Installation Speech

The following is the speech I gave during my installation as Greensboro Day School's sixth Head of School:

Mr. Cone, honored past and present Trustees, members of the faculty and staff, students, and Dr. Adams, I am honored and humbled by your kind words and warm and generous welcome to Greensboro Day School - not only to me, but to my family – my wife Linda, my son Patrick and daughter McKenzie and my mom, who is visiting from Oregon, as well.

I accept this mantle of leadership in full recognition and appreciation for the headmasters who have come before me and the trustees, such as Mr. McLendon, who have given so generously of their time, talent and resources in founding this great school.

Since the first day of school in 1970, GDS has been fortunate to have dedicated teachers such as Mr. Satterfield and all the faculty and staff who sit with us on this stage; parents who, like Mrs. Morrisette, have dedicated themselves to creating a strong and vibrant community; Alumni such as Mr. Conner who are keeping the spirit of GDS alive in our graduates and, certainly, our students represented so capably by leaders such as Miss Solomon, Miss Oleynik, Miss Schleien, Miss Sipes, Mr. Magod, Miss Schermerhorn and Miss Smith who live our motto of Friendship, Scholarship and Sportsmanship each and every day.

Our past has been blessed by the generosity of our community. Today, we are strong, with an outstanding faculty and staff; we are strategic, led by a capable and wise Board of Trustees; we are connected by parents who enrich us with their support; and we are expectant, filled with the hopes and dreams of our students.

But, what of our future. Friendship, Scholarship and Sportsmanship will continue, as our students have reminded us, to form the core of our mission. We will continue to graduate students who are prepared to attend the best universities our nation has to offer, who understand that friendship means having sympathy and empathy for others and being honest; that scholarship means developing a deep, working knowledge of math, science, and communication skills along with an abiding appreciation for the arts. And that sportsmanship means exhibiting self-control, courage and persistence, treating others fairly and having respect for authority.

I would like to propose that Greensboro Day School focus on four strategic goals in the coming years:
*First: Increasing our commitment to appreciating the diverse abilities, backgrounds and cultures that make up the people of our school, our community, region and nation.
*Second: Taking on the challenge of creating a green, ecologically sensitive campus and upgrading our facilities to make sure that our faculty and students have the best classrooms and equipment that they need to teach and learn.
*Third: Attracting and retaining our faculty and staff by providing the support and opportunity they need to grow as professionals in their respective fields.
*And Fourth, making certain that our students have every opportunity to develop into not just excellent scholars, but global citizens who know and care about the world beyond their classrooms.

Much has been given to us and much will be required of us as we step into the future. Fortunately, we have a legacy of success upon which to stand, and if the success of those who have come before us is any indication of our future, we will not only accomplish all that we dream, but we will thrive and prosper as we go.
Thank you for this honor, thank you for your generosity, and thank you for being here and pausing to mark this important moment in the life and history of Greensboro Day School.