From the Head of School

Dear Foxcroft Community,

To say Foxcroft has had to be fl exible during the coronavirus pandemic would be an understatement. With only one week’s notice, our amazing faculty retooled their lesson plans for remote learning for what we hoped was a month, and then, when Governor Northam closed schools in Virginia through the end of the 2019-20 school year, our faculty adapted the rest of their curriculum and assessments to an online platform.

Every plan we had for this spring, from Reunion to Commencement, had to be postponed or reimagined. Traditions like the Athletic Association Banquet were hosted by student leaders on Zoom, and election speeches for Student Council o! ces were recorded on Flipgrid. We logged on to Morning Meeting and advisory, and students could even join a virtual Learning Center to get help with assignments or participate in a virtual workout with a coach.

So too, we have had to pivot with our magazine. Originally, we planned this issue’s feature story to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Audrey Bruce Currier Library. When the coronavirus pandemic forced the closing of campus, and our placebased academic program became a virtual one, we felt we should celebrate our outstanding faculty. Foxcroft’s teachers have continued during challenging times to deliver on the hallmarks of a Foxcroft education: high expectations, personalization, and collaboration, with students leading the way.

Central to Foxcroft’s virtual learning success story is the Library, the hub of our community when we are all together and the hub of distance learning when we are apart. Currier Library’s robust online resources have provided digital materials to students and teachers alike, while they are away from campus. Our librarians have given support and found sources for lesson plans and research projects. Our library collection has also provided sources of entertainment for the community, from movies to e-books and digital newspaper subscriptions.

Little could the donors to the Library construction project over 50 years ago have imagined how the building would adapt to “keep up with the times.” I hope, however, they would see that their gifts continue to make a positive impact on our students and teachers in 2020 and that the Library still remains the heart of campus.

One of the rituals I miss the most right now is holding open the door of the Library as members of our community gather for Morning Meeting. The fi rst physical feature of the Library they see when they enter is the spiral staircase, where our seniors sit as a special privilege. Gracefully winding up the center of the Library, the staircase draws our attention to a spectacular view out of a glass skylight. The symbolism is powerful. It reminds us of the transformative power of education, the place of the Library in that transformation, and our students, for whom the sky’s the limit.

From the Head of School