Tomorrow is Halloween. On our campus we celebrate the day and one of the most wonderful aspects, besides our students getting as much candy as possible, is our parents decorating their cars.  The event is called Trunk and Treat.  When our parents come on campus, they have bags of “materials” in their cars. Then the back door opens, and creativity begins. Our parents don costumes as invite the students to come and visit their cars which have been transformed into sometime very spooky scenes. There is no contest winner here- just sharing. Sharing of creativity, of the joy of celebrating, and yes of themselves as they think about what this day meant to them as children. When I walk the line of cars, I hope to greet each parent and thank them for their contribution, as well as admire their design. I ask them how they created it, and if they do it for others.  Most say no- just for Craig. My interpretation is – at the safe place we strive to be for our families.

Most days I greet students at either of our school campuses upon their arrival to school. I find this to be a very important daily task as a Head of School. I enjoy it.  Over the years, I have met graduates from other schools and when I mention that I may know of their current or former head, I am delighted to hear that the Head knew each of the students’ first names. I strive to meet that ideal.  Why do I think this is important?  First, research at the college level reveals that students leave a college or university before graduating, not because that the school did not have the major, they wanted, but rather, the college student did not have a relationship with a meaningful adult in their academic life. If we extend that to our school, parents tell us that the student teacher relationships are why the parents are so happy with the school. As Head of School, I seek as many ways as possible to extend our reach as a school, and greeting students daily when they arrive, or addressing them by their first names each time I pass them is one way to help students feel wanted and connected to the school they attend. Happy students thrive at school. Our job is to make our students thrive.

As I have written before, I do not know when some of my Wednesday Thoughts will come to me. This week’s entry occurred in June, and I wrote this entry with the idea that it is a good Fall item when some of us are reflecting upon the start of school. The first month or so is necessary for establishing routines.  Okay, now established, here is the thought.  I was driving my car and I was listening to an acceptance speech as in inductee into a Hall of Fame from a man who is paralyzed from the waist down. He has had a multi-decade career of hitting golf shots- some tricks- seated in a golf cart.  His message included- do something you do not think you can do. What a simple piece of advice. So, what is that one should try because they do not think they can do it?  That is different for everyone.  My idea- simply try it. Break out of your routine!

In early June, I attended a memorial service celebrating the life of Gordon R. Jones. This service was a tribute to a man who had made a difference in the lives of children at The Odyssey School, a school in Baltimore, and very much like Craig.   What you need to know is how passionate he was to support The Odyssey School.  A brief look at the history of the School, shows that he was a man of great determination. The school would not be there without him- literally. It was not because of his own money. It was because he convinced others to give funds- and he never knew in most cases the amount of money the individual might give. To quote from the scholarship fund set up in his name, “it was Gordon’s strongest belief than an Odyssey education changes lives. What begins here changes everything”. He wanted nothing to stand in a way of a student’s opportunity to enroll.    At Craig, the message is the same- what happens here changes everything. During this celebration of a man’s life, we heard how his love of the school was only behind his family, and his hunting trips with friends. In January 2020, we are going to kick-off the 40th year of Craig. It would be great for us to celebrate all the good things about passion, grit and resilience that we focus upon as we help our students do the best they can and where we can change everything.

Fun- the word really is an action word.  I enjoy podcasts, I listen to one that has the word of the day. Then through examples, the storyteller gives examples of how to approach each day with the word “fun” in mind. So here I go with a few examples. As you approach the rest of your day after reading my message, how will you have fun? For example, if you take a walk in the woods to see the start of the changing leaves, will you be focused on Fall being here, or will focus on the fun you will have in picking up twigs, sticks, leaves, pine cones, rocks and anything along the path.  For students, is it possible for them to simply state “Today, I plan to have fun” and change the direction of the day? Yes, students you can have fun in school and be right on task with what your teacher is presenting.  For adults, it is possible to have fun at work. For me, I have had lots of fun at work for many years and do not intend to change that attitude ever. I simply find ways to seek out others and then try to help all of us get to a positive solution and have some fun along the way. So here is to a day of fun.