Carpool… Back-to-School Nights… homework… after-school sports… music lessons… and so many other things have begun in full force. As a school, we are better off for all of it and it is incredibly exciting and enjoyable to have everyone back. The energy and enthusiasm of the students are the essence of Shipley. Seeing them interact and connect with one another and with our faculty and staff brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

With so much going on at the start of the year, it’s important that we help our children to establish priorities at the outset. Knowing as we do that the pace of life for our students—and for all of us—can be frenetic, tiring, and difficult, it’s essential that we all create some balance so that we can take the time to appreciate all the various aspects of our lives.

The overt anxiety that we and our students may have felt about the start of school seems to have subsided for most, if not all, of us. Of course, we should not be fooled by appearance—we must check with our students to make sure they are doing well. While we want to be careful not to jump to conclusions about their well-being in difficult moments, we must be sure that all of us, parents and guardians, and members of the faculty and administration, work together on behalf of our kids. If someone is feeling down, we want to be aware of it but not jump to conclusions about it. Having the appropriate people talk together about concerns is the essence of a good partnership.

During the year I love going from event to event and seeing our students perform on the stage, in the classroom, and on the athletic field. As I have listened to them this fall, I have been awed by their awareness of and involvement with Hurricane Katrina. The questions they have asked, the money they have raised, and the presentations they have made have reinforced for me that our students of today, bright, talented, and committed as they are, really are the leaders of tomorrow. The events have allowed them and many of us to put life in perspective. As one of our Upper School students said, “The situation on the Gulf Coast makes me realize that the problems in my life are not life-altering; in some ways, they are very unimportant.” The students are committed to learning from tragedies such as Katrina, 9/11, the tsunami, and other devastating events and to doing anything they can to help with the crises that surface. We need to follow their lead; we need to be grateful for the things we have and do what we can to adequately and appropriately plan for and respond to crises that may occur in the future.

On an easier and much less important note, I love this time of year in professional sports, as the baseball season approaches its end, the football season begins, and we prepare for the basketball and hockey seasons. Going into the last couple of weeks of the baseball season, I am ecstatic that my beloved Red Sox and our own Phillies are still in the race to make the playoffs. While it may be unrealistic for me or other Red Sox and/or Phillies fans to think that either the Red Sox could win two years in a row (maybe it won’t be 86 years before they win the next world championship) or that the Phillies will win their first championship in 25 years, I would love to see them play each other in the World Series. As of today, both teams are very much alive to earn a play-off spot. (Incidentally, one of the highlights for my family and me this summer was getting to see the Red Sox play three times—at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Camden Yards in Baltimore against the Orioles, and Fenway Park in Boston against the Yankees.) In addition, I will be hoping for the Eagles and Patriots to have a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl. If it happens, I will be rooting for the Eagles!

In my August letter to you I mentioned a couple of books that I thought were worth reading, including The World is Flat and 1776. One more that I feel compelled to comment on is the most recent Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which came out this summer. Although I have not read it myself, I was amazed by the interest that it drew and discussions it inspired across generations. Everywhere I went, adults and children were discussing the book. Eleven year olds were holding their own with juniors and seniors in high school and with adults of much greater age. That such a wide range of people could have such passion and interest about Harry and other characters speaks volumes about J.K. Rowlings’ ability to create not just a wonderful story, but a cultural phenomenon. She has spoken to the hearts of many, and we should applaud her for her efforts.

As we here at Shipley look to create a community across generations, it is important that we ask the questions and do the things necessary to continue to grow and improve. This is the reason that Kevin Graham of Lookout Management, Inc. will be administering surveys in November to parents and guardians, members of the faculty and administration, and students. You will hear more about this as we get closer, but please take the time to complete and return the survey when it comes. It will help us become a better school and enable us better to meet the needs of the students.

Last but not least, I want to invite you to attend our first Heads’ Forum this year on Friday, October 7, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in Beechwood House. This is a relaxed and informal session where the Division Heads and I will be present to talk about any issues that come to mind.

My thoughts and wishes are with all of you as we move faster and faster into the year. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please give me a call or email me at spiltch@shipleyschool.org. I hope to see all of you at The Shipley Shops and other events over the next month. Be well and enjoy!  

Warmest regards,

Steven S. Piltch
Head of School