September Still Matters
For all my years as a Head of School, August was a time of focused urgency. The return of faculty, the hum of classrooms coming back to life, the questions from new parents, the energy of students spilling onto campus. It was the music of a school year beginning. I can still hear it.
This year, I'm not finalizing schedules or preparing opening meetings. I'm not walking campus with a focus on tone-setting, nor crafting messages to align the year ahead with the school's mission and values. But I still feel it. The rhythm of the school year lives in my bones.
There's something sacred about this season. It invites us to begin again, to recommit to the work of nurturing young people and supporting those who teach them. Watching from a new vantage point, I feel gratitude more than anything. Gratitude for the extraordinary educators I've worked alongside. Gratitude for the families who placed their trust in our schools. Gratitude for the chance to grow through both the challenges and the quiet triumphs of leadership.
I've come to believe that the best school leaders are gardeners at heart. They prepare the soil, plant with care, tend patiently, and trust that growth, whether visible or hidden, will come in its time. That metaphor continues to shape how I understand the work.
This fall, through IndySchool Consultancy, I'm looking forward to partnering with schools and leadership teams on mission-aligned projects that strengthen communities and support the adults who make great schools possible. It's a joy to remain in service to schools, even from a different seat at the table.
IndySchool Consultancy is a full-service leadership search and consulting firm for independent schools.