Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries—A Strategic Plan for Hackley School 2022-2023

The students are intellectually curious and committed to learning from varying perspectives in and out of the classroom. The faculty is passionate, talented, and dedicated to their students and the school. The campus is beautiful, the enrollment is strong, and the community is generous in all forms of their support. In light of these strengths, and numerous others, why does Hackley need a strategic plan? A Hackley education must constantly evolve to meet and anticipate the demands of an ever-changing world. Simply put, learning—as individuals and as an institution—should know no boundaries.

The 2022-2023 school year marks the fifth year of Hackley’s focus on elevating our programs through the initiatives outlined in Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries. When we launched the strategic plan in 2018, we could not have prepared for the challenges and disruptions presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, and yet we have made significant progress year over year, proving that we can do anything when we are united.

Hackley is an exceptional school.

With a strong and distinct school culture, Hackley places great value on character and relationships formed on the Hilltop.

This year, we welcome our youngest learners to the Hilltop—the Class of 2035. To ensure we are maximizing the learning experience for our current students and those who will follow, we are committed to leading important conversations about what it means to educate, to be educated, and to be a school.

Although teaching and learning have changed immeasurably since Frances Hackley founded the school in 1899, many timeless competencies, areas of knowledge, and experiences are as important today as they were then. Teaching students to communicate clearly, to think deeply, to master difficult subjects and skills, and to work together are—and will remain—hallmarks of a Hackley education, whether taught in the classroom, the studio, or through athletics.

We affirm the importance and strength of these programs, while also recognizing and embracing the dynamic context in which today’s students are educated—a context that is markedly different than it was for those who came before them. In a world that is more interconnected, more complex, and evolving more quickly than ever before, students require an education that provides them with tools new and old to thrive, adapt, and make a positive impact in their community and beyond.

Lower School students took a Trip Around the World on May 3, 2022. The day began with the students’ arrival at the Kathleen Allen International Airport where they went through a fun and friendly security check in the lobby. They checked their luggage into their lockers, received their individual passports, and flew to five of the thirteen countries represented where students collected passport stamps for each visit!

Redefine a Liberal Arts Education

` Orient the Hackley program toward enduring competencies in areas of “character, scholarship, and accomplishment.”

` Create opportunities for interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teaching and learning.

` Develop research centers within and across disciplinary boundaries, based on the multi-year model of Hackley’s Independent Science Research Program.

` Deepen Hackley’s focus on students’ local, national, and international responsibilities.

`

Examine and reframe assessment practices to best support desired learning competencies and experiences.

Promote the Hilltop as a Learning Hub

`

Elevate forms of creative expression and the creative arts — visual, performing, and digital — to engage Hackley students and link them with the broader creative community.

` Create a series of culminating Big Experiences for Hackley students at important transition points.

` Create new opportunities for culturally immersive experiences both domestic and abroad.

` Develop a school-wide service-learning program and create a sustainable model for Hudson Scholars.

` Utilize the Hackley Forest and surrounding natural ecosystems to their fullest educational capacities and foster environmental stewardship.

When we launched the plan in 2018, we defined these goals and strategies…

During the fall, seventh and eighth grade art majors traveled to Storm King Art Center, a 500-acre outdoor museum in the Hudson Valley. They explored how art can interact with its environment, viewing largescale works and site-specific installations by such artists as Maya Lin, Andy Goldsworthy, Mark di Suvero, Menache Kadishman, Lynda Benglis, and many others.

Build for the Future

` Affirm Hackley as a national leader in teaching excellence.

` Strengthen a culture of professional development and promote lifelong learning, creativity, and collaboration.

` Develop networks and relationships beyond Hackley to enrich faculty professional growth and the student learning experience.

Nurture a Culture of Wellness

` Promote individual wellness throughout the Hackley community.

` Reimagine the rhythm and use of time within the school day and academic year to optimize student and faculty learning.

` Sustain the health of Hackley at the institutional level.

` Execute Redefining Excellence with boldness and transparency, and with a focus on the student learning experience.

Redefine a Liberal Arts Education

Refined interdisciplinary courses in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. AP Biology and AP Studio Art students came together for a day of exploration, discovery, and drawing at Storm King Art Center. Sponsored a visual and performing arts interdisciplinary field trip to New Haven, CT, where students experienced a morning of art history, exploration, and discovery in The Yale Art Gallery and The Yale Center for British Art, followed by an afternoon in the Yale Repertory Theater enjoying the musical theater production Choir Boy

Hosted numerous industry experts at Hackley to work directly with research students and explored partnerships with local and regional organizations in support of student research.

Held the First Annual Hackley Research Symposium to share student work from the Independent Science Research and Independent Research in English & History programs and the Russ Hogg Grant for Creative Expression awardees.

Developed a discussion series focused on civil discourse about current events across divisions. Expanded support of the Service Leadership for Social Impact course. Supported fourth and seventh grade Big Experience programming focused on the responsibilities of being a citizen.

Promote the Hilltop as a Learning Hub

Continued the development of the Upper School and Middle School Art Show iOS app and explored ways in which to further include the performing arts. A Hackley junior developed and launched the AP Studio Art Thesis Show app for the show’s opening.

Developed a cross-divisional musical—A Year with Frog and Toad —bringing Upper School and Kindergarten students together.

Hosted three artists through the Creative Residency Program, including visual artist Thomas Doyle and performing artists Vince Cherico (drummer) and Jeremy Harman (cellist).

Even as we look forward to continued progress on Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries, we also reflect on the many accomplishments of the 2021-2022 school year. Together, we achieved the following in support of our goals:

Implemented fourth and seventh grade Big Experience curricula and developed plans to expand Upper School Big Experiences. Hosted three experts for fourth grade Big Experience events, including Sleepy Hollow Mayor Ken Wray, Hackley Head of School Michael Wirtz, and Sleepy Hollow Village Justice Katherine Baldwin ’97, P ’29, ’33, ’35.

Expanded culturally immersive Global Education initiatives and researched peer schools’ Global Context models to grow Hackley’s Global Context pilot course. Participated in a Virtual Exchange with Round Square schools in Tamagawa, Japan, and Hyderabad Public School in Hyderabad, India.

Collected feedback from the Scholars and faculty of the Hudson Scholars program to enrich the summer curriculum, and explored ways to further aid the Scholars during their Middle School years and through the college process. Supported Hudson Scholars mentors during a virtual Community Conversation hosted by The Partnership of Schools with Public Purpose, where they discussed leadership opportunities within Hudson Scholars. Refined the role of Teaching Fellows in the Hudson Scholars program.

Expanded the number of community service and service-learning partnerships in Westchester County—including 914Cares, Neighbors Link, Abbott House, Hearts & Homes for Refugees, Community Food Pantry of Sleepy Hollow & Tarrytown, TaSH Farmers Market, and more—through various Upper School courses: Service Leadership for Social Impact, English 12–Service Leadership, and PostAP Spanish. Created a more clearly defined institutional structure for all service initiatives in partnership with divisional service coordinators.

Developed K-12 curricula focused on the use of the Hackley Apiary and trained faculty in beekeeping and fruit orchard maintenance. Introduced the Apiary and Orchard to the Hackley community during Earth Week 2022; utilized student videos about bees, fruit trees, and bats as educational tools. Planted a pollinator garden near the Apiary/ Orchard. Conducted research for the expansion of Hackley’s deer exclusion zone and developed a monitoring program for beech leaf disease to manage its impact on the Hackley Forest.

Supported the new Outdoor Adventure and Wilderness Skills course and the Big Experience Forest Program in the Middle School. Conducted research for a proposed ropes course.

Students from every division explore design-thinking in our Makerspace.

Build for the Future

Refined the New Employee Orientation for the 2021-2022 school year and supported new department chairs and teachers through a cohort model of professional development.

Implemented the Hackley Teaching Fellowship, bringing the first two Fellows to the school, each of whom completed classroom rotations throughout the divisions, assisted with admissions, and participated in the life of the school beyond the classroom. Developed partnerships with colleges and universities to strengthen the Teaching Fellows applicant pool. Secured funding from generous donors to support the Teaching Fellowship.

Provided ongoing DEI training for all employees and utilized employee teams to support K-12 DEI learning.

Launched a new speaker series—Varying Perspectives in Action —designed to bring individuals to campus (in person or virtually) to help students see the world through a new lens. Alumni Michael Makinde ’03 (Counsel, Walt Disney Company) and Dr. Gentry Torell ’11 (Clinical Psychologist, Military Family Clinic, NYU Langone) were the first two speakers.

Hudson Scholars student-mentor Skyler Safriet ’22 pictured with Scholars Abraham, Bruno, and Sebastian during a class session.

Service Leadership for Social Impact and Third Graders Making a Difference hosted Hackley’s first K-12 Color Fun Run and raised more than $4,000 in support of Hearts and Homes for Refugees. 250 participants enjoyed the 3k course, which looped through the cross-country trails before finishing at the starting location between the softball and baseball fields.

Nurture a Culture of Wellness

Hosted guest speakers specializing in health-related fields: eighth and tenth grade health students met with Hope’s Door; eighth grade students met with the JCK Foundation; and adolescent health expert Michael Nerney met with parents, eleventh grade Peer Advisors, and health and science teachers.

Revised ninth grade Peer Advisory conversation regarding sex, consent, and sexual misconduct. Supported eleventh graders in student-led discussions with eighth graders on bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment. Trained the Leadership Team on trauma-informed care. Held a Lower School presentation for parents on child abuse prevention.

Administered the High Achieving School Survey in November and piloted Second Step, a social-emotional learning curriculum in the Lower School.

Surveyed faculty and students on the rhythm and use of time during the school day to optimize student and faculty learning, hosted school management expert Andrew Taylor in January, and approved a new schedule to be implemented in the 2022-2023 school year.

Raised significant funds during year two of the quiet phase of Beyond Boundaries, Hackley’s comprehensive campaign to support the initiatives of Redefining Excellence

Continued to keep audiences informed of the status of Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries and its impact on our students and the school through print and digital updates (see our dedicated microsite at www.redefiningexcellence.org).

Redefine a Liberal Arts Education

To further orient the Hackley program toward enduring habits of “character, scholarship, and accomplishment,” we will focus conversations on the integration and expansion of the school competencies across departments and divisions.

As we create opportunities for interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teaching and learning, we will continue to refine and increase interdisciplinary offerings across the school, and will identify opportunities to enhance the computer science curriculum.

In February, the Upper School’s Black Student Union visited Lower School classes and read picture books about important historical figures in black history like Serena Williams and Dr. Mae Jemison.

During the 2022-2023 school year, we will continue to make progress on the vision outlined in Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries, building on our past successes and looking enthusiastically toward the future.

To spotlight our emphasis on research centers across disciplines, we will:

` expand the Annual Hackley Research Symposium, which launched during the 2021-2022 school year;

` support student publications outside of the school (e.g., in nationally recognized journals);

` host experts at Hackley to work directly with research students;

` explore partnerships with local and regional organizations in support of student research; and

` cultivate the leadership skills of history research students to facilitate roundtable discussions.

With a deepened focus on students’ local, national, and international responsibilities, we will:

` expand roundtable discussions with an eye toward more student-driven programming;

` further integrate civil discourse into curricula and support civics-based co-curricular programs;

` explore a tenth grade trip to Washington, D.C., in collaboration with Close Up and the National Network of Schools in Partnership;

` host a New York State Association of Independent Schools workshop on informed citizenship; and

` support fourth and tenth grade Big Experiences through history curricula.

First graders explored fiber arts with Ms. Chisholm during the annual Lower School Play Day.

Promote the Hilltop as a Learning Hub

In support of elevating forms of creative expression and the creative arts, we will:

` investigate expansion of the annual interdepartmental Performing and Visual Arts field trip;

` continue the development of the Upper School/Middle School Art Show iOS app to include the Performing Arts;

` explore the creation of a computer science residency within the Creative Residency Program, further connecting students with alumni through mentorships and residency opportunities; and

` plan for a Tech Summit that will feature a showcase of student work, classroom visits by experts in the tech industry, and a keynote speaker

To create a series of culminating Big Experiences for students at important transition points, we will further develop and implement Lower and Upper School programming, and will plan and facilitate additional touch points between the Middle and Upper Schools in support of expanding Middle School Big Experiences.

Part of the Hackley experience is the one-on-one support that students receive from our dedicated faculty.

To further broaden student travel and culturally immersive experiences, we will:

` pilot signature units in existing Global Education classes to include student reflections;

` strengthen relationships with international peer schools via Round Square for exchange and curricular connections;

` empower the Global Affairs & Issues Student Advisory Committee to provide student leadership regarding Global Education opportunities, global learning in the classroom, and connections with other international schools; and

` solicit proposals for a new Global Context course to run in 2023-2024.

As we further develop the school-wide service-learning program and create a sustainable model for Hudson Scholars, we will:

` continue to strengthen the Hudson Scholars student-leadership structure and examine the mentor experience and its impact;

` strengthen the partnership with the Tarrytown School district and other local partners to support Hudson Scholars;

` refine the role of Teaching Fellows in Hudson Scholars and engage Hackley teachers to take part in the Hudson Scholars program;

` lead the Academic Committee members, specifically Department Heads, in Professional Development around the core components of service-learning pedagogy; and

` engage two academic departments in a Professional Development day dedicated to the integration of service-learning pedagogy in content-specific areas.

To maximize the educational capabilities of the Hackley Forest and surrounding natural ecosystems, we will:

` partner with the seventh grade to coordinate Hackley Forest and Apiary curricula;

` further develop ways to safely allow students to observe and learn about beehives;

` implement the beech leaf disease monitoring study;

` further strengthen the connection between Middle School seventh grade and the Upper School Advanced Forest Ecology Research (AFER) class;

` create additional pollinator pathways in the orchard;

` develop a student independent study to support forest research and orchard curricula;

` plan additional grade-wide campouts in the Hackley Forest and train Upper School students to assist with chaperoning and teaching Leave-NoTrace principles;

` offer off-campus excursions, such as hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and camping; and

` research outdoor adventure trips for the 2023-2024 school year.

Build for the Future

We continue to affirm Hackley as a national leader in teaching excellence. This year, we will further grow the Hackley Teaching Fellowship program, continue in our efforts to increase the Teaching Fellows applicant pool, and partner with St. Luke’s Teaching Fellows Program more consistently to offer a network outside of Hackley in support of the fellows.

We will expand our Community and Inclusivity initiatives and continue to offer the Hackley Hosts and Varying Perspectives in Action speaker series.

We will continue to strengthen our culture of professional development and collaboration, and will develop networks and relationships beyond Hackley to enrich faculty professional growth.

Upper School and Lower School friends partnered this spring to prepare the soil for the Hackley Orchard and Pollinator Garden.

In the fall, Middle School Science students explored the Carl Buessow Nature Trails in the Hackley Forest during an outdoor lab. Students partnered to locate key landmarks, such as the outdoor classrooms and Welcome Center, and investigated sites like Deer Pond and the Deer Exclusion Zone. Throughout the year, the class also explored tree species, practiced bird watching, and assisted in the annual trail cleanup.

Nurture a Culture of Wellness

Our focus on individual wellness will include the following initiatives this year:

` host the JCK Foundation for a conversation on suicide prevention with eighth grade students and families;

` train Middle and Upper School faculty and coaches (and offer parent training) in the QPR suicide prevention program;

` provide education and training to staff, students, and parents on the Upper School Sexual Misconduct Policy and related prevention programming;

` present the High Achieving School Survey (HASS) results to Middle and Upper School faculty and Upper School families and implement action items;

` administer the High Achieving School Survey for the tenth grade;

` apply the SEL curriculum “Second Step” in grades K-6; and

` implement the new schedule, created to optimize student and faculty learning throughout the school day.

To sustain the health of Hackley at the institutional level, we will continue the quiet phase of the Beyond Boundaries campaign to support the initiatives of Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries and prepare for the public launch in the 2023-2024 school year.

As we continue to execute Redefining Excellence with boldness and transparency, we will share updates on the growth of our students and our school through our dedicated microsite www.redefiningexcellence.org.

Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries is Hackley’s contribution to the national conversation on the changing nature and future of education. Our plan contains four major strategic priorities: Redefine a Liberal Arts Education: articulate and broaden the curriculum in terms of competencies and experiences to meet the needs of tomorrow’s learners and citizens.

Build for the Future: promote lifelong professional learning within Hackley’s faculty and assume a leadership role in cultivating the next generation of independent school educators.

Promote the Hilltop as a Learning Hub: increase learning opportunities for students beyond the boundaries of disciplines, classroom, and campus, and serve as an educational leader and incubator to push the boundaries of existing programs.

Nurture a Culture of Wellness: establish wellness—both at the student and institutional levels—as cornerstones of a healthy learning environment and school community. 293 Benedict Avenue Tarrytown, NY 10591 914-366-2600 hackleyschool.org

www.redefiningexcellence.org