Gray Matters, January 2026

Hope is a Call to Action

Sitting down to write this blog, anticipating the new calendar year, I have hope on my mind. Not a wistful hope but a genuine hope. A hope that is rooted in an unapologetic belief in children and what it means to create an educational environment that serves them well. 

My thoughts on the theme recently triangulated after reading three articles that serendipitously landed in my inbox: When the Words Wrote Back (Jen Fisher), The Belonging Imperative (Ian Symmonds), and Intent and Purpose (Ross Peters). Each of these pieces helped me solidify beliefs that I have held for some time. 

Hope is a call to action. In the words of the activist David Orr: “Hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up.” At Capitol Hill Day School, the well-being of children is our obligation. With our sleeves rolled up, we are deeply committed to centering child development. We work with intentionality to craft an environment that is creative, playful, and cultivates the inherent curiosity of learners. Through routine field trips, engaging projects, and much more, joyful learning is readily evident at Capitol Hill Day School. 

Hope is grounded in community. As Ian Symmonds writes, “In a world where knowledge is cheap and division is costly, the institutions that thrive will be those that cultivate community with courage and clarity.” Creating a space where individuals feel a genuine sense of belonging is an imperative. Providing space for children to explore and develop their identity is foundational. When learning begins with these fundamentals, children have the courage to navigate complexities and tackle challenges with resilience. They are available to take the intellectual risks necessary for transformative learning to occur. 

We are obligated to create hope in the children in our care. In the words of Ross Peters, “Education at its best is always about hope; high-quality settings for deep, engaged, and transformative learning, providing students with the ability to see things as they could be.” Adults at Capitol Hill Day School inspire hope in children through our presence and authenticity. We give children voice and listen thoughtfully. We support the development of agency by balancing an essential tension. Whether through a math lesson or a social conflict at recess, we carefully navigate between solving problems for children and allowing children to struggle through the process of solving problems for themselves. 

We believe in the power of active hope. As Jen Fisher writes, “hope isn’t about pretending everything will work out fine. It’s about maintaining the belief that our actions matter.” At Capitol Hill Day School we deeply appreciate that our actions matter. With hope as our verb, we are unapologetic in our belief in children. We are committed to creating an educational environment that, as our mission states, “deeply engages a diverse community of students in connecting the classroom to the larger world, supporting each child in developing the confidence, compassion, and intellectual capacity to live a life of purpose and value.”

As we begin this new calendar year, I am full of hope. It is a joy to spend my days with your wonderful children. I am grateful to be a part of the Capitol Hill Day School community. Happy New Year!