I hope that this message finds you and your family doing well on this Thanksgiving Day. As I sit to write in the quiet (so far) of this morning, I am reflecting on memories from last week – a week that was full of caring and connection, two attributes that are so vital to our Friends School community.
One highlight of the week was the presentations from the first Global Engagement cohort of third, fourth, and fifth graders, who collaborated through the first term researching topics that impact children in relation to World Children’s Day, such as gender equity, disaster preparedness, food waste, access to food, and healthy eating. In meeting for worship at the beginning of November, we considered a query that was crafted by the cohort: “How can we make sure all children get love and respect?” Last week, the researchers presented their findings to younger and older classes in creative and engaging ways, building awareness and pointing us toward ways that we can help provide the love and respect that all children deserve, around the world and right here in our community.
Last week the entire school also engaged in Partner Class activities. After trading information and clues about each other earlier in the week, the classes met on Friday morning to reveal the identities of secret buddies and exchange notes and simple handmade gifts. The older and younger students then played games together while two classes chose to take a walk in the Heritage Woodland Preserve. The sense of anticipation, joy of discovery, and bonds of connection were all wonderful to witness.
The morning ended with our traditional Thanksgiving Gathering of sharing a meal together. Although in separate classrooms, we were all connected by Zoom, which allowed classes to share greetings and even a song with the rest of the school! I know I am not alone in longing for the time when we can all be in one space for these kinds of celebrations again.
November is Native American Heritage Month. As part of this recognition, we acknowledge that Friends School Mullica Hill is situated on the ancestral lands of the Lenni-Lenape, a people who lived in harmony with one another upon this territory for thousands of years. In meeting for worship, we considered two queries: “How can we at Friends School continue to live in harmony with one another, the Lenape, and be the best possible stewards of this land?” and “How can we honor and show gratitude for indigenous people and cultures in the United States?”
And this brings me back to caring and connection. One way that we can honor and show gratitude for Native Americans is to listen to and learn from their stories. That’s what we’ve been doing at FSMH – listening to and learning from each other.
And that’s what we can all do on this national day of gratitude. Wherever and however we are celebrating, I hope that we all pause to reflect on those in our lives that we care for and are connected to; to take the time to listen to and learn from them; and then to express our gratitude for them. For me that includes first and foremost my immediate and extended family. It also includes the students, teachers, administrators, and staff members of Friends School Mullica Hill, and the opportunity to be part of such a caring and connected learning community.
May you and your family enjoy the simplicity of this day.
Matthew H. Bradley
Head of School
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