STATE OF THE SCHOOL 2023

A Strategy to Enhance Community and Build for the Future

In spring 2022, we successfully completed our decennial accreditation with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). This is a significant accomplishment, as it demonstrates our commitment to meeting high standards of educational excellence and continuous improvement. In the report to the school, NEASC wrote:

“The Visiting Committee Report identified many areas for commendation. The Commission particularly commends the entire school community for its commitment to nurturing an unmistakable sense of belonging with faculty and student relationships distinguished by acceptance, support, encouragement, mutual respect and affection, and the right connections to ensure every student succeeds.”

In conjunction with this accomplishment, we have launched our new five-part strategic plan, which focuses on key areas that will ensure the fulfillment of our mission and the ongoing success of our students:

• Nurture a sense of belonging that is shared by all. We recognize that students learn best when they feel a strong sense of belonging. While this is an area of strength for the school, we believe we can do even better for our students and the community as a whole. We are committed to finding methods to measure levels of belonging and to use the data to inform ways we can improve.

• Achieve a long-term, stable, and sustainable business model. The economics of running a school are unfavorable, with increasing tuition rates and costs to run our programs. We recognize the need to find ways to make the economics better and more sustainable in the long term. To date, we have partnered with other schools to explore ways to share services. We have done careful planning and benchmarking that has allowed us to maintain tuition increases at reasonable levels despite an inflationary fiscal environment. We reduced the annual draw from the endowment to help grow and preserve that asset for future generations.

• Support an inspired, engaged, and fulfilled workforce. Our employees are the bedrock of our school, and we are determined to be a place where people love to work. While some of this is culture and belonging, it is also defined by the practical compensation and benefits we provide. Over the past year, we have brought transparency to our teacher salary scale and ensured that our base compensation meets or exceeds Portland Public Schools and is in the top quartile of independent schools in Northern New England. We offer competitive benefits and great access to professional development opportunities.

• Ensure our facilities invite belonging, enhance creativity, and meet programming needs. Although our campus is beautiful and largely functional, the pandemic and our desire to expand programs have revealed the need for additional space and the establishment of priorities. We are developing a Campus Framework Plan that will serve as a roadmap for facility improvements over the coming decades. The plan includes extensive consultation with various stakeholders, including faculty, staff, parents, students, and alumni.

• Continue to renew, innovate, and enhance academic and co-curricular programs. The world is ever-changing, and so too is our understanding of what children need to thrive in the future. For almost a decade, we have methodically assessed each academic area of the school through the process of curriculum reviews and have enjoyed the important innovations and program evolution that have resulted from that work. We are now developing our next generation of program reviews and assessment strategies to ensure the continued vibrancy of our school.

With this new plan, we are excited to build on our past successes and set a course for an even brighter future for our school and the students we serve.

Poised for the Future

As we celebrate our successes, we recognize that the world of education is rapidly evolving. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and computer programs like ChatGPT will undoubtedly have both positive and negative impacts on education. We are committed to staying ahead of these changes and equipping our students with the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. We want our students to be in a position to understand how the technology works—to be creators and inventors rather than simply consumers. With this in mind, we are constantly exploring innovative teaching methods and new technologies that will help us better serve our students.

Faculty members Page Lennig, Jon Amory, and Emma Bartnick have launched an ambitious effort to provide all our students with a grounding in both computer science and engineering. Beginning this year, every middle school student has the opportunity to learn programming as well as design and engineering. We have built a STEAM lab with digital design and fabrication tools so that students can practice their learning in a hands-on environment. In the Upper School, students can learn computer science, robotics, sophisticated engineering concepts, and how to use computer-aided design tools. Every student will have the opportunity to learn the logic, design, and critical thinking skills necessary in a technology-rich world.

Deeply Rooted in Dialogue

At the core of a functioning democracy is the ability to engage in productive and respectful dialogue with people with whom you disagree. This is an essential element of civic life and ensures that different voices and perspectives are heard and considered. We believe that becoming adept at dialogue is an essential component of education. Our students are encouraged to engage in open and honest conversations, even when it means grappling with difficult and uncomfortable topics. To support this effort, we have developed the Third Thought Initiatives for Civic Engagement program, which is specifically designed to provide opportunities for young people to learn and practice these skills. With the tools to engage in productive dialogue, not only at Waynflete but in schools across the state, we believe that our students can help build a more robust and vibrant democracy that values and respects the diverse perspectives of all its citizens.

On the Stage, On the Field, and Behind the Podium—Our Students Shine

Waynflete students love to compete and to perform. At our most recent Upper School Winter Music Concert, we witnessed the wonderful evolution of our performing arts program with outstanding performances by all our ensembles, including Acoustic Roots, Chamber Ensemble, Jazz Combo, Band, and Chorus. Our thespians performed in a deeply moving rendition of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in the fall and in the delightful SpongeBob Musical this winter. Our athletic teams remain regular contenders, with championship runs this past year in soccer, cross-country, rowing, hockey, Nordic skiing, lacrosse, and tennis. Students in our new speech and debate program recently placed second in a tournament against schools from across New England. We have a long history of success in Maine State Science Olympiad competitions. Being a small school doesn’t prevent us from always being a contender.

A Sound Financial Footing

The school’s financial and program data reveal a school that is healthy and poised for continued growth and evolution. The school’s $24 million operating budget includes over $5.2 million in tuition assistance, ensuring broad student access to Waynflete’s incredible program. Our endowment stands at $26 million, providing $1.2 million in operating budget support every year. Through prudent fiscal management, the school has maintained steady increases in tuition at 3.8 percent for more than a decade, despite our inflationary environment. We continue to invest over $500,000 annually in our facilities and have completed construction on an artificial turf field as well as a new boathouse for our rowing program.

Enrollment Continues to Be Robust

Waynflete continues to be fully enrolled in a competitive market, successfully meeting our overall enrollment goal with 580 students. All our admission and enrollment metrics are very positive, with over 250 annual inquiries, a yield of 78 percent, attrition below National Association of Independent Schools averages, and interest in the school at an all-time high. Despite the pandemic, we have enjoyed four years of record enrollment numbers. Waynflete is recognized as being one of the best schools in New England, with an excellent reputation in Maine.

The author Dan Heischman referred to Waynflete as a “place apart in a world where the other is often demonized.” Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and its aftermath, Waynflete has seemed like a place apart in the ways we have purposefully carried on with the education of our students. This is a testament to our families and the incredible team of employees who understand and embrace our mission.

On behalf of the entire Waynflete community, I wish you a short “mud season” and a warm and sunny spring.

Geoff Wagg Head of School