Letter from the Headmaster

Dear Cascia Hall Community,

          It is out of a sense of obedience and trust that I begin a four year term as the 13th Headmaster at Cascia Hall. Cascia has been serving the Church and the Tulsa community for 92 years. We have a long and proud history, and I feel privileged to be part of it. I have spent 12 of my 21 years as a priest here at Cascia in three separate assignments. All of these years have been spent in the classroom as a teacher of Latin or theology or both. For me, teaching remains at the core of our mission, the reciprocal learning which takes place in the relationship between teacher and student or coach and athlete lies at the heart of who we are and what we do. It is in this encounter between good people that the Truth of who we are and the Truth of God’s love for us is revealed.
 
          The school is in excellent shape, due in large measure to the leadership and guidance of our former headmaster Roger Carter. The school is debt-free, our enrollment is healthy, the climate within the community is upbeat and hopeful, we have an excellent faculty and staff, and wonderful families and students. I am personally grateful to Roger for his example and his assistance during this transition.
 
          In considering our future, I see three areas of greatest need. School safety is at the forefront of our attention, and we are currently reviewing all our safety procedures and enhancing our security measures. Details will be forthcoming soon on our efforts in this regard. Secondly, facilities. We are in desperate need of space – learning space, office space, and storage space. Increased course offerings and new programs in the curriculum and in athletics, coupled with our desire to keep class size to a minimum, have resulted in the creative use of all available space on the campus. (Our theater department has even built a mechanism for storage suspended from the ceiling!) As the curriculum expands and learning styles evolve, so the physical plant needs to evolve and develop as well, while we still seek to maintain a small community. Thirdly, perhaps the most challenging area lies in the spiritual development of our community. Faith in Jesus Christ informs and pervades every aspect of what we do. Student life, school spirit, communication, respect for each other and celebration of our diversity, and outreach to those in need, both within our community and outside of it are all aspects which continually require our attention and support. These areas are at the forefront of our growth as individuals and as a faith community. Of course, there are other important areas as well. Our academic and athletic programs remain as the foundation of our success and continue to evolve as student needs change. Keeping Cascia Hall affordable and balancing expenses while responding to greater financial need are ongoing challenges.
 
          As ambitious (or daunting) as these goals appear, I am enthusiastic and hopeful about the upcoming year. I look forward to working with all of you, as together we strive to do God’s will and build His Kingdom here in midtown Tulsa.

Peace,

Fr. Philip Cook, O.S.A., Ph.D.
Headmaster
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