At Wakefield we are not too cool for school!

This past Tuesday evening I had the chance to take part in the faculty volleyball game that was a part of the Dig Pink event being held at another local school.  It has become an annual tradition for our two schools to come together to play volleyball and raise money for breast cancer research.  Every year following the girls’ varsity game, the faculties from our schools take to the court to test our prowess at the net.  In past years I had happily, and comfortably, sat in the bleachers cheering on my colleagues.  This year, however, I felt compelled to join them on the court.  In order to appreciate how this story relates to the nature of the Wakefield community, you have to understand that while I would consider myself athletic, my ability falls more within the realm of individual sports like running and swimming.  You should also understand that I am a pretty competitive person which means I don’t really like to compete in things that I am not good at.  Hopefully now a picture is forming in your mind that looks something like…competitive athletic type leaps into a game for which she does not possess any ability (or even know the rules)…and that sounds a lot like taking a risk, because that is exactly what it felt like on Tuesday night.  You might be thinking, “big deal”, a faculty member takes part in a casual charity volleyball game even though she doesn’t play volleyball, AT ALL.  However, for me those sorts of risks are a big deal.  Then you may ask yourself, “why then does she do it if it seems like a ‘risk’”?  The answer is, because the nature of the Wakefield community compels its members to become bigger, better, people by taking those risks that push us outside our comfort zone.

You may wonder what about our community compels its members to feel comfortable taking these steps outside the comfort zone.  I believe it is the fact that it is a relatively small community so we are dependent on the engagement of everyone for success.  Further, it is a supportive, clique- free environment in which students openly offer ideas in class, audition for a part in a play and fully engage in an activity without fear of social ridicule.  Very simply Wakefield is a place where it is cool to be yourself; students are not required to fit themselves into a specific mold in order to be accepted socially.  Learning in an environment where students are relieved from the pressure to be “cool” enables them to explore their interests and talents more freely and more authentically.  This very combination of support and security at Wakefield allows them to develop into thriving, self-assured young adults.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of such a wonderfully unique and supportive community and wish that every student could have the opportunity to learn and grow at a school as supportive as Wakefield School.

It's New Year!

It is the start of the school year so it is also time to renew my blog.  This year I am going to try to write every week…didn’t I say that last year? Well, it just goes to show that practice makes perfect, and that if at first you don’t succeed try, try again! (Let me see if I can think of any other cliché phrases…I don’t think, “it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game” seems to apply here). Anyway, let this be an inspiration, or perhaps lesson, to any students out there reading this blog, it is never too late to reform. If you haven’t been writing your homework down every day or been doing all of the math problems every night start now, it’s not too late…you can try, try again.


We have been in classes for four weeks now and already the new students have been absorbed into the rhythm of school life. I feel sure that I am one of the few people who knows who is new and who is not at this point (and I admit there are moments when I second guess myself) because the returning students have so warmly welcomed the new students and the new students have jumped into life at Wakefield with such zeal that is just hard to tell. That is one of the things I love most about Wakefield, it is a warm, welcoming place where it is easy to feel at home.

As I make the turn from enrolling students for the current school year to meeting families who will enroll in a year from now I am filled with a sense of anticipation, wondering what new and interesting students I will have the chance to meet. I also feel excited by the prospect of watching another wonderful group of new students integrate into the community and begin to make their mark on our school.

Those of you who are already owls, I look forward to seeing you soon. To those who I have not yet met, I am eager to introduce you to our school.

Happy Fall!

Sarah

Great news abounds at Wakefield

Good morning! I am so excited to finally be posting another blog. You may recall that at the beginning of the school year I said that I was going to attempt to write every other week and I did, for a while. So now I am recommitting to sharing my bi-weekly musings on Wakefield. Next year I will endeavor to keep it up even through the peak of the admission season, so you will have to stay tuned to see if I can make it!

Of course I need to start by congratulating the deserving students who were admitted in the first round of admission decisions. We are hopeful that many of you will chose to join the Wakefield community in the fall.

March and April are always very exciting months in my home because in these two months much of the work my husband and I do throughout the year comes to fruition. As the Director of Admission the first week of March is when I have the privilege of sending out the first round of decision letters. I relish the opportunity to speak with the parents of admitted students when I call them that first Friday in March to let them know of their family’s acceptance to Wakefield. I can’t help but feel bolstered by the joy that I hear in parents’ voices as they learn that their child will have the opportunity to attend Wakefield and benefit from all of the wonderful opportunities that await them on our campus. As I have said in previous posts, the pleasure I derive from my work is helping families find the school that is the best fit for their child and hence I feel my energy renewed through these conversations.

However, it is the college counseling news about which I wanted to write today. Matt, my husband, is the college counselor at Wakefield so I have the chance to watch the cycle of list development, application submission, waiting, and notification of decisions play out up close every year. This past weekend the University of Virginia notified students of their decisions, with 20% of our senior class winning admission for the fall. While it will never be the case that every Wakefield student who applies to UVA, or any school, will be admitted but, just in the last five years Wakefield has made great strides with UVA. For a time UVA would reliably admit 10% of the senior class while reliably admitting 20% of the class from other independent schools closer to Washington, D.C.. Now, thanks to the wonderful and consistently exceptional work on the part of the Wakefield alumni at UVA, the university is confident that Wakefield students are prepared to face the rigors of their program. While I have highlighted UVA it is only one example of the way in which the same trend has played out at other institutions across the country. It just happens that UVA is the most highly sought after acceptance among our student body so the trend is all the more noticeable.

I would be remiss if I did not point out two important facts. First, many of our students this year have been admitted to wonderful colleges and universities, many to their first choice. Some of the other acceptances include Hobart & William Smith Colleges, James Madison University, Lehigh University, Tulane University, and Vassar College. Second, it is still very early in the notification season with many schools not revealing their selections for another few weeks. So, we congratulate all of those students who have already received their good news and keep our fingers crossed for those still waiting.

Finally, I, and I know many others at Wakefield, are grateful for the hard work of our alumni who are enrolled at colleges and universities around the country and are paving the way for future Wakefield students by demonstrating their extraordinary preparation for the challenges and rigors of college life. We are thankful, also, for that extraordinary preparation which is the result of the exceptional and committed teachers at Wakefield, who beginning in the youngest grades, instill in students an enduring curiosity and love of learning in addition to fostering a supportive community of teachers and students that embrace excellence, hard work, and achievement.

It's Like Coming Home

It is always interesting to me to learn how and/or why people chose their particular professional fields. These past few weeks the frequent interviews with families that typify the days and weeks leading up to the application deadline have reminded me of my path to a career in independent schools and ultimately in admissions. My career choice, as well as the philosophy that guides my work, were guided by my own educational experience, specifically several school transitions during grades seven through nine. I will try to briefly share the story as I believe it sheds light on the approach I, and Wakefield, take in admitting students to Wakefield as well as benefits of the type of education an independent schools provides.


Two days before the Labor Day weekend that marked the transition, for me, from seventh to eighth grade my family moved from rural Vermont to Northern Virginia. That was not to be the only transition; I would also attend one of the mega-middle schools rather than a small independent school as I had in Vermont. The school I was to attend had more students in seventh and eighth grade than the entire population of the county from which I had moved. Needless to say culture shock was waiting for me at every turn. I recently told a colleague that that one year in the mega-middle school is by far the worst year of my life and that I would gladly relive any of traumas of my life again before I would go back to that year for one day. During the first days at the new school I rode the sea of students from class to class, each day arriving at lunch blessedly naïve, at first, of the politics that dictate who sits where, when, and for how long; life was much worse once I realized there was a pecking order and that I had no idea how to get into the order, if I wasn’t already in it, and what my position dictated I do to maintain my place, or move up. Being athletic I looked forward to the first PE class, but not for long. On the first day one of my female classmates banged her arm repeatedly in locker so that she could break her arm and not have to participate. I realized quickly that PE was not a time for carefree game playing, rather the game was to see how little one could do and for how long. That mentality of minimal effort and engagement characterized my classroom experience as well – no one answered teacher questions, in fact the teachers really didn’t ask any, maybe because they knew no one would answer, students were blatantly disrespectful to teachers and to each other. It did not take me long to realize that the best way to get through this year was to get on the bus, get off the bus, put my head down during the day in order to draw as little attention as possible (you would not want to be “too” anything for fear of offending someone and getting beat up (verbally or physically), get on the bus, get off the bus and just hope to survive the year with some semblance of self left in place while keeping my fingers crossed that high school would be better. Throughout the year I know my sadness, nervousness, and confusion were readily apparent yet a teacher never tried to engage with me, no one tried to learn my interests and introduce me to peers with similar interests, an administrator or counselor never asked if I was okay or wanted to talk about the transition. All the reports to my parents were that I was fine, I was getting straight As so what was there to worry about, right? Well a lot. As a thirteen year old I was in an environment in which there was frequently blood dripping down my locker from fist fights, girls were encouraged to be promiscuous in dress and action, bullying, physical and emotional, was a regular and accepted part of everyday life. To achieve was to be shunned, to think was to be shunned, to engage was to be shunned.

In the winter of that year I begged my parents to let me look into some of the local independent schools. They conceded, having witnessed the changes in my enthusiasm about school as well as the school’s unwillingness to take steps to improve the situation by refusing to allow me into the GT classes for which I was qualified but had arrived in Virginia too late for registration. I was lucky enough to be admitted to several schools in the area and hence took advantage of the opportunity to spend a day shadowing a student at each one. One the day I visited my alma mater it was like coming home. Every girl I met played a sport AND worked hard in school. Students and teachers alike spoke to me with genuine interest, classes were engaging, and most important to me the students and teachers all seemed happy to be at school. I worried as my parents signed on to pay the tuition that would require significant sacrifice for our family that it would all be too good to be true and turn out to be no better than the mega-school. My fears were soon alleviated when a student called me mid-summer to let me know she would be my “buddy”, the coaches of the sports I was to play that year invited me to their summer team camps, there was an orientation so I knew where my classes would be held, and my faculty advisor called to introduce herself and explain her role. On the first day of ninth grade I had more friends than I had had all year in eighth grade, by the end of the first week I had more conversations with teachers and completed more homework than in the entire previous year. I felt as though I had found myself again and was finally thriving at school. I felt at home.

One of the other new students that year was from my neighborhood and had gone to the same public school as me the year before. Like me she was seeking a different environment for high school. However, after our tenth grade year she chose to return to public school because it was a better fit for her interests and personality – I wish I could recall all of the details of her decision for you but I can’t. She and I, though, have remained close friends serving as confidants throughout college, bridesmaids in weddings, and support systems in our adult lives. Why do I tell you this? Because her decision to return to public high school was clearly the right one for her, she thrived there where she felt suffocated in the smaller independent school.

How did my experience lead me to a career in independent school admissions? I knew that I wanted to benefit students in the same way that my teachers benefitted me. My high school teachers pulled me back from the brink of disengagement by asking me questions, providing immense amounts of feedback, and by believing in me and challenging me throughout my high school experience. As the admissions director I most enjoy working with families who are actively looking for the school that is the correct fit for their student and family. There are differences between both public and private schools as well as within the private school community and, as my friend’s experience always reminds me, a school may be the right fit for one student and not another. I carry that philosophy with me into every parent or student meeting during which I do not see my job as convincing families to attend Wakefield, rather I endeavor to help families identify honestly and correctly if Wakefield is the best fit for them. Independent school had an enormous positive impact on me and I want as many students to have that same experience as possible, the experience being the one in which the student feels like they are home when they arrive at school.

The Holiday Spirit at Wakefield

The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year and one during which I feel particularly grateful to work at Wakefield School. I like the “holiday season” because it is generally happy time of year during which we take time to spend with our friends and family and celebrate our many blessings. I look forward to selecting a thoughtful gift for a friend or family member and to having my house filled with the smell and sounds of holiday cheer. Planning menus, baking treats, and wrapping presents by the fire all seem like delightful ways to spend a weekend afternoon in December to me. This year I find myself looking particularly forward to Christmas morning because my son will be old enough, I hope, to get fully into some of the frenzy and excitement of opening gifts. Creating a magical experience for him is of paramount importance to me, as is having our family around us as a new generation learns about the Christmas spirit.

You may be wondering what this has to do with Wakefield and why I am particularly grateful for Wakefield during the holidays. In our current state of hyper political correctness I often find myself walking on egg shells this time of year and asking myself, “is it okay to say Merry Christmas or do I have to say Happy Holidays” or “oh, no did I just wish my Jewish friend a Merry Christmas, is he going to be offended?”. Being politically correct, I believe, started out as a valiant effort to be aware of and sensitive to the diverse nature of our communities and country but I don’t think the purpose was to cleanse us of our spirit and enthusiasm for our beliefs and traditions. Wakefield has navigated this sometimes confusing and sensitive path with grace and respect for all traditions without cleansing the school of holiday spirit and enthusiasm. Our teachers are able to decorate Christmas trees, explain the menorah and teach the dreidel song to their classes, they can watch Rudolph or sing Christmas carols, they can talk about the traditions of kwanza and wish one another a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, or Happy Kwanza without fear of offending someone because it is okay to share your spirit and custom with someone else, even if it is not theirs. Wishing a non-Jewish person a Happy Hanukah is not disrespectful of their faith, it is a celebration of your faith.

Our community was able to find its way to this happy point by taking an approach of being inclusive rather than being desensitized. We celebrate all the holidays rather than none of them. I realized how special this was when I was showing the campus to a prospective student a week or so ago and he was amazed that we had paintings of Christmas trees and menorahs in our hallway – he said at their school they are only allowed to cut out snowflakes! Our inclusive and celebratory approach does leave us vulnerable to unintentionally offend someone but we are a place at which students and teachers are learning, and teaching, academic lessons as well as lessons about life. What better lesson can we teach our children than to be inclusive and respectful of one another’s beliefs and traditions by exposing them to as many customs as possible? Yes, sometimes we have to say we are sorry, but isn’t that real life, learning to say I am sorry and coming out a more informed person in the end?

So, as I look forward to our assembly on Friday at which we will carol and read poems I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Enjoy this happy season with your friends and family! We hope to see you at our Open House on Jan. 17 at 9 am.

Sarah

The Feel of Wakefield

Last week was a special week at Wakefield School. Sunday marked the beginning of our visit from the VAIS (Virginia Association of Independent Schools) Accreditation Team. Every ten years schools accredited by VAIS must complete an extensive self-study which is submitted to VAIS who then send a team of our peers from other VAIS schools to observe and evaluate our program based on eighty-one accrediting standards. The ten year reaccreditation process is simultaneously exhausting and exhilarating. Our entire community spent the last year examining our mission and our programs’ alignment with that mission. Self examination is always a hard task to undertake because it requires one to look closely and critically at a program held dear over which we toil every day. Despite our confidence in our program and pride in our community it is nerve wracking anytime outsiders come on campus to evaluate us – would the visitors think that we are as special as we think we are?


However, once the visit began I did not find myself thinking about my upcoming meetings with members of the visiting committee or really even wondering what they were thinking about us, I was too busy being awed by my peers and their presentations to the committee. On Sunday I heard three of my colleagues describe to the visitors, and the rest of the faculty, the ways in which we develop capable, ethical and articulate citizens - our mission. Their presentations actually gave me goose bumps. Mr. Zontine, veteran literature and composition teacher, described the way in which Wakefield’s culture of achievement encourages students to do their best, the peer pressure is to do one’s work rather than do as little as possible to get by in class. Alison Sowers, class of 2000, told us about how well prepared she was to articulate her ideas, particularly in writing, when she arrived at college. She shared that she and her classmates were the most sought after proof-readers at their respective colleges and universities because of both their grasp of grammar and their ability to structure their ideas in a compelling and logical manner. She said that she takes pride in knowing how to diagram a sentence and understanding parts of speech that many people don’t know even exist! Finally, Mrs. Reedy, a longtime third grade teacher, described Wakefield’s community by describing it as a family – she said that she considers her colleagues and the parents of her students to be her family (she was nearly in tears as described her love of the school and how close she feels to the community of people here). Mrs. Reedy spoke of raising our students to be aware of the way they treat one another and the role that the adults play in making those lessons authentic – just like a real family! These presentations reminded me, and many of my colleagues, just why we came to Wakefield in the first place.

The visit from the accreditation committee concluded on Wednesday with a faculty meeting at which the chair shared some of the committee’s observations. He told us to cherish the fact that our entire community, students, parents, faculty, board of trustees, and alumni, all know and embrace the mission of the school. He reminded us that it is a rare thing, that not even all of the members of the visiting committee could make the same comment about their own schools. He also reminded us that our community is keenly aware of the accomplishments of departments and students across the curriculum. For example, the committee regularly heard from faculty outside of the art department how impressive the work of the art department is, most specifically the recent theater production of Macbeth. Finally, he told us how lucky we are to have Peter Quinn as our Headmaster. He told us that Mr. Quinn is one of the most highly respected Headmasters in Virginia and that whenever he is at meetings of heads of school he speaks with great pride about Wakefield’s community and programs. While we all know that Mr. Quinn is a rare leader it was wonderful to hear that his peers also recognize his genuine regard for his schools, its students, parents, and teachers.

If I had to sum up my thoughts as we ended the reaccreditation process it would be that I found my belief affirmed that Wakefield is a very special school whose community is made up of true believers and that while Wakefield’s paper profile is impressive in its own right it is the intangible “feel” of the community that is most impressive and unique. The fact that the fabric of our community is the real key to successful execution of our ambitious mission is wonderful, and what every school strives for and few actually achieve, but it is a difficult conundrum for the Director of Admissions since I have to get people on campus before they can fully appreciate all that our school offers to its students.

So, come visit soon and feel the Wakefield difference.

Sarah

The Setting for Scholarship

Last night I was out walking my dog after a long day at home with my sick eighteen month old son. Our walk takes us down our dirt road and out through hayfields. The outgoing path is due west and since we were walking at dusk the sun was beautiful as it melted into golden fall leaves. We passed, and ultimately chased off, six grazing deer. As I walked into fall and passed through the warm and cool pockets of air I felt the stress and mental fuzziness from a day spent inside, watching the cartoons I swore my son would never watch, melt away. My mind cleared and solutions to problems I had been thinking about all day flooded to mind, it all seemed so obvious out in the fresh air and golden leaves.

You may be wondering what any of this has to with a blog about Wakefield by the director of admissions. Space and natural beauty have long been connected to thinking. Thoreau often sought the refuge of the country to write and reflect (Walden or The Maine Woods, anyone?). I think it is because literal space away from the chaos of everyday life, be it nineteenth century or twenty first century chaos, gives the mind the freedom to roam to the places that spark creativity. The fresh air seems to spark neurons to fire more rapidly and productively. Wakefield students are fortunate to spend their days learning and thinking nestled among the hills and meadows that make up the Virginia piedmont. Upper school students can find a quiet place to study under the tree, teachers can hold their classes on the hill overlooking the many surrounding horse pastures. Lower and middle school students can study tree and plant identification right out the school’s front doors. Our cross country teams even run through a meadow, true cross country. The Wakefield Parents Association has started a morning walking group to take advantage of the views, and the challenging hills, for some morning camaraderie and exercise.

Why do I think that the setting is significant enough to spend time writing about in this blog? Because almost no one comes to the campus without remarking about the breathtaking views and sweeping vistas but it is only after students have been here for some time that they begin to appreciate the real impact the setting has on their scholarship. As I sit at my desk I wonder how anyone could go to school in a setting as beautiful as this and not be inspired to think great thoughts and wondered “why”, which is one of the hallmarks of a Wakefield education.

I hope you will come out and visit our beautiful campus one day soon, if you have not already. Our next open house is Nov. 16 at 9 am.

Happy Halloween!

Sarah