Frequently this year, I have “substituted” at the front desk in the Wilson Lobby. It has been a wonderful experience as I get to see our students go up and down the stairs and into and out of the Gym.  The comments about their day are priceless, and as a fly on the wall, I hear much about their day and their creative thoughts!

Creativity is not recognized as much as it should be, as there are rules in life that students and adults alone learn that at times, stop creativity.  I wish that was not the case, but so be it.

When our students leave for the weekend or for a break from school, I hope that they spend lots of time out of doors.  It is in the out of doors, in unstructured time that many people, find their creative being. About one month ago, James Taylor, a well-known songwriter who came onto the music scene in the late 1960’s, released an audiobook about his remembrances of his life before he was 21 years old. Mr. Taylor recalls that when his family moved to a rural part of North Carolina, and there was not much close by to do. Mr. Taylor and his siblings found many ways to entertain themselves. He claims that this was the source of his creativity.  My hope is that all of us find ways to unlock our own creativity. It can be very fulfilling.

In late February, we think Spring is coming soon. We begin to see images of Spring. I also think about how all of us are doing on our objectives for the year. Some of us might call them goals. With goals in mind, it is easier to be successful. One many need to work hard- or even harder than someone else, but with an objective or goal in mind, most things are attainable. I like to tell our students to chunk assignments into smaller parts. In school, I learned that trick and even when I see something that is tough to accomplish, understanding what my goal is, and how to break it into smaller parts, is often the key to reaching what is important to me. Your students learn to read this way, and athletes learn to train this way- so why not try it. Revisit your goals and try to accomplish a little at a time.

Watching youth sports has always been something I enjoy. In the winter months, I like to end my day in the gym watching a game. There is a pureness to it and along the way I get refreshed about what sports should all be about. I have just finished about two months of watching boys and girls basketball and it is wonderful to see the happiness on the faces of the players- win or lose. They are simply happy to be out running around, particularly when a big chunk of their day is inside and sitting at a desk in school. Soon I get to go outside to watch lacrosse- So great!

This is one of my favorite dates of the year. Why? It is because it is the birthdate of Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln has many books written about him. I have read several, but not nearly enough. I would not call him a hero of mine, but I do think he has influenced my thinking and the way I conduct my life. I hope for our students that they find someone who is important to them in their life. This can be a Craig teacher, and I have heard parents and students alike refer to teachers here as important to them. Each person needs someone that can me an advisor, a mentor, a meaningful adult. With mid-winter here, and more indoor activities than we probably desire, I am wondering if some of us can find a historical figure, a writer, and YouTube sensation who can influence us in positive ways. We all need that
to thrive.

There are two Federal holidays in the coming weeks. These holidays commemorate two of our leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and George Washington. My thought this week is to set into motion your thinking about how you might learn more about these leaders and their influence on the development of the United States.   For students and teachers, we sometimes think about these two days as simply days off in a school year calendar, and I accept that this is the norm, but in both cases, I do not intend to let them be simply a day off. In some years, I have performed service with an organization around Dr. King’s Birthday.  For President George Washington, I often pick up a history book that discusses his contributions and read passages. I hope member of our Craig family take a few moments to remember the ideals and positive actions of these two important historical figures in our history.

Welcome to 2020. I marvel at the symmetry of the numbers. Looking ahead it is going to be historic year.  First, the Craig School is going to celebrate its’ 40^th Birthday.  You will learn more about all the celebrations planned. Second, many students and adults will remember this year because there will be so many events with the label- 2020 on it. Third, like other years- such as 2001, there is likely to be a movie with the title of 2020 in it. I am sure all of us will remind ourselves in the future where we were when something historic happened this year.  When I think about the coming months, I know that the ups and downs of life might not be any different than in 2019, so I do not want to imply that this calendar year simply that it is here, will be different, but as you know- it will be.

As many of you know, we welcome new students to our campus throughout the school. This is one of the joys I have had as Head of School. Our faculty and staff have been terrific in saying to each other- that is part of our school, In fact, most of the best conversations I have with families, after they have been here for a few months, are those conversations with families where they did not start the school year in September with us, but other months in the year. For most of the students, coming later in the year is daunting, and at the same time most of the students tell us- their teachers, Nicole Moon, our Director of Admission, Janet Cozine and Eric Caparulo, and others that everyone has been so welcoming. Many parents tell us that we have changed the dynamic in so many positive ways.  I am so glad to be part of a school that can do that.  It is a very good feeling.

In the middle of October, I attended a workshop focusing on civility.  This is an age-old topic, but schools noticed a few years ago with the speed by which information travels now that students are not learning the skills to be reflective when something comes to them that “does not sit right”.  In fact, I would argue that our society is having a tougher time with this topic. What can we do about it? First, there are multiple websites that help remind us we can be kinder to each other.  It is important for us to share the websites with students as well as some of the best older versions of life lessons. Second, at Craig, we require our Lower and Middle School students to keep their phones with their homeroom teacher during the day, so they are not getting distracted from the instruction during the day. Third, our teachers work on letting each student state their point of view and when there is disagreement, the teacher will often help students see the two sides to the story.  At the workshop, when I heard of the examples of how we could have more civility in schools, I realized at Craig we are mostly there.  We have more work to do, but with a solid base- we have a start.

Being grateful is something I hope we do not take for granted. With Thanksgiving just about one week away, I am thinking about what I am thankful for. I am glad when the holiday comes around so I can remind others that I care about being grateful. Each reader of Wednesday Thoughts may have a different perspective or focus about what it means to be grateful.  What I am simply going to do for myself is to list all the things I am grateful for in my life.   When I have done this in the past, I have found it exhausting, but worth taking time. it. Think about your own list. I do not need to say more and Happy Thanksgiving!