Update from the Board
Dear Parents,
The Board of Trustees recently held its first meeting of the year and finalized several projects that have been underway for many, many months. Most notably, the Board established the first ever ISP Endowment program. Setting up the endowment required the board to research, write and approve several critical policies. Some of those policies were adopted at the Annual Meeting last May, and the final piece was approved last month. The school is now ready to move forward with endowment gifts that have already been proposed, and the endowment option is open for any community members who wish to support the school this way. Having an endowment is an important milestone for ISP, an accomplishment we cannot overstate. Look for more exciting information about the ISP Endowment Fund later this year.
The Board also adopted its Handbook of Board Policies and Procedures. This 60-page Handbook is a meaningful guide for both current and future Trustees, providing important context and history for many board practices. A Board handbook is a critical resource for independent school boards; having this in place moves the Board another step forward in its goal to meet Best Practices for independent school governance in all areas.
In another important area of work, the board adopted its annual Charge to the Head of School. The Charge to the Head is guided by the school’s Strategic Plan, which provides the backdrop for many facets of school activity. The board and administration are in the process of updating the Strategic Plan for the next three years; we will have more information for you on that in the coming months.
In closing, the Board encourages everyone to become informed and engaged in the ISP Campus Master Plan (CMP). The adoption of the CMP was a significant achievement of our community, the culmination of years of collaboration among Trustees, school staff and faculty, parents, students, and outside partners and professionals. ISP completed an important phase of the CMP last year when it purchased the Hilltop Building and the land above Stearns Hall. We are deep into preparations to move forward on the next phase of the CMP, the construction of a ten-classroom facility specifically designed to meet the needs of our IB Program and unique ISP culture. We have formed a capital campaign committee, led by ISP parents Tom Sperry and Bobby Barnett, which is exploring funding for the project. See more information about the CMP at intlschool.org/campus.
One additional note: the Board is looking for ISP parents with development interest / expertise to serve as volunteer advisory members of the Board’s Development Committee. If you are interested, please contact board@intlschool.org.
Scott Kerman on behalf of the ISP Board of Trustees, board@intlschool.org