Letter to students from Ms. Bennett - (Opening the School Year)
Dear Students,
I am looking forward to a great new year with all of you as we explore ideas, venture through many times and places, strive for academic excellence, and come to a greater understanding about the power of words, the nature of humanity, how to think critically, and how to live our faith. I hope that we can work together each day to create a classroom environment that fosters mutual respect, support, and an enthusiasm for learning. Making the most out of an educational experiences is more than just mastering grade requirements, though I will require that you master them. The ultimate goal of education is to learn how to truly think and discern. Knowledge and experience help leaders and citizens of tomorrow make better decisions in the real world with confidence and compassion, solving problems both large and small. I will build on opportunities to develop this independent thinking and inquiry in my class whenever possible.
As middle school students, you will be challenged by more sophisticated levels of coursework and you will grow as a result of higher degrees of social and academic expectations, accountability, and responsibility. The amount of time spent fully participating in your studies will be directly linked to what you are able to harvest and rise to in the future. This year will offer a lot of challenges that will help you to gain greater maturity, to adapt to the ways you study or manage time, and to better learn how you can meet your commitments to your family, friends, teachers, and most importantly, yourself. Your parents are also learning to adjust as they learn to let go a little more and watch you stumble or fly. Everyone's patience will be very important. Remember, you learn more from a moment of failure than from a lifetime of success. Let me assure you, I am willing to work with you each step of the way, as a coach, referee, and cheerleader all-in-one. I expect your very best, and I look forward to sharing your successes, helping you through the challenging days, and remembering wonderful stories of our time together. Let's create a school-year where we can soar together.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lisa Bennett