This article appeared as "Support, Trust, and Impact" in the Spring 2023 issue of Independent School.We live in a country where we are told that rugged individualism translates into grit and determination, and this translates into success. We buy into this idea so much that we forget we are part of a community. But it’s human nature to be called to serve and work with others. Still, we often forget that we are connected and reflected in others.
So when I arrived at University Prep (WA)—at the height of COVID-19 restrictions and when the country was finally reckoning with its history of racism—I shared with the community in a speech on the first day of school that change is inevitable, and it would be how we changed together that would show the strength of our community.
I quickly learned that it’s the relationships at UPrep that make our community thrive, and those relationships need to be based on a shared sense of mutual responsibility. Starting with the 2021–2022 school year, UPrep now welcomes new faculty in a cohort model, and during their back-to-school new employee orientation, they share a vision of what the school community can be. New community members reinforce and recommit all of us to those values every year.
When I first arrived on campus, as part of the new cohort introduction, I invited new faculty to imagine future headlines related to their work. One read “New Cohort Leads the Way in Transforming Pandemic Education;” another read “Remodeling Foundations: Flexible Structures and Innovating the Unknown.” One group shared “Resilient Educators Add Breath of Fresh Air” and another “Community, Connection, Collaboration.” In each of those headlines, I read a desire to feel supported by peers and key leaders, to be trusted by colleagues to teach the students well, and to make an impact.
That desire for community is a basic human need. It’s why we continually build communities and seek out others. The best way for us to do that is through meaningful conversations and relationships with as many individuals as possible. This means taking time to sit with different people at lunch, inviting people to join in a conversation, or always saying “yes” to someone who asks, “Do you have a second?” Meaningful conversation is the antidote to what ails a seemingly fragmented and fractious society. It’s the centerpiece of the table at which we all sit.