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Over Christmas vacation, I took some time to envision where I wanted to give extra focus during the second semester – the final five months of the school year. The number five stuck out and immediately reminded me of our five Portrait of a Graduate statements, the first being Gratitude – to recognize the true worth of the moment and offer expressions of thanks. So January is the VCHS month for Gratitude, February will be Advocacy, and so on with the five characteristics we seek to instill in our students.
But we can’t expect our students to have these traits if we don’t lead by example. And this prioritization exercise, at least for me, helps provide some discipline, much like what I need for workouts – the discipline to make gratitude a habit – or simply put, to choose gratitude. With VCHS, my gratitude is for all of the people who make up our amazing community – faculty/staff, students, parents, alumni, board, donors, and longtime friends.
Before arriving at VCHS eight years ago, I shared my gratitude with the school community this way…
Although a VCHS education is grounded in the Christian faith and the teachings of Jesus Christ, I’m particularly impressed with its openness to families and students from faith and non-faith backgrounds. There’s a unity and richness in that type of community that is seldom seen elsewhere.
The teachers and students at VCHS are exceptional. It’s clear the teachers are not only subject specialists but also desire to really know and understand their students. Vail Christian students are hard-working, multi-talented and love having fun. It’s this recipe that yields an exceptional environment for high school students to learn and thrive.
Today’s teenagers need role models and mentors. It’s clear that the VCHS culture is a tight-knit family where students and teachers have strong relationships. I’m incredibly enthusiastic to build life-long relationships in such a rich and vibrant community.
The words still capture my gratitude today, but are even more heartfelt after so many years. We choose gratitude. Think of what a community like ours could fully become – the happiness that would flow – if we all chose to offer daily (even hourly) expressions of thanks – to others and to God.
Steve O'Neil
Head of School
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