Gray Matters, January 2023
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! I trust folks found ways over the break for rest and recreation. For me the holidays signify time with family, both immediate and extended. When we gather we are a sizable bunch and active engagement is never in short supply. This break was no exception. In fact, after a couple of years of pandemic disruption, this season was especially meaningful. We sang, we danced, we played board games and cards, we ventured outdoors.
It was particularly wonderful to have all five members of my immediate family home for two solid weeks. As I have shared before, I find watching my children transition to adulthood to be a terrifically unique stage of parenting. Two of my children, one a high school senior, the other a senior in college, took time over this break to work on college essays and job application cover letters. In their own way both writing exercises involve reflection. Given the privilege of reading their writing, I cannot help but feel a sense of pride. As I’ve stated previously, I owe this school and this community a significant amount of credit and gratitude.
Needless to say, I’ve had a wonderful break, and I am very much looking forward to greeting everyone on Tuesday. While never technically the mid-way point, the return to school after Winter Break inevitably feels to me like the start of the second half of the school year. As I reflect back on the fall, I am proud of how we have embraced connection and thoughtfully navigated the emergence of the tripledemic. It has been simply wonderful to have school back in session in as ordinary a way as we have in three years. Here again, I am extremely grateful for and give much credit to our community.
As we enter the second half of the year, let’s continue to demonstrate the commitment to our community that has made the first half so successful. Highlighted in this Weekly Update is a review of our primary health protocols. As the past three years have taught, they boil down to the fundamental public health practice: “I take care of you, you take care of me,” a demonstrated strength of Capitol Hill Day School. Enjoy the last days of Winter Break, and I will see you at the front door on Tuesday morning.
