Dear IMS Community,

It saddens me to write to you about recent allegations against IMS. Alumni from the 1980s have filed lawsuits against the school claiming they were sexually abused.

We are disheartened by these allegations. Because our first priority is to protect the health, safety, and well-being of our students, it is deeply disturbing to learn that 30 years ago students at IMS might have been abused. We are looking into these allegations and we take them very seriously. To its core, IMS prides itself on making a positive impact on the lives of our children. Causing harm to a child goes against everything for which Indian Mountain stands.
Some of you may already be aware of previous allegations about a former teacher, widely reported in the news media during the 1990s. As a result of those allegations, the school put additional systems in place to ensure that this type of tragedy would not be repeated at IMS. In the course of our wellness curriculum, the issue of boundaries is addressed in age-appropriate ways and will continue to be emphasized. All of our faculty and staff receive required professional training each year to become aware of signs of abuse and how to respond to a situation. We have two full-time counselors who are experts in supporting children as well as adults. Our goal has been to create a network of professionals who can promptly respond to a student’s needs.
We reaffirm our pledge to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of our students past and present. The IMS I know is a nurturing environment where we strive to bring out the best in everyone. We are a thriving institution and are determined to remain that way by doing what is right. We feel deeply for anyone who suffered any degree of abuse, and are committed to conducting a thorough investigation of these allegations. I encourage you to contact me at school to discuss any questions or concerns that you might have.
Sincerely,
Mark A. Devey
Head of School