Welcome

Welcome to my blog. I hope that you find it thought-provoking and sometimes amusing (in the “with me” rather than “at me” sense.)

So many sectors have changed so much over the last decade. Companies that were iconic world leaders just a decade ago are no longer around (or at least not at the scale they used to be), and the lists of the most powerful, the wealthiest and the most influential people seem to have a remarkably short half-life. I just took a look at the Forbes wealthiest people list, and only knew five of the top 10.

What does that mean for us at Appleby? We talk a great deal about developing innovation, adaptability and resiliency in our children. But, of course, it is equally important for us as a school to share and model those same traits. I feel most fortunate coming to Appleby at this time because there is probably no better place to engage in those discussions than right here.

I am really impressed by colleagues and by the students – and people are a school’s number one lever towards greatness. The school is known for its innovation and its quality – Appleby has changed immensely over the last couple of decades. But one thing we know is that the future, while being informed by our past, will be different.

I was at a “boot camp” for new heads of school in Atlanta in July. There were about 75 heads in attendance, including five Canadians and a smattering of overseas people. There were many pearls of wisdom being cast our way, some of which I plan to share in future posts. One in particular that resonated with me was that the role of the Principal is about shaping discourse in the community … dialogue about school culture, priorities, weaknesses, and dreams.

I plan to use blog posts to be a catalyst for this conversation. I am fascinated by ideas and what they mean for our youth and for our schools. The blog posts will include some of the most interesting ideas I come across. You will see more questions than answers, and more focus on the “whats” than the “hows.” Some will be brief and others annoyingly long. Please share your own ideas, your thoughts and reactions. Because this is a conversation, one I hope will engage the Appleby community.