Overseeing a school as large as Singapore American School is in some ways like running a business. We hire hundreds of employees, we provide a variety of services that that we constantly seek to improve, and we live in a world of budgets, competition, and change. And while we certainly strive to improve the family experience, I don't ever want to reduce our families to simply being "customers."
Being part of the community at SAS isn't a transaction. Parents don't just pay tuition to receive a great education for their kids, and call it finished. And that's not the way that great schools operate. What has always set SAS apart, and what will continue to set us apart, is the results that come from being a mission-driven community to provide the best education possible for our students. That means every single one of us.
Every employee is responsible for the kind of climate that we create within the school for our students. But the same is true for our parent community. We are all responsible for the atmosphere of our community. We are all responsible for ensuring that kids are learning at high levels. We are all responsible for supporting our kids and supporting our teachers to keep learning at the heart of everything we do.
Each moment and interaction can build relationships—or not—and ultimately community. Moments in a busy life can be reduced to being transactional, but that isn't what's best for relationships, what's best for learning, or what's best for the long-term school community we are part of.
Small moments can also build trust. Small moments can inspire. Small moments can make our community a place we all want to be part of. These small moments together make our community, and that community can create powerful inspiration for each and every one of us.
I'm immensely grateful for all the ways I see our parent community give. Volunteering is one of those ways, and wow, do our parents do it well! The recent PTA international fair put on by hundreds of parent volunteers was phenomenal. We see Booster Club at every IASAS event, hosting receptions after performing arts productions, and creating memorable senior spirit days. None of these special events would take place without parent volunteers.
Parents at SAS are also generous with their resources, as they have been for more than 60 years. Parent participation in our annual giving program continues to grow, showing commitment by our community that they believe and in and want to be part of the direction of our school. Philanthropy was foundational in building our school in 1956, and will continue to play a vital role in personalizing learning and modernizing our facilities.
Parents give to our community by demonstrating firsthand their commitment to service. Even though their service is often to organizations that aren't directly linked with our school, their modeled behavior inspires our community, our teachers, and our students and binds us together through a desire to better the world.
Increasingly, our parents also give by mentoring our students. Through work in classrooms, on small projects, in afterschool, or larger and longer-term guidance to high school students, our parents share their expertise and wisdom in the professions our students are looking to enter. Mentoring not only provides invaluable guidance and real-life experience for our students, it also builds the kind of relationships and community every student needs.
There's definitely a difference between transaction and relationships. I'm grateful to the families that want to be part of our community and join together to raise and educate the world's next generation of leaders. We're all in, and we're grateful that you are, too.
This, like so many semesters before us, was a busy one for all, but we have much to be grateful for. Now is the time to rest and relax, and get ready for a fantastic last two months of learning. I wish each and every one of our students and their families a rejuvenating break.
Blessings,
Chip
Dr. Chip Kimball
Superintedent
from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/2px5PaP
No comments:
Post a Comment