The Portal

It’s hard to put into words just how wonderful it is for us all to be back together where we belong. A new school year can hold many things: a bubbling sense of anticipation, a burst of excitement, or a twinge of worry. It’s natural to experience some or all of these feelings.

We are finding our footing on a path of uncertainty.

2020–21 will be different, without a doubt, but what is solidly familiar is the potential for us to make this school year our best yet.

I enjoy hearing all about your extra downtime at home with family. My family did a lot of the same things as everyone else – we definitely watched way too much Netflix in the beginning – but then we made a decision we had been putting off for a while. We realized that being released from our busy schedules and commitments gave us a gift.

We had the necessary time and flexibility in our lives to devote our attention to a puppy, and Hugo the Havanese has been a fabulous addition to my family.

We have had dogs as pets before, but it turns out we had to do some relearning of the basics to care for our furry little friend who is totally dependent on us 24 hours a day. We needed to teach him everything. We remembered how important teamwork was to maintain the consistency of routine for him, how practice and repetition and still more repetition, was so important to keep him safe and healthy.

Everything was an adventure for him, and we had to make the tough decisions to keep those things out of his little world, which were so very interesting but not meant for a young pup. He learned to deal with disappointment, all the while maintaining an adorable look on his face. He played his role well, bringing us joy on a daily basis. He reminded us that being patient and mindful are good things to be. As I returned to my back-to-school schedule, I was confident that he would continue to grow, to explore, and to shine, happily welcoming each day.

At the start of the spectacular learning journey that is a new school year, I was reminded that we too are required to review the basics we already know and to learn some new fundamentals. Repetition for us is very important — handwashing, handwashing, handwashing. We follow the rules to keep us all safe and healthy. Any of us that are sick stay home. As educators, we make the tough decisions, we celebrate the joyful achievements, and we soften the bitter disappointments. We are good at being patient and mindful, making considerate and caring choices for ourselves and others. We strive to do what is best for all. Hope is our superpower, and teamwork is in our nature.

With our new schedules and changing routines, like Hugo, we will be adventurous yet careful, bold and tentative, carefree and curious. We will continue to grow, to explore, and to shine, happily welcoming each day!

Meliora Petens,

Joanne Kamins
Head of School

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Editor's note: Excerpts from Mrs. Kamins’ Opening Assembly remarks welcoming students back to school in September 2020.