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Dear Lower School Families,
We have enjoyed beginning our Headmaster Coffees this year and having the opportunity to spend time in conversation with our parents and school community. These gatherings are a wonderful way for us to learn together, ask questions, and continue exploring the heart and purpose of a classical education.
As part of that conversation, we would like to share a resource for parents who want to learn more about classical education: An Introduction to Classical Education: A Guide for Parents (Revised Edition) by Christopher Perrin. It is an accessible introduction to the ideas and purposes behind a classical education and a helpful resource for understanding more about the education our students experience each day.
Our commitment to learning together extends to our faculty as well. This summer, our faculty read and discussed The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis. Reading together allows us to continue growing as educators, thinking deeply about the formation of our students and the pursuit of what is true, good, and beautiful.
We have also continued learning from the educational philosophy of Mortimer Adler, who believed deeply in forming thoughtful, engaged learners through meaningful ideas, careful reading, discussion, and a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. In Reforming Education, Adler writes:
“I simply ask what is the point of covering ground, if the students’ feet never touch it, if they never learn through independent exercise to walk by themselves, with head erect and unafraid of all intellectual opposition and difficulty.”
His words are a powerful reminder that our role is not to remove every difficulty from our children’s path, but to guide and encourage them as they learn to think, wrestle with challenging ideas, make decisions, and even fail. By inviting students to do hard things, ask questions, wonder, and remain curious, we cultivate more than academic success; we cultivate a genuine love of learning. And as educators, we seek to model that same curiosity, perseverance, and lifelong pursuit of knowledge for our students.
And speaking of our students’ creativity and growth…
We loved seeing all of the creativity and school spirit displayed in this year’s Griffin Coloring Contest and Free Draw Contest! Thank you to everyone who participated and shared their artistic talents with us. There were so many wonderful and creative entries!
A big congratulations to our winners!
Coloring Contest Winners
Kinder – Olivia Hernandez, KB
1st Grade – Everett Wallace, 1C
2nd Grade – Jane Setterbo, 2C
3rd Grade – Leach Bruce, 3C
4th Grade – Julia Renfro, 4A
5th Grade – McKenzie Yarrington, 5B
6th Grade – Ivana De Loera, 6C
Free Draw Winners
1st Grade – Live Hofstetter, 1A
2nd Grade – Damon Wither, 2D
3rd Grade – Yousif Al Saady, 3A
4th Grade – Campbell Graves, 4D
5th Grade – Cecilia Hernandez, 5A
6th Grade – Koda Southworth, 6D
Congratulations to all of our winners, and thank you to every student who participated! We are proud of the creativity, imagination, and Griffin spirit you showed.
Enjoy a look at some of the wonderful artwork and our talented Griffin artists!
Warmly,
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