Continuous Learning

No. 2. Continuous Learning

In my first year as President, I spent a lot of time learning. I was constantly asking my staff to reflect on what we do, how we do it, and why we do it that way. It was my way of understanding all the different people, perspectives, skills, and knowledge that make WSG possible. Now in my second year, I returned to this practice through my annual end-of-year check-ins with all of my staff members in order to ask them once again to reflect on their work and the work of the school.

Like our students, I believe that we can reach our full potential as a school by being open-minded and continually learning. From knowing and appreciating our students, their learning needs, and their families to understanding trends in education, teaching, learning, and brain development, it is our responsibility as educators to be constantly refining what we know about how students learn and how we can best guide them to success.

This year, WSG has undertaken several projects that provide us with the opportunity to think deeply about our students’ needs and outcomes and identify challenges to achieving our goals. In particular, we are undertaking a year-long self-study as part of a continuance of our accreditation by the Middle States Association, and we are creating our Theory of Change – a visual roadmap of how we envision our students’ educational journey and milestone achievements.

These projects provide opportunities to review every aspect of our school operations. And while the conversations and process around them can be challenging, they have given us the time and space to think more deep and strategically about our vision for the future of the school and our hope and dreams for our students as they grow into young women, ready to change the world.

For me, this continuous learning and striving for improvement is the most important work we are doing outside of the classroom. Knowing that we are raising the bar for our excellence as a school in order to raise the bar for our students’ achievement has truly been a highlight to my year.

Morning Prayers

No. 3 Morning Prayers

"Good morning God my creator, Thank you for today…"

These are the words that begin each day at WSG. An expression of gratitude for God’s blessings that bring us together for another day of learning, growing, and aspiring to be the best versions of ourselves. Morning prayer, led by our students and attended by students, faculty, and staff, is one of WSG’s most unifying and uplifting traditions and my favorite way to start my mornings.

The simple act of coming together, setting aside our worldly concerns, and opening our hearts and minds to God, has a powerful impact on all who attend. It is a time of reflection on the challenges of the day ahead and the influence of God in our daily lives. When I look around the room, I see serenity and grace in the faces of our students and staff, and I feel the support and care of our community as we pray for each other, all those whom we love, and those who need our prayers the most. Morning prayer is the island of peace in the ocean of activity and stress that sometimes consumes our lives. It provides a daily nourishing of my soul.

I strongly believe that the heart of a spiritual community is the ability to lift up each of its members, providing the strength and support needed to realize our potential. Our community prayers, memorized by heart and recited in unity, offer our students a shared experience that they will take with them long after they have left WSG. I hope that the words of our prayers empower them when they feel weakest and give them a spiritual boost and sense community when they feel farthest from home.

New Experiences

No. 4 New Experiences

As an educator, I particularly enjoy seeing our students grow and expand their knowledge through new experiences. During the past twelve months, I’ve had the opportunity to join our students on a few out-of-school adventures, which were some of the many highlights of the year. I paddled on a marsh on a middle school kayaking trip, learning how to navigate the kayak with a partner, while taking in the surrounding wildlife. On a field trip to the Newseum, I enjoyed watching our third-grade students act as reporters and explore exhibits about news reports created well before they were born (it was hard for them to believe that we used to get our news from a paper!) At the National Book Festival, I joined students on a cross-country adventure with Junior League’s Around the USA exhibit, stopping to get our passports stamped and learning about state history.

Those are just a few of the many ways our students engage with and learn about the world. Reflecting on my own elementary and middle school years, I fondly remember camping trips, museum excursions, and walking tours of Philadelphia with my classmates. From sleeping outside in the woods, taking in beautiful artwork, and trying new foods in the city I’d lived in my whole life, I learned that the world was much bigger than me, my school, my family. I am thrilled that students at WSG have the same opportunity to experience learning in exciting ways and to explore places, cultures, and knowledge that are new or different than their own. In their eyes, I see the spark of curiosity and joy of discovery which are inspiring reminders of why I became an educator.

One of the long-lasting benefits of a great education is the understanding that learning isn’t contained in a classroom. Instead, learning happens all the time, and it can take many forms, in many places, through many different people. Learning takes place over a lifetime of new experiences, and I want our students to be lifelong learners.