Letter from Interim Head of School

Dear Island School Community,

Greetings from Nashville, TN, where I’m still a little amazed by the opportunity that has appeared for me. After twenty-two years in the role of Director here at University School, in the middle of the Vanderbilt campus, it will be my great honor to join you as interim head of school for the next academic year. You must be wondering, at least a little, how this all happened and what it will mean in the months ahead.

First, it is an absolute fact that I was not looking for a school head role for next year. My time here in Nashville has been fulfilling beyond anything I could have imagined, and since my announcement more than a year ago, it just seemed that the right next step would be something perhaps connected to education but not as a head. Then the phone rang, with some familiar names and memories on the other end, and it was impossible not to imagine being on Kaua’i.

The quick interview trip to campus in April confirmed several things—the generosity of spirit so abundant in students, faculty, staff, and Board members; the singular beauty of the school’s setting and extra interesting neighbor status adjoining the community college; the warmth of the welcome and excitement about what’s happening in programs K-12; and the interest in making something happen at Island School that would simply not be possible elsewhere.

You may have heard that in the late 1980’s and early 90’s I taught, coached, and did whatever came my way at Hawai’i Preparatory Academy on the Big Island. Those short years left lasting impressions, and that’s a treasured time in my life. There’s much that I’ve missed about the people and culture over the years thereafter, which for me put this situation in a category of one. I know just enough to appreciate what a powerful experience this can be. What I can offer is a new set of eyes to help celebrate daily life at Island School and a perspective based on being a working part of a range of schools, in a range of settings, across a range of years. Rest assured I’m not arriving thinking that I have a ready-made set of answers, but there’s probably help I can offer in framing the right questions.

If this goes well and according to plan, there will be lots of time for me to listen and learn, to be visible at all the moments that help build and strengthen community, and to assist in setting the stage for the next long-serving head of school. My commitment to being useful in preparing that ground is deep and heartfelt—finding just the right person will be a process we can share and celebrate in due time.

For the moment, it’s back to getting ready for graduation here, for our closing faculty meetings, and for being ready when the Matson container arrives in the front yard. Hoping for a mid-July landing on Kaua’i to begin saying thank you in person for making real this once in a lifetime chance to do something I would have hardly thought possible. Enjoy the waning days of this school year and don’t hesitate to reach out in advance if you like.

Stay well and see you soon, Vince

5 Spring Edition