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"Primary" School

            It has been fascinating to be an educator just a few yards from New Hampshire during this amazing primary week. Talk of building walls, starting revolutions, and general malaise about the state of affairs seems to permeate our hallways and lunchrooms in new ways. Suffice it to say that it has been a bit of a roller coaster and arguably a distraction for our families for the past few months. It has also been a tremendous learning opportunity for our students.

            While many of us might feel a touch discouraged, it is exciting for me to know that parents are talking to their kids about our government and the future of our country. While there is plenty of noise out there, it strikes me our charge is to engage rather than disengage with the process as a whole. While schools continually struggle to avoid taking political sides in classrooms and discussions, I think we are wise to engage our kids in conversations about the issues that face all of us. Whether it is my Ethics class or any class, our students need to hone their personal values. It is our job to help them form their sense of judgment through this amazing Berwick education.

            Most of all, the tornado that has recently swept through the State of New Hampshire has made me grateful for our community. While not perfect, it is generally a place of engagement and respectful dialogue. On this Hilltop, we care about ideas – all of them. In particular, we care about ideas that are generated by young people. And while I am quite sure there is plenty of disagreement about politics on our campus, I do feel a sense of coalescence around our mission of promoting virtue and useful knowledge. People want to grapple, understand, and play with ideas. Kids want to understand, and adults want to help. We have a reassuring umbrella of focus at this school in the form of our mission. It leaves plenty of room for disagreement, dialogue, and debate, but there is no room for disengagement or apathy. At this school, we share common core values and a sense of direction – regardless of our political persuasions.


            Above all else, I am reminded that we exist for our children. There have certainly been times in the past few weeks when I have thought our politicians might benefit from a similar type of grounding and/or clarity of purpose. The political ride is, in fact, just beginning – so let’s buckle our seat belts and see if we can get the most out of this remarkable ride.

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