Leadership team members recently reflected upon what it is that will cause our school community to come through this COVID-19 pandemic crisis still intact and possibly even stronger. Responding individually, our collective responses can be grouped by three core values: Our Inclusive Community Is A Moravian Tradition, We Are A Community Dedicated to Our Students & Lifelong Learning, and Our Mission & Strategic Vision Guide Us to Success.

The below are our reflections on how our mission and strategic vision guide us to success and will allow us to emerge from this pandemic stronger.

We Don’t Wilt. We Rise.

I am very proud of Moravian Academy’s mission and ability to deliver that mission. I am no less proud during this era of virtual school. The mission behooves us to “encourage sound innovations [that] meet contemporary challenges while recognizing the permanence of basic human values.” Those values of human connection and community look a little different right now. They have to. But we have not suspended our duty to meet a pandemic head on with innovation, creativity, good will, and hope. It is who we are as a community: to stare down our challenges together all the while growing in mind, body, and spirit. 

- Dylan Deal, Director of Upper School

Failure, Perseverance, and Knowing When to Ask for Help

I believe Moravian Academy will emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic crisis changed, but for the better. As I’ve watched my children engage in virtual school, I’ve seen them learn to be less afraid of failure, to speak up when they need help, and to try things that are really hard over and over again until they get it right. As a school, this is what we’ve been teaching our students daily, as a community we are witnessing our students embrace these mission skills as tools they need to succeed and thrive in the world of the unknown. I had no idea the strategic vision we laid out three years ago would be so relevant so soon for my kindergartner and first grader and I am grateful we are in a community so prepared to take on unique challenges. 

- Stephanie Vasta, Director of Communications & Marketing 

The Mission Will Guide Us!

One does not need to look beyond the Culture of Curiosity to find what has sustained us through this crisis.  Our mission skills will provide guidance for our collective efforts as we face the challenging times ahead.  The students, faculty, and staff have and will need to continue to demonstrate significant resilience as we finish this academic year.  It is clear that Moravian Academy’s response has helped to maintain a sense of educational normalcy during these uncertain times. We should be proud of the care that has been demonstrated by our community.

- Manny Oudin, Director of Athletics & Physical Education

The Mission and Strategic Vision Lead the Way

Moravian Academy will weather the current health and economic crisis through a strong dedication to its mission and strategic vision. These are our roadmaps that set the path as we move forward to offer the best education possible to our students.  It is also a key ingredient in the lives of our students now and in the future as they continue to be lifelong learners.  It has been clear to me as we have crafted the online virtual school that we held true to mind, body, and spirit while incorporating the culture of curiosity.  Our commitment to the mission and the strategic vision is seen in our asynchronies and synchronism learning that we are providing such as students do their daily check-ins to the special “curioSity” days. We do not know the future as this crisis continues to unfold but we do know what our mission and strategic vision are and they will continue to center us and guide us forward. 

- Bob Zaiser, Director of Institutional Advancement