Matt Burgy, Head of School

Dear Oakridge Family,

In the past month, I have seen so many wonderful examples of how our mission lives throughout the school. I have seen us rally around a family that suffered a great tragedy, wrapping them in our arms to console and care for them. I have seen us honor a coach, mentor, and friend, filling a church to pay our respects to a man who inspired us. I have walked the halls in the Upper School, seeing students pack lunches in an effort to help feed Arlington’s less fortunate. I have watched thrilling performances of Antigone, and heard beautiful music from our Orchestras and Choirs. And, this past weekend, I witnessed the power of how our community can help ignite a team to win not just one, but two, SPC Championships.

As I stood on the track at UT-Arlington awaiting the presentation of our trophy, I was able to see both sets of stands from a unique perspective. One across from us was beginning to have its fans filter out, while the other was filled with fans cheering with all their might. One side clearly outnumbered the other by more than double the amount of supporters. Surprisingly, that smaller crowd belonged to the smallest school in the conference (us) by a large margin. Oakridge, we are a mighty force when we put our parliament together! I witnessed the same in Houston, as we cheered on a clean sweep by our volleyball team, en route to the first SPC volleyball title in school history.

Some have questioned me this year as to why we have placed importance on creating a competitive athletic program. This is why. It’s about fully serving our mission and giving our students the opportunity to experience what it is like to learn in a high-stakes environment. It’s about giving our students the chance to learn different skills than the classroom might provide. It’s not just about winning a championship, though as an extremely competitive person, I must admit that it is nice to be on this end of things for a change.

The story of winning championships this weekend was not the only one. We don’t hear as much about our field hockey team or our cross country teams, but their unique journey is just as important to tell. While they didn’t come home with the same glory in winning, they came home with just as valuable lessons learned. It’s about community, family, and bringing us all together to experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat collectively. It’s about giving our students the chance to learn life’s lessons of perseverance, grit, and gumption in an arena different from the classroom. It’s about learning that one’s personal goals are important, but they are nothing without achieving the collective goals of all. It’s about helping children, even our biggest ones, become the best version of themselves.

This is how you see our mission being lived: “inspiring students through academic excellence, enriched by the arts and athletics.” I could not be more proud of the many examples that I have seen throughout the past few weeks.

As I exited the field, I had the chance to speak with my counterpart at Fort Worth Country Day. He told me two things: “Matt, your team is so talented and disciplined. What an amazing game! And, gosh, your community sure came out tonight and drowned our folks out. You could feel the energy coming from your side!” Well done, Oakridge, and congratulations to us all.

I hope to see you at “Mornings with Matt” on Monday, November 17th at 8AM on the Bridge. This is a time for us to get to know each other, ask me questions, and for you to gain an understanding of the Mission, Vision, and the Future of Oakridge. Please RSVP to this event.
 

With Gratitude, 

Matt Burgy
Head of School