The first
day of school is both a milestone and a whirlwind, and that’s how it was for
Trident Academy on Monday.
Ten new
students were welcomed into the Trident family and all were back and smiling
for Day Two – a good sign! Especially
since we set the standard high with music, balloons, and a luncheon cook-out
waiting for them again today.
“Watch us
Grow” was our theme for opening day, a theme that has many meanings. Each division planned and planted a garden
and will be responsible for tending and nurturing to “watch it grow.” Our faculty will, in turn, be doing the same
with our students, guiding their growth and learning this year. And of course, all of us are focused on a
growing school, with more students and more opportunities to learn.
We’re
announcing some new initiatives to take learning beyond the classroom. EXPLORE! will take our Upper School students
into the community one day each week to learn what our expansive Charleston
“classroom” has to offer. We will be
visiting a wide array of Charleston organizations, from preservation to
airplanes, energy to medicine, and lots of things in between. EXPLORE! is a program meant to spark new
interests and passions and perhaps set our students on a career path they’d never
considered.
Upper School
students will be meeting with me this week to talk about their leadership in
the school. This year, they will be our
leaders as we share announcements, special news, say our pledge of allegiance,
and raise the flag. I anticipate our
older students will serve as mentors to their younger schoolmates, as well as
suggest activities that make us a stronger school community, and participate in
decisions that affect their school life.
Working with students is one of my favorite aspects of being a head of school,
and I am looking forward to getting to know this small but mighty group!
The
beginning of the year always brings a vast array of change – new students,
teachers, administrators, programs, and initiatives. Our counselor and dean of
students Leigh Ann Oliger has announced her decision to accept a position with
the Charleston County School District, effective August 29. Leigh Ann has been an important colleague to
the Trident staff and a valued mentor to our students. She will be missed but we wish her well in
her new position. Ezra Cowan will fill
Leigh Ann’s duties as Dean of Students, effective immediately and I will be
reevaluating her other responsibilities and perhaps determining some new
priorities. College counseling and
planning is strong objective, as is “transition planning” as we take an active
partnership role in determining the next step for your student. I also believe we could all benefit from a
strong professional who is skilled in the psycho-educational arena. Determining
the best way to bring these resources to Trident, and the best people, is at
the top of my “to do” list.
Please
frequently check this blog to keep up to date on what is happening at
Trident. I look forward to being with
all of you as we watch us grow throughout the year.
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