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Dear Families,
Welcome back to what promises to be an extraordinary year of learning and growing together.
This summer, I embarked on a journey into the research about attention and motivation—questions that have captivated economists, historians, politicians, media companies, and educators worldwide as they grapple with understanding Generation Z, roughly the age of our middle and high school students. What began as curiosity about modern learning challenges became something much more profound: Hope.
Some of the research findings challenged my thinking. I remained more curious than certain as I explored the relationship between attention and motivation, staying open to unlearning long-held beliefs. While sensational headlines proclaim the shrinking attention span of both young people and adults, the evidence reveals far more nuanced and interesting conclusions.
Two findings particularly captured my attention:
First, we aren't necessarily losing our ability to focus—we are most certainly choosing differently what to focus on. We aren't choosing podcasts over novels because we can't concentrate; we are curating content that matches our changing learning styles and interests.
Second, attention span and time-on-task are fundamentally different concepts, though they're often conflated in public discourse. What determines sustained engagement isn't an arbitrary capacity limit, but motivation. When your children are passionate about something—whether it's a video game, a social cause, or a creative project—their focus can be extraordinary and sustained.
One pattern I noticed in my conversations was deeply concerning: we seem trapped in a negativity bias about change. Too many people interpret every piece of research or polling result as evidence that we're devolving as a society or species. I understand this impulse—world events can make it feel safer to expect and prepare for the worst.
But we cannot afford to cede our shared future to our fears.
Spending the last 20 years with students has gifted me with a different perspective—what I call a positivity bias about change. This doesn't mean I believe all change is inherently good. Rather, I've witnessed firsthand that young people, and Field students particularly, possess an extraordinary capacity to dig deep, understand complex changes, and then actively problem-solve, design, and create solutions. What hasn't changed across generations is the deep, unwavering desire of young people to positively impact our world.
In recognition of this potential, and in a world where we have unprecedented power to choose what deserves our attention, I've embraced three practices that I will invite students and faculty to join me in at our first All School Meeting:
Let curiosity be your compass. Every single day presents opportunities to explore a new skill, explore groundbreaking ideas, or bring ambitious projects to life. Whether it's learning to use AI as a tool that enhances your thinking, investigating climate solutions, or creating art that moves people—chase what sets your mind on fire. In our classrooms, this sometimes means following questions where they lead, even when they take us beyond the planned curriculum.
With Yondr pouches creating sacred space from digital distractions during the school day, we're transforming those reclaimed moments into fuel for imagination and reflection. Students’ daydreams and mental wanderings aren't meaningless downtime—they're the birthplace of innovation, insight, and creative breakthroughs. We're teaching them to value both focused attention and the equally important practice of letting their minds roam free.
We're encouraging students to break routines, seek out new voices at lunch, and engage genuinely with classmates who challenge their thinking. When we truly see and hear one another—especially those whose experiences differ from our own—we create the foundation for courageous conversations about the issues that matter most. These relationships become the bedrock for navigating disagreement with grace, wisdom, and mutual respect.
Focusing on these practices reminds us that school has always been as much about developing character and capabilities as it is about mastering content. In our rapidly changing world, the ability to think critically, adapt creatively, and connect authentically with others isn't just valuable—it's essential.
We face a fundamental choice in how we frame this moment for your children. We can position them as victims of a fractured, overwhelming world, or we can recognize them for what they truly are: architects of tomorrow, equipped with tools and perspectives previous generations never possessed.
Our commitment as educators extends far beyond traditional academics. We're dedicated to helping students acquire deep knowledge while developing resilient thinking and creative problem-solving skills. We're fostering their ability to engage with complexity, ambiguity, and change with confidence and an appropriate amount of anxiety.
Your partnership in this mission is vital. At home, I invite you to celebrate your child's questions, even when they're inconvenient. Make space for their big ideas and bold experiments. Support their authentic connections with peers who challenge and inspire them. Together, we can model what it means to approach uncertainty with curiosity rather than fear, and change with hope rather than resignation.
As a school that dares to meet the moment, we don't just welcome discussions about the issues our students care most deeply about—we celebrate and cultivate them. We're equipping students with the intellectual tools, emotional intelligence, and moral courage to engage thoughtfully and fearlessly in the conversations that will define their generation and shape our collective future. My unwavering focus remains on our mission: empowering students to discover their authentic selves and distinctive paths to become empathetic, creative thinkers who will act boldly to shape our shared future.
With deep gratitude for the opportunities that await in the 2025-2026 school year,
Lori
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