12 minute read
Strategic Plan Update
MOMENTUM
How Pomfret’s strategic plan set the School’s future in motion.
In 2013, Pomfret announced its vision for the future. Called The Pomfret Purpose, the new strategic plan was a watershed moment in the life of the School. Uncharacteristically bold for a stodgy New England boarding school, the plan sought to reimagine every facet of the Pomfret Experience. “For young people to flourish in a changing world, we must prepare them wisely, differently, and well,” said Head of School Tim Richards at the time. “This will likely represent a significant change in how we currently operate.”
Seven years later, the change has come. These are the results.
— from The Pomfret Purpose, 2013
REAL LEARNING
Leaders in teaching and learning: We teach students how to think, not what to think.
2013
PROJECT: POMFRET The School begins setting aside dedicated time for a new project-based learning experience. Rooted in the principles of design thinking, Project: Pomfret encourages students and faculty to explore and investigate problems that inspire and perplex them in ways that are deeply and uniquely transformative.
CAREER EXPO Pomfret hosts its first annual career day, an event that brings thirty to forty alumni back to campus each year to talk with students about their chosen profession. This full day gathering includes workshops in the morning and one-on-one networking opportunities in the afternoon. Now in its ninth year, 116 alumni and more than 900 students have participated.
2014
THE GRAUER INSTITUTE The School establishes the Grauer Family Institute for Excellence and Innovation in Education. What begins as an incubator for emerging ideas rapidly becomes a powerful agent for change on the Pomfret School campus.
2015
ADVANCED COURSES Pomfret drops Advanced Placement courses from its curriculum and replaces them with advanced courses designed by Pomfret faculty. Students still have the option to take AP exams.
PROJECT ZERO Faculty begin attending a weeklong professional development workshop hosted by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. To date, more than forty teachers have graduated from the Project Zero program.
LONG BLOCK SCHEDULING Pomfret abandons the traditional seven-block, 45-minute class schedule for a more progressive three-block, 80-minute class schedule — slowing the pace of the day, and giving students and teachers time for deep thinking, real-world assessment, and problem-solving.
NEXT GEN CLASSROOMS The School renovates every classroom on campus. Blackboards are replaced with writable walls and desks, and heavy immovable furniture is substituted for lighter modular designs. The result is a more flexible learning environment where the room no longer dictates what can be taught.
2016
HELIOS PROJECT With the support of a grant from the E.E. Ford Foundation, students design and build a passive solar aquaponics greenhouse behind the du Pont Library. Named for the Sun-god Helios, it serves as a research lab in biology and environmental science, and supplies fresh produce to local food pantries.
POMCON Pomfret begins hosting a two-day, in-house professional development conference before the start of every school year. Taught by teachers for teachers, PomCon quickly becomes a keystone professional development opportunity and a model for sharing best practices.
INNOVATION GRANTS Pomfret awards its first competitive in-house grant. One of the first recipients is Arts Department Chair Chip Lamb, who receives funding to create a new Arts Immersion program. Today, every freshman is required to take the course.
CURRICULUM PYRAMID The School restructures its curricular framework, ushering in a new wave of foundational courses for underclassmen and exploratory electives for upperclassmen. This “pyramid” structure gives students who naturally gravitate toward a particular domain of academic inquiry the opportunity to explore that area in greater depth over time.
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING CENTER Pomfret creates the Collaborative Learning Center (CLC). The hub of academic support at Pomfret, the CLC equips students with the skills, tools, and confidence they need to succeed at Pomfret and beyond.
2017
ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP Three new positions are added to the Academic Department: Director of Student Growth, Coordinator of Teaching and Learning, and Curriculum Coordinator. This new layer of leadership greatly expands the capacity of the department to think and act strategically.
TRAVEL COURSES Pomfret develops the first of six credit-bearing travel courses. Today, the roster includes Spain, Morocco, France, Peru, Costa Rica, and Maine.
2018
CERTIFICATE PROGRAM The School unveils one of the most exciting academic programs to come along in years. Similar to a college major, the Certificate Program gives highly-motivated students the opportunity to gain deep exposure to a specific area of study (e.g. sustainability, global citizenship). Certificates are diploma distinctions that appear on the student’s transcript.
2019
COLLEGE COUNSELING CURRICULUM The College Counseling Office releases a four-year college counseling roadmap. Developed in partnership with teachers, coaches, and advisors, the plan helps students uncover their promise and potential as they hone their search for a best-fit college.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
• Superior Teaching Method
• Progressive Curriculum Design
• Comprehensive College and Career Programs
• Robust Climate of Innovation, Research, and Partnerships
MOVING FORWARD
In 2013, Pomfret identified six essential qualities that every Pomfret graduate should embody. Now is the time to build a curriculum that truly aligns with those outcomes.
IT’S ABOUT TIME
Distinctive Boarding School Experience: When classes end, the day is just beginning.
2012
DIVERSITY DIRECTOR Pomfret hires its first Director of Diversity, building on a long history of social justice work. In 2019, the School elevates the job to a dean-level position and broadens its mandate to include equity and inclusion.
2015
QUEST The School unveils the cornerstone initiative of its co-curricular program, QUEST. An important complement to classroom learning, this signature program focuses on character, community, social justice, and health and wellness.
MULTICULTURAL RESOURCE CENTER The Virginia S. Eaton Multicultural Resource Center is established. Its mission is to enrich the Pomfret community through increased knowledge, awareness, and understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives. In particular, the center focuses on the professional development of all faculty; and the recruitment, hiring, and retention of faculty and administration of color.
ADVISORY The program expands to include a dedicated advisory block during the school day. Now, in addition to weekly advisory dinners, students gain an extra point of contact with their advisor each week.
2016
CONDUCT AND COMPLIANCE TEAM The School establishes the Conduct and Compliance Team (CCT) to address issues of harassment, bullying, abuse, neglect, discrimination, and assault within the school community. The team is comprised of administrators, teaching faculty, and professional staff who have been specifically trained to handle these difficult situations.
2017
FORM DEANS In a departure from previous years, the Dean of Students Office reduces the number of form deans from eight to four. Each class year is assigned a dean, and he or she remains with that group of students until they graduate. The move allows each dean to build a stronger relationship with his or her form.
8-MAN FOOTBALL The Athletic Department spearheads an initiative to establish an 8-man football league in New England. The move saves the dwindling program and improves player safety. Since moving to the new format, Pomfret has won the championship three years in a row.
EASTOVER DORM The School begins a multi-year effort to expand its residential boarding capacity. The result is the creation of a new dorm, Eastover, plus three major residential overhauls. Since 2013, the School has added forty beds, three faculty apartments, and a new head of school house to campus.
POMFRET PARENT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Pomfret announces the creation of a new advisory body called the Pomfret Parent Executive Council (PPEC). Modeled after the Alumni Association Executive Council, the PPEC gives parents a formal seat at the table, allowing them to voice their needs, concerns, and ideas on a wide range of issues impacting their kids.
2018
HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER A new $4 million, state-of-the-art Health & Wellness Center opens its doors, dramatically improving the quality of student care on campus. The new facility unites two separate but related departments — nursing and counseling — under one roof for the first time.
STUDENT WELLNESS CURRICULUM Pomfret introduces a new health and wellness curriculum focused specifically on stress management, starting freshman year. Supported by programs like yoga, mindfulness, meditation, and POUND, the initiative is a direct response to the epidemic of teen anxiety and depression sweeping the country.
AFTERNOON PROGRAM Pomfret announces a change to its afternoon program. The new policy gives students more voice and choice in how they spend their afternoons, including a wider range of activities to select from, and a more flexible athletic requirement.
TRACK AND FIELD More than forty years after the program was eliminated, Pomfret restores Track and Field to its roster of interscholastic sports.
COMMUNITY SERVICE INTERNSHIPS The Community Service Program introduces a new internship opportunity. The immersive service-learning experience pairs select Pomfret students with key partners in the local area for a sustained period of time. The School continues to hold a school-wide Day of Service.
2019
125TH CELEBRATION Pomfret turns 125 years old. The School kicks off the celebration with a series of regional events held all over the world. The year culminates with a special anniversary edition of Reunion Weekend back on the Hilltop — the largest Pomfret gathering in a generation!
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
• Personal Responsibility
• Healthy Habits
• Lifelong Engagement with Pomfret
MOVING FORWARD
So much of what makes Pomfret remarkable happens between the seams. Now is the time to unite our co-curricular and extracurricular offerings under a single integrated residential life curriculum.
MEASURING WHAT MATTERS.
Measurement of Achievement: Having the desired impact.
2013
VISION OF THE POMFRET GRADUATE Pomfret identifies the six essential skills every Pomfret student should develop during his or her time on the Hilltop. Soon thereafter, the School begins developing rubrics for teaching and learning that align with those outcomes.
2015
ACCREDITATION Pomfret kicks off a rigorous two-year self-study. In 2017, the School is re-accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). A globally recognized standard of excellence, NEASC accreditation attests to a school’s high quality and integrity.
2017
CWRA+ Freshmen begin taking The College and Work Readiness Assessment. Unlike most standardized tests, the CWRA+ measures how well a student can think. Pomfret uses the results to mark progress, improve program design, and demonstrate the efficacy of teaching practices.
2018
MASTERY TRANSCRIPT CONSORTIUM Pomfret joins the Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC), a who’s who of independent schools working cooperatively to create a high school transcript that reflects the unique skills, strengths, and interests of each learner.
PORTFOLIOS Instead of grading students based solely on tests and quizzes, teachers begin adding portfolio requirements to their classes. A portfolio serves as a compilation of student work that demonstrates growth over time.
2019
ALUMNI SURVEY The Advancement Office conducts an alumni survey to gauge career achievement, life satisfaction, and happiness with the School. More than 600 alumni representing a many different viewpoints and life experiences respond.
WELLINGTON ENGAGEMENT INDEX Pomfret pilots a revolutionary new way to measure student engagement. Called the Wellington Engagement Index (WEI), it asks students to plot their overall satisfaction with a course or activity based on the level of challenge and enjoyment they get out of the experience.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
• Forward-Looking Assessments
• Progressive Faculty Evaluations
• Successful Alumni Outcomes
MOVING FORWARD
Regular feedback has always been an important part of the teaching and learning experience at Pomfret. Now is the time to dramatically reshape how we deliver that feedback using real-time data to accelerate the growth process.
A FOCUS ONTHE FUTURE.
Long Term Success: Meeting the needs of today without exhausting the resources of tomorrow.
2013
BOARDING TUITION The administration decides to temper boarding tuition increases in an effort to keep Pomfret affordable for tuitioncapable households. The decision results in a relative change from third-most expensive school in 2013 to nineteenthmost expensive school in 2019 based on a survey of forty peer schools.
FUNDRAISING SUCCESS The Pomfret Fund crosses the $2 million mark for the first time. Between 2013 and 2019, annual giving continues to exceed $2 million year-over-year, peaking at $2.4 million. Over those same six years, total giving (annual, capital, planned, and endowment) rises by a staggering 122 percent.
2015
MASTER PLAN The School releases a campus master plan, with an emphasis on revitalized academic spaces and increased boarding capacity. Over the next few years, Pomfret renovates learning spaces in the School Building, Centennial, and du Pont Library; makes major improvements to the dining hall and dorms; opens a brand new dorm, Eastover; and purchases a new residence for the Head of School, Campbell House.
2016
RETIREMENT Pomfret implements a graded vestment program for retirement accounts. For most employees, the School will match up to 9 percent annually. Faculty and staff who stay at Pomfret for at least five years are considered fully vested.
NORTH AMERICAN BOARDING INITIATIVE Pomfret signs on as a founding member of the North American Boarding Initiative (NABI). The goal is to increase the number of full and high-pay domestic boarders who attend boarding schools in the US and Canada by 2,000 students over a five-year period.
STUDY OF POMFRET ECONOMICS Rational Partners LLC conducts an economic study of Pomfret. This report, and the changes brought by it, lead to a stronger endowment and increased cost savings, with no adverse impact on services or students.
2017
MARKETS OF PROMISE Using data collected by The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), the Admissions Office begins targeting previously overlooked boarding markets in places like Houston, Atlanta, and Denver to bolster enrollment.
RE-BRANDING The Communications Office enlists the help of Edwards and Co. to conduct market research with current parents, prospective parents, alumni, employees, and trustees. Of all the proposed brand positions, “Be Heard” resonates most deeply with the test groups, and is consequently adopted.
COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN Pomfret begins meeting with major donors to discuss a five-year, $60 million comprehensive campaign, based on a mix of capital, endowment, and operational needs and opportunities. Over the next several years, the quiet phase of the campaign generates close to $40 million, setting the stage for a public launch in 2020.
2018
ADMISSIONS REALIGNMENT The Admissions Office adds a position, increasing the number of people who work in Robinson House from eight to nine. At the same time, the residential expectations of admissions officers (dorm duty, coaching, etc.) are reduced, giving those officers more time to find and recruit prospective students.
ENDOWMENT MILESTONE The endowment breaks $50 million, representing an amazing 38 percent increase over the life of the strategic plan. This phenomenal growth is directly attributable to the strength of fundraising, investment returns, and a reduction in endowment draw.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE:
• Sustainable Financial Model
• Strengthened Yield
• Increased Contributions
MOVING FORWARD
As much as the endowment has grown, it needs to grow more. Now is the time to recommit ourselves to making Pomfret a more affordable, less tuition-dependent school with the financial resources to meet the needs of our students at the highest level possible.
