Opening Remarks

Good Afternoon and welcome back.

It’s my sincere hope that all of you enjoyed a relaxing and rich summer break. I know many of you that are returning will be disappointed to hear that I have no stories about spiders this year. Instead, Mr. Morse asked me to share with you a few brief words regarding a very important process that Academy will be undertaking over the course of the academic year. Schools such as ours often embark on the task of strategic planning in order to outline and identify a set of important, long term, institutional goals. These goals are intended to help guide the direction of a school for the next 4 to 6 years. Throughout this year you will be asked to participate in this process and your feedback and input are important to the success of our plan. But more importantly what I would like to emphasize here today is how some of the common reasons why schools plan strategically connects to each and every one of you.

First, set a direction for yourself including reaching goals, improving on your previous performance, academically as well as on the field, or through participation in the arts and extra-curricular activities.

Secondly, work toward helping us build a stronger community. I am reminded of a quote from former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor:

We don’t accomplish anything in this world alone … and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one’s life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something.

What role will you play in working toward creating something great?

And lastly, take charge of the future. Recognize that as a community of learners, we are privileged to have the unique opportunity to learn, inspire, motivate and empower one another. Whether it is through community service and leadership opportunities, or by pushing the thinking in your classes to new heights, coming up with new ideas or creative ways to solve problems, we can shape the course of our future here, together. These are three of the principles we will use this year in our planning process and I encourage each of you to find a way to weave at least one of them into your experience here at WA.

It is an exciting time to be a part of Worcester Academy. Good luck to all of you and have a great year.