Dear Lower School Parents

Dear Lower School Parents,

I hope this letter finds you all well and enjoying the last week of summer, before school begins. Although it can be difficult to say goodbye to summer, I have always found the excitement and anticipation of the new school year a quick remedy. Summer provides a nice break from the routine of the school year—but there is something about that routine that has always drawn me back with a smile on my face. I think it is because I love the tradition of heading back to school: packing up backpacks, picking that outfit for the first day, and of course taking the first day of school picture.

There are many traditions particular to Elmwood Franklin that make our days special. The school song is one that always stands out in my mind. Colonial day in third grade, the book fair in November and of course the Prep Halloween parade are just some, among many of the traditions, that we look forward to each year. Some of our traditions have been around for years; others are newer and have grown to become favorites. This element of tradition is something that has always endeared me to the independent school world—I love the sentimentality and the sense of history that stem from our traditions. I am also drawn to the world of independent schools because we have the freedom to put our own spin on our traditions. We have the ability to allow our traditions to adapt with us, so that they are truly reflective of our mission and culture.

As the new Head of Lower School, I am looking forward to returning to the traditions of my own education at Elmwood Franklin. But more so, I am excited for your children. They get the experience of living the old traditions and helping to create the new. It is the energy of our students that brings our culture to life—that is why we are so excited to see them return to the classrooms next week!

In preparing for the start of a new school year, please do not forget that it can take time for your family to adjust to the routine. Bedtimes will likely come earlier and the alarm clock will certainly be going off earlier. Children will have very busy days and therefore will be exhausted when they come home. After a week or two, things will begin to fall into place, so allow yourself the time for everyone to adjust back into the school routine. It is something I have to remind myself of each year.

Also, as you are updating your calendars for the school year, please take note that we will be hosting an evening with Barbara Coloroso on Wednesday, September 7^th at 6:30 pm. Barbara is the author of The Bully, the Bullied and the Bystander, which we read as a faculty this summer. Horizons staff will be available for childcare during Barbara’s talk, which is expected to last until approximately 8:00 pm. Please RSVP to Kim Yarbrough by Tuesday, September 6^th if you would like to avail of Horizons. We hope you can join us!

I have written this letter to you in the form of a blog entry as a means of introducing you to my blog. I plan on writing a weekly blog that you will be able to find by going to the EFS website and looking for the link on the right hand side. You can also sign up to follow my blog and receive email notifications of a new posting—please do! I look forward to getting to know you all this year. Please feel free to stop by my office, call or email should you need to speak to me or even just want to say hello. See you on the morning of September 8^th. It will be here before we know it!

Sincerely,

Sarah Duddy