Opening Day Remarks

The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

Opening Day Remarks

September 2, 2003

Contrasting Seasons

Good morning. In case some of your were wondering, I did not wear my old shoes this morning. My shoes are new, they are well shined and they are pointing forward. Welcome back everybody!

My name is David Magill. I am the Director of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (Just had to say that once!), and I've got good news and I've got bad news. Most of you probably know that Charles Dickens gave us a much more eloquent version of that saying over one hundred years ago. He began his classic Tale of Two Cities by writing. . .

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom; it was the age of foolishness. It was the epoch of belief; it was the epoch of incredulity. It was the season of light; it was the season of darkness. It was the spring of hope; it was the winter of despair. We had everything before us; we had nothing before us

Through his words, Dickens paints a picture of contrasts that feels very much like a professional struggle that I've been working through for the past several years. Although I do not know you well, I suspect that I am not alone in this struggle and that many of you who are in this room are feeling the same contrasts.

On one hand, education in America has never been so good. More and more parents are enrolling their young children in early childhood education programs. A large number of public schools have been liberated from their bureaucratic shackles, and they are showing marked improvement. More young people are attending higher education than ever before, and in many places of the country, the achievement gap between children of color and their white counterparts is narrowing.

Here at Lab, competition for admission is intense and the waiting list grows and, by anyone's standards, the graduating class of 2003 had a remarkable year of achievement. I learned a lot about the Class of 2003 by reading last year's Midways, listening to a college admissions presentation by Patty Kovacs and Will Dix, and by attending graduation at Rockefeller Chapel in June . . .and to digress for a moment. . . I was so impressed that there were faculty members present from the other school divisions than high school. For those of you who have not attended a commencement ceremony in the past, I urge you to do so in the future. Every employee at Lab had something to do with the happy moment when the tassel was flipped and the mortarboard flew. For those of you who work in the Nursery, Lower, and Middle School divisions. . .you build the foundations. For those of you who are in a support positions. . .you help establish a climate in which teachers can teach and children can learn.

Yes, there is much good news in American education and, more to the point, at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. You have earned a well-deserved reputation and have often been referred to as a lighthouse. You have a rich legacy with roots to the beginning of progressive education in America. You are inextricably bound to one of the premier institutions of higher learning in the world, and you arguably have one of the most interesting, capable and richly diverse groups of students anywhere. And now, as of this summer, I no longer have to say "you" and have begun to say "we." I am so proud to be among you this morning as we begin the 2003-2004 school year together.

In spite of the season of light that we should be enjoying, many of us are becoming alarmed at the season of darkness that, at times, feels like it's enveloping us. The alarm is based upon what I think has become a form of emotional abuse that our business has unfairly had to endure.

Schools have traditionally reflected the society or the community in which we live. . . and therein is where most of the problem lies. When society can't heal itself, schools, more often than not, get blamed for being the problem. I used to think that this was exclusively a public education problem but, the more I am learning about independent schools, the more I believe that we all tend to serve as the proverbial whipping boy. We hear that we are a failed institution, that we have to get tougher, and that we need to take more responsibility. We have been told the emotional equivalent that we are old, fat, and stupid. . . and you can throw in ugly, too! Fortunately, the criticism does not come from the majority of our constituents, but when it does happen, we cringe and feel the pain just like children do in a home where there is marital discord.

Our home is not limited to the University of Chicago, Hyde Park, or the greater Chicago area. Our connections extend into the world community, and in that community are people from the left, the right, and the middle, some of whom use schooling as a battleground. Personal and political agendas are constantly challenging us, often making it difficult to work for the common good of all.

Just one of those challenges, but perhaps the most misguided one, is that somehow the testing of children will restore order, raise accountability, and quite simply raise the achievement level of American children. From my perspective, nothing could be farther from the truth. While quality standardized testing has a diagnostic and prescriptive piece in our schools, it was never designed to be the primary determinant if a school should survive or not. I am equally disturbed at how the media use these data to rank schools and, by so doing, fool the average person into believing that quality is determined by test scores alone.

In addition to many external challenges, there are some even more compelling internal challenges that we must face as an organization. Now sit back, listen, and don't bite my head off because of what I am going to say. I have no history with Lab Schools, and I came here with a reasonable understanding of what transpired here during the last several years. No one tried to hide the dirty laundry. Since I arrived on July 1, I have had numerous meetings with members of the administration and faculty, parents, as well as individual meetings with each member of the Board of Directors. Without divulging the content of individual discussions, you should know that I was struck by four common themes: 1. Respect and passion for this place 2. Remarkable candor 3. Distrust and disappointment, and 4. Hope for the future.

Perhaps it is because of experience, perhaps it is because I have developed a more mellow countenance now that I am a middle-aged grandfather, or perhaps it is because I enjoyed a sabbatical away from school leadership for a year. . . Whatever! I was not overwhelmed by those conversations. To the contrary, I am energized because I believe that we can address the past with constructive and purposeful change and begin to define ourselves to ensure a bountiful future.

Allow me to return to those discussion themes of Passion, Candor, Distrust and Hope.

Unlike my previous school locations, the affection for the Lab Schools is universal. Students, faculty and staff, parents, alumni, and yes, the University, care very deeply about this place. Some would describe their affection for Lab as being fanatically passionate. There are different constituencies . . . people have had different experiences. . . there are competing interests. . . but no one wants to see harm come to the Lab Schools. Trust me. . . it is not the same in the public schools. I like the difference!

The candor of people here has been remarkable. Maybe some of that is due to the University influence where political correctness is not the only game in town. Maybe the ability of many people to accept a variety of ideas without being labeled a kook has something to do with it. Whatever the reason, I find honest expression most refreshing. More importantly, in order for an organization to improve and have faith that better days are ahead, it is important to confront the often brutal facts of the current reality. I think that many people associated with the Lab Schools are doing that or are willing to begin.

Trust, or rather the lack thereof, pervades this place. While alarming, it is not surprising, particularly since there is a great deal of confusion or lack of agreement regarding the core values of the Laboratory Schools. At Lab's inception, the core values of the place were clearly articulated by John Dewey. Read for the first time or read again his pedagogic creed and, whether you agree or disagree with his beliefs today, there is no question as to what the core values were in 1896. Even though Lab has a wonderfully written mission statement found in numerous publications, it is unclear upon what it is based. Ambiguity may work for some, but too much of it breeds distrust.

Thankfully, optimism is alive at Lab, and I sense that many people are really looking forward to the future. I have always believed that one of education's greatest gifts is an ability to give and restore hope in the lives of children. I also believe that in times of conflict and despair that schools are the one place where all children can get a good dose of it. When we model a positive attitude. . . if we are enthusiastic about life's possibilities. . . if we put aside our self-interests and focus instead on the interests of the larger Lab School community. . . children will react in kind. I'm most encouraged by the many expressions of hope that have been shared with me during the past couple of months.

By the end of September, I will be outlining what I believe needs to be addressed as this year's goals and objectives. They will not include everything that is being done at the Lab Schools, but they will include activities that are specifically designed to confront our current reality. They are not silver bullets, and I did not bring these ideas with me. They represent realistic and reasonable strategies to accomplish measurable improvements.

As you can imagine, I was presented with numerous agendas when I arrived here. . . agendas from you, parents, administrators, the Board, an ISACs report, and a Strategic Plan. I was surprised by the size of the jigsaw puzzle that was waiting for me.

You know that it is not productive to try to put together a jigsaw puzzle alone. In order to do it efficiently, there should be many perspectives. My part is the easiest. Im just finding and connecting the borders so that the entire Lab School community can finish the picture.

What will the picture look like? To be perfectly honest, Im not sure. . . but of this I am certain: that before long we will define ourselves as a 21st Century school and that our vision will be articulated clearly and without apology. And most importantly, we will be known for placing children first.

I believe that we are put on earth to serve, and in our profession we serve children. Our service demands that we must first be about developing minds. But don't let anyone fool you. . . we can't do that very well if we also don't mind hearts and souls. Children learn in our classrooms, eat our food, play on our playground equipment, and come to us as a whole. . . not as body parts. They come to us in all shapes, colors, and sizes. They come wanting to be included. . not excluded. They come to us with varied learning and emotional needs and with the ability to dream. In our schools, every admitted child is invited to the party. We are their teachers, mentors, coaches, and models. . . We are their advocates. . . We are their dream keepers! In so many ways we are influencing their future and, in return, they will influence ours.

One of the most admired figures of the twentieth century and a person who was a true genius was the late Pablo Casals. For three-quarters of a century he was recognized as the greatest cellist who ever lived, as an inspiring conductor, and as a masterful teacher. He also was a tireless advocate for world peace. The older he became, the more he believed that, in the lives of children, lay the greatest chance for world peace.

I conclude with something that he wrote . . . words that have inspired me and hopefully will inspire you:

Each second that we live is a new and unique moment in the universe. A moment that never was before and never will be again. And what is it that we teach our children in school? We teach them that two and two is four and Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to them, Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In the entire world there is no other child exactly like you. And look at your body, what a wonder it is! Your legs, your arms, your cunning fingers, and the way you move! You may become a Shakespeare, a Michaelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes you are a marvel and when you grow up, can you then harm another who is like you, a marvel. You must cherish one another, you must work.

And so we also must work to overcome darkness and to allow our children to thrive in a season of light. We must work very hard if we are going to make these schools, this country, and this world worthy of its children. Make it a great year. . for you. . but especially for them. My new friends and colleagues, we have everything before us!