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After learning how to label the x-axis and y-axis, create a meaningful title, and find a scale that fit the data, they used graph paper to record their findings as a bar graph. The teacher followed up by asking them to study their graphs and talk about what surprised them in their results as well as why there might be differences in the data even though they were recording the same information. 

In the same week across campus, a fourth grade math class was also collecting data. To conclude their unit on mode, median, and mean, students chose individual data sets to analyze. An avid hockey player analyzed two players on his favorite team, the Toronto Maple Leaves, while another student whose grandparents were selling their family farm to make a big life change analyzed the daily weather in Paonia. After completing their calculations of mean, median, and mode, the students reflected on their results. The first student was amazed to see that his calculations on attempted shots and goals scored matched what he knew about the two players’ hockey style on the ice. The second student was eager to share her results with her grandparents so they would know what to expect in their new town on the Western Slope.

In every grade and across subjects, British Primary teachers create meaningful learning experiences. When the curriculum is immersed in relevancy and purpose, students are engaged. They learn more than the prerequisite skills and strategies because they are motivated to learn. Most importantly, students come to understand how their learning connects to the world around them and their lives. Stanley learners know that their lives inside and outside the classroom are interconnected and valued when they experience the richness embedded in meaning. This forms a solid foundation for lifelong learning!

I mean just yesterday I was able to catch up with a few alumni and hear about my son’s wonder and curiosity about a cow eye dissection. And then I got to help Sara Stern and a group of summer camp staff, parent volunteers and alumni who organized a playful and endearing rodeo celebration with the Transitional Kindergarten class complete with stick ponies, lassoing a wooden horse, a pretend petting zoo, a photo booth and so much more. 

And yet, last night’s Multicultural Feast was on another level and brought in nearly a few hundred attendees! Led by an incredible group of parent volunteers including Sam McDermott, Simran Kaur, Rachel Duncan, Tsilat Petros, Lisa Bradley and buoyed by countless others cooking, organizing, helping and staying late to clean up, this event built on last year’s amazing turnout. The end result was an event that captured so much of what makes Stanley a special place.

I’m so grateful for the time and energy people put in to bring in food and drink that reflected their cultural heritage and background. I watched students share with friends their excitement about food their families brought in and having others try new things and discover new favorite foods! I loved seeing the ways so many of our students and families dressed up in traditional garb, filled with pride. And what a beautiful array of programming of music and dance put together by our Multicultural Feast team! The singing and dancing that our students confidently performed represented so many different countries and inspired dancing and joy in the audience and from so many of our littlest attendees who couldn’t help but be swept up in the fun. Also of note is the after-event dance party where kids jumped on stage and boogied their hearts out. Good thing we don’t have school today :-) 

A big heartfelt thank you for all of you who attended and celebrated the mosaic of backgrounds that make the Stanley community one I’m so proud to be a part of as Head of School and parent!

This past Sunday, we had a group of young Stanley alumni host an admissions event for prospective students, reading to younger students and sharing favorite memories from their time at Stanley.  

The week before that, we hosted an alumni parent event with nearly 80 people attending from across four decades! Incredibly, some of those parents were able to call themselves alumni GRANDPARENTS as their grandkids joyfully run about our hallways. Seeing the strength of the friendships between adults built in the K12 hallway or attending classic Stanley traditions definitely put a smile on my face. Even though time can feel like it is flying by with our kids as they grow so quickly, it was reassuring to know the connection to Stanley endures. 

The same is true for students. Our summers are better because of all the alumni who sign up to be Junior Counselors, bringing the culture and routines that make our Stanley school year ethos carry over into the summer camp. 

But that’s still just the start. Last week, I had a call with an alumnae who is teaching in another state and reached out wanting to know if there were openings so she could give back to a place that shaped her growth. Did you know we have eight people who attended Stanley and are now teaching or are on staff ? 

Just this year, we have had alumni come back to work with kids in a singing and songwriting elective, be panel judges for Constitutional Law, and perform at Grand People Day as Rob Drabkin, a very accomplished musician, did this November. 

This year we also have three alumni who have joined board committees, bringing expertise in fields from risk management to development, demonstrating their investment in the school’s future. 

And yes, we do even have some Stanley alumni who are married to one another and who have kids here! :-) 

So here's to the Stanley journey being even more than you might imagine. Hope to see you all at Stan Talks!

At our assembly I was proud of our student voices in K-1-2 sharing what they believe in, the powerful dance our middle school dance team performed, and to hear from our guest speakers Colorado State Senator Rhonda Fields and Maisha Fields about the importance of using our voice.

But inclusion at Stanley is hardly limited to these days as our statement of inclusion shares. We’re a mission-aligned community that values a multicultural curriculum, building toolboxes for students and faculty, and creating safe and inclusive spaces for our students, families and staff to be a part of every day. We value our community members showing up as their whole selves, bringing in their traditions and cultures whether it’s in their writing, at choice time, or even at the Multicultural Feast which is coming up in March! We value this because it enriches our entire community. There is so much that happens on a daily basis to support us living out our mission and our statement of inclusion, including a snapshot that we’ve captured in our MAC Moments which will be linked in next week's Bulldog.

In recent weeks, I have seen many community members grappling in different ways with the recent surge in news including orders and policies that may impact their own family, loved ones and close connections. We realize our students have different exposures to this and will show up in different places with a range of toolboxes to process what they are learning about internationally or domestically every day. And we always listen and follow the child, encouraging them to find safe and healthy ways and to process and seek out one of our nearly 100 adults on campus when they need it. In a community where there are both visible and invisible identities that we all carry to school, our care, empathy and sensitivity to the differences that make us unique is so important. 

We value supporting our teachers and staff as they thoughtfully receive your kids each day. And at Stanley, we are always monitoring any potential impacts from policies and orders to ensure we live out our mission and values. We encourage families to reach out if we can support your child as we know that our children don’t always have tools to navigate the adult world that they can be exposed to in this increasingly connected world. Our greatest strength is our shared commitment, and I thank you all for contributing to this place we love, working together to support our kids and community. 

In some cases it's a hug, but in others it's just being proximate. Others might want to laugh while some may enjoy just playing. 

In my group I posed the question, “If you were hurting, would you rather have a friend not say something because they didn’t know what to say, or reach out to you?” Everyone shared they would appreciate it and some middle schoolers shared how it would help them know that others cared. 

I’ve been reading a book lately called “There is No Good Card for This,” which offers guidance on how we can help when we might not know what to say. It reiterates the importance of both these ideas -- following the lead of those affected because different people need different things when grieving or in pain, and the importance of reaching out versus not doing anything. The author even points to research that shows that people remember more those who reached out when they were struggling versus those who reached out when they were celebrating wonderful moments. Reaching out but accepting that the affected person may not respond or may not take you up on the offer is still so important. This is because it opens the channel for outreach when they are ready or in need, helping them know that you’re available. So often people don’t know who they can talk to. Not being prescriptive but being available has certainly resonated with me. 

I know in the last few weeks we’ve been affected by the tragedy affecting the Rincon family. And there are many in this community who have close connections to those in Southern California with the unfathomable fire and devastation. I know it is not easy for us as adults either to find the words because we care so deeply so I’m appreciative of our SEL team taking an opportunity to engage our students in family groups on this topic in developmentally appropriate ways. This investment I am sure will only further help nurture the growth of our students to show up in the same way that current and alumni families and staff have reached out to offer support.