I’m reading Setting the Table by Danny Meyer. It’s a book about leadership through hospitality, but the idea applies far beyond restaurants. He shares this:

“Within moments of being born, most babies receive the first four gifts of life: eye contact, a smile, a hug, and some food. We receive many other gifts in a lifetime, but few can ever surpass those first four. That first time may be the purest ‘hospitality transaction’ we’ll ever have, and it’s not much of a surprise that we’ll crave those gifts for the rest of our lives.”

That stopped me. Those first four things (eye contact, a smile, a hug, and food) are the foundation of trust and belonging.

That’s what we try to recreate here at St. Thomas More. Not just on tours, but every day.

We believe that’s where Catholic education begins with presence, warmth, and care. Every student deserves to feel safe, known, and loved before we even start teaching. Hospitality isn’t a department or a program. It’s who we are (from the front office to the playground to the classroom).

We’ve seen the difference this makes. Since the start of the school year, our enrollment has grown by 31%. That’s not because of flashy marketing. It’s because word is spreading: this place feels different.

We also take inspiration from Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. He says:

“Service is black and white; hospitality is color.”

You can get a solid education in a lot of places. But what about a place where your child is seen, where your name is remembered, where your family is welcomed? Where your child isn’t just prepared for high school, but for a meaningful life?

That’s what we’re working on here.

We know it’s not perfect, and we’re not trying to be. But we’re building a school where faith, learning, and belonging are taken seriously. Where what we say in our mission (to know your child, love your child, and prepare your child) shows up in how we treat people.

If that sounds like what you’ve been looking for, I invite you to come and see it for yourself.
Check out our website, send us your questions, or schedule a visit. We’d be glad to welcome you.

We’ll smile, say hello, maybe share a snack, and mean it.

With gratitude and hope,

Rich Hernandez
Principal
St. Thomas More School