Trustees Discuss School Business, Welcome New Members

The St. Paul’s School Board of Trustees convened on the grounds for its annual fall meeting, September 26-28, 2019. The board welcomed five new members, reviewed updates from board committees, and heard from School administrators, faculty, students, and staff concerning the opening of the 164th session, in addition to the vote concerning the removal of the names of Rectors Oates and Matthews from School buildings. A summary of meeting highlights follows.

School Updates
Rector’s Report. Despite the degree of the recent change all on the grounds have experienced, Rector Giles remarked on the loyalty and energy with which the students, faculty, and staff go about their work. She thanked the trustees and Interim Rector Amy Richards for their hard work and in preparing the School for her arrival. In the year ahead, Rector Giles will continue to get to know the SPS community and begin work with its many constituencies as the School moves forward, including a mission statement review with the board as a precursor for strategic planning to assess future needs.

School Life. Vice Rector for School Life Dr. Theresa Ferns ’84 discussed the complexities of reporting requirements posed by the agreement with the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office, the Concord Police Department, and the state’s Safe Schools Zone law. St. Paul’s is one of the first secondary schools to have adopted the use of Maxient Case Management software, a system designed to more efficiently track and document conduct investigations. 

Over the summer, 18 new students participated in the new Bridges Program, designed to facilitate their transition to boarding school. Jerome Ridge, the new all-gender house, is currently home to four students who are now able to enjoy community living with other students regardless of sex assigned at birth, gender, gender identity, or gender expression. The School also welcomes the new Dean of Equity and Inclusion, James Greenwood.

Chief Operating and Financial Officer. Brooks Seay reported that, over the summer, the School completed $1.75 million in renovations and improvements that will have a significant positive impact on the student experience, including conversion of a faculty residence into the new all-gender dormitory on Jerome Ridge and relocation of the St. Paul’s School Bookstore into the building known as the “Roundhouse” in the center of the campus. Also underway are an audit of facilities to assess any deferred maintenance and evaluation of potential renewable and alternative energy technologies, including biofuels, combined heat and power, geothermal, fuel cells, hydropower, solar energy conversion, and wind turbines. A school-wide enterprise system upgrade to conform technology database systems across financial, advancement, and student information for more efficient record-keeping and business transactions is also in process.

SPS Faculty. Vice Rector for Faculty The Reverend Michael Spencer provided an overview of recent hiring and trends in the overall faculty population. Faculty of color now comprise 27 percent of the total faculty body, an 18 percent increase since the 2013-2014 school year. The faculty-to-student ratio is 1:5.

Admission. Dean of Admission Scott Bohan ’94 reported that the School admitted 539 students from 40 states and 18 countries for the 2019-20 academic year. Forty-one percent of the student population identify as students of color; 17 percent are international. Thirty-nine percent of all current students receive some level of financial aid. 

 College Advising. According to Dean of College Advising Tim Pratt, 133 of the 137 members of the Form of 2019 will attend 70 colleges and universities in 23 states plus the District of Columbia as well as England, Scotland, and Canada. The remaining four, all of whom are pursuing athletic recruiting, will be applying in the fall while they take a gap or PG year. 

Board Business
Un-naming Discussion and Vote. During the Saturday session, the board voted to remove the names of Rectors Oates and Matthews from the performing arts center and hockey center, respectively. The vote followed the board’s adoption of an amended policy concerning gifts and recognition and a set of principles on renaming last May. In advance of the vote, a fact-finding committee was established and held a number of meetings, reviewed documents, and talked with many people. Both Rectors are beloved figures in our community, and their contributions and personal commitment to the School have been and are extraordinary. However, in the board’s fiduciary duties of loyalty, care, and obedience to the mission and values of the School, the board made the difficult decision to remove their names. Board President Archie Cox ’58 wrote a letter on September 28, 2019, to inform the SPS community of the decision. It is posted on the School’s website at www.sps.edu community-wellness/community-messages.

 Alumni Association. Alumni Association President Liz Robbins ’79, P’17 provided highlights of association activities, including the completion of a survey of 300+ alumni volunteers to focus the efforts of the Alumni Association, the Service of Repentance Toward Healing in May, and the robust events and networking opportunities offered through the Pelican Network, SPS Sparks, and the XIX Society. The development of a strong slate of candidates for the Alumni Association president and executive vice president is on the docket in advance of the April 2020 election.

Grounds and Buildings. Trustees joined Director of Facilities, Operations, and Engineering Ben Jorgenson, Associate Director for Facilities Engineering Paul LaChance, and Assistant Project Engineer Derek Russell for a walking tour of the grounds and buildings as part of the master plan review process. Memorial Hall, Alumni House, and the Kitts, which all are in need of renovation or replacement, were stopping points along the way. The review is part of the strategic planning now beginning as the board looks to align the School’s strengths and its mission.

Investment Committee. Calendar year returns on the endowment as of August 30 were at 10.72 percent with the endowment at $633 million. The School’s portfolio is constructed to take on lower risk. The goal is not to have the highest returns, but rather to have above-average returns with less risk while preserving capital.

Trustees and Governance. The board welcomed new trustees John D. Avery P’17,’20, Candice N. Bednar P’18,’19,’22, James F. “Jimmy” Crumpacker ’98, Susan M. Fales-Hill P’21, and Julia B. Pershan P’20, who introduced themselves to their fellow board members.