One of my favorite ways to start the year is to welcome our eighth graders to campus. We started this week by meeting with our oldest students who will lead our campus community in so many great ways this year. Mrs. Wright, Mr. Oliver, and I shared information about what it means to be a leader in our community. While there are plenty of opportunities for them to take on leadership roles, their biggest role is setting the example for our younger students of what it means to live into our Cardinal Character. I am excited by their enthusiasm for the year.
As everyone settles into their school routines and we head into a long weekend (yay!), I want to give my annual reminder to give yourself and your children some grace in the coming days. The transition back to school requires a lot of physical and mental energy. For young people who are still learning how to regulate their emotions, they might be extra cranky, weepy, or tired. They might be extra hungry or need more sleep. This may also apply to adults as well. Hopefully, the long weekend will be just what everyone needs to reset and recharge.
One final note: I shared an article from The Atlantic with our faculty that was published over the summer, called “The End of Reading is Here.” What is now being called the “post-literate” era, the article provides a historical overview of how reading is declining across all age groups, describing at length how we have lost the stamina for longer, more lexically complex texts. The research is compelling and highlights a concern I have had about our current generation's reading and writing stamina. I am proud of JRDS's commitment to academic excellence, which includes reading novels starting in second grade and by fourth grade in Spanish. Reading is a powerful tool for brain development, supporting critical thinking, language and vocabulary development, and emotional regulation. Our library also continues to be a hub for connection and literacy. Reading is vital to developing the whole child, and we will continue to commit to reading longer texts.
I hope that you all enjoy the long weekend! Rest well!
Let’s Fly!
Jenn