The Head's Perspective

Many people have asked me to share my remarks from the recent reception we hosted for new parents to Head-Royce School. This coming fall, more than 150 families will begin a new journey with us. And as we do every April, we welcomed these members to our community with much excitement and hope for the future.

Below are seven requests that I ask of our new parents:

	Actively participate in your child’s learning by learning with them and encouraging them to make things.
	Journal your thoughts, dreams, worries, and aspirations for your child. And make sure you don’t show them.
	Relish watching your child grow, develop their curiosity, and become intellectually inspired.
	Cherish each day with them. College will creep up on you.
	Make friends with other Head-Royce parents.
	Allow them to fail. I mean it. Help them get comfortable with not being perfect. It will help them become resilient.
	Take a breath. Take your time. Allow your child to blossom at their perfect pace. And enjoy the journey.

Once again, welcome to this great school. 

*****

In addition, below is a list of seven expectations I presented to our team of new teachers at the beginning of this school year in August:

	Come to work each day with the mission of the School front and center in your mind and guiding each and every action.
	Be positive, engaged, take the initiative and respectful that you are now carrying the responsibility of maintaining HRS’s high standards and reputation.
	Set clear, achievable and bold goals that ultimately serve the School and accomplish the role of your particular job.
	Relish and enjoy the students, your colleagues and the parents at least once a day.
	Communicate with those around you with professionalism, timeliness, honesty and respect about things that are going great and also areas of concern.
	Take time each week to look outside of the HRS campus for inspiration and ideas for motivation that will inform and improve what you do here.
	Enjoy your work, have fun, smile, laugh and learn.

I remember well how you are feeling right now. Equal part excitement, anticipation, trepidation, nervousness, anxiety and….an overarching feeling of not being in control for the very fact that you don’t know what is coming around the corner.

Here is the good news. You are highly intelligent, talented, and a great fit for our school and your position AND you are not alone. You now have many caring colleagues from every area of school life (teachers, administrators, staff, etc.) who have experience from 2 to 36 years here at the school AND we are all committed to proactively helping you thrive here. I, as much as anyone else, want you to succeed. You can rely on a highly talented team of seasoned educators to help you at each step along the way this year.

We are proud of our mission of scholarship, diversity and citizenship. We ask that all members of our community—students, faculty, parents, alumni and friends—live and breathe the Head-Royce School mission every day.