Head of School

Milton’s Legacy: A Community That Embraces a Diversity of People and Ideas

“Milton is a school facing the street.” Headmaster William L.W. Field said this in 1942, and it’s still true today—literally and figuratively. Milton Academy, unlike many of its peer schools, is not cloistered at the end of a long driveway. Our campus is instead eagerly open to neighbors who walk their dogs, play tennis on our courts, run our track, and sled in the winter. We are less than a mile from the Boston city limits, giving our students access to all the fun, culture, and opportunities of a major metropolitan area, and from certain vantage points, we can see the harbor and the world that stretches beyond. We also “face the street” in our approach to welcoming new people and ideas.

Since I was named head of school in June 2022, countless people have reached out to welcome me back to Milton. I am always touched by these moments. As our students are aware, my favorite word is “community,” and I can think of no better indicator of the quality of a community than our open-hearted embrace of each new member.

In a world where so many schools look the same, Milton is deliberately unique. For generations, our school has been intentionally different—and much of that difference comes from recognizing that each individual adds to a spectacular mix of personalities and interests. Inspired by our motto, “Dare to be true,” we have held fast to the notion that an exceptional education does not have to be a cookie-cutter one. Living by our school’s values means we are unafraid to forge our own path and to explore life’s unknowns.

We’re not strictly a boarding school. We welcome students both from the streets surrounding our campus and from streets crossing other parts of the world. This anchors our students with a sense of home and expands their understanding of the rich variety of identities and cultures in our increasingly global society.

We were one of the first independent schools to embrace integration. And not only that, we were committed to doing it thoughtfully. While we have certainly made plenty of mistakes on our journey to a more inclusive, equitable, and just community, we have been a leader in this work. Our Transition program, now 41 years old, demonstrates Milton’s awareness that welcoming students of color to a predominantly white institution requires a great deal of thoughtfulness and humility. We hear over and over that this program has helped students build lifelong friendships and a necessary sense of belonging.

Unlike the majority of our peer schools, Milton has been explicitly and historically committed to the education of girls since our founding in 1798. Our commitment has been not only to girls’ education, but also to a deep belief in female leadership—both here on campus and beyond.

As I mentioned above, I am among the many grads that Milton has welcomed back. Lots of our teachers, coaches, and staff members share a connection with the school that has called them to return. Our broader network has been outstanding in its support of current students and younger graduates, volunteering to speak on campus and serve as mentors, and offering internships and life-changing opportunities, inviting the next generation to the world beyond campus.

If you are a Milton alum, you are welcome on Centre Street. I hope you will attend your Reunions or a Milton event near your home. Visit campus and reminisce among our beloved older buildings, walk through our new Reflection Garden outside Apthorp Chapel, and see some of the state-of-the-art learning spaces we have added since you last spent time here.

And although our theme—in these pages and on campus—is “welcome,” this issue is also a farewell, as our wonderful Milton Magazine editor, Sarah Abrams, begins her well-deserved retirement. Sarah has given the magazine an appropriately “Milton” treatment: preserving the high-quality storytelling we have always loved while ushering in a new, award-winning design. I hope you will join me in thanking her for her vision and care for Milton.

Here, you will find stories of Milton people who have dedicated their lives to the needs of others: professionals who work in hospitality and medicine, welcoming and shepherding folks through the highs and lows of the human experience with compassion and kindness. You’ll also read stories of those on campus who are constantly thinking beyond themselves, sharing their joys and inspiration as well as their expertise and advice, making our school—and our world—a better and more welcoming place.

Milton is not a community that leaves you after your four (or seven, or thirteen) years in orange and blue. We welcome you, always. We face the street.

Alixe Callen ’88 is Head of School at Milton Academy.