The Impact of Our Work

Among the highlights of my week is the time I carve out to see what your children are doing in their classrooms. It reminds me how the holy work of our school has a daily impact on your child’s emotional and intellectual growth. A few things stand out:

School nourishes curiosity. As your children take walks in the woods, begin discussions about the prairie, and dive into their first literature assignments, we are igniting both their interest and their inquisitiveness. Learning is naturally satisfying, and quality hands-on learning ensures that it will always remain so.

School helps children develop a growth mindset. I stood at the doorway while second graders listened to a story about a butterfly whose struggle to fly ultimately made it stronger. The students then wrote blessings for themselves about how they hope to grow from their struggles this year. Mirowitz students know that learning is not about comfort. Like a butterfly, they will be encouraged to try new things, to take intellectual risks and to get out of their comfort zones.

School offers opportunities for self-expression. This week, your children launched their personal narratives. They chose just the right words and syntax to share powerful memories, exhilarating experiences, and even seemingly small moments that are important to them for reasons they will describe in their writing. The lessons of Writer’s Workshop are then applied to Hebrew class where your children are refreshing their ability to express themselves in Ivrit!

School ew beginnings. Mirowitz students are preparing for Rosh Hashanah, learning to reflect during Elul and about the four celebrations of the new year in Jewish tradition. They know that the Tishre holiday is not their only opportunity for Tikkun. In fact, each morning, reciting Modeh Ani allows them to consider how they will be their best selves.

I spend most of my time focused on the big picture: fulfilling our responsibility to our community, to our parents and to our students. But the moments I see how that work directly impacts your children are the most rewarding of all, and make every moment worthwhile.

May this year be filled with moments of growth, of self-expression, of curiosity and of new beginnings.

Shabbat Shalom

Morah Cheryl