Strategic Plan Update: Spring Changes

Dear BT Community,

I'm pleased to share the latest update on our Building Together campus transformation project. You may notice new activity on campus as we prepare for construction to begin this summer, and we want to make sure you know what will be happening and when.

Spring Changes

At BT, we care deeply about the beautiful grounds that give our campus so much of its character. The new footprint of our campus will require the removal and relocation of a modest number of trees and plants, particularly around the area of our existing playground. This work will take place in the coming weeks. BT is fortunate to have a certified arborist with more than 30 years of experience on our team, and we are working with our project partners to ensure the relocation of healthy trees and preservation and relocation of any affected wildlife.

More immediately, utility and infrastructure work will begin this week on the site of our current practice field. This work will take a few weeks to complete and sets the ground for the arrival, in late April, of the temporary structures that will be home to our Raiderville classrooms for Early Years, kindergarten, and grade 1 classes during construction. This architectural rendering provides a sense of how these classrooms will look and feel as we continue to build out these spaces during the summer months and create a special new community on campus. (Keep an eye out for Raiderville gear in the year ahead!)

Starting this week, activities typically occurring on our practice field will move to new locations on campus. All other campus procedures will continue through the rest of the school year without interruption or impact, including Lower School drop-off and pickup. As these visible signs of progress start to appear on campus, please know that safety and security, and ensuring an extraordinary learning experience for our students each and every day, is and always will be our first priority.

Bidding Adieu, Building Anew

As the end of the current academic year approaches, the moment has come to pay farewell to our current Lower School facilities in anticipation of the exciting improvements to come.

Starting today, we are inviting our BT community to contribute Lower School memories, as well as intentions for our future Lower School, on this digital message board. These reflections will be collected in a time capsule that will carry forward into our new east campus facilities, alongside meaningful photographs, keepsakes, and mementos commemorating this milestone year in our school’s history.

Over the next few weeks, students at all grade levels will be encouraged to write down their memories and aspirations. As we prepare to honor the Class of 2024 at our annual Celebrate Your Senior luncheon, this year's event carries extra significance. It will be the final time this milestone is commemorated in Roberts Gymnasium, and the event will give us the opportunity to honor the remarkable journeys of the Class of 2024 within this iconic setting. Additionally, next month we will be taking a very special all-school photo before our campus transformation begins, and look forward to sharing pictures of this historic day for BT.  

At this moment of transition, I want to express again how inspiring the response to this project has been across the BT community and among our neighbors. I look forward to sharing more details and visuals in the coming months, as well as more opportunities to get involved and support the future we are Building Together.

Warm regards,

Kristi N. Gibbs, Ed.D.
Head of School