Out of Office is a series from Head of School Kim Samson that highlights/focuses on time spent outside of her office: in the BVR hallways, classrooms, stages, fields, and beyond.
Rethinking Teaching for Learning Series: Addressing implicit bias
Liza Talusan, Ph.D. talked to faculty and staff about how we can address implicit bias within our community and “set the table” for conversations we will continue to have on this topic. Faculty and staff shared how prepared they felt to engage in discussions of bias and also what questions or fears naturally are present in this community work. Last summer, Beaver’s Core Senior Leadership Team benefited from Liza’s expertise during our Retreat, so inviting her back to continue the work of expanding our individual and collective toolkits is an absolute win!
Leadership at Middle School Meeting
Attending the Middle School Meeting last week was a great reminder of how we intentionally build the leadership skills of our students. In just one meeting, we heard from about 20 students on topics that ranged from how to keep your Apple Watch from being a distraction to seeing and hearing about various artistic expressions related to the Middle School Social Justice Retreat. Our youngest students are developing their public speaking and presentations skills with nods to both The Beaver Student and The New Basics. It is great to see such important elements of our mission in action.
From the courts to the coffeehouse
I had the opportunity to see Upper School students perform in a couple of spaces last week. The Boys Varsity Basketball Team played Pingree on Thursday afternoon. As a Pingree alum, it was a fun game to watch, and I was excited to see Beaver win definitively! I also saw the Winter Coffeehouse Concert, which gave so many students the opportunity to perform in front of a lively audience. The students’ demonstrating their passion for rearranging, performing, and creating music combined with the playful nature of this event is a perfect example of Beaver joy! It was lovely for the audience to both witness and be part of that evening.
Connecting with the Parent Association
Associate Head of School Zaira Santiago and I met with our Parents’ Association Co-Chairs Melinda O’Leary and Shaune Berg last Thursday. I am so grateful to the Parents Association for the bridges they build between parents within each grade level and between parents and school administrators. Our meeting offered us a chance to reflect upon the year and how we can leverage the relationship between the PA Co-Chairs and the Head of School Office to increase collaboration. The meeting was a great opportunity for us to talk about how the year is going, topics of conversation among parents, and things Zaira and I know are on the minds of faculty and staff working with students every day.