About NMH Today

Planning Goals and Values

NMH will develop a plan that transforms the Mount Hermon
campus so that:

Philosophically

• We integrate our cultural and diverse interests (religion, social background, culture).
• We find ways to physically express who we are.
• It reflects our commitment to the development of the whole person.
• It looks and feels like a boarding school, reflects “the magic of ideas,” and is an “outdoorsy place” with room to grow and unlimited horizons.
• We integrate academic and residential life and the head, heart, and hand at every scale and in every place and space.
• It has an atmosphere of intimacy, closeness, and shared experience.
• There is a sense of campus unity and togetherness.
• It maintains its sense of spaciousness (one can still go off by oneself
  to find inspiration and solitude).
• The spiritual is an intentional part of the experience.
• All elements resonate, integrate, and vibrate.

Programmatically

• It supports the importance, quality, and purpose of our evolving academic program as stated in our strategic initiatives:   
• flexibly designed and appropriately sized, clustered, and located classrooms
• appropriately scaled and located individual and group study spaces; proper work spaces and gathering places for teachers
• logical travel distances for everyone
• integrated technology and appropriate support spaces
• administration, teachers, and students naturally interacting in everyway in everyplace
• It supports our ability to communicate our values to a wide and changing array of individuals.
• We seize the opportunity to integrate the chapel and farm into the life of the community.
• Our program and campus are infused with a sense of culture, and the arts and athletics are integrated with both the life of the community and its members.
• There are many opportunities for participation (at many levels and sizes) in community experiences and gatherings.
• Food, technology, and the outdoors facilitate our sense of wholeness and support our sophisticated global community.
• There is a perceivable level of activity on campus and a tangible pulse to school life.

Physically

• There is an intentional flow and overall organization to the campus.
• It is intuitively clear and visually coherent.
• Vehicular and pedestrian circulation is organized to optimize safety, security, accessibility, service, and parking.
• We celebrate the best of the traditions, architecture, and legacies of both campuses (Perry Pond, the Moody buildings, North Farmhouse, etc.) and the backgrounds and cultures of those who live on campus (round shapes, Japanese study areas, hogans, etc.).
• The student center and library are in the center of the life of the campus, and the campus has a core sense of wholeness.
• It connects the inside and outside with the greater environment (the river, valley, mountains, and mist).
• We create pockets of coziness.
• It is environmentally sensitive, sustainable, and a living laboratory for what we profess.
• Classroom spaces look and feel dignified and collegial.
• We challenge ourselves to expand our horizons because of our incredible mix of opportunities.
• We optimize the natural beauty of the campus.
• We create the best learning and living conditions for our students and faculty.

Practically

• It is simple in concept and practical to operate and maintain within our financial constraints.
• It can be implemented in phases with a minimum of disruption to students and staff.
• Larger buildings are made to feel smaller and work more effectively within our culture and values.
• There is an effective balance of indoor and outdoor travel distances.
• It demonstrates quality, excellence, and our sense of pride, self-esteem, and modesty.