A Letter from the Head of School

When I was a young girl, my two siblings and I would spend most of our summers on my grandparents’ farm in North Carolina, where the hard, red clay stained my tender, bare feet by the time August rolled around. After two months in the deep country, it was time to hop in the family station wagon and head back to Massachusetts to begin a new school year. The hardest part of the drive home wasn’t the 13hour car ride or sharing the back seat with my sister, brother, and dog, Chester. The worst part of leaving North Carolina was actually leaving North Carolina. I was devastated to leave both sets of grandparents, my aunts, uncles, cousins, and other family members after nearly two months of family reunions, delicious Southern cuisine, milking cows, outdoor play that never ended, and Sunday School lessons with my siblings in the basement of the small, white church in which my mother was raised.

As the time drew closer for us to return home to Massachusetts, I remember curling up in my grandmother’s arms as she reminded me that when life felt unfair, I should think of silver linings. My grandmother always advised, “Don’t borrow worry or upset. It’s never worth it. Look for the silver linings. We both know that you had a great summer with family and now it’s time for you to return home to your friends. You will be back next summer though, and you can create new memories. Focus on the silver linings, and I promise it will make you feel better.” It took me a while to understand what silver linings had to do with well-being, but it eventually clicked with me as an adult. I then began to put her recommendations into practice.

Four decades later, I never imagined that I would be taking these same lessons from my grandmother to heart amidst a global pandemic. Beauvoir community members spent the past two years seeking these silver linings during one of the most challenging periods in our school’s history. Admittedly, we were faced with obstacles that had the potential to significantly disrupt our lives, yet we were able to unite as a community of caregivers, tending to needs, celebrating our successes, discovering new ways to fellowship, and, most importantly, continuing our commitment to childhood by safely reopening our doors. On behalf of our faculty and staff, thank you for your commitment to Beauvoir and allowing us the unique privilege of educating and meeting the needs of our youngest children.

This issue of Views is not only a look back on those past two remarkable years, but also an optimistic wink and nod to the future as we continue to forge ahead with our newly-launched, strategic plan and our mission of building “an enduring foundation for a lifelong spirit of inquiry and joy in learning.” I extend my deepest appreciation to the many individuals who contributed to this publication. I hope you enjoy the Views of our many silver linings.

With gratitude,

Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn Head of School

When I first started at Beauvoir 33 years ago, I walked into a kindergarten classroom and Elanor greeted me with a big, beautiful smile. ‘Welcome,’ she said, ‘You’re going to really love it here at Beauvoir.’

MARY ANN BLISS, DIRECTOR OF ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY