives & Innovation: Campus Facilities & Maintenance:
million – thanks to the tremendous support of our alumni, parents, trustees, and friends. We are closing in this year on our most ambitious goal ever - $2.2 million.
ANNUAL FUND 2016-2017
$2,200,000 $1,757,847.69 $1,679,671.35 $1,429,651.42
$885,769.92 $641,083.55
$142,364.58 $116,464.58
$55
New Admission Center:
The Annual Fund has grown by more than 400% since 1990 – from $425,000 to over $2.1
If we are successful in meeting this challenge, Millbrook will take another giant step forward. Needless to say, we are incredibly grateful to the Koenigsbergers, who have been catalysts for new facilities on campus prior to the current endowment challenge. This is an incredible opportunity for the school and is certain to go a long way towards making Millbrook inevitable as the best small boarding school in our country.
$600,000
Campus Improvements:
accounting for $10 million of the total goal through 2017.
Specifically, Robert and Dilek will contribute $1 for every $4 the school raises in gifts and pledges for endowment by December 31st. They will donate a total of $4 million if the school can raise $16 million this year. The Koenigsbergers believe strongly that a good school requires a healthy and growing endowment to accomplish its mission and to provide adequate support for the faculty, for financial aid, and for the ongoing maintenance of the physical plant.
In Progress
$84,915.08
Growing The Endowment
$55,000,000
8/1/2016
9/1/2016
10/1/2016
11/1/2016
12/1/2016
1/1/2017
2/1/2017
3/1/2017
$50
$1,500,000
$45
Recent records in annual giving participation are equally impressive and demonstrate the commitment
$40
our alumni have to making the current Millbrook experience even better than their own. In the recent Headmaster’s Challenge, an Annual Fund participation challenge for the classes of 1990 and above, three
$35
IN PROGRESS
845-677-8261 • www.millbrook.org
THE KOENIGSBERGERS OFFER EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE GRANT FOR ENDOWMENT
$500,000 $1,600,000 $1,700,000
For Endowment
Produced by Millbrook’s Development Office
Annual giving is important and integral to the current capital campaign,
$10,000,000
In Millions
The Endowment & The Covenant with our Faculty
Annual Fund Dollars and Participation
C a m p a i g n
Spring 2017
$33,000,000
classes from three decades were declared the winners:
$3 $25
class of 1997
$20
$10,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000
$18,500,000
$10,000,000
class of 2013
$0
’98 ’99
’00
’01
’02 ’03
’04
’05
’06
’07
’08
’09
’10
’11
’12
73.5%
class of 2003
$15,500,000
$15 $10
classes led the way; others followed very closely behind. By the end of the challenge on February 28th,
’13
’14
’15
’16
’17
69.1% 44.3%
GOAL by 6/30/1
Parent Participation at an All-Time High It is reported that fundraising is similar to a contact sport; you must reach out and contact donors. You must get to know them better and listen carefully. P.L.A.N. (Parent Leadership Annual Network) volunteers are our premier players who volunteer for the Admissions and Development offices and assist with a few of the largest on campus weekend activities. It is their incredible support that has helped push our parent participation rates ever higher and made a difference in the day-to-day experience of Millbrook students and faculty.
Paul Simons ‘83 with his sons Will ‘19 and Harry ‘17
FUN is a part of FUNDRAISING. This year
Parent volunteers have enhanced student life in so many ways. Over 30 parents transformed the student center into a winter ski lodge for the formal Snow Ball in early December. Students reported that this fundraiser, with proceeds going to a local soup kitchen, was one of the best dances ever. In addition to decorating for dances, parents work closely with the dormitory faculty to add to the quality of student life. Each dormitory has a lead parent volunteer who organizes special ‘dorm feeds’, in some cases as many as twice a month. Students enjoy bagel bars with all the trimmings during exams, Mexican food fiestas before study hall on a Friday evening, and a gala of desserts on a Saturday evening during a closed weekend.
has been an exceptional year in our quest for 95% parent participation in annual giving. While students were revved up for their traditional Winter Weekend dorm competition, parents entered into their own Winter Weekend contest that ran concurrently. The goal – to raise parent participation in the Annual Fund to an all time high. Parents displayed their dormitory pride by making 58 new Annual Fund gifts, 16 pledges, and two new matching gifts. It was a huge success, and the parent group with the greatest dorm participation, Abbott, won a pizza party for their children. This boost by our parents not only put parent giving ahead in dollars yearto-date, it has set us well on our way to our participation goal.
dorm participation
64%
64%
2016
0%
2017
IIIrd Form
were amazed at how the campus remained so
They relaxed in the renovated barn, they slept comfortably in the new West dorm, and they enjoyed meals in the beautiful new dining hall on the north end of campus. Walking across to the south side of campus, however, they were surprised to find that the marsh boardwalk and eco hut were both in need of essential repairs and maintenance.
59%
2016
celebrate their 25th anniversary last June, they
Within days of the end of Alumni Weekend, members of the class of 1991 had begun talking about ways to help the school rebuild and maintain these facilities that had been incredibly important to them, facilities that inspired their love of the outdoors and stewardship of the natural world during their time as students at Millbrook. They would like current students to enjoy the same opportunities to wander down the boardwalk at the marsh, explore the nature around them, and dive into academic pursuits that are inspired by access to the natural world in the beautiful surroundings of the marsh, the woodlands, and the streams that populate south campus.
52% 44%
32%
25%
When the class of 1991 returned to campus to
much better.
75%
50%
South Campus Eco-Project much the same but was, at the same time, so
Parent Giving as of January 30, 2017
100%
C la s s of 1 9 9 1 :
2017
IVth Form
2016
35% 2017
Vth Form
2016
47%
2017
VIth Form
The class of 1991 has since begun pursuing with the school an integrated vision for site improvements rooted in Millbrook’s signature values of stewardship and nature-based education. They are hoping to raise $30,000 by June 30, 2017 to make necessary repairs to the marsh boardwalk. Further renovations and enhancements would also happen over time - upgrading the eco hut and entrance to the canopy walkway and connecting these facilities via a research trail and living laboratory through kiosks and signage. When they meet their goal in June,they will be one of the first classes in Millbrook’s history to offer a class gift after graduation. A plaque at the entrance to the marsh boardwalk will proudly acknowledge their support!
“We’re so connected to the organizations to which we donate because they’re so local…We see the benefits and know the benefits. We have that personal connection.” Beautifying the village has also been a priority. When The Tribute Garden removed the train station from the village green to create the beautiful expanse of lawn that surrounds the veteran’s memorial, they enhanced the entire look of the village entrance. Along the main thoroughfare, Franklin Avenue, they also began a program to fund building façade improvements. Tribute Garden Board Member George Whalen III has seen the dramatic effect of this program, “That has been a tremendous benefit to the commercial district. Historical photos show the really poor conditions of some of the buildings. More than 50% of the commercial buildings have benefited, and it’s amazing what these dollars have done to make this quaint village beautiful.” The bulk of annual Tribute Garden support goes towards schools, hospitals, and church programs in northeastern Dutchess County. The foundation established a college scholarship
program in 1985, and each year they award each of two deserving Millbrook Central High School seniors a $20,000 scholarship. They support all of the local schools in a wide variety of ways—from the nursery schools through secondary schools, private, independent, and public—and higher education as well. Nearly 100 gifts a year include support for the local fire engines, ambulances, and equipment in the firehouse, food kitchens, boy scouts, girl scouts, and other youth programs, as well as funding for the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Current Board Chair Oak Thorne is proud of how well the foundation uses its resources, “It’s important that we support the local programs that are helping people in need. Unlike most foundations, we have zero administrative overhead, so all of the foundation’s money can go directly to funding worthy projects.” The Tribute Garden has been very instrumental in supporting a wide variety of
projects at Millbrook School over an extended period of time. The foundation’s relationship with the school goes back decades to when Sandy Burton ’50 was the chair of Millbrook’s board—Oakleigh B. Thorne was a board member at the time and a close friend. While neither Oakleigh B. Thorne nor his son, Oak, attended Millbrook, many other family members did, including Oak’s sister, Eliza ’95, and an extensive list of cousins. The Whalen family likewise has a long history with both The Tribute Garden and Millbrook School. George and his wife, Susan, are parents to four Millbrook graduates: Sarah ’06, George ’09, Kathryn ’10, and Caroline ’14. George is also the third generation to serve on The Tribute Garden’s board, and he continues a long family history between the Thornes and Whalens that dates back to the 1920s when George’s grandfather and Oak’s great, great grandfather became good friends and colleagues. These friendships and traditions will surely continue long into the future. The Tribute Garden is focused on helping to beautify two very significant pieces of property in the village of Millbrook—Bennett College and the Thorne Building—and over the next 5-10 years they will very likely devote time and money to both projects. Their primary focus on schools and local programs will continue and likely grow, and The Tribute Garden will leave an indelible mark on Millbrook and the surrounding area in its quiet but powerful way.
Parent Participation at an All-Time High It is reported that fundraising is similar to a contact sport; you must reach out and contact donors. You must get to know them better and listen carefully. P.L.A.N. (Parent Leadership Annual Network) volunteers are our premier players who volunteer for the Admissions and Development offices and assist with a few of the largest on campus weekend activities. It is their incredible support that has helped push our parent participation rates ever higher and made a difference in the day-to-day experience of Millbrook students and faculty.
Paul Simons ‘83 with his sons Will ‘19 and Harry ‘17
FUN is a part of FUNDRAISING. This year
Parent volunteers have enhanced student life in so many ways. Over 30 parents transformed the student center into a winter ski lodge for the formal Snow Ball in early December. Students reported that this fundraiser, with proceeds going to a local soup kitchen, was one of the best dances ever. In addition to decorating for dances, parents work closely with the dormitory faculty to add to the quality of student life. Each dormitory has a lead parent volunteer who organizes special ‘dorm feeds’, in some cases as many as twice a month. Students enjoy bagel bars with all the trimmings during exams, Mexican food fiestas before study hall on a Friday evening, and a gala of desserts on a Saturday evening during a closed weekend.
has been an exceptional year in our quest for 95% parent participation in annual giving. While students were revved up for their traditional Winter Weekend dorm competition, parents entered into their own Winter Weekend contest that ran concurrently. The goal – to raise parent participation in the Annual Fund to an all time high. Parents displayed their dormitory pride by making 58 new Annual Fund gifts, 16 pledges, and two new matching gifts. It was a huge success, and the parent group with the greatest dorm participation, Abbott, won a pizza party for their children. This boost by our parents not only put parent giving ahead in dollars yearto-date, it has set us well on our way to our participation goal.
dorm participation
64%
64%
2016
0%
2017
IIIrd Form
were amazed at how the campus remained so
They relaxed in the renovated barn, they slept comfortably in the new West dorm, and they enjoyed meals in the beautiful new dining hall on the north end of campus. Walking across to the south side of campus, however, they were surprised to find that the marsh boardwalk and eco hut were both in need of essential repairs and maintenance.
59%
2016
celebrate their 25th anniversary last June, they
Within days of the end of Alumni Weekend, members of the class of 1991 had begun talking about ways to help the school rebuild and maintain these facilities that had been incredibly important to them, facilities that inspired their love of the outdoors and stewardship of the natural world during their time as students at Millbrook. They would like current students to enjoy the same opportunities to wander down the boardwalk at the marsh, explore the nature around them, and dive into academic pursuits that are inspired by access to the natural world in the beautiful surroundings of the marsh, the woodlands, and the streams that populate south campus.
52% 44%
32%
25%
When the class of 1991 returned to campus to
much better.
75%
50%
South Campus Eco-Project much the same but was, at the same time, so
Parent Giving as of January 30, 2017
100%
C la s s of 1 9 9 1 :
2017
IVth Form
2016
35% 2017
Vth Form
2016
47%
2017
VIth Form
The class of 1991 has since begun pursuing with the school an integrated vision for site improvements rooted in Millbrook’s signature values of stewardship and nature-based education. They are hoping to raise $30,000 by June 30, 2017 to make necessary repairs to the marsh boardwalk. Further renovations and enhancements would also happen over time - upgrading the eco hut and entrance to the canopy walkway and connecting these facilities via a research trail and living laboratory through kiosks and signage. When they meet their goal in June,they will be one of the first classes in Millbrook’s history to offer a class gift after graduation. A plaque at the entrance to the marsh boardwalk will proudly acknowledge their support!
“We’re so connected to the organizations to which we donate because they’re so local…We see the benefits and know the benefits. We have that personal connection.” Beautifying the village has also been a priority. When The Tribute Garden removed the train station from the village green to create the beautiful expanse of lawn that surrounds the veteran’s memorial, they enhanced the entire look of the village entrance. Along the main thoroughfare, Franklin Avenue, they also began a program to fund building façade improvements. Tribute Garden Board Member George Whalen III has seen the dramatic effect of this program, “That has been a tremendous benefit to the commercial district. Historical photos show the really poor conditions of some of the buildings. More than 50% of the commercial buildings have benefited, and it’s amazing what these dollars have done to make this quaint village beautiful.” The bulk of annual Tribute Garden support goes towards schools, hospitals, and church programs in northeastern Dutchess County. The foundation established a college scholarship
program in 1985, and each year they award each of two deserving Millbrook Central High School seniors a $20,000 scholarship. They support all of the local schools in a wide variety of ways—from the nursery schools through secondary schools, private, independent, and public—and higher education as well. Nearly 100 gifts a year include support for the local fire engines, ambulances, and equipment in the firehouse, food kitchens, boy scouts, girl scouts, and other youth programs, as well as funding for the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Current Board Chair Oak Thorne is proud of how well the foundation uses its resources, “It’s important that we support the local programs that are helping people in need. Unlike most foundations, we have zero administrative overhead, so all of the foundation’s money can go directly to funding worthy projects.” The Tribute Garden has been very instrumental in supporting a wide variety of
projects at Millbrook School over an extended period of time. The foundation’s relationship with the school goes back decades to when Sandy Burton ’50 was the chair of Millbrook’s board—Oakleigh B. Thorne was a board member at the time and a close friend. While neither Oakleigh B. Thorne nor his son, Oak, attended Millbrook, many other family members did, including Oak’s sister, Eliza ’95, and an extensive list of cousins. The Whalen family likewise has a long history with both The Tribute Garden and Millbrook School. George and his wife, Susan, are parents to four Millbrook graduates: Sarah ’06, George ’09, Kathryn ’10, and Caroline ’14. George is also the third generation to serve on The Tribute Garden’s board, and he continues a long family history between the Thornes and Whalens that dates back to the 1920s when George’s grandfather and Oak’s great, great grandfather became good friends and colleagues. These friendships and traditions will surely continue long into the future. The Tribute Garden is focused on helping to beautify two very significant pieces of property in the village of Millbrook—Bennett College and the Thorne Building—and over the next 5-10 years they will very likely devote time and money to both projects. Their primary focus on schools and local programs will continue and likely grow, and The Tribute Garden will leave an indelible mark on Millbrook and the surrounding area in its quiet but powerful way.
Facilities Update A Tradition of Giving:
Millbrook’s Tribute Garden An interview with The Tribute Garden, Inc. Board Chair Oakleigh Thorne and board member George T. Whalen III
A foundation serving Dutchess County residents since 1943, The Millbrook Tribute Garden supports a vast array of meaningful projects in a manner that might be described as “flying under the radar.” There is nothing grandiose about the organization except the reach of their generosity. There is no real publicity, yet local residents somehow know that The Tribute Garden is making a difference.
There is no red tape for those soliciting the foundation – applications for worthy projects are made in conversations, and checks for approved projects are often delivered in person. The foundation’s founder and subsequent board members have made a tradition of giving that is simple, meaningful, and locally focused, and Millbrook School has been one of many of their beneficiaries.
Millbrook’s Tribute Garden was first formed in 1919 when Oakleigh Thorne and his wife, Helen Stafford Thorne, donated six acres of land in the Village of Millbrook to create a park and honor World War I veterans. In 1920 the Millbrook Garden Club planted trees, landscaped the park, and constructed an honor roll as a tribute to US forces in World War I, and in 1943 Oakleigh Thorne formalized The Tribute Garden, Inc. as an endowed foundation to support the gardens going forward. The Veteran’s Green was subsequently donated to the foundation in 1948, and a memorial was built there as a tribute to our World War II veterans.
New faculty housing will be completed late spring
Prum Hall meeting space, much the same but so much better Oakleigh Thorne and Helen Stafford Thorne
Dividends from The Tribute Garden, Inc. foundation are used each year to fund maintenance of the property. Over time, as the foundation’s assets grew, their dividends outstripped maintenance costs, and the foundation’s board began thinking about how to best serve the needs of the local community. Seeing a real demand for public parking in the Village of Millbrook, they bought land for parking lots, and these small lots scattered throughout the village remain beneficial to residents today.
The North Campus Development Plan is underway as the new maintenance facility takes shape
Campaign Progress Report Our capital campaign continues to progress and is poised to go well beyond our ambitious objective. The school is already seeing tangible results from the campaign in the form of a fully renovated barn, a new dormitory, and most recently, a stunning new dining hall—the true center of the community. Other improvements and enhancements include additional squash courts, a softball field, a new maintenance facility and the rebuilding of the Mill. These and other important refinements on campus only further enhance the experience of our students and faculty who are fortunate to live in this remarkable setting.
Millbrook is in a transitional state and
While the majority of all building projects have been funded or are underway, the trustees, looking far into the future, are aware that Millbrook has less money behind it in the form of endowment than it should. The school has made great progress in building the endowment, and since 1990 market value moved from $7,000,000-$32,000,000. Still, Millbrook is well behind others on an endowment per student basis.
•2 25,000 ft. of new or renovated building space
Thus, Robert and Dilek Koenigsberger have proposed a challenge to raise the endowment. The Koenigsberger Challenge for endowment, if met, will have a major impact and could move the endowment total past $50,000,000. It has energized the board to reach even beyond what they are already providing. As Millbrook moves through the last year of the campaign, one word sums up what happens when you combine vision, energy and generosity: momentum. Campaign co-chairs Peter Chapman P’11, ’12 and Caroline A. Wamsler, PhD ’87 put it this way:
“Momentum is a rare self-perpetuating phenomenon, and, as we know from physics, the faster an object moves, the harder it is to stop. To reach our goals and to maintain this momentum we need to ensure that all alumni, faculty, parents, students, and friends, continue to work together with common purpose.”
An Interview with
Peter Chapman By Nancy Stahl
moving faster than most to strengthen the physical place and its programs and increase the positive impact on its students. We have seen over the last 20-25 years:
• 60% increase in classroom space •1 70% increase in AP, honors, and advanced course offerings • 290% increase in applications • 80% increase in enrollment • 410% increase in the Annual Fund • 360% increase in endowment These measures offer further evidence that huge change is possible with the especially strong leadership of the school, an engaged and generous board of trustees, and the loyal support of our alumni, parents, and friends.
A Millbrook trustee since 2009, host of many Millbrook School receptions, and a friend of the school for life, Peter is also the co-chair of Millbrook’s current capital campaign (along with Caroline A. Wamsler, PhD ’87), and he spoke recently to Nancy Stahl about their decision to enroll their daughters at Millbrook, the school’s growth, and his thoughts on steering Millbrook’s future.
Peter Chapman and his
Nancy: What made you decide to enroll your children at Millbrook?
wife, Susan, are parents of
Peter: We live in Greenwich, all four of children were day students at nearby schools—three at Greenwich Academy and one at Brunswick. As our third child, Molly, moved through middle school, we began to think that there were other options that would be a better fit for her. We decided to expand our horizons and at least look at boarding schools—Molly explored several.
Millbrook graduates Eliza ’12 and Molly ’11. Serendipity brought the Chapman and Casertano families together poolside in Florida many years before boarding school was even a consideration for the Chapman children. But that initial meeting in Vero Beach established a connection to people and to a place that would eventually become a home away from home for two of their children.
On our tour at Millbrook, it struck me that every single person we passed said hello to our tour guide by name. And she spoke to them by name. We thought, what a wonderful environment. The other schools had beautiful campuses, great reputations—but nobody spoke to anybody. The environments were sterile. Molly came back to Millbrook for revisit day, and she called me to tell me to bring a check for the deposit. Eliza was also at Greenwich Academy and had a great group of friends. She was doing very well, and we expected she would want to continue there through high school. But the first weekend Molly was home after starting at Millbrook, Eliza saw how incredibly happy she was. Two days later she announced that
she, too, wanted to go to boarding school. After looking at and considering a broad array of schools, she made her decision on Millbrook’s revisit day as well, although she let a full two weeks go by before letting us know! The beauty for us is that Millbrook is so close to Greenwich. Every game that we could make, we did. We would come up on Wednesday and take the girls out to dinner after a game, then head home. It’s so manageable. Even many of Millbrook’s away games bring them down into Westchester County. When I grew up, kids who went away to boarding school were the kids who were getting into trouble. I now preach the gospel that you shouldn’t have any preconceived notions about boarding school. It was a fabulous experience for Molly and Eliza.
Nancy: How did Millbrook prepare your children well for college and life after college? Peter: Both girls were really confident going into college with a great command of the skills they needed to succeed. In fact, they felt that they were more prepared than a lot of their classmates. Eliza graduated from The University of the South in 2016. She wanted an environment that matched her Millbrook experience, and she got it there. She was a member of the Order of the Gownsman (an academic honor), played varsity lacrosse, and enjoyed a very cohesive, close-knit group of classmates. Following graduation, she wanted to work for an independent school in admissions or development. After exploring numerous opportunities, she accepted a position at Indian Mountain School where she serves as an admissions associate, a dorm parent, academic advisor, and assistant lacrosse coach. I’ve never seen someone who loves her job more than she does. She has a lot of responsibility, and she’s learning a great deal.
Molly attended Denison University and was a Dean’s List student and an all-conference field hockey and lacrosse athlete. If she had gone to one of the other prep schools we considered, she would have gotten to the same place at the end of the day, but at the risk of destroying her selfconfidence. Instead, she came to Millbrook, where her self-confidence flourished. And she was really happy. The whole structure of the program here builds the kids up without putting them on a pedestal. They are accountable. Again, that is one of the huge differences between day schools and boarding schools. As Drew likes to say, “It’s our job to make them uncomfortable.”
Nancy: In your commencement speech in 2012, you told students that you hope they learn how to fail. Why was that an important message for you to deliver? Peter: I wanted to say something meaningful to the kids. I was intrigued by an idea I had seen in a magazine about people who had suffered failure after failure, only to ultimately go on to achieve great success—Abe Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan—people who succeeded mightily, but it wasn’t an easy road. I referenced Bonnie St. John, a para-olympic skier, whose message was simple: everybody fails, but the people who succeed are the ones who get up the quickest. Millbrook students are being challenged in the classroom every day. Take the Culminating Experience for Seniors (CES) project, for example, where kids have guidance, but they are basically on their own. I’m incredibly impressed with the work that is coming out of those projects. They are challenged. They are not taking an easy road. Millbrook is very good at putting kids in an uncomfortable environment, where they must take risks and admit they won’t always succeed. If they fail, they own their failure and learn how to deal with it, learn from it, and move on. I saw it with Eliza and Molly on the athletic fields and on the ice. They played bigger schools, tougher schools, harder opponents… they struggled, but by Molly’s junior year, our teams were on a level playing field with schools like GA, schools who were winning at the New England tournaments. They weren’t afraid to schedule teams that they had no business being on the same field with. They failed, they picked themselves up, and ultimately they succeeded.
Peter: The only thing that separates Millbrook from the very best boarding schools in the country is its endowment. We’re working hard, we’ve made progress, but we’ve got a long way to go. When we rectify this problem, Millbrook will become inevitable. That’s the goal we set when we launched this campaign. The needle is moving in the right direction, and endowment will put us a lot closer to that goal. The board committed to this capital campaign after developing the School Life Master Plan in 2011. I had great perspective having just gone through the admission process with both girls. We saw some extraordinary facilities at other schools, and Millbrook’s facilities were in need of a significant upgrade. We needed to address bricks and mortar from a competitive standpoint, so we focused our efforts initially on the physical plant rather than endowment. We are approaching our goal of $65,000,000, and the focus is now purely on endowment. The Koenigsberger Challenge puts endowment front and center, and we must raise $16 million between now and the end of the year. It’s an incredible opportunity for us, for our students, and for our faculty. Endowment will support our covenant with the faculty, providing them with competitive salaries, appropriate housing, and important benefits, and will allow us to continue to care for the physical plant and provide financial aid for deserving students. For all the right reasons, this campaign was the right thing to do at the right time. It’s by far and away the biggest fundraising challenge we’ve undertaken, and certainly it’s been the most successful. But we’ve got a ways to go.
Peter Chapman is a graduate of Brunswick School and Michigan State University and earned his MBA at Columbia University. A successful entrepreneur, Peter was a partner, CFO, and COO of People and Properties, a sports marketing firm that packaged and marketed a wide variety of sporting events from the LPGA and Senior PGA tours to CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) to international swimming and figure skating competitions. After selling the company to the Interpublic Group in 1997, Peter contributed to the successful growth of the rebranded company, GM R*Works, as its executive vice president, expanding from 20 employees to 350 with offices in seven U.S. cities.
Nancy: Why is this capital campaign important in the school’s history, important here and now?
Campaign Progress Report Our capital campaign continues to progress and is poised to go well beyond our ambitious objective. The school is already seeing tangible results from the campaign in the form of a fully renovated barn, a new dormitory, and most recently, a stunning new dining hall—the true center of the community. Other improvements and enhancements include additional squash courts, a softball field, a new maintenance facility and the rebuilding of the Mill. These and other important refinements on campus only further enhance the experience of our students and faculty who are fortunate to live in this remarkable setting.
Millbrook is in a transitional state and
While the majority of all building projects have been funded or are underway, the trustees, looking far into the future, are aware that Millbrook has less money behind it in the form of endowment than it should. The school has made great progress in building the endowment, and since 1990 market value moved from $7,000,000-$32,000,000. Still, Millbrook is well behind others on an endowment per student basis.
•2 25,000 ft. of new or renovated building space
Thus, Robert and Dilek Koenigsberger have proposed a challenge to raise the endowment. The Koenigsberger Challenge for endowment, if met, will have a major impact and could move the endowment total past $50,000,000. It has energized the board to reach even beyond what they are already providing. As Millbrook moves through the last year of the campaign, one word sums up what happens when you combine vision, energy and generosity: momentum. Campaign co-chairs Peter Chapman P’11, ’12 and Caroline A. Wamsler, PhD ’87 put it this way:
“Momentum is a rare self-perpetuating phenomenon, and, as we know from physics, the faster an object moves, the harder it is to stop. To reach our goals and to maintain this momentum we need to ensure that all alumni, faculty, parents, students, and friends, continue to work together with common purpose.”
An Interview with
Peter Chapman By Nancy Stahl
moving faster than most to strengthen the physical place and its programs and increase the positive impact on its students. We have seen over the last 20-25 years:
• 60% increase in classroom space •1 70% increase in AP, honors, and advanced course offerings • 290% increase in applications • 80% increase in enrollment • 410% increase in the Annual Fund • 360% increase in endowment These measures offer further evidence that huge change is possible with the especially strong leadership of the school, an engaged and generous board of trustees, and the loyal support of our alumni, parents, and friends.
A Millbrook trustee since 2009, host of many Millbrook School receptions, and a friend of the school for life, Peter is also the co-chair of Millbrook’s current capital campaign (along with Caroline A. Wamsler, PhD ’87), and he spoke recently to Nancy Stahl about their decision to enroll their daughters at Millbrook, the school’s growth, and his thoughts on steering Millbrook’s future.
Peter Chapman and his
Nancy: What made you decide to enroll your children at Millbrook?
wife, Susan, are parents of
Peter: We live in Greenwich, all four of children were day students at nearby schools—three at Greenwich Academy and one at Brunswick. As our third child, Molly, moved through middle school, we began to think that there were other options that would be a better fit for her. We decided to expand our horizons and at least look at boarding schools—Molly explored several.
Millbrook graduates Eliza ’12 and Molly ’11. Serendipity brought the Chapman and Casertano families together poolside in Florida many years before boarding school was even a consideration for the Chapman children. But that initial meeting in Vero Beach established a connection to people and to a place that would eventually become a home away from home for two of their children.
On our tour at Millbrook, it struck me that every single person we passed said hello to our tour guide by name. And she spoke to them by name. We thought, what a wonderful environment. The other schools had beautiful campuses, great reputations—but nobody spoke to anybody. The environments were sterile. Molly came back to Millbrook for revisit day, and she called me to tell me to bring a check for the deposit. Eliza was also at Greenwich Academy and had a great group of friends. She was doing very well, and we expected she would want to continue there through high school. But the first weekend Molly was home after starting at Millbrook, Eliza saw how incredibly happy she was. Two days later she announced that
she, too, wanted to go to boarding school. After looking at and considering a broad array of schools, she made her decision on Millbrook’s revisit day as well, although she let a full two weeks go by before letting us know! The beauty for us is that Millbrook is so close to Greenwich. Every game that we could make, we did. We would come up on Wednesday and take the girls out to dinner after a game, then head home. It’s so manageable. Even many of Millbrook’s away games bring them down into Westchester County. When I grew up, kids who went away to boarding school were the kids who were getting into trouble. I now preach the gospel that you shouldn’t have any preconceived notions about boarding school. It was a fabulous experience for Molly and Eliza.
Nancy: How did Millbrook prepare your children well for college and life after college? Peter: Both girls were really confident going into college with a great command of the skills they needed to succeed. In fact, they felt that they were more prepared than a lot of their classmates. Eliza graduated from The University of the South in 2016. She wanted an environment that matched her Millbrook experience, and she got it there. She was a member of the Order of the Gownsman (an academic honor), played varsity lacrosse, and enjoyed a very cohesive, close-knit group of classmates. Following graduation, she wanted to work for an independent school in admissions or development. After exploring numerous opportunities, she accepted a position at Indian Mountain School where she serves as an admissions associate, a dorm parent, academic advisor, and assistant lacrosse coach. I’ve never seen someone who loves her job more than she does. She has a lot of responsibility, and she’s learning a great deal.
Molly attended Denison University and was a Dean’s List student and an all-conference field hockey and lacrosse athlete. If she had gone to one of the other prep schools we considered, she would have gotten to the same place at the end of the day, but at the risk of destroying her selfconfidence. Instead, she came to Millbrook, where her self-confidence flourished. And she was really happy. The whole structure of the program here builds the kids up without putting them on a pedestal. They are accountable. Again, that is one of the huge differences between day schools and boarding schools. As Drew likes to say, “It’s our job to make them uncomfortable.”
Nancy: In your commencement speech in 2012, you told students that you hope they learn how to fail. Why was that an important message for you to deliver? Peter: I wanted to say something meaningful to the kids. I was intrigued by an idea I had seen in a magazine about people who had suffered failure after failure, only to ultimately go on to achieve great success—Abe Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan—people who succeeded mightily, but it wasn’t an easy road. I referenced Bonnie St. John, a para-olympic skier, whose message was simple: everybody fails, but the people who succeed are the ones who get up the quickest. Millbrook students are being challenged in the classroom every day. Take the Culminating Experience for Seniors (CES) project, for example, where kids have guidance, but they are basically on their own. I’m incredibly impressed with the work that is coming out of those projects. They are challenged. They are not taking an easy road. Millbrook is very good at putting kids in an uncomfortable environment, where they must take risks and admit they won’t always succeed. If they fail, they own their failure and learn how to deal with it, learn from it, and move on. I saw it with Eliza and Molly on the athletic fields and on the ice. They played bigger schools, tougher schools, harder opponents… they struggled, but by Molly’s junior year, our teams were on a level playing field with schools like GA, schools who were winning at the New England tournaments. They weren’t afraid to schedule teams that they had no business being on the same field with. They failed, they picked themselves up, and ultimately they succeeded.
Peter: The only thing that separates Millbrook from the very best boarding schools in the country is its endowment. We’re working hard, we’ve made progress, but we’ve got a long way to go. When we rectify this problem, Millbrook will become inevitable. That’s the goal we set when we launched this campaign. The needle is moving in the right direction, and endowment will put us a lot closer to that goal. The board committed to this capital campaign after developing the School Life Master Plan in 2011. I had great perspective having just gone through the admission process with both girls. We saw some extraordinary facilities at other schools, and Millbrook’s facilities were in need of a significant upgrade. We needed to address bricks and mortar from a competitive standpoint, so we focused our efforts initially on the physical plant rather than endowment. We are approaching our goal of $65,000,000, and the focus is now purely on endowment. The Koenigsberger Challenge puts endowment front and center, and we must raise $16 million between now and the end of the year. It’s an incredible opportunity for us, for our students, and for our faculty. Endowment will support our covenant with the faculty, providing them with competitive salaries, appropriate housing, and important benefits, and will allow us to continue to care for the physical plant and provide financial aid for deserving students. For all the right reasons, this campaign was the right thing to do at the right time. It’s by far and away the biggest fundraising challenge we’ve undertaken, and certainly it’s been the most successful. But we’ve got a ways to go.
Peter Chapman is a graduate of Brunswick School and Michigan State University and earned his MBA at Columbia University. A successful entrepreneur, Peter was a partner, CFO, and COO of People and Properties, a sports marketing firm that packaged and marketed a wide variety of sporting events from the LPGA and Senior PGA tours to CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) to international swimming and figure skating competitions. After selling the company to the Interpublic Group in 1997, Peter contributed to the successful growth of the rebranded company, GM R*Works, as its executive vice president, expanding from 20 employees to 350 with offices in seven U.S. cities.
Nancy: Why is this capital campaign important in the school’s history, important here and now?
Facilities Update A Tradition of Giving:
Millbrook’s Tribute Garden An interview with The Tribute Garden, Inc. Board Chair Oakleigh Thorne and board member George T. Whalen III
A foundation serving Dutchess County residents since 1943, The Millbrook Tribute Garden supports a vast array of meaningful projects in a manner that might be described as “flying under the radar.” There is nothing grandiose about the organization except the reach of their generosity. There is no real publicity, yet local residents somehow know that The Tribute Garden is making a difference.
There is no red tape for those soliciting the foundation – applications for worthy projects are made in conversations, and checks for approved projects are often delivered in person. The foundation’s founder and subsequent board members have made a tradition of giving that is simple, meaningful, and locally focused, and Millbrook School has been one of many of their beneficiaries.
Millbrook’s Tribute Garden was first formed in 1919 when Oakleigh Thorne and his wife, Helen Stafford Thorne, donated six acres of land in the Village of Millbrook to create a park and honor World War I veterans. In 1920 the Millbrook Garden Club planted trees, landscaped the park, and constructed an honor roll as a tribute to US forces in World War I, and in 1943 Oakleigh Thorne formalized The Tribute Garden, Inc. as an endowed foundation to support the gardens going forward. The Veteran’s Green was subsequently donated to the foundation in 1948, and a memorial was built there as a tribute to our World War II veterans.
New faculty housing will be completed late spring
Prum Hall meeting space, much the same but so much better Oakleigh Thorne and Helen Stafford Thorne
Dividends from The Tribute Garden, Inc. foundation are used each year to fund maintenance of the property. Over time, as the foundation’s assets grew, their dividends outstripped maintenance costs, and the foundation’s board began thinking about how to best serve the needs of the local community. Seeing a real demand for public parking in the Village of Millbrook, they bought land for parking lots, and these small lots scattered throughout the village remain beneficial to residents today.
The North Campus Development Plan is underway as the new maintenance facility takes shape
Parent Participation at an All-Time High It is reported that fundraising is similar to a contact sport; you must reach out and contact donors. You must get to know them better and listen carefully. P.L.A.N. (Parent Leadership Annual Network) volunteers are our premier players who volunteer for the Admissions and Development offices and assist with a few of the largest on campus weekend activities. It is their incredible support that has helped push our parent participation rates ever higher and made a difference in the day-to-day experience of Millbrook students and faculty.
Paul Simons ‘83 with his sons Will ‘19 and Harry ‘17
FUN is a part of FUNDRAISING. This year
Parent volunteers have enhanced student life in so many ways. Over 30 parents transformed the student center into a winter ski lodge for the formal Snow Ball in early December. Students reported that this fundraiser, with proceeds going to a local soup kitchen, was one of the best dances ever. In addition to decorating for dances, parents work closely with the dormitory faculty to add to the quality of student life. Each dormitory has a lead parent volunteer who organizes special ‘dorm feeds’, in some cases as many as twice a month. Students enjoy bagel bars with all the trimmings during exams, Mexican food fiestas before study hall on a Friday evening, and a gala of desserts on a Saturday evening during a closed weekend.
has been an exceptional year in our quest for 95% parent participation in annual giving. While students were revved up for their traditional Winter Weekend dorm competition, parents entered into their own Winter Weekend contest that ran concurrently. The goal – to raise parent participation in the Annual Fund to an all time high. Parents displayed their dormitory pride by making 58 new Annual Fund gifts, 16 pledges, and two new matching gifts. It was a huge success, and the parent group with the greatest dorm participation, Abbott, won a pizza party for their children. This boost by our parents not only put parent giving ahead in dollars yearto-date, it has set us well on our way to our participation goal.
dorm participation
64%
64%
2016
0%
2017
IIIrd Form
were amazed at how the campus remained so
They relaxed in the renovated barn, they slept comfortably in the new West dorm, and they enjoyed meals in the beautiful new dining hall on the north end of campus. Walking across to the south side of campus, however, they were surprised to find that the marsh boardwalk and eco hut were both in need of essential repairs and maintenance.
59%
2016
celebrate their 25th anniversary last June, they
Within days of the end of Alumni Weekend, members of the class of 1991 had begun talking about ways to help the school rebuild and maintain these facilities that had been incredibly important to them, facilities that inspired their love of the outdoors and stewardship of the natural world during their time as students at Millbrook. They would like current students to enjoy the same opportunities to wander down the boardwalk at the marsh, explore the nature around them, and dive into academic pursuits that are inspired by access to the natural world in the beautiful surroundings of the marsh, the woodlands, and the streams that populate south campus.
52% 44%
32%
25%
When the class of 1991 returned to campus to
much better.
75%
50%
South Campus Eco-Project much the same but was, at the same time, so
Parent Giving as of January 30, 2017
100%
C la s s of 1 9 9 1 :
2017
IVth Form
2016
35% 2017
Vth Form
2016
47%
2017
VIth Form
The class of 1991 has since begun pursuing with the school an integrated vision for site improvements rooted in Millbrook’s signature values of stewardship and nature-based education. They are hoping to raise $30,000 by June 30, 2017 to make necessary repairs to the marsh boardwalk. Further renovations and enhancements would also happen over time - upgrading the eco hut and entrance to the canopy walkway and connecting these facilities via a research trail and living laboratory through kiosks and signage. When they meet their goal in June,they will be one of the first classes in Millbrook’s history to offer a class gift after graduation. A plaque at the entrance to the marsh boardwalk will proudly acknowledge their support!
“We’re so connected to the organizations to which we donate because they’re so local…We see the benefits and know the benefits. We have that personal connection.” Beautifying the village has also been a priority. When The Tribute Garden removed the train station from the village green to create the beautiful expanse of lawn that surrounds the veteran’s memorial, they enhanced the entire look of the village entrance. Along the main thoroughfare, Franklin Avenue, they also began a program to fund building façade improvements. Tribute Garden Board Member George Whalen III has seen the dramatic effect of this program, “That has been a tremendous benefit to the commercial district. Historical photos show the really poor conditions of some of the buildings. More than 50% of the commercial buildings have benefited, and it’s amazing what these dollars have done to make this quaint village beautiful.” The bulk of annual Tribute Garden support goes towards schools, hospitals, and church programs in northeastern Dutchess County. The foundation established a college scholarship
program in 1985, and each year they award each of two deserving Millbrook Central High School seniors a $20,000 scholarship. They support all of the local schools in a wide variety of ways—from the nursery schools through secondary schools, private, independent, and public—and higher education as well. Nearly 100 gifts a year include support for the local fire engines, ambulances, and equipment in the firehouse, food kitchens, boy scouts, girl scouts, and other youth programs, as well as funding for the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Current Board Chair Oak Thorne is proud of how well the foundation uses its resources, “It’s important that we support the local programs that are helping people in need. Unlike most foundations, we have zero administrative overhead, so all of the foundation’s money can go directly to funding worthy projects.” The Tribute Garden has been very instrumental in supporting a wide variety of
projects at Millbrook School over an extended period of time. The foundation’s relationship with the school goes back decades to when Sandy Burton ’50 was the chair of Millbrook’s board—Oakleigh B. Thorne was a board member at the time and a close friend. While neither Oakleigh B. Thorne nor his son, Oak, attended Millbrook, many other family members did, including Oak’s sister, Eliza ’95, and an extensive list of cousins. The Whalen family likewise has a long history with both The Tribute Garden and Millbrook School. George and his wife, Susan, are parents to four Millbrook graduates: Sarah ’06, George ’09, Kathryn ’10, and Caroline ’14. George is also the third generation to serve on The Tribute Garden’s board, and he continues a long family history between the Thornes and Whalens that dates back to the 1920s when George’s grandfather and Oak’s great, great grandfather became good friends and colleagues. These friendships and traditions will surely continue long into the future. The Tribute Garden is focused on helping to beautify two very significant pieces of property in the village of Millbrook—Bennett College and the Thorne Building—and over the next 5-10 years they will very likely devote time and money to both projects. Their primary focus on schools and local programs will continue and likely grow, and The Tribute Garden will leave an indelible mark on Millbrook and the surrounding area in its quiet but powerful way.
T h e
The Millbrook Campaign
GROWING SUPPORT:
Capital Projects Completed Barn Renovation:
$4,000,000
Squash Center Expansion: New Dormitory:
$1,700,000 $8,400,000
Health & Wellness Center: Dining Hall:
$400,000 $10,000,000
A gold level LEED certified student center
Building on the long tradition of excellent teaching and teachers at Millbrook, the second of the seven objectives in our strategic plan, known as Vision 2017, is to attract and retain the strongest faculty possible by improving salaries for classroom teachers to the median of a tenschool peer group, improving our retirement benefits, and adding to our faculty housing inventory. Labeled the Covenant with Faculty, it also includes a detailed rubric to describe excellence in classroom teaching. This rubric was developed by our academic department chairs, who were led in this effort by Dean of Faculty Kathy Havard P’11, ’13, and is now used in our assessment and development of classroom teaching. Significant adjustments in compensation have pushed salary levels up, and we continue to intentionally develop a school culture that is supportive of faculty in a variety of ways. Professional development opportunities are encouraged and supported—teachers can pursue graduate degrees, attend conferences and workshops, and work together to innovate and to grow as professionals in ways that enhance teaching and learning on campus. The covenant also supports teachers who have been with us for a number of years. They can earn a sabbatical or summer travel grant, and such an opportunity can work wonders for sustaining teachers and allowing them to renew and refocus. Finally, the school is also committed to providing appropriate and quality housing for faculty members, and three new townhouse units with six faculty homes are nearing completion. While we’re making progress, there are still gaps as compared to our peer schools and a deep need to sustain and enhance these initiatives with endowment. A growing endowment will allow Millbrook to attract and retain the very best teachers who will continue to work the Millbrook magic with generations of students to come.
a 44-bed facilty for girls, with four beautiful faculty homes
state of the art 400-seat facility for a student body of 300 and faculty & staff
Dorm Renovations: New Maintenance Facilities: Main Street Millbrook:
renovations to Prum, passages to the new dining hall
Trustee Robert Koenigsberger and his wife, Dilek, parents of Amber ‘13 and Ilayda ‘16, have stepped forward to make an unprecedented challenge to Millbrook School to address the school’s top capital priority: to raise the school’s endowment by a total of $20 million in 2017.
Zoo Improvements:
including renovation of the Mill
$1,500,000
Flagler Chapel Improvements: Faculty Housing:
$500,000 $3,000,000
Schoolhouse upgrades, lighting, landscaping, safety and security
TO BE ACCOMPLISHED
Faculty support:
professional development and salaries and benefits
Financial Aid: Program Initiatives & Innovation: Campus Facilities & Maintenance:
million – thanks to the tremendous support of our alumni, parents, trustees, and friends. We are closing in this year on our most ambitious goal ever - $2.2 million.
ANNUAL FUND 2016-2017
$2,200,000 $1,757,847.69 $1,679,671.35 $1,429,651.42
$885,769.92 $641,083.55
$142,364.58 $116,464.58
$55
New Admission Center:
The Annual Fund has grown by more than 400% since 1990 – from $425,000 to over $2.1
If we are successful in meeting this challenge, Millbrook will take another giant step forward. Needless to say, we are incredibly grateful to the Koenigsbergers, who have been catalysts for new facilities on campus prior to the current endowment challenge. This is an incredible opportunity for the school and is certain to go a long way towards making Millbrook inevitable as the best small boarding school in our country.
$600,000
Campus Improvements:
accounting for $10 million of the total goal through 2017.
Specifically, Robert and Dilek will contribute $1 for every $4 the school raises in gifts and pledges for endowment by December 31st. They will donate a total of $4 million if the school can raise $16 million this year. The Koenigsbergers believe strongly that a good school requires a healthy and growing endowment to accomplish its mission and to provide adequate support for the faculty, for financial aid, and for the ongoing maintenance of the physical plant.
In Progress
$84,915.08
Growing The Endowment
$55,000,000
8/1/2016
9/1/2016
10/1/2016
11/1/2016
12/1/2016
1/1/2017
2/1/2017
3/1/2017
$50
$1,500,000
$45
Recent records in annual giving participation are equally impressive and demonstrate the commitment
$40
our alumni have to making the current Millbrook experience even better than their own. In the recent Headmaster’s Challenge, an Annual Fund participation challenge for the classes of 1990 and above, three
$35
IN PROGRESS
845-677-8261 • www.millbrook.org
THE KOENIGSBERGERS OFFER EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE GRANT FOR ENDOWMENT
$500,000 $1,600,000 $1,700,000
For Endowment
Produced by Millbrook’s Development Office
Annual giving is important and integral to the current capital campaign,
$10,000,000
In Millions
The Endowment & The Covenant with our Faculty
Annual Fund Dollars and Participation
C a m p a i g n
Spring 2017
$33,000,000
classes from three decades were declared the winners:
$3 $25
class of 1997
$20
$10,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000
$18,500,000
$10,000,000
class of 2013
$0
’98 ’99
’00
’01
’02 ’03
’04
’05
’06
’07
’08
’09
’10
’11
’12
73.5%
class of 2003
$15,500,000
$15 $10
classes led the way; others followed very closely behind. By the end of the challenge on February 28th,
’13
’14
’15
’16
’17
69.1% 44.3%
GOAL by 6/30/1