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More Classrooms to Strengthen the Academic Program…MFS has an exceptional academic program that continues

to grow. With the introduction of Mandarin Chinese, robotics,and new Honors and Advanced Placement courses, plus scoresof electives in every department, the program is varied,engaging and challenging. As enrollment and the academicprogram have grown over the last two decades, the schoolconverted unused spaces and conference rooms intoclassrooms. But more classrooms and labs are needed.

While the school is very efficient with classrooms – eachroom is booked almost every period – the result is that Middleand Upper School faculty members are often unable to preparein their own classrooms. There are numerous full-time facultymembers who do not have their own classrooms and “float”from room to room. The School Committee has identified theclassroom shortage as a serious concern that affects theacademic program and the valuable interaction betweenstudents and faculty members.

“During this campaign, I have often taken inspiration from former Headmaster Chester Reagan. He laid the

cornerstone for our Middle and Upper School building at the beginning of the Great Depression. It was a triumph of

his determination and the faith the MFS community had in the future to complete the project and retire the debt

during his years at MFS. We have been blessed with similar wonderful support during a difficult economic period,

and with early donors to the campaign who understand the critical importance of this campus expansion.”

- Head of School Larry Van Meter ’68

“Great Classrooms for Great Kids,” the largest captialcampaign to be launched in over a decade, willdramatically increase the number of classrooms andlabs and ease the current overcrowding in the Middleand Upper School.

The results of this effort will include:

1) The first new classroom building since the 1960swith the renovation of the former South Annexbuilding on the Greenleaf property. Scheduled opening: April 2012

2) A new chemistry lab, a new chemistry/environmental science lab, and a new robotics/physics lab in the Middle/Upper School building.Scheduled opening: September 2012

Among the benefits of these projects to the academicprogram are: • All full-time teachers will have their ownclassrooms, providing valuable continuity andincreased prep time for the faculty.

• Gathering the math faculty together in the samebuilding will enable the department to experiencethe synergies of readily sharing ideas, pedagogy andcurriculum.

• New labs will allow the Science Department tosupport long-term student investigations andprovide critical space for expanded work inrobotics.

• A large, specifically designed suite in the newbuilding will provide a rehearsal space for thechoral music program.

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To better understand some of the problems created by theclassroom shortage, imagine you are…

…. an 11th grade student in Advanced PlacementEnvironmental Science. Since teaching and storage space islimited in the lab, you do activities designed to be finished inone lab period and work with minimal scientific equipment.While this reliance on short activities has not affected yourachievement on standardized tests or success in extracurricularscience contests, you have little experience withenvironmental science activities that take longer than 90minutes. Last year’s Environmental Science Team won firstplace in the National Science League Competition and youwant to help this year’s team repeat. Ideally your lab would bespacious enough to allow you to carry out longerinvestigations, particularly those of your own design.

…. an Upper School math teacher. You have manyprofessional development opportunities, attend the NationalCouncil of Teachers Math Conference and train on electronicwhiteboards. But, you have not had your own classroom forseven years. You move from room to room all day. You teachin history or English classrooms, and rearrange the desks froma circle format to rows facing the whiteboard. Since you can’tstore manipulatives or lab materials, you carry boxes ofstraight edges and compasses along with your books and

papers. You arrive to class at the same time as your students.It’s a challenge to implement new teaching ideas when youcan’t prepare the classroom ahead of time.

…. an eighth grade student who loves robotics. Inspiredby your older brother’s FIRST (For Inspiration & Recognition ofScience & Technology) Tech Challenge Robotics team whichcompeted at the World Championships in Atlanta, you’vejoined the Middle School robotics team that meets after school.Unfortunately, there is precious little space for you and yourclassmates to work. While you have built a new robot, yourgroup spends most of its time setting up and breaking downthe test area. There is no place to keep your project up andrunning day to day.

…. a seventh grade student. You are new to MFS, butcan see that the teachers are interested in getting to know you.Last night’s homework was challenging, and you want to askyour teacher a few questions. Unfortunately, your teacher isnot in the room where you have class. Another class is inthere. Luckily, you finally track down your teacher, who ishappy to answer your questions as you both juggle your bookson your laps sitting on a hallway bench.

400

500

600

700

800

1992 1997 2001 2006 2011

711 717

656

574

531

MFS enrollment has grown steadily over two decades.

“We anticipate that there will be many intangible

benefits from the expansion of our footprint. In

addition to giving MFS more of a ‘campus feeling,’ the

creation of physically linked math and science centers

will ignite possibilities for greater collaboration.

Perhaps most importantly, giving all our full-time

teachers their own classrooms for teaching, planning

and conferencing with students will enhance what is

already the strongest feature of our program – high-

quality student-teacher interaction.”

– Academic Dean and Associate Head

of School Barbara Caldwell

How will the Capital Campaign and the Greenleaf Propertyhelp to solve these challenges?

In October 2008, MFS purchased the former GreenleafFriends Home, a four-acre property that is contiguous tocampus, for $4.0 million utilizing a line of credit. Establishedin 1896, the Greenleaf discontinued operations in June 2008due to a decline in the number of residents.

MFS and Voith & Mactavish Architects developed plans totransform the 15,000 square-foot former South Annex facilityinto a new classroom building, providing eight classrooms forthe Math Department, and a Choral Music Suite. The newbuilding will be air-conditioned, utilizing a geothermal heatingand cooling system, and will earn LEED (Leadership in Energyand Environmental Design) Silver certification through theGreen Building Council. A 200-yard path from the tenniscourts to the new building will be installed.

With the Math Department moving to the new building,the school will be able to expand science labs. MFS partneredwith TAO, a Moorestown architecture firm, to plans for anewly renovated chemistry lab (installed in the summer of2009), a new chemistry/environmental science lab, and a newrobotics/physics lab. The new world languages classroom,completed in the summer of 2010, was also designed by TAO.

The MFS student body traveled down Main Street on Friday, May 6 to celebrate the kickoff of construction on the new classroom building on the former Greenleaf property,scheduled to open before the end of the 2011-12 school year.

The former South Annex will contain eight math classrooms, achoral music suite, a technology lab and office space. It will belinked to the current campus by a landscaped path originatingnear the tennis courts.

Construction Kickoff Celebration

What’s the status of the former Acme?

The former Acme at 123 Chester Ave. was acquired late in2006. In 2007 and 2008, the school developed plans for thatbuilding to help address the space crunch. The plans changedwhen the opportunity to secure the contiguous four acreGreenleaf property emerged. The Greenleaf provides a bettersolution for three reasons: 1) it is on the same side of the streetand is contiguous to campus; 2) there are fewer regulatoryissues in the municipal planning process; and 3) it is lessexpensive to renovate. The School Committee continues toclosely evaluate numerous options with the former Acmelocation. Accordingly, the board’s Property Committee isworking with real estate professionals to pursue a tenant forthe former Acme.

How has the space shortage

impacted the Science Department?

“A shortage of lab space has shrunk

an important aspect of science

education. Specifically, we have

gradually lost our ability to give

students the opportunities to carry

out long-term investigations. Long-

term investigations are a vital part

of the scientific method as such investigations demonstrate

change over time."

- Science Department Chair Dr. Barbara Quinn Kreider,

a member of the faculty at MFS since 1998

How has the space shortage

impacted the Math Department?

“Five of the eight math teachers

have not had their own

classrooms for the last seven

years. The number of lessons

that can be taught using

manipulative and other lab

materials is reduced as there is

no place to store them or time

before class to set up the necessary equipment. Some topics

require the use of special instructional aides like computer

programs, graphing calculator programs or even a graphing

blackboard. The other classrooms do not have these items

installed, which reduces the effectiveness of the lesson.”

- Math Department Chair Michael Omilian handles

scheduling for the Middle and Upper School and

has been a faculty member at MFS since 1991.

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The Capital Campaign - The campaign goal is $6 million.During the campaign’s “quiet phase,” $5 million has beenraised thanks to lead gifts from the School Committee, Head’sCouncil members, as well as individual alumni, parents andalumni parents. The campaign will fund the renovation of theformer South Annex as well as classroom and labimprovements on the main campus. The Capital CampaignCommittee hopes to secure the remaining $1 million by June30, 2012. Beginning in 2012, the Capital Campaign Committeewill be reaching out to the entire MFS community requestingcampaign commitments, payments for which can be spreadover several years.

A rendering of the new chemistry/environmental science lab.

A rendering of the robotics/physics lab.

A sketch of the new classroom building.

“It is exciting to see the tangible results

that this capital campaign will have for

our students, and faculty. As a parent,

trustee, and campaign contributor, I am

inspired to be part of this historic

endeavor that will literally change the

landscape of the school and provide

opportunities for the growth of the

academic program for decades to come.”

– Stephanie Zarus, MFS Trustee since 2008.