Welcome to all new and returning families! I hope that your summer was restful and productive, and that everyone is refreshed. I am excited to see both new and familiar faces on campus. 

 

As we start the new academic year, I want to take a moment to consider the important core value of respect - this will be a top theme for the year and a clear focus for many of our direct and indirect activities. View our core values here.

 

While there were many incredible moments and accomplishments last year, over the summer the administrative team reflected on the past year and key moments across all divisions that did not feel consistent with our school or our values; in particular, the actions of a few of our graduating seniors were noticeably incongruent with our shared values and our community's common expectations. Without question, this was not how we wanted to end the year, and it raised concerns that had ramifications far beyond the actions themselves. In this sort of review, we cast the net widely, reviewing specific incidents and behaviors on campus for common themes, but also considering these conversations in the context of national trends, peer benchmarking and research in the field.

 

After considerable reflection, the conclusion of our review is that the key theme again and again comes back to our core value of respect, including respect for self, respect for peers, and respect for the community we live and work in.  Respect also has the broader connotation of understanding oneself and valuing others. When we fall short in any of these areas, our entire community suffers.  This needs to be a clear and intentional focus for this year and beyond.       

 

While we cover numerous topics as an institution, I have asked my administrative team and the faculty to make respect the top theme for the year and to make this the clear focus our activities across all divisions in advisory, in assemblies and in all aspects of our work and play. This has always been central to our work at Park Tudor, and our Lower School program, as well as our Middle and Upper School advisories, will focus on and reinforce this theme. Moreover, our recent freshman and senior retreats paid particular attention to these ideas, most importantly establishing common expectations for the community - all with the understanding that together, we can make a wonderful school even better. 

 

* From July 5-9, Band Director Chuck Flowers participated in the Northwestern University Conducting Symposium. Participants came from all over world for this master class. Mr. Flowers conducted and played trombone in the class band, playing some of the finest repertoire in band literature. His biggest takeaways from the camp include exploring a deeper authenticity and intimate connection as a conductor with the ensemble, a renewed appreciation for the importance of in-depth study of musical scores, and an overall refreshed passion for making music with others. Mr. Flowers looks forward to sharing what he learned with his students this year.

We invite all 8th graders - current and prospective Park Tudor students - to have some fun while learning a bit about the Upper School. Wear comfortable, casual clothing. Questions? Call Barb Skinner at (317) 415-2776 or email bskinner@parktudor.org. RSVP here by August 27.