Returning To Your Roots

As we look forward to the emergence of Spring, here is a story about the ‘seeds we sow’ in the soil of our beloved Cold Spring School. It’s the story of the shifting of roles - of a student becoming a teacher and a teacher becoming a student. It’s the story of our Learning Specialist, Maggie and our retired 2/3 teacher, Penny. Take a look at this photo of Maggie teaching Penny about her students' learning profiles as Maggie leaves for her maternity leave. 

While this picture and partnership may not jump out immediately to be of any significance, if you look and think deeply, they tell a story - the evolution of a child and the evolution of a teacher. They tell us a story of our Cold Spring values that we hold so dearly. They talk about the stewardship of all of our Cold Spring teachers in guiding children to know themselves, in shaping how they think, learn, and play; ways in which our teachers thoughtfully and intentionally support children so they have the confidence to pursue their interests, hopes and dreams. Even without knowing the exact trajectory of who our children might become or a map of the paths they may take as grown ups, a formative elementary experience like ours, exemplifies the opening of a child's mind to a plethora of possibilities and the trust that parents have in our educational philosophy. That’s huge!

I wish I was a fly on the wall with Maggie and Penny in the early 90’s and now in 2022. Just like all Cold Spring teachers, their work is a quiet celebration of purpose, goodness, love, play and service - an inspiration to us. And, specifically in Maggie’s case after working at schools all over the country, her story is about coming back home - coming back to be in service to the next generation of children at the same school that was in service to her in her early years and fortuitously teaching her own 2/3 teacher - 26 rotations of the earth around the sun later! 

Below, take a look at Maggie and some of her work from when she was a student in Penny's class!