A New Way to Start

Schools like ours were once the physical center of their communities, the place where local children came to learn and mature. In our vast city, surrounded by many independent schools, we may no longer be a community school in the geographic sense. But we remain an important focal point, a hub for learning and connecting.

This year, our faculty, administrators, and I are approaching this role with purpose. Our vision is to make 2022-23 a year of true connections, of building relationships, trust, and love. It’s a goal that goes hand-in-hand with our primary mission of making sure our students feel heard, safe, and challenged. I believe our theme, Love Reflects Love does a good job of capturing our thinking.

I was excited to see this love expressed all around our campus on our first day back together. It was there in the warm smiles and greetings, in the teachers’ splendid classrooms, and the rows of carefully washed and folded uniforms at our Open House and ECD Visiting Afternoon. At these initial gatherings for our community, we decided to do away with uniforms and schedules, and we simply let families visit their child’s classroom, walk around campus, and chat with their teachers.

The result was a positive and uplifting first day for us all. It set the tone for what we are certain will be an invigorating year ahead of learning and community. We will host many such events in the coming weeks, from our Camp Out, to In-N-Out Days, to Donuts with Dr. G. Some of these are popular traditions that keep us connected to our school’s history. Others are more recent additions that bring us together in new and interesting ways.

I look forward to seeing you at these gatherings. I know they will be enjoyable for us all, and more importantly, they will affirm our school as a place where we can find meaning and connection, a community where we can all feel a sense of belonging.

Have a great start to the school year!