Listening, Learning, and Building Trust

9/18/2026

By: Regina Hardatt, Lower School Division Director

Starting a second year as Live Oak’s lower school division director feels different. It feels like a gift to know Live Oak better, as I understand more about what matters to our community and I have a clearer sense of where we can continue to grow.

One of my earliest observations was how deeply our teachers care about their students and their craft. In my first weeks at Live Oak, I remember watching teachers plan together for orientation and seeing the collaboration, creativity, and care that went into welcoming students. Throughout the year, I saw the benefits of our co-teaching model, particularly the opportunities it creates for teachers to collaborate and meet students where they are. I also saw the value of having a faculty with a range of experiences, where the enthusiasm and fresh perspectives of newer teachers can work alongside the expertise of those who have been teaching for many years.

I spent much of my first year listening, learning, and building trust. I wanted to understand not only how our lower school operates, but what emerged as distinctly “Live Oak.” Live Oak has a foundational belief that everyone belongs and everyone can learn. Our students develop their agency early and are encouraged to question and advocate. Both our students and faculty embody the spirit of lifelong learning.

At the same time, part of leading a strong school is continually asking how we can get better. My years as a classroom teacher continue to shape how I approach that work. Last year, I made it a priority to spend time with students, including stepping back into teaching small groups myself. Staying close to the classroom keeps me grounded in what we are asking of teachers and what students experience each day. It also informs how I think about the systems and structures that support great teaching.

This year, you will see some of that reflection taking shape. One visible change is our move from a rotating calendar to a more consistent Monday through Friday schedule. Predictable routines help students know what to expect and settle more easily into the rhythm of their week. Behind the scenes, we are also refining how we look at student work, talk together about student learning, and use what we know to determine next steps.

We are also working toward greater clarity and alignment across grades. What skills and content knowledge do we want students to develop by the end of each year? What habits and mindsets should they carry forward? How do classroom learning, field trips, and other experiences connect to those goals? These are questions that help us build on the strengths of our program while continuing to raise our expectations for what students can do. Our teachers have embraced this work with curiosity, including bringing learning from professional development directly back into their classrooms.

Some of these changes will be easy for families to see. Others happen quietly through the way we structure meetings, plan instruction, assess learning, and make sure students are known and supported. All of them are grounded in the same goal: to build a lower school program that reflects what we value: a school environment for each student to learn, grow, and truly be known.

At Back to School Night next week, you will hear more from teachers about what this looks like within your child’s classroom, including the routines and structures that support learning throughout the day.

I am excited to begin this second year with a much deeper understanding of our community and with optimism of what’s to come. Most of all, I am grateful to do this work alongside teachers who know our students well, care deeply about them, and remain committed to becoming even better at what they do.

In partnership,

Regina Hardatt

Lower School Division Director

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Listening, Learning, and Building Trust

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