Beyond the breathtaking views and sun-washed stone, Malta’s history is one of grit and resilience. The Knights of Malta not only defended the Western world against repeated invasions, they also cared for the sick and vulnerable — the very origin of the word hospital traces back to the Knights Hospitallers. Their courage in battle was matched by their devotion to service. And for the Maltese people, daily life carried its own form of heroism: they knew the value of hard work.
Hours of back-breaking work at the mill turning grain into flour. Ancient, repetitive, necessary. By the mid-1800s, “the grind” had become shorthand for the monotonous labor of modern life. “Back to the grind” followed soon after.
But here’s the thing: not all grind is drudgery. The best work — the kind that moves history forward — is often the hardest.
That’s what struck me in Malta, where I spent some of my vacation. For centuries, the Maltese nobility and people defended their small territory against larger powers, bucking the status quo and holding the line for faith and freedom. Their grind wasn’t just survival — it was purpose.
And that’s the spirit worth carrying into this new school year.
The Work Ahead
Coming off Labor Day — a holiday many celebrate without really knowing what it honors — we’re reminded that real labor is about purpose, not just rest. This month, many organizations are gathering people to mill about (pun intentional) and hammer out what I’m hopeful will be the best thinking and doing we all can muster this fall:
* White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education: Out of the gate, the First Lady will host CEOs and leaders from major organizations to achieve one of their many mandates - namely, forming partnerships and soliciting industry leaders to build sound practices. I can’t be there this week but we will be well-represented and remain committed to making sure AI serves education rather than replaces it. You can also pledge to do so by clicking here.
* 24th Annual “Back to School” Summit (Holon IQ) — Taking place September 9–11, 2025, in New York City, this summit - founded initially by BMO Capital and now run by the extraordinarily prescient folks at Holon IQ - brings together CEOs, institutional leaders, philanthropists, and investors to shape the future of global education. It’s a moment where investors and innovators measure the year ahead. Many of them want to do well and do good — the question is whether they’ll roll up their sleeves and support policies that make education truly great again. I’ll let you know after I’ve been.
* Reagan Institute Summit on Education (RISE) convenes Thursday, September 18, 2025, inviting leaders to reimagine an education system worthy of our students. I’m excited to be participating.
This annual gathering reflects the Reagan legacy. The parallels to today’s debates are striking:
A nation suffering from unprecedentedly low levels of student achievement, as was the case when the Reagan Administration issued A Nation at Risk;
An education establishment bent on protecting the status quo and a president bold enough to challenge it.
Advocates not entirely united over what they should be fighting for - or what a win really looks like, like bickering over whether research funds should be cut (yes), whether special education needs an overhaul (it does), or how aggressive to get on demanding equitable education choice for every child (very).
* And finally, the annual Harvard PEPG Conference: “Emerging School Models: Scaling for Success” on September 25–26, 2025, at the Harvard Kennedy School will feature some of the nation’s most successful education innovators, including some of our own notable Yass Prize awardees.
Each of these events is significant — not because they exist, but because they are chances to grind together. To push, question, and shape education’s future, rather than leave the heavy lifting to others.
Back-to-School for Adults
As I wrote recently in my Forbes column, Forward to Education, Not Back to School, September shouldn’t be about going “back” at all — it’s about moving forward. The spirit of renewal we feel each fall should drive us to push education beyond its stale traditions and into models that truly serve students and families.
That means not simply accepting the return of routines, but questioning whether the routines themselves are worthy. It means challenging an education system that too often prioritizes bureaucracy over students, and celebrating the innovators creating new, personalized pathways.
That’s why I still treat September as my season of reset. The notebooks and sharpened pencils may look different now, but the feeling is the same — fresh resolve, a renewed sense of purpose, optimism that we can still push boundaries and change outcomes.
Because as I argued in Forbes, if “back to school” means more of the same, we’ve missed the point. The real challenge is to move forward — to make education freer, more flexible, and more focused on the needs of families.
Grinding Together
The Maltese understood that survival required grinding side by side, not leaving the millstones to someone else. So too in education: the change we need won’t come if we step back and hope others do the work.
This September, the grind is ours to share. It will be hard. It will be long. But it’s how purpose becomes progress — and how freedom, in learning as in life, is defended.
Happy September! - Jeanne
Forever forward in education! Traditions that last are treasures but only if they are building blocks for children’s reasoning and productive creative process to imagine the new! You are doing such excellent work for our children and. Thank you!