As students attended classes last Friday, the members of the Board of Trustees were busy discussing ways to improve the school.
The weekend of May 3 began with reports from Mrs. Jeannie Rose ’80, P’18, president of the Board, and Mr. Craig Bradley, head of school.
The trustees broke up into committees to engage in problem solving on important issues. Each trustee is part of two committees, which focus on specific topics such as finance, community life, and academic matters.
Trustees reunited in the evening to address some of the big-picture issues facing the school. This spring, the board focused on admissions, college placement, and curriculum review. Mrs. Elizabeth Hines ’93, the next co-president of the Board of Trustees, said, “It’s a jam-packed series of days – but also always extremely invigorating, because of all of the passion the people involved bring to their work with the school.”
Trustees play a major role in important decisions that affect the school. For example, the Board of Trustees was involved in the decision to bring co-education to campus in 1974. The Board has also been involved with curriculum review initiatives, such as the review of the Humanities program and the development of advanced-level classes, and large construction projects, such as the MAC, dormitories, and Fairfield Farm.
Most importantly, however, the trustees have a common interest in the people that make up the community. Mrs. Hines said, “I suspect most folks wouldn’t guess how interested the trustees are in the happiness and well-being of students – and adults – on campus.”
The Organizational Review and Nominating Committee (ORAN) first researches and nominates alums who would be good matches for the Board. ORAN looks for individuals who would bring expertise and different perspectives. Candidates who pass the vetting process are invited to become a member of the Board after the Board votes on them.
Mrs. Hines wanted to become a trustee after her experience with the school deeply impacted her life. She said, “I have always felt a debt of gratitude to the school for what it provided to me in the way of education, friendship, and knowledge of self. When I was presented with the opportunity to serve the school in the role of trustee, it felt like a small way for me to repay some of that debt.”
Trustees are genuinely committed to improving the school. Dr. Rebecca Van der Bogert, former head of school of Palm Beach Day Academy and current member of the Board, said, “Schools are like a massive puzzle with many moving pieces, and it’s fascinating to try to understand how each piece contributes to what is best for students, which pieces can be moved around, and how the pieces best [fit] together. Each school is unique, and making sense of what is best for the students at a particular school is an ongoing learning experience that I cherish.”
Members of the Board of Trustees will have dinner with new proctors when they reconvene in the fall.