A powerful act you are performing every day

Dear Gordon Families, Faculty, and Staff,

It is not typical for an incoming Head of School to write to her new community well in advance of her arrival. But these are not typical times, not in our world and not in our country, and I am moved to share some of the light that I see with you, the members of a school community to which I feel more strongly connected every day.

Since January, the actions of the executive branch of our government have been exhausting and absolutely heartbreaking. The number and the variety of the changes have been dizzying, and so the experience has been different for each one of us, but I know that, as a community, Gordon's adults are hurting. In my conversations with the Assistant Heads, I learn that these aren't simply political worries, either. Gordon families have lost jobs, they are seeing their health care threatened, they are watching institutions they count on thrown into chaos. Gordon families are making plans in case they need to leave the country. This is real.

At the same time, I am seeing Gordon doing the work of courageous learners and compassionate leaders. As I read the updates from the twenty-fourth Civil Rights Trip, I see Gordon’s eighth graders engaged with authentic American history, from the wisdom of the Constitution to the legacy of enslavement, and drawing inspiration from models of activism and engagement, ranging from Malcolm Farmer's work in the 1960s and 1970s to the advocacy that they witnessed, and participated in, at Georgia's state capital.

I know that the Civil Rights Trip is not just an eighth grade project. It is the work of the entire school, the culmination of years of teaching and learning in Gordon’s classrooms, from Preschool’s conversations about similarity and difference to third grade’s work on playground fairness, from fifth grade’s introduction to cultural anthropology to seventh grade’s trip to the district court.

I also know that this school's work takes place in the context of a powerful, committed community. As I follow Gordon’s social media, which I highly recommend as a respite from the news, I am seeing dozens of stories about Gordon parents, faculty, staff, and alumni who are engaged in the work of making the world a better place. I am seeing those stories, as are hundreds of other people, and finding inspiration knowing that there is a thriving community that values authenticity, hard work, community engagement, and honesty.

Last week, I heard about a Gordon parent who said, “Sometimes, it seems like my child’s school is the only place where things are going right.” That statement certainly resonated with me. 

I am writing today to make sure that you understand you are making the world a better place, simply by being at Gordon. Your participation in the Gordon community is a radical and powerful act, one that takes unabashed pride in diversity, lifts up the excellence of an intentionally inclusive education, and serves as a loud, proud model for other institutions. Gordon is living, breathing proof that schools can do important work around social justice in profoundly joyful ways. 

If, sometimes, what Gordon is doing feels like the only thing that is going right, that can be enough to make a difference.

In July, István and I will move to East Providence and become fully immersed in Gordon. This spring, therefore, is my last opportunity to see Gordon as the world sees Gordon, standing outside the circle looking in. 

I have watched Gordon from this perspective for many years now, and I want you to know this: Gordon shines. It is a beacon of hope for more people than you can imagine, and your investment in this community is truly changing the world. Hold that in your hearts, and may it sustain us all when we need it.

Yours in strength,

Meredith deChabert will begin as Gordon's next Head of School in July 2025. More about Meredith at www.gordonschool.org/meredith