January 17, 2024
Beyond Numbers
A LIFE-ALTERING EMAIL LANDED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH TEACHER ERICK CREPSAC’S INBOX LAST SPRING. Originating from CA’s Center for Community Engagement, the message presented a compelling proposition: a summer workshop designed to empower STEM teachers of color in rural South Africa. The goal? To help redress educational disparities caused by the racist apartheid-era Bantu Education […]
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November 16, 2023
Uncomfortable Magic
As Service Learning Director, I have the unique honor of helping push our students outside the comfort of our familiar school environment and into the wider world. Time and time again, I have seen firsthand the incredible learning and self-discovery these uncomfortable and unfamiliar moments often yield. Consider: a spark of unexpected human connection with […]
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November 2, 2023
Beyond the Walls
Last month, at our second Upper School Town Hall of the year, students and faculty trooped into the Theater, ushered in by faculty and the sounds of one of the students playing piano. Once all were seated, we heard from various student groups; they asked for service project volunteers, shared updates for class spirit points, and […]
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October 26, 2023
Supporting Our Students in Times of Crisis
On Tuesday, we held our second lockdown drill of the school year. It is a shame that we have to spend time worrying about gun violence at school, but the risk in this day and age is too significant to treat lightly. Interestingly, we only began practicing lockdowns monthly at the suggestion of our Upper […]
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October 19, 2023
Time Well Spent
It is perhaps a (deceptively) simple question: How is your relationship with time? I mulled over this question after reading a chapter called “Generosity with Time” in Chris Balme’s Finding the Magic in Middle Schools. As someone who teaches in middle school but lives with teenagers of various ages—especially older ones—I found it resonant, offering […]
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October 18, 2023
A Bright Future Ahead
The coming year will see us break ground on the much-anticipated Middle School renovation. We look forward to working with the CA community to bring these renderings to life. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store (spoiler alert: things are looking bright!): The addition of five new classrooms to create dedicated […]
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October 13, 2023
Showing Up for Each Other
WHAT‘S BEST FOR OUR KIDS? To be fair, that’s a question that is always top of mind for Head of Middle School Josette Huntress. But in the fall of 2021— with students set to return to Middle School after two years of COVID-disrupted learning— it felt particularly pressing. ONE SOLUTION? Community Days. “Our kids had […]
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October 5, 2023
A Taste of the Arts
You’ve seen the emails. Maybe you’ve purchased tickets for a show. Perhaps you’ve visited the silent auction and checked out the raffle item. But what is A Taste of the Arts? Our fall community-building events have one primary goal: to foster a sense of connection amongst our families, students, employees, and community partners. That might […]
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September 21, 2023
Mission Critical
As Director of Equity and Community Engagement, my CCE team and I are in unique positions, holding enviable front-row seats to student discovery and growth. Whether helping a student to create a club, develop a product, build a car, or start a nonprofit, it is our privilege to facilitate opportunities and partner in ways that […]
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