Thank you, Carl.
Although Carl Sabatino has left the building, hopefully enjoying life in his home in Hawaii, what he has built in Los Angeles, Seattle, and in the world, remains stronger than ever thanks to his vision, energy, and often sheer willpower. He rebranded Bridges Academy from a niche school in a dentist’s office to an international flagship for innovative education.
Under Carl’s 18-year guidance, Bridges Academy became a 4th through 12th grade comprehensive, accredited, and remarkable school. He helped, along with Susan Baum and others, to spin the ideas germinated in 2e classrooms into the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity, which has awarded doctorates to adult students and professional educators from all over the world. Through Carl’s impetus to connect with as many people as possible about neurodiversity, Bridges revived 2e News, the vibrant and unique website you’re reading right now, and he created Variations2e, a slick, hard copy magazine dedicated to all things 2e. All of these entities, and more, including a webcast and an online school, are now under the umbrella of the Bridges Education Group.
More directly, more to the point, Carl has not only broadened the awareness of 2e into the world, but he’s also made those of us in the trenches, those who teach, coach, encounter, console, advise, and sometimes simply sit with the students so much better at it. His compassion, his imagination, his inspirations, his enthusiasm, his work ethic, his dedication, his openness—no, his hunger—for bold, new ideas, his patience, in short, his leadership has given everyone he works with a sense that we’re on a mission, and that what we do, in ways big and small, have a positive impact on our students, their families, and the world.
One of the teachers who’ve worked with Carl since the beginning, Pilar Munoz, wrote this letter about Carl and I think it says everything about him and why he means so much to all of us:
Dear Carl,
Our first conversation transported us to the land of castles, exquisite food, and passionate festivities. Apparently, you followed Ernest Hemingway’s wild heart and raced dozens of bulls in the streets of Pamplona. You should know that for the past 18 years, I took your story by the horns and brought it to my Spanish class. I really loved telling my students, “Did you know who runs with the bulls? Carl Sabatino.” Only crazy foreigners do that while Spaniards watch the spectacle from the balconies. But we all know, “The brave don’t live forever but the cautious don’t live at all.”
In the world of 2e, you became a fearless leader to tackle the unknown territory of twice-exceptional education. You let us be the teachers we wished to be. You let us create, imagine, and implement inside the classroom. You believed in us.
I want to express my immense gratitude for all these years of guidance, knowledge-sharing, and leadership. I really hope you enjoy the next chapter of your life to the fullest. Perhaps this time from a beautiful balcony.
Mahalo iā ʻoe, e Carl
Although Carl Sabatino has left the building, hopefully enjoying life in his home in Hawaii, what he has built in Los Angeles, Seattle, and in the world, remains stronger than ever thanks to his vision, energy, and often sheer willpower. He rebranded Bridges Academy from a niche school in a dentist’s office to an international flagship for innovative education.
Under Carl’s 18-year guidance, Bridges Academy became a 4th through 12th grade comprehensive, accredited, and remarkable school. He helped, along with Susan Baum and others, to spin the ideas germinated in 2e classrooms into the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity, which has awarded doctorates to adult students and professional educators from all over the world. Through Carl’s impetus to connect with as many people as possible about neurodiversity, Bridges revived 2e News, the vibrant and unique website you’re reading right now, and he created Variations2e, a slick, hard copy magazine dedicated to all things 2e. All of these entities, and more, including a webcast and an online school, are now under the umbrella of the Bridges Education Group.
More directly, more to the point, Carl has not only broadened the awareness of 2e into the world, but he’s also made those of us in the trenches, those who teach, coach, encounter, console, advise, and sometimes simply sit with the students so much better at it. His compassion, his imagination, his inspirations, his enthusiasm, his work ethic, his dedication, his openness—no, his hunger—for bold, new ideas, his patience, in short, his leadership has given everyone he works with a sense that we’re on a mission, and that what we do, in ways big and small, have a positive impact on our students, their families, and the world.
One of the teachers who’ve worked with Carl since the beginning, Pilar Munoz, wrote this letter about Carl and I think it says everything about him and why he means so much to all of us:
Dear Carl,
Our first conversation transported us to the land of castles, exquisite food, and passionate festivities. Apparently, you followed Ernest Hemingway’s wild heart and raced dozens of bulls in the streets of Pamplona. You should know that for the past 18 years, I took your story by the horns and brought it to my Spanish class. I really loved telling my students, “Did you know who runs with the bulls? Carl Sabatino.” Only crazy foreigners do that while Spaniards watch the spectacle from the balconies. But we all know, “The brave don’t live forever but the cautious don’t live at all.”
In the world of 2e, you became a fearless leader to tackle the unknown territory of twice-exceptional education. You let us be the teachers we wished to be. You let us create, imagine, and implement inside the classroom. You believed in us.
I want to express my immense gratitude for all these years of guidance, knowledge-sharing, and leadership. I really hope you enjoy the next chapter of your life to the fullest. Perhaps this time from a beautiful balcony.
Mahalo iā ʻoe, e Carl
