Dr. Callen Encourages Students to “Lean In”
The following is a transcript of our 23-minute interview with Head of School Alixe Callen ’88, edited for brevity and clarity.
Vol. CXXXII · July 10, 2026
The following is a transcript of our 23-minute interview with Head of School Alixe Callen ’88, edited for brevity and clarity.
Every morning before Selected Readings, I wait outside the classroom of Sarah Weiskittel, known to students as Ms. Weiskittel. Before I can step through the door, a flood of sixth grade advisees spill into the hallway. They emerge animatedly discussing a video they watched or debating the outcome of a game they have played. Almost always, one of the students will remember a final question and dart back through the doorway. The excitement that emerges for Middle School students in Ware 304 is hard to miss. Moments later, Ms. Weiskittel greets me with an identical energy.
The situation is easy to imagine. It’s the Thursday before March break, after hours in open lab. A glance at your lab notebook makes it clear that whatever graph emerges from these numbers will look awful. Just a few points stand between the complex reality of your lab and the clean story your report could tell.
“Last year, I got really depressed and tired of being a tech detective,” said English teacher Katharine Holt, describing the challenge of monitoring student digital activity. “As soon as I have people writing on Google Docs… they often have five other tabs open. They’ll say something like, ‘it’s just the golf Masters in the background’… And I just don’t think that is the best way to practice sustained thinking.”
During the opening weeks of school, Upper School Principal Rachel Stone asked herself: “What’s the vibe on campus?” Her early conclusion? “Really, really, really positive.”
During the opening weeks of school, Upper School Principal Rachel Stone asked herself: “What’s the vibe on campus?” Her early conclusion? “Really, really, really positive.”