我在不同的教育机构度过了我的成年生活, 所以对于我即将提出的观点，我真的没有比较依据, but nothing seems to rush by as quickly as an academic year. (如果不是因为我也, 太, 看起来衰老的速度和学生时光流逝的速度差不多.现在是八月，我们正在为开学制定计划，下一刻, 是开放日，然后是感恩节，然后是假期，然后是春假, and in a heartbeat we’re planning the senior dinner, 毕业, and final 教师 meetings…and whoosh, another year has gone by.
春天似乎总是发现我在思考这个现象——也许是因为我们彼此靠近在一个过去和未来交汇的十字路口. 在索莱伯里一年一度的团聚周末，过去以大大小小的方式重访我们, which 太k place just last month. 几十年来，索伯里大学的校友们都回来重温旧日的友谊, share their stories, and stoke their memories of a time and place that, 对于许多, is now quite long ago. 每年我都期待着与1941年的校友(那是78年前)进行一年一度的交谈!)汤姆·库珀, 他给我讲了一个完全不同时代的索莱伯里学校的故事, 但很明显，这所学校与我在2019年领导的学校有着相同的基本DNA.
In virtually the same moment as we reminisce with our past, we enter a relatively intense time with our future — our seniors. In the last few weeks, there have been a slew of dangling participles that were tended to: final decisions on colleges; efforts to help with scholarships and financial aid pack年龄s; AP exams; senior projects. 今年, 丽贝卡和我有一个更清晰的镜头，可以看到各种各样的事情，这些事情会消耗掉一年里越来越少的氧气:大四学生索菲亚·伊里亚特, 从巴塞罗那, has been a homestay with us for her senior year. In the blink of an eye, we are parenting again, helping to select courses, advising on test prep, transporting her to college visits, reminding her that the senior year did not actually end in March, and as I write this blog, 我也在调整我的日程安排这样我们下周就可以带她去马里斯特学院参加她的新生培训项目, 她的第一选择.
当然, with the advant年龄 of experience and hindsight, as we’ve watched our seniors wind their way toward 毕业, a cocktail of emotions have swirled about. Happiness for their achievement; wonder at what the future holds for the 62 lives we’re about to untether from the rock that is Solebury; relief that we are handing them off — by and large whole and healthy and educated and ready; and of course, a tinge of sadness. Sadness because we will miss them. They arrived, young, kids for the most part; they leave on the edge of adulthood. We have watched them 成长; helped them 成长 — nurtured and nudged, prodded and pulled, encour年龄d and praised. Mostly, our role is now over.
So, spring at a school is an interesting time. Memories and dreams mingling together, competing for attention as we embrace our history, 与此同时，我一直在思考那些即将踏上新旅程的人的未来，这将把他们从我们身边带走.
因为索菲亚, 我们和她的许多年长的朋友建立了密切的联系，他们在我们家共进晚餐, 为过夜, for trips to local restaurants. 这是一个令人惊叹的班级，他们提供了一种领导力，将一个美好的一年提升到一个伟大的一年. 当他们为最后两个索伯里时刻——今晚的毕业晚宴和周六的毕业典礼——做准备时，我为他们感到骄傲, 为他们感到高兴, sad at the thought of their departure, and I wonder in 78 years, 下一位汤姆·库珀将与当时的索伯里校长分享他们在2019年的经历?
My warmest wishes to the Class of 2019. 享受结束. 享受今晚. Bask in the pride and love that will envelop you tomorrow. Come back to visit as alums.
P.S. Sofia, clean your room.