St. Mark’s venerable history is reflected in the achievements of its alumni. To ensure the School continues to flourish, we must periodically re-examine the core elements that have made us great: our people, our program, and our place. By carefully nurturing these three interconnected pillars, we help prepare students for their future, allowing them to join the ranks of the school’s accomplished alumni.
Admittedly, it is difficult to understand what the future holds for any of us, including our students. Our students will face myriad challenges—some we can imagine and others unfathomable to us. While we should remain attentive to emerging trends, we must also avoid being ensnared by the siren's song of neomania. What are we to do? Focus on the basics.
By grounding students in essential skills and cultivating key attributes, we equip them for success in any field. The School must be purposeful in developing foundational skills (reading, writing, and communicating) and those of increasing importance (problem-solving, analyzing, reasoning, collaborating, and creating). We will also need to instill in them the ability to be self-directed learners, capable of acquiring new skills that we can’t currently imagine.
Furthermore, to thrive in any future, our students must cultivate three key attributes:
Resilience: The strength to persevere through adversity.
Collaboration: The understanding that we achieve more together.
Curiosity: The drive to seek out new knowledge and understanding.
St. Mark's intentionally small size fosters meaningful relationships and a close-knit community. This, in turn, allows our students to feel supported as they take risks in learning. Our faculty are not just subject-matter experts, but also mentors, coaches, and role models who inspire students to become their best selves. Our curriculum challenges students to achieve excellence in the fundamentals, while encouraging them to explore new interests and ideas. And our beautiful setting and intentional learning spaces provide both scope for the imagination and opportunities for real-world learning.
The world is increasingly fast-paced and ever changing, but some things never go out of style. Focusing on excellence in people, program, and place can help ensure that we don’t get distracted by short-lived trends that will not stand the test of time. Our dedication to preparing students for their futures remains steadfast and will include the elements shared above. The specific approaches and techniques may change—indeed, I hope they are continuously improving! However, we will always be committed to teaching and learning built on strong and trusting relationships, enabling our students to become resilient, collaborative, and curious alumni who are ready to make their mark on the world.
-Ivory D. Hills
Head of School