Gray Matters, November 2022
Connection Reflection
I continue to find joy in this year and gratitude for this community. The time between our first day of school and now has certainly been a period of active engagement. With a return to a more regular school routine, we are exercising muscles that have not been used much over the past couple of years. While busy, the fullness of the calendar feels very satisfying.
With our theme of connectedness as our guide, it has been wonderful to have a robust schedule of events and activities. Field Education is in full swing with over 65 trips logged to date (you can follow our adventures in Field Ed at @explorewithCHDS on Instagram). Fall sports returned with our Upper Grade students competing in soccer and cross country contests against peer schools. Congratulations to our varsity soccer team for last week’s championship win! In addition, it has been fantastic to have families fully back on campus with the return of Class Potlucks and a very joyful Grandparents and Grandfriends Day.
Among all of these traditions that have returned, the one that I find most meaningful happens for me with regularity each day. With our return to more usual routines, I am once again at the front door every morning greeting each child by name as they walk into school. From the littlest to the biggest, I look them in the eye and shake their hand. I often use this moment of connection to check in with individuals: How was your birthday? Are you doing okay? Did you do something fun this weekend? This morning ritual is one of my favorite times of my day. The routine is simple, and yet one of the most important things I do.
From now until our winter break in mid-December will undoubtedly be more of the same joyful connectedness. I find myself thinking about why a strong sense of connection resides at the heart of all that we do at Capitol Hill Day School. My reflection consistently centers on the simple yet powerful belief that children deserve to be known, seen, and heard. That is exactly why greeting children each day, while simple, is so essential.
