Apparently, there's no shortage of sugar-based products available on campus. A new shipment arrived this morning.

But education is a process of increasing self-awareness and self-control.

On Saturday morning, while sophomores and juniors took PSATs, ninth graders hiked northward from the main campus to The Cabin, one of the remote destinations on school property. Far from the sounds of the highway, they enjoyed a campfire, camaraderie and sugar--I mean hot cocoa.

 

One outcome of the adventure was the introduction--for many--to the course of woodland trails that we cherish. These, (like sugar products, I suppose!) are to be used with discretion, diligence and responsibility. Science class:

 

As a school, we struggle to balance freedom and structure in the manner that is optimal for the exercise of responsibility.

 

Schools that control casual student behavior (and I know one where soda is prohibited,) pay for compliance through the lack of responsibility freely exercised by students. On the other hand, we all know that teenagers perform best (indeed, are are looking for...) clearly defined limits.
 

This morning, I was a part of an administrative discussion of the privileges we grant student on high academic honor roll (known locally as "Head's List.") Like most college students, these kids are granted the responsibility to determine which classes they will attend (without accruing absence points.) Thus defined and practiced, we have no problem....

 

But what if a student on Head's List--supposedly capable of responsible decision-making--chooses to simply blow off a couple of classes? What if other students--observing students on Head's List--come to think of the privilege as permission to simply skip classes? Are we communicating that attending classes is somehow not valued?  That would be absurd.



In the Recording Studio, student musicians exercise great responsibility, here rehearsing on their own.
 
Speaking of exercising and responsibility, Proctor students and faculty showed up for Sunday's Making Strides against Breast Cancer march in Concord.
 
Cold sleet could not deter their enthusiasm! Just check out the length of the march: