Back-to-School Remarks by Matthew Gould, Ph.D., Head of School

Welcome!

Welcome and good evening! I would like to start my remarks this evening by thanking everyone for being here and, on a personal note, let you know that even after ten years here, it remains a thrill and such an honor to kick off another year here at Norwood School.

I did something interesting this summer. I spent much of my time meeting one on one with faculty and staff members. I called it “Matthew's 10-Year Listening Tour,” and my goal was to make sure that I was hearing the genuine experience of the educators and staff who make Norwood, well, Norwood.

I’ve had over 100 conversations at this point, and I’m just finishing this month. I have been reminded that the level of passion, commitment, and love for this school is absolutely profound. I was also reminded that the level of dedication to providing an exceptional educational experience for our children is amazing. So, as is the case every year, when I stood out in front of the School on September 4th to shake hands with the kids, I could not have been more proud.

This evening, my job is to give you a philosophical overview of Norwood School as I see it. It’s my opportunity to give you the big picture in terms of philosophy of the School. And, of course, after my presentation, you'll hear briefly from your new division director and then from the true masters, our wonderful teachers, about how they put the Norwood School philosophy into practice each and every day with our children.

I'm going to start by saying that Norwood is simply a wonderful place to be a child. As far as I'm concerned, Norwood School is the most exciting elementary and middle school in the entire Washington, DC, area.

Of course, Norwood is a complex place comprised of 450 students, about 300 families, 125 faculty and staff. However, we are an incredibly strong community that is united around a core philosophy and a mission that centers the well-being of children as paramount. No one sentence can possibly sum up such an organic human institution as a school. Schools are messy, ever-changing places.

But I do think Norwood has a unique focus and ethos, so I’ve tried to boil that core ethos into a single sentence. Here is what I came up with:

There is a lot packed into that sentence, but I really believe it is true, and, in my opinion, it is exactly what elementary and middle school should be all about. Let me unpack it a bit for you.

Of course, there are three parts to that sentence, and each part is equally important. Part one is challenging our students academically and intellectually. Two is supporting them in a safe and nurturing environment, and three, helping our students interact positively, teaching them about empathy and caring, and guiding them to do the right thing. I'd like to talk about these components separately just for a moment.

Norwood students are challenged! Each year, Norwood School graduates enter many of most selective schools in the Washington, DC, area, equipped with the curiosity, the confidence, the initiative, the drive and the knowledge, imagination, skills they will need to achieve success.

At Norwood, we know that academic excellence requires much more than the rote memorization of disconnected facts and formulas and the ability to produce “right answers” on demand. Rather, it requires asking the right questions and developing strategies that make sustained and meaningful inquiry possible.

From the earliest grades, our students are encouraged to become critical thinkers, makers of meaning, and solvers of problems. At Norwood, rigorous curricula, supplemented by innovative programs and extracurricular opportunities, challenge students to reach their full potential. Additionally, Norwood's commitment to personalized attention ensures that every student receives the right amount of challenge to succeed. Consistent high school placement rates solidify Norwood as a beacon of educational excellence.

Another component of educating for academic excellence, I would argue, is educating the whole child in a supportive environment. Hence, the part of my opening sentence about our school being a place where children are supported. At Norwood, we focus on the whole child.

What do I mean by this? The social and emotional development of children is extremely important to us, and we spend a lot of time on teaching empathy and teaching students to interact positively. We care about us for several reasons:  1. It creates a positive learning environment for students to attend school; 2. It helps students achieve more academically, and 3. These skills matter in terms of school, career, and life success.

One of my key goals as Norwood's head of school is to ensure that we live our tagline that children are known and to ensure that every child has a place to shine here. Whether as a student, an artist, an actor, an athlete, or as a wonderfully kind and considerate friend—children's natural gifts are respected, honored, and nurtured.

The School honors the value of both work and play, as well as the value of childhood—letting kids be kids. In a society where childhood is a diminishing concept, we are trying to keep the spirit of childhood alive just a little bit longer.

Why do we care so much about this “soft stuff” about social and emotional development? I care so much because, as I noted earlier, when kids feel socially and emotionally safe at school, they do better academically. Period. What I want is for our children to feel safe enough in school to take risks—because that's how you challenge yourself and that’s how you learn.

And, let's face it, school is a risky place. We are asking our students to take risks all day long. We ask them to read poetry in front of their peers. We ask them to try really hard math problems. We ask them to learn a second language. We ask them to give speeches in front of audiences large and small.

But what I noticed over my 10 years at Norwood is that Norwood students are comfortable with who they are and willing to take risks. Children feel safe here. Students challenge themselves as we challenge them to achieve their best.

And what I've noticed about Norwood students over the past decade is that they are often engaged in unabashed and unbridled exploration. And yes, sometimes in that exploration, children come up with the wrong answer or fall short. But what we are trying to impart in our children is that sometimes the journey to the answer is more important than the answer itself.

This all reminds me of the story (probably fiction) of the elementary-age student who was involved in an open-ended art/drawing project. Imagine a classroom in which each child is drawing a picture of his or her own choice. As one little boy is getting started, the teacher comes over and asks him, “What are you going to draw?” He answers, “I'm going to draw the face of God.”  A little surprised and taken aback, the teacher responds, “But how are you going to draw that? No one knows what that looks like.” The child looks up at the teacher and in all seriousness replies, “That’s because no one has seen my picture yet.”

I tell you this silly little anecdote because it is a snapshot of what I want from Norwood School students. I want students who are willing to go into the unknown, willing to take risks, confident in their convictions, and willing to, sometimes, be wrong. We want kids to be known, appreciated, and encouraged. We also want them to be challenged and, sometimes, to struggle. Because all these pieces come together in the story of development, in the path toward adulthood.

Finally, I want to talk about this thing we call character. I said at the outset that I want Norwood to be a place where children are challenged and supported, and where there is a rigorous pursuit of developing positive character in young people.

This piece of character has, in part, much to do with our school motto: “How you live your life matters.” It means doing the right thing, but it also has to do with the spirit of a student—how do they feel about themselves, their confidence, their feelings of self-worth and their ability to self-advocate? Because we all know these things shape our character.

Norwood's mission emphasizes integrity, honesty, and sincerity. Of course, I believe that Norwood does a great job of developing good character in its students. One proof point is our high placement record and our reputation with our peer schools in the area.

Every January and February, the High School Placement Team and I meet—in person—with every high school in the region to which our eighth graders are applying. We meet to advocate for our students and to share information. And, of course, I’m interested in what the high school reps have to tell us about our graduates: Are they prepared? Where do they shine? Do they have any weaknesses?

The remarkable thing that the high schools tell me—and this is astonishingly consistent across time and school—is this: “Matthew,” they say, “Don’t worry about the academic preparation. Norwood kids always have the skills to do the work and are well-prepared academically.” The amazing thing they say—and, again, this is remarkably consistent across time and across school—is this: “Matthew, Norwood kids are kind. Norwood kids have noticeably strong interpersonal skills. Norwood kids can stand up and talk in front of a group and can advocate for themselves. Norwood kids are confident.”

To me, this is the finest compliment. Because if this is the “Norwood difference,” it will serve our students incredibly well, not only in high school, but in college, the workforce, and throughout their lives. To me, this is what I mean by the rigorous pursuit of developing character in young people.

All that I have spoken about this evening sounds simple, but it’s actually quite complex. How does the dance between educating for academic excellence and educating the whole child come together? Simply put, it is through the work of highly intelligent, creative, hardworking, and caring teachers. It is these people to whom we entrust our children, and I cannot think of a better faculty anywhere.

Over the years, I have seen their dedication and passion ooze forth in ways that are simply inspiring. I know they are looking forward to sharing that passion with you this evening.

The other piece of the puzzle is you, our parents. And not only your support of the School through time, energy, and volunteer hours, but also through your trust. We always want to strive for parents, teachers, and administrators to be working together for the benefit of each Norwood student. Leaving your children with us each morning is an awesome leap of faith, and one that we take very seriously. We always want to place high value on open communication between home and school, and it is my pledge to you that we will strive to do just that.

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I am looking forward to a great year. Our new playground is under construction and should be done in November. It should be fabulous! Thank you for your support of our new cellphone policy. We feel like it is an educationally and developmentally sound course of action. And, as always, thank you for your support of our work with your children—it means a lot!

Now it is the time to turn over the evening to our wonderful teachers and let you hear from them in the classrooms. Thank you!