Dear Friends,
As hard as it is to believe, this will be the final Tartan of the 2007-08 school year. Our next edition will be out in late August when we gather again for another year at St. Margaret’s. As we bring this year to a conclusion, we prepare to bid a fond farewell to the Class of 2008 on June 14th at 5:30 pm. This is a superb class whose leadership has been felt in virtually every aspect of school life. It is also the largest graduating class (99) in the history of the school with 19 of its members having been here since Kindergarten. Quite a legacy!
It is important also to acknowledge our deep appreciation to the PTF for its faithful and meaningful support of what we do day in and day out. Special thanks to Monica Furman for her strong leadership this year and also to the many volunteers who have given generously of their time on so many levels. We are deeply grateful and know that we would not be the school we are without your loyal support.
On a related note, we are very appreciative of the work of Bahara Stapelberg who managed to bring to St. Margaret’s two world-renowned speakers this year. Dr. Wendy Mogel and Dr. Robert Brooks provided enlightening presentations to our parents and our faulty and staff as they explored the theme of “resilience” and the critical importance of the partnership between school and home as we work together to raise resilient, self-disciplined, optimistic children. One of the concepts explored in depth by Dr. Brooks in some of his writings deals with the importance of the “authoritative* community” in raising emotionally healthy children. This term was used several years ago by the Commission on Children at Risk and related to concerns over the rising rates of depression, anxiety, and other emotional and behavioral problems among U.S. children and adolescents. This is a complicated study but one of the major factors identified as a cause of these concerns is a lack of “connectedness” – a lack of close, meaningful , connections to other people and to moral and spiritual meaning.
In order to create a stronger sense of connectedness, the Commission advocated the creation of “authoritative communities.” These communities have the following characteristics: They include children and youth, they treat children as ends in themselves, and they are warm and nurturing with clear limits and expectations. The core work is performed largely by non-specialists. These communities are multi-generational, have a long-term focus, and reflect and transmit a shared understanding of what it means to be a good person. They encourage spiritual and religious development and are philosophically oriented to the equal dignity of all persons and to the principle of love of neighbor.
As we bring this year to a close, I am very mindful that in so many ways St. Margaret’s is and must continue to be an “authoritative community.” At the core of our work is a deep commitment to fostering the well being of the children in our care. To do this, we strive continually to help them feel connected to our school community and our core values. When we gather again in September, I look forward to taking a deeper look at how this concept applies to our lives together at SMES.
In the meantime summer is fast approaching and in a few short weeks, we will bid a fond farewell to our little charges and return them affectionately to you for what I sincerely hope will be a summer filled with “connectedness,” happy times and precious memories.
With fond regards,
Marcus D. Hurlbut
*Note: The word “authoritative” is borrowed in part from the work of Dr. Diana Baumrind who more than 30 years ago described different styles of parenting, including authoritative, permissive, authoritarian, and neglectful. Parents who are defined as authoritative are warm, involved, and accepting, and establish clear-cut and reasonable guidelines, consequences, and expectations.