The work of teaching has always called on a balance of skills, instructional expertise, leadership, flexibility, and perhaps most importantly, compassion. In a world carrying the weight of so many losses, students and educators alike are navigating uncertainty, anxiety, and disconnection. Against this backdrop, the question becomes urgent: how do we create classrooms that feel like places of welcome, safety, and care?

Compassion is more than simply feeling empathy for another person’s suffering. It carries with it the motivation to help. When compassion leads to action, we often recognize it as acts of kindness and the everyday ways we choose to care for and support others. Research tells us that compassion and kindness are not only good for the people around us, they’re also good for us: boosting happiness, resilience, health, and even academic success.

Yet, in a world where competition and cruelties often take center stage, our innate kindness can easily get overlooked. Schools are uniquely positioned to bring it back into focus.

Andrea Gibson puts words to what we hope will be the blueprint of our school.

Sometimes life gives you a moment so clear and undeniable that you just know you're in the right place, doing the right thing.