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General News: Leaders Paint Bright Picture of NYMA Future
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| Major Coverdale discussed the school's mission in the 'state of the school' presentation. |
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| "We defy the odds against us," said David Fields, president of the NYMA board. |
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| The presentation was made during the annual NYMA alumni weekend. |
May 15, 2011
A year after reaching the brink of economic collapse, New York Military Academy has shed its bloated administration, sharpened its academic agenda and, according to its new leaders, is on track to bring in 135 cadets next September. Some $200,000 has been spent on capital improvements and facilities projects like a new boiler and the cleaning out of the horse stables that has allowed the equine program to re-start.
Those points were among the highlights presented to alumni on Saturday in a status report by NYMA Superintendent Jeffrey Coverdale and board president David Fields.
Recruitment Efforts are in High Gear
The school is recruiting new students from around the world -- Colombia, Brazil and China are among the countries to be visited in the weeks ahead. NYMA wants a large pool of applicants because, Major Coverdale explained, the school will select “quality kids who are going to stay here.”
Just one year ago the alumni meeting was marred by recriminations and accusations of mismanagement by the former administrators who had days earlier announced the school was ceasing operation. Alumni rallied and three local businessmen stepped up to supply the financing necessary to keep the 122-year-old military school in operation.
Expanding Academic Programs
Working with a team of educators, Coverdale said they have been defining their vision of a private, co-educational college preparatory school using military organization and traditions as its core. Under the direction of interim dean Evan Jones, the school is developing an International Baccalaureate program, a recognized leader in the field of international education, aiming for accreditation in the coming years.
In addition, NYMA is collaborating with the Butterhill Day School to offer primary level education at a “lower school” it plans to open in September. During the summer, the campus will be active with both educational and recreational summer programs that the administrators hope will allow both children and parents to see the NYMA campus as an attractive option for secondary education.
“We’re survivors and we defy the odds against us,” David Fields told the group of about 75 alumni in the school’s chapel. “There was a lot of disbelief a year ago.”
Long-term Financial Stability Is Sought
He later appealed to the alumni to endorse the changes at the school and said that while individuals donated $108,000 last year, the rate of gift-giving by alumni is still well below the average at other schools.
No progress was reported on the development of new housing that was considered a key part of the school’s business plan when it received a $5.8 million loan last June from local businessmen Joe Bonura, Wayne Corts and . Shortly after the loan went through, the town of Cornwall issued a building permit moratorium in order to review its comprehensive plan. That moratorium is likely to expire in September.
Cornwall-on-Hudson Mayor Brendan Coyne attended the alumni presentation and said he welcomed the school in the community. His deputy mayor Mark Edsall also spoke and passed on regrets from town supervisor Kevin Quigley, who was out of town.
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