The start of a new school year is an exciting time for all of us. As our children are navigating new classes, new grades and possibly new friends at a new school, parents also transition from summer schedules to new routines and family schedules at this time of the year. It all takes a little while and I hope by now routines are starting to take shape and a sense of settling in is growing.
At Bixby School transitions to the new school year are a time to embrace the newness and changes we are going through together. We have welcomed a number of new students across grade levels to our school community. We are getting to know each other, making room for each other and embracing new group dynamics.
We have also welcomed back our students from preschool through 5th grade who have returned to us after the summer break. Many have told me of their adventures, half an inch taller, freckled and somehow a little older since we last spoke in May. With a new school year also comes a time to embrace the opportunity to reflect on our commitments to our students and families and a time to explore ways of growing our school community.
Already our school year has given us immensely wonderful glimpses at where our path may lead us this year. Recently, a few of our 4th and 5th grade students courageously shared their concerns about their schedules with our school leadership and prompted us to revisit our commitment to student voice and agency. Consequently, our students were commended by our Interim Head of School at our last all-school assembly for their courage to speak up and question the status quo. Last week our New Parent Tea gave us time together with new families and glimpses of new perspectives on their first few days here at Bixby School. Many families at the event reminded us that their journey to Bixby from other places was based on our reputation in the Boulder community as a school that is academically rich and engaging and strongly committed to the whole child and the whole family. This week our back to school night will allow us to come together as teachers, parents, and school community to start our partnerships and collaborations to support our children here at school and at home.
In my role as Admissions Director here, I am excited about the great potential of this new school year: I look forward to getting to know our new families, exploring our campus with families that are looking for a new school community, and working with my colleagues to provide transition information for incoming preschool and Kindergarten families. I am also looking forward to sharing ideas around middle school transitions for families who will move up to middle school at the end of this year. As for our returning families and students who have already found our Bixby community: I already have greeted many of your children at my office window (still known as the “invisible ice cream store”), spent time together exploring the properties of spin tops and rocks, and hope to continue to get to know you as you stop by my office or as we spend time together at our community events!
A good start of the new school year to all of you! See you at Back to School Night TONIGHT!