September 13

I had the realization, as I prepared for our All-School Chapel on Monday, that none of our students had experienced 9/11. This year marked the sixteenth anniversary of the event that significantly changed our country. We did not so much dwell on the events of that day in our chapel conversation but rather on the goodness of humanity that was evident as hands across our country reached out to help and to hold one another.

The same goodness and compassion that many of us saw around the 9/11 experience was once again seen in the affected areas in Texas from Hurricane Harvey and, now, in Florida and the Caribbean from Hurricane Irma. People reaching out to those in need. Neighbor helping neighbor without regard for race, religion, national origin, neighborhood, lifestyle, or political orientation. All of that is put aside and we pull together to do what we can. It is what we do well in this country. It is when we truly demonstrate that we are united states. It is when we show that we are all Americans and stand as one. Heroes rise up. Generosity flows. Differences are put aside, and compassion is demonstrated in many ways.

As we focus on the value of Goodness this month, we need not look far to see examples of the natural goodness in people. There are so many acts of goodness, large and small, that we can point out to our young students, calling their attention to the many ways they can make a difference for someone else. When our children can see that even the smallest acts of kindness, goodness, and compassion make a large difference, they will reach out in turn to make good things happen for other people. Some people can write the large checks, which certainly makes a big difference. When I see our children look for ways to be generous, kind, and good to someone else, however, I am comforted in knowing that the examples we set as adults model a way for them to change the world, one person at a time. In that way, our children then lead us.

Margaret Moore

Head of School