The Japanese writer Haruki Murakami wrote:
And once the storm is over. You won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what the storm’s all about.
I have sat with this writing throughout the summer, meditating on its meaning for myself, for Sparhawk, for our students, for all of us. We have learned so much through the storms we have both collectively and individually traveled through these past few years. As a community we have weathered Covid, learning in tents and outdoors and with windows open even in January, helping each other through sickness, building awareness of how much we can and will depend on one another, and learning to laugh and find joy in the most unusual of circumstances. We enter Fall 2022 welcoming back our returning families and growing our community significantly and robustly with Sparhawk’s newest students. It is with gratitude that we welcome Sparhawk teachers, parents, and students forward into the next chapter of our beautiful school.
We have so much we are excited to share and build with our kids this year–these incredible students who have learned resilience and strength at such young ages. A key component of Sparhawk in 2022 and 2023 is building on our mindfulness and social/emotional literacy programming. From building healthy peer connections and emotional regulation at our lower campus through our Mindfulness program to the implementation of the Institute for Positive Education curriculum at our upper campus, Sparhawk’s school year is one in which we will acknowledge how we may not be the same coming out of the proverbial storm, but that we are stronger, more connected, and ready to thrive. As our credo reads, “Success leads to confidence and confidence is a feeling that endows happiness.” Happy children learn faster, retain more information, and are ready to think critically and creatively. We endeavor to foster and nurture that confidence, success, and happiness in each and every one of our students.
So let us begin on this journey with your family. I for one can not wait to see all that this community accomplishes this year.
Take Care,
Kaitlyn MacDonald
Assistant Head of School