Time with Tony - March 27th

 

On Thursday afternoon, our DEIJB Coordinator, Jennifer, led the latest program in our Community Workshop Series called Just Ask. It gave parents a window into the kinds of conversations happening in classrooms every day, about difference, belonging, and what it means to create a community where everyone feels they can be themselves. One comment that stuck with me was how easily our youngest students accept that people are unique. For them, being different is just normal. As they grow older and become more aware of the wider world, that confidence can sometimes fade, which makes the messages of inclusion and belonging all the more important.

Earlier this week, I visited Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael, a small high school for boys in Atlanta, as part of an accreditation team through the Southern Association of Independent Schools. The school has about seventy-five students, and their days are long, seven days a week, spending nearly seventy hours immersed in prayer, Judaic studies, and general education. I chose to drive to Atlanta rather than fly, and I was glad for the time to think during the drive home. I found myself reflecting on spirituality, trust, integrity, and how rituals and symbols shape community life.

Before arriving, I had to remind myself to set aside my own faith perspective. My job wasn’t to compare their path to mine but to listen and learn from their deep commitment. What impressed me most was how fully the students see their education as part of a lifelong spiritual journey, not just a way to prepare for college. Alumni home from Israel for Passover spoke warmly about staying connected to their Rabbis, who serve not only as teachers but as lifelong mentors. The care and dedication I saw there felt familiar in the best possible way.

Back on our campus, we have something special of our own to celebrate, GrandFriends Day! This Thursday, we’ll welcome more than 160 visitors for one of my favorite events of the year. I shared last year that when my own kids were at Sandy Spring Friends, GrandFriends Day was always a little tough for us since their grandparents couldn’t attend. So, I’ll say again, please invite any family member or friend who can come to share the day. It’s a wonderful way for others to step inside our classrooms and see the warmth and curiosity that fill our school every day.