I've known since — probably even before kindergarten — that I would be a teacher. I just love school. I love the energy about it. I love the pencils and the paper and the books and interacting about ideas and pushing each other to think deeply about topics that we all care about. I became a teacher right out of college and never looked back. I taught English and history, and I still teach English.

I taught for a little while and then went back and got my doctorate in education, administration and policy. Part of what I realized was that I love schools and I love the whole school. I love thinking about everything beyond just the classroom. I love thinking about the curriculum and pedagogy and all of that.

I went to public school and I started my career in public schools. There are great public schools and there are great private schools. I feel so lucky to have had the chance to work in both and to have gone to both.

Alixe is the first female head of school at St. George’s School, Newport, RI.

Sometimes when I'll introduce myself as the head of school, someone will say, "You're the head of school?" It's funny, there was this model for a long time with, in those days, the headmaster. His wife would come along, and she poured tea. (laughs) That's obviously changing as gender norms change and more women move into leadership positions. More than half of our faculty are women now.

I thought I would spend the rest of my career at St. George's. I love it here. I feel like the work we've done together on campus with the faculty and the students to build this really vibrant, diverse, exciting community — it feels funny to me to be stepping away from it. When the search committee chair from Milton Academy originally called to ask if I was interested in the position of head of school there, I said, "No. I'm so happy. I'm not going anywhere." Then I thought about it. Then at some point they called me back again.

Alixe will be leaving to serve as head of school at Milton, her alma mater.

The St. George's family: We are absolutely all connected and part of a community and see each other at games or in the dining hall or in classes or at events. Absolutely, we all live here in this community together, we all know each other, we watch out for each other.

I get to spend my day surrounded by teenagers. They're delightful and they're funny and they crack me up, the way their minds work. Some days I'm sitting in classrooms. Some days I am meeting with alumni. Some days I'm meeting with the board to figure out how we're going to pay for all of this. It draws on all different parts of my brain and it never feels boring.

I feel like I've been really lucky. I've had a very privileged and joyful life. I really do feel that way. I've gotten to do what I love. I've had time to spend with my family and to raise my kids that I might not have otherwise.

Our most important intellectual work here is helping students understand what it means to live and work in a community. How to contribute and how to be part of it, reminding them to slow down and let others’ voices be heard. I believe that if we do that well, they can go out and create that glory in the larger world. We need people who can do that. I believe that these young people, if we help them to understand the strength that they have and the ability they have to go out and make a difference, they will make a difference.

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