Funny how you get to think some deep thoughts when you’re stranded on the side of a mountain in a snowstorm waiting for a tow truck for five hours.
I’ll spare the details, but when that tow truck finally came and we were back on the road, my husband and I had the option of pulling off at the next exit to stay the weekend in a nice hotel chain. Or we could risk the next 15 miles of unknown icy road conditions to achieve our destination at the one-of-its-kind inn we reserved.
My husband and I quickly decided to keep going. That got me thinking. Why would we risk going on when there was a perfectly fine, upscale hotel chain at hand that would provide the safety, security, and accommodations we needed? Why did we feel so strongly about pushing on? The answer was simple. We didn’t want good or even great. We wanted memorable and exceptional. That got me thinking about schools. (It appears that even on a weekend get-away, a headmaster can never really stop thinking about school.)
Which brings me to the theme of this blog: I believe schools are like hotels.
In education, there are varying levels of quality, from the budget hotel chain to the Ritz-Carlton. Ah, then the best schools should aspire to be the Ritz-Carlton, right? I say absolutely not. Let me explain why.
Even in the most upscale hotel chains, a design specialist with impeccable taste and credentials decides the décor, the color schemes, the window treatments, the carpets, where the bed will be placed, how high to hang the pictures, and where to place the lamps. Based on that expert design, each room is made to look exactly the same as another. It doesn’t matter what your favorite color is, whether you prefer traditional or contemporary furniture, or whether you like the temperature of your room warmer or colder. Your needs are met in exactly the same manner as everyone else in that hotel. A standard of excellence had been set and achieved.
A unique inn, a charming bed and breakfast, a privately owned sanctuary is different. Each room starts with its own strengths and weaknesses. And in the hands of expert designers, the beauty and magnificence of each room is brought to life with its own unique pallet. The selection and placement of every picture, every window treatment, the angle of the bed, the furniture and the lighting are all uniquely considered with a single goal – to bring out the special qualities that make each individual room the best and most beautiful it can be. The standard of excellence is found in using the highest quality materials to bring out the individual best, not in homogenizing the experience so it is the same for everyone.
At Davidson Day School, we are like the unique inn. We take each child, learn his strengths and weaknesses and focus our commitment to excellence and resources in bringing out the masterpiece within each child that is exceptional and uniquely his own.
When all is said and done, even some of the finest schools are still very much like hotel chains. They have pre-determined what they deem the best educational approach and then they try to fit each child into that approach. In most cases, the experience will be a good one. But it won’t be magnificent and may not be worth that extra drive down the icy road.
By the way, my husband and I did make it to our destination and enjoyed a remarkable experience that reinforced the wisdom of our determination to settle for nothing less than exceptional. It is the same drive and determination that sets the standard of excellence for Davidson Day School, especially as we grow from 500 students to 1000 students within three to four years.
In my next blog, I will share with you specifics about the new faculty and staff that I am bringing to our School for the upcoming academic year – exceptional men and women who have been selected through our national and international search process. They will be filling positions in our growing arts program, academic program, and athletics program including football, soccer, basketball, volleyball and running coaches. These are men and women who are passionate about children and are driven with conviction to provide exceptional experiences for each child, each and every day. They are not chain hotel employees. And they are definitely worth the drive.
Over the past few weeks, I have been meeting one-on-one with each of our new parents to talk about how their family’s and their child’s transition to our school has gone.
Overwhelmingly, the new parents I met with are thrilled with Davidson Day and expressed how happy their children are. Whether they have come from a public or private school, each parent has had an inspiring story to tell about how their child is working harder than ever, is challenged in ways they never before experienced, and is loving every minute of it. They have singled out caring teachers, approachable administrators, and new school friends who support them. They talk about opportunities their child has had to try new things that have become a previously unknown passion. And they are grateful to us because their children are happy and excited to come to school each day.
Building Davidson Day's Future Around Unwavering Passion to Develop the Potential in Each Child
I love our school.
This past week, our administrative team went off campus for a day of reflection and planning. It was our opportunity NOT to discuss the day-to-day running of the school, but to get at the heart and soul of who we are as a school, what we want to become, and how to ensure we retain our very best qualities when we finally get there.
I can’t remember who delivered my commencement address. And over the years, I’ve listened to more graduation speeches than I care to remember…covering topics I can’t recall…delivered by notable public figures I cannot recollect.
But not today, and not for you.
I may not be a local dignitary, nor accomplished VIP. But I have something few other speakers of celebrity can claim. I know each and every one of you for the outstanding men and women you are…I know your beauty, your strengths, your kindness, and richness of heart…and yes, I even know your warts.
In my previous posting, I described the educational challenges we face in preparing our children for their futures in the 21st Century. Although I planned this Part 2 installment to cover everything that Davidson Day School is doing to meet those challenges, I quickly realized this was not a two-part series. Instead, we have begun an extended dialogue that promises many parts to come. I look forward to having you join me in this discussion over the coming weeks and months.
