Dear Families,
Now this is a spirited bunch! From cats to KPop Demon Hunters and Hermione to Super Heroes, our building was overrun with playful spirits today. The 8th graders even organized an impromptu fashion show/costume contest at lunch, complete with lots of squealing and laughter. After a cold and gray week, this (combined with the gorgeous weather!) is exactly what we needed to fly into the weekend.
Celebrate!
Last Friday, we celebrated with our Halloween Dance, a short video of which is here.
And on Saturday, we celebrated Diwali with a delicious dinner and an incredible dance performance from our seniors. The preparation for an event like this was intense, so huge thanks to all of those who made the food and practiced the dances for countless hours.
Hands-on Learning
In class, our students continue to dive deeper into their learning. A series of lessons with Ms. Asha allowed students to see how scientific principles work in the real world. Our 9th graders practiced cell division with Oreos, and then learned about internal and external forces by seeing how many rubber bands they could wrap around a pumpkin before it burst. Answer: A LOT, and it split just before they had to leave for their next class. Shew!
Meanwhile, our 10th graders were learning about valence electrons in Chemistry, and our seniors were learning about body proportions and crime scene investigation in Anatomy.
Upper School Phone Policy
On Tuesday evening, Jonathan Haidt presented a webinar on teens, screens, and anxiety. The acclaimed author presented compelling evidence that we need to regulate the impact of screens on teenage life. If you weren’t able to join us, please watch a recording of his presentation. It’s essential information for anyone raising kids (or just being human!) today.
Especially at a school like this, with a focus so squarely on our self-awareness and inner stillness, we need to be leaders in setting a humane and healthy policy. Accordingly, over the past month, a group of students has been meeting regularly to craft a new phone policy for the Upper School that’s aligned with the most current research. Their goal was to create a policy focused on enhancing ATTENTION, CONNECTION, and WELL-BEING.
They revealed the policy at the Assembly on Wednesday. We invite all parents to review it, so that you can be familiar with the policy before it goes into effect. Starting Dec. 1, we will be a phone-free school between the hours of 8:15 am and 4:15 pm.
I want to especially thank the students involved — Sohni, Sangay, Antariksha, and Ben — for their thoughtful and courageous work. Several other students contributed to the policy, but weren’t able to attend every meeting.
Accreditation
As you may know, the School is in the first year of its accreditation cycle. The accreditation process allows an external body to determine whether we’re meeting the standards of an educational institution, and then “accredit” us if we are. Our accrediting body is ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States).
One of the ways they collect data on our performance is by gathering feedback from everyone associated with the school (students, parents, alumni, faculty, etc.). This data then allows us to better understand where we’re doing well and where we can improve. Please take 10 minutes to complete the survey when you have a moment. It’s a vital part of the first year of accreditation.
ISACS Survey
Thank you in advance for your participation in this effort.