Greetings, Charlotte Country Day School community!
It is with a sense of excitement that I have accepted the invitation by the Board of Trustees to serve as your next Head of School and to make Charlotte Country Day my next home.
These past months have offered important opportunities for me to engage with school leaders and trustees, review with admiration all that Country Day has achieved, and imagine the opportunity of leading such an exceptional institution.
What has stood out for me during this engagement is Country Day’s unique sense of community. Country Day has a rare authenticity, one that comes from uniting around a shared sense of purpose:
- a laser focus on what is best for kids
- the support of great teachers and great teaching
- the willingness to take innovative risks
- the courage to address with transparency the challenges of ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion in school culture
- the strength and success of its strategic efforts
- the balancing of a pursuit of excellence with a palpable commitment to student well-being
It is clear that Country Day has achieved great things. But it is also clear that the school is poised to continue its journey of leading at the forefront. Together we will ensure that Country Day weathers the challenges of this time with courage and grace; we will maintain the tradition of caring and excellence that is the school’s legacy; and we will define an auspicious path for the future.
In closing, I’d like to offer my appreciation to the Board of Trustees and all who have engaged with me and helped me begin to understand what Charlotte Country Day School is all about. Although I can’t be there in person at this moment, I am with you in spirit. Know that I will be teaming with trustees, school leaders, and staff to provide virtual opportunities in the weeks and months ahead for us to get to know each other. We will also be collaborating on key elements of planning and operations in order to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.
In the meantime, I await with anticipation the opportunity to come home to Charlotte, step foot on the Country Day campuses, and meet all of you in person. I wish the whole Charlotte Country Day School community an inspired start to the 2021–22 school year!
Sincerely,
Marcel G. Gauthier
