A Message from HMI’s New Head of School Sam Critchlow
Dear HMI Community,
Greetings from elevation 10,152’! I have been in Leadville for two weeks now, meeting HMI staff and Summer Term students, getting moved in, and settling into my role as Head of School.
As you may know, this is my second time moving to Leadville. I first came to HMI in 2007 as a recent college graduate, drawn by the strong wilderness program, close community, compelling mission, and beautiful setting. I was an inexperienced backpacker and a novice math teacher, and was firmly destined for the “never-ever” ski group. As I do now, I felt incredibly lucky for the opportunity to work alongside an immediately impressive group of people, and with such compelling students. Over the next four years, I would develop a deep love for the HMI community, for the many weeks and miles spent on trail, and most importantly, for teaching (telemark skiing and I still share an uneasy relationship). It was at HMI that I discovered teaching as a calling, and education as a career.
I departed HMI in 2011 and went on to work at a variety of schools: public and private, K-12 and higher education, in a succession of teaching and leadership roles. Now back in Leadville, I could not be more excited and honored to return to this place that has remained the single strongest reference point in my personal and professional life, informing my educational practice and interpersonal relationships alike.
Since I left HMI over a decade ago, the school has changed noticeably, growing impressively in enrollment, programs, facilities, and institutional maturity. Our alumni group, deep in number and insight, have emerged as a powerful asset to the school. Our campus has expanded in thoughtful and strategic ways. Gap, Summer Term, and other programs complement the semester school, and the campus is abuzz year-round. A larger and more diverse group of students experience joy, discovery, and camaraderie each year. I, too, return as a changed person, informed by a range of personal and professional experiences over the years. Despite this mutual growth and change, returning to campus very much feels like coming home.
As I step into this role, I am deeply grateful for the work of my predecessors: founders Molly and Christopher Barnes, Danny O’Brien, and the school’s most recent leader, Amy Roberts. I feel incredibly fortunate to call these folks colleagues and friends, to follow in their deep footprints, and to build upon the solid foundations of their work. Likewise am I thankful for the thoughtful, dedicated stewardship HMI’s Board of Trustees has shown over the years. My special thanks go out to Mo Copeland, Whitney Leonard, and Storbeck Search for leading the process that brought me back to HMI. And to the incredible staff and leadership team on the ground, thank you for your dedicated efforts to keep our many programs running smoothly through this transition.
My aim is to spend the coming months getting to know my new colleagues as well as the broader HMI community that keeps this school in their hearts. Meeting hundreds of HMI alumni at our 25th anniversary in June was a personal highlight of the past year; I look forward to meeting even more members of our community in the coming weeks, months, and years. To that end, look for an announcement soon for my “Meet the New Head” tour this fall, during which I hope to connect with many of you.
I feel incredibly fortunate for this opportunity, and to be (re)joining such a compelling and impactful community. I encourage you to reach out and connect at any time, and for any reason.
HMI Semester Affinity Spaces
25-YEAR REUNION