This is my ninth year at Chartwell, and in that time I’ve worked with many incredible people. It isn’t uncommon for staff and faculty to work with intention and purpose with the students we see at this school every day. Often, we are so deep into our own work, we form tiny islands – dedicated to our lane and focused piece of the mission. When Danielle became Head of School, there was a fundamental shift in the way Chartwell operated. Teamwork, servant leadership, focusing on how we can all better our communication and craft came to the front.
Danielle came into the Head of School position like a breath of fresh air. I found myself gasping, not realizing how long I’d been holding my breath. Suddenly, almost instantly, it became imperative to leave our islands. To work closely, to include, to check in. She, like many great leaders, doesn’t simply bark orders or shift off tasks, but instead says “what can we do?”
My particular current role has students learning virtually from all corners of California and some far beyond that. We serve some students who are not yet ready to be in a classroom, some who prefer the virtual classroom to traditional, and some who are with us as they transition to Chartwell campus. It is a learning space that has been often overlooked and misunderstood. The need for this safe place for the students we serve is something Danielle understood and fought for with me. She supported the growth we created over the years for students without access to the campus, for many reasons. These students, as well as those of us who serve them, are seen equally as important than on campus students by Danielle.
I’ve worked with many leaders, great and otherwise. Danielle’s tenure as Head of School was a shining star in the course of my professional life. She took me in, with all my jagged, rough edges, and sought to refine me into the leader she saw in me. We did the work and I am the better for it. She makes an impact wherever she goes, and the lasting impact on those she worked with at Chartwell is a testament to the might and influence she calmly and meticulously bestows on others.
I’m beyond grateful for the five plus years that she has been the Head of Chartwell school. I’m more grateful for the many years to come that her impact, both personal and professional will continue through many of us. Much like a supernova, this star’s exit was shocking, powerful and will have rippling effects that we can’t yet foresee. I remain grateful for the light Danielle showed this community.