Of Leadership and Memories

What's better than a 5 hour bus ride and a week in the cold with no showers or flush toilets? Not much, according to EFS 8th graders. For the last 16 years, Elmwood Franklin's "seniors" have traveled to Algonquin Provincial Park north of Toronto for a week of leadership development at Camp Pathfinder. For some, this sort of experience is old hat, having spent weeks at camp each summer - many of the boys at Pathfinder itself. For others, it's way outside their personal comfort zone. But to hear each of them talk about their time on the island, the week spent at Pathfinder is a highlight of Upper School.

And who's to argue? Pathfinder is a special place, away from most of the modern conveniences that make life better - indoor plumbing, to name one - as well as those that complicate our lives - cell phones, email, and the like. Instead, the 8th graders are challenged by sleeping in platform tents or unheated cabins and the formal program which includes hiking, canoeing, and a high ropes course. But perhaps more importantly, they are required to find pleasure in simply spending time with each other, in strengthening friendships, and in supporting one another through the experience.

The 8th grade Pathfinder trip holds special memories for all who have gone. From the long bus ride with friends and enough junk food to horrify a nutritionist to the the daily Polar Bear Club swims with Ms. Clark - picture 50F degree water and 35F degree air at 7:00am; no showers, remember - Pathfinder represents a rite of passage at EFS. We count on our 8th grade to set a positive tone for the rest of the school, and no matter  the class, this special place seems to bring out the best in our students, setting them on a course to a great final year at Elmwood Franklin School.

The Death of Books?

Much has been written about the importance of technology in today's world and in education in particular. There is little doubt that almost everything we do has been transformed by computers, the internet, and myriad other technologies. And this is certainly the case in schools. Just this year, EFS has added 9 new interactive SMART Boards – bringing us up to 14 total – that enable our teachers to capitalize on our students’ energy and creativity. The children love it! In fact, they look forward to any opportunity to use technology in the classroom, and our teachers are constantly on the lookout for ways to leverage technology to enhance our curriculum. By any measure, ours is truly a “wired” environment.

While there are many benefits to engaging young people through the use of technology, there are inevitable trade-offs. Learning proper keyboarding comes at the expense of practicing handwriting; gross motor skills suffer as children play more video/computer games and spend less time playing outside; Google searches and Wikipedia become preferred sources for any inquiry over encyclopedias, books, or other “off-line” reference materials; ability to multitask – watch a teenager manage Facebook, TV, iPod, instant messaging, texting, AND homework all at once – may negatively affect the ability to focus on a single task for an extended period of time; leisure reading – a reliable predictor of academic success – has decreased as online time has increased.

Most of us have fully embraced the benefits of technology at work and at home – I know I can’t go to the store for a gallon of milk without my iPhone. When we take the time to think about it, however, we might also agree that we’ve lost something in terms of human interaction and civility, not to mention reading and writing, with the rise of email, texting, and surfing the internet. So with technology being so important to the young, can you imagine EFS doing away entirely with the library and its 16,000 volumes? One prominent independent school in Massachusetts is doing just that. In a recent Boston Globe article, Cushing Academy is highlighted for closing its library in favor of a “learning center” and fully embracing the power of technology to meet its students’ needs. Is this the future for schools? Are those who cling to traditional books just like those who believed the automobile would never replace the horse? You be the judge.

Here We Go!

There’s nothing quite like the energy of the first day of school. After a summer marked by what seemed like constant rain, the weather certainly cooperated today. It was a spectacular morning to stand out front shaking hands, welcoming new and returning students alike for the start of Elmwood Franklin’s 114^th year. With enthusiasm outweighing the nervous energy of teachers, students, and parents, we’ve gotten off to a great start.

As predicted, everyone is wowed by the new Lower School hallway. Although many who saw how it looked as late as Tuesday doubted that it would be ready, I never lost faith…OK, maybe I had a few doubts. With new lockers, a bright and cheery paint scheme, and a ceiling that vaults to over 15 feet, the transformation is quite remarkable. Other changes around school include new computers in the library and in Lower School classes; interactive SMART Boards in Prep I, in Molly Clauss’s room, and in Upper School math (more will follow in the next week in 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd grade); two new teachers—Tammy Manikowski, who will teach 1^st through 6^th grade Spanish, and in Upper School chorus, Ryan Kaminski—and 50 new students from Prep I through 8^th grade. While the children are excited to note all the changes around school, they are at least as interested in reconnecting with their old friends and their old teachers. The first day of school at EFS has a homecoming feel to it that is energizing and comforting to students, teachers, and parents, alike.

A school is not a school without students and teachers. So, while the end of summer means a loss of free time as well as a return to earlier bed times, homework, and other routines of school, I, for one, am happy to be “back in business” and looking forward to another great year.

Almost Ready...

As I write, there are about 40 hours before we welcome back the students for Elmwood Franklin School's 114th year. As you'll see from the picture, we're not quite ready, although we're readier today than we were yesterday and we'll be readier still tomorrow. The week before school starts is typically one of controlled panic as teachers – Upper School, Lower School, and Prep – work to ready classrooms and Mr. Ziggy and Mr. Pat prepare the building and grounds for 350 or so eager students and their parents. But this year’s building project in the Lower School hallway has pushed us right to the limit. Lower School teachers couldn’t get into their rooms as early as usual and they’ve had to work overtime to get everything set-up. But when we open on Thursday, all anyone will see is a great new Lower School hallway, with new lockers, a new paint scheme, and a vaulted ceiling. And in the classrooms they’ll find their teachers ready for another great year.

As a blogging novice, I've been researching what makes a good blog - once a history teacher, always a history teacher, I guess. Predictably, the internet provides hundreds, maybe thousands, of articles about how to write a good, great, excellent, compelling, interesting, engaging, or even a famous blog. And while their advice is quite varied, they do agree on one thing: keep it short. If you're reading this, then you know that's going to be my challenge. Some recommend keeping each posting to fewer than 250 words, while others say absolutely no more than 1000 (in case you’re wondering, I’m at 271 right now). Perhaps the most distressing information I found claims that the average reader spends 96 seconds on a blog. To those of us who love to luxuriate in books, this seems shocking. However, when I really think about how I flick from website to website, 96 seconds sounds about right, maybe even a little generous.

My goal here is to be informative about the goings on at EFS, to ponder issues of parenting and education, and to foster conversation. I hope you’ll make a habit of visiting this blog regularly.

364 words; not bad.