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Qs with the HoS: December 2024

Qs with the HoS: December 2024




Qs with the HoS: December 2024
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Kingsley’s Head of School, Steve Farley, reflects on a wonderful fall trimester.


It’s the end of the trimester! What is one joyful Kingsley memory that stands out from fall 2024?

Wow! Talk about a difficult question—kind of akin to the challenge of picking a favorite student when all are wonderful in different ways. Top of mind is the September Block Party that culminated our year-long 85th anniversary and the official ribbon cutting marking the incredible culmination of our efforts to secure Exeter. There were so many elements of that day that resonate, but three stand out in particular. First, having our longest tenured, beloved teacher Mr. Squire wielding the scissors for the ceremony was a great reminder of the enduring value of a Kingsley education. Second, for the first time in my tenure, celebrating our community with an event that literally every member of our community—current students, staff, families, alumni, and neighbors—was invited to come together to simply enjoy each other’s company. Third, the knowledge that this event (and, indeed, just about everything we do as a school community!) does not happen without the support of countless volunteers who were willing to roll up their sleeves and tackle the work to be done to sustain and ensure that we continue to thrive as a vibrant school community in the heart of Back Bay.

My second memory from the fall, equally joyful, is the return of our Sixth Grade tour guides to our Open Houses—complete with their snazzy Kingsley letter jackets. To have the best outcomes of a Kingsley education sharing their experience, in their own words, resonated powerfully with prospective families and served as a moving reminder of how fortunate I am to be able to witness the full scope of the Kingsley experience.

My third memory is an exceptionally small moment, but it speaks volumes about how we nurture kindness and empathy. During one of our recent Open Houses, as I addressed our visitors, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a fourth grader who was quietly making his way to class pause at the sight of a baby crying and fussing in her parent’s arms. He spoke softly to the baby, soothing her, and then continued on his way. While I hesitate to make too much of this instance, I was struck by his empathetic instinct, that an upset baby compelled him to reach out and try to make the situation better. 

 

What does the Head of School do for Winter Break? Do you have any holiday traditions you’d like to share?

My family's favorite holiday tradition is what we jokingly refer to as the “Christmas Gauntlet”—a road trip that takes us to family celebrations across many houses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We officially began “running the gauntlet” in 2000, the year Sam was born, and our travels took us across four New England states as we travelled from our home in Rhode Island through New Hampshire to my family’s home in Vermont, and then out to Wellfleet where my wife’s family lived. Sustained by Slim Jims, popcorn balls, and Christmas CDs (this was before the Apple iPod, mind you), our family loved these chances to see grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in spite of all of the challenges that came with loading up the “family truckster” and travelling for hours on end from the mountains to the sea of New England.

Now, though the travel routes are a bit shorter for me personally (limited to Eastern Massachusetts), and those running the gauntlet are my own children driving themselves to us from points north and west, the memories of these round trips fondly endure and take on additional meaning as we relive these memories and enjoy the blessings of present joy and gratitude.

 

What are you listening to lately? (Music, podcasts, etc.)

Once Thanksgiving arrives, holiday music plays 24/7 in our house. Currently on repeat on my holiday playlist are:

  • “Christmas All Over Again” by Tom Petty
  • “Little Saint Nick” by the Beach Boys
  • “Happy Christmas (War is Over”) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono
  • “Santa Loves to Boogie” by Asleep at the Wheel
  • The entire Charlie Brown Christmas album by the Vince Giraldi Trio

As a bonus, I’ll tell you my favorite holiday TV special! “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” by Jim Henson is required viewing for our family each year.

 

Dr. Maria Montessori was a prolific writer. Do you have a favorite Maria Montessori quote? 

"Help me to do it by myself."

Perhaps one of Montessori’s most famous quotes, this encapsulates the idea that authentic creativity emerges when children are given the freedom and tools to explore and solve problems independently.

 

Happy Winter Break, Kingsley families! Check back soon for another installment of "Qs with the HoS!"







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Qs with the HoS: December 2024