13 My favorite part of my role as Director of Admissions and Family Engagement is being able to stroll among buildings and witness our students, faculty, and community members interact on campus in meaningful, unexpected, and joyful moments. Since the start of our school year, I’m constantly struck by how the school’s motto— Veritas et Gaudium— comes to life on campus each day. One of our school’s great strengths and distinctive features is our unique PreK through Grade 12 program. This means children as young as three interact with schoolmates engaged in the college search. I daresay this benefits the Upper Schoolers as much, if not more, than the little ones. A small child’s joy of learning is palpable and contagious- even to a jaded teenager. One example is our longstanding Tree Project, in which Kindergartners adopt a tree on campus- one that they will return to year after year to study and care for till graduation. Just last week I observed second graders collecting bark and leaf samples from their trees with their senior buddies. By the end of the hour, both seven- and seventeen-year olds gleefully jumped in puddles on the way back from the Pond. Last spring a group of Middle Schoolers discovered that a snapping turtle had made her way up the path from the Pond toward Kimball Hall, making a nest and laying eggs on the footpath. The students staked out the nest and strung caution tape around the perimeter. News of the visitor spread quickly, with students of all ages checking daily for updates. But by the end of June, it seemed hope was lost, with the nest deserted and no baby turtles in sight. The joy resurfaced, however, this Fall when a group of enterprising Lower Schoolers on a nature walk spotted three baby turtles, no bigger than silver dollars, among the reeds. Students across the school celebrated the discovery. Ready to learn more about PARK ? Contact admissions@theparkschool.org for more information or to schedule a private tour. Yet another example is the tremendous success of the Upper Schoolers producing Country Fair— a beloved tradition that had been on COVID hiatus several years. Despite Mother Nature’s lack of cooperation, our students organized and executed a successful event attended by community members of all ages. As I browsed the games and activity stands, I noticed the genuine enthusiasm our students had for creating a joyful event for their community. Spending time at Park, it’s too easy for me to take these scenes for granted. Not every school has acres of nature for students of all ages to explore. Not every school has over a century of history to inform our traditions. Not every school has a motto that’s breathed into life on campus each day. Meaningful, Unexpected, Moments By Jarret Izzo ’03, Director of Admissions & Family Engagement
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