EAST HAMPTON, NY — Ross School officials announced Monday that they have developed a comprehensive plan to streamline the educational structure at two campuses, one in East Hampton and one in Bridgehampton.
Kindergarten through 6th grade will be located at the Butter Lane campus in Bridgehampton and grades 7 through 12 will be located on Goodfriend Drive in East Hampton, according to school officials.
“This strategic move aims to best serve the developmental needs of children and young adults,” school officials said.
The decision to reorganize into two departments stems from an “ongoing effort to leverage Ross's unique strengths, optimize resources and improve overall educational outcomes and student excellence experiences,” school officials said. “With the historic success of operating in this configuration, the plan has garnered enthusiastic support from the board, faculty and parents, who recognize its significant benefits for students.”
School officials believe that organizing the campuses into two divisions aligns with the developmental stages of childhood and adolescence. Other benefits of the structure, they added, include improving athletics, community involvement and leadership opportunities. expanded faculty teams that foster multi-year relationships with students and families; enhancing curricular coherence and professional development; and ensuring facilities are tailored to match student growth and long-term plans.
At the Butter Lane campus in Bridgehampton, where K to 6 will be located, the addition of Grades 5 and 6 will boost academic skills development for the entire section, school leaders said.
Renovations and improvements are currently underway, including classrooms, science/STEAM lab, play areas, and athletic facilities, as well as increased special leadership opportunities based on the abilities of 4th through 6th graders.
“Most importantly, Butter Lane will continue to be an age-appropriate environment that fosters resilience and confidence,” Ross School said.
The campus on Goodfriend Drive in East Hampton will place special emphasis on the 7th-grade program, “to instill a foundation of academic skills and preparation for success in Ross' advanced upper school curriculum,” Ross administrators said.
The adult team is focused on supporting and inspiring students, student access to a dedicated STEAM lab with technology, teaching spaces and co-curricular spaces will be expanded and improved, they added.
“This unified campus community will better match the Section XI athletics championships and provide a more balanced social academic progress and personal development environment,” said the Ross School.
Over the past few months, Tom Sturtevant, the Head of School, along with Mark Frankel, the Upper School Principal, and Bryan Rousseau-Rosenberg, the Lower School Principal, have organized a series of forums aimed at engaging parents from each grade level. in discussions about the school's transition plan. The forums provided a platform for open dialogue, allowing parents to engage with school leadership and offer suggestions and support, they said.
Each forum was tailored to the specific needs and interests of parents within their respective grades. Sturtevant, Frankel and Rousseau-Rosenberg facilitated the sessions, “ensuring that all voices were heard and valued,” the Ross School said. “They presented the rationale behind the two-part optimization plan, highlighting its potential benefits for students' academic, social and emotional development. Throughout the forum, parents had the opportunity to voice their opinions and ask questions. Sturtevant and his team actively listened to the concerns expressed by parents, taking into account their suggestions and thoughts.”
Based on the feedback, the leadership team made the decision to grandfather in Grade 6 at the Goodfriend Drive campus and Grade 5 at the Butter Lane campus for the next academic year.
“The forums served as a testament to Ross School's commitment to openness, inclusion and responsiveness to the needs of its community, school officials said. “The strategic realignment of Ross School into two divisions reflects a commitment to providing high-quality education and holistic development of students. By optimizing resources and establishing leadership, the plan ensures that all Ross students thrive socially and academically, from early childhood prodigies to progressively more rigorous academics and advanced scholarship at the upper school college level.” .
