Earlier this month I experienced one of the most thought-provoking and compelling weeks of my career in education. It began the day after the election, and although some of the contests were still being decided, it was clear that dramatic changes were to take place in the Senate and the House of Representatives. As I walked our dog in the pouring rain that day, I found myself wondering what the election meant. Was it about the war in Iraq, terrorism, the minimum wage? While I am sure that all of those things had an impact, later that day I had the privilege of hearing a wonderful African storyteller, Charlotte Alston, who may have captured the essence of the issue.

Alston, a long-time teacher (who actually taught at least one of our faculty members), was incredibly captivating and moving. She effectively held the attention of all of her audiences—Lower School students, Middle School students, and the faculty.

As she told her stories, she found ways to share some facts and instill some fundamental concepts in everyone who listened. As the kids learned about different cultures, they also heard about the importance of being open to others’ points of view. Alston emphasized the necessity of not just hearing what goes on around us but listening to the messages and responding appropriately. The most important concept that she delivered is to think with your mind and act with your heart.

I wonder if, in fact, these are the same messages that the voters were delivering on election day. Believing in the democratic process, I think that getting elected is the easier part. Now, for the elected, it becomes essential for them not only to hear us, but to listen and work with their hearts, and to work together to make the compromises that will result in successful change. As Shipley alumna, Lee Stuart ’71, said when I saw her in New York the same week, “The election itself does not change anything, but it provides the possibility for good to happen.” For good to happen, the House, Senate, and President will need to work together across party lines to make sure that they not only hear people’s views, but that they do what is necessary for everyone. It is not an easy task. (By the way, Lee has spent much of her career working in collaboration with sometimes unlikely partners to provide affordable food and housing. In fact, she has spent her entire life thinking with her mind and acting with her heart. We are privileged to count her among our alumni. You can read about her career and thoughts at www.shipleyschool.org/thebulletin.)

During the same week I attended the funeral of one of our recent graduates, Emily Rackow ’00, a woman who was bright, talented, and, despite her youth, had committed herself to making a difference in the world. As we listened to her friends, her sister, and her parents speak at the funeral, even through their intense grief, we could feel their love, their loss, and their incredible respect for her. She had traveled in Turkey and Greece, studied the cultures, and observed the challenges. At the time of her passing, she was working for Amid East, a non-governmental agency dedicated to providing educational opportunities to victims of war and poverty in the Middle East. Those who spoke at the service challenged us all, not just to remember Emily for the fabulous young woman she was, but to reach out to understand the world and make a difference, just as Emily was doing. It is a challenge we all need to consider.

Here at school, we are committed to having our students respect and appreciate one another and learn about the cultures of the world. In our Lower School they are learning about a new culture every other week. To this point they have heard about India, Liberia, and China. Although it is not possible to tell them about every country in the world, we are able to introduce them to just enough to inspire interest. In each of these introductions they learn about commonalities as well as differences, the most important of which is how people welcome each other with respect and openness. The children have learned that in India, the word is Namaste; in Liberia it is Yacunay, and in China, the Mandarin word is Nee How. With Thanksgiving upon us, it seems appropriate to communicate our love and respect to those who are important in our lives and to reach out to others we might not know.

For myself, I am thankful for all that we have here at school: a great fall with successful sports teams and thoughtful and well-produced fall plays. It gave all of us a special feeling to see girls’ field hockey and soccer and boys’ soccer win league championships. As pleased as I am by their triumphs, I feel even better about the support given to them by hundreds of parents and students, PreK through 12, who attended the games, and I was awed by the support and sense of community that existed, despite the traffic problems. I was equally pleased that in winning its championship, our boys’ soccer team was also selected as the recipient of the sportsmanship award by the local referees’ association. Finally, that a number of players went from their championship games to perform in our two fall plays, I Never Saw Another Butterfly and White Room of My Remembering, and worked that weekend on the Special Olympics (which we hosted at Shipley) speaks to the versatility, commitment, and ability of our students. Those familiar with the plays and Special Olympics know that their messages are the same ones that we heard from the storyteller and the election, and it is the message that Emily Rackow’s life represented: listen with your mind and act with your heart.

Of course, while we think about these messages on a global basis, it is essential for us to apply them in our daily lives. Whether it is at home or school or anywhere else, as a parent, colleague, friend, and educator, I know that I need to work harder not just to listen to what is being said but to hear it and act on it with understanding and compassion. This is particularly important and challenging as I and, I suspect, others interact with our own children and help them deal with the challenges they face in their lives. Many of us have the natural predisposition when something goes wrong, perhaps without knowing it, to jump to conclusions about whatever our children (or others) have said or done based on where we ourselves are. If we can slow the process down and free ourselves of our preconceived notions, we will have the opportunity to truly hear what is being said and do what is necessary to move the issue forward in a productive manner and to enhance our relationships as well. It is not an easy task. I, myself, will be working at it.

Let us use Thanksgiving to do what we should do every day: let us look out for one another and be thankful for all that we have. And let us make a difference. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember: Namaste… Yacunay… Nee How… Be well and be happy!

Warmest regards,

Steven S. Piltch
Head of School