By Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau
Head of School
University Prep (WA)
On a rainy Sunday, I sit at my desk and consider the list of priorities for the upcoming week. I contemplate a pool of candidates for the four administrative hires for the next school year. I ponder the path for the ongoing capital campaign, slowed by the pandemic, and the construction of the new building slated for opening in fall 2023. I wonder if the DEI initiatives I have planned for the school’s curriculum will hit the local or national papers. As all this crosses my mind, I remember why I wanted to become a head of school. I love young minds and want to create the best possible places for them to flourish. I relish inspiring the adults in my community to encourage and challenge our students. I want people to see someone who looks like me—a Black, well-educated female who has overcome adversity—do this job well.
This job has changed since I became a head of school 10 years ago. Then, the role included managing faculty and staff while growing their leadership skills. I was also charged with creating a safe environment for student learning, fundraising for the future, expanding and sustaining enrollment, and working to cultivate a strong relationship with the board of trustees. While I still fulfill these duties, leading through a global crisis has added a new layer of responsibilities. I am now an interpreter of medical data. I am a caregiver of sorts for faculty and staff, supporting their emotional needs. And I am an innovator, reimagining teaching and learning while keeping our community safe.
The partnership I’ve formed with three local heads of school keep today’s job sustainable for me. When COVID-19 first hit, I, like many other school heads, felt isolated; in all the workshops for educational leaders I’d been to over the years, there was no information about handling a pandemic. But then the other area heads and I began to talk to each other, to share articles, health information, and, most importantly, the communications we were sending to our communities. What began as a quick measure in reassurance and camaraderie turned into friendships built on trust in a cone of confidentiality. Quick phone calls turned into longer calls and meals together. Once, when we were out for dinner, we ran into families from each of our schools who were surprised to see us together. How could the leaders of competitive independent schools be out laughing and talking together?
Our schools have each grown because we have had each other to lean on. For me, being a head of school is the most challenging and the most rewarding job. And as we move forward, I am grateful for the collegiality and support that I’ve found from my local peers. Together, we will continue to be great friends and build stronger schools.