March 2004
On Collaboration
More than 400 years after
John Donne declared that “no man is an island” we find his words more true and
relevant than ever. We see the necessity of working together to achieve a “greater
good” whether to make peace in our own families or to help stem world conflict
around the globe. We also experience great pleasure and success by collaborating
with and learning from others every day both at Poughkeepsie Day School and
in the larger community.
Our youngest children are taught the importance of listening to and respecting
each other from day one at PDS. By doing so they are able to create essential
relationships which, in turn, form the basis for their classroom communities.
As they explore areas beyond the classroom, they soon discover other communities
to which they also have a real, meaningful connection. Whether visiting Sprout
Creek Farm, the nearby fire house or the Bardavon Theater, these curious and
impressionable youngsters find out first hand that we are all part of a larger
family of living things. Whether we are animals, workers, performers, children
or teachers, we are all part of the same world, and depend upon each other for
stability, support and love.
As students grow, their lives at school and at home become more complex but
we hope and trust that they carry with them always the early lessons they learned
at PDS. Chief among those are that we need each other to thrive and succeed,
whatever our path may be, and we are enriched by the giving of our talents,
encouragement and time to others. Students learn that in reaching out to people—whether
by donating their services, raising money for worthy causes or pursuing careers
that they believe will make a difference—they gain a great deal. That is why,
for example, community service has been such a long-standing component of our
academic program at PDS and why we heartily encourage our parents to become
involved in the life of the school.
This month you will note a number of wonderful ways that students, teachers
and others will be coming together. We are so proud and delighted that Congressman
Maurice Hinchey will be joining us as our guest of honor at the opening of the
1-2s stunning photography exhibit, The Innocent Landscape, at the Mohonk
Images Gallery in New Paltz (Saturday, March 13, 3-5 pm). If ever there was
an example of how an academic program can actively engage students in their
own learning and, in the process, connect them with the larger world, last year’s
Mohonk study was certainly one. But it is not the only such example at PDS:
the school is full of them. I am sure that you, as parents, see that glow in
your children’s eyes on a regular basis as they begin to see how one thing in
life leads to another and how we are all part of the larger fabric of our shared
world. Collaboration between our teachers, educators at the Mohonk Preserve
and professional photographer G. Steve Jordan helped produce a rich curricular
experience for our 1-2 students, both in content and in process learning last
year. These kinds of collaborations are partand parcel of what PDS is all about
and we welcome your participation in them.
Other collaborations this month include the middle school participation in No
Name-Calling Week, a national event sponsored by more than 40 advocacy groups
dedicated to constructively addressing the issues of teasing and bullying among
preadolescents. Local colleges, including Marist, New Paltz and Vassar, are
also collaborating with us in their teacher-training programs, using PDS as
a model to help their soon-to-be graduates better understand how children learn.
And our own seniors are working with alumni/ae, current and past parents and
friends and business people in the local area to secure spring internships,
which are designed to tap into their particular interests while helping others.
PDS is a remarkable place. As spring makes its way to our doors, join me in
welcoming a new season of collaboration and collegiality to PDS. Come to the
opening on the 13th; say hello to our student teachers; help a senior find an
internship. We also need you to buy raffle tickets to support A Night at
the Circus Auction; attend a PDSPO meeting to learn about how you might
volunteer your time, energy and expertise to benefit PDS; and become involved
in your own local communities as you see fit. But do get out there! See how
good it feels to be part of this very special school as well as part of a larger—but
nonetheless connected—universe.
Happy spring,
Mary Jane