Joseph Seivold, Headmaster, Berkeley Preparatory School

In an interview with Invest:, Joseph W. Seivold, headmaster at Berkeley Preparatory School, discussed innovative initiatives to foster creativity and leadership skills among students, outlined how the school is working to further grow its $52 million endowment to ensure long-term financial sustainability, and how it supports staff and faculty.

Reflecting on the past year, what were the significant accomplishments or highlights for Berkeley Preparatory School?

On the campus development side, we have built out our campus core, creating an exceptional learning environment for our students. In addition, we enhanced ancillary facilities, and one of the most notable additions has been the construction of the Frederick Pickleball Complex, a gift from Tom and Gabby Frederick, featuring four pickleball courts that are immensely popular among students, parents, faculty, and staff.

Another major addition was the Gipe Golf Complex, which includes 10 hitting bays, a massive putting and chipping surface, and two tracker devices. These facilities go beyond the essentials of a well-equipped classroom, providing unique experiences for our community to enjoy.

Beyond infrastructure, we have made significant strides in faculty recruitment despite challenges in the Tampa Bay area, such as rising housing prices. We have brought in a fantastic group of educators who have embraced both the Berkeley community and the Tampa Bay lifestyle.

Perhaps most importantly, we are focused on growing Berkeley’s endowment. To truly sustain our status as a top-tier independent school, we aim to grow our endowment to $100 million or more. 

What makes Tampa an ideal location for Berkeley, and how does it differentiate itself from other schools in the region?

Tampa is an exceptional place to live and work. For faculty and staff – we recruit from national and international pools – it is an easy sell. Tampa offers a family-friendly lifestyle with a manageable commute, year-round pleasant weather, and diverse amenities. Our region is safe and well-resourced, making it an appealing destination.

This appeal extends to families moving anywhere within the Southeast. The ongoing migration to cities like Charlotte, Nashville, and Tampa benefits Berkeley as we attract outstanding families from across the country, including many from New York, Connecticut, and the Midwest.

What sets Berkeley apart is not just our resources or central location near the airport but, most importantly, our faculty and staff. They are mission-driven and committed to nurturing each child’s development. While there are excellent schools in Tampa Bay, Berkeley’s distinctiveness lies in our ability to offer a truly personalized and community-driven experience. Our attrition rate is below 4%, and our application numbers speak for themselves; for example, we had 178 applications for 72 seats in pre-K in 2024 alone.

Regarding K-12 education, what trends are you seeing in the evolving needs of students and families?

A major trend is the rapid advancement of AI and its integration into education. At Berkeley, we believe there is no point in attempting to ban or catch students using AI. Instead, we are embracing it as a tool to enhance learning. Preparing students for a world where AI is ubiquitous is a critical skill for the workforce of 2030, or even 2025.

Additionally, families increasingly seek personalized educational experiences. The one-size-fits-all model, where every student learns the same thing in the same way, is outdated. We focus on individualized learning paths and experiential education through our Center for Advanced Experiential Learning (CAEL), and other such initiatives. 

For instance, middle and upper-division students who are passionate about business can now take classes in the new Lasher Center for Business and Entrepreneurial Studies on topics such as accounting. Juniors and seniors might choose to join the Lasher Business Institute, an intensive, one-year elective program within CAEL that provides substantive, relevant, and integrative instructional experiences in business fundamentals and financial literacy. 

Business students at Berkeley can even take part in BUC Ventures, a student investment fund aimed at supporting alumni startups in the form of physical and intellectual capital, while also providing Berkeley business students experiential learning opportunities as they help determine which enterprises receive funding – and then track their investments over time. 

What programs are in place to foster resilience, teamwork, and strengthen leadership to prepare students for meaningful roles in the future?

At Berkeley, we focus on building resilience, fostering teamwork, and preparing students for leadership through intentional programs that push them beyond their comfort zones. Two of these key initiatives are the Middle Division experiential trips and the Leadership Academy at Berkeley (LAB).

For our seventh-grade and eighth-grade students, we organize experiential trips that are designed to challenge them. The eighth-grade trip, for instance, takes students to the wilderness of Western North Carolina for four nights and five days. They camp and hike in groups of 10, with no showers, no bathrooms – only the bare essentials. For many, this is their first experience camping, and it pushes them to adapt to a more rugged environment. It is an impactful experience that helps them develop independence and learn how to work together.

In seventh grade, the trip is a bit softer, as it lasts two nights and three days at Circle F Dude Ranch in Southern Central Florida. It is a chance to ease students into these kinds of adventures while also preparing them for the greater challenges they will face in eighth grade. An important aspect of these trips is that students are assigned to groups randomly, whether it is their bunkmates in seventh grade or hiking partners in eighth. This intentional structure breaks down cliques, fosters new friendships, and helps students form connections with peers they might not interact with otherwise.

The LAB is another essential program that prepares students for meaningful leadership roles. It is now a required program for anyone aspiring to senior leadership positions, such as prefect, student forum president, or lead admissions guide. The program is open to sophomores and juniors, and last year, about 110 of our 160 sophomores participated. The academy combines classroom instruction on leadership with experiential challenges, including work on the high ropes course, to teach collaboration, team building, and handling both difficult conversations and situations. This program ensures that senior leaders are not chosen purely based on popularity but are equipped with the skills needed to lead effectively. The impact extends beyond leadership roles, as all participants, whether they go on to hold positions or not, are better prepared to be leaders in any group setting, from class projects to extracurricular activities.

How does Berkeley invest in the professional growth of its faculty and staff?

First, we aim to offer best-in-class salaries and benefits. Our Board of Trustees is committed to this goal through carefully managed tuition increases. However, to truly support faculty growth, fundraising plays a critical role.

Gifts to our endowment enable unique opportunities like the Jenkins Fund for Teaching Excellence. It funds innovative professional development experiences that faculty members propose themselves. For example, one lower-division Spanish teacher attended the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico City, and our astronomy teacher traveled to Texas to witness the solar eclipse. These personalized experiences go beyond traditional professional development and are made possible by our endowment.

We also offer the Kuhn Fund for Positive Difference, which any employee can use to fund impactful service projects globally. Last summer, my assistant traveled to Peru to work at a wildlife sanctuary, which was a transformative experience for her. These programs not only foster personal and professional growth but also make Berkeley an exceptional place to work.

Looking ahead, what are your top priorities for the next two to three years?

One immediate priority is expanding our lower division. Demand for seats has grown, and as such, we are adding a fourth section to each of our lower-division grades, which will necessitate classroom expansion on the lower-division side of campus. After that project, a second significant improvement will enhance the two-level Gries Center for the Arts and Sciences toward the north, into the Hellenic Quad, by adding glorious covered outdoor learning and gathering space for our Upper Division students. 

Another critical focus is growing our endowment. When I arrived, it stood at $13 million, and I am proud to say that today, it is $52 million, with over $5 million in recent commitments. Increasing our endowment will reduce reliance on tuition and ensure long-term financial sustainability.

Finally, we remain committed to being student-centered. We want to continue ensuring that each student feels known, nurtured, and supported to reach their highest potential as learners and individuals. This is why we will continue expanding our tailored and innovative programs and ensuring that they align with students’ interests and future goals.