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Capital and Endowment Gifts Initiative In 2002 the Rudolf Steiner School published its most recent Strategic Plan, which identified both immediate needs and longer-term requirements to enhance and strengthen the School’s educational programs. To that end, the Board approved a plan to raise monies to support an extensive renovation project to both buildings and to begin an endowment to support faculty salaries, benefits and professional development. In May 2004, the Rudolf Steiner School proudly celebrated its 75th Anniversary. At the celebratory dinner that took place at Chelsea Piers 60, over 550 members of the community heard news about the launch of our Capital and Endowment Gifts Initiative to ensure that these goals were met. We are pleased to state that the School has made significant progress. As of June 2007, the School has raised over 2.4 million in gifts and pledges.
Endowment to Support Faculty The Rudolf Steiner School’s academic strengths are chronicled in the words and deeds of its outstanding faculty. The School’s standards for achievement apply not only to students but first and foremost to the educators who guide and inspire students during their formative years. The faculty distinguish themselves by their skill, imagination, and dedication to guiding and molding youthful exuberance into responsible adult behavior. Virtually all of Steiner’s graduates recall, with affection and respect, teachers who revealed a world of possibilities for them to experience and to explore. The School’s continued success depends upon its ability to attract and retain faculty of the highest caliber who are either Waldorf trained or willing to explore the underpinnings of Waldorf pedagogy. As an outgrowth of a previous strategic plan, faculty salaries are now competitive with schools of comparable size, although, ultimately, the School’s leadership is committed to further elevating faculty salary levels to be in the upper quartile of other (similar) Manhattan independent schools. Nevertheless, the School’s ability to provide adequate and competitive benefits packages to its faculty is still limited. Steiner seeks to create an endowment specifically in support of faculty benefits as a first step toward ensuring the quality and caliber of its faculty going forward.
Facilities Upgrades It is well-known that Steiner’s students benefit from the School’s proximity to Central Park and some of the City’s finest museums, and the School community is committed to maintaining its present location for the foreseeable future. As a result of the generosity of our donors renovations have already been made to the Lower School facilities and the Upper School facilities. Facilities renovations are but a segueway to enhancing programs and areas. Renovations: Phase One and Two In summer 2004 the School completed phase one of work that included: plumbing from the basement up serving all of the new and renovated bathrooms, new electricity, and other pre-work for phase two. New offices and spaces were created for faculty, parent-faculty conferences and tutorials. Phase two work, completed in summer 2005, has addressed the Lower School need to provide more comfortable and inviting community spaces. The basement of the Lower School presently houses the lunchroom and the woodworking shop. Poor lighting, poor ventilation, congestion, and inadequate meeting space are serious problems, and we are pleased that the completed renovations solve some of these problems. In many respects the lunchroom is the physical heart of the School. It is a place for students to relax in informal conversation with friends, a place for parent volunteers to meet and plan community events, and a place for parents and others to attend workshops. Notwithstanding the goodwill and cheer of those meeting in the lunchroom, the space has been cramped and the lighting inadequate. While simultaneously reaffirming its commitment to providing an inviting, organic food program, the School has renovated the lunchroom to create a pleasant, healthy environment for students, parents, and faculty. The space is enlarged, traffic flow has improved, lighting is enhanced, and the ventilation system updated. The improved cafeteria will accommodate more students and will provide discrete areas for small conferences. The woodshop also has been reconfigured. In addition to improved lighting and ventilation, the woodshop has been outfitted with updated equipment and additional storage space. The Assembly Room, presently used for the Two’s Plus Program, class plays, eurythmy classes, the instrumental music program, evening meetings, and lectures, has been outfitted with improved lighting and acoustics as well as air-conditioning.
Renovations: Phase Three ( Upper School Building) The School completed a third phase of renovation work in summer 2007, largely focused on the Upper School. Renovations created additional and enhanced community spaces for students and greater security in the lobby. Renovations to the lobby provide greater visibility for the receptionist, relieve congestion, and create a more appealing entryway for visitors and applicants. The Upper School lounge has been extended to use as a gathering and meeting space for faculty and students. Among other benefits, these projects will provide spaces that will encourage students to remain on campus—a priority among parents and faculty alike. The entire basement level has been reconfigured to better accommodate the crafts program and provide adequate space for storage of equipment and uniforms for the physical education program. A darkroom has been added to the basement, which will allow for space on the fifth floor for tutorial sessions.
For More Information: Capital Gifts Committee Marc Trachtenberg ’79, Co-Chair Major Contributors as of June 2007 Anonymous (1) |
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