​Park21 can be divided into two discrete parts. Park aspires to raise a $10 million endowed innovation fund, the income from which will enable the School’s ability to seek out, find, research and adopt new and innovative best practices across the curriculum and implement them more quickly. In addition, Park21 included a plan to raise $6.2 million to purchase an adjacent 8 acres of land to allow for future construction possibilities. The land has been purchased and this portion of Park21 has been completed. The total cost to fully fund the Park21 plan is $16.2 million.

​Of the $16.2 million goal, $14,607,000 has been raised to date.

​Early gifts to Park21 have already had a meaningful and tangible impact on the School. The following achievements were made possible by over $14 million in gifts and pledges that has been raised since 2010 for Park21: Technology • Full technology review completed in 2010 by November Learning • Creation of a ubiquitous platform of whiteboards and LCD projectors in every K-IX classroom • Teachers in Grades K-II received new educational software to support language arts and math skill development • Last year’s “stay-at-school iPad pilot in Grade III was so successful it is being expanded to Grade IV in 2012-13. Park went from using only laptops to 230 iPads in one year! • In Pre-Kindergarten through Grade II, each classroom now soon will have an iPad station consisting of one faculty iPad and four student iPads to augment language arts and math initiatives. • Adoption of Google docs and cloud-based learning has transformed homework assignments, editing, collaboration for both students and faculty, and student-faculty communication throughout the Upper and Middle Division.

Science • 2-year comprehensive science program review was conducted • Recommendations to add more engineering into the science curriculum resulted in creation of a robotics unit for Grades VI and VIII in 2010-11 • Robotics expanding to many other grades in 2012-13 • More time for science in the Middle Division – an expanded 90-minute lab period each week for Grades IV and V • The addition of a new science position beginning in fall 2012 to accommodate expanded Middle Division science • Many new technological tools are being introduced in fall 2012, including digital microscopes in the Upper Division and an online e-textbook for Grade IX

Math • A full review of the math program was conducted • A Middle Division math club began fall 2012 • Plans to add a new Middle Division Math Coordinator in 2013-14

Faculty • First two Peter Amershadian Faculty Leadership Grants were awarded to two teams to study: o Multicultural education, equity, justice and world awareness o Faculty evaluation best practices • Addition of a faculty coach and mentor, Pamela Penna, two days a week • Extra professional development funds focused especially on math, science, and technology training and education

Service Learning and Global Citizenship • Comprehensive diversity training in 2011 for full faculty by Ibis Consulting • Spring 2011 welcome and hosting of group of Chinese teachers from our new partner school in Hangzhou. • Visit to China in fall 2011 by top Park administrators to our partner school in preparation for Chinese students to visit Park in spring 2013, and reciprocal visit and homestays by Park’s Grade IX Mandarin students in China, March 2014 • Service-learning trip to Costa Rica for eighteen Grade VIII students in June 2012

In honor of Jerry Katz’s 20 years of service as Park’s head of school, Park has created the Jerry Katz Park21 Fund in recognition of Jerry’s passion for looking outside of Park’s walls to seek out great educational practices and ideas and bring them back to Park. As part of the Park21 endowment for innovation, the annual income from this fund will be directed toward funding innovation and the search for best practices at Park School. The Jerry Katz Park21 Fund will fund initiatives which fall outside the regular school operating budget, enabling innovative, new ideas to be implemented much more quickly and more nimbly than if they were processed through the typical budget cycle. Everyone in the Park community is welcome to give to Park21 through the Jerry Katz Park21 Fund, which will help fund all elements of the Park21 plan. Please note that Jerry’s fund is distinct from the Annual Fund, which also needs everyone’s support this year and every year. Park asks that everyone in the community makes a commitment to the Annual Fund first, and to Jerry’s fund second. To contribute to the Jerry Katz Park21 Fund, or any part of Park21, please contact Director of Development Bea Sanders at 617-274-6020 or Bea Sanders. On behalf of all the students and teachers at Park, thank you!

​Park relies on the Annual Fund every year to fund the daily operations of the School, as the Annual Fund contributes 10% of the operating budget. Annual Fund revenue goes towards purposes as varied as faculty salaries, financial aid, and facilities renewal and upkeep. Every year, every member of the Park community is asked to make a gift to the Annual Fund. We are especially proud that each year, at least 93% of Park’s current families contribute to the Annual Fund. Gifts to Park21 will support the specific objectives of Park21: the establishment of a $10 million endowed innovation fund, and the $6.5 million acquisition of eight acres of adjacent land. Park21 supports initiatives that fall outside the operating budget, whereas the Annual Fund is a critical funding source for Park’s day-to-day operations.