March 2

And we’re off! The third and final trimester of the school year has begun. It never ceases to amaze me that we arrive at this point, and suddenly the end of the year seems much too close. There is so much left to do and a finite amount of time in which to accomplish it. In Chapel on Monday, I reminded our students that, using a baseball analogy, we are on third base and rounding the corner toward home plate. Rather than walk into home, why not run in, sliding (read more)

February 15

On Thursday evening, our campus will be a happening place! Not only will we be welcoming visiting families as they tour our school, but we will be having a “STEMazing” opportunity to see Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math at work. Our STEM Festival will feature our students and the research they have done in proving, or disproving, scientific hypotheses. We will have student reports on famous inventors and young researchers from our Lower School demonstrating our amazing sense of smell and the integration with taste buds. Science and language arts (read more)

Feburary 2

It seems as of late, every which way we turn, we run into “us vs. them.” On a school level, this isn’t always unusual as our students learn to build healthy friendships and relationships. Things can be going along swimmingly until exclusion happens or comments are made that result in hurt feelings or broken relationships. We try to use these important teachable moments to present a different way to be friends, to be in community. This can be difficult in present times, however, when there is a more extreme sense (read more)

January 25

Last Saturday, we had an Open House for prospective families to visit our campus and learn about our school. Parents were present to give tours, and several of our Lower School teachers were there as well to share information about curriculum and programs. The most special part, however, was our STEM activity table, which was “staffed” by sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who are members of our STEM Club. As our prospective students inched their way over, our students welcomed them in, getting down on eye-level to invite them (read more)

January 18

As I write this blog, we have entered a historic week during which we celebrate the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on one end and witness the inauguration of the new President of the United States on the other. We have been in a time of great divide in our country, and we pray that the new government will work to bring us all together again as a unified nation. My trust is in God, and my great hope rests with the next generation. When I look at (read more)

January 4

Happy New Year to our St. Michael’s community! As we return to school and begin again, we have the opportunity to regroup and recharge as we launch into the second half of our school year. I have commented many times that the academic calendar allows time for goals to be set and then reset once again following our Christmas holiday. I always find that my goals for the year that began in August can always use a bit of revision as we pass the midpoint. So what can that look (read more)

December 14

It was an exciting afternoon last Wednesday as we celebrated the completion of the new multipurpose room with a “soft opening” and early Christmas lunch for our faculty and staff. Our new room will serve as the hub for our lunch program, the home for Aftercare, and a beautiful spot for meetings and special programs for our students and faculty. With a little ribbon cutting and a big cheer from our faculty and staff, it was thrilling to walk into the space we have dreamed about for quite a long (read more)

December 8

Reverence is defined as deep respect or awe. It also can mean deep admiration, amazement, or astonishment. As it is our value for December, we began talking about reverence in our Monday Chapel assembly as the respect that we should show for one another, recognizing that our Baptismal Covenant calls us to respect the dignity (and worth) of every human being. With that in mind, our students were reminded to THINK before they speak to another person, be it a friend, a teacher, a sibling, a parent, or even a (read more)

November 30

This fall, it seemed providential that our monthly values fit perfectly with this very unusual time in our country. We have been accustomed to “the way we have always done it” with regards to elections and public debate. The months leading up to the election threw many of us off kilter. Politics aside, what has thrown me most off balance was the manner in which we, as a society, have found a sense of freedom in expression that lost civility, respect, compassion, tolerance, and kindness. This new freedom represents a (read more)

November 9

By the time our Eagle Blog is posted, Election 2016 will have mercifully concluded, or at least one would hope that is the case. The fallout from the past campaign season, however, will long be felt in our country. Lost in the process was our sense of dignity and respect for the men and women who choose to be a part of our democratic system. Role models for our students seemed few and far between. Those running for public office, who worked hard to stay above the fray, are to (read more)

October 26

Last Friday, it was hard not to feel a deep sense of pride for St. Michael’s. As the Student Center filled with grandparents, we all were eager to show off our campus, share the number of activities that take place here, and spotlight our new facility improvements. The real focus, however, was on our students. They were front and center, as it should be. After all, our grandparents were on campus for one main reason…to see their grandchildren. From the start of the morning until the conclusion at mid-day, our (read more)

October 19

Admittedly, not too many years ago, I would sometimes watch and listen to my friends who were grandparents and shake my head a bit. They seemed to have become a bit over-the-top about their little darlings: sharing pictures, talking about the cutest little things their grandchildren did, and throwing any rational thought out the window when it came to birthday or Christmas shopping. Of course, I thought I would never be that person…until the day I became a grandparent. Now, I am one of those obsessive grandparents I formerly shook (read more)

October 12

For those of you who are folk-music fans, you may remember the Bob Dylan song, “The Times They Are A-changin’.” One particular verse speaks to me now as much as years ago when we think of how the world has evolved with regard to technology: Come mothers and fathers Throughout the land And don’t criticize What you can’t understand Your sons and your daughters Are beyond your command Your old road is rapidly agin’ Please get out of the new one If you can’t lend your hand For the times (read more)

October 5

When I first arrived at St. Michael’s, one of the first things that impressed me, outside of our amazing students and fantastic teachers, was the commitment of parents to lend a helping hand for the many special events throughout the school year. Parent and grandparent volunteers seemed to be everywhere. From the beginning of the school year to the end, our campus is a busy place. Cultural events, musical performances, parent gatherings, art shows, and student showcases all contribute to the magical experience of St. Michael’s but require many hands (read more)

September 28

Where has the month gone? It seems like just yesterday that we were greeting familiar and unfamiliar faces as students found their way to their new classrooms and teachers. Excitement filled the air, and the anticipation of the new year was so thick that you could almost taste it. We have now been in school for almost six weeks, and we have settled into our routines. And yet for some students, the settling is still underway. I remember well one experienced educator talking of her own son, who took nearly (read more)

September 21

The value for September has been tolerance. What an appropriate topic as we begin the school year, standing in observance of a significant election in our country. In our chapel services, we have spoken about tolerance first of ourselves, followed by tolerance of people that look different from us, and then tolerance of people who hold a different viewpoint from us. Tolerance is easy when everyone is of the same opinion…the same favorite color, favorite food, favorite sport, favorite school, etc. Tolerance becomes harder, however, as differences emerge and opinions (read more)

September 14

When I was growing up, it seemed that a fixed mindset was rather predominant in my way of thinking. It wasn’t unusual to hear people, including myself, say, “I’m not good at math” or “I’ll never make the team–I’m not good at sports.” Other expressions such as “It’s too hard” or “I can’t do that” or “I give up” were often heard in classrooms. A fixed mindset may have been established early, and it remained that way going forward. It wasn’t until I was much older that I realized that (read more)