Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY

The 2017-2018 academic year at The Storm King School starts in less than a month beginning on Monday, August 28, 2017. For our students and faculty, summer is a time to catch up on the “4 Rs” – rest, relaxation, reading, and reflection. For our Buildings and Grounds staff, however, summer is the time to carry out campus improvements, and this year has been busier than ever.

Head of Maintenance Jamie Smith Jr. and his team have been working around the clock on the initial phase of improvements and renovations that are part of the overall strategic plan approved by the Board of Trustees over the last two years. Now they’re in the home stretch and thanks to their efforts, students and parents will be greeted by a campus that has never looked better when they are welcomed back this fall.

There are works in progress or recently completed all over school grounds, including expansion of the Grove behind Ogden Hall, a brand new lounge in Cottage, a renewed kitchen in Henderson Dining Hall, new washers and dryers in Highmount House, and renovated men’s and women’s lavatories in Orr Commons, to name a few. Other, less visible but equally important infrastructure upgrades such as new wiring, air conditioning, fire alarms, paving, and better maintenance equipment are also in progress. Students and faculty will also enjoy classrooms and lounges with new floors and furniture when they return this fall. Dempsey and McConnell Houses also have new floors in every room and hallway, and the result is spectacular. In addition, our athletic field, which was completely renewed last year, now has a new sprinkler system to keep it in tip-top shape.

“Things have never been better and the changes simply reflect the current state of the School,” says Storm King’s Assistant Headmaster for Finance, Ray Hecht, who has taken campus improvements to heart since he joined the administration team six years ago. Staunch champion of the recent Millennial Gazebo project which was given high praise by alumni at this year’s reunion, Ray believes continuous campus improvements are a key factor in maximizing the Storm King experience for our students. “Enrichment of the student experience is one of our top priorities followed closely by enhancing the appearance of the campus, both for the comfort of the residents, as well as to attract great students and faculty,” says Ray.

“Six years ago, we literally began from the road and worked our way in. Everything starting with the trees and shrubbery, the building exteriors, the roads and walkways…there’s not a place we haven’t touched. This summer we concentrated on the dining hall. The entire kitchen has been remodeled with new wood paneling and epoxy floors and a much better cooking and prep line for even faster and cleaner service. We also created an “enchanted forest” by clearing the Grove area – the thick brush behind Ogden Hall. Now, there is a green, park-like slope that leads up to The Homestead, the new headmaster’s residence, and the recently acquired Moss Hill home, where students can relax and reflect,” explains Ray.

Alumni and parents who have visited campus recently all commented on how wonderful and well-maintained the campus looks these days. These newest improvements coincide with the School’s 150^th anniversary and will only add to the renewed excitement about the great state of our school as we celebrate our Sesquicentennial this year and continue to work through the next phases of our strategic campus master plan.