Head Lines

FACING CHALLENGES TOGETHER

This spring was a challenging period for our community, as well as our country and the world. In the midst of a global pandemic that forced us to change the way we live, learn and engage with others, the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd were stark reminders of our nation’s terrible legacy of racial violence and discrimination. Throughout this unsettling time, I have found deep comfort in our school’s founding vision, core values and noble mission, and I have taken great pride in the way our community has come together to address these tragedies.

Responding to a Global Pandemic as a Loving Community

There is an old adage that in times of distress, people show what they are truly made of. I am pleased to say that Spartans of all ages, backgrounds and beliefs stepped up this spring. I am immensely proud of our students’ resilience and goodwill in adapting to our remote learning model. In the midst of so much change, they gathered together in the virtual realm in creative and engaging ways. I also have been inspired and uplifted by the commitment and ingenuity of our faculty and staff. St. Stephen’s teachers delivered engaging academic material using a combination of both traditional and innovative methods. These were augmented by an array of educational resources and opportunities for students to pursue independent learning beyond formal assignments. Further, our residential faculty and staff tirelessly supported and cared for boarding students unable to return home due to the pandemic, as well as members of the St. Stephen’s and Austin communities hardest hit by the economic downturn.

I sincerely appreciate the leadership of our board, whose wise counsel and dedication to our mission have helped guide us through these difficult times. I also am grateful for the trust and support our parents gave us as we transitioned, on the fly, to new modes of teaching and learning. In addition, I was deeply moved by the international parents who sent facemasks and other personal protection items for the safety and well-being of our community. As always, I am inspired by our many alumni who enrich the lives of others daily, including those who serve as first-responders and caregivers on the front lines of the global pandemic. The litany of remarkable stories goes on and on, and you can read about many of them in this issue.

Renewing Our Commitment to Social Justice

This year, we renewed our commitment to social justice by providing our students, families and employees with resources to find support and strength in community, to better understand the societal forces perpetuating discrimination, and to feel empowered to take action toward creating a more equitable and peaceful world. We have made great strides on our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) audit — one of our most important communitywide initiatives to help us accomplish these goals. I am profoundly grateful for the leadership of Yvonne Adams and her DEI team members, and I appreciate everyone who participated in the DEI audit. We will continue working with the Glasgow Group to finalize a strategic DEI plan that will help us translate our mission and core values into effective policies, practices and programs. In addition, faculty sponsors continued to support student-led affinity groups, as they met in virtual spaces this spring to discuss and process the racial violence we witnessed across the United States — only the latest in a long history. Our employees continue to participate in meetings of the school’s Alliance of White AntiRacist Educators, and they are investing time in additional DEI education.

The “recovery of humans” has always been the work of Spartans. This sacred mission — launched by the Rt. Rev. John Hines and the Rev. William Brewster seven decades ago — is more important than ever. Our foundational belief in the inherent dignity of every human is a North Star that continues to guide us through even the most turbulent times. I invite each of you, in your own way, to join me in picking up the mantle of those Spartans who came before us, as we recommit as a community to the recovery of humans.

With love and prayers,

Chris Gunnin, Head of School