The Pursuit of Thinking Deeply

Years ago, when I was completing my doctoral work at Vanderbilt University, I spent long hours poring over research on leadership, diplomacy, and presidential politics. I vividly remember one particular summer—nose buried in stacks of declassified government documents—when my advisor challenged me to rethink a core assumption in my dissertation. At first, I resisted. But then I went back to the work, reexamined the data, reframed the question, and returned with something stronger. That process—of reflection, revision, and discovery—left an indelible mark on me. It reshaped how I thought, how I wrote, and ultimately, how I teach.

It’s the same process I see, year after year, in the faculty at Colorado Academy.

Here, our teachers don’t simply prepare for class. They research, they rethink, they rebuild. They push themselves not to repeat last year’s lesson, but to elevate it. They wrestle with new content, challenge their own assumptions, and stay in active pursuit of what great teaching really looks like. They do what I had to do in graduate school—only they do it year after year, for the benefit of their students.

We are committed to encouraging our students to “think deeply,” a phrase that speaks to much more than test scores or college lists. At CA, excellence is rooted in intellectual curiosity, deep human connection, and a culture of purposeful growth. To think deeply means going well beneath the surface level. It means thinking critically about multiple perspectives. It means taking time to reflect on one’s own beliefs and assumptions. And, it means being able to articulate one’s views with clarity.

This summer I got to visit a high-level research institution with other heads of school from around the nation. It was a great reminder of some of the amazing things that are happening in higher education, particularly in the fields of STEM. We heard from a robotics professor as well as toured medical and science research labs. The kinds of problems these scholars and researchers are trying to solve are complex and nuanced; they bring discipline and passion to their work. The visit underscored how essential our academic program is in preparing students for the next level; in fact, three of our recent graduates are attending this particular university.

We believe that great learning happens when students are surrounded by adults who model it—who ask questions, seek feedback, embrace complexity, and remain endlessly curious themselves. Whether they’re teaching advanced calculus or Kindergarten reading, our faculty are scholars and practitioners, builders and mentors.

Our students are thinking deeply, creating boldly, and preparing not just for college, but for lives of purpose and integrity. Here, academic rigor coexists with joy, challenge is met with support, and every student is invited to discover not only what they can do, but who they want to become.

That balance—between tradition and innovation—is what makes Colorado Academy unique. Our differentiators are not surface-level slogans; they are lived values. They show up in the way our teachers continually refine their craft. They show up in the questions our students ask. They show up in the outcomes that matter most—not just college admissions, but lives marked by ethical leadership, creativity, and a desire to make an impact.

As I walk our campus in the summer, and particularly when we return in August, I see the hints of the year ahead—classrooms being reimagined, syllabi rewritten, new questions emerging. It reminds me of that moment as a student at Vanderbilt, when I was challenged to rethink and grow. That spirit lives in our faculty, and it’s passed on to our students every single day. I have spent my summer so far considering new books for my students to read and rethinking how I evaluate them. This has made my job as a teacher and a leader both challenging and stimulating as I grow with my students each year. What I have loved so much about being here is how much we all push each other to grow and take on new ideas and challenges.

At CA, the pursuit of thinking deeply isn’t just about being ready for the next lesson—it’s about cultivating the kind of thinkers, leaders, and citizens the world needs most. Thank you for being part of this extraordinary community.