Head of School’s Notebook

November 22, 2024

Happy Fall Break! Today, our students are in various stages of travel on their way to their loved ones. We can already feel their absence here, yet we know how excited they are for this break and for the chance to reconnect with the people and places they know and love. As we all prepare to put down our work and turn toward some much-needed rest, I thought I’d share some of the practices and rituals we enjoy here on the Mesa that you might integrate into your own family traditions.

Delightful Transitions

Every day I see or hear something that more or less kills me with delight, that leaves me like a needle in the haystack of light. – Mary Oliver (Mindful)

Here on the Mesa, I’ve learned to trust that in the process of getting from one place to the next I’lll inevitably encounter someone – or something – delightful. This experience is so consistent that I plan an extra few minutes to get where I’m going to allow myself to savor these moments along the way. Perhaps you, too, can find a little magic in your journeys this week.

“Embrace Your Humanity” – Zoë Flint ’25

Students and faculty demonstrate every day that trust and connection come alive through honest, genuine dialogue – about how we’re doing, what we wonder, and what truly matters to us. I’ve often wondered if this openness comes from the trust we share or if being vulnerable builds authentic relationships. Perhaps, it is both. This week, I invite you to embrace your humanity by sharing more of what’s on your mind and in your heart. You might be surprised by where it leads.

Spread Spontaneous Gratitude

While we all benefit from a reminder to be thankful, it’s the spontaneous, heartfelt moments of gratitude that truly resonate the most. Just this week, we shared an annual tradition of gathering in the Chapel and sharing gratitude in the Quaker meeting style where we allowed for silence in between each speaker. I was moved not only by the thoughtful recognition of friends and faculty, but also by the beautiful unpredictability of the moment, never knowing who might rise to speak next. As your family embraces your own traditions of giving thanks, I hope you, too, experience the joy of an unexpected, sincere expression of gratitude in the days ahead

I hope that these little insights into what makes life at Cate so special will enrich your own beautiful family rhythms. I’d love to hear from you about your own treasured family traditions that we might consider adopting here as I fundamentally believe we are enriched by each other.

This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for your enduring trust and belief in our approach as we work together to raise our students into the fullest expression of themselves, ready and able to take on the beautiful complexities of the world.