The Mural: Year Two

I write this in the final months of what has been a truly triumphant school year. It was the year’s normalcy that made it so special; it was the first year since 2019 that we had all our traditional events back in person. Having joined VCS during the pandemic, this year was my first opportunity to experience many of these events, and they’ve been even more moving and memorable than I expected. It has also been an opportunity to get my footing as Head of School outside of a crisis framework, to learn more about the history of the school, and to shift my focus to the more philosophical questions of school leadership: What are the core principles that guide our work? How is VCS distinct from other independent schools? What do the next five, ten, fifteen years hold for our community?

As I’ve reflected on the value proposition of a VCS education, what has emerged first and foremost is the pride we take in being a K–8 school. By specializing in this age group, we are really specializing in childhood—our curricula have always been rooted in the innate curiosity of childhood and intentionally seeks to preserve it as students grow and concepts become increasingly complex.

In her initial proposal to establish Village Community School in 1969, Sheila Sadler wrote that “challenging children to become lifelong learners is the central goal of the school,” and so too is it today—a goal we pursue by placing value on every student’s unique approach to their learning and encouraging continual self-reflection. With this second issue of the magazine, we wanted to not only celebrate the spectacularly normal year with plenty of photos and updates, but also explore the journey from Kindergartener to 8th Grader at VCS. It’s in this journey that you will discover the real value of the K–8 approach—and the heart of a VCS education.