The Little Things

Last week I was touring colleges with my son, and we visited a school that had a thing called a “Speaking Tradition.”  Simply, there is a tradition that people will say hello to one another as they walk about the campus.  We walked about the campus quite a bit throughout the weekend, and it was not just some tour guide chatter, students were not buried in their phones or gazing at their shoes, they would greet others – almost always by making eye-contact, and with a smile.  It may not be a grand gesture, but it was enough to make clear that this college valued community.

Whenever I experience something I really appreciate at a different institution, I always try to imagine how I can implement something similar in a way that fits BHS.  While our campus is far too small to implement something like a “speaking tradition,” we can always try to be aware of how the small things really matter.  Things like holding doors, saying please and thank you – in other words, consistent, authentic gestures of thoughtfulness go a long way in making a community truly inviting and inclusive.

I shared this idea with the community this past Friday morning.  To help make my idea stick, I brought a 50 pack of Dunkin’s Munchkins in, and following Community, I let students take one – just one.  I asked them to consider how nice it was to get just that little taste of sweetness.  I asked them to consider that every time that they do little things like holding a door or saying hello, they are providing just a little bit of sweetness in the lives of others – like the little joy of a munchkin.

Not a single student asked if they could have more, and after they made their way to class there were a handful of munchkins left in the box. Several thanked me, and I watched as kids held the door.  I know that The Beech Hill School is a very kind and warm community – hopefully as we continue to work being consistently thoughtful, we too will have a community that others will emulate.

Humanities Now

In the last decade or more, there has been a great push for increased attention to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education.  At BHS, we have addressed this in a number of ways, from MathCounts and Robotics to Invention Convention and a variety of other programs.  While STEM education is very important, it is troubling to learn that there has been a decline in the number of students that are studying humanities.  A recent Wall Street Journal indicated that since 2012, there has been an almost 30% drop in students graduating college with concentrations in humanities.

The efforts to understand our shared humanity is very difficult and often hard to quantify, unlike much of what is studied in STEM fields.  While focusing on the humanities may not seem as practical as STEM, moral leaders and those that strive to help us understand the world in which we live are in short supply.  In the past week, the world has been repulsed by the savagery of terrorism, and too often we are left asking, how can this be.  Through the humanities, we can try to get at this.  Studying history, reading literature, developing, and debating ethics are as important as they have ever been.

At The Beech Hill School, we strive “to develop intellectually curious and capable young adults who will become contributing citizens and informed decision-makers.”  If we are to live up to this vision; it is critical that our future leaders are not only challenged by unique programs in STEM fields, but that they delve into the messy work that is understanding our shared humanity.

Bueller....Bueller....

Last year, I essentially worked two jobs – three, if one counts being a parent.  But at The Beech Hill School, in addition to my responsibilities as Head of School, I taught social studies.  It was an amazing experience, but my day was very full, and I had little time to do anything that was not “critical.”  This year, however, The Beech Hill School is extremely fortunate to have a faculty full of incredible educators, so I can return to focus on my role as Head.  In the opening weeks of school, I have found the reclaimed time to be a great gift, and it has helped me to see how many parts of running a school may not be “critical,” but are really important.

One thing that I have had the time to do again this year is to travel about the campus throughout the class day.  In my wanderings, I have witnessed so many great things, and have gained an even deeper appreciation of just how remarkable the opportunities are for the students at BHS. In just one week, I have witnessed: students gather pond water and discover the microscopic life in it; Dr. Dienes, dressed in full Victorian garb, create timelines with her students about the Victorian Era; 5th Grade students interact and care for their new class pet, a lion’s mane rabbit they named “Fuzzball;” students gather for Mr. Arruda’s movie night,  the student body successfully climb Mt. Major, students in Ms. Fries math class successfully solve the problem of the day before I could; and so much more.  I could write for hours about what I have witnessed in just one week at BHS. 

When I was in 7th Grade, I vividly recall going to the movies with friends to see Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.  In that movie, Ferris breaks the 4th wall to tell the audience, “Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”  I am so fortunate to have the chance to look around at BHS this year, because there is just so much great happening and it should not be missed!

Mountain Day 2023

Mountain Day is one of, if not, the oldest tradition at The Beech Hill School. While there are many lessons that are learned on the mountain each year, nothing provides the opportunity to experience perseverance like climbing a mountain.  In Beech Hill School’s founding year, the small group of students and faculty that started the school summitted Cardigan Mountain in a freezing rain that was coming down sideways because of the harsh wind.  Despite the conditions, everyone made it to the top and back down safely.  After that year, we learned to schedule Mountain Day earlier in the calendar, as that experience was quite extreme.

In the following years, we faced a variety of challenges, like the year that we had to postpone Mountain Day because of a hurricane.  Even COVID did not get in the way of Mountain Day, as that year, we hiked Pat’s Peak, in masks.  Whatever the challenge, we have found a way to make sure our students can get out in nature and can challenge themselves.

This year, we had a tremendous hike up Mount Major.  For many of our students, this was a serious challenge, and they all made it.  As the year continues, the ability to stick with it, putting one foot in front of the other, will serve as a great reminder to our students that they can do hard things. 

The Bedrock Beneath the Foundation

On Fridays, the students humor me by letting me expound on topics of my choice during Community.  Faculty have jokingly referred to this as “Rick’s Soapbox.”  This week, I shared some thoughts about the importance of embracing the growth mindset.  Most credit Carol Dweck with the popularization of this concept, which ultimately is predicated on the idea that one’s traits are not fixed.  In other words, despite having different innate strengths and weaknesses, all individuals are capable of improving themselves.

As we finish up the opening weeks of the school year, it is important to remind ourselves of this notion, as students will start to experience struggles for the first time.  Perhaps a test won’t go as anticipated, or a new acquaintance may do something that frustrates, it is important not to ascribe labels.  The individual that struggled on the test is not “dumb”, nor is the frustrating individual a “jerk.”  Each is capable of change.  By keeping our minds open to the possibility of change and growth, we can see the best in ourselves and others. 

At BHS, we can see the direct connection of the growth mindset to principles set forth in the Foundations of Community.  One of our core ideas in the Foundations is Aspiration, and in that principle, it is agreed that “we understand that it is always possible to improve our communities and ourselves.”  Thus, a growth mindset is actually the bedrock upon which our Foundation is built.

In the most practical of ways, a community that embraces a growth mindset is one that is generally positive and hopeful.  This optimism is just one more reason why students at The Beech Hill School thrive.