The School has never been stronger. Its faculty is the best. Each year its students reap honors in the classroom, on the field and in volunteer service. However, Jay and my predecessor as Chairman, Fred Haab '55, knew it was important that we not rest on our success but plan for the next quarter century, and the recently concluded Strategic Plan resulting from the active participation of over 275 alumni, faculty, students and parents, sets forth ambitious goals to keep Episcopal at the forefront of independent education in the region. The most important of those goals is to find another Jay Crawford to lead us into the 21st Century.
Many people can succeed with one or two constituencies, a few with three but even fewer with all.
Jay Crawford is one of those rare individuals whose knowledge of the traditions of the School appeals to the alumni, whose dedication to the educational process and the wonderful people who want to teach, earns the respect of the faculty and administration, whose fair and evenhanded administration of the School is respected by the parents and whose care for a succession of students is felt and appreciated by them. We are here, ergo we love teaching kids. Jay Crawford loves teaching kids. After 28 years, Jay is as enthusiastic as ever about the performance of the students in the classroom, in the theatre, in the chapel, on the athletic field and in college. He calls me at least two or three times a week to share his excitement about a concert, a win over a favored opponent, a student's chapel talk or a letter out of the blue from an alum.