ENVISIONING THE FUTURE OF DARLINGTON

In March 2006, the Board of Trustees approved a landmark strategic plan for Darlington’s second century, with well-defined goals in 10 areas:

1. Educational environment
2. Admissions
3. Faculty and staff
4. Information technology
5. Character education
6. Facilities
7. Beyond the classroom / Co-curricular
8. Advancement and finance
9. Inclusivity
10. Governance

This strategic plan represents a bold new way of thinking for Darlington School. For the first time ever, we are looking beyond a traditional five-year planning cycle to create a 25-year vision for our school’s campus. Under the leadership of Headmaster Tom Whitworth, we are focused on achieving measurable results within five years, while preparing to transform Darlington over the next quarter century.

To guide the facilities planning process, architects have developed a comprehensive campus master plan for Darlington, taking into account not only our immediate needs but also our long-term goals to maximize the school’s functionality, safety and beauty. Our campus master plan ensures that any capital improvements made now will blend seamlessly with our history and into the Darlington School of the future.

The Strategic Planning Committee has worked long and hard to determine how we can build on Darlington’s many strengths now and in the future – by invigorating our student body, investing in our talented faculty, engaging all members of our community and enhancing our institutional effectiveness.

The goals we have set are ambitious, yet we look forward to this opportunity to stretch ourselves, to demonstrate our dedication to Darlington, to make our vision a reality.

New Middle School

View construction progress on our live Web cameras

The Middle School years are full of discovery. Early adolescence is an important time to try new things, to cultivate leadership skills and to become confident learners. At this age, Darlington students open up to the world around them, explore a wide variety of extracurricular interests, and form close relationships with teachers and peers. They take every opportunity to challenge themselves academically so that they can go on to contribute as much as possible in the upper grades, strengthening all of Darlington School. As the bridge between the Lower and Upper Schools, Middle School is central to the Darlington experience.

We recognize that Middle School students have unique needs, and their learning environment must allow them to reach their full potential. Darlington’s current Middle School facility, however, has been inadequate for some time. Built in 1962, it has never been significantly renovated. It was designed to accommodate 175 students in relatively small classrooms, connected by narrow hallways, with no area large enough for the entire student body to gather together. As Darlington’s enrollment has grown, this facility has taken in as many as 200 students in grades 6-8, resulting in even greater space constraints. In order to remain competitive with our peer institutions, and to provide the best possible learning environment for our students, a new facility must be constructed.

Our new Middle School will feature innovative classrooms and welcoming common areas. Middle School students will no longer have to walk across campus to use many of the Upper School’s amenities they will have their own wireless state-of-the-art library/media center, commons area, band room, music instruction area, and spacious cafeteria for school-wide assemblies. The Middle School will benefit greatly from having everything under one roof.

The new building will increase our Middle School capacity and will enable us to reorganize grades 5-8 into developmentally appropriate groups that can explore, inquire, and learn in child-centered and dynamic ways. Fifth- and sixth-grade classrooms will be grouped together in one wing of the building, and seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms will be located in another wing.

It is our desire to design, construct and operate a Middle School facility that is highly energy efficient and in harmony with the natural environment, exhibiting Darlington's community-minded values and providing opportunities for experiential teaching. We will, therefore, seek Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for our new Middle School, incorporating strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, responsible materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

This innovative building will show that we truly value our Middle School students. It will demonstrate that we place genuine importance on the arts, athletics, technology and every possible academic pursuit here at Darlington. Our new Middle School will do much to elevate Darlington’s intellectual atmosphere, improving the quality of students advancing to the Upper School, ultimately benefiting day and boarding students alike.

Technology and Equipment

Twenty-first century students are growing up in a fast-paced, technology-driven world. Children learn more eff ectively when the tools of technology are incorporated into their lessons, and educational institutions now require robust systems to support every aspect of operations. Darlington’s success in this century depends on our ability to harness and drive very powerful technology that will help us to stay competitive and better serve our school community.

Our goal is to develop a comprehensive technology program that enhances the learning process and facilitates school-wide administrative functions. Keeping current with rapidly changing technologies is an ongoing challenge, and we must devote considerable resources to maintaining and upgrading our systems, as well as adding new technologies when appropriate.

Funding from the Second Century Campaign will provide for new mobile computer labs, Smart Boards in classrooms, laptops for faculty, wireless network enhancements, and the development of a multimedia broadcasting curriculum.

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BOYS’ HOUSES

For eight decades, boarding students have come to Darlington School to learn and grow. From first year onward, our campus becomes their home away from home, and their education extends beyond the classrooms into every aspect of daily life. Darlington’s historic Boys’ Houses have welcomed thousands of students over the years, and countless memories have been made in these hallowed halls.

Originally built in the late 1920s and updated periodically over the years, our Boys’ Houses are now in critical need of renovation. In 1998, the Houses received new HVAC systems, improved life safety equipment and enhanced computer access, but the basic layout of the dormitory halls has not changed dramatically since the buildings were constructed.

As the hub of residential life for our male boarders, the Boys’ Houses at Darlington are currently not on par with our competitors, nor are they comparable to what our female residents enjoy. By renovating these beloved buildings, we will ensure that all of our boarding students have a positive residential experience during their Darlington years. Capital improvements to the Boys’ Houses require $3,000,000.

LEARNING CENTER

Children have a wide variety of learning styles, and one in five students has a learning difference that may affect his or her performance in a traditional classroom setting. Regardless of how a child learns, every child has a gift – we must recognize these gifts and help our children share them with the world. We are therefore committed to embracing different learning styles, encouraging smart work, and assisting our students as they mature into accomplished, life-long learners.

Today’s cutting-edge research provides profound insight on how the brain works and how educators can relate to different types of thinkers. By putting these theories into practice, Darlington is better able to support all students. Our most exciting new academic enrichment program is the Learning Center, established in August 2006 to serve pre-K through twelfth-grade students by creating new opportunities for growth and success in the classroom.

The Learning Center directly helps students with diagnosed learning differences by teaching them to become independent thinkers and diligent workers. Lower and Middle School students benefit from the in-class assistance of learning specialists, while Upper School students meet in small groups to learn study techniques to plan their days, to prioritize their work, and to maintain positive lifestyles. The Learning Center is also responsible for providing professional development opportunities for faculty members to learn more about differentiated instruction, to create informational workshops for parents, and to coordinate programs that are available to all students.

While Darlington is already a strong school academically, the Learning Center ensures heightened excellence. Students are growing more self-confident and getting more involved in their coursework, and faculty members now have the opportunity to spend more time engaging students based on each individual’s abilities. This enhanced approach is more challenging and rewarding to both teachers and students.

In a stunning show of support for the urgent need to establish a Learning Center, members of the School’s Board of Trustees and Board of Visitors individually paid forward the first two years of the Learning Center’s operation, enabling the program to be put to immediate use by Darlington students. The Second Century Campaign will endow the Learning Center so that it can continue providing valuable academic support throughout Darlington’s second century.

FACULTY SUPPORT ENDOWMENT

Darlington’s ability to provide students with the finest college preparatory experience available rests on the strength of our faculty. Like no other factor, outstanding teachers immeasurably advance the school’s academic reputation.

At Darlington, we are fortunate to have talented instructors who are committed to child-centered learning, interested in professional development and devoted to our school’s mission. To retain our top-notch teachers, and to continue to recruit faculty of the highest caliber, Darlington must offer more competitive compensation packages.

We recently evaluated our salary structure and set as a goal to move Darlington’s faculty salaries into the top third of peer schools over the next five years. By making this commitment to increasing compensation, we are demonstrating that our teachers deserve our respect and an income that reflects their dedication to students.

Because we expect the highest quality of instruction for all students, we will also support our faculty through opportunities for professional development and state-of-the-art classroom instructional resources. The Second Century Campaign will substantially increase endowment designated for faculty salaries and support.

FINANCIAL AID ENDOWMENT

Darlington’s students are exceptional by almost every measure, and we are committed to continually strengthening our student body. We respect the diversity of our community and hope to foster an atmosphere of inclusivity on all levels within the school. We frequently hear our alumni say that Darlington made a great difference in their lives, and we want to ensure this transformative experience is within reach of any academically qualified student. Increasing financial aid opportunities is essential to Darlington’s future.

In 2006, Darlington awarded more than $1.5 million in financial aid, and we plan to increase this amount substantially in the coming years. Our goal is to admit students without regard to their ability to pay, and we will strive to meet the needs of accepted families who qualify for financial assistance. The Second Century Campaign will substantially increase endowment funding to provide greater financial aid opportunities to deserving students.

PLANNED GIVING

Planned gifts are a lasting legacy, appreciated for their profoundly generous and far-reaching nature, sustaining Darlington’s mission for generations to come. The Darlington School of tomorrow will be transformed by planned gifts made today.

The J. Daniel Hanks Sr. Heritage Society recognizes alumni, parents, grandparents, faculty, staff and friends who have made provisions for Darlington’s future through a planned gift to the school. Such gifts include bequests, gift annuities, charitable trusts, gifts of life insurance, retained life estates and other revocable or irrevocable gift agreements. A bequest intention or planned gift of any size qualifies a donor for membership in the Heritage Society. Named for distinguished alumnus J. Daniel Hanks Sr. (’27), the Heritage Society provides an important means of strengthening our endowment fund over time. It is our hope that, as a result of this campaign, every member of the Darlington family will join the Heritage Society.

As Darlington’s first major fund-raising effort to include an emphasis on planned giving, the Second Century Campaign will create a solid financial foundation for Darlington’s next 100 years. Donors may specify how they would like these gifts to be allocated; when no designation is made, planned gifts will be placed in the school’s permanent endowment to help secure the institution’s bright future. With a goal of raising $28,000,000 in planned gifts, this campaign will enable future leaders to continue Darlington’s pursuit of excellence.

ANNUAL FUND

Nothing is as important in ensuring year-to-year excellence at Darlington as the Annual Fund. Annual giving supports faculty salaries, student scholarships, and distinctive programs that make the Darlington experience exceptional. The five years of annual giving during the Second Century Campaign will bring another $7.5 million in annual operating support to Darlington. An Annual Fund donation to Darlington is another important way to support this effort.