THE WATERFORD CAMPUS MASTER PLAN

At Waterford School, physical facilities do much more than simply keep students safe and warm; they are a crucial educational tool, a reflection of our culture and values, and an integral part of our long-term mission. Since 1980, we have worked to build the framework for an organic, integrated campus that is capable of supporting Waterford’s outstanding faculty and curriculum. We believe it’s impossible to teach science effectively without labs and classrooms equipped with the right technology—or develop a strong music program without appropriate performance venues and practice facilities. As a result, Waterford’s Campus Master Plan acknowledges and strengthens the inexorable link between quality facilities and academic excellence—and provides a concrete roadmap for completing a campus environment that will support the educational needs of our students for generations to come.

The Campus Master Plan begins with a set of guiding principles that will govern the development of every new Waterford facility. New facilities will leave minimal footprints and preserve open space. The campus will enhance the school’s naturally beautiful setting by making the landscaped spaces between buildings the center of interaction, gathering, and learning. And the design and placement of new facilities will create a formal, centralized entrance to the campus and facilitate safe, protected play areas. All of these principles come together in the Campus Master Plan to create a beautiful and functional environment with plenty of parking, logically placed indoor and outdoor facilities that are easy to find and understand, and a complete learning environment with a unified, cohesive feel.

The Campus Master Plan will be implemented in three phases. Phase I, which will be completed in the next decade, includes the development of a new science building and soccer field, a tree farm, dining patio and courtyard landscaping for the dining hall, and additional parking for the Fine Arts building. Phase II features a new gymnasium, dining hall and library. During phase II, the existing library will become additional classroom space and the existing dining hall will be converted into a new student center. Phase III will include a state-of-the-art new performance and exhibition hall, an additional humanities classroom building, a research building, and a dormitory.

All three phases of the Campus Master Plan will work toward accommodating a population of 1,250 students, and each phase will contribute important pieces to our final vision for the campus. When the plan is complete, the Waterford School will have an exceptional campus capable of accommodating the school’s growth, creating a superior educational environment, and supporting the school’s long-term mission.