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January 13,2012
Dear Parents:
As you know, our school is accredited with ISACS (The Independent Schools Association of the Central States), and this accreditation requires a periodic process of self-evaluation which includes a constituency survey. Next week, we will be asking current faculty, staff, current parents, trustees, and alumni to take a survey that helps us evaluate our school programs. You will be receiving an email from me next week with a letter of explanation (as short as I could write it!) and a link to the survey. The survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have your participation and how much I appreciate your involvement!
Today is Spirit Day, and our student body is dressed and directed towards supporting our debaters and athletes. Our Debate Squad left this morning for combat and are no doubt wrestling with their competitors as you read this. We wish them luck from afar. Tonight, our JV & VarsityBasketball Teams will take on Word of Life, and our student fans are planning a “white out” in the stands. This is a tough game, so please come support our players and wear white if you can!
Betsy recently sent out tax receipt letters to everyone who made some form of contribution (Capital Campaign, Annual Fund, etc.) to Seabury in the 2011 calendar year. If you made such a contribution and do not receive a tax letter in the next week, please contact Betsy. Thanks to all of you!
We have talked a lot this week in morning meeting and chapel about embracing and nurturing our talents—and remembering that our endeavors and our success are valuable because they occur within and (in part) for the good of a community. I often speak to the students about daring to be great but understanding that our highest expression of virtue and prowess is only possible with tremendous work and dedication (and, in the end, the sense of purpose we achieve is worth the moments of exhaustion). I also suggested that the deepest meaning in life occurs when we marry excellence with humility.
I wonder if it is presumptuous of me to encourage you, too, to take a moment and appreciate your talents and how you have inspired and improved the people around you. I am reminded of the moment in To Kill a Mockingbird when Atticus demonstrates his marksmanship and wins the stunned respect of his son, Jem. No doubt Jem is doubly impressed because Atticus acts out of duty and without fanfare. Smart as they are, I doubt your children know the true depth of your talents.
Finally, Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I reminded students that Dr. King was an impressive scholar of brilliance and skill who acted for the good of us all—and is worthy of reflection on their day off.
Yours respectfully,
Dr. Schawang
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