Tabor Academy students started classes on September 14 with 150 new students and 10 new faculty in their midst. The school welcomed approximately 300 students last week for pre-season athletics, as well as a training time for dormitory proctors and student orientation leaders called global partners. The global partners are returning American and international students who help to make Tabor home to the 30 new international students joining the community this year from 20 countries around the world.
With the opening of the new dormitory, Matsumura House, and a new Dean of Students at the helm, Tabor seeks to optimize the school’s 24/7 inclusive learning/living community this year. Mel Bride, Dean of Students, said, “Maintaining a focus on health and wellness and an emphasis on individual advising while enhancing community engagement will help students take the fullest advantage of the offerings at Tabor. Student leaders in the arts, athletics, community life, and student activities have planned a great year full of social, artistic, and intellectual activities for student engagement outside of the classroom and on the weekends.”
On the academic front, a modified schedule will take effect this fall, including more teaching hours and more routine opportunities for faculty to meet and collaborate. Dean of Studies Eileen Neville Marceau said, “Increased departmental time will help facilitate ongoing curricular development and review, creating new opportunities to collaborate on interdisciplinary work and creative assessment strategies across the curriculum.” Additionally, Tabor will be implementing the College & Work Readiness Assessment (CWRA) this fall, starting with the incoming class of 2019, in order to objectively track students’ development of critical thinking skills over their Tabor careers. Data from the CWRA results will help the school in its efforts to develop and refine a more skills-centered curriculum.
Sustainability initiatives on campus continue to be a priority. Mike Sirianni, Director of Dining Services, has completed the process to be certified as a Green Kitchen by adopting and maintaining sustainability practices. Additionally, an effort to drastically reduce plastic water bottle trash on campus is underway with the installation of water bottle filling stations across campus, as well as providing Nalgene water bottles to all students. Three dormitories opened this fall with the expectation that residents will make use of these stations, with the rest of the dormitories coming on line by January. Public places around the school were outfitted with these water stations last year.
Perhaps the most impactful change for the Marion community is the installation of bleacher seating along the football field. Director of Communications Kerry Saltonstall shared, “I am hoping our new, more comfortable seating will encourage even more participation from townspeople to come out and cheer on our local teams. The project should be complete in time for Tabor’s first home game!”
