Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/419085
H E A D O F S C H O O L 2 L AT I N M A G A Z I N E Dear Latin Family, Back in 2012, Vince Cozzi and I attended a conference hosted by NAIS specifically for heads of school and board chairs. At one session I attended, the moderators asked us to propose topics that we felt were critical for our school. Each of the topics then were assigned to a table, and participants could visit the table they were most interested in for a discussion. Out of the 40 or so attendees, about 15 topics were suggested. I suggested wellness. I eagerly walked to my table, looking forward to learning what other heads were thinking and doing at their schools. Unfortunately, not one person joined me. Not one. Instead of questioning the importance of wellness, that experience made me to want to talk about it more at Latin. Increasingly, our students and teachers are inundated with information, technology, competition and expectations resulting in crammed schedules and sleep-deprived kids and adults. What are we doing to ourselves? e strategic planning process offered the perfect opportunity to finally move wellness to the top of our priority list. And, with so much research available about how it connects to academic achievement, we seemed to be at a point where we could really make a difference in the lives of students. Enter the Latin Wellness Committee and the exciting initiatives you will read about in this magazine. So much has changed since 2012. Wellness is now a popular topic of discussion for schools of all types. A quick search of the NAIS website results in a long list of articles on wellness covering almost every aspect of school life from food and nutrition to curriculum to counseling and stress management. I am happy to see that this topic is finally receiving the level of attention it deserves – and not only at Latin. Perhaps others did take notice of my empty table that day. Be well, Randall Dunn Letter from the Head of School