GROWING MINDS, BUILDING FUTURES The Educational Experience Our Students Deserve

By Chris Hancock

There’s really no other way to say it: it was a banner year for Benchmark School.

is already impressively high) and attract the finest educators in the country.

The desire in our community to see this school thrive is apparent and collectively we seem to will into existence the educational experience our students deserve. Truly, it is this desire and more that shaped a wonderful year.

What stands out most to me, however, is a mindset at Benchmark that I find palpable at times. It permeates the walls and hallways, leaving a sense of excitement about growth and opportunity—for our students and for the future of our school. A return to Angela Duckworth’s seminal work on mindset confirms its importance for us. Our growth is inextricably linked to our belief that such growth is continual and ever-evolving. The more we believe it, the more successful we are bound to be. If this doesn’t sum up the last 50+ years I do not know what does. This very well might be Benchmark’s origin story.

Our evolution as an institution continued in remarkable ways this year beginning with our generous donors who have been helping us turn our dream of a truly spectacular play space that will welcome every student into a tangible reality. We broke ground the day after summer camp ended and please look out for word of our playground unveiling later this fall.

Additionally, our Board of Trustees, administration, and teachers have spent the last several years helping us create a new compensation and benefits plan that will dramatically improve these critical areas for all faculty and staff which, in turn, will promote retention (which

We were also able to take advantage of the sudden sale of a property by our neighbors (picture a donut hole in the middle of our campus). We have purchased 3.3 acres and the private home on which it resides to finally unify all parts of our campus. This was the original estate from which Benchmark purchased adjacent land in the 1970s to build our first building. It will provide exciting new opportunities for community gathering as well as improvements to campus navigability.

Also, we have advanced institutional research on learning outcomes over time at Benchmark. We have begun new outside partnerships to increase enrollment and student diversity that have already shown results. We have raised a record amount of money in a single year due to so many people’s generosity. Finally, we have launched our school’s new visual brand, which you see reflected in this magazine, on our website, and on and within our school itself. We’re proud of this brand, which we believe is a beautiful and authentic expression of the care and support our Benchmark community provides, and well as the transformative growth our students experience.

Like I said earlier, this year has been a remarkable success for our current students and for the future of Benchmark. Let’s continue to maintain that special mindset. Let’s maintain the environment in which our students thrive. Together, let’s keep doing great things.