A message from Mrs. Madden—January 7, 2021

Good Morning,

I hope you are all doing O.K. I am sure you join me in feeling upset, frustrated, fearful, angry, confused, and anxious about the events in our Capital yesterday afternoon. It is hard to watch such anger and violence and to see radical and unjust behavior from so many Americans. When something awful like this happens, it reminds me that the work we do in a school community is vitally important. Educating and nurturing young people to go out into the world in peace with confidence, curiosity, and connection brings hope and urgency to our work. Thank you for your collaboration and commitment in these efforts.

I am sure some students will bring up the events from yesterday at morning meetings, and teachers will, as always, handle questions and concerns with compassion and support. Discussions like these are always difficult. I think it is important to remind children that they are safe here, but to recognize that even though these events are far away, that they are still scary. I have attached a document from Riverside Trauma Center, and it is a good way to focus conversations around the feelings that come up for our children (and adults). It is important for us to talk to students about how important it is for them to learn to be strong and compassionate, to be able to talk and to listen, and to be able to love and care. These are all ways that they can help our world. 

Reactions-from-Riverside-Trauma-Center

Please let me know if you have questions or concerns. 

Be well,

Sarah

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”  ~ M.L.K.