Given the complex and interrelated developments in our world this year, and our shared interest in making sure Bay Farm prepares our children well for that world, the board of trustees at Bay Farm has extended an invitation to our parent community to engage in virtual conversation so that together, we can strengthen our partnership in building the foundations for our children’s Montessori education now and going forward. This year, the topics of race, equity, and social justice, of a shared notion of truth and mutual trust, and of the rising influence of disinformation campaigns have knocked on our door, and rather than shrink from opening them, we invite you all to join us as we grapple with these challenges, and figure out what they mean for our school.
On Tuesday, November 17th, we held the first of what we hope will be many monthly Bay Farm Conversations with the board. We were deeply moved by the response and engagement in that initial conversation. In speaking for more than an hour with 37 participants, we learned in what ways we are not all of the same mind, that we have among us those who are hopeful, those who are fearful, those who are hurt, those who are eager to help, those who want to learn and grow (which I think is all of us) – and likely a majority for whom all of these emotions sometimes mix together.
Learning about the range of perspectives and experiences within our community, through honest expressions of mind and heart from people we know and love, was a big step in bringing us together to grow as parents and educators. We all come to these topics from different places and with different perspectives. It’s going to take time to unravel them, and our discussions will always be a safe space for our community to ask questions, offer ideas and opinions, and grow together, all of which can only benefit our children. Bay Farm is about learning and growing, for children and for parents. I think of these conversations as an example we want to set for our children in how to constructively deal with difficult topics.
We asked two questions that will always guide our conversations: In order to best serve your family, we want to know:
What do you want for your child to get out of the Bay Farm experience on these topics?
What can we do to support you as parents for these topics?
Our next Community Conversations will be on Tuesday, December 15 at 7:30pm. Check your inbox for the meeting details and registration.
- Hauke Kite-Powell and the Bay Farm Board of Trustees