As we begin the inevitable sprint toward graduation and the end of my first school year at St. George’s Independent School in Memphis, TN, I realize how much I have learned since last July when I officially began my work as Head of School. More relevant, however, I realize how much more I have to […]
Student Engagement: It has to come First
In response to the question, “What does outstanding academic achievement “look like” at St. George’s?“, faculty members responded with a resounding emphasis on “ENGAGEMENT”. They should. There can be many priorities in teaching and learning, and given different moments in the life of a school, those priorities can, should, and will shift. However, engagement, student […]
Convergence and Permission: SUN and STAX and the Creative Community
“Artists, in fact learners of any kind, thrive in a supportive context and when given permission to experiment and collaborate.” In June of 2015 my family and I moved to Memphis from Atlanta. In our brief time here we have tried to learn about our new town, and we have visited places that define it: Graceland, The […]
Approaching School Days as Architecture: An Idea Revisited
[vimeo 74943290 w=500 h=281]<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/74943290″>Asheville School Project Connect Ross Peters 2013</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/sobriquetstudio”>Sobriquet Studio</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p> In 2013 I had the privilege of speaking at Asheville School’s Project Connect. For me, returning to this remarkable small boarding school was a homecoming as I taught at Asheville School for ten years and was the founding […]
Creating a Progress Culture Through Pilot Programs: Compiled Thoughts
In the Spring of 2012, I wrote a number of blog entries about the role of pilot programs and courses in creating thoughtful progress in a school. These entries feel more relevant than ever to me. My writing in this area grew out of other thinking I had been doing around a concept of a […]
Deep, Thoughtful, Engaged Lives NOW for our Students
As I left The Westminster Schools this summer after serving as Upper School Head, I found myself refining my wishes for high school students in this particular moment in history. In an interview about my departure for the school’s magazine, I said:“It’s not what our students are going to do ten years from now; it’s […]