Taking Stock

I have never been particularly good at accepting compliments or celebrating success. Both as a student and now as a school leader, I tend to focus on the next challenge in front of me or how my performance should improve. Leading a school feeds my natural wiring in this regard, as there is never enough endowment, tuition, or campus improvement to make one feel like the work is done. And of course that is the point – if we do not gear our sights towards improvement, then mediocrity and decline will inevitably set in.

Late May, however, asks me to write a lot of speeches. Many of them focus upon honoring classes, students, or even careers. I am also asked to bring some kind of reflective perspective to the year as a whole. Additionally, the Board of Trustees requires a thoughtful self-evaluation about my own performance. When this writing is taken in totality, a Head of School can’t help but reflect upon all that we have accomplished in a year. In fact, I believe this year has been special thanks to great student leadership, hard work by employees, and incredible support from Berwick families.

In this year alone, we have articulated a new curricular vision focused upon student-directed learning and the development of skills. We have opened a beautiful new Wellness Center and raised funds for a new Inspiration Commons in our library next fall. Our campus maintenance has never been better, and we have hired a remarkable group of new employees to work with your children next year. Our college placement feels strong once again, and we are gearing up for an extended period of professional development in June. We have tackled the issue of Cultural Competency in a new way. We had memorable productions and compelling athletic success – not to mention nearly 500 grandparents on campus a few weeks ago. Looking ahead, we are planning a true celebration of our community in the fall for our 225^th Anniversary.

We are clearly far from a perfect place, and there have been numerous individual valleys to endure this year for sure. We have also seen great progress in our work in promoting virtue and useful knowledge while establishing ourselves as one of the finest educational institutions in the Seacoast. As I turn my attention back to my rather daunting three ring binder for commencement season, I want to pause to say thank you. Thank you to our students, faculty, and parents for making this such an exciting year of growth. I have never felt more optimistic about our future.