9/1/2015
Welcome, welcome! Welcome back to our returning families! And a hearty welcome to our new families. Welcome back, teachers! And a special welcome to our new teacher, Michelle Warner.
While I don’t know what each of you students did with your summer, I can tell you that your teachers and our parent volunteers were busy! We adults spent the summer thinking about you and planning for your return. In this building, you will notice that Ms Laura’s room has a new, open concept layout. The restrooms and the lobby got a much-needed new coat of paint. And Ms Meghan has an office! Over at the YDC, we have a new lighting system in the theater, and we are in the process of renovating the booth in the theater. Ms Katie has moved into the blue room and is ready to tackle Middle School, and Ms Michelle has taken over Room 3 on this campus and can’t wait to get started with her Uppers!
The entire staff has been working on exciting new curriculum—choosing new books and working on field trips. We are especially excited to get started on the community service theme you students selected last spring: Animal Welfare.
Ms LaTasha and I spent much of the summer researching and planning to expand our performing arts program at the Middle and High School levels so that we can better serve both full and part-time students all over the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Middle and High Schoolers, you will no doubt be pleased to hear that, in addition to ISW’s production of Annie Jr, we also have an Improv Workshop planned for September 12 and an Open Mic Night the same evening.
Our Board has been working hard too. Our Building Fund Committee is looking at pathways to a new, more permanent home for ISW in the next couple of years.
And as we contemplate moving, it seems entirely appropriate for us to consider who we are as a school and as members of this region’s non-profit community…which brings me to our logo. And this is the “educational” part of my talk. I hope that all of you—students, teachers, parents, board members—are proud to call ISW your school home. And part of school pride requires an understanding of our logo, so here goes!
ISW chose leaves because we wanted our commitment to nature to be obvious. There are three leaves because we have three divisions—elementary, middle and high school. Our three leaves are from two hardwoods and one softer wood—oak, maple, and birch. Hardwoods are often best for building because, like ISW, they are durable, and they don’t dent easily. On the other hand, softer woods are more flexible and easier to shape. It seemed to us, when we designed the logo, that we wanted a little of both—strong core values mixed with flexibility.
On the far right we have the oak leaf. The ancient Celts saw the oak as a cosmic storehouse of wisdom—all the knowledge of the universe. Oak is associated with respect, responsibility, integrity, and commitment. Sound familiar? Interestingly, oaks also tend to attract lightening.
In the middle, we have the maple. The ancient Celts believed that maple trees are empathetic trees which mystically bring together all who gather under its branches.
And finally, on the far left we have the birch. According to ancient Celtic lore, birch is a pioneer tree—one which takes root and frequently revives landscapes where no other tree dares to grow. Birch is the symbol of growth, beginnings, and adaptability.
Truthfully, I am not a big believer in Ancient Celtic myths, but I do think it is inspiring to consider how the ancients thought about ISW’s symbols. As we start the year, I wish for ISW all the blessings of our logo: wisdom from the oak; friendship and love from the maple; and the pioneer spirit from the birch.
Kindergartners, Lowers, Uppers, Middles, and High School Students, thank you for your excitement, your inspiration and your trust. This school is, as always, our gift to one another. Welcome to the new school year.