2 min read January 2022 — Pine Crest School is bucking growth-focused trends to cultivate the quality of its education and unique experiences provided to students, and is seeing tremendous outcomes as a result. “For us it’s simple. It’s what is best for the kids. We’re a nonprofit, so we’re not about attracting more funds or growing the school. We’re about finding the best faculty and staff,” President Dana Markham told Invest:.
What have been some successes over the past year and what are your priorities going forward?
Amid uncertainty, our focus has and will continue to be on our students: their safety and well-being, and preparing them for their futures. Over the past year, we have continued to move our curricular programming forward. In addition to our longstanding three-year science research program for Upper School students, we have recently added three-year programs in social entrepreneurship and advanced writing. These programs are application based, competitive, and require substantial commitment from the students. In return, students benefit from being able to take a deep dive into their area of interest and turn their ideas and thoughts into realities.
Our computer science curriculum now begins in pre-kindergarten and extends through 12th grade. Students develop their coding skills as part of the regular curriculum and are then able to expand their interests through extracurriculars and Advanced Placement courses.
We have expanded our social-emotional education curriculum via our character education programming in Lower School and advisories in Middle and Upper School. As a complement to our outdoor learning initiative, we constructed mindful gardens on both campuses for teachers to conduct academic classes and advisory sessions during the school day.
How are you responding to the influx of businesses and families in terms of demand?
Demand is high for private school education in the region, which is due in large part to families from all over the world relocating to South Florida. Each school has unique dynamics and strengths. Education-wise, our region offers something for everyone, whether it be independent, religious, charter, public magnet, or neighborhood public.
At Pine Crest, we have seen an increase in applications for all grades and from families all over the world. However, we remain committed to maintaining an optimum enrollment; it is important to our faculty, staff, and administrators that we know each and every student well. We do not have plans to grow our school.
How does Pine Crest School distinguish itself from other schools?
At Pine Crest, we go to great lengths during the admission process to find mission-appropriate families who share our philosophy on education. We meet one-on-one with parents to gain an understanding about what they want their child to experience throughout their educational journey. In turn, we are transparent about our approach to education and our expectations of students and their parents. Beyond a challenging academic program, Pine Crest offers a myriad of extracurricular activities, from fine arts and athletics to clubs and after-school enrichment.
We teach children to understand what they do best, that everyone brings a different skill set to the group, and that everyone should be honored for their talents.
What is Pine Crest’s process when assessing market conditions?
For us, it’s simple: we do what is best for our students. This includes recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty and staff who are active learners and who are invested in their professional growth. Currently, we have more faculty than ever who are pursuing masters and doctorate degrees. We support continuing education and professional development; this translates into even more stellar teachers and staff for our students.
Has Pine Crest seen any impacts from the labor shortage?
Pine Crest remains focused on recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty. Beyond traditional methods of recruiting, we have expanded our efforts to include virtual open houses and career fairs. We also host an Innovation Institute each spring where teachers from all over the world have an opportunity to experience Pine Crest first-hand through engaging with our innovation specialists and grade-level teachers, participating in lab classrooms, and hearing from our students. The Innovation Institute has evolved into a conduit to get the word out about teaching at Pine Crest.
How are you incorporating remote learning with in-person learning?
We returned to full in-person learning at the beginning of this school year. Our faculty and administrators feel strongly about students and teachers being in person; student engagement with faculty and staff is a critical component of our curriculum.
What are some of the ways you’ve seen South Florida change over the past year, and how do you think it will operate differently in 2022?
We have seen an influx of new families relocate to South Florida. This is a wonderful place to raise a family; the weather, educational opportunities, culture, and cost of living make it an attractive place for families to live and work. I believe our region will continue to welcome new families from all over the world in 2022.
What are some of the key planks of your strategic plan for the next year?
We will continue to focus on our Lower, Middle, and Upper School computer science and innovation programs; our social-emotional education programming; spaces to facilitate outdoor learning; constructing new arts facilities on the Fort Lauderdale campus and Middle School facilities on the Boca Raton campus; and sustaining the financial health of the school.
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