Building a Community of Belonging, Part II
At 20:20 (8:20 p.m. military time) on the evening of Wednesday, October 28, two third graders, an OSP Principal, one IT team member, the Admissions Team, Jiggy the Jaguar, and two security guards physically left the OSP campus building…
While this sounds like the start of what surely must be a bad joke beginning with 20:20 and a list of folks that begins with “two third graders” and ends with “two security guards” leaving the premises, I am pleased to report this is simply a few of the amazing cast of characters it took to pull off FXW’s first-ever live virtual open house, and it was a proud moment for our community.
In addition to this star-studded lineup, reporting live from other remote locations and powered behind-the scenes by our Director of Innovation, were our Head of School reporting from the OES (One East Superior) campus board room, a parent, a 2012 alum, and two eighth graders—our Student Body President and Student Body Vice President who opened up the evening with an SNL-like spoof of a recent presidential debate (approximately the first six minutes of this video or click above).
By now, you are surely asking yourself, “how does any of this best represent FXW to an applicant parent looking at early childhood programs?” Well, the answer to this question lies behind pressing play to the video presentation above, but even if you choose not to watch the magic unfold, what was abundantly clear from our youngest students featured to Grade 8 students to campus leadership to an incredible alum (also a former Student Body President at FXW), is that in partnership with parents and guardians at home, FXW faculty cultivate today’s and tomorrow’s best and brightest, well-rounded and compassionate Thinkers and Leaders (now you know you want to watch it).
At 12:30 p.m. (military and civilian time) earlier that same Wednesday, during one of several all-faculty professional development meetings, together we explored the topic of the upcoming election. With our School’s mission as our lens, we discussed how to best instruct our students in age-appropriate conversations about a topic that has unfortunately become one of division in this country and is not escaping even some of our youngest students. Our approach? We focused our attention on understanding the civics of the election process, a partisan versus a political classroom, and understanding the qualities of a good leader. No politics. Ultimately, these subject areas are a few of the components that a fair election should embody—whether on November 3 or the upcoming FXW Student Body Leadership election in May 2021 where our HNC campus students will have some important decisions to make about school leadership.
It is our sincere hope that that today, tomorrow, and in the weeks and months following the election, the adults in our community will continue to be model citizens for our student body. To this end, we are sharing a few election-focused resources in the Equity and Justice Community Bulletin Vol.9 that may assist in the discussions taking place in the car, at home, and in the classroom with our Thinkers and Leaders who are daily learning to build a Community of Belonging. And please be sure to vote.
—Kendall Mallette, Director of Mission Integration
Prayers for the Election
Prayers for election day and the election of a president.
Lord God, as the election approaches,
we seek to better understand the issues and concerns that confront our city/state/country,
and how the Gospel compels us to respond as faithful citizens in our community.
We ask for eyes that are free from blindness
so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters,
one and equal in dignity,
especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty.
We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and those abandoned,
Men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion or gender.
We ask for minds and hearts that are open to hearing the voice of leaders who will bring us closer to your Kingdom.
We pray for discernment
so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word,
live your love,
and keep in the ways of your truth
as they follow in the steps of Jesus and his Apostles
and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace.
We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
– Author Unknown