2 minute read
HEAD OF SCHOOL
A Mix of Memories and Dreams
As campus quiets down in the days after our culminating events, and we rewind the year in our heads, there are so many moments of transition that made this a unique year for us on The Hilltop. As excavators, construction crews, and our own housekeeping and facilities staff set to work on improvements the summer months afford us the opportunity to catch up on, a quiet early morning walk through campus is filled with a mix of memories of our past year together and exciting dreams for the future.
Much of what we enjoyed this spring could simply be captured as the joy of returning to face-to-face engagement with one another. Our large-scale events returned to familiar locations, as our graduation ceremony was conducted on a hot, beautiful day in the quad and reunion weekend returned with big numbers after a two-year hiatus. As meaningful and welcome as those moments were for all involved, it is the everyday emergence from behind our masks and the ability to congregate in tight groups of friends throughout campus that allowed a tension to dissolve. Having parents and friends return to the sidelines and activities and students freely connect and socialize across their campus restored a healthy, familiar rhythm to the student experience and community life this year.
As you will read in this issue of Kimball Union, we benefited from a year of tremendous student leadership and a senior class that leaves a great legacy, as captured in the voice of Libby Kotei-Fearon ’22, one of our all-school co-presidents. In addition to our seniors, this is a year of transition for some iconic members of our faculty. Flickinger’s stage and dance studio had 59 cumulative years of both individual and collaborative leadership from David Weidman and Kay McCabe, and Brian McMahon taught his final rocking chemistry lab in Fitch after a quarter century of service to KUA. Our board experienced transition as well, as Chris Burns ’83 stepped down as board chair following a period of record enrollment, fundraising, and fiscal stability for KUA.
Working with our remarkably passionate and engaged students, we see so many encouraging signs for the future. A walk through our seniors’ capstone projects this spring offers an encouraging commitment to the global issues of our times and gives us confidence students are armed with a sense of purpose and the integrity to make meaningful change. On campus, we remain grounded in our history, but are also looking to the future and building out plans to ensure KUA will thrive for generations. As we programmatically lean more deeply into our mission, we will spend the summer refining the programs and services that will enrich our students, including the Gosselin Center for Teaching and Learning, our STEM offerings, and a complete ninth-grade experience. Amid transitions, we also see and remain committed to our growth as an institution.
Have a wonderful summer, and we look forward to seeing you soon back at KUA. K
TYLER LEWIS Head of School
