Dear Parents,
Thank you so much for the warm welcome. I am enjoying meeting you and your families. I am looking forward to seeing many of you on Zoom next week for our parent gatherings on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. If you missed my introduction last week, please feel free to watch the recording.
Things are hopping here at Crossroads. I am so impressed with the commitment of this faculty to bring the Core Knowledge and Core Virtues programs to life through their own special touches.
This week I had the pleasure of visiting Mr. Glazer’s seventh and eighth grade classes. The level of discourse and engagement in the eighth grade class during their Socratic seminar was exceptional. All students came prepared with high level questions and comments. Virtual and in-class students were discussing The Life of Pi and moving through topics such as symbolism, theme, and conflict. Looking in from the outside, one might imagine this level of discussion in a college level class. Later that day, our seventh graders, while participating in a virtual visit to the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, were encouraged to apply to be docents at the museum! Yes, these students know so much about this poet, and can recite from heart so many of her poems, that the docent who led their tour suggested that if they came to the Boston area for college, that they apply to volunteer there. These students are so fortunate to experience this level of instruction in such a warm, welcoming, and joyful environment. And just think, next year our Middle School will be in the marvelous Fanger Center!
On Friday morning I was able to tune into our Lower School meeting. Our fifth grade jump- started our time together with the reading inscribed on the Statue of Liberty. They followed with a quick lesson on what that inscription meant to them and how it connected to our virtues of the month of generosity and service. While also hearing news from other grades, celebrating birthdays, and checking in with our remote learners, we learned about Hanukkah from Ms. Boyce and two of our LS students, Sophie and Zachary. As well, art history, a strand of the Core Knowledge program, came to life through Mrs. Martin’s weekly game of “Famous Birthdays.” Ask your Lower School child who he or she learned about today in this fun game. (Hint, I hope it doesn’t make you want to scream!).
Thank you so much for your support for Crossroads Academy. I look forward to being with you throughout the 2020-2021 school year.
Warmly,
Jean
