Head of School’s Perspective Dear Friends,
Mr. Lourie with his Government & Politics class on Graduation day
"Our ability to rely on certain events to
occur predictably and without interruption grounds us, provides a
dependable foundation, and in that security and dependability, grants us peace and direction."
Schools are unpredictable places. With over 860 students, over 100 teachers, and seventeen grade levels spanning fiſty acres on two campuses, St. Anne’s-Belfield School is no exception. Each school day includes hundreds of class lessons being taught, dozens of sports teams practicing, competing, or traveling across the state, and numerous casts, choirs, and orchestras rehearsing or performing. It is a busy, complex place, where every individual deals with his or her own unique responsibilities and challenges. Regardless of your role in our community, no day is ever the same.
Personally, this unpredictability leads me to one place every morning on my way in to school: Starbucks. Tis stop – an essential daily ritual that provides me comfort and security – is the most predictable part of my day. I see many of the same people each morning, and the person at the register is usually ready with my Grande Pike Place. In a world of uncertainty, it is a ritual that keeps me grounded.
Rituals are an essential part of our lives, especially during these times of notable busyness and uncertainty. Our ability to rely on certain events to occur predictably and without interruption grounds us, provides a dependable foundation, and in that security and dependability, grants us peace and direction. Tis fact is true for all children, but holds special significance for the students of St. Anne’s-Belfield School. Ours is a busy, multi-faceted place that asks a great deal of its boys and girls. Te rituals that can anchor their lives are not only welcome, but are vital for them to lead balanced, healthy, meaningful lives.
Tus, it is most fitting that the Chapel program is the feature of this issue of Perspectives. We all take comfort in this aspect of our school that has, thankfully, changed little over the years. Chapel is the thread that binds the fabric of our school, regardless of time,
place, and the items that fill our calendar. It is where we gather as a school, certainly to explore the spiritual dimension of our lives, but also to share a collective “deep breath” as a community. Chapel provides comfort to us through its direct connection to our storied past. Knowing that thousands of students and teachers participated in the same weekly ritual of prayer, reflection, and song lets us know that, even in times of rapid change, some aspects of our lives remain constant. Furthermore, Friday Chapel services are when we, individually and collectively, are at our best. It is when our students do their finest “work.” Surrounded by a community on its best behavior, our Chapel speakers do their finest research and writing in preparation for their homilies, display their most compelling public speaking skills, and communicate with candor and authenticity. Student musicians give their finest performances at Chapel, as the import of the occasion sharpens their focus and elicits their passion for the pieces they select. It is always gratifying to see our students excel in all areas of school life, but I admit that I am moved most deeply when they shine in Chapel, in front of our entire community, with all eyes and ears focused on a single person and his or her spiritual message.
As we prepare to enter what is sure to be another busy school year, we will again look to Chapel as that necessary and beloved ritual, which provides a moment of pause in the busy life of school. It is in this pause that the true spirit of St. Anne’s-Belfield School is sustained, nurtured, and passed along to each successive generation of St. Anne’s- Belfield students.
All the best,
David S. Lourie Head of School
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