“Dr. Piltch, look, I’ve lost my first tooth!” “Do you think I’ve grown?” “I’ve gotten big, haven’t I?” “Graduation is just around the corner.”

Spring break is always energizing and reinforcing. When people return from it, they tend to be more relaxed and focused. The students, particularly the younger ones, tend to notice signs of their physical growth, and that growth is readily apparent to others in the community. Over the last few weeks a number of students have shared with me their own stories about where they are. Whether it’s because they lost a first tooth, are wearing a different size of clothing, or are looking forward to graduation, they are in different places from those they were in when they started school in September.

Their growth is not only physical; it can be seen through the papers they write, the words they spell, the math they do, the artwork they produce, the games they play, and the music they perform. It can be seen through the questions they ask and the relationships in which they are involved. In truth, it can be seen in every area of life, not just physical or academic, but social and emotional, too. As parents and educators, it is important that we recognize and appreciate this growth and share our appreciation of it with our children and students. It is that growth and that spirit that they bring to school every day that get us through the more difficult challenges that we face as a community.

Over the last couple of weeks, as we have dealt with the loss of people close to Shipley, it has been the resilience, spirit, and perspective of our students that has enabled us to keep our heads up, to move forward, and to help those in need. Their optimism and energy help us as individuals and as a community to keep a perspective about the importance of appreciating those things going on around us in the moment. The sense of community allows us to come together to grieve appropriately for those who are gone and to help their loved ones. I thank our students and everyone else for making this a community where people support one another. I feel fortunate to be part of it.

Always looking for opportunities to make it easier for people in the community to appreciate the accomplishments of our students, we are introducing a new online service that allows families to access and purchase some of the many photographs that are taken at performances, athletic events, and other school activities. The photos will be on a secure site hosted by Shortqueue/Shutterfly and accessible only through Shipley’s website and a link from the Shipley E-News. We plan to launch it in June with photos of the graduations of all three divisions. 

On Sunday, May 23rd, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. there will be a reception honoring faculty and staff who are retiring this year. Anna Hadgis, Charlie Owen, Leila Peck, Lura Wampler, and Bill Worth will be the guests of honor. If you would like to attend, please email, Liz Dempsey at edempsey@shipleyschool.org and let her know. The event will be held in the Avery Silverman Dining Room.

Having had our final Heads’ Forum of the year, I want to thank those in the community who were able to attend the series in the course of the year. Personally, I find the programs are invaluable in our efforts to communicate with families and friends, and I am glad that those who attend also find them helpful. Having gotten some useful feedback and suggestions from those who attended the last session, we are shaping a questionnaire to get more opinions in order to improve the process even more for next year. If you are interested in filling out the questionnaire, please let me know via e-mail or phone.

The coming month is extraordinarily busy with arts nights, concerts, athletic games, and other activities. These events provide us with opportunities to celebrate the year and to appreciate the wonderful accomplishments of our children and students. As we do so, it is important to let the children know that they are the very essence of our lives. While I love this time of year, it can be particularly taxing for people trying to be in too many places at one time. It is important to slow ourselves down and enjoy each event we attend as much as possible. The more we enjoy the events, the more our children enjoy them. I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Warmest regards,

Steven S. Piltch
Head of School