Gray Matters, March 2024
A Message of Hope and Gratitude
I love my job. As I’ve mentioned in past blogs, I’ve spent the vast majority of my professional career here at Capitol Hill Day School—27 years and counting. With my long tenure (and gray hair to prove it) have come many perks, including the opportunity to share my thoughts through my voice and in my writing, exactly what I am doing right now in this blog post. When I look back on what I have said over the years, my thoughts boil down to three fundamental points:
I love our community.
I believe wholeheartedly in the teaching and learning that happens in our School.
I am extremely grateful for those who help me make all of this possible.
Another of my professional privileges is the opportunity to spend time in classrooms. The level of engagement and the depth of thinking that I witness across the school is tremendous. In math, science, humanities, the arts, etc. children are learning to think critically, solve challenging problems, be creative, and engage in analytical reasoning. Capitol Hill Day School is a wonderfully rigorous academic environment thanks to our fabulous teachers.
I am not sure where folks sit on the “hope for the future” meter—maybe that is a day-to-day question for you—but if you want a booster shot, I recommend my job. Nothing brings me more joy or helps me find my reserve of hope better than lunch with early childhood or time spent in Farren’s experiencing the energy of young adolescents.
I believe that there is lots of hope for the future emerging from Capitol Hill Day School each and every day. There are a myriad of examples of this, though one that comes to mind immediately for me happened earlier this school year. During one of our fall admissions open houses, I facilitated a panel of 8th Graders for prospective families. The children were incredibly articulate and thoughtful in response to my questions and those posed by our guests. As we prepared to wrap up the panel, I asked one last unprompted question: “What are you taking away with you from Capitol Hill Day School when you graduate?” One of the students looked the audience of adults in the eyes and with genuine sincerity said: “A model for how to be in community with others.” The response was honestly one of the most gratifying moments for me as an educator.
Capitol Hill Day School is a very special place. At a time when it is more necessary than ever, children are learning math, science, humanities, arts, etc. and most importantly they are learning how to care for themselves and others within their communities. But none of this is a given, it is not guaranteed. It takes effort. It takes a community willing to act with authenticity and intentionality.
I love this community. I believe in what we do. I am very grateful for each and every one of you.
