Woodstock School Alumni Magazine Vol CIV, 2011

2 - Quadrangle
Swan song: from the Principal
Eleanor Nicholson, Principal
In a few short weeks I’ll be back in Chicago,
Illinois, USA—my beloved hometown. It
will be VERY cold, possibly snowy and
possibly icy. That’s Chicago for you, so
what else is new? My little dachshund will
run in circles around me, whimpering with
happiness. My children and grandchildren
probably won’t run around in circles and they
never whimper, but they’ll be glad to see me.
I will most certainly be glad to see them!
But just because one is back doesn’t mean
that things are unchanged. Six months as
Principal of the most respected international
school in India is a transformative adventure.
Some reflections as the days dwindle down
to a precious few.
What have been the high points? The answer:
a lot of memories that begin with B!
• Bandarpunch: the staff summiting of
that 22,000 feet mountain just before
school opened was thrilling to me. It
took courage, endurance, strength,
collaboration and mutual care, all
qualities we want to see in every member
of the Woodstock community.
• Being with kids: there is something so
endearing (and frustrating) about kids
in their elementary and senior school
years. They are searching, exploring,
questioning, seeking independence while
at the same time they need the assurance
that they matter and that they are loved
and cared for. We need to offer that to
every kid every day.
• Belief that most of us—staff, faculty,
Board, employees—are on the same
page in our mutual dedication to and
love for this great school.
• Brigadoon: What an enormous pleasure
to see a performance of the highest
quality done by staff and students
working together for a common cause.
• Blankets: One of the more moving
moments for me was the opportunity
to give lovely new blankets to longestserving
employees, including gentle and
loyal Biddha-ji, who brings me a cup a
coffee twice a day. His service record
is more than 35 years at Woodstock. I
haven’t done the same thing consistently
for that many years except live.
• Being a part of the Strategic Planning:
the three day retreat to work on 2020
Vision was an exciting high
• Beauty: the sun rising and setting
through the winterline, the ferns on the
trees in the monsoon; the sun on the
snow peaks as we flew in from Delhi
yesterday
No more B’s, but other letters muct be
mentioned—C: excellent colleagues; most
of all—the P—the possibilities that await
this incredible school. L: Dr. Long will
lead the way; I must say again how fortunate
Woodstock is to have persuaded this
extraordinary man to come to Woodstock
and forge the way forward.
Any regrets?
• Not entertaining every staff member in
my home.
• Knowing so few of the kids.
• No time for exploration, hiking, working
out, travel. Schools are schools and
somewhat like each other. In the day-today
issues I was perfectly at home and
to that extent I could have been in any
school anywhere, even though I never
lost sight of where I actually am!
• Leaving so much yet to do, but then I
know as well as anybody that a school
is a work in progress; it’s never “done.”
Where do I hope Woodstock will go and
grow?
• Every student must commit to a given
number of hours (more than now) of
community service.
• The incredible resources of the Hanifl
Center and outdoor education must be
explored and integrated much more fully
into both academic and social life.
• I would like to see even greater
opportunities for student leadership and
responsibility.
• The transition from the Junior School
must be engineered in a way that is
sensitive to the social, emotional,
cognitive and academic needs of the
early adolescent.
• Woodstock must become an educational
leader in India. There can be workshops,
speakers, conferences, and online
presentations through which the school
both leads and learns. Hanifl is a
natural setting and a possible driving
force is a continuation of the Winterline
Centre.
• I want 2020 Vision, Desired Learning
Outcomes and the Religious Life Policy
to be the beacons that guide everything
that goes on every day on the ground
at Woodstock. Anything that is not
consistent with these documents should
be discarded.
• Every day in every classroom should be
imbued with intellectual and personal
excellence.
• The deficiencies and stresses experienced
in a small, closely-connected community
in the Himalayan foothills must be
ameliorated as much as possible and the
joys of living in this magnificent setting
must be magnified as much as possible.
I am leaving with pleasure only because I
know I will be back. Woodstock remains in
my heart and on my calendar.
Footnote: Dr. Nicholson has been invited
to be the next President of the Woodstock
Board of Directors.