Director’s Corner

“A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER”

The theme for this year’s issue of Compass is “A Year Like No Other”--a phrase which aptly sums up a year of historic challenges, triumphs, and valuable lessons learned.

Presented in the following pages, are examples of how the Section--ever resourceful and adaptable (amidst the most trying of scenarios!)--took on the trials and tribulations of 2020. If there is one single lesson to be learned from this past year, it is that humility and resilience are essential tools in the wise governance of an educational institution. Without them, no organization--least of all a school--can hope to confront and overcome unexpected challenges.

In a late December issue of ASALink, I wrote of the importance of looking to the future and how that further shaped our perspective of the past year. To “accept that there will be moments when we are not masters of our destiny--that we will have to accept the situation at hand, whether we like it or not” pretty much summarizes the moment we realized the full scope of the changes in store and their “threat” to normal routine. From Co-Director Mike Whitacre announcing his decision to move back to the US after 17 years in France, to the ongoing pandemic, as well as the global cry for greater inclusion and diversity--these were the forces that came to shape this “year like no other.”

When President Macron announced mid-March the nationwide lockdown of schools across the country, the Section seamlessly switched to online teaching overnight. I suppose it was merely a matter of time before one realization emerged above all others--the importance of in-person teaching. When we were all finally permitted to return to our classrooms, each and every one of us exulted in this discovery, rejoicing in the chance to be back in the classroom with our students.

In reading the pages contained here, I hope you can experience for yourself the amazing work that was carried on during these historic times. Not once did we think about giving up, nor did we ever falter in our mission to educate our students. With each successive challenge, we all found a way to carry on. We held on to our collective humility, resilience, and perseverance, letting these characteristics guide us through even the toughest of times.

I hope you will be inspired by what you read here, especially as you take in the remarkable stories at the back of this issue from several Section graduates who have recently entered the medical profession. As the pandemic began to take hold last year, these young people suddenly found themselves thrust onto the front lines in the battle against the pandemic. Their fortitude and resilience are an inspiration to us all.

Adrienne W. Covington Director

We held on to our collective humility, resilience and perseverance, letting these characteristics guide us through even the toughest of times.