TaborTalk Blog

Today, Tabor's unique group of 96 International Students arrive on campus from 24 countries. Chinese students have eclipsed Koreans as our largest block with 21 coming from China and Hong Kong and 19 from Korea. The remaining countries have from 1-7 students and they include: St. Vincent, Mexico, Russia, Bahrain, Vietnam, Sweden, Venezuela, Finland, Kazakhstan, Bahamas, Singapore, UK, BVI, Austria, Spain, India, Canada, Japan, Germany, Bermuda, Taiwan and Thailand.

Of the 163 new students arriving next week, 83 began their Tabor experience with a week onboard TABOR BOY this summer during our Orientation at Sea Program.

The next group back to campus in the preparations for the opening of school are our forty-two student proctors arriving today! Carefully selected through a nomination, recommendation and interview process, these are Tabor's most relied upon leaders. Their arrival signals the start of our teaching year as they engage immediately in a rigorous and engaging curriculum of leadership development. Ten full days, followed by weekly sessions all through semester one, we invest heavily in them.

Sounds like Location, Location, Location for Real Estate! Well the three P's are key to a smooth start in the school business. With our new faculty up to speed after three full days of orientation, today we welcome the full faculty back from summer to get ready for the opening of school.

We start out with coffee, of course! A grand reunion after a summer apart begins our year together. We meet outside the chapel, mix and mingle, and then head into chapel for a more formal start to our year. The start always includes gratitude, inspiration and organization.

This chapel is unique as it is the only time of the year when we gather there without students. We are the students this time. We gain inspiration from our leader, new Head of School, John Quirk, and from each other as we hear of the accomplishments of our fellow teachers during their summer study opportunities. Typically, over 50% of our faculty will engage in some type of Tabor sponsored summer study every year. This is a dedicated group! We also always take time to thank the many people who remain at Tabor all summer to keep things All-A-Taut-O around here. It is a great community moment, one that deserves the reverence the chapel provides.

Then....on to four days of meetings to discuss everything under the sun. But mostly, how to best educate our 502 charges who begin arriving this week, and to make this year the best ever!

It feels great to be part of such a wonderful mission.

Remember your favorite teacher? I hear stories constantly about Tabor icons from the 50's, 60's and early 70's such as: Luchini, Stokes, "The Bear," Buffinton, Lavoie, Wickenden. More recent grads tell tales of the Rollers, Duff, Cobbold, Whitey, and others. As new teachers come to Tabor, regardless of their longevity here, they inspire current students through their care and expertise, just as when you were here.

By Kerry C. Saltonstall, Director of Alumni Affairs