| Dear Fords Nation,
This past weekend, The Haverford School Board of Trustees conducted its biannual retreat at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Every two years, we gather together as a Board to think about and plan for the future of a school we all cherish; last year, as we were planning this year’s retreat, Board Chairman Bill Yoh ’89 suggested that we choose West Point as the setting for our work.
It was an inspired idea. I have loved West Point since I first set foot there 34 years ago. Everyone stationed at West Point is united behind a common purpose: preparing leaders of character to defend the nation. The buildings are carved from the granite that forced the Hudson River into an S-turn, compelling George Washington to fortify the post to keep the British from cutting the American Revolution asunder. That same granite forms the statues of the graduates who have done so much to build and preserve America and keep it safe: Grant, Patton, Eisenhower, MacArthur. The statues stand over today’s cadets, watching them grow in strength and courage and wisdom and a commitment to risk their lives, if necessary, in our defense.
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| We began the retreat by hearing from cadets Ed King ’18 and Annie Hepburn (AIS ’18 and daughter of Austin Hepburn ’75). Ed and Annie told us of the rigors of “Beast Barracks,” which they had recently survived, and of the academic and leadership training they are currently experiencing. Both told us that they were well prepared intellectually and physically for West Point, but that they have a new understanding of the depth of character required to commit themselves to a life of service to the Army and the nation.
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| Inspired by their maturity, their dedication, and their confidence, the Board began what is likely to be its most important work this year: a strategic plan that will guide the next five years of the School’s future, and will influence it for a decade or more. We debated the challenges that Haverford faces, the priorities we should pursue, the things that cannot and must not change for the School to continue to thrive. Over the next few months we will be asking other Haverford School stakeholders, including many of the boys, their opinions on these issues, but we were pleased with the start we made. You’ll be hearing more on this effort in days to come. We left the strategic planning effort and commenced a tour of the West Point grounds in an attempt to understand its role in building leaders of character for America and the world. From the Cadet Chapel, we were able to see the national champion West Point Parachute Team leaping into the unknown from several thousand feet; later, from the Plain, West Point’s famed parade ground, we watched the cadet parachutists stick the landing, again and again, and then load up for another jump.
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| Our dinner speaker was Dean of the Academic Board Brigadier General Cindy Jebb, of the West Point Class of 1982. General Jebb spoke to us of the threats America faces in the years to come and of how West Point is working to prepare leaders who will defend us from those threats. Of particular interest was her decision, at one of the most structured and regimented institutions in America, to cancel classes every other Wednesday so that cadets have sufficient time to engage in design thinking and project-based learning, initiatives that we are also pursuing at Haverford. She reinforced the role of educational institutions as “centers of gravity” in our society – charged with developing leaders who display intellect, courage, and integrity, values we too embrace.
The next morning, we engaged in physical training led by Colonel Bill Ostlund, West Point’s Director of Military Instruction and my former officemate in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point. Colonel Ostlund, an infantry officer who has led American troops through seven combat deployments, does 625 pushups every morning. We didn’t do quite that many, but my arms and shoulders are still burning as I type this 36 hours after our run to Trophy Point. Haverford isn’t the only school that invests in a sound mind in a sound body!
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| Inspired by all that we had seen and done, we settled into the work of a typical Board meeting, helping to shape the future of Haverford for generations to come. After years of dedicated work under the leadership of Maurice Glavin ’83, reinforced by Ravi Reddy ’90, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the construction of a new Middle School to replace Crosman Hall, built in 1952. With the financial support of our community and the approval of the township, we hope to begin demolition in June 2019 and welcome classes to the new building in September 2020. We will be sharing more information about building plans and timeline but, for now, know that Head of Middle School Jay Greytok ’83 and his team of educators have been closely involved every step of the way. We are dedicated not just to building an exceptional 21st century learning space that meets our pedagogical needs, but also to ensuring that the boys remain engaged and inspired next year in their temporary classrooms.
Every trustee left West Point impressed by what they had seen and heard from America’s premier leadership and character development institution and, I am proud to report, General Jebb and Colonel Ostlund told me that they were impressed by the dedication and professionalism of every one of our trustees. The Haverford School, like the United States Military Academy, is dedicated to preparing young people for lives of meaning and of service. With your commitment and your support, that work will continue for generations to come.
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| John A. Nagl
Ninth Headmaster
United States Military Academy Class of 1988
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