Welcome to the Upper School
	Dear Upper School Parents,   I am pleased to be joining Norfolk Collegiate School, an esteemed educational institution that takes academic responsibilities seriously while offering an engaging curriculum and caring environment. I was impressed by the resounding dedication to evolution and improvement that was described by administrators and faculty in my early interactions with the school. There is an excitement about the possibilities for the future and for changes taking effect this school year.   This summer I have been working with administrators and faculty to take a fresh look at our programs and ask how we can improve them and sharpen our vision of the future. In fact, when I joined the upper school, the faculty and staff were already well into this process. This year, your child will feel the impact of previous years’ work with the debut of new courses in English and foreign language. Seniors will be able to pursue and explore a variety of topics in college seminar style courses. All upper school students will notice the realignment of courses to better match and complement the social studies sequence that was unveiled last year. As many of you are aware, we are proud to begin the newest of our foreign language classes: Chinese I. These new courses expand our student’s knowledge, while more fully interconnecting their classroom experiences.   Beyond academics, a key aspect of independent school life is character development, and Norfolk Collegiate School’s programs distinguish our students’ experience as it prepares them for life beyond the classroom. Clearly this is a community that provides numerous distinctive programs that emphasize embracing community responsibilities, taking initiative, striving to meet challenges and forging confidence in self and teammates. I am especially looking forward to meeting each student and watching them grow through our leadership development and community stewardship opportunities. I am happy to announce that this year we are working on a new student leadership orientation, a time when elected leaders will be invited to campus to prepare for their formal roles. In addition, we are planning enhancements to our advisory program to further enrich student life and personal development.   I fully support Norfolk Collegiate School’s educational philosophy to develop its students’ individual talents and confidences by offering varied programs and multiple avenues for authentic experiential learning. Students will continue to hone skills in the classroom, on the playing fields and within the community in a manner that inspires them to offer leadership, not only in their own communities but also throughout the world. Whether it is while completing their senior projects, competing for championships with their teams, traveling to distant lands, expanding their horizons in their classrooms or performing publicly on the stage, Norfolk Collegiate School students have the opportunity to grow in their experience to more effectively impact the world.   It is my goal to ensure Norfolk Collegiate Upper School offers a unique opportunity for young men and women to grow to become exceptional; I look forward to working as a partner with you toward its achievement.   Sincerely, Jeff Hengesbach Head of the Upper School    Jeffrey Hengesbach was most recently head of the upper school at The Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad, Cali. Prior to that appointment, he served as the academic dean of West Nottingham Academy in Colora, Md. His eighteen year academic career includes initiatives to advance quality student programming in academics, athletics and counseling.   He holds a master's degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Ariz., and a bachelor's degree with a double major in physics and math from Arizona State University in Tempe. With eighteen years of coaching, which has included leading nationally ranked individual athletes and five state championship teams in both track and field and cross-country, he brings a wide range of experiences to Collegiate. He joins the NCS community with his wife, Bonnie, and his children, Chad ('16), Peyton ('17) and Kailey ('19).