Finding Your Shine

To kick off the school year, we asked every parent to think about their hopes and fears for their children. Many of you have shared your thoughts (thank you!), and I know that these reflections will help to create a strong partnership this year. Our promise to you is that we will help your child find their shine.

In 2011, Dr. Ned Hallowell, MD, an internationally known psychiatrist and authority on ADHD published a book called Shine: Using Brain Science to Get the Best from Your People. His book discusses how to help people maximize their potential. Using brain and performance research, he espoused a five step approach:

1. Give people responsibilities and work that “lights up their brain” = they feel passionate
2. Create a sense of belonging through relationships and a mission
3. Engage in joyful play to unleash imagination
4. Grapple with goal setting to make progress and grow
5. Provide genuine feedback, mentoring, and cheerleading to instill a desire to excel

During our August faculty/staff professional development days, we took time to discuss these ideas and think about how they apply to the EHS experience for our students and our faculty/staff. Having started my career as a classroom teacher for 15 years, I know that teachers who set goals, feel supported, and are stimulated are the ones whose classrooms have happy engaged students who thrive. Our teachers spend many hours writing lessons, creating activities, games, and assessments which ensure that your child will love coming to school. Your child will be challenged with lessons that will “light up their brain” while also stretching them to try hard things, learn from failure, and grow their confidence when they succeed. They have teachers who will facilitate their learning, provide meaningful feedback, and celebrate their effort and progress. Your child will have fun — creating, problem solving, and exploring new skills and ideas. They will feel connected to each other, our community, and their place in the mosaic of the Jewish people which is 5784 years old. This is the “magic” and “special sauce” that cannot be found elsewhere. This is one of the things that makes our school unique — distinct from other private schools, and different from a public school education; we are committed to ensuring that your child finds their shine.

I know that there are other families in our community who would love our school. We are working hard to make an EHS education within everyone’s reach. You are our best ambassadors. Share these five points when you talk about EHS, reach out to friends, and encourage them to come take a tour. Every child should find their shine — and that happens up here on the Hill at Six Community Road every day.