Wow! Are we really halfway through the school year already? For the teachers, students, and parents at St. Barnabas, the first half of the year has truly flown by. Of course, that’s usually what happens when we focus on being productive, mindful, and supportive of each other’s success.
In honor of reaching this halfway point, we’d like to pause and reflect on the values and culture our families have embodied over these past few months. We’d also like to offer some parenting tips to help our students and their family members stay focused, driven, and virtuous as the year continues.
Finding the Balance
By this point in the school year, students and their family members are settling into a good balance. Our curriculum is challenging, weaving in aspects of critical thinking and problem-solving that really push students to develop as learners. However, we balance out that challenge with our small class sizes and abundant, individual attention. We also give students opportunities to find their own balance between academics and extracurricular activities. It has been rewarding to see students rise to the occasion and discover themselves, not only as learners, but as athletes, leaders, and friends.
At St. Barnabas, we also seek a balance between the individual and the community. We treat each student as an individual, identifying and providing the resources each unique child needs to succeed. However, we also seek to embody the values we share as a community. Our faith and virtues are woven into every aspect of the school day. In this environment, we create well-rounded students who, in addition to being driven scholars, are prepared for a lifetime of helpful citizenship and community involvement. Each student and each family plays their own part – and together we’ve become quite a lovely orchestra!
Moving Forward
Now that we’ve established a healthy balance and a strong community, we can spend the rest of the year focusing on forward momentum and continued growth. This means continuing to support one another. It also means continuing to honor and push each student toward their individual goals. If your student is still working to find solid academic footing, we’ll continue to give them the resources needed to find it. Or, if they already have that solid footing underneath them, we’ll start exploring and pushing towards the next steps in their academic journey.
A Plan for Spring
So how can you, as a parent or family member, help support your student through the second half of the school year? Here are a few parenting tips we suggest you consider.
Child-Led Evaluation
This is the perfect time of year to sit down with your child and let them share their perspective on the school year, so far. What have they found particularly challenging? Are there aspects of certain classes or certain extracurriculars that they’re still struggling with?
Work with your child to make a list of challenges to focus on throughout the second half of the year. Then, work together to brainstorm ways you can face each challenge. After getting all of your ideas onto paper, you can go back and select the best approach to pursue.
Streamlining Success
While there are definitely benefits of participating in a diverse array of activities, there is also such a thing as taking on too much. Talk to your child about the extracurricular activities they’re involved in. Are they still interested in and engaged with all of those activities, or have some begun to feel more like burdens? Maybe some of their friends are involved in an activity that they want to try – but that might mean backing off from a different activity.
At this stage, your child is still discovering and developing their own interests and passions. Sometimes that might mean, for example, dropping soccer so they have time to participate in chess club.
Re-Evaluating Home Routines
Also, talk to your child about your at-home routines. This includes the time and space where they do their homework, how they prepare for the next day, and how they rest and rejuvenate their bodies after a long day of classes. Listen to their feedback, and adjust as much as possible.
It has been a productive and rewarding year so far, and we at St. Barnabas are confident the second half of the year will be even better. We’re so thankful for our students and their families, who continually lead with faith, joy, and selflessness. If you’re not already a member of the St. Barnabas Episcopal School community and would like to learn more about us, please contact our office. We’re always happy to welcome new families.