KIT
David Feldman Head of School
OPENING REMARKS George Roeper told us, in this school …
Students find teachers who respect them as individuals, where students are able to make mistakes and learn from them, and where they search for the unknown and the unseen. To my colleagues — thank you for your deep dedication, your love of teaching and learning, and your thoughtful commitment to our students. This has been a year like no other, and you have shepherded our graduates through incredible national challenges that have stretched you personally and professionally. Our gratitude and respect for you is profound and our thanks immeasurable. Family members, you are your child’s first teachers … and perhaps discovered some new teaching skills yourself this year as you hosted school in your homes. You were there for their first steps, their first words, and the first day of school. A milestone like today is only possible because of the care and nurture you provide. Today as we celebrate their journey to this milestone moment, it’s only natural to think about all the people who helped map their path. I invite you to take a moment and remember those people who made this day possible for our graduates and for you … On days like today I think a lot about our founders. While we think of George and Annemarie Roeper with reverence, they were not mythical beings; they were human, with human frailties, successes, and dreams. They experienced the hardship of prejudice, what it meant to be a religious refugee, and the challenge that comes with learning from the difficult times that come from war and hatred. They had a love for children, a respect for thinking and learning, and a commitment to inclusion.
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The 1981 Philosophy that we have become so deeply connected to is a document written as George and Annemarie were completing their tenure at the school. As they prepared for retirement and their move to California, they wrote this version as guidance for when they would not be present. While there were many earlier versions of the philosophy, the 1981 edition has been embraced as the aspirational summary of their thoughts and ideas. As I think about the document, I am always drawn to their tenet of “preparing students for an unknown future.” This year of pandemic has taught us a great deal about how unknown the future can be. At the same time, it has reminded us of the importance of valuing what we have today. The pandemic forced us to slow down, consider the importance of the moment we are in, and to care for the people closest to us. The future may be unknown, but the people in our lives whom we love and hold close provide us clarity and comfort to persevere. George once described our work by sharing what he hoped our outcomes might be, he said, “Let us talk about our tasks. We prepare our youngsters for college. This is a matter of course. But I consider preparation for college as half of our job. We also want to help our students to be amply prepared for this world in a social and human sense. We want our youth to have values, to understand their values, and to help them uphold their values …”
The future may be unknown, but the people in our lives whom we love and hold close provide us clarity and comfort to persevere.
