Head of School News: December 5, 2025

Yes, that’s a little bit of ice on my beard. It grew yesterday, as I was greeting families in the morning. And suddenly I understood why everyone kept asking me if I was ready for “Iowa winter.” It’s real. But even with sub-freezing temperatures and arctic windchill, there remains an undercurrent of joy coursing through this place. The snow has simply delivered another way to express it.

Learning outside the classroom

You’d think that the weather would have kept us inside for classes, but it just hasn’t. Our third graders visited Jefferson County Park before Thanksgiving, and then watched a snow volcano erupt this week; our fourth graders planted their own succulents and took them home; our fifth graders went to Iowa City (twice, including today!) to visit the Natural History Museum and the Englert Theater to watch The Nutcracker ballet; our eleventh graders went to see The American Gothic house as part of their US History course; and our 12th graders visited the Co-Lab in Fairfield as part of their Global Solutions class.

International Festival Success!

Elsewhere, our World Fair Field was hugely successful, with hundreds of people learning about the traditions, dances, and food of over 30 cultures.

Giving Thanks

Both our Middle School and Upper School had meaningful Thanksgiving celebrations. The Middle School hosted a (very popular!) Potluck on Wednesday, Nov. 19, and then held a special Assembly to share what they were thankful for. The Upper School organized a “Pie and Chai” event on Tuesday, Nov. 25, in which each class was responsible for making a part of the feast.