Scott's Blog
Head of School, Year 2: Staying connected, grateful, and joyful
FAIS families, students, staff, supporters, and alumni:
Last year (our first together as new Head of School) was both exciting and challenging. It also reaffirmed how special this community is, and why I am so honored to be a part of it.
Year 2 may be starting differently than we expected. But our resilience has shown that we'll continue to be stronger for it because, in the wise words of High School Musical: "We're all in this together."
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![first day back after distance learning]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1613173964/faispdx/xhfezsni74p3x2wcpb4f/squarecollage.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1613173964/faispdx/xhfezsni74p3x2wcpb4f/squarecollage.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1613173964/faispdx/xhfezsni74p3x2wcpb4f/squarecollage.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1613173964/faispdx/xhfezsni74p3x2wcpb4f/squarecollage.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1613173964/faispdx/xhfezsni74p3x2wcpb4f/squarecollage.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1613173964/faispdx/xhfezsni74p3x2wcpb4f/squarecollage.jpg","width":2200}])
This week, we welcomed over 120 students back to campus for in-person classes! It has been a long (and winding) road to get here, but we have arrived here together because -- despite being physically distanced -- we continued to come together in spirit as a community.
![Campus sign, reading "all in this together"]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1603489870/faispdx/tvpuuo1fuxjmeqzajm1r/Campussign--allinthistogether.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1603489870/faispdx/tvpuuo1fuxjmeqzajm1r/Campussign--allinthistogether.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1603489870/faispdx/tvpuuo1fuxjmeqzajm1r/Campussign--allinthistogether.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1603489870/faispdx/tvpuuo1fuxjmeqzajm1r/Campussign--allinthistogether.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1603489870/faispdx/tvpuuo1fuxjmeqzajm1r/Campussign--allinthistogether.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1603489870/faispdx/tvpuuo1fuxjmeqzajm1r/Campussign--allinthistogether.jpg","width":2200}])
Right now, life seems tilted far past the normal 23.5 degrees. We have all had moments in the past two months where we wondered if the Tilt was so severe that we would simply fall off the proverbial edge. But we didn't (thankfully!).
![The Book of Joy]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1599587148/faispdx/gk3vegaxkrn44btrus3y/bookofjoy.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1599587148/faispdx/gk3vegaxkrn44btrus3y/bookofjoy.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1599587148/faispdx/gk3vegaxkrn44btrus3y/bookofjoy.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1599587148/faispdx/gk3vegaxkrn44btrus3y/bookofjoy.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1599587148/faispdx/gk3vegaxkrn44btrus3y/bookofjoy.jpg","width":1536}])
I have often talked about the predictable rhythms of schools and the feelings that coincide with these rhythms. For me, there is truly nothing like the first day of school, and the exciting lead up to that first day.
![8th Grade Graduation 2020]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1592605876/faispdx/wzqkvylurzii2txp8dpf/certificates_blurred.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1592605876/faispdx/wzqkvylurzii2txp8dpf/certificates_blurred.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1592605876/faispdx/wzqkvylurzii2txp8dpf/certificates_blurred.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1592605876/faispdx/wzqkvylurzii2txp8dpf/certificates_blurred.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1592605876/faispdx/wzqkvylurzii2txp8dpf/certificates_blurred.jpg","width":1440}])
One of the many reasons I love being in school is that the cadence and rhythm of school is so predictable. Even though the last three months have been wildly unpredictable, the feeling at the end of the school year is still the same.
![Scott Hardister, Head of School video screenshot]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1587155631/faispdx/sfu1vozr4o4kkrlpraj7/ScottHardisterHeadofSchoolvideoscreenshot.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1587155631/faispdx/sfu1vozr4o4kkrlpraj7/ScottHardisterHeadofSchoolvideoscreenshot.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1587155631/faispdx/sfu1vozr4o4kkrlpraj7/ScottHardisterHeadofSchoolvideoscreenshot.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1587155631/faispdx/sfu1vozr4o4kkrlpraj7/ScottHardisterHeadofSchoolvideoscreenshot.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1587155631/faispdx/sfu1vozr4o4kkrlpraj7/ScottHardisterHeadofSchoolvideoscreenshot.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1587155631/faispdx/sfu1vozr4o4kkrlpraj7/ScottHardisterHeadofSchoolvideoscreenshot.png","width":2076}])
As we head into “Spring Break,” I want to thank all of you for helping make our current situation feel as “normal” as possible for our students. I hope we’re all able to find momentary breaks from all of the juggling… and from the members of our households (as much as we love them). Please continue to stay safe, and for those of you with kids at home: Good luck next week!