Amplify

Announcing The Campaign for Pomfret School

Rooted in the timeless, hard-won truths of an institution more than a century in the making, Pomfret recently refined its mission and vision, codified its values, and released an updated strategic plan.

“Too often, the problems we face can feel intractable, the magnitude of the change overwhelming,” says Head of School Tim Richards. “But I always have been, and always will be, an abiding optimist. That’s why I became a teacher. I take it as an article of faith that one small school really can make a difference.”

At Pomfret, we are quite literally reimagining what a boarding school can and should be. But we can’t do it alone. When you support The Campaign for Pomfret School, you’re helping to amplify the voices and choices of our students and faculty for many years to come.

For most donors, this support will take the form of a gift to the Pomfret Fund. Annual giving is the lifeblood of our School, accounting for 12 percent of all operating expenses each year. It allows us to recruit a talented and diverse student body, invest in new programs and initiatives, attract amazing independent school educators, and make critical enhancements to our campus infrastructure. A donation to our annual fund remains the single most impactful way you can make a difference in the life of the School.

In addition to the Pomfret Fund, we have identified three key campaign priorities:

Priority No. 1
Build a New Center for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Design

At Pomfret, science is our most popular and subscribed subject, but when Monell Science Building first opened way back in 1958, three science faculty taught just four classes. Today, 12 different teachers offer 27 unique courses in 11 distinct fields. We are quite literally bursting at the seams, hampered by the building’s aging infrastructure and limited by its small footprint. If we want to attract the next generation of science students, and if we want to grow our offerings to meet their needs and deepen their understanding, we must invest in a facility worthy of the program it houses. $22 to 23 million in capital funds.

Priority No. 2
Advance Teaching and Learning

At Pomfret, faculty make both a living and a life — as teachers and coaches, advisors and dorm parents, deans and counselors. In doing so, they impact the lives of countless others. But today great faculty are hard to come by. Boarding school is not easy and it takes a special kind of person to do this job well. Through this priority, we aim to attract and retain the very best teachers out there by investing in compensation, professional development, and retirement. Because without them, the Pomfret Experience wouldn’t be the Pomfret Experience. $15 to 21 million in endowment funds.

Priority No. 3
Expand Access and Affordability

Pomfret offers a world class education and we are always on the hunt for promising students with the potential to take advantage of this life changing opportunity. Today, 42 percent of our 350 students receive financial aid, totaling $4.5 million. But with each passing year, the cost to attend a school like Pomfret goes up. Today, less than three percent of domestic families can afford the full cost of tuition. When opportunity, access, and ability collide, it has the potential to transform lives. Through this priority, you are supporting kids who have everything they need to be successful, but the money. $11 to 18 million in endowment funds.

Through this campaign, we are seeking to preserve the best of what has always made Pomfret great, while prioritizing the need for continued growth and improvement in critical areas. As a member of the Pomfret community, your participation in this movement is vital to our success. Join us!

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