Lakeside School

Happy spring, everyone! I hope you are all thriving, enjoying spring, and looking forward to an interesting and fun summer!

In a year of lasts for me, this is my last Inside Lakeside piece! So, I thought I would take the opportunity to share with you what I love about Lakeside and what I believe makes our school a great school for our students.

First, it is the students themselves. They are a fascinating, motivated, energetic, creative, ethical, kind, and talented group of people. Our two daughters went to the school, and they learned almost as much from their fellow students as from their teachers: what it meant to strive for excellence, to work hard, not to whine, to commit to what you are doing, to hold yourself to high ethical standards. And every year I hear the same, and more, from hundreds of alumni. It matters who you attend school with and you will not find a better, more decent group of young people anywhere. I am not saying they are saints, but I am saying they are pretty amazing. Your students will graduate with lifelong Lakeside friends who will be in their weddings, share their joys and woes, and always support them!

Second, our amazing students are taught by amazing teachers! Teachers who work continually on their craft, who strive to improve every year, who love and respect their students, who work long hours preparing classes and grading assignments. Teachers who take great joy in working with our students and getting to know them as individuals. Staff members and administrators are also amazing and make this a great school for our students. The fact that everything runs so well behind the scenes is because of them: forms processed, payments made and collected, food prepared, lawns cut, buildings maintained, technology supported, funds raised, communications sent via multiple platforms, timely decisions made, and so on. Your tuition allows the school to pay all of these people well, and they deserve it.

I love that there is no one mold for Lakeside students. They are free to sort out their interests, passions, and commitments while in Middle and Upper schools, following whatever path seems right for them and beginning to develop into the person they were meant to be in this world. Quirky is just fine at Lakeside! And however quirky they are, in all likelihood they will find classmates and teachers along the way who share some of their interests and will support them on their journey.

And I love that there is the desire at Lakeside to graduate ethical, caring human beings who will be good people, citizens, parents, and leaders. We do our absolute best to live this critically important part of our mission.

I have loved working at Lakeside since the day I arrived. It is a school that is doing all it can to make the world a better place for everyone through the students we graduate. I will miss my work — well, not actually deciding about snow days — but most of it.

It has been a privilege to get to work with all of you, and all who came before you, in the education of our students.

Take good care, everyone!!

Bernie Noe is Lakeside’s head of school. You can reach him through June 2022 at Head'info@lakesideschool.site and 206-440-2714.