Our Spring Trimester has begun at Westfield Friends School. We are joyfully and thoughtfully looking forward to easing some of our Covid-19 mitigation strategies. With the careful participation of everyone in our community, we have avoided school outbreaks and the need to shift to online learning. We have celebrated our third Wednesday together in the Meeting House. Nolan in PreKindergarten reported that his 6th-grade Buddy helped him know how to be during Meeting for Worship.
We are looking forward to our first play of the year this upcoming week. 8th-grade students are busy preparing their version of Twelve Angry Men re-imagined as “Nine Angry Teenagers.” The 8th-grade will perform for all elementary students Thursday morning. Middle School families are welcome to join us for the evening production of the play. The play begins promptly at 7:00 PM in the auditorium. Masks are required for all audience members.
Right now 6th-grade students are rehearsing Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 6th-grade students have also begun their cross-disciplinary project centered on Christina Soontornvat’s book All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team. From the geology of Thailand to spelunking, to Buddhism, to hydrology and constructing water pumps, to the particular challenges of diving in caves, students will explore this event from myriad perspectives and disciplines, they will finish the unit asking and attempting to solve their own challenge inspired by this event.
In February, Westfield Friends received confirmation of its accreditation by NJAIS. One of the clear findings by the NJAIS visiting committee is that the thoughtful, inquiry-based academics and vibrant arts are made possible by the strength and resilience of this learning community. Students in the elementary grades start their week together practicing mindfulness, celebrating birthdays, singing together, and considering queries on integrity, kindness, gratitude, stewardship, justice, and community. Our preschool students take time out of their busy mornings for daily circle time – gathering to greet each other. Each week they learn to recite a new poem – most recently on kindness.
I joined Middle School’s student government meeting this week. They were considering a proposal for celebrating students’ heritages. After thoughtful discussion and appreciation for this being a proactive celebration, students will begin bringing in flags from their sense of their origins – places like Ireland, Azerbaijan, New Jersey, Nigeria, Indiana, etc. These students are learning to be engaged, respectful citizen leaders through their participation in student government.
Warmly,
Margaret Haviland
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What I am Reading
Peacemaker by Joseph Bruchac