Dear EMS Community,

While it’s only the second week of the school year, preparations for our new strategic plan are already in full swing!

As we shared in August, developing our strategic plan will unite our community around a shared vision as we approach our centennial and beyond. This inclusive process will involve everyone — including the EMS Board of Trustees, leadership team, faculty and staff, families, alumni, and some of our older students — to ensure that our goals and the needs of our community are at the heart of our school's future. We look forward to the critical role that each of you will play.

From Sunday, Oct. 6, through Tuesday, Oct. 8, members of the strategic planning and communications firm Crane + Peters will be on campus to conduct focus groups with the EMS Board of Trustees, parents, faculty, and staff, as well as our eighth-graders, who bring a unique perspective to the table as they reflect on their culminating EMS journey. These focus groups will aim to uncover insights through gathering EMS stories, as well as participants’ hopes for the future of the school. Additionally, Crane + Peters will conduct virtual interviews with alumni, parents of alumni, and community influencers.

In mid-fall, we’ll offer two exciting ways for you to connect with our strategic planning efforts. The first will be during our annual State of the School on the morning of Friday, Nov. 22. Be sure to attend to get all of the latest updates in our strategic planning process. The second opportunity will be to share your thoughts and EMS experiences through an EMS community survey, which will be open for just two weeks at the end of November.

On the morning of Saturday, Jan. 25, we invite you and our entire community to join us on campus for a lively Visioning Day, with activities and workshops designed to help us envision the future of EMS and the goals necessary to get there. Naturally, it will also be a celebration of EMS and the many individuals who have made us the truly special school we are today, from founders Elisabeth Morrow and Connie Chilton to the students, families, faculty, and staff of the present.

We look forward to your participation in our strategic planning and will continue to send updates as our planning progresses. Please don’t hesitate to contact Marek or Hanita with any questions. As we shape EMS's future, your involvement is crucial in ensuring that EMS remains a premier educational institution that continues to serve our students and community for generations to come.

In partnership,

Marek Beck, Ph.D.

Head of School

Hanita Walia

Chief Strategy and Advancement Officer

Elizabeth Gabbay ’93

President of the Board of Trustees