Facing a new chapter in history, together

Dear Gordon Families,

We are facing a monumental week in American history.

And we are ready.

At Gordon School, we have been preparing for this day for months now, with conversations about democracy and decision-making happening from Nursery to eighth grade. We've walked through the voting process with every grade level and talked about the fact that advocacy, persuasion, disappointment and compromise are baked into the system. And we've invited faculty, staff, parents, caregivers and members of our larger community into conversation on how to hold space for disagreement and dissent in constructive ways, while making our values clear and our voices heard. I am deeply proud of the ways our community has modeled the world we want to see and the world we want to be. 

Still, this is going to be a stressful week, and our children will know. Even if they have not been making voting plans or glued to the nightly news, they can feel that the grown-ups in their lives are holding their breath. Something consequential is about to occur.

So, we owe it to them to be honest and to acknowledge that this is a big week.

And, at the same time, we owe it to them to make this week as normal as possible.

We anticipate that there will be headlines in the days and weeks after the election that will do nothing to ease the uncertainty and anxiety in the air. And no matter the outcome, we know that all of us will be considering what the reality of the divisions in our country means for us as a human family. We have come to expect the unexpected.

And still, we can give our children a normal week. One where we follow the familiar rhythms of the school day. Where they can learn and play alongside their friends. Where children and adults alike are expected to find common ground across our differences and to treat one another with dignity and respect. Where the adults in their lives can still lead them, lovingly, while also managing their own feelings in predictable and appropriate ways.

We are raising a generation of changemakers and this is a long game. We have to be honest with ourselves and our children about the impact this election cycle is having on our lives, but we also have to be mindful of what our children need from us in the long run. Even if we feel like the world should stop turning, we need to keep our daily routines, for their sake. They need to know the truth about the history they are living through, but they also need to know that we have their backs, that we are taking care of them, and that their education and their emotional health are important parts of our vision for a better world.

We also owe it to them to offer them hope. You have chosen to send your child to a school that is proudly, radically, relentlessly optimistic. At every grade level, our students have learned about and been inspired by the helpers and good troublemakers throughout history, who have worked to ensure that our country lives out “the true meaning of its creed.” Our commitment to these values, to our mission, and to your children, will not waver. 

I maintain that there is no better place to be than the Gordon School during a moment like this. As you hand your children off to us on Wednesday morning, know that we will be tending to their hearts and minds with equal care. What a privilege it is to engage in this sacred work in partnership with you.

With gratitude, love and hope,

Noni