Head’s Message

January 14, 2016

Did you buy a Powerball ticket? Multiple tickets, perhaps? A recent article in the New York Times included the following observation: “Jumping on the bandwagon is an age-old motivator of psychological behavior.” Stephen Goldbart and his colleague Joan DiFuria wrote in a Psychology Today article titled Lottery-itis!, “We want to be with the in-crowd, to be ‘part of the movement,’ not ‘feel left out.’” I’m not a gambling man, but I must admit that I have been sucked into the Powerball vortex with the possibility of being the lucky winner. In fact, I am writing on Wednesday so by the time you are reading this, I may be Minnesota’s most recent multi-millionaire. Read More

January 7, 2016

When I became Head of School, I moved offices from the south end of the building to the north. Practically speaking, it made a lot of sense given the suite of offices and the proximity to the Porter Conference Room and the Business Office. However, one of the most difficult sacrifices I made was giving up one of the best views of the school–the playground. I miss hearing the laughter and squeals of delight and witnessing the pure joy of children being children.

I recently read an online news story from Minnesota Public Radio about an educational reform movement in Texas that is re-instituting and re-emphasizing recess. While many schools cut recess time to make room for standardized testing and test prep, there is solid evidence that recess, playtime, and physical education are all integral to not just physical development, but social, emotional, and academic success. Read More