“When do you think things will go back to normal?” asked a prospective parent in a recent conversation about a Crescent School education. “I’m looking for some assurance that my son will enjoy a regular school experience.” As I listened and empathized as a parent myself, I was conscious of the tension between what was in my head and my heart. Emotionally, I know that kids need to experience school in a predictable and sustained manner; cognitively, I also know there are no guarantees in life.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what I have learned from the pandemic, particularly in my role as Head of School. I don’t mean to imply that the pandemic is behind us—I have accepted that COVID-19 will be with us for some time. That said, I am optimistic that we are entering a new phase where we are learning to live with, rather than fear, the virus. Whether we are in the deep throes of case management or adjusting to an endemic state, the pandemic continues to change us in ways I hope make us better, more fully human. Here are three things the pandemic has taught me.