Creating Independence:

Community, Commitment, Collaboration

By Daren M. Houck

Headmaster, The Mountain School at Winhall

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Those who really desire to attain an independence, have only [to]set their minds upon it, and adopt the proper means, as they do inregard to any other object which they wish to accomplish, and thething is easily done."

--P.T. Barnum, American showman and businessman

Who is This Guy?• Educational leader, teacher,

and coach for almost 15 years

• Worked in public and independent schools (from 70 to 1,400 students) in three states

• Certified school leader and elementary and middle school teacher

• M.Ed. Educational Leadership

• Educational Consultant and writer

The Mountain School at Winhall: A History

While The Mountain School at Winhall is just over 10 years old, its tradition dates back to the 1700’s. In the spring of 1998, the citizens of Winhall voted to close their existing public school and open an independent community day school in its stead. For the 1997-1998 school year, Winhall had the highest per-pupil spending in the state, along with being one of the lowest performing schools. The community was dissatisfied with both the quality of instruction as well as the cost of education. The Mountain School at Winhall (MSW) was created on Town Meeting Day on March 3, 1998 and opened its doors to almost 40 students that fall. The citizens also voted to close Winhall Elementary, the town’s public school, that same day. The newly formed Mountain School agreed to service all students in the towns of Stratton and Winhall, making it the 20th “Town Academy” in the United States—all of which are in New England and have been serving students since the late 1700’s—and the only Academy servicing elementary students. The establishment of an independent school presented an opportunity to provide a high level of academic excellence for all students in the town at a cost that was significantly lower per pupil, more manageable to taxpayers (per-student costs dropped by several thousand dollars that very next year), and held accountable by a board of governors. Students living in the towns of Stratton and Winhall are guaranteed admission to The Mountain School and tuition for students is paid to The Mountain School by these respective towns. Students not wishing to attend MSW are provided a voucher to attend another local public or independent school. Students living outside of Stratton and Winhall have the opportunity to attend The Mountain School as private-pay tuition students (which currently constitutes over 20% of the population and represents seven towns), often assisted through financial aid, scholarships, and/or Service-in-Kind. This partnership allows MSW to enroll more students to help reduce overall tuition costs. Today around 70 students, including some from Dover, Jamaica, Londonderry and Windham, as well as Stratton and Winhall, call The Mountain School home.

The “Why’s” of 1997-1998• Student performance

– Bottom 5-10 elementary schools in VT (unconfirmed)

• Tuition costs– Highest K-12 tuition in state (confirmed)– Rate equaled 2009-2010 ($12,600)

• Institutional mentality– TV Fridays, principal turnover, tenure, poor teaching

(conversations)

• So what to do?– Close, stay the same, go private, go Academy?

What is a “Town Academy?”

• Dates back to 1700’s• “Private School, Public

Mission”--towns contracted with private schools to educate children

• Used to be hundreds…now only 20

• Washington and Fryeburg (ME) oldest operating TA’s (founded early 1790’s)

• VT Academies: Thetford (oldest, 1817), Burr & Burton Academy, St. Johnsbury, Lyndon Institute, MSW

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

How Does a TA Operate?• Core Values:

– Independence– Every child, whole child

• Governance:– Typically private, self-perpetuating

Board• NAIS “Best Practices”• Held accountable by mission

and by-laws• Some TA’s 1/2 publicly elected

– Board’s role is strategic• Adopts budget, creates Board

policies, evaluates the HOS, fund/friendraising

• Board has one employee: HOS (“CEO”)

• Board does not make daily management decisions

• Funding (See “Budget”):– TA’s receive funding from

two main sources: tuition and fundraising

• Bulk from tuition (public and private)

• 501(c)3 status allows for tax-deductible donations from donors, foundations, etc.

• Tuition:– Set by the Board– Approved by the sending

towns– Financial aid

TA Operations, Cont.

• Sending Towns– TA’s work with

surrounding towns to guarantee admission to every child the school is able to serve

– Partnership with the parents

• Designation– Towns can vote to

designate (no “choice” to other independent schools)

– Must pay for public

Public, Private,Independent

• Not all “private” schools are “independent,” but all “independent” schools are “private”

• In U.S., 6,049,000 Pre-K-12 students attend private schools (11% of student population)

• Private schools make up 25% (33,740) of all schools• Only 1% of American students (10% of all private school students)

attend a “true” independent school– Independent schools have the freedom to…

• Define their own mission• Admit/retain students the mission states the school should serve• Hire/retain faculty based on the school’s own criteria for excellence• Articulate a curriculum and program as the school/mission deems fit

– Other private schools are:• Financed and controlled by the state (i.e. Charter schools), or• Financed and controlled by a church (i.e. parochial)

MSW as an Independent

• Vermont recognizes only “Public” or “Independent”

• Private v. Independent …just semantics?

• MSW a “true” independent school by definition and operation

• Same philosophy of admission for town and private-pay students--serve all

The Budget• Independent schools operate

on “real dollars”– Current year numbers– No back-billing– No shadow-student provisions– MSW: 75% sending town

students, 25% “private pay”

• Actual costs of educating a public school student v. average announced tuition– $15,475 2009-10 “real” costs v.

$11,867 (VT, CATO)

• Independents rely on fundraising– Endowments, Annual

Campaigns, other

• MSW alone is responsible for budget– 20% of MSW budget is

fundraising (Annual Fund, endowment, grants, etc.)

– Medicaid, Title I, other funds available with strings (10%)

– School employs Development Director, Board has Development Committee

• Town savings were realized over last decade– Equalized spending per child

same today ($15,000-) as 1997-98

Our Successes• Expansion

– K-6 to Pre-K-8– 36-73 students in 12 years

• Extended Program– Offerings (I.e. PK-8 Spanish),

averages to other schools– Achievement (89% reading in 5

years, 86% math in 8 years)

• Endowment– First ever--provides for the future

• Enrollment– Only school in district with

level/increased enrollment last 3 years

– 2nd homes, private pay (3%-25%)– Diversity (35% Title I 20% SPED)

Our Personal Challenges• Clarity…

– Philosophy v. Practice• Accept every child…

– Strategic Planning• Unclear direction--6 heads

in 6 years• Live for today, plan for

future– SPED

• No one cares for your children like you do…

– Culture of Choice• 2nd homes, limited by state

– Identity• Know yourself, and let

others know, too!

Advantages to Independence• Independence

– 5 P’s (Purpose, promise, principles; philosophy, program)– NCLB– Quality v. qualified teachers

• Choice– Families empowered to choose, financial support

• Creativity– Curriculum– Teaching

• Mission-driven– Focus on whole child, not AYP– Every decision based on core values of the school and community,

not the government– “Quality” decisions

Advantages, Continued• Data-driven

– Independent schools have higher student achievement (Friedman Foundation)

– Research shows “power to principals” makes all the difference (William G. Ouchi, UCLA, 665 school-study)

– Quality v. qualified teachers: Many public school teachers hired from bottom 1/3 of college grads (The New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce report, Tough Choices or Tough Times)

– The idea of “choice” drives schools to be better--increases public school achievement as well (Friedman Foundation; Markets v. Monopolies)

• Data-driven, cont.– Real estate values (higher

in Choice towns)– Vermonters voice: 89%

choice, 44% private (VT Survey)

• Changing Tides of Ed.– Push for something different– Can adapt quickly (I.e. Pre-

K, Int’l students)– Specialize to community,

student needs

• Sense of ownership– If you fail, school fails

Disadvantages to Independence

• Independence!– School alone determines budget and income…no bailouts!

• Choice!– Students can go elsewhere– Lack of universal choice, students must pay to come to you

• Fundraising– Aren’t you a public school?– My taxes are too high…

• Declining population– Tied 1st (23%)/2nd (22%) in declining student population v. nat’l avg. (VHA,

USDOE)– Bottoms out 2014 or 2018

• Lack of security– The unknown…

• Process– Must have a core group of committed, selfless individuals with passion, time, and

resources

Keys to Moving Forward• Strong Leadership

– Board and Head

• Strategic Vision– Foundational– Visionary

• Clearly Defined Mission– Child and learning-centered– Rigor and creativity– Guides every decision

• Commitment– Founders, school, community

• Staffing Decisions– Who stays?

• SPED– Must take control of all aspects of your

school

• Clarity of Change– Avoid MSW’s identity crisis

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Other Questions• The facility?

– MSW, WSD, and the Town of Winhall • The staff?

– Severance package? Employment status?• Have families moved to Winhall for MSW?

– Yes--more than 20 current students have moved to Winhall for our school

– However, others have moved for other schools (Holderness, etc.) and some have left MSW for local public or independent schools

• Has the community thought of expanding 9-12?– No…BBA!

• What agencies helped start MSW?– Vermonters for Better Education, VISA, Pat Pallas-Gray (DOE),

individual consultants

Other Resources

• www.themountainschool.org• www.vermontersforbettereducati

on.com• The Maine View (Maine Policy

Heritage Center)• They Spend What? The Real

Cost of Public Schools (CATO)• Vermont Spending Data

(VTDOE)• Private/Public School

Achievement (Friedman Foundation)

• Survey (Strategic Vision)• Markets v. Monopolies (CATO)• MSW History