The composition of this letter is a col lection of thoughts and feelings that I have already shared, and some that I have not to this point. Please know that this letter is from my heart. First, I am moved by the kind words and supportive actions on the part of so many staff and community. I have had some time to digest the events of the past two and a half weeks and wanted to write, as I am aware that you have not yet heard from me regarding my reasons for my decision to become the principal of the Oak Bluffs School. Please share my thoughts with your children if you feel it is appropriate. I wish for them to know of my reasoning as well.

We are asked to help with things every day, large and small. Our natural inclination is to be helpful where and when we can. A little over two weeks ago, the superintendent, Dr. James Weiss, approached me and asked me if I would help the Oak Bluffs School by accepting an appointment as that school’s principal. I did not seek the Oak Bluffs School. I did not apply for the Oak Bluffs principal position. At the time, I did not wish to leave the Tisbury School.

In less than a week, from June 17 when I was first approached by Dr. Weiss, to June 23, when John Custer and I both accepted Dr. Weiss’s appointments, I considered many things. My decision to leave, however, did not involve weighing the pros and cons. There is no pay raise that I will receive, no extra incentives involved, this was not a matter of choosing the Oak Bluffs School over the Tisbury School. I considered the stresses that my decision would cause for my family and the Tisbury School. In the end, my choice came down to should I help or not help.

I don’t want to leave what I have here, delightful children, supportive parents, a talented staff, enthusiastic volunteers, a dedicated school advisory council, a very caring school committee, and professional town administration and staff. I have voiced my sadness over leaving people that I have come to love. Some might interpret my reluctance to leave the Tisbury School as my being forced to go to the Oak Bluffs School. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am choosing to go to the Oak Bluffs School because I have been asked to do so in a manner that inspires confidence in me that I can be of real help to the children of another town, though in my eyes, they are the children of the same community, that of our Island’s school system.

While we may not know the 400 children in the Oak Bluffs School, they are no different than our children at our school. I feel they deserve the help of somebody. I am honored that Dr. Weiss believes that I am the right person to help by leading that school. As I already mentioned, I have not been compelled by anyone to go to the Oak Bluffs School. Rather, I have been compelled by the circumstances at that school. Leaving the Tisbury School was my extremely difficult choice. I do regret and accept that my selfishness in deciding to go has had a profound impact on our school community and on our children in particular.

Being so closely involved, I can tell you that Dr. Weiss did not think one-dimensionally in asking me to go to the Oak Bluffs School. He considered other options and what the impact would be at that school with certain people leading it. He also considered the impact on the school that the new leader would be leaving. He determined that our school is the most healthy, and therefore, most able to weather this type of change. This is a testament to our entire staff, John Custer in particular. In Dr. Weiss’s eyes, not only am I the right person to lead the Oak Bluffs School; John is the right person to lead the Tisbury School.

I have been at the Tisbury School for nine years. I love our school, and I feel a tremendous responsibility here. My calling is like that of so many others in education and in our community, to help where we can. I have helped the Tisbury School by initiating effective change that will endure, by hiring the right people, and by setting a culture of support. In the end, however, it has never been I alone who carried out this support. It has been the staff, the children, and parents of our school community. I am very proud and appreciative to have been a part of this.

I realize many of you are sad and even angry over my choice and actions. The relationships that I have made with this community are extremely important to me. I know and regret that I have jeopardized those relationships. I hope that you will understand that while I feel guilty over the pain that my decision has caused, I must steadfastly maintain that it is the right thing to do. Of the many things that are good about our school, the most noteworthy is our propensity to help. That is what I have been asked to do, and in essence that is what our entire school community has been asked to do. I selfishly accepted this task for all of us.

I will cherish my memories of the Tisbury School and I thank you for your tremendous support throughout the past nine years. I am comforted to know that this is a small Island and I will bump into many of you. When I do, it is my hope that you will still think of me as fondly as I will always think of you.

Tisbury School principal Richard Smith circulated this letter to the Tisbury school community on Tuesday this week. Mr. Smith takes over as principal of the Oak Bluffs School on August 1.