Giving Tuesday – Archway Arete

When Passion Meets Courage

If you know our Assistant Headmaster, Mrs. Mason, you know she always has a smile on her face. Can you believe that she began her professional journey in education over 10 years ago?

She began teaching at the elementary school level and took on different roles through the years. She taught here at Archway Arete, then moved into Dean of Academics, and for the last 5 years has been our assistant headmaster.

She’s a wife, mother to two children, and the host of “Noble Together,” a new podcast meant to create connections between families, one conversation at a time.

We’re sharing more about Mrs. Mason’s story and how she is following her calling today.

When I grow up…

Mrs. Mason says she remembers being captivated by her 1^st grade teacher who was kind, generous, and made her feel safe.

“I decided then and there that I wanted to be just like her,” she says.

When she was about 8 years old, Mrs. Mason started a neighborhood club where each week she taught all the kids in her cul-de-sac about an endangered species using the free WWF curriculum that was mailed to her house.

“We ate peanuts [together, too],” she says. “I guess I chose to teach because it’s always brought me joy. Being in a school feels like home. It’s definitely a calling for me, I know this is where I’m supposed to be.”

Mrs. Mason also told me how much the Arete community means to her. From the Admin, to teachers, support staff and families, she says the culture at our school is “unmatched.”

“We live by three core values at Archway Arete: Helpful, Humble, Compassionate. We hear this several times a day every day while at work, and I can say my colleagues truly embody these values,” she says.

Why a Podcast?

“I have thought about this quote from Jon Acuff a lot as I’ve launched a podcast, which was very much outside of my comfort zone: ‘Be brave enough to be bad at something new,” says Mrs. Mason.

Last year, she held a parent book club that paired well with our thematic goal, ‘Everyone is a Reader.’

“We gathered each Thursday evening and read a chapter from Sarah MacKenzie’s The Read Aloud Family… Fast forward to this year and we have a new thematic goal: ‘Be good to each other and noble together.’”

With a new thematic goal came a new book, UnSelfie by Michelle Borba. The book focuses on developing empathy in our children and provides ideas to help them succeed in a world that is all about ‘self.’

“As I pondered the idea of another parent book club I was gently, albeit consistently, encouraged by my headmaster to start a podcast [instead]. So here we are!” she says.

“Currently, we have two episodes and are working on our third. My hope for this podcast is to help parents connect first and foremost with their children, but a close second for parents to connect with other parents as well as their children’s teachers.”

Listen to “Noble Together” on Spotify, Podbean etc. and support Archway Arete through your giving. Make a monthly community investment donation today!

Thank you to those who already give.