President Thornburg's Reflection 1.5.25

The boarding school students were excited to begin their Christmas break. Many had not been home since the beginning of the school year. Final exams were over, and students lined up to board the buses headed to the airport.

 

As a teacher at the school who was looking for some extra Christmas money, I volunteered to drive one of the school’s buses. The students crammed in with their luggage, and once they found their seats, we started off. Excitement and expectation filled the students’ faces as we left the school. The bus was full of chatter as students shared their Christmas plans.

 

Before we departed, I was told the regular route to the airport was closed due to an accident.  It was determined the best route was to drive past the highway entrance and take some back roads for a few miles. I knew this, but the students did not.

 

As I passed the highway entrance, a hush came upon the bus.  I looked into the rearview mirror, and forty sets of eyes were staring at me. The students observed that I had not followed the expected route and now were worried.

 

“Sir, you are going the wrong way,” one student said sheepishly.

 

I shared the information about the accident and the route we would take.  The students readily accepted the news, the chatter recommenced, and we made it to the airport without incident.

It is easy to assume things are not headed in the right direction when we don’t have all the information or communication has not been clear. We have a lot happening at Malden Catholic in 2025, and even though we try to provide as much communication as we can and be transparent, there are just too many moving parts to capture everything.

 

To help all of us stay on the same page regarding where we are headed, we will offer some “President’s Coffees” (and the Principal when he is available) to provide an informal setting to talk about the direction of the school and have time to answer questions.  There is a section in this President’s Update where you can sign up.  I hope to see you in January or February.

 

Happy New Year!