As the year comes to a close, The Nobleman sat down with Head of School Cathy Hall to review her year in accomplishments and observations of school life. “I feel we’re ending this year more joyful and stronger as a community,” Hall said. It seems that the school’s new mission statement and core values, which highlight the importance of “playfulness,” contributed to this shift in school culture. Hall said, “We’ve gotten a healthier balance about where the intersection of well-being and rigor can go hand in hand. It’s really okay if you’re out there playing Spikeball during a free period, knowing you are also working hard on academics the next period.” In Hall’s eyes, the new mission statement and values have created a stronger sense of school identity. “Sharing our mission and core values earlier this year gave us an anchor of who we are,” Hall said.
“I really do think the senior class made a difference,” she said. As the Class of ’24 walked out of the graduation tent last May, this year’s senior class embraced the opportunity to leave their mark on the school. “A few Class II students came to see me at the end of last year asking how they can best lead our community this year,” Hall said. While the class leads by example through their various athletic and artistic achievements, what stands out to Hall is their unprecedented care for each other. “This class worked hard at embodying kindness, kindness, kindness. They were happy for one another and supported one another,” Hall said. The class’s exceptional dedication to supporting each other could be attributed to the newly added Class I Leadership Retreat in the fall. “We really felt like we could do more around leadership with our incoming seniors, helping them to think about what it means to be the captain, the head of an a cappella group or an affinity space,” Hall said. Exploring what leadership looks like was a foundational step in the class’s growth, leading them to their motto: “Build our own Castle.”
“Getting the strategic plan completed has been a long, multi-year process. We will be finishing the actual strategic plan at the end of the school year and will share it with the community in the fall,” Hall said. Marking the start of a new Nobles chapter, the 2025–2026 Shattuck renovation is the largest project set to take place and will significantly shape the next school year. Hall said, “The Shattuck renovation is going to hopefully define the arc of the year in a very positive way.” It seems strategic planning presents itself as an opportunity for school leaders to determine the future direction of Nobles. Hall said, “There’s been a lot of behind-the-scenes work that students wouldn’t see getting the strategic plan to the finish line, but I’m really proud of it. It’s going to help map the next direction and chapter of our school.” Looking ahead, Hall anticipates having to navigate the execution of the strategic plan through external challenges. “There will be a lot of complexities to manage given what is happening politically and in the climate surrounding schools right now,” she said.
“There’s been a lot of behind-the-scenes work that students wouldn’t see getting the strategic
plan to the finish line, but I’m really
proud of it. It’s going to help map
the next direction and chapter
of our school.”
Hall’s major unexpected challenges of this past school year extend beyond the campus gates. Hall said, “There have been a lot of stressors around us. I think it’s actually allowed us to lean in on how we love this place and how our community is special.” Despite posing challenges, outside pressures have paradoxically strengthened internal bonds within the community. “What is happening in the landscape of higher education right now is potentially going to have some very significant ripple effects for independent schools. Watching challenges to federal funding and non-profit status at the university level is both surprising and concerning,” Hall said. These unexpected shifts have sparked behind-the-scenes work, with the school “studying a range of potential impacts, such as the possibility of the endowment being taxed, while also staying well informed about changes such as immigration policies.” Hall expects that federal involvement in higher education will play a large role in the next school year and believes independent schools will need to navigate around it.
Despite the uncertain future of education in the country, Hall is eager to finally actualize some of her strategic planning next year. “All the hard work of planning is done. We are excited to roll it out to our community in a way we hope feels inspiring,” she said. While updates to campus and school curriculum aim to help students and faculty rally around their shared mission, Hall asserts that the process of community development goes beyond administrative decisions. “It can’t be me up on stage saying, ‘Build community!’ It happens where I don’t see it. It’s in the hallways and at lunch tables, in classrooms and on fields and stages,” she said. As Hall works tirelessly to refine the school’s vision, she has one request for returning students: “I hope every student comes to Nobles willing to try something new, a risk they can take that’s a safe risk.”
As the 2024–2025 school year is coming to an end, Class II looks forward to stepping up as leaders and helping to establish their own school culture. The current senior class has set a high bar in terms of leadership and kindness, which may be intimidating to the juniors. “I hope next year’s senior class knows they can make their own stamp, and that we are so excited to see them lead our school,” Hall said. Additionally, Class I’s collective bond has played a crucial role in creating the inclusive and fun culture that has characterized this past school year. Hall said, “The current senior class had a sense of collective identity coming in. Any class can do that.”
“I hope next year’s senior class knows they can make their own stamp, and that we are so excited
to see them lead our school.”
Overall, the 2024–2025 school year featured a growing sense of community and has allowed the student body to create a more joyful atmosphere. While the transition back to school next fall may come with some challenges due to the Shattuck renovation, Hall looks forward to carrying out her strategic plan and beginning a new chapter at Nobles.
