Head of School

The years between three and ten shape a child more than any other stretch of life. This is when curiosity takes root, when a sense of self grows steady, when the habits of a lifelong learner are formed. Lamplighter has spent more than 70 years building the kind of environment where those years are given everything they deserve.

 

I came to this role first as a teacher. I have had the honor of building these kinds of experiences for children at some of the finest schools, and few schools understand the early years the way Lamplighter does. In 1953, Natalie Murray and Marieta "Sandy" Swain opened a small school in a North Dallas farmhouse with twenty-three students and two teachers, and a vision that young children deserved a place built around exactly who they are. That vision still guides us today, carried forward by every leader and teacher who has stood on this campus since. I am honored to stand on the shoulders of the giants who came before me, and to join such an extraordinary team of faculty and staff who bring that vision to life with our students and families every day.

 

You can feel that vision in our traditions. Students still gather in the Klyde Warren Auditorium each month for Hootenannies, and Kindergartners still learn to square dance just as the first Lamplighter students did seven decades ago. Alongside these traditions, you will find children tending the garden, caring for the chickens, finding their footing as confident readers, and experimenting with robots. Each looks different because each child is different, and Lamplighter has intentionally designed the environment each student needs.

 

I look forward to meeting you, learning your family's story, and working alongside our exceptional faculty and staff to keep Lamplighter thriving for the next 70 years and beyond. I invite you to explore our website, learn more about our traditions, and visit our campus to see the wonder of childhood in action.

 

In Lamplighter Spirit,

 

Michael Johnson, PhD
Catherine M. Rose Head of School