A Message from our Head of Schools,
Dr. David G. Behrs
As the new Head of Schools for San Domenico, I’m honored, excited, and very humbled to be at the helm of this incredible learning community. From the first time I drove through the gates, it was apparent that San Domenico School was a spiritual place where the love of learning was abundant and teachers were passionate about teaching at all grade levels. Now, after only three weeks on-the-job, I am pleased to report what you already know. We have a dedicated faculty and staff - committed to children, dedicated to learning, and dedicated to helping children discover what they can do in the present, and challenging them—at all levels—to become the leaders of tomorrow.
As we begin the 2010-2011 school year there is a sense of excitement, a sense of expectation, and a sense of joy. It is clear that everyone in the San Domenico community understands and believes in the school and embraces its
philosophy and mission. While the students were away over the summer, many of our faculty members continued to model the expectation of life-long learning by continuing to study within their discipline (and, beyond) in order to provide the very best educational experience for our students. This demonstrated work-ethic by our faculty is consistent with the San Domenico philosophy and mission
to inspire inquiry and provide a strong academic foundation for lifelong intellectual growth. As an academic community, we are inspired by the faculty!
Our mission statement also states that we will strive to be a learning community, committed to excellence in education. With this in mind, my vision for San Domenico is simple… to mobilize this incredible academy of learning to new heights of excellence in independent school education. As the new Head of Schools, you will have my unwavering support and commitment to work tirelessly for this exceptional, spiritual, educational environment.
Continuing to develop and support strong academic programs and pedagogical innovation is our first goal. In the Dominican tradition of inspiring inquiry, the teachers and curriculum challenge each child to stretch beyond oneself and delve into the mystery and wonder of learning. We want our children to learn to think for themselves, to ask questions, and to seek the answers to these questions. We are developing the future leaders of this world, and it has never been more important to teach our children about service-learning and help them develop leadership skills in a sustainable world community. Although rigorous study is a hallmark of this challenge, it is not as formidable as it may appear. Because we are child-centered, we create an atmosphere where children find it safe to explore, to self-discover, to learn, and even to fail.
In closing, Elbert Hubbard once said a school should not be a preparation for a life, a school should be life. Therefore, I welcome you to another year of life as it is lived at San Domenico. I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you!
God Bless all of you, and God Bless the San Domenico community.
