#headofschool

By Tim Breen, Head of School

This past weekend, amidst the splendor of the foliage in the mountains, The White Mountain School Board of Trustees gathered on campus for its annual fall meeting.

On Friday, we welcomed our new trustees with an in-depth tour of campus, a review of our School’s 130-year history, and a deep-dive into our budget and finances. We are particularly lucky to have a slate of new trustees who bring so much expertise. All have served on other non-profit boards, and most have served on the boards of other independent schools. Their wisdom and perspectives — coupled with our strong, dedicated and experienced returning board members — will be invaluable as we work toward continued successes.

Another year of learning has come to an end. We celebrated our sixth graders as they graduated yesterday. This extraordinary group of scholars, athletes, artists, and activists inspired us with their words, their songs, and their spirits.

At moments like these, I reflect upon the incredible honor our entire staff shares in partnering with our Wise families to raise menschen of the highest order. On behalf of our entire team, I thank you for this privilege and for your trust. We wish you all a summer of renewal, relaxation, and fun. (We are already busy planning for your return in late August!)

May we all go from strength to strength,

This past week, we celebrated our student athletes at our annual Wildcats Awards Banquet. It was an amazing evening filled with great רוח (ruach - spirit). Our students were very excited to have NBA star Trevor Ariza as our special guest speaker. Students were given the chance to ask Trevor questions about his basketball career, about his coaches, and about his teammates. Mrs. Weiser told Trevor that our theme for the year for our School is "ואם לא עכשיו, אימתי - If not now, when?" She asked him what that phrase meant to him as an athlete.

You can click here to see a video with Trevor's answer but what I liked most about the conversation is how effortlessly we weave Jewish values into our everyday lives here at Wise School. We see the world through the lenses of our learning, our community, and our culture. We can celebrate Torah and our sports heroes at the very same time.

For me, this is what wholeness (שלום) is all about. At our school and in our community, we express ourselves as scholars, as athletes, as artists, as fine people - all in the context of Jewish values and a loving Jewish community.

Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom!