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Leadership
Lise's Lens
Lise's Lens: September 25, 2025
This week I am still glowing from a fabulous weekend welcoming families to CSW for Fall Fest, chatting with new families at the Head’s House, and enjoying a student instrumental ensemble performance in Dedham.
WHAT I'M READING
"No Dream Required" by Cliff BlakeI want to “offer” you this poem, “No Dream Required” written by Cliff Blake. He recited it at the performance of Faure’s Requiem I attended on Sunday (more on this below), and has performed it at CSW before. It feels especially pertinent to the times we are living in, and (as is often the case with poetry) was even more powerful to hear recited live.
WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT
Fall Fest!I am thinking about how alive and buzzing with excitement our campus felt during Fall Fest this past weekend. I loved hearing from parents and guardians about how much you enjoyed sitting in on classes, meeting teachers, and witnessing the power of progressive ed firsthand. And even if they try to act like they’re embarrassed by you, I know our students really enjoy being able to share a bit of their world with you as well. And could the weather have been any better? Many thanks to everyone who was involved in putting this event together, and to all who were able to attend. And if you weren’t able to come, please know that there will be many other opportunities to come to campus — specifically the end-of-mod shows at the end of every mod.
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
Faure's Requiem
On Sunday, I had the great honor of watching CSW students Lyla S. ’28, Kyra L. ’26, McKenna Z. ’27, and Julien R. ’27 perform Faure’s Requiem at the UUA Church in Dedham. The performance, which was centered around the concept of "perseverance," offered a beautiful mix of musical and oratory art. As a member of the audience, I allowed myself to get truly lost in the music in a way that was almost transcendent. It was a beautiful moment in which I felt like I was able to rise above the pettiness of ordinary, everyday thinking, and let myself get completely absorbed in the sounds of the organ, the chorus, the strings, and the french horn. I left the event thinking yes, it is possible for us as mere humans to do better. That’s how powerful this performance was! I am grateful to CSW Music Faculty Michael Weinstein, and former CSW Music Chair Marshall Hughes for putting this together.
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
I was blown away by the talent of our student-musicians this past weekend. Bravo, Kyra, Julien, Lyla, and McKenna — and Michael!
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.