Writer: Max Crampton-Thomas
2 min read October 2022 — While the last few years have been anything but predictable for pre-K-12 education, there is a shared sentiment among sector leaders that the future is primed with opportunity. In conversations with Invest:, heads of schools for some of Palm Beach’s leading pre-K-12 institutions shared their outlooks for the future of education in the county which they deemed as interesting, fortunate and evolving.
Linda Trethewey, Head of School, Rosarian Academy
“As we move forward into the future of education, we can’t forget the foundation of math and reading, with the STEM curriculum becoming increasingly important. Students must be on the cutting edge while also leaning on the tradition of education. Industry heads are looking for their children to be accepted into high-quality high schools and universities, which has been a stress point on Palm Beach County. Rosarian Academy is ready to meet the future needs of our community with capacity while maintaining excellence in education. We’re ready to expand, and we’re ready to be there for the families moving here. Florida is a wonderful, vibrant place to live, especially Palm Beach.”
Ethan Shapiro, Head of School, Saint Andrew’s School
“We spent this year in the strategic planning process, gathering data and working with the steering committee and community to develop and draft the plan. We are also in the middle of an FCIS accreditation process, which is important for how we will consider our next key set of strategic initiatives. More people are moving into the area, which is growing demand for the kind of education we offer. Our goal is to find where our mission aligns with the current marketplace in the region.
We are in a great place as a school, so I’m optimistic. We’re finishing our campus master plan that’s been around for nine years. We’ve had great success fundraising for our programs. We continue to attract and retain high-end faculty, staff, and administrators.”
David Faus, Head of School, The Benjamin School
“This is a really interesting yet fortunate time to be in Palm Beach. We are in a place like many other Florida communities that are seeing significant growth. We’ve worked closely with the Palm Beach Business Development Board and have the fingers on the pulse of who is seriously looking at Palm Beach for opportunities. For The Benjamin School, it’s an opportunity to be more selective because we have absolutely exploded on the enrollment front and there is way more demand than there are spots available. There’s a perpetual wait list for many grade levels and it’s caused us to rethink strategically and thoughtfully about our strength and student fit. Acceptance rates a decade ago were around 60%, but now they are down to 30%. There’s a burden with that, and how we can continue providing a valuable educational experience while being mindful of growing access and diversity for our students, which will be a constant work in progress.”’
Fanning Hearon, Head of School, Palm Beach Day Academy
“The good news is that the academic level of all area schools is going to improve. We are attracting better teachers and great families into the area. As a result, schools will become better. It is not just about growth. We are done with numbers; now, it is about the quality, not the quantity. This year will be the “reset.” We’ve done everything we can to maintain the integrity of our program and we are getting high marks on that. We’ve done everything we can to support our students and accommodate as many new families as possible. We are mostly full now, which is great. With growth comes higher expectations from some of our new families and it is time for us to get back to a place where we are analyzing and evaluating our programs. We want to be seen as a leader and the only way to improve is to continue to reflect and process.”
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