Strategic Plan

The Hill School Strategic Plan:
The People, The Place, The Journey

"The Hill School is one of the most special places in the world. What we are building together is a future worthy of our past." - Kathleen Devaney, The Meigs Family Head of SchoolThe Hill School has always been defined by the strength of its people, the power of its place, and the depth of the journey shared by all who call it home. As we celebrate our 175th year, this strategic plan reflects our enduring commitment to academic excellence, character development, and the lifelong bonds that connect our community across generations. View the full PDF of the Strategic Plan.
 

The Hill People

 Attract exceptional students from diverse backgrounds across the country and around the world, while recruiting and supporting the most committed and passionate educators.

 

"The Hill's greatest asset is the people who call it home, past and present. This strategic plan reflects a serious commitment to investing in them." - Jim Alexandre '75, Board Chair

Expanding Access Through Financial Aid

Talented students will have every opportunity to join our community, regardless of their financial circumstances. We will:

  • Expand financial aid capacity so that Hill can welcome a full range of students who embody our values and will thrive in our community.
  • Broaden access and strengthen Hill by bringing together students from varied backgrounds and circumstances who will learn from one another on this shared journey.

Supporting and Retaining Exceptional Educators

Teaching at Hill is a calling and a way of life. Our priorities for recruiting and retaining faculty include:

  • Competitive compensation within our peer group
  • Expanded benefits for faculty and their families
  • Improved faculty housing for those who make Hill their home

Fostering Professional Growth

Great teaching is not a destination but a lifelong pursuit. We are committed to supporting our faculty by expanding opportunities for professional growth by:

  • Recognizing and celebrating educators who have dedicated years of service to Hill
  • Creating new spaces for faculty to share best practices in teaching and learning
  • Fostering a culture of collaboration where professional growth is ongoing and valued

Strengthening Our Alumni Network

Our alumni are lifelong members of the Hill family. We will build:

  • Enhanced career and life planning resources for current students
  • Digital networking platforms that connect the Hill community
  • Improved access to Hill's institutional archives and history

The Hill Place

Invest in the timeless and transcendent spaces that honor our history while meeting tomorrow’s needs.


"Our campus is more than beautiful. It is a moral ecosystem and the physical embodiment of our community" - Ari Baum, Associate Head of School

Reimagining Residential Life

Living at Hill is at the heart of what makes our community transformative. Our residential facilities will evolve to better support the developmental needs of each form, including:

  • Modernized dormitories that foster the relationships, independence, and community central to residential life
  • New construction that allows flexibility to reimagine how and where students live
  • Developing a deliberate progression of residential experiences from the lower forms to the upper forms

A Comprehensive Campus Master Plan

We are undertaking a holistic examination of our facilities. Priorities include:

  • Modernizing the Athletic Center while honoring its historic character
  • Improving accessibility and visibility of the arts in the Center For The Arts
  • Reimagining campus entry points to create welcoming experiences
  • Significantly expanding physical plant maintenance capacity

Deepening Our Connections to Pottstown

Hill and Pottstown have been partners for 175 years. Through Hobart's Run and other initiatives, we will:

  • Share Hill's facilities and programming with Pottstown residents
  • Connect co-curricular programs to meaningful local service
  • Encourage student and faculty participation in downtown civic and cultural life
  • Updating the Center For The Arts
  • Redesigning campus entry points to create welcoming experiences
  • Investing in our campus infrastructure

The Hill Journey

Promote learning, belonging, and preparing Hill students for their future in the classrooms, the dormitories, the athletics fields, the studio and stage, and all the spaces in-between.

 

“Great teaching happens every day in Hill classrooms. It follows our students into the dining room, the dorm, and onto the playing fields and the stage, preparing them to lead lives of purpose.” - Dr. Mark Pearson '78 P'20 '24

Evolving Our Academic Program

We are committed to strengthening critical thinking and creativity across the Hill experience, evolving our academic program to meet the demands of a changing world without losing what makes a Hill education distinctive. Our priorities include:

  • Reimagined scheduling to better serve student needs
  • New term course offerings that bring fresh perspectives and possibilities to the Hill academic experience
  • Continued refinement of the H-Term program

Integrating Technology Thoughtfully

Hill will prepare students to engage with new technologies ethically and effectively. As artificial intelligence transforms how we learn and work, we will ensure students engage with these tools while keeping human connection and character formation at the center of what we do.

Expanding Experiential and Place-Based Learning

Students learn best when classroom learning connects to real-world experience. We will:

  • Develop experiential courses grounded in civic engagement
  • Maintain grade-level trips aligned with key developmental questions
  • Build a schoolwide framework embedding community connection across courses

Creating an Intentional Four-Year Experience

The Hill experience is most powerful when it is intentional from beginning to end. We will design a four-year progression that meets students where they are in their first moments away from home and steadily builds the confidence, resilience, and independence they need for life beyond Hill.

Ensuring Long-Term Sustainability

We honor Matthew Meigs' vision of Hill as "a permanent establishment of high order" by:

  • Continuously evaluating enrollment, financial aid, compensation, and programs
  • Expanding revenue through summer and auxiliary programs
  • Using data to guide decisions about enrollment strategy and student support

A Living Framework

These priorities are not a rigid itinerary but a shared sense of direction. Timelines and resources will evolve as circumstances change, but our commitment to developing confident, resilient, empathetic young people who are prepared to serve the common good will not.

As we celebrate our 175th Anniversary, we look forward with gratitude for those who came before us and genuine excitement for the future we are building together. The Hill endures because we remain faithful to the relationships, traditions, and values that define us.

Support This Vision

Every gift to The Hill School is an investment in the next generation of students. Whether you give to the Hill Fund, financial aid, capital priorities, or the endowment, your support makes this plan possible.

Make a Gift