A Look at the Head of School Transition
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The Lake Forest Academy SPECTATOR VOLUME 98 NUMBER 4 1500 WEST KENNEDY ROAD, LAKE FOREST, IL 60045 FEBRUARY 7, 2020 NEWS A&E SPORTS Look back at the 2010s: From 1D to “Fine Line,” Hannah Liu ‘21 reflects on from changes in Lake see Harry Styles’ her time on the LFA swim Forest Academy to global evolution as an artist and team and on pursuing her trends that shaped the as an individual in this own Olympic dreams in decade. A&E feature. this profile on page 10. page 2 page 3 page 10 A look at the Head of School transition By Angelina Chan cluding the Presidents and Heads Editor-in-Chief of School of Lake Forest College, Woodlands Academy, as well as As Lake Forest Academy moves leaders from Academy Woods into the next decade, the Head of and North Chicago Community School, José De Jesús, is already Partners. looking ahead toward its future. To De Jesús, these conversations “At a time where there’s a lot of have been a way to “get to know change in our country and in our more about what is going on in world, in the way that we educate, our community… and seeking to there’s an excitement that [LFA] get to know them, where there is is really a great place to be, but connective tissue and where we also an energy around it, as we could work together, and get a ask ourselves, ‘okay, what can we better sense of where Lake Forest do better, what can we do to en- Academy fits in.” hance the experience of our stu- “People have been tremen- dents,” he expressed, reflecting dous- really generous,” he noted. on his takeaways from his Head “They’ve answered my questions, of School Entry Plan. they’ve given me perspective, Introduced to De Jesús by his and they help me out with every- previous boss thing from where at Parker Colle- to get a good hot giate, the Entry dog, to what to Plan resulted in “At a time do with our pup- more than 100 where there’s a py, to more seri- interviews of ous things-- like Academy faculty lot of change in the politics of the Photo by Angelina Chan and staff, finding area, or getting our country and As Lake Forest Academy’s 30th Head of School, José De Jesús- as highlighted in his Transition- has numerous visions for LFA’s diverse perspec- a better sense of future. tives on topics in our world... what is happen- being acquainted with all the as- best teach students, how to bridge “That’s part of my work too, is from all aspects there’s an excite- ing in our com- pects of the school, but the second some of those divides that exist, focusing on how all those differ- of LFA. ment that [LFA] munities that’s part is that I feel the support and and how to build those connec- ent pieces of programming and “Speaking to affecting us.” the partnership tions-- something curriculum can come together a wider range of is really a great However, these of members of that I think LFA more and work together more people allowed place to be. discussions are our community does really nice- to serve student experience, and for me to get a only one part of that are involved I’m still in ly,” explained then ultimately to graduate the better sense of De Jesús’ larger in [the Head of “ De Jesús. “I’ve students that could have these a picture of the ” Transition Plan. School Transi- been impressed terrific skills and abilities that I school,” said De Jesús. “It real- Also included are dozens of items tion] committee.” the phase with how our think can really impact our soci- ly helped me appreciate the jobs planned on the 12-page Transition One theme De community can ety,” he described. “That’s what’s that everybody in the school does Matrix document, created by the Jesús seeks to where I’m come together, very exciting to learn about, [of] to make it work. Everything is Board’s Transition Committee, highlight is LFA’s so how can we all we’re doing and how we can interconnected. For your student comprising trustees, faculty, par- focus on commu- learning. do that even bet- take that to the next level.” council to work, for any student ents, and alumni. The document nity. From the ” ter? How can we And his hopes for the LFA grad- receiving financial aid to receive detailed - among many others- an Office of Plural- learn more about uate in the next decade? the financial aid, for anyone who overview of the LFA education ism and Multicultural Affairs and each other?” “Imagine a graduate in ten is a dorm parent that is caring for model, pointers on budgeting and Global Concentration, to commu- However, De Jesús is still assess- years… who has grown, who has [the students]... all those pieces finances, and even a section on nity dialogues, the Stuart Center’s ing how to accomplish many of learned to be themselves, their require a lot of people to [accom- welcoming De Jesús and his fam- work, and everything in between, his goals for LFA’s coming years. best selves, has been part of a plish].” ily to campus and to Lake Forest. LFA has sought to “bring peo- “I’m still in the phase where I’m community that believes in look- Among that interconnectivity “At this point, I’ve completed ple together in different ways… learning,” he emphasized. With ing out for each other, caring for were individuals working “be- every single item [on the Transi- where a lot of us have different plans to help raise school spirit one another, accepting one anoth- hind-the-scenes” such as those tion Matrix] that isn’t in the fu- backgrounds.” and determining what else could er,” envisioned De Jesús. “That from the Business, Advancement, ture,” he added. “That has been “One of the things I’m hoping be improved upon in a yearlong would be pretty amazing, to have and Admissions Offices who still really helpful for a couple of rea- to do is help bring together all “self-study,” along with the ideas that faith in community, that faith play integral roles in the school; sons-- one is [that] it holds me these different pieces that exist, from his Entry Plan conversa- in diversity, [and] that belief in and meeting with organization accountable to make sure that I and put them together more, and tions, De Jesús certainly has im- excellence.” leadership outside of LFA-- in- am doing these things, and I am actively think about how we can portant tasks to undertake. THE SPECTATOR 2 News FEBURARY 7, 2020 Reminiscing about the 2010s: A retrospective view of the decade By Nate Koh redone, and the Corbin and Korhumel by fans than Marvel movies. It wasn’t all Notable faces that won’t be seen on the sil- Mandging Editor of Op-Ed Academic Buildings being modernized. good for fans of Star Wars and Marvel, ver screen again include British actor and The sheer volume of these enhancements however, because there was a tragic loss portrayer of Harry Potter’s dynamic char- The 2010s have been a time of great to the campus is quite daunting when one in each community. Carrie Fisher and Stan acter, Snape, the great Alan Rickman, and change, both inside Lake Forest Acade- considers it was all done so recently. All of Lee left their marks on millions of people. the effervescent and once omnipresent co- my and outside of it. Both Ferry Hall and these have been major developments that It was also a great decade for music, with median, Robin Williams. There were also the Academy have seen their 150th an- have greatly improved the quality of life projects that combine a variety of influenc- pioneers in spaceflight that will be sorely niversaries, trends have come and gone, and student experience at the Academy. es dominating the charts. Very recently, Lil missed, like the first man on the moon, and LFA has seen a major change in ad- Franchises have dominated the box of- Nas X’s “Old Town Road” featuring famed Neil Armstrong, the first American to orbit ministration. The Spectator has also seen fice throughout the 2010s. The early sec- country singer Billy Ray Cyrus topped Earth, John Glenn, and the first American changes in leadership, with the retire- tion of the decade began with the most vi- the Billboard Hot 100 list for 19 weeks woman in space, Sally Ride. In technol- ment of Mr. Bill Murphy to Mrs. Mandy ral videos ever seen, with Gangnam Style straight; the mix of country music, trap, ogy and science, Steve Jobs passed away Krause taking the helm of the Academy’s being the first video to ever top 1 billion and hip hop sparked controversy when and Stephen Hawking now rests in peace. student publication. This decade has been views on Youtube in 2012. Also present Billboard removed it from the Country Top Even though pioneers in spaceflight have filled with ups and downs, but the prog- that year was The Avengers, making a big 100. Drake spent 431 weeks—almost 85% passed on, the 2010s represented a series ress that has been made technological- splash into popular culture after Iron Man of the decade—with a song somewhere on of truly historic moments in commercial ly is incredible, from launching cars into 1 & 2 had shown that there was a real de- the Hot 100 list.