welcome from the head of school
Saluting the Heroes Among Us
“Whether in the classroom, on the athletic field, in the arts center, or in advisor groups, our teachers are committed to bringing out the best in each person.”
In July 2020, I held a virtual forum for faculty and staff to share the school’s reopening plan in the midst of the pandemic. Our plan to come back to campus was based on the guiding principles that schools provide an essential service for students and families and that it was our responsibility to make in-person schooling available to our students to the greatest extent we could safely do so. When school opened that fall, all of our teachers courageously put their own fears aside for the sake of their students and prepared to face the challenges and uncertainties that lay ahead. As I later shared in a letter to the Harvey community, our teachers responded as “heroes among us,” with whom I was “honored to work.” Some 15 months later, our teachers continue to arrive on campus on a daily basis, ready to challenge, support, and inspire our students. They do not just teach their students; they guide them, stretch them and get to know them as the unique individuals they are. Whether in the classroom, on the athletic field, in the arts center, or in advisor groups, our teachers are committed to bringing out the best in each person. Thanks to them, Harvey is a place where students flourish and become their best selves. When asked about their Harvey experiences, alumni inevitably focus on the sense of community and belonging their teachers created in the classroom and, beyond that, enabled them to grow and thrive. They recall the dedication and care their teachers demonstrated and point to the lasting, meaningful relationships they formed with their teachers that endure to this day. In short, our teachers are the heart of The Harvey School and all we do. I continue to be honored to work with them, and I am grateful for all they do.
With kind regards,
William J. Knauer, Head of School
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