To My Third, 10th, and 13th TASIS Headmaster
You always join us in a period of crisis and leave us with a calm and stable school. I don’t suppose you’ll allow yourself to be convinced to do a fourth tour, so I hope we don’t have any more crises, as I don’t know where else we can turn! Best wishes for a fulfilling and well-earned retirement: be it with the library or your granddaughter’s farm. Perhaps you and Sharon will even take off on an adventure or two: who knows? Paul Greenwood
A Gentle Spirit With a Firm Hand at the Rudder
I will never forget Lyle speaking of his planning for the year ahead in his boat on the lake. This metaphor of calm, quiet determination for me personifies his leadership and the character of his tenure as Headmaster of TASIS this year. He is the kindest Headmaster I have known. One vignette that comes to mind is the time my car died on a hill in the middle of traffic and it took four police officers to rescue me while others were honking at me. The next day, there was a lovely card in my pigeon-hole in the Staff Lounge telling me to “Touch Wood” for luck and consoling me as I struggled to overcome the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” It included a tiny ball of wood that I carry to this day in my pencil case, and it will stay with me for the remainder of my career: a tiny memento of TASIS, as well as our wonderful Head, Lyle Rigg. Fare thee well! As the Celts say: Slange Var! May you have good health! Rhoda Yates
Always the Right Words
I have only known Lyle for the time that he has served as TASIS’ Headmaster, but I have learned much from the man. What struck me in his opening address to the school, and what strikes me today, is the way that Lyle seems to find maximally appropriate words for every occasion. Whether addressing a problem with students, paying tribute to a faculty member, or describing a challenge to be overcome, Lyle always seems to formulate a response that assuages anxieties, inspires confidence, or clarifies problems. What impresses me most are the ways in which empathy and perceptiveness inform Lyle’s uncanny success in communicating ideas that matter to a human being and to a community. Chris Love
How to Say Goodbye?
How can we say “goodbye” to the most generous, funny, loyal, and just HEADMASTER to serve TASIS, not to mention the most dedicated man who keeps coming back for more! We will all miss you, Lyle! Wendy Kessel
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