Head for the Day

On May 17 three Suffield students took on the role of Head of School for the Day, an auction prize from the Parents’ Association Auction. Zeno Dancanet ’22, Harrison Hochberg ’22, and Annabelle Oman ’22 spent the day with various members of Suffield’s administrative leadership team from Patrick Booth (Chief Financial Officer) to Sara Yeager (Dean of Academics & Faculty), Drew Gamere and Wayne Patterson (Directors of Athletics), learning about the tasks those working most closely with the head are responsible for in keeping Suffield running smoothly and efficiently. Mr. Cahn attended several of their classes. The day ended with a meeting with Mr. Cahn and phone call with Board of Trustees President Fred Powers.

Regarding his day, Zeno said, “My experience with Head for the Day was thrilling. First and foremost, I discovered why Suffield is as successful as it is and that has a unified sense of direction. Every faculty member I spoke with, and I mean every single one, reiterated the same big picture goals and aspirations when asked about the purpose and future of the school. An organization does not move forward so well if it does not have a place to go, so I became very thankful that our administration and faculty all share that unified goal which is able to give me as good an education as I have gotten. It was also interesting to see how flat the organizational structure is of Suffield. Mr. Cahn is the Head of School, but he is still very level as compared with even a brand new hire. I thought this was a different approach than other schools and companies and it was enlightening to see this.”

While the students enjoyed picking menu items and making other decisions, they most importantly learned a great deal about how Suffield functions and how Mr. Cahn’s vision permeates all aspects of community life.