Rumsey Hall Earns Highest Acclaim from Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Rumsey Hall has been recently recognized by the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) for earning its full and unconditional reaccreditation. The School first gained CAIS accreditation status in 1967. Every decade since, Rumsey undergoes the rigorous and in-depth evaluation needed to ensure the School maintains accountability in upholding its mission and meeting standards of best practice. This important assessment also serves as the basis for crafting a comprehensive vision for Rumsey's future. The reaccreditation process involves the expertise of many, requiring an introspective self-study addressing all facets of School life, followed by a close on-campus observation by a Visiting Committee—a team of esteemed peer educators and administrators from other member schools. The Visiting Committee's summary showed a keen understanding of the strength of Rumsey's culture and community by
endorsing the School's administration and faculty for fully embracing and living the School's mission in a highly visible, committed manner. This is reflected in the positive character and camaraderie of our students, the nurturing climate of our programs and vibrant and supportive residential life. Our Board of Trustees was commended for its steadfast leadership and guidance through a smooth Headmaster transition and further for the strength of its partnership with administrators in establishing clear priorities for ongoing enhancements to our programs and facilities. The resulting transformation of Rumsey Hall's campus and the steady growth of the endowment, realized through generous gifts from our trustees, families and alumni, far surpass the recommendations made by the last CAIS Visiting Committee in 2006. It was also noted that the School maintains the strong financial position of balancing its budget through tuition
and carries no debt. The CAIS identified recommendations closely aligned with our own action plans and priorities for the next ten years; among them, a more structured professional development program for our teachers, a systematic evaluation process for faculty, staff and administrators, and the continued advancement of our health and wellness initiatives. These benchmarks, along with the results from our recent Faculty/Staff/ Trustee Strategic Planning Retreat in June 2016, will build upon our strong foundation and chart a clear path for Rumsey's advancement in the years to come. Full accreditation is the highest form of praise offered by CAIS and their strongest expression of approval—an affirmation of the value of the Rumsey experience for our students and families.
