October 2022
Carroll Connected is an email to alumni, their families, and Carroll friends that includes interesting, newsy, exciting, creative, and fun things happening at Carroll School. We hope you enjoy and we welcome ideas and/or updates about what you and your family have been up to!
In This Issue
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Starting a New School: All the Feels and Belonging
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Live Your Dream: Students write their hopes and dreams for the future
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Talk Circles: Building relationships, belonging, and restorative practices
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New Teacher Training: The power of the alumni perspective
When students and alums talk about the day they first sat in a Carroll classroom, they often share that they felt an instant sense of belonging. For the first time, they were surrounded by peers who shared many of the same struggles that come with dyslexia—an instant connection. As Head of School Dr. Renée Greenfield recently shared, "We are a school community built on difference. We believe that great minds think differently. We also believe in cultivating belonging."
To truly cultivate a deep sense of belonging and community, our educators, staff and leadership team work intentionally to make sure every person in the Carroll community feels accepted, welcomed, and seen. There are many ways this work shows up daily—on all three Carroll campuses. In this issue of Carroll Connected, we share a few examples taken from our first weeks of school. We hope you enjoy reading and we welcome you to reach out to us to hear more about this important work.
Starting a New School: All the Feels and Belonging
Dr. Renée Greenfield, Head of School, shares her reflection and thoughts about the first week of school with the Carroll community. Starting a new school and new school year brings all the feels. Our school leaders and educators understand this and thoughtfully planned activities with students and families to build belonging and community.
Live Your Dream: Students write their hopes and dreams for the future
Giving students the space and time to dream about their future (either near or distant) is the aspiration of the "Live Your Dream" interactive art installation in the Arts and Innovation Center located at Carroll's Middle School. Morag and Mark Bamforth P'11 were not only the lead donors behind the transformation of the Gatehouse into the Arts and Innovation Center in 2019 but they also funded and led the design efforts for the "Live Your Dream" installation. For the first time, every Middle School student will have their dream stored this year, bringing a new level of energy to the installation.
Talk Circles: Building relationships, belonging, and restorative practices
Gathering in circles is not a new practice at Carroll. Visit any of our campuses and you’ll see students gathered in a circle to listen to a story or instructions from a teacher; you’ll find whole grades meeting in a circle outside; you’ll encounter our music and theater arts teachers performing with students in a circle. Our educators use circles to create a safe space for students to listen, engage, and interact throughout the day. This year, we are dedicated to a more intentional approach to circle work at Carroll. Over the summer, a group of Carroll educators attended a two-day conference to learn about restorative practices and the role of circles.
New Teacher Training: The power of the alumni perspective
Carroll's attention to onboarding new faculty and staff is most closely witnessed during the week/s before school starts. In addition to joining returning faculty in professional development trainings and team meetings, new employees attend a New Employee Orientation. A cornerstone event during this specialized training is the Carroll Alumni and Alumni Parents panel. Read why it's so powerful.
