BRUNSWICK SCHOOL
SEPTEMBER 2013
MONTHLY MAILING A MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMASTER Starting Off on the Right Foot
Summer (and the break it presents) provides our boys and their teachers with the opportunity to unwind, try new things, contemplate the past year at a comfortable distance and then consider what new and different interests, attitudes and relationships they aspire to for the year ahead. In fact, more than almost any other aspect of modern life, the school calendar still provides a clear beginning and a clear ending with time to reflect in between. As we look to begin our next school year and face with joy the fresh start that this beginning offers us all, most parents will no doubt take a moment or two to consider some reasonable (and occasionally a few unreasonable) goals for our children during the school year to come. Yet, while in no way wishing to imply that setting goals for our sons is unimportant, in the next few paragraphs I would like instead to ask you to consider our own goals as parents as we head into a new school year. I am certain in the knowledge that each successful Brunswick School year is more often than not accompanied by a loving, supportive, informed and judicious parent relationship at home. As often as we might talk about things that Brunswick does and should do for our boys and as often as we ask for and expect the best from our sons, it is probably all too rare that we pause as parents and think of what we can and should do to make our boys’ experience at Brunswick School as fulfilling and worthwhile as possible. With that as introduction, here are a few possible goals for the upcoming year: • Carefully read and review all Brunswick School emails/mailings regarding your son. o Report Cards and Comments o Monthly Mailings for each division o Letters regarding field trips o Notices of special events and meetings …doing so keeps you informed of your son’s progress as well as keeps you abreast of any upcoming commitments with which he might be involved. • Make every possible effort to attend Curriculum Nights and/or teacher conferences for your son(s). o Endeavor to get to know your son’s teachers, advisor and coaches and their expectations for him. …schools such as ours are largely about relationships. Getting to know those adults who interact with your son on a daily basis will help you guide him as he journeys through school and will also help you better understand and appreciate all those whose job it is to help him on that journey. • Make every possible effort to attend a reasonable sampling of events in which your son is involved. o Games o Plays o Performances …doing so allows you to see your son’s talent(s) in areas other than that which can be demonstrated by a simple grade on a report card. Needless to say, your presence at such events is also a much valued and tangible sign of love and support for your son and his efforts. • Support the School, its faculty and its policies. o In the event you ever have a question or concern, contact the School immediately to further explore any areas of confusion and/or disagreement. …as some valuable lessons in life can also be challenging, immediate gratification is not usually the best way to weigh the merit of a given experience for your son. Your support of the School and his resulting sense that there exists a united front of commitment to and expectation for his development will go a long way toward directing his energies in the most positive direction possible. • Finally, although so much of what I have listed above is about involvement, as your son grows older always be aware that he is leading his life, not an extension of your own. o The more that he can learn to do and handle on his own the better served he will ultimately be. …your being aware of and interested in all things regarding his progress in school and in life is normal and encouraged. Try to be there when he needs you but also try to enable him to handle as much as he can on his own. Independence rather than dependence is our collective goal for all our boys. Welcome to the 2013-2014 school year at Brunswick!