Finding Solace in the Face of Tragedy

Though the cause of the event was unspeakably sad, it illustrated all that is special about the Greenwood community. Jack Ellis, Oliver Cotterill, Oliver Morton, David Moritsugu and Drew Halfnight spoke movingly about how they had grown to respect and admire Scott during his year and a half at Greenwood, and how much Scott and his family meant to them.

 

The suddenness of this tragedy has been hard for our school to comprehend, but we are holding up well and offering one another support and consolation. Last night’s Winter Arts Showcase, which was a joyful celebration of our music, fashion and dance programs, offered another form of solace. It was gratifying to see performers from all six grades and to see our students exploring a wide range of genre and style, from bebop to bluegrass and haute couture to sustainable fashion.

 

I also want to thank those parents who attended last week’s session on our Learning Communities and Co-Teaching Model. Parents had the opportunity to see how this approach advances our use of personalized learning and what measures we are using to evaluate this initiative. Parents also had the opportunity to participate in small group sessions led by our teachers and students who are using this approach in math and English programs. For those unable to attend the session, here is a video that the school has created to help audiences better understand how co-taught learning community classrooms meet the individual learning needs of students.

 

Parents can learn more about the refinements in some of this year’s new initiatives at our upcoming Course Selection Evening on Tuesday, February 7. I look forward to seeing you there.