Author: Rob Hansen, Head of School

The Importance of Seeing the Small Things about a 1 minute read Small Moments are where the magic happens. We can all get caught up in the big moments of life, preparing our youth and selves for the next milestone – making sure students are understanding the material, accumulating developmental assets, and learning independence in order for them to be productive members of society. Sometimes we all forget to slow down and look around.  Slow down and look around The small moments often get glossed over in life because we are reaching for the next big goal. The quiet victories, opportunities for help, and daily demonstration of character can get lost in the shuffle of life. But these moments are what makes learning and living special. It is essential to celebrate all the small things because “life is a journey, not a destination”.  Success in education requires taking time to get to know students and families. It is what makes growth and development possible.  It is what allows a school to become a connected community; a village where learning...

Teaching In The Woods ABOUT A 2 MINUTE READ –  2020 was a rough year that seemed to only get more challenging after trees lost their leaves, sunlight faded, and the cold seeped in deep.  As we begin 2021, even though the hours of sunlight are finally lengthening, winter is just starting in earnest and nothing less than a global pandemic still has us firmly in its grip.  Sweetness will come out of hiding We don’t just talk about resilience, we are surrounded by it. Just walk around our campus and you’ll see the ever-greens of hemlocks, pines, and firs. Tracks in the snow give away secrets of wildlife adapting and persevering.  Bright red berries, conspicuously uneaten, might also catch your eye. The berries of the local viburnums (otherwise known as American Highbush-Cranberry) taste and smell so bad that even the hungriest creatures this time of year say “no thank you.”  If you were to smush one between your fingertips and smell it you might say it smells acidic, sour, or musty. You might say it smells like a body part with a name similar to...

About a 3 minute read – Student Ownership For Improved Outcomes The process of schooling is not a race to the finish line. It is not a hoop through which we jump.  Instead, it is a practice that instills a habit of curiosity and a life-long enthusiasm for learning. Schooling is about learning how to learn, so life can keep growing long after our school days have ended. Creating this greater understanding as to the purpose of schooling is essential to improving outcomes for students and society.

ABOUT A 4 MINUTE READ – Does Your Child Love School?  For Far Too Many Children In Our Nation, The Answer Is “No”. In many school settings, students are asked to comply rather than engage. The measures of success are almost always standardized or formulaic. Options for demonstrating learning are narrow and non-inclusive. Students feel “sorted and selected” based on finite and external definitions of success. It is unreasonable to expect gains in learning, or joy in attendance, when students feel like they exist for the school, instead of the school existing for them. Such practices naturally lead to student apathy, anxiety, boredom, and resentment. Such feelings can lead to negative behaviors and family stress. Students Expect More From School Regardless of labels and learning styles, all students expect more from their schooling. They expect to have a voice in the classroom. They expect to advocate for themselves. They expect to have multiple pathways for engagement, and a variety of ways to demonstrate understanding. They expect learning to be active and...