My summer is coming to an end as I write this. I can sense it not only by the packing Sheryl is busily doing in the other room but also by the usual anticipation I feel in the core of my stomach. One of the joys of education is that each year is a fresh start, a gift given to each of us to reflect on the wonderful things we accomplished last year and the lives we changed along the way. A fresh start can also be about reinventing oneself, learning from the mistakes we made and trying to do things a little better this time around. There is no other job like it. As we celebrate our joys and reflect on new beginnings, I am eager to hear what goals you have for your school and what each of you hope to accomplish as we work to change education around the world. I hope our stories will inspire and motivate each other and work to break some of the professional isolation that can happen as friends and colleagues continue to spread around the world

As most of you know, we are starting a “new” school in Hsinchu, Taiwan call Hsinchu International School. As we move into our new building and begin classes on September 3rd, we are embarking on a mission to design an educational model that is truly unique and special to international schools. I will be in charge of curriculum development and have worked hard over the past few months to help us accomplish our mission. One of my goals this year is to continue to work to create a model of education that works for every child. A model that truly differentiates and individualizes the curriculum while working to develop the whole child. As we work to create this model, I hope that we can continue to venture into uncharted territories and deal with the obstacles and frustrations that will arise without falling into the trap of falling back into the safe and comfortable path. What Dennis Littky and Debra Meier have done with their schools will continue to be an inspiration to me over the course of this year. It’s an exciting time and I hope to collaborate as much as I can with all of you over the course of this year. Have a great beginning to your school year.