The start of the school year is always a whirlwind of activity here at SMUS. We are busy forging foundational relationships with students new to our community while also welcoming our returning students back to the campus. We hope that everyone is feeling rested, rejuvenated, and excited for the year ahead.
With a few days of classes now underfoot, whether they are taking their first tentative steps into school as a new member of our Junior Kindergarten class, or they are a Lifer entering their graduation year, we hope that all our students are feeling calm and settled into their classroom routines. Feeling connected and secure ensures they can focus on their learning, so it is this personal connection that is our top priority to start the year off.
Having said that, a common theme in all of our opening assemblies will have been the idea that school is a place where stretching oneself is encouraged, even expected. At some point in the year, we hope that all of our students will step beyond the limits of their comfort zones.
We recognize that it takes courage to move into the unfamiliar and away from the routines we have come to know well, but, we believe doing just that is the key to attaining personal growth. Our students must learn to lean into discomfort and hardship to build upon their strengths, grow their confidence, and uncover new passions they did not know they held.
So, as this new year kicks off, all of our faculty will be looking for ways to challenge our students and move them out of their comfort zones. Be it on an outdoor trip, on the sports field, or in the classroom, we aim to provide an environment where students feel encouraged to stretch themselves beyond what they ever imagined possible. We hope they embrace these challenges as they happen and eventually learn to seek them out on their own. Of course, in facing challenges, there will be failures, and each of us in the SMUS community is standing by and ready to help them up after a stumble. We look forward to watching them grow their confidence, become more resilient, and build new skills to succeed in the world.
