A letter from Dorothy Gregoire, Assistant Head of School for Teaching, Learning, and Equity
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of attending The Heads Network Annual Conference in Napa Valley, CA, where the theme was Purpose & Progress: Navigating Democracy & Innovation with Urgent Optimism. I joined more than 500 independent school leaders who shared the relatable frustrations of current events to the very real fears of the unknown surrounding technology and AI. I listened as peers from around the country vulnerably shared how difficult it has been to feel optimistic in these trying times. I found myself wondering: Where does this urgent optimism we were all seeking actually come from?
Then, our first keynote speaker, futurist, game designer, and best-selling author Jane McGonigal, took the stage and offered a simple, powerful answer. Our optimism must lie in young people, who have always been the changemakers of every generation. Our role as educators, she reminded us, is to help them make thoughtful predictions- to anticipate, evaluate, and prepare so they are ready to lead the meaningful change that will shape our collective future. I felt proud to know that, in fact, this is the mission of Charles River School. A mission that many of us have memorized (thank you, Gabe Burnstein), and one we witness being fulfilled every day.
Just a few weeks later, I had the opportunity to accompany CRS students in grades 5-8 to the Association for Independent Schools in New England’s Middle School Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Conference at Regis College, where the theme was Brave Together. The keynote speaker, Arshay Cooper, shared powerful stories from his journey as an athlete-turned-author and as a member of the first all-Black high school rowing team in the United States. As he encouraged the young people in the audience to recognize and challenge self-doubt and negative self-talk, I found myself flashing back to our fourth graders earlier this year, confidently stomping on their A.N.T.s (automatic negative thoughts) during a Sharing Assembly.
These experiences, and many others, affirmed what I have long known to be true: Charles River School is where I find my urgent optimism. Each day, our students and faculty move forward together with a shared commitment to academic excellence. That pursuit is not reserved for a select few; it is rooted in culturally responsive teaching that makes excellence attainable for every child.
When I first joined CRS as an assistant teacher, I was handed a copy of Zaretta Hammond’s Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. In this transformative book, Hammond writes, “Cultural responsiveness is not a practice; it’s what informs our practice so we can make better teaching choices for eliciting, engaging, motivating, supporting, and expanding the intellectual capacity of ALL our students.” Five years later, now serving as Assistant Head of School for Teaching, Learning, and Equity, I have the privilege of supporting teachers as they bring academically excellent instruction to life through this equity lens.
What I have discovered through this work is that our teachers are extraordinary. Each day, they design lessons grounded in skill development and differentiate them to ensure access for a wide range of learners. They intentionally honor and incorporate the diverse lived experiences of their students in the classroom so that every child feels known and valued. Our teachers are innovative, adapting to an ever-changing world through an interdisciplinary curriculum that strengthens cognitive, social-emotional, and executive functioning skills while preparing students to engage thoughtfully with advanced technology.
Moreover, the pursuit of academic excellence is not limited to our students. Our faculty and staff are lifelong learners. So far this year alone, they have engaged in professional development across more than five states, from national math conferences to gatherings of librarians, athletic directors, and school leaders. Every day, they model for students the joy of learning, the courage to sit with discomfort, the excitement of trying something new, and the pride that comes with breakthrough moments.
At Charles River School, academic excellence and equity are irrevocably intertwined. It is my greatest joy to work in partnership with teachers and families as we cultivate our students’ intellectual engagement and nurture the confidence and compassion they will carry into science labs, operating rooms, championship games, dance competitions, boardrooms, and even oval offices.
Our graduates will shape the future of our diverse world, and that future begins now.
In partnership,
Dorothy