Head of School
“The confidence from our parents, alumni, and friends—even from afar—helped redefine community and engagement.”
Evolving Optimism A
s if sensing what the year 2020 might bring, about a decade ago technology innovator Jane McGonigle defined “urgent optimism” as “the desire to act immediately to tackle an obstacle, combined with the belief that we have a reasonable hope of success.” Reading that recently, it struck me as a rather succinct summary of the fuel that drove many of our actions and decisions over the past year. The obstacle was clearly defined when we were forced into distance learning last spring, and the effectiveness and immediacy of our response will be an enduring point of pride for our community, as we rallied to earn our success of this past year. Had either element been missing—the urgency or the optimism—there is no question our efforts would have fallen short and the experience for our students and our full community compromised. As we move into the summer months and reflect on those moments in a canoe, on a trail, or wherever we allow our thoughts to wander, I am certain every member of the KUA community will be struck with waves of pride and other positive and nostalgic emotions. Thinking about this past year, it will be the people who will come into focus—the people who helped us all to find optimism at a time when it was needed. Our students showed their readiness from the moment the senior class declared “resilience” as the year’s theme. The enduring image of ‘smiling through a mask’ inspired us all, as their arrival in August brought a joy and life to campus that lifted and sustained our spirits all year. Optimism is a mindset that transforms into an energy, and the student energy was essential to our success. I recently shared with our faculty and the many other employees here on The Hilltop, that rising to this challenge cemented their legacy and their calling as unselfish educators with oversized hearts. Our end-of-year employee gathering, with its “superhero” theme, allowed us to come together, drop the masks, and appreciate what
we achieved together for our students, our families, and ourselves. When the remarkable school year of 20202021 is chronicled, our superheroes will be remembered for—and will remember themselves —creating a calm in a storm. When normalcy in society did not exist, mental health struggles skyrocketed, and the games, fun, and interactions were cancelled, our resident superheroes refused to allow that to define our community. Our success was not predestined, but rather placed in the hands and hearts of adults whose love of kids, trust in one another, and collective optimism could see, and could lead, our path to success. More broadly, the confidence from our parents, alumni, and friends—even from afar— helped redefine community and engagement. In early June, a member of KUA’s Class of 1941 participated in our Virtual Reunion, where he and others shared stories that affirm our efforts, inform us about the past, and give us hope for the future. The wisdom of the long view reminds us that this is not KUA’s first obstacle and indeed, not even our first pandemic. When we connect with our roots, we are humbled by the fact that we are in the early years of our third century of operation. Remembering that there have been countless moments when urgent optimism has inspired leadership, as it has through the past year, elevates us to an inspiring and sustainable sense of enduring optimism that will guide our future. With so much more to come, I wish you all a wonderful summer and look forward to coming together again soon. K
With deep appreciation, TYLER LEWIS
Head of School SUMMER ����
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