January 10, 2008

Dear Parents:

The calendar now proclaims we’ve become 2008. I’ve resolved to drink more water and shed a pound or two, although due to the plentitude of highly desirable food that appears in the faculty room each day, my goal will not be easily achieved. With this new year I have been asked to reflect on what has transpired at school since I arrived in July.

The Board of Directors had given me some specific things to attend to. I thought I would touch on the progress made in a few areas.

“Mind the store,” they said. “You’ll find the mood of the faculty tender and uncertain.”

I believe the faculty now feel heard and sheltered, supported and appreciated, led and held accountable. I trust they now enjoy being at Foote as much as I do.

The situation with LSP was a priority to address. The program lacked definition and a director.  Two new teachers were hired for grades four through nine. The LSP team of five in conjunction with the division heads and me met on several occasions to develop parameters for the program and to craft a statement of purpose. The end result has established certain rubrics for determining what makes a student eligible to receive school support. In addition, LSP teachers now work more with classroom teachers in professional development, outlining methods of differentiated instruction, modifications and individual accommodations. I am pleased with how far the LSP has grown and established itself. The vibes are good. The LSP teachers now ask for a director, and together we have started the process of creating a job description with qualifications and attributes. The search will begin this winter.

My leadership style is to be hands on. Foote is far larger than my previous school, and I still don’t know every student’s name, and getting to recognize all the parents by name and child is a daunting task. To help me feel more a part of the fabric I asked the faculty to consider weekly Morning Meetings. Apparently last year’s Monday assemblies were not always well-received and failed to draw the students and faculty together in a common purpose. I could not picture what would be relevant on a weekly basis for 470 students, K through grade nine. My proposal was to have two groupings, one for the middle school and one for the lower school. There was doubt and uncertainty among the faculty that what I was seeking would be accepted. I was confident it would, and besides, I needed to assert my standing as head of school. I had learned from experience that a daily dose of Dunham would have the desired effect and make me feel more involved. After just one week of Tuesday/Thursday middle school meetings, and Wednesday for grades four and five and Fridays for K through three, the desired effect has been achieved.

 Perhaps my best strategy for generating inclusion is keeping a jar of “smart” pills in my office. After inveigling a few seventh grade boys with the promise that one of these pills (a Skittle or Sour Patch candy) would instill immediate confidence for a test, I now am visited by more than two dozen seekers of wisdom from all middle school grades on a daily basis. The rule is “one to a customer once a day. Must ask politely.”

While Morning Meetings and office visits from students feed my desire to stay involved, there is a larger purpose to these gatherings. There are standards of behavior that need articulation often. Letting the kids know what is acceptable and what isn’t gives them the structure to stay bound by and unites the faculty with me in delivering the message of having poise, mobility and a respectful, compassionate attitude.

I expressed my concern that the school did not have a trained counselor (MSW) on staff. I was told that the position had been eliminated. I wanted to convince the trustees that the position should be reinstituted. The faculty saw the need for this kind of student, teacher, and parent advocate and endorsed the idea. The trustees agreed immediately. As I mentioned in an E-news bulletin, Foote has hired Veena Raghuvir to fill this role. She will be our full-time counselor next September but work Wednesdays for us now. Veena will belong to the lower school in the mornings and the middle school in the afternoons. She will observe classroom behavior issues, be available for students on an individual basis, work with the LSP, and provide group dynamics workshops. Next year Veena anticipates being a ready resource for parents, as well.

Schools are highly interactive organisms. Almost everyday there arises an opportunity to massage and better the systems. Every day a teacher has the chance to be an influence on a child’s life. I think that what I may have been the best at is revitalizing the soul of Foote. It is working for me, and I hope you can see and feel the difference.

I had hoped to be terse and pithy in my delivery; however, I got carried away and prattled on a bit. I had a few more topics to tackle. Perhaps I’ll wait until February.

(By the way, does your child have a TV or computer in his or her room?)

It did not take me long to ascertain that Foote is a very good school. It is a happy and safe school. It has soft spots, just as anyone or institution does. But overall, you are fortunate to have your child here, and I feel privileged to be here. And I don’t even take smart pills.

Respectfully,

C. Dary Dunham
Head of School