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My CSB experience informed my position and beliefs in this realm. The work on this topic is exciting, and I believe that, over time, the impact of this work—how it plays out across the country—is going to be quite significant. CSB: You’re one of the few representatives from high schools to work on Turning the Tide. How did you get involved with the group and what role did you play? TB: I am the Board Chair of National Network of Schools (NNSP) in Partnership. Our mission is to promote public and private school partnerships across the country. We have about 150 member schools from independent, public, and parochial schools. Much of the work of the partnership relates to community engagement: schools getting together and acknowledging that there is more we can do to enhance the educational opportunities and programming in our regions. The thought is that if all of us can work together to combine our resources, great things can happen for all our students. Richard (Rick) Weissbourd, one of the directors of the Making Caring Common Project and lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education, heard me speak on the behalf of NNSP. He felt our organizations had much in common. Both groups believed in the importance of incentivizing students to choose
Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern for Others and the Common Good through College Admissions . The report marks the first time a broad coalition of college admissions offices joined forces to collectively encourage high school students to focus on meaningful, ethical, and intellectual engagement. It includes concrete recommendations for reshaping the college admissions process, promoting greater ethical engagement among aspiring students, reducing excessive achievement pressure, and leveling the playing field for economically disadvantaged students. The Turning the Tide initiative grew out of a study that Rick conducted through Making Caring Common. Surveying more than 10,000 students, Rick asked which priority students felt their parents valued most: “personal achievement” or “caring for others.” An overwhelming majority said that their parents valued achievement most. Asked a similar question, the parents of these same students said that they emphasized caring over achievement in raising their children. These results were so disturbing, the disconnect between student and parent was so stark, that Rick felt he had to take action. Turning the Tide is the first step—the beginning of an important conversation. Since the publication of Turning the Tide in January 2016, that conversation has been taking place at conferences and association meetings around the country. Rod Skinner and I have been honored and excited to be a part of those discussions. We have been asking both high school and college colleagues to examine the ways in which the practices and cultural pressures of their respective institutions may be indirectly steering students away from choosing authentic community engagement. This is not about creating more work or more expectations— it’s about refining and clarifying what good and authentic community engagement looks like. You can do tremendous good around the world, but the truth is that real and authentic commitment to others can happen within your own family. For those young people who spend hours “caring for others” such as a grandparent, a younger sibling, or their neighbors, TURNING THE TIDE: Inspiring Concern for Others and the Common Good through College Admissions This report marks the first time in history that a broad coalition of college admissions offices have joined forces to collectively encourage high school students to focus on meaningful ethical and intellectual engagement. The report includes concrete recommendations to reshape the college admissions process and promote greater ethical engagement among aspiring students, reduce excessive achievement pressure, and level the playing field for economically disadvantaged students. It is the first step in a two-year campaign that seeks to substantially reshape the existing college admissions process. MCC.GSE.Harvard.edu/CollegeAdmissions
NATIONAL NETWORK OF SCHOOLS IN PARTNERSHIP (NNSP)
authentic community engagement. We want to encourage students to actually do the work of developing their character and giving to others, as opposed to doing activities that are perceived to be impressive on a college application. Rick and I agree that the reframing of the college admissions process could provide a real opportunity for growth and character development in students. Soon after our first meeting, Rick formed a group of peers, largely from the college ranks—administration and admissions— and invited Rod Skinner, Milton Academy’s Director of College Counseling, and me to join. Rod and I felt privileged to be sitting at the table. Together, our group published was created to meet the growing demand for models of best practice that can scale innovation more quickly. NNSP offers a single place where educators and community leaders can turn for support in the design, implementation, and improvement of high-impact partnerships. SchoolsinPartnership.org
Todd Bland in conversation with Rod Skinner, Milton Academy’s Director of College Counseling
their good work ought to be recognized. Colleges ought to consider rewarding these students for what they already do, supporting the welfare of their family and their local community. Perhaps this kind of work isn’t exotic or thrilling, but it is tremendously important. CSB: As a Head of School and a former CSB student, what is the best piece of advice you could provide a CSB eighth grader applying to high school? TB: Things have a way of working out. The path is not always linear: you’ll move, you’ll shift, but things tend to work out. What a student does with where he goes is much more important than where he goes. What matters most, of course, is that the school he chooses is a good fit for him. Sure, it’s hard not to be distracted by school ratings and where other students have gone, but don’t let those details get you off track. The central experience of students and families who are happiest in this process is that the parents have listened to their children and their own instincts as they explore. Many different good schools exist, and at least one of those schools will be the perfect fit for you. Visit and explore all kinds of schools. Exploration is healthy and good—even if it simply affirms that your original thought was the right one. CSB: And advice for his parents? TB: My wife and I just went through the college search process with our children. We were so grateful they allowed us to take that journey with them. We had an incredible time getting to know them each a little better, while we were all thinking about what was next and what they wanted. That was a gift. My advice to parents would be to remain involved. Listen to your children, and help guide them in a way that reflects good listening. Ask them what they’re looking for and what they think. (I also tell kids to listen to their parents: Parents have a lot more to offer than students think they do!) Enjoy the ride. Parents can become so stressed out by the process—they just want it to be over. The stress is real, but there is also a lot of joy in the discovery. It will all work out: Begin with that and end with that.
Todd Bland with Milton students
18 | CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS
FALL 2016 • RED & GOLD | 19
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