Kasserian Ingera
Happy New Year Hixson Families! It was great to see the rested, happy faces of kids coming through the doors this morning and hope everyone had a relaxing winter break. It's hard to believe that we are welcoming in a new year and the second half of our school year already. Time truly moves faster than I want and the start of the new year typically signifies all the resolutions I make about eating right and working out and blah blah blah. It will probably not surprise you to hear that a couple of months in, I revert back to old habits with a shrug and thoughts of a do over the next year.
This year has brought many changes for me as I joined the Hixson family. Winter break allowed me some uninterrupted time to reflect and process about the first half of the year. I had a lot of takeaways in my reflections and won't inundate you with all of them but the biggest one centered around the traditional greeting passed between Maasai people, "Kasserian Ingera". Translated, it asks "How are the children?". In response, the other person responds, "All the children are well". The greeting acknowledges the value that the Maasai places on the well being of the children in the village. This greeting prompted me to let go of making resolutions I would only break but instead focus on creating a list of hopes for the new year. One of my hopes is "Kasserian Ingera". As a baby principal, this hope is particularly important to me because of the incredible diversity of kids I serve at Hixson, many I am still getting to know. The kids that walk through the halls of Hixson are brilliantly different, each carrying their unique personalities, quirks, passions, likes, dislikes, uncertainties and confidence. It is for them that we work to create a school community where each kid feels important, seen, heard...loved. A community where it is safe to make mistakes, be vulnerable, be different, be kind and restore when needed. While the work to achieve this as a school family is never ending and constantly evolving, my hope is that we are centered with "Kasserian Ingera" when thinking about our kids. My greater hope is that as a community of parents, we will greet each other with "Kasserian Ingera" and be able to respond that all the children are well. For when we can look at not just our own children but the children in our community with "all the children are well" then our kids will know that we value every single last one of them.
Pre MAP Testing
Today, 8th graders completed the Science portion of our pre-MAP Assessment. Tomorrow, 7th and 8th graders will be completing the ELA and Math sections.
Please help us by making sure the following comes with your child tomorrow:
1.) CHARGED CHROMEBOOK
2.) EAR BUDS/Headphones (some portions of the ELA assessment require listening)
3.) Chromebook chargers
Save the Date - 8th Grade OPEN House at the HS
Webster Groves High School invites all 8th grade parents and guardians to its Class of 2022 Information Night on Wednesday, January 17th. Representatives from several extracurricular activities will be available to answer your questions at 6:30 pm in the main entrance hallway. We will begin the presentation in the auditorium at 7:00. After a welcome from Principal Jon Clark, we will review graduation requirements and department offerings, and share upcoming transition events. Following the presentation, families will meet with the counselor and administrator who will support your child. Staff members from each department will also be available to answer any questions you have about courses or resources. We look forward to seeing each family there!
Back to Normal
Next week, we will resume our afterschool activities on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Have a wonderful weekend reconnecting with each other and stay warm.
With gratitude,
Grace