My swan song...

So this will be my last official blog post for a "A Jew Grows in Noho." It's very bittersweet as I sit and think about everything that has happened over the past four years. I first want to say that I truly love Lander~Grinspoon Academy, the Solomon Schechter School of the Pioneer Valley. It is a place where a child can truly explore and learn about themselves. The students at LGA are the reason that I truly love my job. Every Head of school says how special their students are, BUT MINE REALLY ARE! I am proud to say that I have created a relationship with every single one of them. Some I have shared a laugh with, while others I have had to redirect their behavior and still others I have had truly meaningful conversations with. The students at LGA are a unique bunch of children who came to LGA for many different reasons. Parents choose this school for many different reasons but almost all agree that the values education our students receive is untouched by another school. From the youngest age, students are taught what it means to treat each other with respect, there is a total mensch factor at LGA.

There is a tradition at LGA that the principal/Head of school shakes the hand of every student in the morning. We greet each other with a "Boker Tov", exchange a few niceties, look each other in the eye and then the student goes on their way. It is my favorite time of the day. The way that students greet me in the morning is a sign of mutual respect. Students are being taught that going through the motions of greeting someone who is in authority figure is an important quality to possess. I, on the other have to show them respect during the day by saying their name, acknowledging good work and reminding them what it takes to be a student at LGA. I truly connected with students in inexplicable ways with this handshake. During the day, the comfort that I felt from the students was apparent. It made our relationship stronger. I truly believe that the LGA students find much comfort and solace in this greeting. The routine is so important. One parent remarked to me once that when they turned the corner into the parking lot, if someone else was standing in my place, his entire carpool was disappointed that it wasn't me and he got the sense that this handshake from me set their day in the right frame. Another parent told me that her child, who transferred from another school, was visiting family out of town and that this older elementary aged child confidently walked up to people she hadn't seen in five years and shook each of their hands and looked them in the eye as they greeted each other. The out of towners all remarked to the parents "how poised their child was" and how impressed they were with the confidence that their once reserved child now seemed to show.

Well, so, there I am on my last day of LGA in mid-June and I threw Ashley my iPhone and asked her to snap a picture of me with each LGA student. And that is what I did and here they all are. (If you don't see your children, some were a bit camera shy.) Keep reading there's more at the bottom of this blog post.

To the LGA parents, thank you for entrusting your children to me. I so appreciate the trust you have had in my leadership. Running a school is a super challenging job. Children are tricky (like I have to tell any of you that...) and unpredictable. Being a Head of school is a complicated complex job but I wouldn't change my job career for the world. I hope that I'll hear about the many wonderful adventures of LGA students.

As we leave our home in Florence this Sunday (I'll be here for a few more weekends in August...) and move onto Baltimore, please know how much these four years have meant to me and my family. The valley will truly hold a special place in our hearts. We are lucky that we get to come back and visit often as our children's grandparents live here. We are also so fortunate how many close friends we have made. Many of these friends will remain in our lives forever.

LGA is in a good place but it needs everyone's support. I encourage all of you to get active in this school. I also hope that the school will continue to grow and flourish. It has so much going for it!

From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

(Almost) finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the people that I work with everyday. They are a special group and I appreciate each and everyone of them. They are more than colleagues, they are friends. We have done a lot of growing and exploring. Keep on doing it, LGA faculty. The future is brighter with a faculty like you.

And really finally, my wife, Rebecca is my life partner who is going on this adventure with me. While I don't always express it, I am forever grateful for your support of me and the students.