Berwick Academy Head of School

All this week, I have been sneaking into the library every six hours or so. With our new Inspiration Commons set to open over the weekend, the final details are being installed and the results are spectacular. For me, it is so rewarding to see how our donor community has rallied behind the notion of an educational experience that will be hands-on and engaging. Just walking through the new fabrication studio, as the new tools were being unpacked, there was an unspoken energy in the room that it was time to build something. The teachers who were being trained on the equipment simply had smiles on their faces. So did I. But standing on the second floor, looking down over the new balcony, one realizes that the Inspiration Commons has very little to do with technology in the end. Surveying new furniture and the new organization of space, I could envision how kids will want to be in this space - together. They will want to have conversations, collaboration, and time to make their ideas ...

Generally I take pride in being the first person to work in the morning. It has both practical and symbolic meaning for me: while I believe in modeling a strong work ethic to the community, it is also true that I generally get the most done between 6:45 and 7:45 each morning. On the first day of school, I take particular pride in being a visible presence. I like to be the first face our parents see as they return from summer, and I love touching base with the kids and seeing how many smiles I might get on their first morning on campus. Sadly, I must confess that I failed this year. As I wandered out onto the quad on Tuesday  morning, I heard music pumping over the quad and horns honking from the Fogg parking lot. From the  BD porch, I couldn't quite make out what was going on, but I figured it would be a good idea to check it out. As I passed Whipple, another happy summer pop tune wafted towards me, and I simply had to smile. There is just some music that has that effect on us...

As we all head off into one last long weekend of true summer, I want everyone to know in the Berwick-sphere that my tank is full. More importantly, our community's tank is full. For me, summer is such an essential time to restore physically and emotionally from the school year, but it is also a chance to reflect on how lucky I am to work with young people and live in the Seacoast. As more challenges and problems continue to emerge on the geo-political landscape, I remain more convinced than ever that our work - alongside you, our Berwick families - will have transformational impact on our world over time. It is also really nice that we live near the beach. This past week, our faculty and staff gathered together to hear multiple speakers and presentations on all we have to be excited about this coming year. Much focus was placed on continued progress towards the goals of Curriculum 2020, including the upcoming launch of our new Inspirations Commons by the end of September. Teac...