Thank you and good evening. Thank you also to Liz Lightfoot for that introduction. As many of you know, Liz wears many hats at The Country School. Tonight she has spoken both as a trustee and a mother, not only of a really cool alumnus, Graeme Clements, Class of 2005, but current students, Isabel, Class of '07, Alastair '08, and Honor '12. Liz, herself, is a TCS alumna, Class of 1977. Additionally, Liz is Secretary of the TCS Board of Trustees and Chairs the Development Committee. Liz is also a tireless teacher advocate, kid advocate, and champion of all things TCS. When Liz retires from the Board, it has been suggested that instead of a commemorative plaque, we will give her a gold-plated hat rack because she wears so many hats. Thank you, also, to all the other "hat wearers" here this evening including my wife, Angela. These are busy times and I appreciate your attendance even more, especially when last week Mother Nature made it feel more like spring break than ski season, whereas tonight’s blustery weather reminds us once again of the old adage, "If you don’t like the weather in New England, just wait a minute." My remarks tonight are planned to allow for questions at the end, but still allow us to be home for the important world events happening this evening, mainly the second half of both the UCONN men’s and women’s basketball games. That should also allow us all to watch the other varsity game at 9:00 PM as well, namely, The President’s State of the Union Address given before a joint session of Congress. Boy. Talk about a tough crowd. I really do not mind speaking on the same night as the President. I am hoping it will take some of the heat off me from Jon Stewart tonight on the Daily Show. Trustees of The Country School, parents, faculty, administration and staff, alumni, and distinguished guests, and students, in last year’s State of the School Address, which was my first, I took the occasion to talk about baseball; the baseball of my youth, whose memories have sustained me through the years, especially when the season for my team ends earlier than I had hoped. But not to worry, as Bart Giamatti, former President of Yale and Commissioner of Baseball wrote, "The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again." And hope springs eternal. No matter for whom you root… Schools are the same way, especially schools like this one. Fifty years ago, The Country School was born in the hearts and minds of those Founding Mothers and Fathers, who had an idea and a vision for what a particular kind of educational experience they wanted for their children, "…to reach the minds of young children and develop their natural enthusiasm for learning." The school was not to be an exclusive institution, but "one where, through smaller classes and individual attention, children may progress according to their ability. It is created to take advantage of education opportunities and to do so in an atmosphere of learning in which parents and teachers working together can help children realize their full potentialities." Out of their hopes and dreams, by means of their leadership and philanthropy as well as a healthy dose of elbow grease and sheer will power thirteen students and one teacher, Katherine DeFrancis, began classes in September 1955 in the basement of the Canfield residence on Sawmill Road in the Stony Creek section of Branford. For 49 more years, there have been scores of other parents, and many, many more teachers as well, who have worked and sacrificed each day to keep alive the spirit and hopes of the Founders, to sustain and enhance, as our mission states, "…a school community which strives to nurture each child, valuing his or her unique gifts in an atmosphere of mutual respect." In an earlier correspondence to parents this past year, I quoted the French philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who said, "We are born weak, we need strength. Helpless, we need aid. Foolish, we need reason. All that we lack at birth, all that we need when we come to man’s estate, is the gift of education." The 50th Anniversary of the "birth" of The Country School is not only acknowledgement of this gift of education, but also an understanding of the powerful, transformative role it plays in a child’s life. We choose to celebrate half a century of academic and extracurricular excellence and accomplishment, again quoting from the school’s mission statement, "…creating an environment which is both academically challenging and responsive to the social and emotional needs of growing children." We call attention to ourselves in appreciation and acknowledgement of 50 years of dedicated teachers, administration and staff, caring parents, and most of all, wonderful children. It is a good lesson to be reminded of how self-affirming the commemoration of one’s beginning can be, not only for the individual, but also, it is equally important for others as well. It has been our hope then for this year to reach out to old friends who we may not have seen or heard from in a while; introduce ourselves to, and meet, others who may not know of all the wonderful things happening here on Opening Hill Road each and every day; and lastly, to remind present families and faculty why they chose to become a part of this community in the first place. Simply put, our birthday wish is that all will join us to celebrate our past, embrace our present, and shape our future. It is right to know, respect, and celebrate the last half-century of growth here at The Country School, as well as the promise of its future, working to seamlessly integrate with those who came before, while at the same time moving this institution forward in fulfillment of its mission to provide opportunities that allow young people to be who they are now as well as enabling them to become who they will be in the future. In the spirit of gift-giving, as well as wanting to connect more closely with our community, as well as those who do not know us well, I am very pleased to announce that tomorrow, February 1, 2006, TCS (and the world for that matter) will wake up to a new Country School website. Although our web address will remain the same, a design team, led by Director of Technology, Harlan Brothers, has been working for the past several months to enhance and improve the look, feel, and function of our site as we honor our 50th and look for more effective ways to better communicate with all who have an interest in The Country School. Both Harlan and I welcome your questions and suggestions regarding ways to further ease access to that which best reflects what occurs here at The Country School and within our community, namely, a half-century legacy of providing a caring, safe haven and a quality educational experience for children where delight and satisfaction are the mainstay of their school days. Thank you, again, to Harlan and his team, Bill Leidt, Janice Crampton, Nancy Dodson, and all those who contributed to this initiative. Tomorrow, besides being launch day for the website, February 1 is also the first anniversary of my appointment as Head of School, and although there have been a few long days and nights, the time has passed quickly. No matter though the time, I continue to be honored to serve The Country School. It has also been my pleasure and privilege to get to know TCS students, faculty, and staff, as well as families, alumni, and friends of the school. I have appreciated, enjoyed, and been humbled each day, as I have come to know this school for the very special place it is. Though a relative newcomer, I nonetheless feel a kinship with, and great responsibility for, this community, and I look forward to continuing to work with - and for - all of its stakeholders. Not unlike all of you, no doubt, I am drawn to places with a strong sense of community, purpose, and history. TCS is just such a place. It is a mission-driven school and with your help, it will remain so on my watch. The children of The Country School are challenged, as well as nurtured here. Students are encouraged to participate fully in the life of the school. Because students feel secure in an environment of mutual respect and caring, they can dare to try new things; teachers encourage and celebrate the discovery and exploration of each talent and the worth of each trial. The County School alumni I have met over the past year are well-prepared for life after TCS, both inside the classroom and out of it. Although traditional disciplines comprise the core of the academic program here, they are tempered with the knowledge that young people, no matter what their age or grade, need to develop sound minds in sound bodies to prepare them for the wider world awaiting their contributions. The Outdoor Education Program, performing and fine arts, physical education and athletics curricula, and community service opportunities provide the backdrop not only to reinforce lessons learned in classrooms, but also to teach new ones as well. The faculty and families here share the understanding that schools are transitional places where children develop habits of the heart in addition to habits of the mind. It then follows that our obligation, as educators and parents, is to impart values as well as information to our children. The education of the whole child has been the cornerstone of The Country School since it’s founding. It is our hope and intention that communities with which our students become involved will become stronger and better because of our students’ participation in, and contributions to them. Last year, I pledged to you to work diligently and earnestly, to fulfill your faith in me in service to this community, this school, and especially, its children. I reaffirm that pledge again tonight, for what we do matters. In my Head’s Report at the October Parent Council meeting, I remarked on a former TCS family who had moved to Seattle where their son was attending Lakeside School, about an announcement that one of its alumni, you may have heard of him, Bill Gates, had just given a $40 million endowment to the school, saying "Without Lakeside, there would be no Microsoft." That story of Bill Gates’s magnanimity and appreciation was juxtaposed with a letter I read from my brother-in-law’s brother, who leads a school in Covington, Louisiana, a small town across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans, who’s life was equally dramatically changed, but in an opposite fashion by Hurricane Katrina. Headmaster Diamond told a story of a young student whose family’s home was little more than a concrete slab and a pile of bricks, who helped with the repair of their son’s school before the repair of their home. Once again, we are reminded, schools matter. Last June, I asked Jim Storms one of our Middle School English teachers (and the best-natured curmudgeon I have ever met) if he would recommend a couple of good summer reading books. Jim suggested I read the books the 8th Graders would be reading during the coming school year. I took to his offer readily as I was looking for a respite from scholarly journals and non-profit tax law executive summaries. It was a good summer. My favorite book by far was Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. I had forgotten what a lyrical, poignant, and powerful work it is, telling the story of a kind of "unmanaged childhood" unbeknownst to too many children today. (I must admit though, I could not help but hear Gregory Peck’s voice in my mind whenever I read Atticus Finch’s words, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.) One of the passages that struck me, especially reading this book in August, is early on, when Dill Harris, the impish boy who proclaims, "I’m little but I’m old," upon first meeting Scout and Jem who leaves his aunt whom he had visited to go back to his home at the end of the summer. Scout recalls, "Dill left us in early September, to return to Meridian. We saw him off on the five o’clock bus and I was miserable without him until it occurred to me that I would be starting to school in a week. I never looked forward more to anything in my life. Hours of wintertime had found me in the treehouse, looking over at the schoolyard, spying on multitudes of children through a two-power telescope Jem had given me, learning their games, following Jem’s red jacket through wriggling circles of blind man’s bluff, secretly sharing their misfortunes and minor victories. I longed to join them." Intuitively, Scout knew what Atticus knew and what we know; and no matter whether you learn your lessons or they are reinforced in your living room or the classroom or vice versa, schools matter because parents and teachers care and take their jobs seriously. They understand that being educated is not simply the acquisition of knowledge per se, but rather the development of an ability to think and reason. The true aim of education is to cultivate and enrich an individual’s best self, whether you be four years old or fourteen. The good news is that we are not alone in our endeavors. Certainly, parent-to-parent exchanges are invaluable. The 8th Grade mothers and fathers who are working their way through the secondary school selection process with their third child or the parents who are starting their third in PreK have important insights and experiences to share with folks experiencing these kinds of parental rights of passage for the first time. The more formal, topical presentations, organized by the Parent Council, as well as our speaker series, featuring Rosemary Baggish, or the Dad’s Breakfast presented by CAIS Director, Dr. Doug Lyons, are complemented by parent/teacher conferences and teacher reports as well as less formal exchanges between parents and the school’s teachers and administrators. This school’s philosophy, its curriculum, faculty, and facilities all reflect a very specific mission with a distinct and unique character. You chose TCS purposely because this school’s mission and character are appropriate to your child’s needs. One of the effects of this choice is that a child’s matriculation at The Country School gives him or her the opportunity to gain sustenance from and contribute to sustaining a student body and a learning community moved by similar aspirations and guided by similar mores. Furthermore, since we are here by choice rather than requirement, there is a tendency to identify more readily with the school community, relate to one another in personal rather than institutional terms, and enjoy reassurances about a child’s worth as an individual who is a part of and contributes to a larger whole. The Country School prides itself on the relationship it builds, not on the transactions it completes. At The Country School pedagogy begins with the child rather than the subject matter. It is understood that children are basically good and naturally curious and willing to grow. A young person’s spirit, interest, and desires are to be attended to and cared for. Again, the whole child is the chief concern of this teaching community. I want to thank all parents for entrusting your children to The Country School. It is an awesome responsibility that is taken both very seriously and appreciated sincerely by faculty, administration, and staff. Your sons and daughters are bright, motivated, and care for each other. It is truly a joy to share our days with them. One of the aspects of teaching at TCS, and in particular, teaching in the Lower School, is that it is a dynamic endeavor. Just as the children are developing, so too is the curriculum and how we teach it. The Lower School faculty, in concert with the Lower School Director, Peggy Chappell, constantly looks for ways to enhance and inform their practice. Mrs. Chappell spoke last month at the Parent Council meeting about the Responsive Classroom workshop attended by all those teachers who teach in the Lower School and me the week before school opened. This was a workshop requested by the faculty to address the social/emotional climate of our classrooms and the social/behavioral needs of our students. Responsive Classroom is an approach to classroom management which reaffirms the TCS mission and emphasizes that the emotional lives of children has everything to do with their learning, that the climate we create in and out of our classrooms - literally anywhere on our campus - is critical to the children’s educational experience. This workshop gave classroom and "specials" teachers the opportunity to sit with each other and have a guided discussion of the goals and hopes for our students and some of the practical issues that arise in addressing behaviors, manners, and social conflicts. Teachers also benefited from gaining a common vocabulary and some consistent ways in which to guide our interactions with students. In a more traditionally academic realm, the Lower School faculty continues to refine and advance its knowledge and practice in the area of teaching reading. For the past several years, significant time has been devoted to professional development and the teaching of reading has become informed by the latest brain research. We are fortunate here at TCS to have a faculty so committed to the education of children and open to their own continued learning and growing, taking full, positive advantage of resources in the community who offer us the expertise and wisdom of those in the forefront of the field. The entire faculty heard at a recent faculty meeting from Drs. Sally and Bennett Shaywitz about the brain research they have been doing, documenting that the systematic structured teaching of phonics actually activates parts of the brain that are not usually activated in children having difficulty reading. In other words, appropriate teaching interventions can change the brain and thus lead children to improve reading skills. Because in good schools curriculum is always being monitored, it is important to take stock and continue to update our written materials chronicling our academic and extra-curricular programs. This year, the Lower School faculty is engaged in the process of updating and revising the Lower School curriculum and creating a document to complement the Middle School’s which is also in the process of reviewing and updating its "Course of Study Guide" to illustrate the integrated nature of our PreK through Eighth Grade curriculum. This work has many layers, but is as rewarding as it is important. Thank you to all of the teachers who are involved in this process. The Middle School is abuzz with activity as well. As many of you know, the 4th Grade is next to my office in Robinson House, which means that this year’s 5th Grade used to be my neighbors. Now they have their own digs. It is fun though to walk down and see these youngsters in their transition from the Lower School world to that of the Middle School; a change that is imperceptible for them perhaps, but so familiar to us. As the 6th Graders move around classes, use their lockers, and switch classes at the bells, they have been fully included into the life of the Middle School with its new patterns, new challenges, and new responsibilities, something which they understand is good for them. Or at least that is what they say when asked… The 7th Grade, that lull before the wind tunnel that is 8th Grade, is a time for "tween-agers," in addition to their course work, to reflect on who they are as students, athletes, artists, leaders, and individuals. Working on trying to find answers to questions they had not even thought of even a few short years ago is good practice in this their penultimate year for their final one at The Country School, and especially good practice for the secondary school placement process. Michael Dooman, the Middle School Director, who oversees the secondary school placement process, ably assisted by Cindy Richar, along with the Middle School faculty speak in concert about the need for balance and perspective with regard to not simply finding a good school, but rather a s,chool that is good for an individual child. The administration and faculty work to have students and their parents understand that at The Country School the secondary school application process and associated decisions are not simply about the ten weeks in the fall that, students work to meet deadlines for various schools, but rather it is about the last ten years of an Eighth Graders life. Additionally, to help our young people inform their decision-making, as well as encouraging them to follow their muses, Mr. Dooman has established a theme for this year’s graduating class. It is called "Passions that Shape Our Lives" and a local Connecticut artist, a sculptor, Craig Frederick, came and spoke to the Class of '06 at a luncheon about how he had followed his muse and how it has worked out better than he could have ever imagined. Mr. Fredrick told the 8th Graders, "Do not fall into the trap of following merely a familiar or fashionable choice upon leaving TCS. Do not be afraid to pursue your dreams as far as they will take you." This is good instruction for 14-year-olds facing "life after TCS." In judging by conversations, emails, and reports from last year’s graduates and their parents, there in fact is life after TCS. And it appears to be a good one. Students have found not only good schools, but schools that are good for them. Numerous alumni and numerous parents have related reports of how well TCS’s former students were prepared for their course work, no matter whether in the sciences or humanities, as well as for positions of leadership and expectations of good citizenship. This is gratifying, not only to parents, but for teachers as well. As I have said on numerous occasions, one of the many offerings that especially attracted me to The Country School is the Outdoor Education Program. This is the tie that binds in the Middle School. The students begin their wondrous journey in 5th Grade, when the class spends a night in nearby Deer Lake in the spring. In subsequent years, in the early each fall and late spring, our 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders spend two to three days spelunking, orienteering, canoeing, and hiking Eastern Connecticut or the Delaware Water Gap, all in preparation for TCS’s Outdoor Education Program’s culminating event, a nine-day expedition to Moab, Utah where they experience alpine hiking, desert hiking, rappelling, and rafting on the Colorado River and most importantly, getting to know themselves and, for one last time, one another. If the old adage, "Education is not what you can remember, but what you cannot forget," is true, then the TCS Southwest trip is truly an educational experience of a lifetime. Every veteran of the trip has said it was during the 8th Grade trip that "it all came together." They would not trade it for the world, even though their time in the wilderness is "hygiene optional" for them, as well as their chaperones. Despite that fact, or maybe because of it, I look forward to joining this year’s 8th Graders on their trip for at least the first half of their adventure. The arts are a vital part of the program at TCS from PreK through 8th Grade. While our Lower School’ers have music once a week and an opportunity for extracurricular instrumental music lessons, all Middle School students are required to join either TCS’s Band or Chorus, but that is just to get them in the door. What they do after that is magical. For those of you who attended our Holiday Concert, no doubt you have a broad smile on your face just remembering it; or maybe you are remembering the fall musical, "Into the Woods" with the same appreciation. Studio Art is also an important element of the academic program. Students are afforded opportunities to develop an artistic eye, to create, and to display their works for the school community, a part of the program which is expanding. Technology continues to play an important role in the school’s growth and development for teachers as well as students. The Technology Committee is in full swing, focusing on new ways to augment and enhance our teaching and communication through the expanded use of classroom computers, multimedia installations, and the Internet. This year our science program has acquired eight new laptops for student research and experiments with recently upgraded multimedia capabilities. Parenthetically, the Middle School physics class has been invited to compete with fifteen other schools in the Rube Goldberg Machine Competition, co-sponsored by The Faye School, MIT, and EMC2. This year's competition involves building a machine that can turn a page. Science teacher Terrie Harstoe tells me the machine must have at least five distinct steps, be created of only the materials supplied, and be built in the three hours of the competition on Saturday, April 8. Godspeed, Mrs. Hartsoe… Adhering to the ancient notion of mens sana in corpore sano, a sound mind in a sound body, TCS sports teams continue to shine. Games played, tournaments won, perfect records, and imperfect ones as well. No matter how win/loss records shake out though, the hallmark of Country School teams remains hard work and good sportsmanship. Teachers and coaches are more interested in how young athletes act, than in how well they play. The Country School Mission states, "We expect much of our students because we believe they have much to give." No matter whether the venue is a classroom, athletic field, or stage, the faculty and students of TCS look forward to, and take full positive advantage of, every opportunity to live the mission of this school. Country School parents are no different. You have instilled in your sons and daughters the value of pursuing this life of the mind as well as this life of the heart. You have taught them they are a part of something larger than themselves, namely a 50 year-old legacy which values learning and leadership. You have also taught your children compassion. Students at The Country School are a generous lot, whether it be through the organized activities of the Community Service Committee to raise money for hurricane relief, fill the can van, or serve in the Branford Community Dining Room organized by Dr. Carolyn Rambus every 3rd Tuesday of the month, or simple, unseen, everyday acts of kindness through your volunteerism and generosity. Parents have been strong advocates and have been role models of service above self. And students notice. I am reminded of the quote, "At the center of the universe is a caring, strong, loving heart that continues to beat and wants the best for every young person. Anything we can do to help foster the intellect and spirit and character of our young people and all of our fellow human beings, that is our job." No, Atticus Finch did not say that, but rather Fred Rogers. Parent Council activities, book fairs and holiday boutiques, the upcoming auction and gala, and behind the scenes work on student events and activities, teach valuable lessons to young and old alike. This community’s kindness when it comes to giving is as appreciated as it is amazing. Parents work hard and sacrifice to pay tuition and stretch even further to give more. In the past, this community has been particularly generous and forthcoming by demonstrating its understanding and support of the school’s Annual Fund. Thank you to all those who have given to the school this year. Understanding that we are all pulled in many directions, I hope those who have not yet made a gift to the school will consider doing so. Your dollars are invested wisely and prudently in the people, places, and programs that enable us to do great things for the children here at TCS. Thank you also to the Parent Council for your fund-raising work, but also for providing opportunities to further enhance the active involvement of parents with the school. Communication and commitment have been the pillars that have informed and inspired your work this 50th Anniversary year. On a personal and professional level, I say thank you to Country School Trustees for the support you have given me and my initiatives as we work to take full positive advantage of the energies and talents of all trustees to meet not only the challenges of each academic and fiscal year, but to fulfill the fiduciary responsibilities which ensure that The Country School be viable and true to its values for the grandchildren of the grandchildren of this year’s graduates. The work of the TCS Board of Trustees thus far this year has been both strategic and thoughtful. Each Committee has sought out ways to not only inform, engage meaningfully, and advance its initial committee goals but also to accommodate the interconnective nature of the work of all of the committees to the institution as a whole. To that end, for both the short and long-term, Board committees have been very busy. The Finance and Investment Committees have worked very closely with the administration to set priorities and allocate resources in order to develop a multi-year operating budget for revenue sources and expense targets that address TCS’s strategic goals. The overriding principle is to continue to maintain and enhance programs and high standards through responsible fiscal management and to work to lessen the school’s heavy reliance on tuition revenues. Salaries and benefits continue to be comparable to area schools and the NAIS benchmarks. The Finance Committee is working toward refining a list of peer schools to further refine and inform our benchmarking data. We strive to remain competitive so that we can retain as well attract the lifeblood of our school, the faculty, and at the same time, work to keep tuitions affordable for present and prospective families. Annual budgets continue to provide for physical plant maintenance and important improvements as well as financial aid for families. Over the past years,VISION 2005, the school’s Long Range Plan, has provided a strategic focus for the budget. As the school embarks upon the next long-range planning process, the five-year budget will evolve, continuing to provide a strategic document to implement and sustain all of The Country School capital and human resources. This year the Board created an ad hoc Enrollment Committee which has already begun its investigation of both internal and external market trends which affect independent schools in general and The Country School specifically as well as ways to recruit and retain more students. The Development Committee has been meeting with success through the generosity of this community as we near our fund-raising goals, but equally importantly as we look to grow and crystallize a culture of philanthropy at The Country School, as well as implementing our plans for The Country School’s 50th Anniversary to strengthen relationships with all TCS constituents and create support for related philanthropic opportunities. The Committee on Trustees has been developing plans, aided by consultant, Steven DiCicco, who conducted last year’s head search, to strengthen the TCS Board and create new structures to deliver sustainability through strategic thinking, planning, and implementation of knowledge-based decision-making, as well as new structures to focus on our school’s mission, core values, and Board development and education. Long Range Planning is readying its final report on VISION 2005 as well as embarking on TCS’s next long-range plan. Using VISION 2005 and the Campus Master Plan as spring boards for the next period of growth for The Country School in a way that appropriately involves all members of the community, adheres to the mission, and incorporates good financial practices with the goal of unifying the school community around a shared understanding of the developmental needs of the institution and its strategic goals as it embarks on its next stage of growth without losing its feeling of a familial community. The Building and Grounds Committee commissioned a Facilities Conditions Assessment to ascertain the maintenance needs of our existing buildings and other capital resources in order to create a comprehensive, multi-year capital improvement/plant maintenance plan and budget. Our Facilities Department, under the direction of Ed Thomasi has begun implementing a plan to replace existing carpet with tile in appropriate buildings. Additionally, the maintenance barn was removed and a new exit/entrance in the lower parking lot was created to increase traffic safety, create more parking spaces, and beautify our grounds. As was announced at the January Parent Council Meeting, there was unanimous consent among trustees to pursue the purchase of the 33 Blinnshed Road property, an 8-room house on roughly an acre of land adjacent to our campus. Research and discussion by the Board and administration revealed that the cost of the property was both very reasonable and could be supported through capital reserves and favorable mortgage terms. The Board and I also felt that acquiring this property was compatible with the Campus Master Plan and therefore it was in TCS’s best interest to purchase this property. TCS is not in the real estate business, but this was a very attractive opportunity for the school. Plans for the property will be forthcoming. A comprehensive report of the work of the year from Board committee is submitted for community update at our Annual Meeting of the Corporation held in June. As I close, we are reminded every day that the continued success and growth of The Country School is not just the work of Board committees or the individual Trustees, the Parent Council or individual parents, or the administration, faculty, or staff, but it is all of us together who will work toward the fulfillment of the mission of this school and work to make The Country School the preeminent PreK through 8th Grade school in southeastern Connecticut, public or private - in short, a destination school. We strive to be a school which "is a secure environment within which distinctive personalities complement rather than compete with each other…an open environment in which hierarchy is respected but not imposed, where posturing and game playing are unnecessary. An institution in which values are explicitly and easily discussed and there is a consistency between values stated and values played out…an organization that demonstrates its humanity equally in its responsiveness to the needs and responds to the sensibilities of its external constituencies and the care with which it nourishes and grows its own personnel." (Paul Ylvisage) In conclusion, attention to each student is the hallmark of The Country School. Teachers and students get to know each other well. Teachers work closely with students acting as coaches, directors, advisors, and mentors. A feeling of common purpose and connection grows over time as students, teachers, and parents share school activities and develop strong friendships through the rhythm of their years together. In our school community, every child is important, as is every individual. I think Atticus Finch would appreciate this about The Country School: At the end of To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout is being tucked into bed by her father while her brother is unconscious, but safe, in the next room. After having been saved by the reclusive Boo Radley from the disgusting hatefulness of Bob Ewell on their way home from the Agricultural Products Pageant, Scout says, after what she calls "the longest journey of her life" - a day filled with both peril and discovery, " 'Atticus, he was real nice.' 'Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.' Atticus turned out the light and went into Jem’s room. He would be there all night and he would be there when Jem waked in the morning." As each of us will be there for the children of The Country School, no matter whether they be our daughter, our son, or our student. Thank you, again. Good night. See you in the morning.