Gray Matters, January 2025
Happy New Year
Happy New Year! As we begin 2025 I am full of hope, nurtured by our school.
Hope is the thing with feathers — Emily Dickinson
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm
I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
In 1968 a group of families came together with a hopeful idea. Around a kitchen table, over a series of meetings, Capitol Hill Day School was born. In these founding families’ words, their original vision was to create a school committed to “a quality education, a racially and economically diverse student body, a parent-governed school, and a relationship with the surrounding community and the city of Washington.”
While our school today looks quite different from the Capitol Hill Day School of 1968, I believe we remain steadfastly rooted in this original vision. In fact, the strength of our school lies in the continuity of our core commitments for over the past 56 years. As was the hope of our founders, Capitol Hill Day School is a school that is child centered, grounded in progressive education, and committed to being a community of belonging. We honor the voice of children and provide space for them to explore their identity and nurture their curiosity. We are a joyful learning environment that fosters critical thinking and rigorous problem solving. We prioritize connection, relationships, and a strong sense of place tied to our immediate neighborhood and the broader geographic region.
As we head into the new calendar year I am grateful for the broad shoulders on which we stand. Like our founders, I continue to have tremendous hope in Capitol Hill Day School. I sincerely believe our progressive philosophy is as relevant today than it has ever been. I genuinely trust this community that we collectively nurture and sustain.
To celebrate our school and honor the legacy of those who came before us, please join me at two events that I believe epitomize Capitol Hill Day School’s original vision: Founders’ Day* (Saturday, January 11) and Heritage Roots Festival (Saturday, February 22).
