Our Work at Watkinson School

Watkinson School is 136-year-old, co-educational independent day school located in Hartford, Connecticut serving students in grades 6-12.

Watkinson holds a special place in my heart because it’s the first independent school with which I was affiliated – as a parent, a faculty member, and a leader in the field of advancement. I learned the ropes of advancement there but also developed a deep passion for the profession. Both of my children graduated from Watkinson so I experienced first-hand the joys of a small community and the many, lasting friendships one gains.

During my time at Watkinson, we raised over $2.8 million for a capital campaign to move an antique carriage barn to campus to become the home for our visual arts and mathematics programs. We also oversaw raising of $500,000-$1,000,000 annually for five years, and produced a steady increase of leadership donors each year by 20%+.

Testimonial

“During over 40 years of work as a school head and board president, raising funds for schools and national and international non-profits, Barbara Barron is my all-time first choice as most inspiring and effective leader in the advancement field.

She has excellent skills for inspiring school heads and board members to reach high, to be confident, and to have fun raising major capital funds. She knows how to give fundraising leaders confidence, and to guide them to make ambitious, skillful, and graceful asks.

Barbara understands that as we seek to raise major support to fuel great visions, our priorities need to be clear and well-articulated, and we need to be careful to invest our resources where the money is.

If you want a smart, savvy, spirited, and fearless professional to guide your team to fundraising success, Barbara is the one!”

Charley Todd
President, Board of Directors
Cambodian Living Arts (former Head of School, Watkinson)

Does your school need an advancement consultant? Tell me your story here or reach out via e-mail.