FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

BOARD CHAIR Patricia Murphy

BOARD MEMBERS

Sonja Bartlett Kate Benett Joe Burton Dana Fields Amy Jo Frischling, Vice Chair Tom Halsch Cathryn Johnson Brandon Lacoff Cliff Lanier, Treasurer Sloane Lederer Rob MacNaughton Derrel Mason, Secretary Kat Mattis, Asst. Secretary Chance Patterson Sonia Sandhu Lydia Soifer Kelly Thompson Molly Van Wagenen Roxanne Vanderbilt

EX-OFFICIO

Jim Heus, Head of School Sharon French, Parents Association President

EAGLE HILL NEWS

Eagle Hill News is published two times a year (fall and spring) by the Development Office of Eagle Hill School.

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Lisa Ferraro L.Ferraro@eaglehill.org

DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Linda J. Miller L.Miller@eaglehill.org

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Phil Pineau P.Pineau@eaglehill.org

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

Maria Conforti M.Conforti@eaglehill.org

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY

Phil Pineau Rhonda Smith Chris Taggart

DESIGN

Philofect/Sarah Fey

Focus on the Inbox and the Outbox

Long ago I learned to train my sights on the youngest and oldest members of our student body—the “inbox” and the “outbox.” For both ends of the enrollment spectrum, the focus is finding the right ‘fit’: ascertaining if the newest members of our school community will be well positioned to take full advantage of all EHS has to offer and, at the other end, finding the appropriate school setting for our students who are ready to leave. Transitions to a new school can be complicated, but we have measures in store that should improve both experiences in the coming school year and beyond.

FOUNDATIONS

Now in its eighth year, Foundations is our entry-level, pre-school inspired program for children as young as five. Students spend 1-3 years preparing for the challenge of Lower School within an intimate setting of small class size with a student teacher ratio of 3:1 and a maximum class size of six students. The Foundations Team has shaped a full-day program that addresses the full range of language-based difficulties with careful regard for the social, emotional, and physical growth of each child. As we plan for next year, we are reviewing all the various support services offered to this important age group.

Our Foundations Program also presents a growth opportunity for our school as more and more families recognize the importance and effectiveness of early intervention for their students. While the majority of Foundations students move on to the Lower School, it is not uncommon for students to move back into their public school or another appropriate setting having fully gained from their experience at EHS. Our plans include increasing enrollment in the Program by 25% for 2021-2022 and, should we reach that goal, we will be making improvements to our facilities to increase our ‘footprint’ in their current location.

As we consider our “outbox” – although students can move on at any time when ready for greater challenges – about 75% of our students stay with us long enough to consider a high school

placement. For our students, unlike other more traditional schools, high school does not always begin at a certain age or the completion of a particular grade: our tradition of individualization continues for each and every graduate.

Our Placement Office meets with each family as they consider graduating and works directly with the students to help explore, consider, and prepare for the process of determining the right fit. These journeys explore public school options, local day schools, and residential programs. But we have added a few new options to the placement toolkit this year that should help families make an informed decision on their next step:

JUNIOR BOARDING PROGRAM

We are excited to re-launch our five-day residential, co-ed program for students ages 10-15. This program has long been a fixture of the EHS experience and was closed this year in response to COVID-19. We are carefully and cautiously planning to re-open with increased encouragement to students at the older end of the spectrum to consider the challenge and opportunity a boarding program can offer. This is perhaps the best chance for students to practice—in real time—all the training we offer in executive functioning techniques, social pragmatic training, and, of course, the management and cultivation of important relationships with both other boarders and the (incredible and dedicated) staff members.

THE CAPSTONE PROJECT

Recognizing that some students may be on the cusp of leaving us for high school but are simply not quite ready, we have designed a program exclusive to our boarders to add both academic depth and leadership opportunities to their final year. We envision this being a year where they will be assigned a mentor from the faculty to help design a yearlong project that investigates a special interest or passion in depth.

The final project would be displayed (or performed, or revealed) to the entire school community. These same students, by virtue of their seniority, would also be trained to lead and inspire younger members of the boarding community. At the culmination of the school year, the students will have gained the independence and self-advocacy skills to enter high school with renewed confidence. The capstone project could serve as a major talking point or a point of differentiation as students present themselves to various secondary schools.

These new initiatives sharpen our focus on bringing mission-appropriate students to our school, give our students more opportunities for success, and reassure our families that that we are committed to supporting our students on every step of their journey.

JIM HEUS, HEAD OF SCHOOL