You may have noticed our new brand message—Intentional. Independent. Inspired.— appearing on our web site, on posters, on social media. As I reflect on the Strategic Enrollment Planning process we have undertaken this year, another word comes to mind… Involved.
We have been so pleased with the level of community engagement in this process. The active and thoughtful involvement of so many current and past community members has been both helpful and inspiring. Although we are still in the midst of the process, I wanted to take the opportunity to share some of the survey findings with you.
Much of what we have heard to date can be summed up in this quote from one of our graduates:
“I value the community I had at Berkshire Country Day School. Everyone was there for everyone else, and there was never a time I felt alone. I also value the high form of education I received. It prepared me well for the honors and AP courses I am taking now. I was able to skip certain courses my first year thanks to the academic preparation I received at Berkshire Country Day, and I am very grateful for having been there.”
The data really backs up this anecdote. Over 90% of current parents and recent graduates feel that Berkshire Country Day School has a good academic reputation, and 90% of graduates report that the transition to high school (both public and independent) was easy thanks to their experience here. Of course we know that our dedicated faculty deserve all of the credit for that, and the top two factors parents cite in their willingness to recommend Berkshire Country Day School are quality of teaching and relationships with teachers.
Another area where we received particularly high marks was that of personal growth. Over 90% of the graduates who participated in the survey rated their personal growth in ethical decision-making as excellent or good; and 88% ranked their ability to learn from their mistakes, as well as their self-presentation skills excellent or good.
There is much more data to be collected, analyzed, and acted upon. Alex Heddinger, Director of Admission, and I look forward to the continued engagement and enthusiasm of our community as we proceed with this important work.