Mango Minds

As a way to excite my soon-to-be Kindergarten student about returning to school, I told her that school was going to be GREAT! because this year her teacher would teach her how to read. Last Friday, after her second day, she returned home visibly disappointed from school. I asked what was wrong, and was unprepared for her response: “You told me that my teacher was going to teach me how to read and she didn’t!” Probably not the moment to mention the 180 days still remaining in the school year. It takes a bit of time at the beginning of each year for students, teachers and parents to get to know each other, build trusting relationships, make friends, and settle into the new routine. We all begin a new school year with our own expectations, dreams, and hopes. It is hard for children and parents when aspects of their new class are unfamiliar or different than anticipated. It is scary to make new friends. We believe in the importance of children feeling good about coming to school ...

Long days make for short weeks and even shorter years. Such could not better describe these past weeks here at BA. Since last sitting down to write to you, we successfully completed our accreditation process and our Board of Trustees announced to our school community that our future location has been finalized: Costa Sur. Both of these achievements are BIG for any school, and that they occur simultaneously, it makes it, well, HUGE. I am proud of all of the work that my colleagues have achieved over these past weeks, because not only has each been involved in a systemic review of our effectiveness as well as anticipating news of the next phase of our school, they have continued to maintain their priorities where we all want them to be: as educators for our children. And so, if you might oblige me, I would like to openly and publicly say to our Elementary teachers, support staff, custodians, and office personnel: THANK YOU.  As I write this, outside my window our Boys SUB 10 s...