ELMWOOD FRANKLIN SCHOOL ANNUAL REPORT - The Elmwood ...

PARENT PARTICIPATION CONTINUES TO HOVER AROUND 75% AND ALUMNAE/I GIVING REACHED AN ALL TIME
high of 21%, making EFS the envy of many fine independent schools across the country. Both
statistics are a testament to the community spirit engendered at EFS and a tribute to our
teachers – past and present – who continue to create a special learning environment.
Every ten years independent schools are required to go through an exhaustive reaccreditation
process, including a year-long self-examination; 07-08 is our year. Over the course of the next
12 months, Elmwood Franklin will take stock of every aspect of the school, scrutinizing the
current state of things and looking forward to anticipate and plan new initiatives that maintain
our present level of excellence and address any necessary improvements. As we begin the selfstudy,
there is much good news to report. EFS has for several consecutive years enjoyed full
enrollment and demand for admission remains robust. We have an outstanding faculty,
passionately committed to our students and to their own professional growth. Our parents
demonstrate every day the meaning of community and commitment through their actions in
support of our students and teachers. EFS continues to be recognized by the most competitive
local high schools for the quality of our students’ academic preparation. Our physical plant has
received many upgrades over the past decade, including a new library and theater as well as a
renovated and expanded Upper School wing. And our alumni body remains connected and
deeply committed to the school.
There is, of course, no question of our being reaccredited, but the process is very useful in
identifying future needs and the means to meeting them. Some are obvious, while others are
more difficult to anticipate. All will take the full engagement of the EFS family to ensure that the
school continues to thrive and serve future generations of Buffalonians. We will need to
continue improving the physical plant, including renovation and expansion of the outdated
Lower School and Prep wing to better serve the needs of our students going forward and the
development of a campus master plan that will certainly include the needs of our athletic
program, among other things. Reviewing and updating our curriculum and co-curricular
programs is ongoing to ensure our students’ continued success but will receive extra attention in
this process. Assessing and addressing the needs of our technology program will be critical as
we make certain that our students have the skills necessary in an ever-changing educational and
employment landscape. We must maintain the highest possible level of experience and expertise
in the faculty. EFS will also need to continue to think creatively about alternative revenue
streams to help offset rising energy and healthcare costs and to ensure that the school remains
as affordable, and thus accessible, to as wide a range of people as possible. As with everything
we do at and on behalf of Elmwood Franklin School, our reaccreditation will take a team effort.
Again, thank you for being a member of the team – a member of the family really – and for
supporting the school. In addition to the lessons our students learn in their classes at Elmwood
Franklin, through your financial and volunteer support of the school, you are teaching them
valuable lessons about service, commitment, and community.
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