New Head of School
April 14, 2008
Dear Baker Community,
My recent visit to Baker filled me with enthusiasm for the year ahead. I am eager to get to know all of you and your children better, and I am excited about bringing the mission of the school into focus.
What I see when I imagine the next few years at Baker is a significant journey we will all be taking together -- parents, students, teachers, and administrators. For those of you who choose to get on the bus (and I know that every one of you has a choice in this matter), we will travel through some fascinating territory -- fields where curiosity is tended and grown to maturity; mountains where challenge is laid atop challenge to the snow-capped peak of mastery; villages where teachers mentor students, and students mentor each other; canyons where concerns are voiced and answered. There will be much familiar ground to cover and also visits to places heretofore unexplored. Our committed and experienced teachers will be the passionate and knowledgeable tour guides, making sure that nothing along the route is bypassed or taken for granted. Our children will have the window seats, and they will be amazed at the terrain we are covering.
The cost of a ticket will be paid with participation, commitment, and a willingness to adapt to the shifting landscape. I will accept responsibility for the ride ahead and place myself personally behind the wheel. I will draw freely from the comments and suggestions of fellow passengers. And this input, along with my inner compass and years of experience, will help me choose the most effective route to our mutual destination. Communication will be open and respectful.
I think I have driven this bus analogy just about as far as it will go, and I want to be clear about what I see happening in Baker’s future. Whether as a parent or teacher, you have made a major investment in this institution. As a result, you deserve to know what you will find at Baker next year when I join the community as a parent, a teacher, and as Head of School.
You will find a place that is proud of its accomplishments. You will find a place that invites you to come in and see for yourselves and invites your friends to do the same. You will find a place that recognizes your concerns and provides you with satisfying answers to your questions. You will find a place with a sharply defined mission and clear educational goals. You will find a place that respects the needs of its most important constituency – its students. You will find a place that challenges its students to grow creatively, socially, physically, and academically -- a place that is committed to enhancing the educational experience of each child. You will find a place that holds itself accountable for meeting, and even exceeding, the goals we set for ourselves.
Certainly, there will be difficulties -- from concerns over parking to concerns about curriculum and pedagogy. But, just as certainly, there will be solutions and remedies if we work together for the benefit of our children. We can communicate. We can work together. We must commit at this early stage of our relationship to work collaboratively and productively, to focus our energy on helping our children exceed even our greatest expectations.
Years ago, I discovered a quote that I have had on my office wall ever since. It has had a positive and lasting effect on me:
"Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better."
I am energized and inspired by the school’s potential -- I am confident that together we will ensure a bright future for Baker.
Sincerely,
Dr. Andrew Taylor
Head of School