2 min read January 2022 — The Bolles School is an independent college preparatory school located in Jacksonville. The school enrolls more than 1,700 boarding and day students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. In an Interview with Invest:, President and Head of the School Tyler Hodges discussed the state of the education sector in Jacksonville, what makes The Bolles School unique, the future of educational programs, the benefits of Jacksonville for independent schools and the outlook for the next few years.
What is the state of the education sector in Jacksonville?
We are the largest city in the country by land area, with a growing population that encompasses over a million inhabitants. We have wonderful independent schools and some strong public schools; however, we’re incapable of handling all the students we have here. That is a challenge we’re facing as the region continues to grow. The best thing for Jacksonville is to have a wide array of schools both independent and public.
In the education industry, generally, the landscape is changing rapidly. Making rapid changes has historically been a challenge for most schools. We have a long tradition of excellence. I’m incredibly proud of how we pivoted to respond to COVID in order to maintain continuity of the educational experience at Bolles. We saw the importance of technology and the shifts in the job market, even pre-COVID and were well positioned to respond. COVID was both a disrupter and accelerator in the educational sector and specifically at Bolles. Interestingly, as we emerge from COVID we are returning to an emphasis on preparing our students for a rapidly changing future environment and even jobs that do not yet exist. It’s how we fulfill our mission to prepare our students for college and life that makes us unique. We’re willing to tackle any challenge and fulfill any goal to best serve our students. It’s all about strong relationships and connection—creating a sense of belonging.
What differentiates The Bolles School from other educational institutions in Jacksonville?
We’re very thankful for our legacy, tradition and our amazing alumni base. Our national boarding component is a strong asset, as it pulls boarding students from other parts of the country, Europe, Asia and South America. Our faculty are strong. They consistently pursue professional development in order to bring even more into their classrooms. Our motto, “all things possible,” is important for us, as it relates to the abundance of opportunities offered and ties in with The Bolles Way, pursuing excellence through courage, integrity and compassion. We’re constantly looking to get as close to perfection as we can, which means we are never satisfied and we never assume that we have all the answers. There is always something to learn. We want to have a growth mindset in all areas of the School—in academics, athletics, the arts and even in our extracurricular activities.
A great example of how we are putting this in action is our emphasis on developing courses that overlap between departments weaving art and math classes through kinetic sculpture, for example. We’re seeking to offer more entrepreneurship and finance classes. We also have a partnership with the Global Online Academy to offer our students even more courses to select from. Our Anatomage Table brings science to life and we have an exemplary robotics program. We are exploring how we assess student learning outcomes and adding more projects that closely resemble real-life work experiences. We want our students to be ready for life, where there is often no perfect right or wrong answer. Where collaboration is essential and it often makes more sense to listen more than you speak. We want to provide our graduates with a foundation in essential hard and soft skills, so they are equipped to listen, pitch ideas and collaborate to come up with positive solutions.
How are educational programs shifting to fulfill the needs of future employment demands?
We are constantly talking about it and finding new ways to tackle future needs and demands. Six years ago, we increased our commitment to emphasizing emotional intelligence. Being empathetic allows for more meaningful connections and improves communication and listening skills that can be applied in everyday interactions. Learning is all about communication and collaboration. This year, we started the development of a center for global learning and engagement. Its purpose is to develop soft skills that are fundamental for students to learn how to be critical thinkers and to be able to work with people in a global context. The center has a virtual platform where students can interact with students in other countries. We’re preparing ourselves to rekindle our international programs and be ready to travel to other countries as soon as it’s viable. Our main goal with these initiatives is to allow our students to have an extra certification on their diploma, making them more appealing for college applications and future employers and to work on skills that will translate to success in life regardless of their career path.
What differentiates Jacksonville’s educational sector from other markets in the country?
I’ve lived all over the country and have worked in other independent schools. Although I never thought I would be living in Florida, it was a seamless transition. Jacksonville is booming and we are excited. This is a great city and area of the country. It’s a big city that doesn’t feel big; it doesn’t have the traffic of other metropolitan cities and it has great amenities, such as the beaches, the river, sports teams, an amazing symphony and the list goes on and on. It is a neighborhood-oriented community, there is a tremendous influx of people from around the U.S. coming into Jacksonville and that’s driving a lot of growth—intellectually, financially and geographically. Florida has many advantages because of its tax environment, the weather and the quality of life, so it’s a win-win for all.
What are your near-term goals for The Bolles School?
Our main goal is to support our students by fulfilling our educational mission and make the Bolles experience the best and most relevant it can be. We have been fortunate to have a tradition and legacy that allow us to build upon that foundation. We are about to break ground on a new Center for Innovation that will transform the educational experience at Bolles and bring more growth to our school by expanding our physical facilities. We consider ourselves a pillar of the Jacksonville community and want to continue to play a role moving forward. At the same time, we will continue to build our financial resources, specifically our endowment, so we can be sustainable in the future and thereby serve students not yet born.
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