About

Strategic Vision

Mission

The Masters School celebrates active participation, deep understanding, and meaningful connection. A community of diverse individuals, we gather to learn, to strive, to dare, to do — to be a power for good in the world.

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  • A Letter from Laura Danforth


    Head of School
Laura Danforth, Head of School
How does one become a power for good? Our primary goal is to equip our students with the skills to navigate the challenges of a changing world and to lead lives of consequence.  
 
Within our diverse community, students learn from perspectives that differ from their own. As a boarding and day school, Masters builds global perspectives by bringing international student voices to our Harkness tables. Together, our students find something larger than themselves. We have intentionally designed a culture that exists at the intersection of rigor and joy.
 
We believe that transformational learning happens through relationships. Our exceptional faculty cultivate meaningful connections in the classroom, on the athletic field, on the stage and in the dorms. Powerful learning requires top notch educators; it relies on a culture that is rooted in respect, academic excellence, and kindness. 
 
In 1877, Eliza B. Masters, the founder of our school, told her students, “whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Don’t just try; do it!” And with those words our school motto was set into action. Nearly 150 years later, The Masters School continues to build on our momentum and to live by our founder’s imperative – to be a power for good in the world.
    • The Masters School NY Private School New York Westchester

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  • Ongoing Commitment


    to Institutional Excellence
Throughout our strategic planning process, we identified critical aspects of Masters that are fundamental to who we are and allow us to live our mission. This work is perennial and core to what we do every day. The School’s leadership team and board of trustees are committed to the ongoing work in the following areas. We will continue to: 

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  • Inspire

    students to find and use their voices to achieve their goals, pursue their passions and contribute to the world.

  • Attract

    and retain an extraordinary faculty and staff that is diverse, creative, talented and relationship-oriented.

  • Regularly assess

    and revise curriculum to prepare our students for college and career success.

  • Forge

    strong academic and experiential alignment from grades 5-12

  • Celebrate

    and reinforce opportunities in athletics and the arts that complement the School’s curriculum.

  • Develop

    the Center for Inclusive Excellence as a model for institutional commitment to health and wellness, inclusion, ethical leadership, and service learning.

  • Ensure

    that students graduate with an understanding of the principles of sustainability to become leaders in environmental stewardship.

  • Support

    every student through a robust advisory program anchored in research and best practices.

  • Maintain

    and enhance our beautiful 96-acre campus.

  • Prudently

    steward financial resources which, includes growing endowment, making intentional choices about spending, and financial aid.

  • Raise

    the money to make it all happen.

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  • A Vision for

    The Masters School
When we visualize our School a decade in the future, we picture a community that is integrally connected to New York City. Not only will students develop an understanding of the social, economic, cultural, innovative, and diplomatic world hub that is New York City, but they will also be able to take full advantage of the opportunities the City has to offer. We imagine the City having a profound impact on our students and our students having an impact on the City– through internships and mentorships, service learning, and social entrepreneurship.  
 
We foresee a school where academic rigor and student learning are demonstrated in many ways - from a well-crafted essay and a deep Harkness conversation to an advanced math problem set, a robotics invention or a capstone project. 
 
We envision a school where innovation and entrepreneurship are an essential part of a student’s experience, in middle and high school. By graduation, our students will be skilled innovators, fluent in the mindsets and competencies of dynamic problem solvers.
 
We imagine a school with a vibrant boarding program where students are offered unparalleled opportunities to grow, connect, and discover themselves. 
 
This Strategic Vision allows us to make Masters more flexible and adaptable than ever and for our students to become the best versions of themselves. We believe the following four interconnected ambitious strategic priorities will help us usher in a new bold chapter for The Masters School.

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  • Strategic Plan

    Timeline

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  • Strategic

    Priorities
Learn more about our four strategic priorities by clicking the images below. 

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  • Strategic Plan

    Steering Committee

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  • Laura Danforth

    Head of School

  • Emma Katznelson

    Associate Head for Enrollment and Strategic Planning

  • Selas Douglas

    Associate Head for Inclusive Excellence

  • Brooke Nalle  

    Director of Alumnae/i Engagement

  • Abdoulaye Ngom

    Upper School Modern and Classical Languages Teacher

  • Dana Oliver

    Trustee, Parent ’22, ‘25

  • Raj Ratan

    Trustee, Parent ’22, ‘24

  • Jennifer Rathkopf

    Middle School Humanities Teacher

  • Saloni Singh

    Parent ‘27

  • Sam Savage

    Associate Head for Faculty and Academics

  • Lynn Sobel

    Trustee, Alumna, Parent ’99, ‘05

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  • The Masters

    Moment
As we stride towards the School’s 150th anniversary, we are inspired by our bright future, and are humbled by the support of the School’s graduates, students, parents, and employees. The Strategic Vision offered here represents the beginning of a new opportunity for the School to build on the significant successes of the last decades, and to innovate to serve our timeless mission in new ways. We are eager to see the School grow through deepened partnerships within the Masters community, and with organizations with shared ambitions and values. Achieving the intersecting goals outlined in this Strategic Vision will require persistence, boldness and experimentation, individual and collective learning, and significant financial support. It is essential to equip our faculty and staff with the time and resources necessary to dive into these exciting possibilities. We look forward to gathering task forces of inspired community members to help us realize this ambitious future, and in the spirit of Eliza Masters, to do it with our might!
    • Private School Masters NY NYC Boarding School Westchester Prep

The Masters School

49 Clinton Avenue, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
Tel. 914-479-6400