Update from our Head of School: The Essence of School

One doesn’t have to look far to see posts on social media about school… there is a plethora of student, teacher, and parent posts all about what consumes most of our growing-up years.  What do we remember about school, what do we wish we had learned, tried, accomplished?   What made for a great school experience versus one we might like to forget.  

By definition, school is a place where we learn academics, but we all know school is so much more.   The essence or the “heart of a school” is about setting the expectation for genuinely caring about each other, respecting each other, and working together to learn and grow as a school community.  Yes, school is predominantly the place where we learn the skills and knowledge we need to be successful adults, but the experience of school shapes and molds us into the people we will become. 

No one would argue that we must learn how to read and write and be able to prepare for and take tests, but we also need an education that includes much more than that.  We need an education that molds and shapes us into staying motivated, embracing our mistakes, believing in ourselves, and forging the path forward with balance and focus.  

Schools must help students realize that social-emotional health matters as part of their educational experience.  Schools need to help students understand how their brain works and give them the tools to regulate their emotions, handle relationships, and develop the persistence they need to reach their full potential.   The essence or “heart” of Fortune Academy is a community filled with people who are working alongside each other to give support, to challenge each other to keep going,  to cheer them on when things are hard, and then to celebrate them for their improvement and progress.   

 Fortune Academy is a school where we hope students find an experience where they are understood for who they are and seen for who they will become.

Thank you,

Vanessa Coles