The family of a former student reached out to me recently with a dilemma: Although their oldest child was a voracious reader, their youngest child didn’t seem to be interested in books at all. The parents wondered if I might “work my magic” on their youngest child, to ignite the spark that would eventually become a raging fire for books. As flattered as I am to be credited with this power, the secret to turning reluctant readers...
Gillispie students PreK to Grade 6 were treated with visits from Practical Karate owner and Gillispie parent, Frank McCarroll, who engaged students in interactive workshops designed to help children create an environment of kindness at school and cope with confrontational or bullying behaviors from other students or strangers. Using the book Have You Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids and his own experiences growing up, Frank showed students that making a conscious...
Recently, Gillispie welcomed Dr. Adria O’Donnell who spoke on ways in which we can instill resiliency in children, which in turn allows children to handle life’s stresses and to take on challenges. Having resiliency contributes to a child’s ability to recognize and regulate emotions. Dr. O’Donnell shared some helpful illustrations: The Blender When your child is emotionally charged, it is like a blender on full speed without the lid. In this state, it is not the right time...
In a recent Real Simple article, “How to Raise a Problem-Solver," writer Joanne Nesbit quotes a CEO of a cloud-based, reference-checking firm: “Young people’s ability to get things done on their own and take initiative is one of the biggest employer concerns.” Ms. Nesbit went on to advise how we can help children build these critical skills. Her ideas included allowing for open-ended, loosely-supervised play; providing opportunities for children to complete real-life tasks; asking our young ones...
Can you describe your family’s moral North Star? How do you serve one another, the world? If those questions seem tough to answer, you may have some work to do. You’ve probably noticed that most successful organizations have a mission statement, setting the framework for who they are, where they are going, and how to work together. These core values and beliefs are often critical to the ultimate success or failure of the business. Family is more...
It’s tough to be a kid today. So many expectations, so much pressure. Consider that in many places preschool, a place that should be filled with play, imagination, and creativity, is frequently being labeled as “The New Kindergarten”. These preschoolers are forced to move at a fast-forward pace, drilled on letters and math, reading before their eyes are ready, often maintaining busier schedules than adults. Then, it’s off to elementary school, where the pressure is on to...
It has been heartbreaking to hear Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students and their parents speak out about the recent shooting. I remember the shock of what unfolded in Columbine High School in 1999 and continue to grapple with the surreal circumstances of school shootings since then. The school community, teachers, staff, and I, as Head of School, take very seriously the health and welfare of our students, and to that end, share with you the...
Mark your calendars! On Thursday, January 25 at 6:30-7:30 p.m., author David Schwartz will present a family program called Numbers, Numbers, Everywhere! David will be treating families to delightful storytelling when he talks about the connection between stories and numbers. Children (and parents) will long remember the difference between a million, a billion, and a trillion when the evening is over! Earlier that day, prekindergarteners through sixth graders will be participating in four separate assemblies David will be interacting...
The start of preschool or new school year is such an exciting time! As parents, we are imagining all the exciting things our children will learn and how much they will grow over the year. It’s bitter-sweet, watching our little ones take their first steps to independence. At the same time, we’re excited, we are also feeling anxiety and sadness about letting them go, especially that moment when we have to say goodbye. We worry about...
