Teri Barnett, Interim Head of School

Dear Bertschi Community,

It is with honor and pleasure that I write this letter as Bertschi’s Interim Head of School for the 2021-22 school year.

I bring to this role over 30 years of experience as an educator and leader; all that I have worked for has brought me to this moment.More than ever, I am committed to the mission and values of Bertschi School. I am excited to lead a school that honors childhood and recognizes above all else that children must be seen and known in a caring community that values social-emotional development as equal to academic growth.

This school year, we are focused on creating a joyful learning experience for our students, and returning to some of the routines and rituals we have missed. Community building and the health and safety of our children are not mutually exclusive, particularly if we work together.

I am also looking forward to engaging with renewed vigor and purpose in our shared vision for Bertschi’s bright future, with a focus on the three pillars of our strategic plan:

• We will invest in the success of our children by continuing to cultivate and support our outstanding faculty. Our teachers are the source of our mission and the foundation of our community; when they are supported, our children shine.
• We will redouble our efforts to thrive as a diverse and inclusive community, at a time when these values continue to be threatened in explicit and implicit ways every day in our country. This means examining our own identity and place of privilege as an independent school and doing more to welcome and retain community members of diverse backgrounds. We need to continue our work around identity, diversity, and social justice in our classrooms and in our lives.
• We will steward our resources and recharge our campus master planning, so that all our facilities reflect and support our high-quality educational program and outstanding faculty.

To this role, I will bring the same qualities that I have demonstrated to date: compassion, energy, integrity, and courage. I remain, as ever, committed to our work as a community as we move toward collective healing and a bright future.

In partnership,

Teri Barnett
Interim Head of School