Matt Burgy, Head of School

August 14, 2026

Dear Oakridge Family,

This week during our faculty and staff pre-planning, we had the privilege of welcoming home Cameron McLinden ’05 as our keynote speaker. Cameron shared four memories from his time as a student at Oakridge, four moments that have remained with him more than twenty years later. I won’t attempt to retell his story because it belongs to him, and he told it beautifully. But one simple and powerful idea woven throughout his message has stayed with me: You are.

Those two words resonate deeply with my own philosophy of education. I have long believed that there is an excellence in every child. Our responsibility as educators is to help each child discover that excellence, to see something within them, sometimes before they can see it themselves, and to create the relationships, opportunities, challenges, and encouragement that allow it to emerge. When we say “you are,” we are saying: You are capable. You are creative. You are resilient. You are worth knowing. You have something important to contribute. You belong here. Perhaps most importantly, we are saying, I see you. I believe in you. And I am willing to walk alongside you as you discover who you are becoming.

That is the kind of community I believe Oakridge is and must always strive to be. Our mission calls us to inspire students to seek their potential while nurturing and challenging each student on their unique journey. Every word in that statement matters. Every child's journey is different. One student may discover an extraordinary ability in mathematics. Another may find their voice on a stage, their confidence on an athletic field, their creativity in a studio, or their sense of purpose through serving others. Another may simply need someone to recognize something in them that they have not yet discovered for themselves. Our responsibility is to create a school broad enough for all of those journeys and connected enough that no child makes the journey alone.

And that is where Cameron's message became about more than our students. “You are” belongs to every person who makes up this community. To our parents, you are partners. The trust you place in us and the role you play in the life of this school matter deeply. To our alumni, you are part of our continuing story. Whether you graduated last spring or decades ago, your experiences and the lives you have built are part of the legacy of this school. To every member of our staff, you are essential. Every interaction, every welcome, every meal prepared, every facility cared for, every problem solved, and every act of kindness contributes to what it feels like to belong here.

And to our faculty and coaches, you are difference makers. One of the extraordinary things about working with young people is that we rarely know which moments they will carry with them. A conversation in the hallway, a word of encouragement after a difficult day, the decision to give a student another opportunity, a challenge offered because you see more in them than they yet see in themselves—what feels ordinary to us can become extraordinary in the life of a child.

Cameron remembered four moments from more than twenty years ago. I imagine the people who created those moments had no idea at the time how much they would matter. That is both the privilege and the responsibility of this work. Every day, the adults at Oakridge have the opportunity to help young people answer one of life's most important questions: Who am I becoming? Sometimes, the belief another person places in us becomes part of the answer.

Perhaps that is what makes a community like Oakridge so special. We are each on our own unique journey, but none of those journeys happens in isolation. A student becomes more confident because a teacher believed in them. A teacher becomes better because a colleague supported them. A family finds belonging because someone welcomed them. An alumnus returns more than twenty years later and reminds us that the moments we create today can echo through a lifetime.

So, as we begin this new school year, I hope Cameron's two simple words stay with us. You are seen. You are valued. You are capable. You are filled with potential. You are a difference maker. You belong.

And perhaps there is one more: You are Oakridge. Every student. Every teacher. Every coach. Every staff member. Every parent. Every alumnus. Every person who has helped shape this remarkable community.

You are Oakridge. And together, we are One Oakridge.

Warmly,

Matt Burgy
Head of School