Meet New Head of School, Dan Meyers

We sat down with our new Head of School, Dan Meyers, to learn more about him:

What drew you to The Crowden School?

The music. I first became aware of Crowden because we were looking for music classes for our oldest child (who is now well into his Suzuki violin studies!). I first visited Crowden for a Community Music Day. It became clear to me then that Crowden was a special place and I wanted to know more about it. And so we went to more Community Music Days, a concert here and there, etc. Fast forward twoplus years and I happened across the posting for Head of School and could not get it out of my head. I laid restless in bed thinking about Crowden, its mission, its promise. When I did fall asleep, I kept waking in the middle of the night thinking about Crowden. I had questions and curiosities.

So, I started researching. I devoured the website and especially the writings from Anne

Crowden and came away inspired. This whole time, practically in my backyard, there was a school that believed that music, something I’m deeply passionate about, was a social-emotional pathway to greater inner harmony and learning potential. Honestly, I had a hard time believing it because it aligns so well with my pedagogical philosophy. I, too, believe deeply that learning is a relational process and, as a result, centering the social-emotional growth of the child makes them more cognitively available for a robust academic program. And, I believe in the power of music to bring people together, express ideas elegantly, and improve the world in a meaningful way simply by being around it regularly.

What were your first impressions of the Crowden School community?

These are amazing people. The adults in the community are impressive in their commitment to the student experience they clearly care deeply, work hard, and are reflective practitioners. That applies equally to the teachers and the folks who handle the back-of-house operations. The students have been wonderful! I feel so lucky to have spent significant time with the rising seventh and eighth grade students back in May. They were gracious, curious, and fun. I am really looking forward to getting to know them better and supporting them through their Crowden journey.

What has been your favorite part of the day here at Crowden so far?

It’s the moment where the students tune their instruments. It struck me in a remarkably visceral way because I heard it and immediately started thinking about the social-emotional and pedagogical implications. Students start their day by finding resonance with each other. That’s a remarkable thing, especially for our older students.

What should we know about you?

People might like to know that my wife and I have two kids (Abe - 5, Jude - 3), six chickens, and one dog. I don’t know how it happened, but all the animals have food-related names. To alumni I need your help! One of my biggest initial jobs is getting to know Crowden as best I can. You play an important role in that process, so please look out for opportunities to connect; I want to hear your Crowden stories! To the families, know that I am in this with you. We, the adults at Crowden and the adults at home, are in a remarkably special relationship: a partnership in support of the growth of your children. That means that we need to be in close contact with each other, use each other for support, and move together knowing we have the same goals in mind.

What are the greatest challenges a school leader faces in today’s world? And what are the greatest opportunities?

I think they’re one in the same building and maintaining community. I won’t go too deep down the rabbit hole on the causes, but I believe that the community that used to be part of living in a neighborhood is harder and harder to find. Schools can (or, maybe, need) to be that neighborhood. A place that is equal parts safe, familiar, and nurturing. Being that neighborhood a place where you are known, looked after, mentored, etc. is, from my vantage, one of the most important and interesting opportunities facing schools today.