Farewell Letter To Orchard | Steve Thompson - 47 Years
Dear Orchard,
Orchard has always been a unique school, and that is what I have loved about it all through my years here. It is a tough task to describe what makes Orchard such a wonderful place for kids. To understand our school, you have to come and experience it for a period of time. Most of our parents never had the opportunity to attend a school like Orchard because I don’t think there is another one anywhere. The opportunities to learn and enjoy new experiences are almost endless at Orchard.
I have always believed that our school has charted its own path. We don’t try to copy what other schools are doing. Not at all. At Orchard, we work with kids and set up programs and educational plans that fit each student’s needs. And that , in my opinion, is the best way to teach and help our students.
As you walk around our campus, indoors and outside, you see countless examples of learning going on each day. I have always enjoyed seeing our teachers and students engaged in learning through academics, fine arts, athletics, and outdoor education. It is really fun to see our kids working with teachers as well as their own peers on projects. I do want to come back and visit to see those interactive learning activities continue to be a large part of our daily schedule.
In conclusion, I have thoroughly enjoyed my years here as a student, teacher, coach, athletic director, and a parent. Being flexible and willing to adapt are two of the key ingredients for success at Orchard. I always tried to do things the right way, which is the Orchard way, but not be too rigid. I learned that from my father, Gordon Thompson, our headmaster for 45 of his 53 years at Orchard.
As we get closer to our 100th year as a school, the upcoming celebration will be exciting and well deserved, and I hope to be part of it in 2022.
I will close with one of my favorite green and gold chants: “Let’s Go Owls!”.
Orchard has always been a unique school, and that is what I have loved about it all through my years here. It is a tough task to describe what makes Orchard such a wonderful place for kids. To understand our school, you have to come and experience it for a period of time. Most of our parents never had the opportunity to attend a school like Orchard because I don’t think there is another one anywhere. The opportunities to learn and enjoy new experiences are almost endless at Orchard.
I have always believed that our school has charted its own path. We don’t try to copy what other schools are doing. Not at all. At Orchard, we work with kids and set up programs and educational plans that fit each student’s needs. And that , in my opinion, is the best way to teach and help our students.
As you walk around our campus, indoors and outside, you see countless examples of learning going on each day. I have always enjoyed seeing our teachers and students engaged in learning through academics, fine arts, athletics, and outdoor education. It is really fun to see our kids working with teachers as well as their own peers on projects. I do want to come back and visit to see those interactive learning activities continue to be a large part of our daily schedule.
In conclusion, I have thoroughly enjoyed my years here as a student, teacher, coach, athletic director, and a parent. Being flexible and willing to adapt are two of the key ingredients for success at Orchard. I always tried to do things the right way, which is the Orchard way, but not be too rigid. I learned that from my father, Gordon Thompson, our headmaster for 45 of his 53 years at Orchard.
As we get closer to our 100th year as a school, the upcoming celebration will be exciting and well deserved, and I hope to be part of it in 2022.
I will close with one of my favorite green and gold chants: “Let’s Go Owls!”.
Steve Thompson, ‘63
Comments