Governance

Far Brook School
GOVERNANCE

FAR BROOK'S FOUNDING AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

A school in the progressive tradition, Far Brook grew out of the Buxton Country Day School which had been established in 1928 and relocated to Massachusetts as a boarding school in 1948. At that time, a group of parents banded together to purchase the school, which they renamed Far Brook and established "corporately so that it could pass on to successive generations of parents."

Far Brook is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation which is governed by an 18-member Board of Trustees. Each current family is a member and has a vote. There are 10 standing committees of the Board: Executive (the Officers of the Board), Buildings and Grounds, Development, Educational Policy, Finance, Investment, Nominating and Orientation, Parents, Planning, and Scholarship. At the school's Annual Meeting each May, one third of the Board is elected or reelected, and reports are given by the Head of School, the President of the Board, the Treasurer, and the Development Chair. Over the years, Far Brook has enjoyed a high degree of Board continuity and leadership.

PARENTS ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

Parent volunteers have a vital role at Far Brook, adding to the sense of community and richness of school life. This volunteer corps currently numbers more than 125, including alumni and alumni parents. Parents conduct a wide variety of activities and events, such as Fall Family Day, the Book Fair, parent education evenings, teacher appreciation activities, and the Helping Others service project. They also serve as library volunteers and class parents, and they write and produce the Far Brook Bulletin, an in-depth newsletter distributed four times per year. Parents are involved in the Annual Fund, special event fundraising, and capital campaign efforts, as are alumni and alumni parents and grandparents.

FUNDRAISING

Far Brook conducts a thriving Annual Fund campaign, with a goal for the 2007-2008 school year of $415,000. Those who contribute to Far Brook include current parents, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends. Last year, current parent participation was over 95%.

Far Brook's first-ever Capital Campaign of $2.4 million, completed in 1996, made possible the buildings opened in 1990 -- the Ruth and Max Segal Family Library, the Middle School classroom building (since named Mary Margaret Wearn Wiener Middle School), the Administration building -- and the Laurie Arts Center completed in 1992. It provided funds for major renovations to the Junior High building and French classroom. The campaign also established a modest endowment for faculty benefits, scholarships, and the arts.

In 1997, the Board of Trustees identified a total of $7.5 million in needs for the School, including the renovation and modest expansion of Moore Hall, enlarging the general endowment, creating a technology endowment, and renovating the Lower School. The work on Moore Hall began in early spring of 2003 and was completed in October of 2003.

Extraordinary people -- current and alumni parents, alumni, foundations, businesses, grandparents, and friends -- stepped forward to invest significantly in Far Brook's future. Far Brook's second capital campaign -- The Campaign for Far Brook - Preserving Tradition, Securing the Future -- ended June 30th at $4,825,526.36 for endowment and physical plant needs. Quiet major gift fundraising will continue toward the $7.5 million in needs.

Periodically, the School holds special fundraising initiatives and events. After the last Capital Campaign, the School set a goal to raise $1,000,000 in three years. With the news of Head of School Mary Wearn Wiener’s retirement, we challenged ourselves to reach the goal an entire year earlier. A Former Trustees Challenge Grant brought contributions of $180,175. With many generous gifts from current parents, alumni, parents of alumni, andothers, plus funds raised through a Tribute Journal in Mrs. Wiener’s honor, we surpassed our goal, with a total amount of over $1,033,000 added to the Schools Endowment by June of 2006.

Other examples include four "Tanglebrook" concerts, featuring two members of the Grammy Award-winning Emerson String Quartet, violinist Philip Setzer, who is also a parent of an alumna, and cellist David Finckel, Far Brook Class of 1966, and the noted pianist, Wu Han, who is married to David Finckel. These concerts have been preceded by Sponsor Dinners, where Wu Han and Phillip Setzer have performed. These concerts have raised over $100,000 to benefit the Edwin A. Finckel Scholarship for the Arts.

Other past events have been 50th Anniversary Souvenir Ad Journal, which netted nearly $30,000 for the School; and 45th Birthday Celebration, which raised $47,000 for a new playground in 1993.

GOALS

Goals for Far Brook's future include:

Increasing the school's endowment, especially in the areas of faculty benefits, scholarships, technology and arts funding
Renovation of the Lower School classroom building
Continuing to upgrade the salaries and benefits for Far Brook faculty and staff
Ensuring that professional development opportunities for faculty and staff continue to be made available