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About NMH The Future
February E-news bulletin
NORTHFIELD STEWARDSHIP
At its February meeting, the board of
trustees reviewed the Northfield Stewardship Committee’s
proposal to move to the next phase of Northfield campus
reuse planning. With assistance from real estate consultants
Bidwell Advisors and LandVest, the committee is embarking on
a targeted marketing initiative to identify interested
parties. We continue to look for institutions whose needs
match not only our facilities, but also our values. We will
communicate the specifics of these next steps as we
proceed.
In light of President Richard Mueller’s
recent retirement announcement (read more
here ), the trustees
expressed their strong support for Head of School Tom
Sturtevant’s and NSC chair Carol Ramsey’s ’70 leadership in
the effort to find alternative uses for the campus.
FACILITIES PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS
ATHLETICS
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An on-campus athletics programming
committee has been formed. Following is the committee’s
mandate:
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Working with a clear understanding of
the educational mission and goals of NMH and informed by
their various athletics experiences, this group will work
with architects Architectural Resources Cambridge, Inc.
(ARC) to help develop a plan for the indoor and outdoor
athletic facilities and any renovations and new building
relevant to supporting an excellent program in athletics.
This committee will work at the discretion of the
architect/planning firm that will develop options and
recommendations for Tom Sturtevant and the NMH Board of
Trustees to consider. The work of this committee is expected
to span a few months, from now until the planning process is
completed.
ADMISSION
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Preliminary interviews with architects
for a new admission building have begun. The admission
office will work closely with the design team once the
trustee subcommittee selects the architect. The target date
for opening is September 2006. For next year, the admission
office will be located in Norton House on the south end of
campus, just past the new student cottages.
ARTS
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Arts architects CBT is working closely
with the on-campus arts center programming committee. Their
meetings have involved a closer examination of program costs
and size, and the possibility of reusing some existing
facilities for part of the program. Read a press release
about Childs Bertman Tseckares, Inc. (CBT) at
www.nmhschool.org/news/releases04-05/cbt.asp.
STUDENT COTTAGES
EDUCATIONAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS
Dean of Students Nicole Hager is
working with the student life committee (a faculty and staff
group that includes six students) to design a house
selection process that meets the needs of as many students
as possible. Returning students had the opportunity to visit
the houses on the Mount Hermon campus before submitting
their housing preferences.
An exciting new component of next
year’s schedule is the introduction of twice-a-week
community meetings. Tentatively, a brief Monday morning
meeting will be held for reflection and to kick off the
school week, and a longer gathering on Thursday will focus
on student news, programs, and activities.
PHILANTHROPY
While gifts for bricks and mortar will
be essential for a successful transition to a one-campus
school, NMH continues to work with alumni, parents, and
friends who wish to give for other purposes. The capital
gift team has had meetings with over 300 alumni and parents
since last July. Discussions about the school's transition
plans have been very positive and in some cases, have
resulted in leadership commitments towards new buildings as
well as the endowment for scholarships, faculty salaries,
and educational programs.
This year's Annual Fund is more than
half-way to reaching its $3 million goal. The average Annual
Fund gift ($426) is the highest in more than five years, and
current parents and grandparents are way ahead with their
dollars and donors.
We received the good news that NMH’s
endowment performance for last year ranked number one among
the 38 ABOPS (Association of Business Officers of
Preparatory Schools) schools we are associated with.
The board of
trustees approved a budget that allows the school to
increase its teaching faculty salary scale significantly,
reflecting a commitment to the importance of attracting and
retaining a strong faculty. Overall, there is about a 17
percent increase in the faculty salaries this year. Future
improvements in faculty salaries will remain a top priority.
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