Mountain Day 2022

We are incredibly fortunate to have such a beautiful campus at The Beech Hill School.  Most mornings, as I walk from my car to the front door, I try to linger for a second or two to take in its natural beauty.  Soon, however, my day begins, and I tend to see things like my computer screen or a piece of paper and my mind moves from nature’s splendor to the myriad things that are happening at BHS.  Those moments in the morning, however, help to reset my mind and spirit each day.

Likewise, we ask the students to take a moment to pause and set their daily intention when we gather every morning for community.  This year, with few exceptions, we have gathered for community on The Knoll.  In the quiet that surrounds us during our moment of intention, it is not uncommon to hear the cry of a hawk, the moan of a cow, or the wind in the trees.  Our morning communion in our serene surroundings helps the entire community to start the day well.

On Friday, we traveled to Bald Peak for a longer sojourn in nature, our annual mountain day trek.  Mountain Day is the oldest tradition at The Beech Hill School, and one that I hope will live well beyond my time at BHS.  Mountain Day provides our students an opportunity to physically, accomplish a task – climb a mountain – and to spend time with the community in the beauty of New England.  While I scurried about taking pictures for the school’s social media outlets, the students were noticeably untethered from electronics and connected to their surroundings and one another.

Henry David Thoreau wrote that he “took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.”  Watching our kids as they sat on the exposed peak of Bald Knob, it was easy to see that this walk in the woods had elevated them as well.  As they enjoyed one another’s company and gazed over Lake Winnipesaukee and beyond, one could see the power of time in nature and the great value of our cherished Mountain Day tradition.

No, Not Again!

Last Monday morning, my alarm sounded at 4:03 – a little over an hour earlier than I typically rise, but I had a big day in front of me, and I wanted to make the most of the week.  As the day progressed, I was getting a lot done, but I felt off.  I was sure that it was just because of when I awoke.  When the class day ended, I convened our weekly faculty meeting.  As the meeting progressed, I felt good about all that we were doing, but thought it crazy that getting up early was making me so tired.  We wrapped the meeting, and I packed up my stuff to head home.  Just as I passed Concord High, I started to feel chills – and that is when my second bout with COVID kicked into high gear.

My first run in with COVID came rather early in the pandemic.  Having lost a few relatives and listened to my younger cousin’s travails in the ICU on oxygen, fear was the primary emotion present when I first encountered this virus.  This time around, because I witnessed so many family members, friends, colleagues, and students safely return from a positive test, my response this time was frustration.  I could not believe that I had to isolate – and on the week that we had Parents’ Night and Mountain Day.  I suppose it speaks volumes to where we have come in the last few years, in that my second positive could be so different from my first.

The pandemic will continue to pose problems for individuals and for the community, and it is important that we continue to be open to new solutions to these new challenges.  Last week, in my blog, I asked that we practice patience in allowing students time to develop and this week, I was served a very real reminder of the patience that is required to deal with those things that we cannot control.  What I learned this week, is that it is easier to be patient when you trust that those around you are doing all they can to support you in your absence.  I am incredibly grateful for all that the faculty did this week, the way that students stayed engaged in class, and for all that our families did in managing unexpected schedule changes. 

There was a time when I was petrified to think that a member of the community might contract COVID.  Now, I have come to know that it is a likelihood that many members of our community will contract the virus.  This week, I have learned through experience that if one tests positive for COVID, they need not worry about school.  The BHS community will be there to support them in their absence and in their return.

I never cease to be amazed by the generosity of spirit of The Beech Hill School Community – thank you!

No Vine Before its Time...

For many years I worked with a colleague that had a story for every scenario related to students.  Whenever I would start to speak impatiently about one of my students; he would take a deep breath and say, “well Rick, have you ever tried to grow tomatoes?”  The first few times he started down this road, I would hesitantly tell him no, and wonder where this was going.  In time, I realized it did not matter whether I answered yes or no, he was going to use the metaphor of growing tomatoes to teach me a lesson.

The lesson went like this; essentially when one grows tomatoes, there are only so many variables that are within control of the grower.  One could prepare the soil, one could water the plant, one could try to regulate the amount of sun the plant received; but no matter how talented a farmer, no individual that raises a tomato can make the tomato grow or ripen on command.  Quite simply, it takes time for the tomato to grow and ripen when it is ready.  The farmer can create optimal conditions, but in the end, the tomato will become ripe when it is ready.

After a few years of working with this colleague, I knew when the story was coming and the point he was trying to make.  Teaching students was akin to growing tomatoes, and that at best, I could only control the growing conditions.  It took time and patience to allow the student to reach their full potential.

This Thursday, I hope that you will be joining us for Parents’ Night, when we will share what we do in your child’s classes.  We will make clear our practices for creating optimal conditions of growth, and our expectations.  In the end, however, we know that it will require patience and communication to monitor just what each one of our students will need to reach their full potential.  In time, each of our students will grow a great deal at BHS, and just like a garden full of tomato plants, blossom and grow in their own way and in their own time.  Like any good farmer (or teacher), we will monitor that progress regularly and take the steps necessary for optimal growth.

I look forward to seeing you all later this week.

An Impressive Reign

The 8th Grade Social Studies class is called “Our Modern World’” and throughout the year the students in that class will trace the roots of the present through the 20th Century.  Students in that class are often asked to offer personal reflections that typically lead to robust conversations about the world in which we live.  To start the year, students were asked to reflect on their first memory of a major world event.  As an example, I share mine, which to them is like ancient history.  My earliest memory of a world event was the Iran Hostage Crisis.  I recall watching the evening news with my father, and each day a counter registered the number of days that the hostages had been in captivity.

It just so happens that as we discussed the 8th Graders reflections, a major world event occurred, in the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.  I would imagine that for many, the Queen’s passing will register as their first memory of a world event, as her impact is internationally significant.  In fact, when discussing her reign, I noted that the Queen had a front row seat for many of the formative historic events that impact our modern world.

In the coming days, it is entirely likely that the media will inundate us with news related to the British monarchy and such, but there is certainly something noteworthy about the incredible longevity of Queen Elizabeth’s rule and how much the world has changed since her coronation in 1953.

Appreciating Labor

What a joy it was to start the 2022-2023 academic year!  While the media is reporting turmoil in schools, frazzled teachers, and shortages – I am so fortunate to be presiding over a school that is an exception to all of that.  On Monday and Tuesday, the faculty were fully engaged in pre-sessional meetings - eagerly planning, reviewing important safety policies and procedures, and discussing books that we read over the summer in anticipation of the year to come.  On Wednesday, we got the year rolling and the positive energy was palpable.  During the picnic, a new student complained to his teacher that he wished he did not have to wait five whole days until he got to come back to school.

While all of us are excited to get back, Labor Day is an important day for us all to recognize the value of laborers in our society.  My father, now retired, was the President of the American Postal Workers Union.  Throughout his years working in the union, he was a strong voice for those that worked at the United States Post Office.  Throughout my life, I watched as my father listened to the concerns of his members, fought for their rights, and helped to craft contracts.  As such, I was often reminded of the many ways that the toil and labors of others made my life better.

At some point in this final weekend of summer, I hope that we may all take a moment to reflect on how our lives are improved by others.  In addition, I hope that we all can take a break from the work in our lives, even for just a moment.