Reaching for the Moon

"My barn having burned down, I can now see the Moon.”*

Last week, I met with the Class of 2021—gathered together in Otto-Bernstein Theater for the first time this year as a whole class—to commend them for their incredible resilience, their scholarship, sportsmanship, creativity, and faith, before introducing a special upcoming “Adventures in New York” week we have planned for them.

I opened my remarks with the quote above, fitting because Michael Collins’ passing was announced earlier in the morning. Collins was the third of three NASA astronauts who crewed the first Moon landing in 1969, and the only one who couldn’t step on the lunar surface. He was charged with orbiting it instead, ensuring the safety of his fellow astronauts. How he must have felt after a lifetime of preparation to be so close and yet so far. Not being able to walk the Moon had to be a disappointment, but Collins knew what his mission was and he did it. Today, his descriptions of Earth as a “fragile” blue dot in the vastness of space, remain a poignant message.

There is a lesson in his story and in the Japanese samurai’s quote. When things don’t go as we would have planned or preferred, we can either remain stuck in what was, or what we think should still be—holding on to what no longer exists—or, we can look for opportunity, see what couldn't be seen before, adjust, and move in a new, potentially more exciting direction. Since the spring of last year, our boys, our teachers, and our families all have done exactly that. In our eagerness to return to “normal,” let’s remain disciplined, vigilant, and safe.

We are grateful to the Class of 2021 for leading us through this pandemic with style and grace. We thank them for being resilient, optimistic, and for leading by example. They stayed focused on their studies, applied to high school, and supported each other. In sum, they got the job done. We thank them for their creativity, sportsmanship, scholarship, and faith, all of which helped our student body work through this challenging year.

During these final six weeks, as conditions continue to improve, we will pursue more opportunities to bring the graduating boys together safely as an entire class, including Outside Commons, Recess, and Sports. In addition, as we monitor the situation, we will look to gradually open up other grade levels and classes, and increase interaction across pods and cohorts.

Thank you, Class of 2021. Thank you, Saint David’s community. With vigilance and optimism, let’s continue to push through the last few miles of this marathon and reach for the Moon.

*Mizuta Masahide (17th century Japanese samurai)

www.saintdavids.org

Resilience in the Teaching of Languages

Above: The Nerf microphone ball enables boys learning remotely to hear their classmates well. The pandemic has challenged educators to reinvent and reimagine units of study to keep learning engaging, regardless of how it is delivered. The following article, written for Saint David’s Magazine by our Modern Languages Chair Dr. Victoria Gilbert and Lower School Spanish teacher Flor Berman, addresses how this was done in the Spanish immersion language program at Saint David's. Ms. Berman and Dr. Gilbert, recipient of the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers' Ruth E. Wasley Distinguished Teacher Award, presented on the topic at NYSAIS’s Flexible Classroom Conference last summer. How Spanish Classes Have Bounced Back Resiliency implies an ability to bounce back, but as teachers working with the youngest learners in the school, we would reframe resiliency as the opportunity to reimagine. Whether boys are learning through a face-to-face experience or through the med

The Role of Faith in Social-Emotional Learning and Psychological Well-Being

The following article by our School Psychologist, Dr. Michael Schwartzman, appears in the current issue of Saint David's Magazine : During one of my first observations in a Saint David’s classroom 15 years ago, I witnessed two first grade boys in a verbal altercation. Although it was contained just between the two boys, their observant teacher had them talk it through and then shake hands on being in a better place for having done so. I was very impressed, and still am, with this approach that the school takes many times throughout the day. It helps establish a firm idea of how to behave, especially in social situations where emotions can be stirred and run high. Through this experience repeated consistently day in and day out, better, more productive ways of engaging become increasingly integrated by the boys as they develop socially and emotionally in interaction with each other. As the School Psychologist, I spend a lot of time thinking about the touch points for student and t

Storytelling Demonstrates Understanding

Their time had arrived. As the lights dimmed in our Otto-Bernstein Theatre, the astrophysicists, a mix of jitters and excitement, awaited their opportunity to share insights and stories about the workings of the universe. Which planets might support life? Is there water on Mars? What are Dwarf Planets? "Let's take a look at our closest neighbor, Venus," invited one presenter, before revealing that the planet - while ideal in proximity - has surface temperatures of 900 degrees F: "Imagine - standing on the surface would be like being burned alive!" Later that same day, in our Graham lunchroom, early 20th century immigrants of all ages from Italy, China, Ireland, Russia, among other countries, waited, with hope and determination, their turn to be interviewed for admittance to America. It wasn't going to be easy. They would be asked pointed, potentially life-altering questions by various processors. "What's that cough? It doesn't sound good,&qu

David O'Halloran, Headmaster - Saint David's School, New York City

Search This Blog