Family First
Whether you are a student, staff member or parent, there is something special about the first day of school. It holds the promise of a new start, hope and plan for the year. It’s a day when we all feel just a little bit nervous, excited and happy all at the same time.
I remember my first day of high school like it was yesterday. I don’t recall ever being as nervous as I was the day my dad dropped me off at the school I’d wanted to attend since I was a small boy. There was no orientation or special program to welcome us “niners.” What set me at ease was the interaction with a teacher who would later become one of my favourite coaches. That school became my second family – a place that nurtured in me the values I hold dear today, and was filled with people who modeled what they taught.
One of my most powerful learnings from last year was just how much people care about Crescent School. Some experience it as a vibrant community, others participate in it as a dynamic workplace, but overwhelmingly, most people feel it deeply as a family. There is a breadth and depth to the Crescent experience that is unlike anything I have encountered before – an experience that emphasizes human relationships, deeply held traditions and core values.
I was so moved by the extent to which this was shared that I found myself retreating into my own experience of family. I recalled a significant moment as a teenager when my family was faced with the prospect of relocating to the east coast. With the thought of uprooting three boys from all they cared deeply about in the city, my father made the difficult decision to commute back and forth to work in Atlantic Canada for the remainder of my high school career; a time when I discovered my call to become a teacher. He made the difficult decision to put family first.
When I think of what needs to come first this year for me to lead the school of today and tomorrow, I think of the Crescent family. Similar to every nuclear family, there is a myriad of priorities and interests. A few years ago, we consolidated these as part of our Strategic Plan – a five-fold focus on student learning, staff development, community engagement, facility enhancement and technological innovation. As we near the midway point of our plan, I am thrilled at the work we have completed to date, especially the expansion of Crescent Student Services, the focus on health and wellbeing programs for students and staff, and the range of alumni relations programs. I am also mindful of the work immediately ahead of us to share our Portrait of the Graduate and conduct a master facility plan. With this in mind, it is crucial more than ever that we to continue to build healthy relationships between students, staff, parents, and alumni, to fulfill our mission: Men of Character from Boys of Promise.
And so, I look forward to seeing you regularly this year and to hearing about your son’s experience as part of the Crescent family.
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One of my most powerful learnings from last year was just how much people care about Crescent School. Some experience it as a vibrant community, others participate in it as a dynamic workplace, but overwhelmingly, most people feel it deeply as a family. There is a breadth and depth to the Crescent experience that is unlike anything I have encountered before – an experience that emphasizes human relationships, deeply held traditions and core values.
I was so moved by the extent to which this was shared that I found myself retreating into my own experience of family. I recalled a significant moment as a teenager when my family was faced with the prospect of relocating to the east coast. With the thought of uprooting three boys from all they cared deeply about in the city, my father made the difficult decision to commute back and forth to work in Atlantic Canada for the remainder of my high school career; a time when I discovered my call to become a teacher. He made the difficult decision to put family first.
When I think of what needs to come first this year for me to lead the school of today and tomorrow, I think of the Crescent family. Similar to every nuclear family, there is a myriad of priorities and interests. A few years ago, we consolidated these as part of our Strategic Plan – a five-fold focus on student learning, staff development, community engagement, facility enhancement and technological innovation. As we near the midway point of our plan, I am thrilled at the work we have completed to date, especially the expansion of Crescent Student Services, the focus on health and wellbeing programs for students and staff, and the range of alumni relations programs. I am also mindful of the work immediately ahead of us to share our Portrait of the Graduate and conduct a master facility plan. With this in mind, it is crucial more than ever that we to continue to build healthy relationships between students, staff, parents, and alumni, to fulfill our mission: Men of Character from Boys of Promise.
And so, I look forward to seeing you regularly this year and to hearing about your son’s experience as part of the Crescent family.
See all of Headmaster Fellin's Open Mike Blogs
