Middle School Column: Happy New Year

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By Tom Healy

Thomas Healy

Happy New Year! As a middle school principal here in Greenwich, I am experiencing the same range of emotions as many of you in town. Some of you are looking upon the start of school with excitement: an opportunity for a fresh start, new experiences and the potential to grow and develop as a person. Others of you, once the calendar turns over to August, consider what is to come with caution — a time to predict and prepare for anything and everything that may come your way in order to make the transition as smooth as possible. Then, we must move beyond the adults and also consider how the children feel! All joking aside, heading back to school after summer break brings up a great deal of emotions for all in the community, mainly because the start of every school year brings enormous transition.

For those students who will walk into a new school next week, whether they are transitioning from pre-K to elementary, elementary to middle, or middle to high school, or just new to a school or our district, this year is especially exciting and potentially nerve-wracking. We, as a school and a community, must welcome any and all emotions in order to meet every child where they are. That said, it is extremely important to accept that the goal of preparing for these transitions is not to eliminate all challenges or obstacles, but to be purposeful in the work to create conditions that allow for meaningful learner experiences in supportive environments. This is essential to what we all want for every child when we consider the characteristics of an excellent school year: feeling safe, known, cared for, valued, and challenged with new ideas and experiences. In this environment, students develop self-confidence and find purpose in their academic pursuits.

As a parent of school-aged children, I am well aware that the natural inclination for parents is to do whatever they can to ensure their child has a happy and fulfilling upbringing. Often, we draw upon our own memories of school as we support our children year in and year out, investing tremendous time and energy in every 182 day cycle. What we adults must realize, however, is that our experience may not, and in fact, should not be the experience of our child. Learning is a dynamic process that happens in a unique context. Therefore, if every learner is different and the only constant is change, how do we set the stage for each child to meet with success and access opportunities to make happy memories at any given grade level? While there are often factors beyond the control of the parent, the teacher, and the administration, there are in fact many factors within our collective control. By building strong home-school relationships and coming to a common understanding that deep learning occurs in the space between the known and the unknown, the village it takes to raise a child works in collaboration to create the optimal conditions for success.

Furthermore, in my years as a middle school administrator, I have come to learn that our collective responsibility — child, parent, teacher, and school administration — is not to eliminate all difficulties and ensure a completely smooth transition through these promisingly bumpy years, but to equip our children with the skills and abilities to face new challenges with resilience and reflection. I believe strongly that, in order to stay this course and to make the transition as smooth as possible, it is imperative that the adults in each child’s life shower them with hope and optimism. Those students experiencing a significant transition have the opportunity to learn the most and make the most personal growth. Students who are returning to a more known and predictable environment should challenge themselves by seeking new experiences: meet new friends, try out for a sport, and/or join a club or the school play. It is in these more uncomfortable moments and contexts that we discover our true potential and figure out how to make the most of every day. 

So, with the 2019-2020 school year approaching, and as you and your children are balancing the excitement of getting class lists and school supplies with questions of anticipation like “how nice or hard will my teacher(s) be?” or “who will I sit with at lunch?” keep in mind that true success of a school year is measured in growth and learning, both academically and emotionally, and this comes through navigating challenges presented through transition, not by the avoidance of the obstacles that come with it. Every school year presents the opportunity to create the conditions for excellence for every child, especially when schools and families work together. Happy New Year to all of you and may 2019-20 be your child’s best one yet!

Tom Healy is the Central Middle School Principal.

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