2022-2023 Head of School Opening Remarks

8/17/2022

Good morning…Welcome to the 2022–2023 school year!

It is a real pleasure and a genuine privilege to be with you on this incredibly exciting---and beautiful—”First Day”!

Today we usher in a new school year, welcoming 780 students, and nearly 130 Faculty and Staff. For 180 of you, everything is literally “new”, and while I won’t read aloud all of your names today, please know that we are all incredibly excited to have you join our Community...I’d like to ask each of you who are new to Palmer Trinity to please stand and be recognized…You have chosen well, and Palmer Trinity has chosen well---a perfect match! Again, welcome.

We have been busy this Summer getting ready for all of you…Upgrades to existing spaces, new learning areas, fresh paint…Yes, we are ready to get started!

Today, we “kick-off” what promises to be an outstanding year…We have much to celebrate, and so much to be grateful for…

We celebrate The Official First Day of School, a “fresh” beginning…

We celebrate our 51st year as a learning Community…We have accomplished much in our diverse history, and our future is very bright!

We celebrate that we are a Community that is constantly evolving---and in every way. A School that has grown from “humble roots” to a sprawling, 60 acre campus, filled with nearly 1,000 individuals crossing paths every day!

We celebrate the chance to learn, to grow, to be part of something greater than ourselves.

We celebrate the simple fact that we are here, in person…Side by side, arm in arm, hand in hand…Supporting one another, caring for another, and working as one….We are the Palmer Trinity Falcons. We are proud, we are eager, and we are ready to “take flight”!

Yes, we have much to celebrate. And, as mentioned, much to be grateful for…

For starters, you have been given this particular day: August 17, 2022!

Noted author Paulo Coelho wisely shares that,

Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It’s just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.

Pay attention to this “miracle”, and mark it boldly and clearly on your new Palmer Trinity Planner that today, you began what will be YOUR best year yet! You are going to do great things this year…

Remember today, too, that you have been given a wonderful opportunity. Do NOT take that for granted! As I share each year at this Opening Chapel, only 1% of students your age have the chance to attend an independent school.

Be grateful for this education, for It is a precious gift and one that should not be taken lightly. In fact, make sure you find the persons who provided this for you and let them know just how much you appreciate this opportunity…Your gratitude will also help you to “set the right tone” in how you go about your daily life, I would argue…As Father David Steindl-Rast tells us,

It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.

Be joyful!

Embrace Palmer Trinity School, and know that you are here for a reason.

As we go forward today, let me also remind you of a few things…As you will soon see and hear, we are utilizing this simple word as a mantra for the year…RESET.

What does RESET mean?

Quite simply, it means a Return or a Renewal of our Commitment to our Mission.

A Restart, a Reaffirmation of what we do, and, most importantly, of who we are.

For you, our students, we are asking for you to focus on your work—your responsibilities—and to be an active, good member of the Palmer Trinity Community.

You’ll need to be ready to “jump in”. As we are reminded by noted author, Ursula K. LeGuin,

Morning comes whether you set the alarm or not…

So, I hope you’re ready!

You’ll need your energy, your drive, and your positive attitude.

As I expect, many of you may be feeling a bit nervous today. As with any beginning, or with any change, things can sometimes seem a bit daunting…Some of you may be feeling overwhelmed…That’s okay…Remember, you are not expected to “know everything”...Maybe you’ll take heed of the words of noted businesswoman, Sara Blakely, who claims so wisely,

Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else…

Ask the questions you need to ask…Don’t be afraid to seek help. Just remember, we’re all in this together…We’re all starting “fresh” today…

As we RESET this year, let me also ask you to Be Kind.

Two simple words, and ones I hope you’ll carry with you now, and, well, forever…As we all know, these are unique times for all of us. Each of us wrestles with our own problems, challenges, and daily stresses, and oftentimes, those burdens can seem overwhelming...Too often, we may react or act out, often hurting those around us, sometimes without even meaning to do so...As the wise Dalai Lama advises us,

There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.

Choose kindness...Be extra patient, take a deep breath, and pause before reacting too quickly, or making a statement you may want to retract…Remember, too, the words of another wise philosopher, Confucius, who tells us,

The tongue like a sharp knife...kills without drawing blood.

Let’s all pledge to be extra kind, and extra sensitive in our dealings with one another...We won’t always agree, and we won’t always share the same perspective, but we can certainly hold ourselves and our conduct to the highest standards of decorum and dignity.

Let’s remember, too, that we, in choosing kindness, we also choose to impact others positively... Even the smallest of gestures may be just what is needed at that moment...To “Be Kind” is to be of help; to serve; ultimately, I would argue, to lead.

As you choose to make a positive impact, I ask you to be that “difference maker”...Be the one who decides to have a positive influence on others, in whatever way possible…

Take a moment to offer a word of encouragement to a peer in the coming days…

Help a new student, pointing them in the right direction…

Clean up a dirty lunch table or area…Maybe even pick up a piece of trash left on the ground…Carry a dirty plate back to the Kitchen area…Better yet, DON’T leave ANY trash or dirty dishes out at any time, anywhere!!

Take time away from your phone! Put it away, and keep it turned off during the school day…Engage in real conversation…

Pause—stop—look around at the world and appreciate all its beauty around you—especially right here on campus, with our multitude of peacocks and teeming wildlife, our 77 different species of trees, and countless smiling faces…

As an Ambassador for Palmer Trinity, I am counting on EACH of YOU to step up…

To be that “difference maker”; to be a person of integrity—someone who can be counted on to do the right thing, at all times.

Someone, whom I dare say, will be kind, choose to make a positive impact; someone who will LEAD WITH LOVE.

And, so, dear Students and Colleagues,

As we go forward this year, know that you will be challenged, that you will be tested, and, in turn, you will be loved and supported.

Lend a hand when needed, or offer a sympathetic ear...In short, take the time and make the effort to invest in one another, and serve our greater Community.

We have many wonderful adventures in the coming days...We will celebrate our triumphs together, and we will learn from our losses.

It’s going to be an incredible year...Great things are in store for you…

I’ll leave you today with the words of one of my favorite writers, the Irish Poet, John O’Donohue:

I arise today

Blessed by all things,

Wings of breath,

Delight of eyes,

Wonder of whisper,

Intimacy of touch,

Eternity of soul,

Urgency of thought,

Miracle of health,

Embrace of God.

May I live this day

Compassionate of heart,

Clear in word,

Gracious of awareness,

Courageous of thought,

Generous in love.

May my mind come alive today

To the invisible geography

That invites me to new frontiers,

To break the dead shell of yesterdays,

To risk being disturbed and changed.

May I have the courage today

To live the life that I would love,

To postpone my dream no longer

But do at last what I came here for

And waste my heart on fear no more.

All the very best, and I truly look forward to what promises to be a most rewarding School Year!

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