Weekly divisional updates

Our regularly-scheduled Weekly Update from Head of School Julie Smith will be posted soon. In the meantime, here are highlights from this past week of distance learning:

ELEMENTARY
Only 17 school days remain! The Elementary Awards will be on Wednesday, June 3rd at 2:00 on Zoom. We will recognize the hard work of all of our wonderful students in the division. This will be the last day of school, as Middle School and High School graduations occur on the following two days. Looking beyond graduation, the online Summer School Course Guide and Enrollment Form have been published; please sign- up for some fun courses.  We are excited to continue learning with your children. Thank you for all the wonderful messages during Teacher Appreciation Week.  We appreciate your continued support during our Distance Learning. Wishing all of the mothers and women in our lives a Happy Mother's Day this Sunday!
—Danny Martin, Head of Elementary

MIDDLE SCHOOL
The Middle School Team agrees that we had our most focused and engaged week of distance learning yet this week! Students and teachers are really getting the hang of this new way of learning, and it has been inspiring to see what students are accomplishing. The highlight for me was watching Tasha's science class today where each student gave a "virtual tour" of a bridge they built out of materials from around the house. I was blown away by the work I saw and the detail they used in describing their structure. Way to go Tasha and students!

We are currently planning a very special virtual Middle School graduation that will be held on June 4th at 10:00 am. Next week, we will be asking each 8th-grader to submit a short paragraph that will go on the graduation website. Students will be writing about favorite memories from the year, appreciations and wishes for the future. More information coming soon on graduation!
—Genevieve Lawrence, Head of Middle School

HIGH SCHOOL

• “Education is a shared commitment between dedicated teachers, motivated students, and enthusiastic parents with high expectations.” —Bob Beauprez​

The commitment of each of these groups was faithfully exemplified this past week during Parent-Teacher conferences. Staff members were exceptionally uplifted after engaging in conversations with parents, discussing each student’s strengths and challenges during these uncommon times. Although teachers may be considered the experts in instruction, parents are the expert on their child. You know what stimulates, bores and interests your child, what they’re good at and where their struggles lie. You know how your child learns best and you also know if there are any other issues going on that might be affecting their learning at school. We are grateful for your ongoing communication with us as it enables us to  tailor our approach to your child while in class. Thank you for giving us the gift of educating your child and working in tandem with us on this incredible journey. With great respect and gratitude...
—Colleen McQuade, Head of High School