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The White Mountain School is now Closed

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Word count: 1,877 words, Reading time: 7.5 minutes"<iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-TPG5775"height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe> Skip to contentSearch AboutContact UsDirectoryParentsAlumni<img width="200" height="239" src="https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_200,h_239/https://www-whitemountain.rapidload-cdn.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/The-White-Mountain-Boarding-School-Site-logo-500-e1679937119368.png" class="custom-logo kadence-transparent-logo" alt="The White Mountain Boarding School Site logo 500" decoding="async" /> Toggle Menu The White Mountain School is now ClosedHomeIt is with a heavy heart that we announce that this year, our 138th, will be the final year of The White Mountain School/St. Mary’s in the Mountains. Despite the tremendous efforts of the Board, school leadership and other dedicated community members to find a path forward, we have recently determined that our model of an independent high school is no longer sustainable.Letters to our ConstituentsA letter addressed to our Current parents and Families, can be found here.For the letter addressed to our Community members, please review this letter.For those connected to the Creative Edge Dance Studio, please review that letter here.FAQ Factors That Went Into the Decision to CloseQ. The White Mountain School has been in existence for 138 years…can you explain what happened? As educators, we believe in the profound impact that independent schools, especially boarding schools, have on students’ lives. However, we are facing significant challenges due to evolving demographic, market, and economic forces. A declining birth rate, stronger public school options, a weakening local economy, national economic difficulties, and a generational shift in parents’ perspectives on independent schools have all contributed to these issues. These trends have placed immense pressure on enrollment for schools like The White Mountain School. While institutions with large endowments can bridge these financial gaps, we, unfortunately, do not have that advantage.Q. I have heard many independent schools have experienced a surge in enrollment post-COVID.  Was this true for The White Mountain School?While some larger day schools have seen enrollment growth, the post-COVID landscape has challenged many independent institutions. According to the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS):Between 2018-2019 and 2022-2023:36% of NAIS schools reported enrollment decreases, with 14% experiencing drops of 10% or more.Boarding and boarding day schools saw enrollment declines of 17% and 7%, respectively. Small schools had a median enrollment decline of up to 9% and the highest attrition rate at 14.1%.International student enrollment in independent schools declined by 22%.Additionally, over the past 10 years, the school-age population within 30 minutes of our campus has declined by 9.3%. Between 2017-2018 and 2021-2022, the majority of independent schools saw revenue declines, with 32% experiencing drops of 10% or more. Small schools experienced a 6% revenue decline, and boarding schools averaged a 15% decline.As a small boarding day school with over 20% international students in recent years, these market challenges have greatly impacted our finances. The White Mountain School, like many of our peers, has seen a significant decline in tuition revenue due to lower enrollment and a higher demand for financial aid.Q. Was COVID the main reason for the downturn in enrollment?No, the downturn is largely due to changing demographics and parent behavior. While our enrollment has fluctuated over the past decade, we experienced a significant loss of students in the spring of 2022, which has persisted.Q. So, what have the School and the Board been doing to try to mitigate these challenges?For over two decades, the Board has engaged in strategic efforts to bolster enrollment and address financial challenges. These initiatives included significant facility updates, successful capital campaigns, enhancements to academic programs, and targeted marketing efforts. Projects such as renovating buildings, expanding arts and research programs, and launching the White Mountain Scholars program were part of these efforts. In recent years, the school refreshed its digital and print marketing, optimized search engine visibility, and redesigned its website to support recruitment.This year, the school made significant efforts to secure financial stability through acquisition by a private educational group. This partnership would have allowed WMS to maintain its educational standards and community while staying on the Bethlehem campus and offering new opportunities for student exchange programs in China and beyond. The WMS Board strongly believed in this partnership and maintained positive relations with the prospective partner. This collaboration sustained the school financially throughout the spring. Unfortunately, a viable financial solution for continuing the school beyond this year could not be found.Q. How much money in donations would it take to keep the school open?The Board has thoroughly analyzed the factors negatively impacting enrollment and the financial challenges posed by broader market trends. They have engaged in strategic discussions, explored various options, and sought support from external resources and prior donors. However, given the current enrollment landscape, the school’s modest endowment, and physical plant needs, it is estimated that $6-$7 million in immediate cash donations would be required to be in a position to open for the next school year.For long-term sustainability, the school would need to develop new revenue sources beyond tuition and significantly grow its endowment and annual fund to adequately support operations and physical plant needs. Based on our analysis, we do not believe the school can bridge this sizable gap.Q. What is the school’s endowment, and could it be used to shore up the school’s finances?The White Mountain School’s endowment currently stands at just over two million dollars, most of which is restricted for specific purposes. By law, the school can typically only draw income from the endowment to support operations. Therefore, tuition and annual giving are responsible for covering the vast majority of the annual operating budget. With the significant decline in enrollment in recent years, the gap between the revenue generated by tuition and annual giving and the funds required to run the school has become unsustainable.Q. Is there a reason that the community is just being notified now?As educators, our priority has always been to provide the best possible opportunities and support for our students. In our commitment to this mission, the Board and administration exhaustively explored every avenue to sustain our operations, including bolstering our marketing and admissions efforts and intensifying fundraising initiatives over the past few years. As a final resort last year, we pursued acquisition by a private educational entity to secure the school’s future. However, an impasse in the final negotiations rendered this option unattainable. Despite the thoroughness and intensity of our efforts over several years, we had to face the unfortunate truth that no viable path forward exists. While the decision to close was made recently, it followed years of exhaustively pursuing every conceivable option.Q. I want to help. What can I do, and with whom should I be in contact?Thank you for your support.  While there isn’t anything to be done to change this outcome, you can help to ensure we have the resources necessary to honor our obligations to all school constituents and partners as we close by donating to our Honor the Heritage fund here. A generous donor moved by the importance of this goal will match every gift up to $500,000. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions by emailing trustees@whitemountain.org.Current WMS Students and Families We understand that this news may come as a shock and cause a deluge of feelings, including anger, frustration, and disappointment. We share in your sadness and are deeply committed to supporting our families through this difficult time. Our priority is to maintain open and transparent communication, ensuring you have the information and support you need. Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns at trustees@whitemountain.org.Q. My child is currently a junior.  What does this mean for their final year of high school?We will host a meeting for the Class of 2025 and their parents to address this question.  The college counseling process for these juniors and their families began this January, as our juniors were already enrolled in a semester-long college counseling course. Q. Will there be support to help White Mountain School families find new schools for their students?We are deeply committed to supporting our WMS families through this transition, ensuring that each student finds the best educational path for the coming year and beyond. We are carefully identifying steps to assist in this process and will provide more details shortly. Your children’s well-being and future success are our top priorities.Q. How are you supporting our students through this?We understand that this news will be upsetting for many in our community. In the immediate term, we will do our best to be supportive. Your child’s care and future are our top priorities.Q. How are you supporting the faculty and staff through this situation?It is because of the dedication and contributions of our incredible faculty and staff that we have been able to create such a special community. To support them through this transition, we will leverage our professional relationships in both the independent and public school sectors to ensure they receive the opportunities and support they deserve.School Records, Alumni, and Contact Information Q. How can I access student records after the school is closed?There will be a custodian of records who will be the point of contact for any alums and families who need access to their academic records beyond summer 2024. We are working to have all records retained by the New Hampshire Department of Education and hope to have this ready by August 2024.Q. Will there be opportunities for class reunions after the school has been closed?Absolutely. A school is not confined to its four walls; the spirit of White Mountain School will continue to thrive whenever our students gather. The bonds developed here, the formative experiences, and the foundation for life that our school provides will continue to live on in our alumni. We wholeheartedly encourage White Mountain School/St. Mary’s in the Mountains alumni to continue their traditions of coming together and celebrating their shared experiences.Moving forward, independent social media groups and other online platforms will be excellent ways to stay connected and organize reunions. The connections and memories you have made will always remain strong, no matter where you are.Contact for Current Families & Student RecordsOur admissions team has worked incredibly hard to find new schools for our current students. Many other boarding schools have reached out and offered their assistance in reestablishing academic homes. At this time we are now closed.We are working with the New Hampshire Department of Education to transfer records to them for retention and requests. This is not yet in place.To request transcripts through July 31st, please contact the registrar@whitemountain.org or complete the transcript request form.Media Contact For media who would like more information about our circumstances, please contact our trustees at trustees@whitemountain.org.<img decoding="async" width="379" height="130" src="https://2b41090ddb.nxcli.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/header_logo-1.png" alt="Boarding School Footer Logo" class="wp-image-1285" srcset="https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_379/https://www.whitemountain.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/header_logo-1.png 379w, https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_300/https://www.whitemountain.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/header_logo-1-300x103.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 379px) 100vw, 379px" />Facebook Instagram YouTube Linkedin 371 West Farm Road Bethlehem NH 03574            The White Mountain School admits students of any race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.Specific questions regarding Title IX should be directed to the School's Title IX coordinator at TitleIX@whitemountain.org. Specific questions regarding Section 504 should be addressed to the School's Section 504 coordinator at Section504@whitemountain.org.Non-Discrimination StatementSearch AboutContact UsDirectoryParentsAlumni© 2024 The White Mountain School <style>.lazyload{display:none}</style> Search AboutContact UsDirectoryParentsAlumniNews and Events"

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