![]() |
About NMH Future
October '05 E-news bulletin
FACILITIES PLANNING AND
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
The NMH Office of Admission has moved from the Homestead to the
newly renovated Norton House, which sits south of Memorial
Chapel and the new dormitories, and above McLamore Field.
Visiting families have the opportunity to view the entire campus
and the Connecticut River Valley from Cottage Row as they travel
to Norton. The admission office will use this facility while
funds are being raised for a new admission building.
Groundbreaking for the new arts building is scheduled to begin
in the fall of 2006. In an earlier communication, it was
reported that a plan to move the power plant had been approved.
Since then, a revised design has allowed the school to retain
the existing power plant at considerable savings. The design for
the arts center is nearing the final stages.
Two new regulation fields have been excavated and installed on
the piggery fields; they are located east of the farm and on the
road to the lower fields. Sod and irrigation systems are being
installed, and it is expected that the fields will be ready for
use by a variety of athletic teams in the spring.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
EDUCATIONAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS
The academic year is off to an auspicious start as a gathered
community on one campus. Many faculty and staff have reported a
very successful opening, and as one student put it, “We are no
longer Northfielders or Hermonites; we are all now students of
NMH.”
The NMH Task Force for Sustainability was formed in support of
the school’s environmental awareness initiative. The group will
set an agenda and outline action steps for the school this
month. Two related initiatives, NMH now has access to MDATA
Online, an interactive software program accessible through the
web that allows customers to monitor energy-use data; also, NMH
has entered the Green Cup Challenge against Exeter and
Lawrenceville, in which students will encourage their respective
schools to reduce energy usage by measuring and comparing data.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHILANTHROPY
Under the leadership of trustees Robert MacKinnon '53 and
William Shea '72, NMH is preparing a major comprehensive
fundraising campaign (combining all annual and capital gifts and
pledges) to accelerate the school's positive momentum. Director
of Development Brian Walsh is staff leader of campaign
preparations under the direction of Peter Buchanan, who is
serving as interim chief advancement officer. A nucleus fund led
by trustees to start the campaign stood at $21.5 million as of
June 30, 2005.
The search for a chief advancement officer is progressing well.
Several excellent candidates have been identified, and Head of
School Tom Sturtevant expects to make the appointment soon.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHFIELD CAMPUS NEWS
The Northfield Stewardship Committee (NSC) of the board met on
September 22. The school continues to receive inquiries and host
tours of the Northfield campus. The ongoing marketing effort
that primarily targets education-related organizations will be
expanded nationally beyond the New York and New England regions.
The committee agreed to further study the viability of a
multiuser scenario.
Bonnie Parsons and Lori Tanner of Pioneer Valley Planning
Commission (PVPC), the firm hired to complete an architectural
and landscape inventory of both campuses, have been working in
the school archives, other repositories of architectural and
landscape history, and around the campuses. Several generous
alumni have contributed $90,000 toward this project. A group of
Northfield campus advisors is looking into publication options
for the completed inventory.
The Celebrate Northfield event held on September 9 and 10 was
well-attended by nearly 200 alumni. According to a 1957
Northfield graduate who was present, "It was a great opportunity
for healing. I think the more one sees the students and hears
about the program, the more one can fill in the vacuum about the
future."
Top of Page
|
|
![]()
|
