Letter from Michael C. Wirtz, Head of School
September 27, 2022
Dear Rodge,
It is with mixed emotions that I write to share that the 2022-2023 academic year will be my last at Hackley as Head of School. Six years ago, Hilary, Charlie, Frances and I arrived on the Hilltop, excited to join a school community with values that so closely aligned with those of our family: Enter Here to Be and Find a Friend; United, We Help One Another; Character is Higher than Intellect; and Go Forth and Spread Beauty and Light. Time and again, we have marveled at the way the community lives these values. And so with the school in a strong and enviable position, I decided the time is right for me to pursue new opportunities that continue to align personally and professionally. I truly appreciate the trust the community has placed in my leadership.
As I reflect on the last six years, it is rewarding to consider all we have accomplished together. We developed the Portrait of a Graduate and Hackley Competencies, both of which guide implementation of Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries, Hackley’s strategic plan. Since its adoption in 2018, Hackley’s talented educators have brought the plan to life. We created innovative electives, expanded interdisciplinary opportunities, joined Global Online Academy, and piloted The Big Experience. Global education flourished, while closer to campus we supported the growth of Hudson Scholars and focused on service-learning in the classroom. Through the development of the orchard and the apiary, we further integrated the Hackley Forest into our program. We watched the physical plant change as we completed the Johnson Center for Health and Wellness, added 16 employee housing units, and most recently, started construction on the Center for the Creative Arts and Technology. Importantly, we continued to retain, attract, and hire a talented, dynamic, and diverse employee body. In return, the community generously supported the Hackley Fund and made transformative gifts for the Center as part of the Beyond Boundaries campaign.
That all of this occurred within the context of a global pandemic and painful social and political division in our nation, however, is not lost on any of us. In some of the more difficult moments of the last few years, I found myself drawn to the final phrase of Hackley’s mission statement, which exhorts us to “learn from the varying perspectives and backgrounds in our community and the world.” Nowhere has this aspect of our mission been more important to me than in Hackley’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work. Students, families, employees, alumni, and trustees have all contributed to strengthening relationships and fostering greater understanding and belonging within our community, including through the development and implementation of a multi-year DEI plan, the first in Hackley’s history. I know you and the Board share my commitment to the aspirational vision articulated in Hackley’s DEI statement of purpose, which is rooted in the school’s culture and integral to the school’s future.
More than any program, plan, or building, Hackley’s greatest strength lies in its people. Integrity, empathy, “unreserved effort,” creativity, and passion radiate from students and adults, centering the importance of character in all we do. I will miss watching our students grow and learn across their K-12 journey, and I will miss working alongside my colleagues, our families, and alumni in service of our mission. I know, however, that Hilary, Charlie, Frances, and I have formed friendships we will carry with us far beyond the Hilltop.
With a full year ahead, I look forward to supporting a smooth leadership transition. Nothing about my decision diminishes my commitment to Hackley, and I look forward to helping position the school for continued success.
Forward together,
Michael C. Wirtz
Head of School
Dear Rodge,
It is with mixed emotions that I write to share that the 2022-2023 academic year will be my last at Hackley as Head of School. Six years ago, Hilary, Charlie, Frances and I arrived on the Hilltop, excited to join a school community with values that so closely aligned with those of our family: Enter Here to Be and Find a Friend; United, We Help One Another; Character is Higher than Intellect; and Go Forth and Spread Beauty and Light. Time and again, we have marveled at the way the community lives these values. And so with the school in a strong and enviable position, I decided the time is right for me to pursue new opportunities that continue to align personally and professionally. I truly appreciate the trust the community has placed in my leadership.
As I reflect on the last six years, it is rewarding to consider all we have accomplished together. We developed the Portrait of a Graduate and Hackley Competencies, both of which guide implementation of Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries, Hackley’s strategic plan. Since its adoption in 2018, Hackley’s talented educators have brought the plan to life. We created innovative electives, expanded interdisciplinary opportunities, joined Global Online Academy, and piloted The Big Experience. Global education flourished, while closer to campus we supported the growth of Hudson Scholars and focused on service-learning in the classroom. Through the development of the orchard and the apiary, we further integrated the Hackley Forest into our program. We watched the physical plant change as we completed the Johnson Center for Health and Wellness, added 16 employee housing units, and most recently, started construction on the Center for the Creative Arts and Technology. Importantly, we continued to retain, attract, and hire a talented, dynamic, and diverse employee body. In return, the community generously supported the Hackley Fund and made transformative gifts for the Center as part of the Beyond Boundaries campaign.
That all of this occurred within the context of a global pandemic and painful social and political division in our nation, however, is not lost on any of us. In some of the more difficult moments of the last few years, I found myself drawn to the final phrase of Hackley’s mission statement, which exhorts us to “learn from the varying perspectives and backgrounds in our community and the world.” Nowhere has this aspect of our mission been more important to me than in Hackley’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work. Students, families, employees, alumni, and trustees have all contributed to strengthening relationships and fostering greater understanding and belonging within our community, including through the development and implementation of a multi-year DEI plan, the first in Hackley’s history. I know you and the Board share my commitment to the aspirational vision articulated in Hackley’s DEI statement of purpose, which is rooted in the school’s culture and integral to the school’s future.
More than any program, plan, or building, Hackley’s greatest strength lies in its people. Integrity, empathy, “unreserved effort,” creativity, and passion radiate from students and adults, centering the importance of character in all we do. I will miss watching our students grow and learn across their K-12 journey, and I will miss working alongside my colleagues, our families, and alumni in service of our mission. I know, however, that Hilary, Charlie, Frances, and I have formed friendships we will carry with us far beyond the Hilltop.
With a full year ahead, I look forward to supporting a smooth leadership transition. Nothing about my decision diminishes my commitment to Hackley, and I look forward to helping position the school for continued success.
Forward together,
Michael C. Wirtz
Head of School
Hackley School
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