As I enter my first year as head of school at Lesley Ellis, I have been reflecting this summer on the theme of mattering. Inspired by several articles (linked below) I have been struck, as we prepare to welcome our students, families and faculty back, by the unique role we each play in our community.

While developing a sense of belonging is an essential component to a thriving and healthy community, let’s dig into this concept of mattering further.

Belonging says, “You are part of the group.”
Mattering says, “You, just as you are, change this group for the better.”

To feel a sense of belonging is to feel an affinity for a place or situation. I want everyone to feel that way every time they walk through our doors.

Our students are not just curious minds in search of knowledge—they are whole people in search of purpose. And every lesson, every conversation, every challenge we set before them is a chance to show them: You matter here. Your questions matter. Your identity matters. Your voice matters.

Having begun my career as an English teacher, stories and metaphors hold a special place in my heart and I want to borrow from the science classroom—where we teach that matter exists in different states: solid, liquid, and gas.

Solids hold their shape. They’re grounded and stable. When a student matters, they feel solid in who they are. They don’t have to mold themselves to fit in. They can stand tall in their identity, because we’ve shown them that they are seen, valued, and needed.

Liquids adapt—they flow, they move, they find their place. Mattering helps our students move with confidence through change. They don’t lose themselves in new situations. They learn to navigate challenges, transitions, and relationships with a sense of purpose.

Gases expand to fill the space they’re given. And when students know they matter, they grow. They take up space. They ask bold questions. They stretch their thinking and their creativity, just like we hope every inquisitive, inspired learner at Lesley Ellis will.

So as we welcome our students back, let’s ask ourselves: are we creating the conditions not just for belonging—but for mattering?

Because mattering is what fuels true self-discovery. It’s what makes kindness more than just being nice—it makes it powerful. It’s what turns our anti-bias approach into action—when every child knows that their identity, their ideas, and their presence change this space for the better.

This year, let’s be the ones who help our students take form. Let’s help them be solid in their confidence, fluid in their growth, expansive in their learning.

Further reading:

To Belong is not enough: Why we must move toward mattering (Diverse Educators)

The Ecosystem of Mattering (NAIS)

The Power of Mattering at Work (HBR)