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From the desk of Matthew C. Woodhall, Head of School

A few weeks had passed since the Gentlemen of Woodhall returned from Winter Break when, finally, snow was general all over campus (to rework a phrase from James Joyce). Winter at Woodhall feels much more dynamic when students and adult mentors alike can embrace what the campus has to offer during this season – skating, snowshoeing, skiing, sledding, building snow forts, or having an impromptu snowball fight outside Velge Hall – and occasionally inside, too.

Many of us prefer a quiet walk through the woods when the snow is falling softly. Getting outside in the cold and snow heightens the awareness of our own self and the world around us. We see and feel our breath differently, each step is more intentional – we can shift our bodies and minds and rely upon them anew.

Winter marks a time for moving inward as individuals and as a community. At Woodhall, we turn out focus towards accountability. Accountability -- a word that we use frequently in our daily life at school. As with many words and ideas that become commonplace in our lives, we need to take the time to reflect on their meaning and importance, lest they become hackneyed.

At Woodhall, we use accountability in the sense of being responsible, answerable, and justified in our words, actions, and deeds.  Accountability at Woodhall embodies a process. Acknowledging our mistakes or going through the motions of meeting our responsibilities does not suffice for taking accountability or being accountable.

The process of moving towards accountability begins with the process of self-reflection – that literal and figurative walk in the snowy woods. Once we begin to look at ourselves honestly and express ourselves openly – once we begin to respond responsibly to our feelings – then we can begin to be accountable for our words, actions, and deeds. In sum, we can begin to act with integrity, compassion, and respect.

Lastly, we cannot hold others accountable until we take accountability for ourselves, which starts with learning from our experiences. As the singer and activist Pete Seeger said, “Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don't.”

At a time in our world when there are surging protests against the lack of accountability in all levels of society, we can make a difference in our school community. Building on Seeger’s quotation, let us re-imagine accountability by re-defining education. In the words of the educational philosopher, John Dewey, “Education is not a preparation for life; education is life itself.”