Leadership

A Letter from our Head of School

By Ken Nysmith

Welcome to The Nysmith School, where we make a world class education a joyful experience. That is our mission statement, but more importantly, it is what our entire organization is dedicated to accomplishing, and what we have achieved for the better part of four decades.

There’s one way to fully appreciate what those words mean, and how we have succeeded in making good on that goal. Consider that the school is and always has been family-owned and operated. My mother founded it and I have worked here in a variety of roles since 1985, serving as everything from janitor, bus driver, bookkeeper, accountant, chief financial officer, vice principal, communications director, and since 2005, as head of school. I am proud and protective of the reputation this school has worked so hard to achieve and maintain, but far more importantly, I am dedicated to ensuring that our mission statement is delivered for each of our students.

So, while my name may be on the building, it’s the people inside who make it such a remarkable  place for children to learn. We have a team of dedicated and committed teachers and administrators that have created an academic environment unlike any other. And these educators are as experienced as they are exceptional, sustaining a continuity that enhances the education our students receive. Our Lower School director, Beth McCloskey, has worked at Nysmith for 13 years while Upper School Director Nora Webb has been here for 26. Director of Counseling Jody Amberly (24) and our director of scheduling, my wife Linda Nysmith, has been at the school for 34 years.

Once you have occasion to observe and participate in our daily interactions, it will quickly become obvious we do not present as a typical school administrative team. In addition to our unusual if not unique collective years on the job, we genuinely enjoy coming to work each day and the smiles on our faces reflect the joy we share in working with the children to fulfill the mission statement mentioned at the top.

Yet since the school does bear my family’s name, I take personal responsibility for every interaction you and your child have with us. We strive for perfection in everything we do. I am proud of the truly wonderful teachers we have brought together to provide the very best education for our students. It is an education that will prepare your academically-gifted child to compete against any student, from any country in the world, while still loving to come to school and learn every single day.

It is against that background of stability and excellence that I am comfortable making this guarantee. I place both the school’s and my personal reputation on the line as I commit to you that The Nysmith School will make a world class education a joyful experience for your child.