Dear Members of the Deerfield Community,

Deerfield's Annual Report is a truly impressive reflection of institutional loyalty and commitment to philanthropy. The many pages of donor lists and the long listing of endowed funds represent generous alumni, parents and friends who have placed great value in the Deerfield experience. Though I have been at Deerfield just a short time, it is easy to see why.

Deerfield is a school steeped in cherished, meaningful traditions, but also actively engaged in the establishment of new frontiers in secondary education. It is a place where a premium is placed upon relationships and community. The frequent contact between students, faculty and staff, in a multiplicity of contexts-family-style meals, service projects, corridor "feeds," athletic contests, artistic performances, travel-study programs abroad and so on - ensures not only a warm and caring environment, but also the development of lasting, trusting relationships.

This level of familiarity, spontaneity and respect for one another fosters our students' confidence in the exploration of ideas, and nourishes the development of their interests and talents. More importantly, this emphasis on dialogue, and this recognition of our uniquely social nature, also remind us that the pursuit of excellence at Deerfield is not limited to academic, athletic and artistic undertakings, but also applies to character, and to the quality of our interactions. The impressive support Deerfield receives from alumni, parents and friends results from those interactions and the wish to ensure Deerfield's strength for future generations of students.

The reports by administrators also reflect an abiding commitment to excellence and achievement. By reading them closely, you will learn about the challenges of selecting new students from a pool of outstanding applicants and providing financial aid to worthy young people; you will better understand Deerfield's college advising system, the goals of the dean of students who shapes the residential program, the inner workings of the Business Office, the aspirations of the Alumni and Development Offices, and the pedagogical issues that prompt debate in the office of the academic dean.

Next year when I write for the Annual Report, I will be able to reflect on my first year at Deerfield, a year in which I hope to learn as much as I possibly can about this remarkable school. While I have been trained as a literary scholar, I see myself primarily as a student of culture. In other words, I don't see literature exclusively as a creative or intellectual enterprise, but as a vehicle for understanding life, as a terrain for the exploration of our own perplexities, of our questions about how to live, what to do, or more importantly, what to become. This is why my first task is to learn to read this vital, complex and dynamic text called Deerfield Academy.

In late spring, I will launch a strategic planning process that will allow us to build upon our considerable strength and chart a clear, exciting path for the years ahead. We will ask; what do we stand for? What core values define us and provide direction for our collective endeavors? How can we translate our basic principles into the rapidly changing, unpredictable, conflicted world? How, in short, do we live up to our school motto and make ourselves "worthy of our heritage?"

I look forward to soliciting input from all constituencies, to meeting members of Deerfield's extended family as I travel this year, and to reporting on our progress in next year's Annual Report.

Head of School