Head Reflections: Admiration for Educators

My childhood was spent with a considerable amount of freedom. I don’t necessarily attribute that freedom to unbridled trust from my parents. I made my share of poor decisions that gradually helped me find the guardrails in life. Truthfully, I credit my parent’s willingness to let me disappear from their watchful eye for hours on end to growing up on a boarding school campus.

Surrounded by Passion

My childhood “backyard” consisted of sprawling campuses filled with bustling activity. I watched students perform artistically and athletically, exposed to facilities where young people honed their skills under the attentive guidance of passionate adults. And, I shared dinners in the cafeteria at the “faculty table” without my parent’s oversight.

These experiences exposed me to a level of culture in a remote New England town that fostered the sincere admiration I have for the skills in others that I do not possess. Artists, historians, linguists, musicians, mathematicians, and writers surrounded and impressed me as a child, and they still do to this day.

Beyond Career Educators

In addition, these teachers shared in our community and our family regularly. They engaged with my siblings and me in the same way they engaged with the students. I was, in part, a product of the passion that I now recognize every day in our teachers. They are educators through and through, and their interest in our students—and our students’ success—is a part of who they are. This is not just a career path. We benefit daily from the educators in our life who work to better our community, share their passions, and help shape tomorrow’s leaders.

With Deep Admiration

Today, I continue to benefit from the cultural opportunities that the New Hampton School community provides. This is in thanks to our impressive students and an incredibly gifted faculty. I marvel at the extraordinary talents our faculty have developed and the life of service to which they have dedicated themselves. My appreciation and admiration heightened this spring as they were thrust into a new regimen without skipping a beat. Our teachers continue to bring their whole selves to their work. They experiment to find the best ways to connect with our students at a distance. They collaborate with colleagues to share and develop the tools needed for this new platform. All of this, and they never ask why or stray from our mission to develop life-long learners.

Thank you

As we come to the close of Teacher Appreciation Week, I tip my hat to the Husky Heroes here at New Hampton School. They are here for each other and our students during this trying pandemic. Thank you for your special talents, your ability to adapt and experiment, for your commitment to each other, and for inspiring our students—our whole community—each and every day.