Signposts

Dear Friends-

The end of the school year seems to be coming quickly. Our school pictures have been taken, the Spring Show is in its final stages of preparation, and a handful of Downstairs students with Renee just wandered into my office carrying special treasure: Rocks of different shape, size, lustre and and color to be added to the collection for the Stepping Stones ceremony on the last day of school.

The Upstairs and Downstairs had their Rocket Launch days last week, a wonderful tradition started in 1979 by Martha Levine ( thanks Martha!...thanks Facebook!). During the process of building and launching these rockets, our students learn the value of focused concentration, patience, persistence, diligence, and collaboration. They also have a chance to celebrate each other’s achievements as a community, and to console each other in the off chance that a launch doesn’t go as planned. Thanks to all the hard work of our students and the countless hours of guidance by our teachers, this year’s launches were wonderfully successful with smiles all around! Thank you all!!

The final weeks at Randolph are filled with purpose. We are spending time with our students, helping them prepare for the changes that will face them all after the last day of school. Over the summer old friendships will be tested by distance, and new friendships strengthened by shared adventures. Students will grow physically and emotionally, and will arrive back at Randolph (or at a new school) substantively different than when they left. It is our hope to prepare them for these changes and to ease the transition from school to summer (and back again). Traditions such as the Rocket Launch, Adventure Day and Stepping Stones provide signposts that help our students navigate the occasionally difficult act of saying goodbye to the school year and hello to the summer.

Be well,

Ben