Space Matters
They say time changes everything, but I would argue that space does too.
As a kid, I loved rearranging my bedroom. Something about putting my bed on a different wall or shifting my dresser and desk to face a new window brought the thrill of a whole new room. Even now, as an adult, while my furniture tends to stay put, I’m constantly moving around my art — pairing different pieces together, adding something here, taking something away there. Every small shift gives the room a little spark of new life.
I've tried this at school too. A switch of my desk, swapping out a few chairs — even small changes help make each new school year feel like a fresh start. But after four years in my office (the same office every head of school has occupied — well, the only office that's ever been held by the heads here), I was starting to get antsy.
On top of the familiarity of the room, I found myself stuck in a familiar routine — and not one I was loving. The head’s office was located right by the front office. On paper, that had some advantages, but in practice? I was right next to the nurse’s station, the kitchen and coffee area, the front desk (with its ever-ringing doorbell)… you get the idea. Despite the constant presence of people either popping into my office or chatting just outside it, I was actually feeling isolated. It was easy to come in each morning and immediately get swept into conversations with staff and faculty making their daily coffee stop. One meeting or question would lead to the next. If I heard someone I'd been needing to catch up with at the front desk, I could just yell from my office: “Hey, got a minute?”
But one day it hit me: I wasn't actually getting out.
So I moved.
A couple of years ago, we had converted a smaller workspace into a combination reception and conference room. It wasn’t ideal — tucked around the corner on the second floor, it was awkward for visitors to find. But you know what it did offer? A space right in the heart of the school. Not great for easy visitor access, but maybe — just maybe — perfect for the head of school.
The day before spring break, I packed up my office and made the switch. Reception moved into the old head's office (which, bonus, has one of the few exterior windows downtown!), and I set up camp in the former reception space. I emailed faculty to let them know I'd be testing it out through the end of the school year. If it didn’t work, I could always move back over the summer.
Spoiler alert: it’s been a game-changer.
Not only has the fresh space given me a mental reset (where I often do my best strategic thinking!), but I find my time in the office is more focused and uninterrupted. Meanwhile, my “drive-by” traffic is now more student-centered, and I’m out in classrooms and hallways far more often.
One of my favorite definitions of innovation is the disruption of an organization’s habits — and the reconstruction that follows. In both my personal and professional life, I try to remind myself that disruption doesn't always have to be big and flashy. Sometimes it's the small shifts that change the flow of the river.
A move down the hall? Not exactly life-changing. But for me, it’s been life-giving.