- Tim Breen, Ph.D., Head of School
As I write today, we still do not know the outcome of this week’s presidential election. We do know that it was the highest turnout in perhaps a century — good news for our democracy. We also know that there are some deep divisions in our country, and one of the great challenges ahead is to forge common understandings — of each other, of our hopes for the future.
This has been a challenging fall. As if it’s not enough to be living through a pandemic, we are reminded of our climate crisis with the nearby fires. We are wrestling with centuries of racial injustice (and with our roles in this). And we’ve just had the most divisive presidential campaign I’ve seen in my 56 years.
Yet, at the risk of being pollyannish, I also see hope for our collective future. I see it in the ways many people have pulled together to support each other through the COVID pandemic. I see it in the bold legislative ideas put forth to address the climate crisis. I see it in the energy and determination of young people on the streets, pushing for change. I see it in the way our students care for each other.
As you know from our mission, we work to prepare students to “take on the world’s greatest challenges.” In this statement we are bold enough to name two things: that there is work to be done to improve our world, and that schools have a responsibility to engage in this work.
When I think of the contours of the world we hope to bring into being, I draw inspiration from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — aiming for a world of justice, freedom and peace. A world that honors the inherent dignity and worth of all people, and where we work together in the spirit of community. And, in order to secure these rights for generations to come, we must work toward a world that is more sustainable. So at Watershed, when we say we want to prepare students to take on the world’s greatest challenges, we are referring to the great and good work of making the world more just, more peaceful, more sustainable, and more loving. And doing so in the spirit of community.
I feel lucky to be working at a school where we believe that schooling should not be about replicating our culture, but about directly improving it. That is why we engage students in work that has an impact beyond the school walls. That is why we tackle complex issues in our classes, helping students see multiple viewpoints and the interrelatedness of ideas and challenges. That is why we are not afraid to name our values as an organization, and do our best to live them.
Thank you for being with us on this journey.
