Dear Wellington Community,
Spring break has arrived, offering a well‑earned pause after a full and rewarding winter at Wellington. Our classrooms have been alive with engagement, our community strengthened by connection, and our students immersed in the thoughtful learning that defines Wellington as a forward‑thinking school where intellectual curiosity abounds. I hope the break provides a moment for all of us to reflect with pride on all our students, faculty, and our school have accomplished.
The Best Is Still Ahead
Spring is often Wellington’s most memorable season. After the break, we return energized for weeks filled with performances, presentations, competitions, milestones, and meaningful moments of growth and connection. Across divisions, we will continue to see students leading while developing the ability to think deeply, write clearly, and engage with ideas confidently, skills that are increasingly essential. I am convinced that as digital and virtual words evolve rapidly around us, intellectual curiosity will become even more important, anchoring students in discernment, creativity, and thoughtful engagement.
Behind the scenes, we also continue to see strong confidence in Wellington’s future, reflected in sustained enrollment interest, deep community engagement, and long‑range planning that supports students at every stage of their Wellington journey. As always, our focus remains on ensuring that every student feels known, supported, and appropriately challenged in ways that are deeply human. None of this happens without our extraordinary faculty and staff, whose care, expertise, and commitment make Wellington the place it is.
Curiosity as a Guiding Thread
Curiosity is one of Wellington's five core values and a guiding theme, and it continues to show up in powerful ways across the school. Fostering a culture of curiosity means encouraging students to ask questions, explore ideas, and resist settling for easy answers. At Wellington, we aim to teach students how to think, not what to think, so that learning remains active, meaningful, and deeply engaging.
Curiosity also requires responsibility, another Wellington value. It asks us to be intentional about how we use our time and attention, and to create learning environments that both broaden students’ perspectives and protect the time and space they need to grow. Across divisions, our faculty work carefully to strike this balance, exposing students to the ideas and challenges that matter while safeguarding their attention and honoring each stage of development. The result is something we see every day: students who approach the world with confidence, clarity, and a genuine love of learning.
What We're Reading
Breaks also bring the gift of time to read. In case you are looking for a good book, I asked members of our leadership team to share what’s on their spring break reading lists:
• I am reading Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid — Shelley Brown
• The Housemaid by Freida McFadden — Lindsey Smith
• We Survived the Night by Julian Brave NoiseCat — Rishi Raghunathan
• The Club by Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg — Louis Frank
• The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin — Latisha Humphries
We are also planning to read the two titles we anticipate will anchor our faculty and staff summer reading, which I encourage you to check out as well
• Neuroteach by Glenn Whitman and Ian Kelleher
• Mattering by Jennifer Wallace
I would love to know what you are reading, too. Feel free to reply and share your spring break picks.
A Quick Note About Campus
When you return after the break, you will notice that a few trees near the Fishinger Road entrance have come down. This work is being done in anticipation of potential construction on that side of campus, part of the longer-range planning work that continues to move forward as part of our campus master plan. The timing of their removal is related to bat habitat regulations, and the trees, per professional arborists, are not healthy and should not be preserved. While it is always sad to see trees removed, many more will be planted in their place over the coming year.
If you'd like to learn more about where the campus master planning work stands, I shared an update in my recent State of the School address. And, without spilling the beans just yet, I am hopeful that we will have an exciting update to share in April. More to come soon.
Wherever this break takes you, near or far, I wish you safe travels, rest, and meaningful time with people you love. We will see you back on campus soon for a spectacular spring.
Thank you, Happy Spring Break, and... as always… Go, Jags!
Eliza McLaren, Head of School