And we’re off!!!
And we’re off!!!
September 11, 2020
The start to any school year is a pretty special thing. All that preparation, all the nervousness leading up to it. The questions from faculty and administrators: Will this actually work? Can we pull it off once again? Did we fix that problem the right way or plan for that initiative successfully? Will our students be […]
In response to the violence committed against African Americans
June 1, 2020
One faculty member wrote how they “believe that our school cannot stand aside and be silent.” Another wrote, “It would mean so much to me if we, as a school, could make clear, in a brave and public way, that we demand an end to the killing of unarmed people of color by law […]
We All Have Our Teacher Story
May 29, 2020
We all have our teacher story. That one person who made the difference, who believed in us or connected with us or at least shared a genuine laugh at some point and connected with us as if we were real people. As if we mattered all for ourselves, as ourselves, not just for who […]
End of Year Frenzy
May 15, 2020
15 May 2020 Four weeks? Is that really possible? Somehow, it is. This is the time of year when everything–everything—suddenly moves very, very quickly, pandemic or not. Here’s the blow by blow: Next week is a half-week of regular classes, followed by two days of Encounter Experiences. The following Monday, May 25th, is Memorial Day, and we are […]
Disruptive Innovation
May 9, 2020
9 May 2020 Disruptive innovation. This term was all the rage over the last several years. I remember when Jasmine and I went to the NAIS conference in Boston back in 2015 and there were tons of sessions on the power of educational innovations that completely disrupted the norm. Shake things up. Work to make […]
Head of School Blog
December 13, 2019
From the Archive: Thoughts on Education at Vermont Commons School by Dr. Dexter Mahaffey, Head of School In his essay “A Good Scythe,” Wendell Berry writes about his preference for using the old-world tool over the now ubiquitous weed-eater. While Berry objects to the combustion engine tool’s effect on our environment, his focus here is on […]