From the Head of School

Dear Friends,

It is hard to believe that it has been a year since I quoted High School Musical in reminding us that “We’re all in this together.” Although the past year has been wildly challenging in so many unique and individual ways, I am incredibly proud of our students, faculty, staff, and parents.

For how we pivoted so quickly, so many times throughout the year… For how we maintained our community spirit and connections… For how we kept our community safe and healthy… For our successful (and first-ever virtual) Gala last spring… But mostly, for how we kept “do what is best for kids” at the center of all of our decisions.

The Board of Trustees and I have not wavered in achieving our goals and objectives we articulated this past fall, despite the pandemic. Our Lower School leadership structure has evolved -- with division heads now for both Maternelle (TPSKindergarten) and Lower School (Grades 1-5) -- enabling us to focus on our unique programs at each level. We have established a mission review committee to review our mission statement with a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens. We have reinvigorated our site committee to assess our current campus improvement plans and dream boldly into the future.

These are some of the many Silver Linings (the theme of this year’s second-ever Virtual Gala) I think about as I reflect on the past year. The campus is filled once again with a joyful noise of students reconnecting with their fellow students as well as their teachers. Throughout our return to campus, I have been reminded often of a Parker Palmer quote from The Courage to Teach that captures the core of how much our teachers mean to our community:

"Good teachers possess a capacity for connectedness. They are able to weave a complex web of connections among themselves, their subjects, and their students so students can weave a world for themselves. The connections made by good teachers are held not in their methods but in their hearts… the place where intellect and emotion and spirit and will converge in the human self."

This quote seems more appropriate than ever. The connectedness we want to achieve each and every day, with each and every student, has been ever-present during distance learning, and it continues now as we all return to campus. I am excited for our traditional end-of-year celebrations, optimistic for a normal opening of school in the fall, and could not be more proud or humbled to be a part of the French American International School.

Warmest regards,

Scott Hardister

Head of School

1. Visit www.faispdx.org/ScottsBlog

2. Click the orange bell icon

3. Select Scott’s Blog, confirm your email, click Subscribe