2 minute read
Village School Turns 45
by Caroline Byfield
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Wow! Forty-five years. Village School has grown up and I couldn’t be prouder of our school. When approaching a landmark in time one can’t help but to reflect on the past and imagine the tempting possibilities the future may hold. As I take stock, I wanted to share what Village School means to me, and I hope means to you and your families. Some may call Village a sweet, neighborhood elementary school, and it is true we are that, but we are also so much more.
halls. The elementary years define what kind of learner you’re going to be; this is when one’s attitude towards learning is established. Are you a gregarious student who simply can’t get enough of anything? Maybe. Or are we going to slowly cultivate that passion when you join us at four or five years so that when you’re ready to be fledged at twelve you have become that student who leaps at every opportunity, reads voraciously, writes creatively, thinks deeply? The gift of sending our sixth graders off into the world of secondary school prepared and still bubbling over with enthusiasm for discovery is what Village does and does well.
Of course, the academics define the experience here, but Village School has also been focused on
the social and emotional lives of our children long before this came into vogue. Our structures of Community Circle and Family Circle provide the forum for direct and thoughtful work. Equipping students with the skills that allow them to share their own perspective while valuing a divergent one creates a climate of respect and cohesion. It also creates a context in which students can be brave thinkers. We are not interested in uniformity; we are interested in students who can critically evaluate and receive constructive feedback to grow.
When I contemplate these two facets of the Village School experience, the academics, and the social and emotional realm, I know as an educator and a parent that we are raising students who will be prepared. Prepared for seventh grade and the academic rigors and social challenges that define middle school. But more than that preparation, our students will be ready to think big, work well with others, and push through challenges all with a wellplaced sense of self. I’d say all of this is pretty grown up and I couldn’t be happier to celebrate the 45 generations of students we have graduated who can all of this.
