What We Learned and What We May Keep From This Year

What We Learned

And What We May Keep From This Year

It was a school year like no other in our lifetime. The entire CA community was tested in many ways—including more than 5,000 COVID-19 PCR tests that were performed to keep the virus from spreading. Families lived through illness, sadness, and untold loss—of plans, jobs, and loved ones. Is it possible that any good could come from so much grief?

That’s what we wondered when we asked a sampling of students, faculty, and administrators what they learned from living through a school year dominated by a pandemic. And, we wondered, is there anything they might keep after the end of the year? Their answers range from pragmatic, to personal, to profound. But they all demonstrate support for the future of CA and reinforce the heartfelt wish of Head of School Dr. Mike Davis:

“I hope this generation holds on to the resilience they demonstrated during the past year. Some students faced life and death issues. They showed how amazingly adaptable they could be. They reminded us of our mission— to create ‘curious, kind, courageous, and adventurous learners and leaders’—and how we are going to live that mission moving forward.” n

What we learned…

I learned the kind of person I want to be from watching other people, especially my parents. It’s amazing how much people care about each other, and how they tried to support each other. They wear masks to protect themselves and to protect others. I know now that what I do affects other people.”

Lillian Ormes, Grade 5

“Because of COVID, all of our speakers— including speakers on the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion—had to be virtual this year. By using CA facilitators for those speeches, they felt more like conversations. It felt like the audience was experiencing a dialogue, and I found that to be an unexpectedly enriching experience.”

Sarah Wright, Director of Inclusivity “I have new respect for rules. During COVID, it is important to respect the guidelines, because they are made by experts. They are doing what’s best for the common good and greater community. We need to honor the rules when we make decisions, because it’s for our own safety.” Charlie Rakowski, Grade 8

“I have been teaching for 20 years, but this year, I felt like a new teacher. This was my mantra: ‘I am going to try every method to build community and connections, so students know I care about them and want them to learn.’ I wanted them to learn history, how to be individuals in a society faced with challenges, but most of all I wanted them to feel invested in school and connected to each other.” Liz Sarles, Upper School History Teacher “I learned to expect the unexpected. You never know what’s going to happen, so don’t get hung up on the little stuff. In a way, it was like a physical and mental test. I had to stay safe physically, keep my family safe, and mentally be able to go through so many months of not knowing what will happen. I would give myself a good grade on this test. I learned how strong I really am, and how strong the CA community is.”

Ana Yáñez, Sophomore “This was a year when we had to use our imagination. We had to reimagine all our processes and procedures—the way we travel inside and outside the school, what kind of games we can play at recess, how we interact with each other to be respectful of each other’s space. Extroverts learned self-control. Introverts felt they had their safe space. Many of the strategies we developed to keep students safe turned out to be ideas everyone loved!” Angie Crabtree, Lower School Principal “During COVID, I learned to take initiative, because we were working more by ourselves, so I told myself, ‘You have to be more responsible for everything—your choices, your grades.’ I also learned to be better at advocating for myself and asking for help when I needed it.” Gabriela Gonzales, Grade 8

“I learned I can be savvy about technology! Rather than finding recordings of singing to teach music to young students, I made the recordings myself to help keep a connection to my students. Using an app, I can now record myself singing and add the accompaniment. I enjoyed learning how to do this so much, that by the end of the year, I had made several albums of my singing!” Brenda Bartel, Lower School Music Teacher

“It’s not something I ever thought a pandemic would do, but COVID helped clarify for me what I was looking for in a college. I realized that I was looking for a place where I have a sense of belonging, and where students are invested and involved in the community—everything that I am incredibly thankful to have at CA. When we were fully remote, I learned that sometimes you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” Peter Carpenter, Class of 2021

“We learned that we needed to do whatever it took to keep our artists—singers, painters, photographers, performers, dancers— engaged and creating art, despite the restrictions. This year has been a challenge, but we still found ways to celebrate our students’ unique voices. We teach our young artists to be creative, flexible, and adaptable, and this year we educators had to do that as well.”

Katy Hills, Director of Visual & Performing Arts “I always looked forward to playing soccer in the fall, and when the season was postponed, I realized how much I took for granted about sports. I learned that the social side of sports—being around friends—is really important to me.” Jared Goldstein, Class of 2021

“In a year like this, I learned what is the most important part of the curriculum. Because we were using a format that was often remote, I targeted the essential skills students would need to feel confident and comfortable as they move into the next grade.” Matt Olmstead ’95,

Middle School Core and English Teacher “I learned self-reflection. All of us had to leave our fast-paced lives to spend more time alone. It was good to just be quiet and reflect on the state of the world. Coming of age in a global pandemic changes your mindset and makes you want to expand your horizons. I always thought of myself as a painter, but during COVID, I branched out with my artwork in ways I never would have during normal times.”

Brooke Taylor, Class of 2021

“I was new this year, so everyone I met for the first time was wearing a mask. Think how hard it is to learn everyone’s names, and the importance of connecting a name to a face! I learned to pay close attention to people’s faces, so that some day, when we take our masks off, I will know who everyone is.”

Chelsea Grantham, Grade 5 Teacher

“I learned to be adaptable to a new reality—things I could not control—and that was huge. Part of that meant cutting back on time spent on social media. It was just too hard to see people doing things that I wouldn’t do, because I wanted to keep my family safe. I put away my phone, and instead, I made an extra effort to have closer emotional connections with people in my life—my friends, my siblings, and my mom.”

Annabelle Swenson, Class of 2021

“We learned that the daily schedule is not written in stone. It can be reconsidered and adjusted. We experimented with a day that started later and classes that were different lengths. Because using technology was not optional this year, everyone found they could be far more nimble with juggling multiple different tech tools. We learned you build resilience by living through experiences that make you resilient.”

Dr. Jon Vogels, Upper School Principal “As a Co-President of the Senior Class, I worked with administrators and got a look behind the scenes at all the planning that goes into creating the Upper School schedule. It’s complex, and I learned it’s impossible to make everyone happy. In times like this, I am grateful for the responsible CA leaders. I don’t take that for granted anymore.”

Ryan Gaghen, Co-President, Class of 2021

“So much of the pandemic reaffirmed the value of what happens on this campus every day. It reminds us of the importance of experiential learning, service learning, in-person learning, our work in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the work of parents on CA Cares, supporting families in need. We found new ways of connecting to parents and alumni, allowing people to dial in and see what’s happening at CA. When COVID comes to an end, we plan to come out of this stronger, more thoughtful, and more relevant than ever.”

Dr. Mike Davis, Head of School

“This year taught me to always be ready— especially for bad news. During the first major lockdown, I started running. This fall, when Field Hockey was postponed, I went out for Cross Country, which I never would have done otherwise. You learn about yourself when you are running, and I’m going to continue to do it.”

Ellie Wadsworth, Class of 2021

“I learned that the most inspiring, creative solutions to problems come when you are under the worst constraints. When you are limited, you are forced to think outside the box. COVID forced us to separate what is ‘nice’ to know, from what students ‘must’ know—and still make it fun.” Elizabeth Drazdowski, Middle School Athletic Director

“I learned to be more physically self-aware. I have to pay attention to where I am and where other people are and make sure my mask is high above my nose! And remote learning taught me to be more grateful for going to school.”

Jackson Hersch, Grade 5

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<<<< “I think we learned that we are much more capable of making changes and being flexible than we imagined we were. After COVID struck, we created a plan to reopen school—first remotely, then in a hybrid model, and finally inperson. Everybody worked together to make it happen, and that’s an ethos that has developed because of COVID that we want to maintain. Moving forward, being able to change quickly creates real possibilities for meeting student needs in a more rapidly evolving way.” Bill Wolf-Tinsman, Middle School Principal “I think society as a whole learned a lot from this pandemic. In the time we spent alone, we discovered new parts of ourselves. I started a new habit of exercising every day—biking, running, doing high-intensity interval training. I discovered that I have a lot of determination. And I felt better and slept better!”

Tuhin Sur, Freshman

“We really learned to prioritize, and for me that meant prioritizing mathematical thinking over individual skills. During remote learning, we found that students did a good job learning mathematical thinking and problem solving. Along the way they learned the individual math skills, without even realizing it was happening.”

Kathy Zolla, Middle School Math Teacher

“We learned to pivot and quickly develop a host of new tools—pop-up libraries, an overhauled and more robust Raether Library website, how-to videos that taught students how to access and search our databases through Destiny Discover, and new tools to place holds on books. And we read bedtime stories to students over Facebook! We always knew our libraries acted as community hubs and gathering places, but we learned how much of our purpose involves seeing students, teachers, and parents. CA Librarians: Allison Peters Jensen, Lindsay Beatty, Allie Bronston, Mary Leyva, Becci Marzonie

What we may keep…

I would like to keep my attitude, because I learned how to persevere. COVID isn’t going to be the only tough thing that comes at me in life, and I always want to remain optimistic—even in the middle of a pandemic.”

Gabriela Gonzales, Grade 8

“We would like to keep picnic lunch—we call it “Adirondack lunch.” It’s so relaxing and joyful—it feels like a family. And there are lots of celebrations we reinvented this year—like the Halloween Popsicle party and the Valentine ice cream sundae party—which we will keep, because they contributed to maintaining studentcentered love and joy in the Lower School.” Angie Crabtree, Lower School Principal “I hope I keep this amplified feeling of loving school, my friends, and my community. Before COVID, I looked forward to the weekend as the best part of the week. Now, school feels like the best part of the week, because there is nothing to do on the weekend. Right now, the only thing I want to do is hug someone, just because I feel like it. For the rest of my life, I want to keep that sense of not taking hugs for granted.” Lillian Ormes, Grade 5

“I used Zoom to send student music recitals to people all over the world. With a camera and a Zoom link, we can invite anyone to attend, and it was fun to see grandparents from all over the country. I remember saying, ‘Why haven’t we done this before?’”

Katy Hills, Director of Visual & Performing Arts “It seems like students have had fewer colds this year. I wouldn’t mind keeping the hand sanitizers!”

Matt Olmstead ’95, Middle School Core and English Teacher “I want to keep the new friendships I made. Before COVID, I had my circle of friends, and I didn’t think I needed any more. But through COVID, I made connections with new people and discovered we had a lot in common— including the experience of living through a pandemic together.”

Charlie Rakowski, Grade 8

“We are never going to be an online school, but I could envision using Zoom in the future for a student who has to be absent from school for an extended period of time due to a serious injury. In an emergency, a student could be kept up to date, instead of missing a month of school.”

Dr. Jon Vogels, Upper School Principal

“I loved the later start to Upper School. Truly, it was life-changing. It made me calmer as a person and better to work with as a student.”

Brooke Taylor, Class of 2021

“Before COVID, I was busy every night. But during COVID, I spent more time with my family—eating dinner together, talking about what’s going on in my life, just the small stuff. I would like to keep that extra time with my family.”

Jared Goldstein, Class of 2021

“This year made me a better teacher, because I was challenged. I became innovative in ways I had not been before. All the Fifth Grade teachers were very intentional in our curriculum. I’m proud of my team and my students, because, although we had to adapt this year, I feel confident that our Fifth Graders are ready to take the next step.”

Chelsea Grantham, Grade 5 Teacher

“I loved the culture of hanging around

outside in the new Adirondack chairs. We spend a lot of time in the classroom. I enjoyed being outside!”

Peter Carpenter, Class of 2021

“While we always like to have spectators for athletic events, we discovered the potential of Mustang Vision this year. By partnering with the NFHS Network, we can connect to people who don’t live in the area. Grandparents can watch their grandchildren compete in the Main Gym, parents who are traveling for business don’t have to miss a game, and we have newly enlarged sports footprint—around the country and the world.”

Bill Hall, Director of Athletics

“I want to continue to unplug from my phone when I am with my friends. The person I am with right now is more important than any text! Not being able to see people face-to-face taught me that.” Annabelle Swenson, Class of 2021

“I know that so many students across the world had their education put on hold for a year. When we were fully remote, being able to attend school online was a huge advantage. So I would keep the ability to shift quickly to a platform like Zoom, so that students and teachers don’t miss a beat.” Ana Yáñez, Sophomore

“Moving forward, I can see the potential to use Zoom routinely to make meetings with parents more convenient, to open the door for more parents to engage in Parent Association meetings, to include more people when we have speakers for Middle School, and to offer teachers the opportunity to bring experts from around the country and the world into the classroom.”

Bill Wolf-Tinsman, Middle School Principal “Even though I like being around people, I found a more introverted side to myself. Before COVID, I would always choose to go out with friends. Now, I think I will want to stay in as often as I go out.” Ellie Wadsworth, Class of 2021

“When students come in for office hours during the day, they are pulled in multiple directions. I started doing my office hours over Zoom in the early evening. Sometimes they wanted to check in about the homework, sometimes they wanted to talk about the reading. It was a great way to stay connected, especially when students were remote.” Liz Sarles, Upper School History Teacher

“In-person birthdays are better, but using Zoom for my birthday this year meant that all my relatives could come—my aunt in Connecticut and my family in India and the UK. We can continue to use Zoom for all sorts of daily scenarios, like early morning or after-school meetings.” Tuhin Sur, Freshman

“We developed new projects that enabled students to work from home. The silver lining to this is that students are learning how to design and create from anywhere. It became obvious to them that they can be empowered designers of their world anywhere, all the time. With a fairly small kit of tools, plus 3D modeling software, it means that students can engineer their designs whenever inspiration strikes, not just at school or in the Innovation Lab.” Chris Roads,

Director of the Anderson Innovation Lab

“I lead three clubs, and it’s always difficult to get everyone together in person. I would keep using Zoom for club meetings. I think that would lead to people trying out more clubs, because they can attend if they are at home or out of town.” Ryan Gaghen, Co-President, Class of 2021

“We will keep all the new library techniques we developed this year. But some day, we won’t mind getting rid of our masks and cleaning products! Allison Peters Jensen, Director of Libraries

‘I want to keep that sense of not taking hugs for granted.’

Lillian Ormes, Grade 5