Philanthropy + Engagement (P+E) has always been critical to making big things happen at Beaver.
We are fortunate to have a passionate and invested community of volunteers and donors who believe in and wholly support our students and faculty to thrive. We believe that this commitment stems from a strong connection to our school’s mission.
Below, you’ll find stories and links that explore and share the ways your impact is experienced on our campus.
Letter from Head of School Kim Samson
Dear members of the Beaver community,
There is a palpable and positive energy that each new school year brings, and we certainly felt it coming into the fall at Beaver. Faculty and students arrived ready to dive into classes and activities. Today, two months into the year and at the end of the first term, our student enthusiasm for learning continues. It is a privilege to spend my days surrounded by such inspiring and passionate young people.
Click here to read more
As a head of school, I am often asked how we measure the success of our students. Standardized test performance, GPAs, class rank, college matriculation – they all come up. I am incredibly proud of our 89 members of the Class of 2023—and where they are going to college—but not based on the standard metrics you read about in the news. The pride point for us at Beaver—and what affirms for us that we are delivering innovative learning experiences—goes well beyond the college list.
As educators, our role is to create opportunities for students to learn about themselves, build skills through the deep exploration of content areas that interest them, and use their knowledge in real-world settings. We call this deeper learning and, we invest heavily in providing the resources our teachers need to create these experiences for Beaver students. How does this translate into college matriculation results? For the Class of 2023, only seven of 89 seniors (8 percent) submitted standardized test scores with their applications; this is noteworthy because it demonstrates our students are successfully presenting themselves as interesting and worthy candidates through their self-directed work, research projects, and unique stories. Beaver alumni know themselves well; they speak and write passionately about life-changing experiences they have had during their Beaver years and they don’t rely on test scores to tell their stories.
In light of the recent Supreme Court decision on affirmative action and other cases being brought forth, I’m particularly proud of our student’s abilities to differentiate themselves in the college process. I am thrilled that our students are finding schools that suit their personality and their passions, and that such a broad range of excellent schools continue to see Beaver graduates as top candidates for admission.
Thank you for volunteering your time and expertise, investing in our ideas with your generous financial support, and joining us for school events. Your presence, interest, and investment in our students and faculty make our school stronger, and on behalf of our 500 students and 100 faculty and staff, I am grateful.
Kim Samson
Head of School
November 27, 2023