The Head’s Up

This school year, dare I say, has been far more normal.

This feeling was cemented most recently when I accompanied our incredible musicians to New York City, where they performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall. You can read more about it in our music feature on pages 4-9.

“COVID casualty” has become a common term to describe all that has been lost because of the pandemic. The culmination of this trip reminded me of where we were just two short years ago and how far we have come.

We’ve had ups and downs like all schools and businesses, but we have persevered. The pandemic may not be over, but this school year has been chock-full of normalcy with the return of interschool competition, travel beyond our borders, and social gatherings. We stood arm-in-arm at An Andrean Christmas, performed in a sold-out Wirth Theatre for our fall play and Celtic Concert, hosted pub nights, and are looking ahead to our annual Red & White Gala, Prize Day ceremonies, and reunions.

From the beginning of the pandemic, our approach has been to do our best to “normalize” the SAC experience while maintaining health and safety as our top priorities. We were steadfast in our commitment to our students. When we were mandated to cease extra-curricular competition, such as sports, we held socially distanced practices focused on building individual skillsets. When we were told to forgo our traditional graduation ceremonies, we created a walking tour of the campus with stations designed for each graduate to be celebrated with their immediate family. Every time we were directed to make a change to ensure we met the guidelines set by the ministries of education and health, we did, but we made it better. We calculated the risks of COVID-19 and weighed that against the needs of our students. We followed the rules at every step, but we never saw them as black and white; we looked at how we could infuse colour into a rather dreary situation and provide our students with the best possible SAC experience.

As I reflect on all of the great accomplishments we’ve had during one of the most tumultuous times in SAC history, I am thankful to be surrounded by supportive staff, students, parents, and Old Boys. We didn’t just survive the pandemic; we thrived!

We wrapped up our strategic plan on schedule, and as you will read on pages 20-23, the pandemic helped us achieve our goals in myriad ways. People were resilient and adaptable, so we easily implemented new tactics and programs and quickly pivoted and tested ideas. There is a silver lining to be found in every challenge.

For the past several issues, I’ve signed off my Andrean message with hopes of seeing you in the future, but now I am excited to invite you to join us for a game or event, drop in and say hello, or take a stroll through our beautiful grounds. There is no more yearning for a day when we can open our doors to our wonderful community of Andreans – that day has arrived. X

Kevin R. McHenry, Head of School