Message From Head of School - Jean Waller Brune
If summer offers a slower pace for creating special memories with family and friends, September is distinguished by how quickly the days fly by, filled with all the many beginnings in the RPCS academic year. The All-School Convocation, Middle School camping trips and Upper School retreats are just some of the September events that create lifelong memories for our students. I enjoyed seeing and speaking with many of you at the divisional back to school nights, and it is always wonderful to share in the energy and bright spirits that our faculty and your daughters bring to our campus.
This year September also brought Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the High Holy Days of the Jewish faith and the start of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting and self-reflection. Although our School is non-sectarian, we still very much respect and encourage a spiritual life for all our students – whether that is by observing a specific religious tradition or by finding some calling beyond our own self-interest to guide and direct us.
As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, “spiritual well-being” is the key phrase in our School philosophy that I want to hold before us this year. It, too, is the core theme of Acts of Faith by Dr. Eboo Patel. Our employees were offered this book for summer reading, and we had planned to have Dr. Patel here during the first week of October as our endowed Crane Lecturer; however, for personal reasons, he has had to cancel all his October appearances. We are working now to find a mutually convenient date for him to come to RPCS. His message, both personal and universal in nature, is thought-provoking and compelling; his own youthfulness and sincerity make his message very accessible to young people.
Last year, the key phrase from our philosophy included “promoting innovation.” With our innovative spirit, we became a laptop school, almost a decade ago. Being up to date with technology is now a hallmark of RPCS. This month we are extending our technology further with our decision to publish the All School Newsletter online, instead of mailing it home. As we did this year with required health information, you will be able read the newsletter online here at RPCS if you do not have access from home. In addition, if you are unable to print the newsletter, we will also provide a few copies in the academic divisional offices and in the Harris Center for you to pick up. We expect the online version to be available on the first of each month.
I also find compelling this quote by Jane Addams, founder of the settlement house movement in the United States and the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize: “We may either smother the divine fire of youth or we may feed it.” Children are full of enthusiasm, not bounded by the conventions or experiences that sometimes limit our more adult visions. Often this is not only refreshing but also opens the way to new possibilities, new endeavors. Chris Gummerson, Upper School SGA president, has just launched a major all student fund-raising project – to help with two major school building projects – our own RPCS athletic center and a school in Sierra Leone, through the Free the Children program. This program, the largest network of children helping children through education, was begun 12 years ago by a 7th grade student in Canada, working with 11 of his classmates. Today over one million youth are working to fight against child labor by building schools in underdeveloped countries. To date over 450 schools have been built in 45 countries, helping 40,000 children receive education. If you want more information, the website is www.freethechildren.com.
At RPCS we also hope to encourage that “divine fire of youth,” through our Birgit Baldwin World Studies Prize which is offered each year to members of the graduating class. Students are invited to submit a research paper and a travel plan related to the research. The winner of the prize is announced at Class Day; four years later she receives $4000. More specific information is attached to this newsletter.
Supporting youth, however, does not mean saying “yes” to everything they want or do. There are times when their energy and ideas need the balance of adult wisdom. This is especially true in the area of social life. Learning what it means to be a true friend and to be a member of a community does not come without trial and error and learning about boundaries. Girls, especially, go through times when they exclude people from their circle of friends. Please take time to talk with your daughters about kindness, respect for difference and your expectation that she would never consciously be unkind to another. Sometimes how a student would behave as an individual can get lost when she feels the pressure of group behavior. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a universal tenet of spiritual well-being. Please help you daughters follow this Golden Rule in all their interactions with others.
~ J.W.B.