BEGINNINGS

KIT BEGINNINGS

I have a strong fondness — OK, some might call it an obsession — with baseball. And as my wife, Elane, often reminds me, it is because of this obsession — I mean fondness — that I will often use sports metaphors to make a point. So, forgive me if I break into a sports comparison — but I really think this metaphor works well.

My favorite part of the baseball season doesn’t even occur during the season itself — it takes place at the end of February. After a long cold winter, when we as fans believe the temperature will never get above freezing, players travel to Florida and Arizona and begin reporting to Spring Training. New members of the team find quiet corners of the field and begin to get to know the veterans; in the press box, there is always talk of a new player or two who has joined the club and will make a big difference in the success of the year’s campaign.

In February, every team is in first place, every team has a chance to go to the World Series — this is no small order for my favorite team, the Chicago Cubs. In the spring every team is full of energy and looks forward to the 162-game season believing it will be the best they have ever played. Spring Training is a new beginning, a fresh start for every player — so what if you hit .230 last year; it’s February, and during Spring Training every player can be a member of the Hall of Fame.

I love the beginning of the school year — September is filled with anticipation, excitement and energy levels that could seriously reduce our need for fossil fuels. It is the time of the year when we are all refreshed, and hopeful. Every student is at the top of the class; every parent conference is filled with the promise of partnership; and the schedule is filled with endless days teeming with the opportunity to cover all the projects we dreamed of doing during the summer. It’s a new beginning, a fresh start for our students, a chance to work with new colleagues, and an opportunity to try something new in our classrooms.

While it is autumn on the calendar, fall for educators is a time of rebirth and renewal. Those of us who have spent our lives living the cycle of the school year enter September with hope and anticipation. Like our students, we have had one more year of growth, development and experience. We come to campus with an eagerness to connect with our students and to make this year our best year. There is idealism in this cycle that I hope we as educators never lose. Built into this time of new beginnings is the extension of opportunity we give to every student. Like the baseball player who comes to Spring Training in February, our students come to us in September filled with potential and eager to succeed. Each of them is a candidate for the Hall of Fame, and it is exciting to consider the season ahead.

Speaking of the Hall of Fame, I had the pleasure a few weeks ago to welcome home our own Roeper Hall of Fame — alumni from the school’s first graduating classes, ’68,’69, and ’70. They returned to campus to celebrate their 50 th High School Reunion. I listened to amazing stories of George and Annemarie, tales that made my Head of School hat spin a little nervously, and wonderful tales of challenge and guidance that Roeper students today could easily have shared with their peers. I saw joy, tenderness, and, most of all, love, as this group of 35, who came from all over the country to spend a few days together, recalled with affection their Roeper years.

It is inspiring to see these Roeper alums continue to embody the philosophy. They looked with a sense of wonder and happiness as they took in all of the buildings and programs that fill the spaces of their little school. I was especially delighted to join our alums as we dedicated the new Jimmy and Vi’s Kitchen at the Birmingham Campus. Jimmy and Vi Morris left a tremendous legacy with our community, and it was wonderful to hear the stories our guests shared about their time together. As part of the visit, we spent time recording many of these stories so that we can preserve the memories our students have of these amazing people. I know you will want to listen to these memories, and perhaps take a moment to share some of your own with us. F

David and his family take in a game at Wrigley Field, home of his beloved Cubs.

I love the beginning of the school year — It’s a new beginning, a fresh start for our students, a chance to work with new colleagues, and an opportunity to try something new in our classrooms.