May 2008

What a Difference a Year Makes

A short eleven months ago we learned that we needed to find a new site for Hilltop. It did not take long for us to mobilize our first meeting of local business people, real estate experts, and engineers. From that meeting we forged ahead on months of searching, comparing, and analyzing different potential buildings and sites for Hilltop for occupancy by September 2009.

After determining that the Highpoint property was indeed the best, we have gone full throttle toward making our dream of a permanent home for Hilltop a reality. We are making it happen! And while much work lies ahead, the excitement is palpable. As a community of invested parents we will ALL make this happen. I am grateful to everyone who has put in countless hours pursuing Hilltop's dream.

As you hopefully have it marked boldly on your calendars, Grandparents Day is going to be very special this spring. I hope all grandparents, special friends, parents, and alum can join the Board of Trustees and the Facility and Design Teams on Friday, May 23rd at 5pm at our future campus for a great party! There will be live music, good food and drink, great community spirit and beautiful Vermont views. It is the perfect opportunity to see for yourself what has us so excited about this magnificent site.

Designing Our Future School

The Architecture: We are diving deeper into the design process with Breadloaf Architects. Fine-tuning the footprints of the buildings has not been easy, but we are close to the mark. Looking into the systems that will support our new campus and developing the schematics for the buildings will take us into the summer. Trying to balance a multi-million dollar budget and getting what we all hope for in a new campus is indeed a challenge. Much of our work with Breadloaf these days is an examination of the cost benefits of all of our choices. I am happy to report that we are still going forward with a LEED Certified project.

The Engineering: Stevens & Associates is handling the Civil Engineering portion of our project. They have been with us from the very beginning, offering us much good advice. Without them, we'd never meet this ambitious time schedule. From storm water to wastewater to preparation of the site, Bob Stevens and Hilltop parent Adam Hubbard have worked countless hours. Presently they are stewarding our Act 250 permit application (as well as numerous other applications) through the complex weave of the permitting process. We are indeed very grateful for their guidance, expertise and continued excellent work

The Permit Process: Again, thanks to the work of the design / engineering team all major permit applications are in progress. We are on schedule, albeit a tight one, to close on the property in early September and begin construction by October 1.

Buildings & Landscape that Teach: A unique and exciting aspect of Hilltop's future campus is how the building and landscape are themselves teachers. Breadloaf is designing buildings in which one can visually appreciate the structural elements of design: the beams, the trusses, and the systems. Done in a tasteful and beautiful way, students will be able to learn how their school is built and works by studying what is around them. This teaching model applies to the outdoors as well. Not only do the fields and woods have something to tell our students, but also the engineering that goes into building the road and drainage systems. The storm water mitigation system at this site will include a man-made wetland for treating storm runoff. This will be an excellent first hand demonstration of the necessity of wetlands in our landscape.

Our New Campus at a Glance

The Children's House: This new building will house the administration, both Primary programs, nap room and a future toddler classroom, learning support space, and the main reception/lobby area. It is adjacent to the barn. Both Primary classrooms open out to a south courtyard with a playground nearby.

The Elementary House is attached to the Children's House making an "L" and creating a green to the south of the buildings. It houses both the Lower and Upper Elementary programs, a shared art studio, a full kitchen for use by students and staff, the Head of School's office and connects to the Primary house. A patio is formed in the corner of the Children's and Elementary Houses overlooking the courtyard with its southerly views and green spaces.

The Middle School House will comprise the existing farmhouse and an ample new addition. Overlooking the pond and an expansive northern view, this House will possess science, language arts and humanities classrooms, a full kitchen, and a new art room. The Arts Barn will be an open, vaulted ceiling space with music practice rooms off the main multipurpose space. This fully renovated building will be able to accommodate Hilltop's indoor PE program as well as performances, concerts, art exhibits, lectures, community meetings, and of course, parties!

Green spaces, Sacred Spaces and the Outdoor Campus: The site offers a rich diversity of outdoor opportunities. Abundant woodland offers new sites for the next generation of Upland and Haytown, as well as hiking, biking and snowshoeing trails, and even a sugar bush. Vast green spaces exist not only for our playgrounds and future soccer fields, but for veggie growing, greenhouses, and perhaps even livestock. The pond below the Middle School House lends itself to biology and wetland studies, not to mention the possibility of a swim or a winter skating session. Finally, the views from our new campus are spectacular. Both to the south and north, the rolling Vermont hillsides infuse a beauty to this site that is unrivaled.

This is truly the most exciting project I have ever been part of. I am honored to serve Hilltop at such an historic time. I am grateful to all of you that support our efforts. The best is yet to come!

Sincerely,
Leland Smith, Hilltop Board President