August 2025

A thin layer of frost covered the ground outside the school’s main entrance.  Turning my collar up, cold air filled my lungs.  Then, an exhale of relief as Stephanie arrived, dressed impeccably in her navy blazer and tartan plaid criss-cross tie.  On that crisp October morning twenty years ago, my first event as a rookie Admissions Director, I experienced how completely we rely on each other.

“You knew I’d be here on time…right?”  She said, moving swiftly past me and settling into her seat on stage to the left of a current parent and recent alum.  Curious prospective families listened closely to Stephanie describe a typical day and her plans for college.  She calmly answered several questions and appeared to be untroubled by the fresh scrape on her knee.  

Stephanie’s candor and authenticity inspired confidence.  Just as importantly, her timely arrival affirmed her respect for everyone in the room.  Now, twenty years later, my former student’s steady presence remains a photograph in my memory, an affirmation that being on time matters. 

I cherish morning arrival at St. Edmund’s Academy.  Every distinctive goodbye ritual between families and children reaffirms each day that we are soon to be entrusted with the most precious thing in that family’s life.  Every child’s arrival renews our commitment to make the day matter.  To welcome each child into a school community where their unconditional experience of belonging inspires their excellence. 

At St. Edmund’s Academy, high academic standards and character development reinforce each other inextricably.  Quite literally, being on time marks the starting point for our community’s success. It models self-respect and extends care to others. It signals not only readiness to learn, but willingness to contribute. In a world that often hurries past quiet moments that matter, we pause. We greet each child by name. We meet their eyes with optimism. And in those first quiet moments, we begin again with faith in our community and in the power of small habits to shape a life. This is where belonging takes root. This is where excellence begins.

As we begin the new school year, we are simplifying morning routines to support a calm and consistent start for every child. Beginning this fall, the official school start time for all students—Early Childhood through Eighth Grade—is 8:00 AM. The building opens at 7:30 AM, and drop-off locations remain the same: Early Childhood students should arrive at the Forbes Entrance, and students in Grades 1–8 should enter via the Darlington Entrance. 

Children should reach their designated entrance by 8:00 AM. From that arrival point, all students who reach their first meeting place—whether homeroom, classroom, or advisory—before 8:05 will be considered on time and given something more than just a punctual start. They will have a gentle runway into the day: a chance to breathe, connect with friends, settle into the rhythm of school, and cross the threshold into learning with confidence and calm. These moments are not incidental. They help children feel seen, steady, and ready to grow.

We know that mornings don’t always go according to plan. Every family has its own rhythm, its own rushing moments, its own learning curve. If you ever feel stuck or stretched in this effort, please know you’re not alone. We are in this with you. 

Two small practices may go a long way: first, create a predictable morning flow by preparing the night before and including your child in the process. Second, begin each day with a small ritual that helps your child cross the threshold into school feeling loved and ready. 

Our role is not to enforce from a distance, but to walk beside you with empathy, encouragement, and a shared belief in your child’s promise. Together, we form the kind of partnership that shapes not only punctual students, but purposeful lives.

Lives like Stephanie’s. Years ago, she stepped onto the stage as a poised student ambassador. Today, she runs a pharmacy in New Orleans. I’ve watched from afar through social media and seen her show up on time, again and again, for a community facing more than its share of hardship. Her steady presence carries weight. 

That morning at my former school, I remember asking about the scrape on her knee. “Changed a tire on the way here,” she said with a smile. “My parents made sure I knew how when I got my license. And my kindergarten teacher always told us, ‘give yourself extra time—just in case.’”

Her answer stayed with me. It wasn’t the tire or the scrape that left the mark. It was the quiet instinct to show up prepared, composed, and ready just as the adults in her life had taught her. She practiced it then. Others count on it now.

In just a few days, St. Edmund’s Academy will stir to life with that unmistakable mix of eagerness and nerves that only the first day of school can bring. Children will arrive with stories of sandcastles and crashing waves, roller coasters and road trips, doting grandparents and favorite foods, and maybe even a freshly healed broken bone. For all the wonder tucked into those early chapters, the book of your child’s life remains mostly blank, waiting to be filled with a blend of experiences that are all their own.

We are honored to join you as co-authors helping to shape in your child the sense of purpose, resilience, kindness, and care that will influence the pages ahead. Thank you for trusting us to know your child, to value who they are, and to challenge them toward all they can become. I’ll see you at drop-off, and my door is always open.