Public Blogs Blog

Simple, sustained, focused caring and sharing

Written by Judy Thigpen on . Posted in HEADlines

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

On this rainy soggy October morning with our students nestled safely in their classrooms learning, sharing, laughing, studying, snacking, playing and thinking I am overcome by profound joy and deep sadness. I am so privileged to work in a place of hope with the joy of children surrounding me each and every day of my decades long career. I then must cross back into the harsh panful realities of what children, families, schools, towns, cities, states, and countries are dealing with- be it natural disasters or man made disasters- but disasters all the same. Children with no family, no food, no homes, no hope are reflected in haunting photos online or on the news each day. Children hurt, wounded or worse through no other circumstance other than the neighborhood they live in or the health care they yearn for are deep seated signs of a sick and selfish society that is anesthetized to the horrors right here at home.

I wish I had the silver bullet cure for this melancholy up my sleeve, but perhaps the metaphor is a part of a simple doable solution. Up your sleeve is your arm! Put it to good use for both treasuring your own family and reaching out to others who desperately need your hand and heart. Simple, sustained, focused caring and sharing will slowly create a tsunami that can help others envision a better tomorrow thanks to your reaching out.

You did an amazing start on this very quest with the wonderfully generous donations that sent hundreds of new backpacks to students of a flooded and damaged school and community. And it made us feel good, too! Let’s keep that spirit alive and well @ the Woods all year as we continue to learn, share, laugh, study, snack, play and think.

Listen. Can you hear the sound?

Hearts beating all the world around.

Down in the valley, out on the plain,

Everywhere around the world a heartbeat sounds the same.

Black or white. Red or tan,

It’s the heart of the family of man… beating away, beating away, beating away.

Listen
-Red Grammer from his award winning CD “Teaching Peace”

Wonder Abounds at Woods Acres

Written by Judy Thigpen on . Posted in HEADlines

Wisdom begins in wonder.” -Socrates
Wonder abounds at Wood Acres and it is never more evident than at the start to a new school year, especially this one. Children wonder who their teacher will be. They wonder when recess and lunch will happen. They wonder if someone will play with them. They wonder when they will learn to ready, divide, and write cursive. They wonder if they will do well in class, have much homework, or make new friends. Wonder does abound.

This year the wonder of our planet, its place in the solar system, and the rare occurrence of a total eclipse had us in awe and wonder as hundreds of Wood Acres students and families filled the campus plaza and Quad, donned viewing glasses and were properly awed by this “wonder”ful event. Now that is how to kick off a school year! Wonder did abound.

Our goal each school year @ the Woods is to remain steadfast in seeing that each child experiences wonder in each classroom, each grade, and each program. As the cadence of our school year begins to hum, routines established, and the initial wonders subsides Wood Acres does not disappoint. In a school for all seasons, the natural wonder of butterflies, caterpillars, and graceful sidewalk shadows reminds all of us that wonder does abound! Join us often this year to find the child in each of you and the wonder that is discovered every day at the Woods!
Happy New Year to all!

We Matter!

Written by Judy Thigpen on . Posted in HEADlines

Graduation Day for our 8th graders and the Honors Assembly for all students have come and gone and the campus is quickly transforming into a fun, sun filled summer camp for two months. And while bidding farewell to students, some of whom has been here since they were two years old is bitter sweet, the students’ speeches at graduation about the importance of Wood Acres in their lives brought tears to our eyes and an overwhelming sense of pride for our school. We matter! We impact lives! We mold the future! We model what we preach and walk the talk of teaching, learning, and caring each and every day! Just listen to the words of our graduates to confirm these amazing feelings!