The Master’s School Head of School Welcome The Master’s School | A private, Christian, day school in West Simsbury, CT.

Greetings from The Master's School

Dear Master’s School Community,

One hundred exhilarating days! Reflecting on the first 100 days as head of The Master’s School, I am awestruck at God’s hand and filled with peace, joy, hope, and vibrant excitement. I am honored to be welcomed back to God’s school and the warm embrace and encouragement of both long-cherished and new friends. As I move forward, I continue with unshakable confidence that The Master’s School will persist vibrantly and in strength to achieve God’s purpose for His students.

As you know, I am not “new” to The Master’s School, however, I return to the school “renewed” in extraordinary ways. I first joined The Master’s School community in 2001 as a parent and a teaching assistant, and later served as a teacher, lower school director, and K-12 educational strategist. In 2016, I began doctoral studies in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education at Johns Hopkins University. In 2022, I return to God’s School with that prestigious degree in hand and more. Beyond increased capacity and confidence emerging from expanded knowledge and expertise, I return with carefully cultivated networks of strategic partners, renowned advisors, and two vital commitments.

Those two commitments? First, an urgent and enduring dedication to achieve outrageously excellent Christian education now to ensure that all students have immediate and ongoing opportunities to become who God intends them to be! The second is a commitment to institutional metamorphosis to achieve independent sustainability. Institutional metamorphosis is a “radical transformation of an institution’s structure and function,” while “preserving the institution’s DNA of fundamental beliefs, values, and principles” to achieve the fullest manifestation of institutional excellence (Gialamas et al., 2014, p. 73). Independent sustainability describes the capacity to meet institutional goals without external support both now and into the future. Taken together, these two commitments merge into a fierce resolve to develop innovative practices that strengthen The Master’s School’s capacity to independently enact its mission and achieve its vision to benefit today’s students and generations of students to come.

A worthy question—what might innovative practices enacted to achieve institutional metamorphosis look like? I hope you have caught a glimpse during the first 100 days! Examples include the cultivation of strategic philanthropic partnerships to support the immediate implementation of extraordinary programming to restore and expand Master’s School distinctives. Partnerships already established include Ethos School, Ballet Hartford, Christians in Theatre Arts, the University of Hartford School of Music, and Jackie Alexander’s Therapeutic Coaching and Executive Functioning Training. Evidence of innovations is already coming to life at The Master’s School during the first 100 days. Beyond immediately impacting student experience, partnerships provide strength “behind the scenes” across facilities, administration, development, marketing, business services, teacher and leadership development, and more. Emerging partnerships under development support extraordinary service project opportunities, student leadership development, long-term experiential project work, STEAM education, advanced environmental studies, nutritional services, athletic programming, and more.

The people of TMS must make God smile! I am awestruck by the team that God is assembling here. The level of educational preparation and experience across this remarkable group is astounding. Moreover, their energy, passion, and commitment are palpable and their impact on students is impressive. We are awestruck as we watch God assemble His remarkable team at His school for His purpose.

Speaking of His people, that includes you! If you feel a call to make a difference, for our students, greater Connecticut, or for God’s purpose here at His school, we need you as a partner, friend, volunteer, and supporter. Yes, God is amazing all on his own—yet he makes a point to use us. Consider your hand in raising the vital life of The Master’s School. Let’s join—together in partnership—to achieve outrageously excellent Christian education now to ensure that all students have every opportunity to become who God intends them to be!

Agape,

Dr. Deborah DeBisschop

Head of School and K-12 Principal

Working in partnerships to achieve outrageously excellent Christian education now to ensure that all students have every opportunity to become who God intends them to be.

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