Mr Chalmers Talks Legacy

Good Morning, Brentwood!

I am thrilled to be back on campus to see all of you again - and being on campus, I am reminded of just how amazing a place it is. The people are incredible, the facility is beautiful, the FOOD is fantastic … I am going to love cookie break each morning.

For this visit I was able to bring my family - my wife Jen and daughter Sophie are out in the audience - and Liza, who is getting ready to be a Grade 12 student here, spent last night in Hope House, getting a full sense of what’s in store for her. I think I speak for all of us when I say how grateful we are for the warm Brentwood welcome you have shown us.

On that note, let me say a big thank you also to Mr Patel for - well, for everything. For hosting, for sharing his insight, his wisdom, and his humour. I even noticed on Instagram that he impersonated me for a “Dress as your Favourite Staff Member” Open House that Hope House hosted back in February … I am flattered.

In thinking of what to talk about, I wanted to start with a question: I wonder how familiar you are with the phrase “Choose to Be”? 

I raise the question because you have chosen to be here at Brentwood and I want you to know that so have I. Over the past year, I have done a lot of learning about the school and it’s pretty clear there’s a big focus on developing the whole person - from Brentwood’s dedication to great academics to its commitment to making sure everyone has a chance to explore the arts and athletics … there’s a lot happening here at Brentwood. And in all of it, there are chances to be a part of something big - whether it’s a team, or a production like A Chorus Line, Regatta, an art show or a musical performance, people here are a part of something bigger than themselves.

And so the other thing that has become clear to me is that being here means being a part of something pretty special - the Brentwood community. I can tell that it’s unique - and I can’t wait to learn more about that uniqueness in the years to come. 

When I was here back in January, Mr Patel asked the Grade 12s to give me some advice and, on the whole, they gave me some good tips. But one message that came through loud and clear over and over again was to be myself: that emphasis on striving for authenticity really spoke to me and it helped me understand something about what you value about this school - that it’s a school where you can be yourselves, together.

You have chosen that - you have chosen to be a part of that.

So the other thing I want to talk to you about, which is something I have been thinking about for myself, is one’s legacy. 

The last time I started a new job at a new school was quite a while ago - about 26 years ago… I can tell you at that time I did not think about my legacy. 

Anyway, according to the Oxford dictionary, legacy means “the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. of a person’s life.”

I have been thinking about what my long-lasting impact may be at Brentwood and I want to encourage you to do the same. In a 100-year-old school like Brentwood, I think it is so important to recognize that there is a long history that precedes you and that the school will live on long after you have graduated or moved on. 

In other words, I think it is important that we, all of us, honour the past because that is what got us here, but in a rapidly changing world, we also need to think about the future.

Mr Burton, who I think you all know, told Liza that he always talks to new students about how many weeks they have at Brentwood. He does this because he recognizes how quickly the time goes and he wants everyone to get the most out of their time here. For Liza, she gets about 40 weeks. For those of you who are Lifers, you get 200. That is it. You will get, at most, 200 weeks to take full advantage of everything this school has to offer and to leave your mark. 

And so, I have some homework for you - yes, as an educator I cannot go without assigning some homework. I want you to think about the legacy you leave at this amazing school and in this outstanding community. What positive mark will you leave on this community as you make your way through your time here? If you are graduating, or not returning in September, I hope you will think of how you can spend your final weeks - in amongst your APs, final exams or summatives. For everyone who will be back in September, I challenge you to think about how you will spend your time next year. I know that’s what I will be doing.

I am looking forward to working with all of you to create our shared legacy as we continue to nurture and grow this amazing community where we choose to be.

I hope you have a great end to the school year, and a fabulous and adventurous summer. I will see most of you here in September.

Mr Garth Chalmers