David O'Halloran, Headmaster - Saint David's School, New York City

The following is excerpted from Saint David's Magazine, Vol. 35. No. 2: A sense of belonging, a sense of connection to something greater than oneself—the essence of brotherhood—is essential to a boy. At Saint David’s, this sense of connection, of fraternity, is something we not only encourage but also cultivate, foster, and integrate into all we do. Our mission identifies Saint David’s as “a true community known for its sense of family, compassion, and kindness.” We believe it is this development of compassion, kindness, and sense of family that builds the bonds of brotherhood and establishes a sense of connection and belonging among all our boys regardless of where they’ve come from, what they believe, or their family circumstances. “That they be good men,” the aspiration of our founders and the school’s motto, is not the province of one individual; but rather a whole-of-school commitment to every boy’s well-being.   Merriam Webster defines brotherhood as “a fellowship, ...

Orientation Day at Saint David's School (*masks removed for photo). In reflecting on last year and preparing for this one, I cannot help but recognize the bravery in this community. Mission-focused and data-driven, we safely opened early and remained open during the height of the pandemic. No small feat, it required both personal and professional bravery on the part of our teachers and staff, and trust and courage on the part of our boys and their families. We were cautious to the extent necessary, but committed to living our school’s principal mission and purpose. Our successful experience is a testament to the strength, resilience, and bravery of this community. As we embark on our school’s 71st year, Covid-19 remains with us and we will be called upon again to be brave, resilient, flexible, and strong. Although closer to normal, our new school year will not reflect a full return to pre-Covid days. It will continue to challenge and test us in ways we cannot possibly anticipate. A...

I would like to share my last Chapel talk for the year, in the form of a poem:  Three cheers for the year that was Good bye, good riddance, pip-pip Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? No play No friends No easy amends It’s been a year of stoic upends Adios, toodle-oo, so long  Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And days of auld lang syne? No singing No get togethers No swimming with pals It’s been a year of strange rationals Ciao, see you later, adieu  For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne No fun No movies No popcorn to throw It’s been a year of traveling slow Farewell, sayonara, safe travels We'll take a cup o' kindness yet, For days of auld lang syne No beach No ball No courts to compete It’s been a year of endless defeat Au-revoir, ta-ta, peace out For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne No more masks No more distance No more temperature checks We’re done with these uncertain treks No more virtual No more hybrid No more wei...

Alumnus Billy Hult '83, president and board member of Tradeweb Markets, a global leader in electronic trading, shared his business expertise and insights at Saint David’s Networking event Wednesday evening. Billy credited Saint David’s, which he said, “leads with empathy and compassion, while also being results-driven,” with having inculcated in him recognition of the importance of balancing the two in business. “I learned at an early age what it takes to succeed,” he said. He also recalled fondly his experiences in sports at the school and the many Saint David's teachers who made a positive impact on him.   In 1997, when the Internet was a new phenomenon, Tradeweb was founded with the idea that it would provide a more efficient alternative to trading treasury bonds by phone. Hult joined the company in 2001 as a product manager and directed its entrance into electronic trading of mortgages. The now publicly traded company operates in 40 markets, providing access to d...

  “True resiliency means you were able to make a bigger table for other people to see their own greatness as well. ” This key message was delivered last night by Wes Moore, CEO of Robin Hood, one of the largest anti-poverty forces in the nation, and bestselling author, combat veteran, and social entrepreneur. Mr. Moore provided a riveting, inspiring talk via Zoom for our graduating eighth graders, their parents, and the alumni/alumni parent community on resilience, this year’s school-wide theme. The evening marked the 17th annual Alumni Parents Council Lecture Series event; this year renamed for the first time in honor of alumnus Eric Wu ’14 (R.I.P.), in celebration of Eric’s short but meaningful life. Lauding the graduating class for their ability to adapt during this curve ball pandemic year, Mr. Moore observed a great lesson from this pandemic: that the only certainty in life is inconsistency, surprise, and the need to adapt. As he reflected on the unpredictability of life, Mr. ...

Kindergartners "visited" markets throughout Southeast Asia when class mom Nadia Arumugam stopped by virtually to read the book  Market Day  to Ms. Rossiter's class recently. The boys loved learning about the typical foods and wares sold in the markets of a number of countries including The Philippines, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.    The book read-aloud and discussion is an initiative by our Parents Association’s Committee on Community and Inclusion (COCI) that invites parents to read a book that shares their family’s cultural traditions. COCI is devoted to nurturing a strong sense of community among Saint David’s families, broadening all students’ knowledge of various cultures and traditions, and engaging them in activities reflecting the diversity of the country we live in. Thanks to COCI Committee Co-Chairs Maria Suarez and Kavita Dolan for creating this special, personal way for our boys to learn about the different cultures and customs of their f...

  " My barn having burned down, I can now see the Moon.”* Last week, I met with the Class of 2021—gathered together in Otto-Bernstein Theater for the first time this year as a whole class—to commend them for their incredible resilience, their scholarship, sportsmanship, creativity, and faith, before introducing a special upcoming “Adventures in New York” week we have planned for them. I opened my remarks with the quote above, fitting because Michael Collins’ passing was announced earlier in the morning. Collins was the third of three NASA astronauts who crewed the first Moon landing in 1969, and the only one who couldn’t step on the lunar surface. He was charged with orbiting it instead, ensuring the safety of his fellow astronauts. How he must have felt after a lifetime of preparation to be so close and yet so far. Not being able to walk the Moon had to be a disappointment, but Collins knew what his mission was and he did it. ...