Now viewing articles in the category Head of School's Notes.
The Importance of Awe and Wonder
October 22nd, 2024
One of the compelling qualities of children is they are constantly in touch with feelings of awe and wonder. Life delights them. They relish new experiences. They take little for granted. They seem to have a deep and intuitive connection to the natural world.
Posted in: Head of School's NotesWhat Should Students Know and Be Able To Do?
September 19th, 2024
Learning must be tied to something more than just raw information. Students need to be able to transfer their learning to new subjects and life experiences.
Posted in: School Stories, Head of School's NotesThe Foundation Children Need
August 29th, 2024
British child psychologist John Bowlby wrote that “life is best organized as a series of daring ventures from a secure base.” What a good description of childhood.
Posted in: Head of School's NotesThe Joys of Summer
May 23rd, 2024
Summer vacation. Do you remember yours, especially when you were in elementary school? Do you remember the feeling on that last day of school, when the entire summer stretched out before you? I certainly do.
Posted in: Head of School's Notes, ParentingThe Power of Middle School at Prep
March 20th, 2024
The middle school experience in a PreK-8 school like ours provides students with long-lasting positive outcomes. They become more confident and capable students and people, and we know from experience that Prep graduates thrive in high school and beyond.
The Goldilocks Effect: Choosing the Right Sized School
February 27th, 2024
Choosing a school that is the right size for children is paramount to their healthy development. We believe the size of Charlotte Prep is just right – not too small or too large.
The Connection Between Feelings and Behavior
February 22nd, 2024
Feelings follow behavior. Or is it the other way around – behavior follows feelings? This is one of the most important parenting questions to get right.
Posted in: Head of School's Notes, ParentingA Timeless Lesson
January 25th, 2024
Recently, one of our six-year-old students asked me how old I was. Being the wily older person I am, I turned the tables and asked this student how old he thought I was.
Posted in: Head of School's Notes, ParentingIf You Love Them, Let Them Go Play
November 16th, 2023
A recent editorial in the New York Times titled “This Simple Fix Could Help Anxious Kids” makes the point that the rise in childhood anxiety may be due, in part, to shifting parental norms.
Posted in: Head of School's Notes, ParentingObservations from the Early School Playground
November 1st, 2023
Now that I am regularly walking to my office by going past the early school playground, I am having quite a few delightful interactions with students that, frankly, are often the highlight of my day.
Posted in: Early School, Head of School's NotesThe Resilience of Children
September 14th, 2023
Children who have loving and supportive parents and strong relationships with other invested adults – such as teachers – are able to manage the inevitable challenges that life provides all people.
Posted in: Head of School's NotesWriting Your Own Story: The High School Chapters
May 17th, 2023
Eight-grade graduation is right around the corner. This is an important and moving event, as it signifies an important passage in the lives of our 8th graders. They are moving on and up – leaving our school to write the next chapter of their educational story. They are more than ready for this transition and are well prepared to be successful high school students.
Designing an Excellent Curriculum
May 10th, 2023
At the heart of a school is the interplay between teaching and learning. We assume that when something is taught it is learned, but that is not always true. Good teaching is much more than the simple delivery of information, and students are not passive recipients of knowledge.
Posted in: Head of School's Notes, AcademicsThe Gift of Grandparents
April 19th, 2023
I became a first-time grandparent in January, and it was quite an emotional experience. When my son told me his wife was pregnant, I was very happy for them. I knew they were going to make great parents. Soon after, though, I realized this meant I had officially entered OPT (old person territory). I mean, come on. A grandparent? Me?
Posted in: Head of School's NotesThe best gift for your child? Hope.
March 29th, 2023
A global pandemic. Political unrest. Economic challenges. Disruptive new technologies. It is no doubt the past few years have been difficult. How do we acknowledge and live in the world as it is and be the best parents we can be?
Posted in: Head of School's Notes, ParentingEducation, Change, and Continuity
March 1st, 2023
We are living in a moment of great societal change, and schools are being rightly challenged to keep up with and reflect the times.
The Value of Humility
February 15th, 2023
One of the funnier moments of my career happened when I was the head of a school in New York City. I was new to my job and standing outside of school greeting students when a three-year-old approached and asked if I was the doorman.
Posted in: Head of School's NotesFrom Dreaming to Doing
February 1st, 2023
With our strategic plan Writing Our Next Chapternow launched and in motion, it seems a good time to reflect on why strategic plans so often deliver far less than they promise.
Posted in: Head of School's NotesWhy Play Matters
January 18th, 2023
Play clearly provides children with an experience that is joyful and fun. But it also helps children build and expand certain skills that are important parts of human development.
Posted in: Head of School's NotesChildhood is Full of Fresh Starts
December 14th, 2022
As we head into the new year, I am thinking about the importance of fresh starts. Childhood is really just a succession of fresh starts.
Posted in: Head of School's NotesA Size That's Just Right
November 30th, 2022
One of the signature features of our school is its size. At around 400 students, we are not too small or large.
Posted in: Head of School's Notes, PreK-8 AdvantageCharacter is Destiny
November 8th, 2022
I believe people choose to be unethical because they think it will somehow benefit them. But unethical behavior almost always leads to psychological or emotional distress and ruin; it is an inherently selfish and self-destructive act.
Posted in: Head of School's NotesThe Power of Reflection
October 19th, 2022
The famed educational philosopher John Dewey wrote, “we do not learn from experience; we learn from reflecting on experience.” This is an important distinction, especially for a school like ours that values experiential education.
Posted in: Head of School's NotesIs My Child Doing Well in School?
September 27th, 2022
When parents ask me how they know their children are having a positive experience in school, I ask them a simple question: are your children joyful going to and experiencing school?
Posted in: Head of School's Notes, Parenting
