View from the mountain

VIEW FROM THE MOUNTAIN

INVISIBLE THREADS

It’s the bonds that we make as one connected community that make Aiglon so special.

Photography Joe McGorty

T

HE RETURN TO SCHOOL is always special. I love seeing the happiness as friends are reunited, welcoming our new students and staff, and planning exciting activities for the term ahead. But this year, there’s been another dimension: an added depth that comes from the joy of simply being back at school and back to normal. We no longer take these things for granted.

It’s extra-special to look at the list of everything we’ve been doing this year so far: High Ex, service opportunities in Peru and Cambodia, cultural learning experiences, the dodgeball tournament (which certain houses are taking very seriously) and more.

And perhaps the joyous clamour and bustle of students returning is why I’ve been thinking a lot about that intangible thing called community: what it is and how it is achieved. At our most recent University Advising Workshop Day, helping our Year 13s complete their applications and get their personal statements ready, I was struck by the sheer number of alumni who volunteered to share their experiences. Not just about which college to choose, but also about what lies beyond that: about what they’d learned in life.

It was a wonderful example of the wider Aiglon community coming together. It is what is so special about our school. Of course, we are a close-knit community on campus, but that community also stretches way beyond Villars’ boundaries. It’s not just students and teachers; it’s also parents, alumni and friends right across the globe. It’s intergenerational, international and inspirational.

We’re very proud of our exam results, our cultural and artistic life and our Expeditions. But what really makes our school experience is those bonds that the students make with each other. They are for life: invisible threads which connect Aiglonians wherever they go. So I’d like to extend a warm welcome to parents, alumni and friends everywhere: come and join in.

Now that things are back to normal, we have lots of exciting events coming up – and we’d love to see you there. Or perhaps you might want to share your experiences or expertise with our students or alumni: if that’s the case, just email alumni@aiglon.ch.

We know that many parents around the world have already formed groups to meet up independently of the school, and our new Classlist app makes that even easier, so do sign up. Or, of course, simply come and visit. My door is always open – tea and cake are always on the menu. Let’s take this community forward together.

Nicola Sparrow, School Director.