The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same
By Karen Mills, Founding Faculty
The more things change, the more they stay the same. This well-worn epigram—credited to a 19th-century French author and repurposed over the years in songs (thank you, Bon Jovi), movies (think The Color Purple), and every mother in the history of the world—sums up my feelings as we embark on this fifteenth year of Eastside Prep. As the other founding families and I opened the doors to our first school year in early September 2003, I had little idea what lay in store for that day much less for the next fourteen years. In the intervening time we’ve added buildings, teachers, students and their families, curriculum, teams, adventures, events … every year brings changes, all intended to keep the community engaged, learning, and progressive.
Yet even with these major changes, I can always rely on a few things staying the same. There’s the same scramble before the first day of school: are my lessons ready for tomorrow? Is my classroom welcoming? Did I spell my student’s names correctly on the seating chart? Is it really possible to be this nervous after teaching for fifteen years? There’s also something less tangible and much more foundational that remains: the EPS spirit. Not the rah rah spirit of high school football games, but rather our spirit of innovation that started with our determined founding trustees and families and continues to inspire us today. Our spirit of community. Of inclusion. Of helping students create a better world. This same EPS spirit has guided our community since 2003, and I can count on the fact that it will endure as we continue to grow and welcome change.