Rodney LaBrecque, Head of School

I made the following remarks at the opening of school faculty and staff banquet. Looking back at the successes we have had makes me proud of what we have accomplished together. I am equally excited about the opportunity to continue to make great progress and to help the Academy on its way to becoming one of the more notable independent schools in the country.

My remarks:

During this year we will be conducting an extensive review of our entire school program to fulfill the requirements for accreditation to the New England Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. This will be a time of looking back as well as of looking forward. In looking look back, we can see whether our actions are bearing fruit, that is, have our actions resulted in anything meritorious, anything notable, anything which will lead to further success and sustainability of the Academy.

At the same time we must plan for the future. Our strategies and tactics are the most important plans we can make. The strategies (Strategic Plan 2004) adopted by the Board of Trustees during October of that year have resulted a number of positive outcomes for the school.

Here is a list of the more notable accomplishments. We built a new gymnasium addition. We increased the academic rigor of our curriculum by substantially increasing the number of AP and honors classes. We raised the average SAT score of both domestic and international students. More of our students are now being accepted to the most competitive colleges in America, including Ivy League, little Ivy League, and the NESCAC schools (http://www.nescac.com/landing/index). We have improved the physical assets of the school via renovation and upkeep. We added three substantial faculty residences. We developed a niche area (the Center for Entrepreneurial & Global Studies) in which the school could become "the best in the world". We built the first, and only, independent-school trading floor in America. Our annual fundraising grew at 15% annually, resulting in an $800,000 annual giving total. We improved residential life via program and structure. We increased boarding enrollment to at least 180 students from 110. We added $2M to the absolute value of the endowment even in the face of a recession.

The Board of Trustees has been ecstatic with the work of the staff and faculty. Of course, there were hard financial times we had to weather, while at the same time we had to remain positive about the school. Everyone took on more work. Everyone became more efficient and adopted a can-do attitude. Everyone had to seek quality in everything they did. All during this time of adversity, we remained true to our roots and the deeply held belief that the Academy exists because the work we perform is of the utmost importance. Together, we transform the lives of our students. The totality of our work together- in classrooms, dorms, athletic fields, the health center, the dining hall, through maintenance of the facilities and grounds, by administrative support of operations- has resulted in a vibrant, successful, and even inspirational school.

No one could have imagined the collapse of many domestic and international financial institutions, the unheard of bankruptcy of the bulk of the American auto industry, and the decline in personal net worth of most Americans by 30% in 2007-2008. This meant we had to drastically alter our plans to raise capital for major construction. This economic decline impacted the ability of American families to afford the high tuition of an independent school and made attracting more students to the Academy even more difficult. This recession put our plans to increase the annual fund by 15% every year in jeopardy. But we did not fold. We did not moan or wail or whine. We simply looked at each other and said to each other, "We'll do whatever it takes." And I think the employees of the Academy have done a remarkable job bringing this school to where it is today.

In July, the Board of Trustees met for two days in our annual summer strategy meeting focused on open and deep discussion of the direction the Academy should be taking. In setting this direction, they are often also committing themselves to substantial financial involvement with those strategies.

First, their desire to increase the number of full-pay domestic boarders is as strong as ever. Second, the Board believes there are great benefits in capturing a specialized niche as The Global School^Ò with an emphasis on entrepreneurship and economic understanding. Their strategy is for us to continue to emphasize this program (CEGS) while not lessening the quality of any of the other departments. They believe that this niche will give the school a positive identity, will result in more students desiring to attend because we have something special to offer, will improve the quality of our college acceptance list, and will result in raising capital for not only that program but the school in general. Finally, the Board feels our strategy to become more international is essential to our future success. Their hope is that we can expand even more the diversity of countries represented by the students and faculty.

There were many other topics in which the Board engaged during that retreat. Clearly, they want to continue the pace of facility construction and enrichment. They understand that by looking our best, we indirectly give the message that we are a high quality school. They want the athletic program to thrive and for us to be competitive in all sports. They want our parents to continue to be engaged with the school. They want our technology-in-teaching program to expand. They want to compensate all employees adequately and fairly. In short, they realize that there are many fronts on which we must act and be constantly improving.

Tonight I pledge to you that I will do all in my power to act upon these Board-level directives, but I cannot accomplish them alone. This must be a community effort: faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni. We are all engaged in noble work at the Academy. We are all transforming lives, helping students put their intelligence to work for the greater good, improving society at home and abroad. In the words of one of the alumni with whom I spoke this past June, “We dare to be what the future needs and not what the past dictates.”

I hope you are excited about the coming year. I know I am and I look forward to our continued work together to make Wilbraham & Monson Academy a school for which our pride swells each and every day.

I am pleased to announce that Mr. Richard Rodgers has accepted our offer to become the next Director of Development. Mr. Rodgers has most recently served as Executive Director of Development at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Over the last ten years he has also held the positions of Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations and Director of Corporate Relations Office of research. He served the University of San Francisco in that same capacity from 1998 to 2000 and prior to that held several development positions for non-profit organizations in San Francisco. Mr. Rodgers has a proven track record of fundraising. 

Mr. Rodgers graduated from the George School in Newtown. Pennsylvania, and holds a BA Cum Laude in English from Tufts University, graduating in 1988. He spent his junior year abroad at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He attended Reunion with his family and will formally begin his tenure at the Academy in July.

I am quite excited by the development expertise he will bring to that position as well as his understanding of the independent school world.

For the past seven years, Don Nicholson has done an outstanding job as Director of Alumni & Development. Under his leadership, both annual and capital giving have shown consistent improvement, and many alumni have reestablished contact with the Academy.

During his tenure, Don has overseen fund raising for the many exciting improvements to our campus, including the Athletic Center and fields project, the Mark R. Shenkman Trading Center, the Shaw Track & Field installation, faculty housing construction, and, most currently, the Campus Center and tennis court renovations. 

At the same time, the Annual Fund, which is the main source of support for many Academy programs and enhancements to student life, grew from $445,000 to over $700,000. Don understands the importance of developing a culture of giving early, and the Senior Giving Program and expansion of young alumni giving are indications of the importance he has placed on this area.

There are few schools fortunate enough to have talented and dedicated administrators such as Don. His long tenure with the Academy is a testament to his undying love for this school, and I cannot say thank you enough for his contributions. And, while I congratulate Don on his many successes in development, I feel that his best work is yet to come as he assumes the role of Director of Athletics.

Nearly 200 alumni visited the campus last weekend, the most senior being Al Dodge (Wilbraham 1932). To save you from doing the math, he's ninety-six years old and looks not a day over seventy-five. Dick Upton (Monson 1960) traveled from the farthest origin, The Philippines. He had never set foot on this campus because he graduated from Monson well before the merger. Yet, he was as moved by being here as if he had been transported back to the Monson campus. These are just two of the many people who made the effort to return to their alma mater. In talking with these alumni and many others, I asked them what drew them back to the campus. The most common reason was that they wanted to see their friends from the old days.

In most cases, these friendships are resumed on campus as if no time had passed. For the vast majority, this contact here is the only contact they have. Maybe there is a Christmas card now and again, but there is not a relationship nurtured by visits or through phone calls. Rather, it is a relationship carried along and suspended in time. Time on campus stands still. Even while the physical nature of the graduates changes, the "school" itself never does. The memories of playing pranks on teachers and other students, of going to class, of speaking in front of the chapel, of playing sports and being coached (by "giants"), are all suspended in time. The memories come back to these alumni in a whirl of good feeling and warmth as if nothing has changed in the intervening years.

Here's how one man summed this up in addressing the members of his 50^th Reunion class. "We come back because this is our safe haven. When the world beats you down, there is always the remembrance of the lessons learned and the good times and the supportive friends at the Academy. It was here that we became who we are today." The applause was immediate and prolonged. Obviously, he had touched a nerve, a common tacit belief about which there was no doubt.

"This is our safe haven." I have been thinking about this ever since he spoke it. What a fantastic tribute to the Academy. Wilbraham or Monson has provided that place where one can truly exhale. My guess is that while they were here as students, the school was anything but a safe haven. They probably felt the same peer, parental, and self-imposed pressures that present day students feel. But, when filtered by fifty years of experience, the reality dawns that the pressure of the day was simply a background to more important work going on. That more important work was the molding of behavior and belief; it was the discovery of passions; it was lessons learned under the guidance of trusted adults.

I have no doubt that the same important work is taking place right now in the students making their way through the Academy. Every day they are building the jetties and breakwaters which fifty years from now will provide them with their safe haven. What a miracle.

We couldn't have asked for a finer setting for Prize Day and Commencement to conclude this 106th year of Wilbraham & Monson Academy. The members of the Class of 2010, very well represented by Steve Marcus as Class Speaker, were appropriately excited and enthusiastic. I congratulate each one of them as they head off to excellent colleges and universities across this country and around the world.

Ambassador Hyun Chong Kim gave one of the most enjoyable addresses in recent memory. His advice to the graduates was laced with humor and genuine affection, and I thank him for his efforts. If you weren't able to be here for the ceremony, or if were here and would like to hear his remarks again, you can do so by clicking here.

And now the year is winding down for our remaining students. As they prepare for exams and begin packing up for the summer, literally and figuratively, I wish them long, sunny days and time to reflect on the past year, or years, they have spent here at the Academy. After some relaxation, I hope they will begin to look forward to next year and the increased responsibility that will come with being a year older and an ever more integral part of this community.

Many thanks to all of you who have contributed to making the Campus Center renovation a reality. Your hard work and generosity will have a great impact on the lives of our students in the coming years. The successful two-year campaign, the first of its kind in the history of the WMA Parents' Association, is evidence of your commitment as parents to the Academy and its goals.

How did it get to be the middle of May so quickly? The school year may be winding down, but excitement for Reunion is building. I hope you are making plans to attend because there will be plenty of interesting activity around here on June 11 & 12. The folks in Alumni & Development – Don, Julie, Chris, Sarah, Linda, and Tina – have been busy planning and scheduling and writing letters and getting signs made. With this group at the helm, you’re sure to have a good time.

If you haven’t seen the Mark R. Shenkman Trading Center yet, you really should take a look. There will be a special presentation on Saturday afternoon where the faculty will show you some of the “bells and whistles”. You can also learn more about The Global EcoLearn Project® and how our students are learning forest management as well as designing and marketing wood products as young entrepreneurs.

This weekend revolves around meals, of course, as most reunions do. From the surf-and-turf dinner on Friday through Saturday’s luncheon, dinner, and after-hours, there will be plenty of good food and the companionship that makes it memorable. And there are the WMA traditions to enjoy – challenge games, the driving tour of Monson, the nature walk with Deb Finley.

In special events at this year’s Reunion, we’ll be dedicating Gramse House and honoring the indomitable Florence Shaw. I look forward to meeting each of you over the course of the weekend and listening to the stories of your student days at the Academy

So we urge you to participate – to join in the festivities and have a great time!

Coming back from Washington DC last week where I attended a gathering of alumni, I picked up Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier. Pascal Mercier is German and the book came recommended by Die Welt as a "handbook for the soul, intellect and heart." "Who couldn't use that kind of handbook?" I thought.

Twenty pages or so into the book, the following sentences jumped off the page. "To be the archeologist of himself. Given that we can live only a small part of what there is in us- what happens to all the rest?" Just the previous evening at the alumni gathering, 35-40 graduates and their spouses, partners, and friends had met to talk about the school, though not necessarily about the present school. As is usual in this type of gathering, they wanted to talk about their school, the school of the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and right up to 2006. Recalling these conversations, the sentences of the author above made much more sense. Perhaps, one of the motivations for alumni to attend Academy receptions and Reunions is to be the "archeologists" of themselves. Conversations of what life was like, of what teachers influenced courses of study which then became careers, of what experiences transpired that were still as vivid as the day they occurred, and, ultimately, of what the lessons, both academic and disciplinary, learned were the "tools" of the intellectual "dig".

Just as archeologists uncover clues to what life must have been like for ancient people, so too the alumni archeologists dug into their pasts searching, perhaps, for something left unfinished, for some clue which would result in the puzzle of human existence being solved, for the chance to meet friends from the past who might be helpful in making sense of who they had become. (They being the pronoun applicable to both parties.)

And what of Mercier's second sentence that brims full of meaning and import. For the oldest alumni, the past contains choices already long made upon which they can look back, perhaps even in the Frostian mode of the road less traveled. "What happens to all the rest" is simple conjecture, though conjecture that stems from a more solid base of a lifetime of understanding. Middle-aged alumni not only have made certain choices which have already formed the direction of their life's trajectory, but also know that there are unknown divergences ahead, yet to be encountered. The youngest alumni have "all the rest" still inside of them. They are most like the marble blocks which faced the creative and freeing hand of Michelangelo. The emergent figure needs several more years before it can be recognized.

Whatever the development of "all the rest" turns out to be, one thing is certain. Forty years from now, these youngest alumni will be the newest archeologists of themselves.

In reading the letter, I was reminded of George Friedman’s partitioning of societies as barbaric, civilized or decadent in his book The Next 100 Years (Andover Books, 2009). For him barbaric societies believe that the customs of their village are the Laws of Nature. Civilized societies are characterized by being able to balance two contradictory thoughts. Decadent societies believe nothing is better then anything else, that any action is as equal as any other action. 

By this definition, the world certainly appears somewhat barbaric. Here's the typical scenario. We (people in the United States) believe action (A) is correct; they (put in whomever you’d like…al Queda, the Taliban, the French…) believe action (B) is correct. Neither side can agree that there is merit in the other’s actions or beliefs. By this account, both WMA and the letter writer’s visions of society would be characterized as barbaric, though it is unlikely that either of us would use such characterization to refer to our own society. Rather, I think we both would say that our specific society was civilized.

But if one redefines Friedman's definition of a civilized society to mean the degree to which a society follows the rule of law, then we have a very different interpretation. Rules at the Academy stem from several beliefs:  a.) they keep adolescents safe, b) they promote order in the larger WMA community, and c.) they are consistent with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and those of the United States government.

If we believe that following a rule keeps adolescents safe, can we in good conscience simply ignore that belief because we are visiting a country where the belief is not shared? Can an adult, in good conscience, decide how a broken rule is to be responded to? Might, today, I whisper “clean and wise words” while tomorrow I shout with indignity? For my part, I hope not.

When adolescents break rules, they face consequences designed to bring them in line with our idea of what it means to be civilized. Civilizing adolescents has been an overriding goal of prep education since the first schools were founded hundreds of years ago. Certainly, it is one of the goals of a WMA education. To deprive an adolescent of this opportunity is a serious injustice. Making sure students understand the civilizing effect of the rule of law is surely not making an “elephant out of a mosquito”. In fact, to impose a set of uniform expectations – not individual whims, not individual points of view about whether harm was done or not – is the defining act that prevents a society from becoming decadent. It seems to me that to shroud individual, ad-hoc responses to violations of stated expectations under the cloak of civilized behavior is to confuse decadence with responsibility. That is something the Academy will never confuse.

I have been using a Kindle book reader for the last six months as an experiment to see if that technology held any promise as an educational tool that the Academy should consider for its students. To be honest, I did not approach the experiment in an unbiased manner. (Contrary to popular belief, no scientist ever does when designing and conducting experiments, but that is another essay.) I was quite skeptical as I had a negative experience with an early e-reader in 1998 when I was developing a start-up school in the Silicon Valley. In my heart I knew nothing could replace the "feel", physically or psychologically, of a real book. Now, at the end of the trial period I set for myself, I still feel that way. But, I love my Kindle in spite of this. 

There is nothing to beat it for portability. I have 35 books, plays, blogs, and how-to internet sites presently stored on the device. Of course,  I could have uploaded these on my laptop or on the new notebook computers being introduced. But these devices do not satisfy my need for the book feel. The Kindle, amazingly, does. The weight, the functionality, and the ease of reading all provide a book-like experience. I imagine in a year or two these devices and the many others that are now being introduced to the marketplace will be as ubiquitous as cell phones.

However, for the present, there is little these devices can provide for the high school classroom. The number of textbooks available in a compatible format is minimal. While there are many classic titles available from online sources, until all students in a class have the same device, coordination of similar book editions will remain elusive.

What I do see as an advantage for high school students is that perhaps young readers would be more spontaneous in their reading if they had multiple books at their fingertips. Nothing, NOTHING, is more directly related to improvement of SAT scores than voluminous and broad reading. For the budding intellectual, something I expect every  WMA student to be, the opportunity to read multiple types of literature is priceless. And speaking of price, most current books can be purchased for $10.00, a cost well below even the later paperback editions of current works. The capability to annotate, add personal reflections, highlight passages and most importantly look up the definition of any word - instantaneously and without losing one's place - is worth the price of the device.

I hope that I will soon see these devices tucked under the arms of students as they make their way to classes or to the Campus Center and that reading everywhere and always is a habit reinforced by technology.