Headmaster's Blog

The call from my good friend Albus Dumbledore came in the middle of the night. The request, odd. It seemed that Sunday's rains had flooded Hogwarts and so, he asked, could Saint David's become that venerable school of wizardry--just for a day--while Hogwarts dried out. I thought about it, and with the magical powers of our PA Officers and their crew of parent volunteers, our hearty maintenance department, and a team of incredibly creative faculty members at the ready, we knew it could be done and done beautifully. Dumbledore was so grateful that he offered to act as headmaster for a day, greeting all of our boys and assigning them, by a gifted tie, to one of Hogwarts-for-the-Day's four Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. At the day's beginning, a delivery of The Daily Prophet brought news of the special activities, actions, and good deeds the boys could partake of to earn points for their House. When all was tallied the winning Ho...

Second graders have been engaging in their first math investigation of the year. After reading the book Measuring for the Art Show , the boys used inchworm connecting cubes to measure the lengths and widths of several pieces of fabric. The measurements for the pieces of fabric were carefully chosen by the boys' teachers for their relationship to multiples of five and ten. Boys discover that by using two colors of inchworm connecting cubes, they can quickly recognize groups of 5 and/or 10. Later in the investigation, these measurements will be placed on an emergent number line. Throughout the project, the boys are encouraged to use a variety of strategies, choosing the ones with which they are most comfortable.  This open ended investigation is designed to encourage the development of some of the big ideas underlying early number sense, measurement, and addition. It is one of three investigations that our second graders will engage in throughout the year, usin...

Each year, our school's partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History kicks off with a morning workshop on "Why Documents Matter" led by GLI President James Basker. Last week, Dr. Basker led our sixth graders and their parents in a close study and critical analysis of several important historical documents, including Paul Revere's engraving of the Boston Massacre, drafts of the Constitution, and letters written by Frederick Douglass. This is the fifth year of our school's partnership with this prestigious institution, which through the Gilder Lehrman Collection holds a vast archive of more than 60,000 primary source documents and artifacts. During their study of American History this year, our boys and their teachers will visit the actual GLI vault at the New-York Historical Society that houses the original documents. They will closely examine the real documents and artifacts, enabling the boys to develop a deeper appreci...

Last week, after school, I accompanied sixth grade members of the Saint David's Headmaster's Community Club to Daniel's Music Foundation on Lexington Avenue to participate in music activities with the boy and girl members of DMF. DMF runs recreational music programs in a group setting using the power of music to create community. As volunteer members of the Headmaster's Community Club, our boys will make several visits to DMF this year. During these visits, they have the opportunity to engage through music with children of different abilities. They have a good time with each other, and come to see how alike we all are at our core. Our partnerships with organizations such as Daniel's Music Foundation (now in year two) and our new partnership with Manhattan's Childrens Center for our second graders, underscore Saint David's commitment to embracing difference in its many manifestations. 

I enjoyed an enlightening visit to alums at Fieldston.  Ryan '14 is graduating this year and has applied early action.  We wish him all the best with his first choice.  Ethan '16, Teddy '16 and Matthew '15 are holding down the fort and excited about the possibility of welcoming new Saint David's boys next year. I learned so much.

Preparing to Lift the 2000 lb Generator On Saturday, the final shipment of steel and mechanical equipment was moved onto the roof of Graham House, our last planned street closure and crane pick of the school's consolidation and expansion project. We are most appreciative to Saint David's immediate neighbors for their patience and flexibility during the construction work that occurred on the weekends. The Generator and Other New HVAC Equipment Placed The interior construction work of our newly imagined school advances at full speed, with the commons, classrooms, gyms, performing arts center, and all new spaces taking shape beautifully.

Our seventh graders are away this week on Cape Cod with their classmates and teachers. This Saint David's tradition is aligned with the seventh grade curriculum, bringing to life what the boys study in class. Their days are full and the program interdisciplinary: a marine life cruise, the challenging Great Island Hike, exploration of the marsh, sessions on marine chemistry through our partnership with research scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, observational drawing, STEAM activities, journaling, and, of course, a long bike ride, clam bake and sports. The Cape Cod experience exemplifies our commitment to learning that occurs outside of school, in this case in the sea and on the sands of the beautiful natural environment of the Cape. It also importantly provides our boys with a special opportunity to connect with each other and their teachers, building the bonds of a strong community.