Joy and the Educational Experience
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Dr. Emma Whitman, Head of School
This summer, my family took a historical tour of a one-room schoolhouse in Durango, Colorado. As we entered the room, it was set up as you might imagine a classroom from the early 1900s would be—desks in rows with a cardboard cutout of the teacher at the front. An old sign even listed consequences for misbehavior ranging from mild to quite extreme.
The tour prompted me to reflect on the similarities and differences between teaching in those days and what the modern classroom looks like today. While we still have the construct of teacher and student, desks, and rules and consequences, many, many things have shifted and evolved as our world has changed. As a society today, we are inundated with technology, packed schedules, and a race for preparation in an ever-changing world.
In the past 100-plus years, we have made great strides in understanding child development—what kids need to learn and how kids learn. However, one thing is certain: the world will never stop changing. Students need skills that transcend time and change. As part of the All Saints’ mission, we believe this includes educating children in mind, body, and soul. It is our role as educators, parents, and the community to provide opportunities for our children to play, take risks, and even make mistakes in a supportive environment. They need the ability to think, inquire, problem-solve, and collaborate. Most importantly, they need joy.
At All Saints', we are committed to our vision of creating the ideal learning environment for our students. We care about them loving every part of school life, from creative arts to sports to a journalism course. To make this vision a reality, we need your support. This year, we have launched a comprehensive DREAM and Play it Forward campaign that embraces and enables our vision for the future of our School. Your involvement is crucial to the success of these campaigns.
This ambitious campaign provides comprehensive support that enhances all aspects of the All Saints’ experience, supporting programs and operations through DREAM, and capital improvements to our outdoor recreational spaces through Play it Forward.
Together, we can accomplish monumental goals, as we have done, and prepare All Saints’ for growth, innovation, and leadership in educating children today and for decades to come.
DREAM, our annual fund, allows us to say “yes” to ideas and create joy for our kids. Because of DREAM, we do not charge additional fees for clubs or trips. Supporting DREAM enables us to offer ten sports, a theater club, a middle school musical, national speakers for teachers and parents, and much more. DREAM participation is our foundation of fundraising. It’s what makes it happen for our kids, bringing them joy and enriching their educational experience.
The Play it Forward Campaign epitomizes creating joy for our children. What sparks more joy than exploring a playground, playing foursquare on a sports court with friends, or competing with teammates on beautiful fields in an athletic complex that leaves our students beaming with pride and school spirit? Spaces like these allow our students to collaborate, communicate, explore, and be healthy in mind, body, and spirit.
By giving to both DREAM and Play it Forward, you are supporting our School's vision and mission for our students now and for future generations. On average, all-school participation for the last six school years has been 96%. Please help us continue to advance our legacy of excellence by participating. Your gift is an investment in the future of All Saints’, and the education of our children. Let’s continue to focus on building joy in the lives of our children.