Message From Head of School - Jean Waller Brune
November is a special time of giving thanks for the harvest and for our loved ones. When I reflect on my bounties I immediately think of my own family and my precious granddaughters, who will be with me for the holiday. In addition, when giving thanks, my extended family at Roland Park Country School is always at the top of my list. It remains a pleasure and privilege to serve as the Head of this wonderful School.
In the life of our school, October is a virtual whirlwind of events, many of which revolve around alumnae – alumnae returning to the RPCS campus for Alumnae Weekend early in the month and alumnae welcoming me into their communities at several regional reunions. I treasure this time renewing longtime friendships, meeting alumnae who may be attending their first alumnae event and visiting with young alumnae in college. I deeply value my time spent sharing news about our beloved institution with alumnae, but I especially love to listen to the extraordinary accomplishments of the talented women who represent RPCS to the world. I am thankful to hear from them that we prepared them well for college and life – whenever it was that they graduated. I am even more thankful when I hear what they are doing with their lives because there is an infinite variety of things that they are doing or pursuing as “responsible, contributing members and leaders of their communities.”
I would also like to thank all of families who participated in the Robinson Health Colloquium in October. Student Services, under the leadership of Patti Lyall, Assistant Head of School for Student Services, worked tirelessly to bring Jodi Poretskin to RPCS, and we greatly appreciate the mothers and fathers who rearranged their schedules to attend the Middle and Upper School workshops. I have heard from many students that the presentations were informative and thought-provoking. Indeed, the students are still talking about her – that, in itself, is a great endorsement of the Colloquium!
While I am giving thanks, Dana Hamilton, our School Nurse, joins me in extending a very heart-felt thanks to you for your continued help in miminizing the spread of illness here at RPCS by keeping your daughters at home when they have been feeling ill this fall. While we have had some confirmed cases of H1N1 in our community, the impact is lessened because you have been thoughtful in keeping your sick children home. Because we are monitoring our absenteeism very carefully this fall, we know that our absenteeism is not solely flu-related. Please be sure to let the School know if your daughter is absent due to H1N1 or any other flu. The best ways to avoid spreading illness continue to be: to wash hands frequently, to cover coughs and sneezes, using your elbow whenever possible, and to remain at home with a fever until you have been fever-free, without fever-reducing medication, for 24 hours.
RPCS is working diligently to keep this campus as healthy as possible. We continue to stress healthy habits and the CDC guidelines mentioned above. Dana Hamilton has been in regular contact with our School physician and is monitoring guidelines from the Center for Disease Control. We have registered to be a vaccine administration site should the H1N1 vaccine become readily available. If we are selected by the Health Department as one of the vaccination sites, we will update you. However, we encourage you to consult with your own physician/pediatrician regarding seasonal and H1N1 influenza vaccines. In addition, under the direction of Wayne Golliday, Director of Facilities, Maintenance and our housekeeping services are disinfecting doorknobs, railings, floors, tables, etc. on a daily basis. We are also checking daily that the soap and hand sanitizer dispensers are filled and are in working order.
RPCS has had an early harvest this year as the Second Grade harvested their vegetable garden in September. The abundance of their labor was heartwarming. The green roof atop the RPCS Athletic Complex has grown significantly in one year and is a vital reminder of the benefit of plants and trees to sustain our environment. And as you gather around your dining room table to honor the harvest and give thanks for the fullness of your life, your loved ones, their health and well-being, I wish you the peace and comfort that comes from the mutual trust of family
~ J.W.B.