Skip to main content

Swimming in the waters of a PK-12 school


This week I had the pleasure of taking my oldest daughter to a Berwick varsity swim meet. It was an amazing time for me to be alone with just one of my girls (a rare occurrence these days), and we talked about her dreams for the future. Already, she idolizes a number of the female swimmers on the team, and I find myself encouraging this. At the meet, she kept asking me questions about the individual swimmers, and I found myself feeling eager to talk about the blend of athleticism, work ethic, and character I know to be present on this team.  Sitting in the stands watching our swimmers power through the waters achieving victory after victory, I could think of no better role models for Kenna than the female leaders of that team. I wondered what it could be like for her, and for me, to see her wearing a Berwick swimming cap some day.

About halfway through the meet, as I was using the roster to familiarize myself with the new swimmers, I was reminded once again of how normalized it is in our swim program for our Middle and Upper School students to be on a team together. Some of our Middle Schoolers, while smaller in stature, are impact contributors to the squad. As I looked up from my roster to remind myself of just who these younger kids were, I was immediately aware of how many conversations were taking place on that pool deck between our juniors and seniors and our seventh and eighth graders. While not social equals, there was laughter, warmth, and a compelling sense of team.


Sometimes we forget what is so special about a PK-12 community as opposed to an isolated Lower, Middle, or Upper School experience. If you are ever in need of a reminder of why it matters, see if you can make one of the swim meets before the end of the season. Just watching the pool deck for a few hours will say far more on this topic that I ever could in one of these blogs.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

E.T.

I don’t think everyone is aware that for this period between Thanksgiving and Winter break, grade levels within the Middle School temporarily re-organize themselves to offer interdisciplinary learning experiences to break up the regular routine of class. This year, I was asked to participate in the “Machine Pilot” aspect of the seventh grade effort to explore the concept of extra-terrestrial life (E.T.). Seventh graders are asked to consider who, out of anyone on the planet, they would choose to send into outer space to interact with alien life forms and why. Our students are told they can literally choose any person on the planet, and the focus need not necessarily be someone with experience in space travel. In fact, they are asked to envision a pre-programmed ship with one seat, leaving them to consider not just technical skills but who would we want to represent human kind in this first interaction. They research, create resumes, write persuasive cover letters and are ultimately as
Post a Comment
Read more

The Campus as Mission

Yesterday, I was fortunate to spend an entire day with our board in retreat to discuss the future of Berwick Academy. The day included strategic conversations about the future of financial aid, innovation, and our amazing campus. In considering the strengths of the Berwick campus, almost everyone spoke to the remarkable quality of our main quad, the blend of old and new buildings, and the incredible open space we have to support our programs. There is an aura of learning and support on this campus that is clearly bolstered by the physical space and buildings. This sense will only be strengthened by the addition of the new Wellness Center next year. Looking ahead, there are still improvements to be made. Certainly parking is a concern, and we continue to dream about new facilities that might make the Berwick experience even more special for our students. One of the key insights that emerged from these conversations was the way in which the physical campus needs to reflect the
Post a Comment
Read more

Sugar Shack

Late April always brings the excitement of the BPC benefit, and I want to encourage the community to attend on April 28 at the Sheraton in Portsmouth. Certainly it is a fun way to gather and celebrate what makes BA so special, but it is also true that the funds raised through BPC help move our school forward in such compelling ways. Just this week I was reminded of this reality after I was invited to offer feedback to Krysta Ibsen’s eighth grade science project. As many of you know, Krysta has become famous for her Sugar Shack projects, which teach our kids aspects of science and entrepreneurship through the practice of making maple syrup. Clearly this is an example of student directed learning, where kids get to pursue individual interests within the broader educational construct. What I have always loved about the event is that it changes every year, and this year Krysta charged the kids to propose a real model for a permanent Sugar Shack we might build on campus someday. Kids
Post a Comment
Read more