Seasons of change...

As I walked up to the office in the stunning pre-dawn glow this morning, I was struck by how the light coat of early snow covering the sixth green in front of Ford Hall is a very appropriate metaphor for the changing seasons. Sometimes the change in seasons come slower than we might expect or want, and sometimes change comes faster. But through it all, we move on, knowing that winter will follow fall, spring will warm us after winter, and so on.

This past weekend, The Winchendon School experienced a moment of important change. On Saturday morning, Jon Rotenberg '65 resigned as President of our Board after more than three decades of board leadership and service. Jon provided our School and community with absolutely remarkable leadership, keeping us ever-focused on our mission and philosophy and leading the school through very challenging times in the early seventies to being a school today that is among the financially strongest in its peer group with a clear vision, a talented faculty and a beautiful campus. Anyone who has been associated with our School in the last 35 years owes appreciation to Jon. I certainly am very thankful for the leadership and guidance that Jon provided to me as I transitioned in as the new Headmaster over the last two years.

But, as spring follows winter, there is a very strong new generation of board leadership stepping in to follow Jon. This past weekend, the trustees elected Joe Dockery '61 and Chris Frame '63 to be the next President and Vice President of the Board. Joe has been a long time Board member and until this weekend served as Vice President, and Chris just completed his first three year term. Joe was a member of the last graduating class from our predecessor school Hatch when we were still located in Newport R.I. and Chris was one of a few who experienced both campuses, starting in Newport and then spending two years in and graduating from Winchendon. They have both enjoyed successful business careers and bring great experience to lead our Board and School.

As for the early autumn snow on the sixth green, hopefully the golfers will be back at play by noon! Winter will certainly come, but we are not quite ready for it yet!