Making It Official
Trustees join the campus community in welcoming Blossom Beatty Pidduck to her new role.
Phyllis Johnston referred to it as a coronation. Technically it was an investiture. But for everyone present, it was simply a warm welcome on a beautiful Ojai Friday afternoon and a chance for a school and its new head to celebrate their mutual good fortune.
Friday, October 5, the Thacher community officially welcomed Blossom Beatty Pidduck CdeP 1992 as Thacher’s ninth head of school. The Thacher Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students and a few guests attended the evening which featured memories, a view into the future, and a food truck picnic.
The celebratory evening included comments by Cabot Brown CdeP 1979, the board chair, Phyllis and David Johnston, former Thacher teachers, and Blossom. Cabot shared the “splendid attributes” that the succession committee identified in Blossom during the head of school search: “your intellect, your ability to elevate how we all think about teaching and learning, your drive, love of this place, empathy, moral fortitude, zeal for life, and commitment to the values we hold dear.”
Following Cabot’s comments, the Johnstons spoke. Phyllis listed the many ways she has known Blossom—student, colleague, and boss—and reflected that this is the nature of Thacher; people grow and shift and develop new iterations of themselves. Attendees were moved to hear teacher comments from Blossom’s time as a Thacher student that foretold this new role. David shared a comment from her advisor, H. Boyd (Bo) Manson, “Blossom manages to lead people without making them feel like followers.”
Next, it was Blossom’s turn to speak. She expressed gratitude to the many who played a role in bringing her to this day: her family, her teachers, mentors, and colleagues, Thacher staff and students, and the board. And she spoke about “celebrating the beginning of Thacher’s next chapter.”
“Uncertainty is the reality in which we all live,” said Blossom. “Accelerated change is our constant. To thrive in this world we must be flexible and resilient, committed to growth and deeply adept at communicating, connecting, and working with those around us, especially those whose experiences and perspectives are different from our own.” “We have the opportunity in this next chapter for Thacher,” she continued, “to double down on the values and commitments that define us, to truly walk the Thacher talk.”
Following the speeches, all stood to sing The Banquet Song before following a wave of sprinting students over to the McCaskey Commons for food trucks and a picnic dinner.
More About Thacher
Interested in learning more about Thacher? Sign up for a virtual visit here.
A college preparatory boarding school for grades 9-12
Notice of nondiscriminatory policy as to students: The Thacher School admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other School-administered programs.