Lakeside School

Dear parents and guardians,

Rest and restoration don’t always go hand in hand. As adults who guide, teach, raise, and lead, the way we give of ourselves — constantly and completely — can make it hard to find the kind of rest that is truly regenerative and nourishing. We’re encouraged to restore our energy and our spirits, but our minds remain full of the messy and meaningful work still to be done — both at school and at home. That tension is familiar to so many of us. Yet, it’s in that space between rest and restoration — between stillness and action — that we are most called to reflect on the values we hope to model for our children.

In that reflective space, I find myself returning to the values that matter most: goodness and decency; connection and love; care and support; humanity and compassion; equity, inclusion, and diversity. In many respects, these ideals have been under siege; and in some corners of our society, there’s been an intentional distortion — where good becomes bad, diversity becomes danger, and humanity itself is dismissed as weakness or even unpatriotic. The common good has become contested, and we must work even harder to reaffirm the values that guide us. That is the promise we make when we welcome our children into this school community: that goodness and the preservation of humanity are not only possible — they are essential.

That promise isn’t abstract — it’s lived, every day, through our choices, our words, and our presence. It’s a shared responsibility that belongs not just to schools, but to each of us as adults in this community. Parents and guardians hold a powerful role in shaping the tone and direction of our shared culture. The ways we speak, listen, advocate, and engage — especially when tensions arise — become the lessons our children carry forward. Each of us is a model from which our children learn how to lead with empathy, respond with curiosity, and live with integrity.

As we begin this new year, I invite each of us to return to the quiet strength of our shared purpose. Let’s hold close the values that ground our community — the care we extend, the trust we build, the promise we carry forward. In the rhythms of school life — in the car ride home, the dinner table conversation, or a quiet check-in at the end of the day — may we continue to see one another with clarity and compassion, and remember that our greatest strength lies in how we show up: for our children, for one another, and for the community we’re creating, together.

I look forward to seeing your students — and all of you — soon.

Warmly,
Kai