• Sue Sadler

      Head of School

Despite the construction machinery and noise, it sure seems quiet around here today. Students are gone, the chairs from graduation have been put away, and faculty are cleaning out classrooms following our final meetings. After the hustle and bustle of the final few weeks of school, I now have a moment to reflect on our year together.

As you know, Bryn Mawr’s school theme this year was “Shine Wherever We Are.” We celebrated students shining in and out of the classroom and encouraged them to be bold, courageous, and confident. As the yearbook staff wrote in this year’s Bryn Mawrtyr, “this message is at the very core of what this school stands for.” We are proud of all of our students who are celebrating their own unique identities and marvel as they shine in all that they do.
 
Together we sang and danced in the aisles during Mamma Mia!; launched our new Summer Session program; expanded Gateways after school programming; cheered on our athletes to three IAAM championships; celebrated another record admissions season; created a new 9th grade landing space in Hamilton loft, and of course, broke ground on our transformative new Student Center. It was a tremendous and productive year and I thank you for being a part of it.
 
So, what’s next? As we look ahead to the fall, we are thrilled to be opening the new Student Center and can’t wait to see students using the expanded dining, arts, and athletic spaces. We will also be launching admissions for our new all-girls Pre-K program in the Lower School. Finally, we will stay focused on our strategic plan, The Bryn Mawr Way: A Contemporary Vision for What Girls Need to Thrive, as next year marks the final year of implementation. We believe that all of these plans and progress position us well to lead the way in a market full of choices for Baltimore’s brightest girls.
Speaking of Baltimore’s brightest girls, on Tuesday, we sent the talented and motivated Class of 2019 off with a beautiful ceremony in the Graduation Garden. I encourage you to watch the recording, especially to hear a wonderful address by alumna Heather Hay Murren ‘84. As I told the graduates that morning, the end of the school year often makes me think of Bryn Mawr’s revered first Headmistress, Edith Hamilton, who led Bryn Mawr from 1896-1922 and is world-renowned even today as a Classics scholar. What propelled Edith Hamilton, despite her somewhat stern portrait that watches over us as we enter her eponymous library, was the pure joy of learning. Hamilton’s infectious love of learning built the platform on which the school rests today.
 
“It has always seemed strange to me,” she wrote, “that in our endless discussions about education, so little stress is laid on the pleasure of becoming an educated person, the enormous interest that it adds to life. To be able to be caught up into the world of thought—that is to be educated.”
 
Her words resonate with me today. It’s tempting to think of Bryn Mawr as a stepping stone to the future. After all, Bryn Mawr has always been about getting our students ready for college. But the real power of this school is not where you go next, but who you become while you are here.

Whether you are traveling this summer or enjoying time at home, I hope you are able to rest, recharge and appreciate memorable times with family and friends. I look forward to seeing everyone back on campus in August.
Cheers,
 
 
Located in Baltimore, Maryland, The Bryn Mawr School is a private all-girls pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school with a coed preschool for ages 2 months through 5 years. Bryn Mawr provides students with exceptional educational opportunities on a beautiful 26-acre campus within the city limits. Inquisitive girls, excellent teaching, strong student-teacher relationships and a clear mission sustain our vibrant school community where girls always come first.