Looking Ahead to a New School Year

New Head of School Aline García Rubio returns to the campus where she was once a student. Her first letter to the community is about listening, curiosity, and what it feels like to come home.

Dear Catlin Gabel Community,

I am honored and excited to be back at Catlin Gabel. Stepping onto campus and meeting the people who form our school community fills me with a sense of possibility and joy. I hope for connection, deep engagement, fun, and the meaningful challenges that come with learning. I am proud of the purpose of education at Catlin Gabel.

As I step onto the Fir Grove, I remember the ease and joy of children (my own included) running between trunks and piloting the playground’s boat. The paddock trees, the pollinator garden, and the Middle School feel like an embrace as I remember my time as a student here. I am, perhaps oddly, delighted by the smell of the Barn and the stone wall on the Upper School quad. It feels good to be home.

This summer, I have been gathering with staff, trustees, teachers, former and current parents, alumni, friends, and supporters of the school. My office windows have been open, and I hear the bustle of summer camps and the progress on the Schnitzer Center, which will hold all of us in a single space before long. I have met with new and former heads of school at other independent schools.

Through all of these encounters, I am learning and relearning Catlin Gabel. My curiosity is provoked, and my work is taking shape through discovery and conversation. I am energized. I am also committed to taking a listening stance as I talk with students, parents, and staff, as I gather with teachers and hear stories from alumni and the larger education community. I will approach conversations with fresh eyes and a sense of wonder. I hope you will too.

Students and families: I encourage you to start the year in the same spirit. Let’s look to connect with each other, to remain open and curious, and to know ourselves anew.

As Fall approaches, I am looking forward to welcoming the excellent group of colleagues who make our school run and who provide an outstanding student experience. Some of these folks are already prepping labs for the coming school year; others are planning class trips or global travel. Some are bringing alumni back to campus for Homecoming weekend, and many are refining innovative curriculum that will guide students where they need to go next.

I will approach conversations with fresh eyes and a sense of wonder. I hope you will too.

Every year, we celebrate traditions that build community and belonging. All-school assemblies, Homecoming, the Rolling of the Oat Cake, and Spring Fest bring us together. We also come together in the in-between moments of each day – walking in nature across campus, saying hello in the hallways, discussing the news, helping a student with a Band-Aid.

Through these traditions and routines, just as through our curriculum, we reinforce the outcomes of a progressive education: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. Catlin Gabel graduates excel because they have practiced being in deep relationships which bring a sense of responsibility. They have used their voices and are ready to be independent, productive, ethical people.

As I begin my role as Head of School, I aim to lead through human connection, with humility, curiosity, and respect for all perspectives. Catlin Gabel’s greatest strength comes from the relationships that make meaningful learning possible.

I invite all of you, but especially students, to do the same. Listen. Listen. Listen. Ask authentic questions. Care for each other. Let’s make our school the place we all want it to be, where we can connect, be joyful, and partner on behalf of our communal growth (but especially the growth of our students – they really are our future).

I hope to see you at our New Family Reception & Volunteer Fair at the main curb on the first day of classes (Aug. 31). Let’s begin or rekindle our connections and find meaningful ways to engage with our school.

Thank you for choosing to be part of our community. Let’s shape it together!

In eager anticipation,

Aline García Rubio, Head of School