6 | NAIS
vate schools promote more than mere casual
engagement. “Commitment to a larger pub-
lic and the common good of a community
is inherent to the educational philosophy of
independent schools,” says Bassett.
C -ING SUCCESS
Commitment to the common good has
helped create incredible learning environ-
ments as well as learning opportunities for
private school students. For example, Bassett
refers to the focus schools have placed on
environmental sustainability. He says as in-
dependent schools increasingly “model what
responsible citizenship looks like in terms
of building, grounds and operations,” some
have become so efficient in their consump-
tion or generation of energy they’re actu-
