My role as Headmaster of ten independent schools for thirty years has given me comprehensive experience in independent school administration. I have developed a leadership style that provides stimulation for management teams and faculties to find creative solutions. Since I believe that people solve problems best when they have personal ownership of issues, I give my administrative staff both authority and responsibility. This permits them to learn to be effective administrators, and it allows me to work with them much like a coach. Having said that, I also clearly recognize that the ultimate responsibility for all decisions in a school rests with the Head.

All independent schools have distinctive missions, and a Head's responsibility is to encourage a constant and consistent "measuring" of the school against its mission. With a clear mission, a Head can lead a school in strategic planning for a future that will celebrate its philosophy and tradition within a contemporary context. A college preparatory program, for example, must be conducted without apology for its academic rigor; but a balance should exist between an academic program, the fine and performing arts, athletics, and preparing students to live competently, responsibly, and morally in an ever-changing world. Facility with computer technology; the necessity for human beings to manage tremendous amounts of ambiguity in their lives; the disappearance of societal conventions on which prior generations relied; contemporary society's minimization of spiritual and family values; gender equity; exposure to graphic media aberrations; homelessness in urban settings; violence as an emerging way of life for some segments of society; an understanding and appreciation of multicultural and international heritage as politics and economics bring cultures closer to each other--issues such as these have created a new definition for the challenges that contemporary independent schools face in educating students.

I consider myself first and foremost a teacher and an advisor. Although administrative duties fill most of my days, I try to schedule time into each work day to be with students--greeting them in the morning, observing them in class, talking with them at recess or lunch, discussing college plans, or cheering them on at athletic events. I work hard at learning students' names, realizing that they appreciate being known personally by the Headmaster. Students deserve to feel important, valued and respected; and they need to be engaged in thoughtful conversations that encourage them to express their opinions and to attempt creative problem solving. A good school creates time for students; and students should know—and feel—they are appreciated and celebrated for their individuality, their effort and their talents. They should be taught to listen to themselves and to reflect on their responses; and they must be guided to listen thoughtfully and reasonably to the opinions of others. My primary motivation as an educator and administrator is to work in a setting that is identifiably "personal" in helping, leading and guiding students.

My belief that "life is a series of choices, and every choice has a consequence"
forms the basis of my view about student discipline. I attempt to maintain a balance in interpreting both the letter and the spirit of the law, keeping in mind what it means to be human.

I also believe that discussions involving discipline can be used to affirm universal truths about human nature, the relationship between rights and responsibilities, and the integrity associated with being a good citizen. The adults who interact with students actually teach more by example than by precept; just by their actions, educators and parents exemplify the adage "values are caught, not taught."

In my work with colleagues, I count myself as a practical person who listens to, and tries to understand opinions other than my own. A Head conveys respect by listening to others' ideas and opinions; and from a style of openness, respect grows and credibility is earned. I give consideration to alternatives offered by others as long as a solid rationale is presented. My informal visits to classrooms give me an opportunity to be familiar with faculty members' work, to recognize them as professionals, and to compliment their successes. A faculty is the heart of its school, and being an educator is more a "calling" than a career. Independent school teachers and administrators share a mission to help youngsters develop intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. In addition, the adults in the school share a responsibility with the students for the creation of a strong, safe and nurturing sense of community. Independent school adults and students interact in personal ways to master competence, reliance on self and others, and respect for all members of the learning community.

Because change is an inevitable aspect of life—and we can measure dramatic change in the century just concluded—independent schools maintain their traditional approaches while preparing citizens for a future that will be different. I am comfortable working with change as it relates to making a school more effective, but I am also aware that periods of change must be balanced and tempered with periods of equilibrium and stasis. My work during the past ten years in interim headships has given me a unique perspective about instituting change in a school. Timing is critical in the introduction of change; and one of the best ways to introduce and implement change is to have stakeholders participate in discussing and creating it. The need for change first must be understood and then embraced if implementation is to be effective.

While most independent schools concentrate on providing rigorous learning environments, they have also become complex fiscal enterprises. Business terms like "marketing," "consumer mentality," and "accountability" have made their way into independent school vocabulary as tuitions have increased, the need for financial assistance has become more dramatic, and the need to improve faculty salaries has been recognized. Schools face the challenge of being financially viable while responding to concerns regarding increased tuition and requests for services. As an experienced Head, I have participated with Finance and Development Committees and Directors of Finance and Development in helping faculties understand the complexity of a school's financial workings.

I enjoy participating in all phases of school fundraising, including helping development offices embrace an expanded concept of "advancement." In addition to the traditional work with alumni/ae and planned giving and orchestrating fundraising campaigns and annual benefits, development offices are also charged with "advancing" a school through public relations, marketing and strategic planning. I have found that when alumni/ae, trustees, parents and friendsare offered meaningful ways to be involved and are kept informed about a school's success, extraordinary demonstrations of generosity occur. At La Jolla Country Day School, with little history of fundraising, we successfully completed a campaign that created a new Upper School campus and renovated the Lower and Middle Schools. At the Bush School, another school with a modest fundraising history, we completed a $6.5 million campaign in three years for a science and technology center. On the new Upper School Campus at Bentley School, in the past two years we constructed five tennis courts and a building that houses two science labs and a studio for sculpture and three-dimensional art. We also completed work on a $24 million bond that closed in late February 2002 and will be used to construct a gymnasium, a performing arts facility and additional classrooms on the Upper Campus. I recognize the pivotal nature the Headmaster plays in creating an internal and external presence and in serving as the expert witness for a school's fundraising. Trustees play an important role in actually making solicitations, but the partnership with an involved Headmaster is key to a campaign's success. I enjoy this aspect of my work and the opportunity to tell an exciting story of how a school’s program will be improved and renewed so that faculty can offer a rich, innovative and comprehensive program. Working with a board to identify and solicit donors to bring form to the vision is a rewarding challenge.  We invite you to join the Sacred Heart community at a time when we have completed the Mater Campus for the Pre and Lower School and the Nims Fine Arts Center.  We look forward to our next capital project which is to be a Student Life Center that will showcase the dance, photography, choral, pottery and athletic skills of our students.  We are creating a place where our Upper School girls (9-12) can engage in activities in an environment that is safe and encourages development of creative and athletic talents.

Integral with a school's mission to support students' intellectual, physical and emotional needs is concern for and belief in the importance of the development of a spiritual dimension in students. This is the higher order of existence that is embodied in the integrity for which all human beings deserve to be respected. It reminds us that each of us has a responsibility to contribute to improving the quality of life through service to mankind. Family life, with what might be called a sacred dimension, is also worthy of effort and sacrifice. Schools should encourage parent-child interaction as a counter to media-driven stimulation and the artificially accelerated maturity that are apparent in contemporary childhood and adolescence. A parent is the most natural of teachers, and teachers and parents can work together to inspire children to a love of learning and personal integrity. When students are trusted, supported to learn from their mistakes and encouraged to take risks both at home and at school, they learn confidence and self-assurance. A good independent school helps students learn the depth and breadth of their talents, their passions and their potential as human beings. When discovery in learning is a joyous experience for students, they tend to explore the world and human nature with enthusiasm and select and develop interests about which they are passionate.

I am happy to be a Headmaster of a well-established, traditional school that maintains a balance between fostering a passionate, life-long pursuit of knowledge with an appreciation for the subtle and fragile aspects of the human condition. It is fulfilling to head a school where students and teachers are proud of their loyalty to the school and rely, at least in part, on a healthy sense of humor to maintain a natural equilibrium.