Go Forth

Last week I delivered a ‘collective charge’ to our seniors. With the events of the last fortnight, I believe this charge applies to all of us.

I argued that context is key and quoted Malcolm Gladwell from his most recent book, “Don’t look at the stranger and jump to conclusions. Look at the stranger’s world.” The strife and spreading division surrounding us really comes down to a lack of open mindedness and a lack of empathy. To be able to consider multiple perspectives does not mean you have to agree with differing perspectives. But we do need to be compassionate and value all life. Our Pillars support this. Our curriculum explores and questions with the purpose of deepening understanding about our world and the work that needs to be done. As we approach the conclusion of this year, we need to ask ourselves what we can do to make a difference in our communities and the world. Small acts of kindness by any age group can make a collective difference. 

For our new graduates, I advocate that you do not need to be concerned about declaring a major, rather you should focus on declaring a mission. The world certainly has challenges ahead and we are confident in your ability to be a part in solving them. Sage Ridge will be here as a strong school that you can return to, be proud of, and hopefully continue to be part of.  Our graduates from our young school are going on to make a difference. 

We have endeavored to help you become the best version of yourselves. Jim Collins found in his research that, “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice.” We are confident that all our students are consciously choosing greatness in all the forms that may take. Our community can be proud of how we have handled the difficulties of this spring and what we have learned will impact all our futures. Our school community remains a leader in the future of education as we ensure all our students have the support to pursue greatness.

virtutis fortuna comes