Cissy Lewis | Blogger: June 2017

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Pentecost

Last Sunday was Pentecost, the visitation of the Holy Spirit upon the twelve and by extension to us. The gift of the Holy Spirit is a profound gift, infusing us with the strength to do God’s will : help the poor, say our prayers, spread the gospel.

The metaphors around the Pentecost are tongues of fire, streams of water, streams of breath: all elements of the natural worlds help us understand the power of the experience. If it is a river, let it flow. If it is a wind, let it blow. If it is a fire, let it burn. In all cases, let it do it service in the spirit of God’s love.

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Hiking

I have been lucky to live in places where great hikes are readily accessible. I am also lucky to have a dog who likes the hikes as much as I do. There is, of course, the beauty of the external landscape – trees whispering in the wind, streams babbling along the path, wildflowers donning their colors, and birds chirping overhead. There is also the meditative effect of putting one foot in front of the other, as one’s internal landscape begins to echo the beauty of the external surroundings. And then, there is the easy discourse with hikers whom you pass, fellow travelers along the path. Being in nature seems to promote a gentle courtesy, a shared appreciation of the space, inviting us to tread lightly and to be respectful of one another. My dog reminds me that there are other critters along the way, as she scampers after squirrels and bunnies. The full tableau is a gift that inspires gratitude.

About Me

Cissy Lewis, an award-winning educator, has been involved in schools all of her life. As an eleven-year-old, she started her first school in Santiago, Chile, teaching reading and writing to children who had no school options. She comes from a line of educators – her mother earned a Ph.D. in political science in an era when few women were earning advanced degrees, and her grandfather taught Greek and Latin.

She started her teaching career at The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas, where she taught English in both the Upper and Middle Schools. At The Harpeth Hall School in Nashville, Tennessee, she was honored with the Best New Teacher award. At the Castilleja School, she twice received the Distinguished Teacher Award.

Cissy Lewis held leadership positions at The Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and at The Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California. At Baylor, she joined the administrative team, initially as Dean of Girls and then as Assistant Head of School, to help the school implement the transition from an all-boys school to coeducation. At Castilleja, she was academic dean, Head of Upper School, Assistant Head of School, and interim Head of School. Her responsibilities included oversight of the daily academic operations of the school, and coordinating the recruitment and hiring of new faculty. She also oversaw curricular review, the faculty evaluation system, and faculty professional growth.

Ms. Lewis attended Mt. Holyoke College and subsequently received bachelor’s degrees in both biology and English cum laude from The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. She pursued graduate studies at The Bread Loaf School of English where she received her M.A. and was honored as Class Marshall. She also earned an M.Ed. at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where she was influenced by Carol Gilligan’s groundbreaking research as reflected in her seminal work In a Different Voice, and focused on the psychology of adolescence and the education of girls.

Ms. Lewis has served on the Board of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, California, and The Carey School in San Mateo, California. She enjoys reading, hiking, yoga, and travelling.