It’s the time of year to share the annual “State of the School” address. Thanks to everyone who took time out of their day to join us. We recorded the presentation, and you can view it here.
CA has overcome so much in the past year. It has not been easy. I am proud of our community for weathering this pandemic storm. I’m proud to share that Colorado Academy is in a really great position in so many ways. Our student retention is at 97 percent, and we have had a record number of applicants for the second year in a row. So many newly admitted families were impressed by our pandemic response and our ability to sustain learning over the course of the year. Many noted how the unique culture of Colorado Academy really showed through, even in a “virtual” admission process.
Much of my talk was dedicated to what makes Colorado Academy a wonderful school—the people: great teachers, talented, hard-working students, supportive parents and alumni. Our success also is tied to our mission and programs. We encourage critical and creative thinking. We want students to dig deeply into academics, the fine and performing arts, and athletics. Even in the pandemic, our students continue to engage in service learning. I spoke of our efforts to be an inclusive community, and our need to listen and learn, as well as take steps to work thoughtfully, and in keeping with our goals of promoting diverse points of view.
I am grateful to be part of such a great school. There’s an article in The Atlantic that is highly critical of the world of independent schools. Many in our community are discussing it. I am more of the mindset to look at other aspects of schools like CA—especially the great education one can receive. No school is perfect. I love that CA has a growth mindset about how we can do better. I find that what CA parents want most is for their children to be good people and to be happy. Children are works in progress. They will make all kinds of mistakes. But, as a community, we can all work together to be supportive and contribute to making CA the best school it can be—the kind of place where the head of school can proudly spend an hour sharing its story of the past year, answering what’s top of mind for parents, and providing a look ahead at what’s going to make us an even better school.