At Bixby, we don’t view autonomy as a “perk” of growing up—we view it as a scaffolded practice. We know that autonomy isn’t a switch you flip at age 18; it’s a muscle that must be exercised daily.

The Bixby Journey: A Roadmap of Choice

• Preschool & Kindergarten: The power of “When.” It starts in Preschool where students learn to listen to their internal clocks, balancing focused projects with physical movement, choosing between independent and collaborative play and practicing the critical skills of collaboration, self-help, self-advocacy and empathy.  As students graduate to the structure of Kindergarten, their schedule includes dedicated Free Time, empowering students to prioritize their own interests.
• Early Elementary (1st–3rd): The power of “Where.” Students begin navigating the campus independently, moving between classes and exploring the challenges of Lower Yard at their own pace. With this increased autonomy comes increased responsibilities as students take on lunch cleaning and other jobs.
• Upper Elementary (4th–5th): The power of “How.” Academic agency takes center stage, as students are introduced to keyboarding in 3rd grade and homework in 5th. Students don’t just consume information; they decide how to investigate a topic and how to demonstrate their mastery to the community.

The Human Element in an Automated World

As we look toward a future increasingly saturated by Artificial Intelligence and automated systems, the importance of grounding children’s education in the magic of childhood becomes even clearer. At Bixby, school is still fun. And, learning still means pencil and paper, cardboard and hot glue guns, not all day on a screen. We are living in a world that can give us an answer in seconds, but it cannot tell us what is worth asking.

When we prioritize autonomy, we are doing more than giving kids “choices.” We are fostering the very traits that AI cannot replicate:

1. Critical Discernment vs. Passive Consumption In an automated world, it is easy to become a passive consumer of “next steps” suggested by an algorithm. By practicing autonomy daily, Bixby students learn to be the architects of their own day and eventually their own lives. They learn to ask: “What do I need right now? How do I solve this conflict? Where should my curiosity lead me next?”
2. Teachers as Partners, Not Programmers In many traditional settings, teachers act as authority figures—the “source” of answers, and technology provides an increasingly significant portion of the content. At Bixby, our teachers are trusted guides and partners. This relationship models a vital human truth: that learning is a collaborative, social process. We don’t just pass down data; we build connections.
3. The Confidence of “Self-Correction” A large language model doesn’t feel the weight of a mistake, nor the triumph of a solution. When a Bixby student chooses their own path and hits a snag, they have the space to pivot, troubleshoot, and try again. This builds a deep, authentic sense of self-confidence that no digital interface can provide.

The Bixby Difference

This intentional shift from “being told” to “deciding” is what prepares our students for a world we can’t yet imagine. By the time a Bixby student graduates, they aren’t just good at following instructions—they are connected, empathetic humans who know who they are and how to lead their own lives.

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The author describes a world where technical skills like coding, legal research, and financial analysis are being mastered by AI at an exponential rate. He argues that we are entering a phase where “knowledge work” is being transformed overnight. As a parent or educator, the natural question is: How do we prepare our children for a world where AI is “smarter” than the smartest human at technical tasks?

At Bixby, our answer has always been to focus on the qualities that remain stubbornly, beautifully human. While the “standard playbook” of education focuses on rote memorization, linear acquisition of skills and credentials, and predictable career paths, we focus on the durable advantages that the AI era demands.

Why the Bixby Approach is Future-Proof

The article suggests that in a world of rapid change, the “muscle of learning” matters more than any specific tool. Here is how our philosophy directly answers the challenges of this new reality:

• Adaptability over Expertise: We don’t just teach kids what to think; we teach them how to learn. When AI renders a specific skill obsolete in six months, a Bixby student has the foundational confidence to pivot, experiment, and master the next thing.
• The Power of Agency: Our students are “builders and learners.” By giving children a voice in their education, we foster the initiative that AI lacks. An AI can execute a task, but it doesn’t have the human “spark” to ask the next great question or care about the “why” behind a project.
• Judgment and “Taste”: The article notes that AI is just beginning to mimic “judgment.” At Bixby, we cultivate genuine critical thinking through deep discussion and social-emotional learning. We teach students to navigate nuance, ethics, and human relationships—territories where AI is still a stranger.

Redefining Success

The author’s advice to parents resonates deeply with our mission: “Teach your kids to be builders and learners… the people most likely to thrive are the ones who are deeply curious.”

If the future belongs to those who can work with these new tools rather than compete against them, then a Bixby education is the ultimate head start. By prioritizing independence, agency, creativity, curiosity, and community, we are ensuring our students don’t just survive the “intelligence explosion”—they lead it.

Our goal remains unchanged: to graduate students who are not just “academically ready,” but humanly ready for a world we can’t yet fully describe.

Home Conversation Starters: Building “Durable” Skills

If you would like to reinforce these inherent qualities in your children, here are some conversation starters you can use at home. These questions are meant to move away from “What did you learn today?” and toward “How did you think today?”

• On Curiosity: “If you had a robot that could do all your chores perfectly, what would you spend your extra time learning or building just for fun?”
• On Critical Thinking: “When we look at this (video/article/image), how can we tell if a human made it or a computer? Why does it matter to know the difference?”
• On Adaptability: “What was something today that didn’t go the way you expected? How did you change your plan to make it work anyway?”
• On Empathy & Ethics: “AI can give us answers, but it doesn’t have feelings. What is a problem in our neighborhood that needs a ‘human heart’ to solve, not just a smart computer?”
• On Agency: “If you could change one rule at school or home to make things better for everyone, what would it be? What’s the first step to making that change happen?”

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Will my child get lost in a larger crowd? Will the programs that make them light up—art, music, and PE—be stretched too thin? How will they handle yet another transition?

At Bixby School, we believe that in a world that often feels too big, there is profound, life-changing value in being intentionally small and deeply connected. As our community navigates these public school shifts, we want to offer a different experience: a “soft landing” where your child isn’t a data point, but a deeply known individual.

The Power of “Seen and Known”

In a larger, consolidated school, even the most heroic teachers can struggle to keep track of every child’s unique spark. Bixby is designed around the 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio. It means a teacher is always there to co-navigate a big emotion. It means our elementary subject specialists in math, science, and literacy can tailor the challenge level to exactly where your child is today, not where a curriculum map says they should be.

Protecting the “Specials”

Often, when schools consolidate, “specials” like Art, Music, and PE are the first to be shared between buildings or reduced in frequency. At Bixby, these aren’t “extras”—they are core to who we are. From weekly swimming lessons in our indoor salt-water pool to Spanish, art, music and sports, we ensure that the “joyful” parts of school remain a robust part of a child’s education.

A Community That Chooses Each Other

Consolidation can feel like being forced into a new community. At Bixby, our families choose to be here because they value a progressive, play-based, and rigorous education. This shared intentionality creates a village that is incredibly supportive during times of change. Whether it’s our monthly community coffees, heritage potlucks, or school-wide singalong, you aren’t just enrolling a student; you’re joining a family.

Is Bixby the Right “Next Chapter”?

If you are feeling the “consolidation crunch” and want to explore a setting where your child can truly flourish during these transitional years, we invite you to discover how a small school can offer a big future.

Visit https://www.bixbyschool.org/admissions/welcome-from-admissions/

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In defining critical thinking, we use cognitive science. As one author explains, critical thinking is thinking that is novel, self-directed, and effective.:  (Ask the Cognitive Scientist: How Can Educators Teach Critical Thinking?)

Explicit instruction in critical thinking skills, the ability to accurately identify the nature of a problem and transfer those learned skills to new problems, and metacognition are all examples of how it is possible to teach and demonstrate critical thinking and conceptual understanding.  Unfortunately, the timed, short answer or multiple choice type exams that most K-12 schools administer do not test these skills. A CU professor affirmed this in a conversation with Allyson, our elementary math co-teacher.  Referring to the high achieving high school graduates who gained admission to their competitive engineering program, he noted “It doesn’t matter what [grades they got] in high school. We have to reteach these students all over because they don’t know how to think.” 

We teach and demonstrate these skills through explicit instruction, skill transfer across novel problems, and metacognition (thinking about one’s own thinking). Unfortunately, the timed, short-answer or multiple-choice exams common in K-12 education fail to test these skills. In fact, pressure to perform well on such examinations incentivizes rote mastery – a skill set that is at odds with critical thinking. A CU professor confirmed this point to our elementary math co-teacher, Allyson, regarding top-scoring high school graduates entering their engineering program: “It doesn’t matter what grades they got in high school. We have to teach these students all over because they don’t know how to think.”

To be sure, speed and automaticity are also important skills for students to learn. But they must not come at the expense of creative, self-aware thinking.   We need our children to learn these skills because teaching them to quickly solve today’s problems is insufficient to effectively address the novel challenges and issues they will inevitably encounter in their lifetimes – a point the late Sir Ken Robinson spoke eloquently about for years. 

How do I know my child is learning? This is a question we are appropriately held accountable for. A few years ago, we sought an objective answer. We commissioned an independent firm to survey alumni and their families on how Bixby prepared them for subsequent educational and personal lives. The results were powerful: 96-99% of respondents affirmed that their Bixby education prepared them to use questioning, curiosity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and conceptual understanding. This is reassuring evidence that our core beliefs are put into action every day.

Even with this reassurance, we always are reflecting on our work and asking how we can grow and learn.  Effectively sharing with families the deep learning and thinking that our students engage in here at Bixby is a perennial challenge.  Some of the changes we made in response to COVID exacerbated that challenge.  In response, we are actively exploring ways to address this, using our own critical thinking skills to hold ourselves accountable to our students and families and each other for living out our core beliefs.  

A common way we “test” our students’ thinking is by listening to our students directly about the learning here at school.  We invite you to take a peek into learning here at Bixby at one of these upcoming events:

• Wednesday, December 17 at 8:30am, our 4th and 5th graders will share the products of their most recent electives through beautiful gingerbread creations, upcycled goods, a “lucha libre” wrestling match and more. 
• Friday, December 19, 1-2:30pm, our 2nd and 3rd graders will host a Bixby market where students will be offering for sale the crafts they have made by applying math skills and concepts.

We hope you can join us for one of these, or one of the future opportunities to play and learn with our students.

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In a world increasingly full of brief information bites, scrolling feeds, and impersonal online interactions, it’s easy to feel disconnected. Ritual and tradition are essential antidotes. They require us to slow down, be present, and participate fully, building a sense of belonging, purpose, and place.

The Power of Marking Time

Why are these predictable moments so vital, especially now?

1. They Slow Us Down: Rituals force us to pause. They push back against the constant pressure of speed and distraction, creating a designated, sacred time for deep, rich connection over quick, surface-level engagement.
2. They Mark Time: In the blur of daily life, rituals act as communal milestones. They help us mark the passage of time—from year to year, or month to month—making time itself feel more substantial and meaningful than a series of endless deadlines.
3. They Create Legacy: When we participate in a tradition, we don’t just connect with the people around us; we connect with the people who came before us and those who will follow. This intergenerational link provides continuity and depth, anchoring us in a context much larger than a single screen.
4. They Build Hopeful Anticipation: The predictability of a familiar ritual helps foster a sense of stability, something that is particularly vital when we experience our world as being unpredictable or beyond our influence.

Finding Our Anchor: Rituals in Action

In our community here at Bixby, we see the power of ritual every day. Our traditions are not just “fun events”; they are the bedrock of how we build a strong, rooted community that prioritizes being present over being fast.

Take, for example, our annual Halloween festivities. It’s less about the perfect costume and more about the shared, tangible experience—like our beloved “King Kaboba” chant and the highly anticipated annual gourd hunt. These communal acts – be they silly or meaningful – are the deep, strong threads that weave us together.

From our casual monthly Community Coffee gatherings where connections are made over a shared breakfast treat, to our moving graduation ceremonies, these moments require us to put down our devices and engage. They root us—not just to each other today, but to the 55 years of history, students, and families who have shaped this place.

When you see a group of students participating in a ritual, you are watching belonging being built in real-time, one slow, shared moment at a time.

Want to Learn More?

We believe that a truly rich education involves rooting children in a sense of place and belonging that can withstand the pull of a fragmented world. If the idea of a community built on meaningful, shared traditions and deep connection resonates with you, we invite you to explore the unique history and purpose of Bixby.

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When current and prospective families ask about “testing” at Bixby, they’re usually asking about standardized, timed, online exams. This question often comes from a strong dislike of those tests or a desire for objective, external reassurance about their child’s academic performance. Tests are not all bad, but tests are not all the same.  

Our short answer is: We use assessment—but maybe not the kind you’re thinking of.

While the debate around testing is vast and often polarized, the value of rich, high-quality assessment is critical. To us, assessment is the comprehensive process used to evaluate, measure, and document a student’s readiness, learning progress, and skill acquisition. People commonly refer to summative assessment (the big, end-of-unit ‘test’) when they ask about this topic. These tests have an important role.  When I worked at the CO Department of Education, they were an invaluable tool for identifying trends, particularly inequities, across the state, districts, schools and populations. 

They are of limited utility, however, at an individual student level, and particularly so when trying to make decisions about what or how to teach the student in front of you. Perhaps more importantly, these standardized tests fall short when measuring what truly matters for the uncertain future our children will inherit: skills like collaboration, self-awareness, and creative thinking—the exact competencies skills that employers cite as among the 10 most critical skills needed in the future.

Assessment as a Driver of Teaching and Learning

The Bixby promise is to truly know every student, which allows us to quickly adapt instruction and design a learning path as unique as they are. Our teachers gather data daily about every student. Sometimes this data is collected through validated screeners (i.e. BVSD screeners, DIBELS, ECCRS, among others), and other times through rich, competency-based assessments, such as project presentations, daily reflections, deep discussions, and detailed writing samples.

The Gift of Time: 70-155 Hours Back to Teaching

Public elementary schools in Colorado spend between 70 and 155 hours each year preparing for and administering state and district assessments, many of which teachers and administrators agree have “few benefits.”  Bixby reclaims that time to teach, provide feedback and assess in ways that are individualized, responsive and inform instruction immediately. 

Accountability: What our Alumni Tell us

Our alumni experience is where the rubber hits the road.  We hold ourselves accountable to a high standard of delivering on our promise to families. One way we do that is through feedback from the students who have graduated from Bixby and the schools where they enroll after 5th grade.  In an independent study of Bixby alumni 95-99% of them agree that their Bixby education equipped them with critical thinking and problem-solving skills, creative thinking and self-awareness. We also have received feedback that helps us grow.   Last year we met with several alumni to ask how their transition to middle school was. The consensus was “ We can do everything the other students can do and some of it is even a review for us ,but we aren’t used to doing it on a computer.”  We took this feedback to heart and last year introduced optional MAP testing in 5th grade. These tests demystify computer-based testing for our students and produce valuable information about their comfort and approach, allowing us time to support them before they enter middle school where those tests carry more significance. 

Assessment is a Partnership

The question of “testing” is ultimately a question of trust and priorities. At Bixby, our priority is the rich, individualized data that drives effective teaching for your child.

We are proud to use the feedback from our successful alumni to continually improve, ensuring our students transition to middle school with both the academic skills and the technological comfort they need.

We believe the best way to understand your child’s learning is through an ongoing partnership. We invite you to continue this conversation with your child’s teacher or schedule a visit to see our assessment in action. What does success look like for your child? We are here to help measure it.

More Reading: This infographic has a great overview of testing and assessment: Making Sense of Educational Assessment

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Parenting can be a vulnerable responsibility, and your child’s education is often at the top of the list. Will they fall behind? Will they lose their love for learning? Will they be ready for the real world? When it comes to math, these fears can be even more pronounced. Many of us remember math as an abstract subject focused on rote memorization and endless drills. We worry that if our kids don’t master those drills, they won’t be able to keep up.

At Bixby School, we offer a math program that not only addresses them but turns them on their head. Our approach, Bixby Math, focuses on deep conceptual understanding over simple memorization. It’s designed to foster a lifelong love of learning and equip students to tackle problems they’ve never seen before.

Fear #1: “My Child Will Fall Behind”

This is a common fear, especially when a math program looks different from what we remember. We worry that if our child isn’t readily demonstrating facts, they won’t have the foundational knowledge they need.

Our answer: Bixby Math builds a stronger, more adaptable foundation. Instead of just memorizing algorithms, students explore the underlying logic of math. They learn why things work, which prepares them for any curriculum they might encounter later. This approach ensures they are not only able to solve problems but also understand the concepts well enough to apply them to new, unfamiliar challenges.

Here is how one parent, a CU Professor, shared about their child’s transition to a new school:

“I was a little bit nervous for my child to start in combined 7th/8th grade math [in 6th grade] because he has not been exposed to the BVSD curriculum and so could be facing some gaps in his background knowledge. I can now confidently say that, thanks to you, those nerves were unfounded. [Our child] has been excelling in his advanced math class.”

Bixby’s approach prepares children for success in any environment, because they’ve learned how to think, not just what to memorize.

Fear #2: “What if my child is a fast learner? Will they be held back?”

In a traditional classroom, a child who grasps concepts quickly might get bored and disengage. Parents of talented mathematicians often worry their child won’t be challenged enough.

Our answer: Bixby Math is designed for differentiation. Our teachers know and love math deeply. We offer a flexible, open-ended approach that allows students at different levels of understanding to be challenged in the same classroom. It also reinforces that each of us, no matter what our level of proficiency, has something valuable to offer to the learning of others.

For example, a teacher might ask, “How many different ways can you make the number 12?” A student who needs a challenge might use fractions or even exponents, while another student might find a simple solution like 6 + 6. Every child is challenged to think deeply, without feeling left behind or held back.

Fear #3: “My child hates math. How can this program help?”

Many children develop a fear or dislike of math because it feels rigid, abstract, and frustrating, or even boring. 

Our answer: We turn math into a journey of discovery. When children experience math as a creative and engaging process—using blocks to visualize concepts, collaborating on problems, and exploring real-world applications (from fantasy football to the stock market to arcade games) —they develop a natural curiosity for the subject. This positive relationship in their early years can have a profound impact, fostering a lifelong love of learning and opening doors to countless opportunities.

Bixby Math isn’t about teaching kids to do arithmetic; it’s about teaching them to see the natural beauty of math that is all around us, to see patterns and trust their innate ability to question illogical conclusions, and to think critically and independently. It’s an investment in your child’s future that yields truly remarkable dividends.

 

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 Boulder families are fortunate to have many great options to choose from when looking for an early childhood program, but finding the right program for your child and family can be overwhelming.  There are some aspects that should be present in any high-quality program and some that help distinguish programs from each other. Here is some information to help guide your school selection process.

What to look for in any high-quality early childhood program:

• Experienced and trained teachers: Early childhood education professionals are just that – professionals.  Teachers should have formal training in early childhood development and be certified as such.  This ensures that teachers know what developmental milestones to look for and can adjust classroom activities accordingly.
• Strong teacher retention:  Children thrive on stable relationships with their adults.  Strong programs will have low teacher turnover, ensuring a stable and familiar set of adults to nurture your child.  
• Joyful atmosphere: You can feel it as soon as you walk into a school or a classroom. This is perhaps a pretty subjective feeling but if you walk into a classroom and feel uncomfortable or anxious, there’s a good chance you are picking up on the energy of the adults and children in that environment.

• Purposeful, child-centered environment: Classroom spaces are purposefully organized and inviting to children.  There should be a variety of environments and materials available for children to explore various areas of growth – from imaginary play, to construction, to art, books and more!
• Varied, developmentally appropriate daily schedule: Young children have short attention spans and need movement throughout the day.  Ask how the child’s day is structured. Opportunities to experience a variety of developmentally appropriate activities throughout the day are critical to creating a rich learning environment.  Any program that expects children to sit for long periods of time or remain engaged in a limited number of activities should be a red flag.
• Family Engagement and Communication: Caring for and teaching young children is a shared enterprise.  Frequent communication between home and school, as well as opportunities for families to participate in school activities help ensure that children receive consistent messages and that any issues or concerns are identified early.

What does quality look like in action: Bixby preschool 

Finding the right early childhood program should work for both your child and also your family.  Several areas distinguish Bixby School from other high-quality preschool programs in the Boulder County area: 

• Weekly Swim Lessons:  All Bixby students swim twice a week in our indoor saltwater pool.  Our experienced swim teacher provides a gentle introduction to this important lifelong activity, with a focus on safety, skill and fun!
• Snacks and daily chef-prepared lunch: Sharing a meal is an important community activity. Teachers and students eat together and enjoy a varied and healthy lunch prepared by our in-house Chef Amber.  
• Extended hours available: Bixby’s extended hours are a great fit for working families.  Families can enroll for the school day (9am-3pm) but for those who need additional care, our school opens at 7:15am and closes at 5:45pm.
• Play-Based Philosophy and Engaging Curriculum: Children are born learners, naturally curious and interested in the world around them. Bixby builds on this inherent drive by offering developmentally appropriate activities that respond to children’s interests.  Learning is  hands-on, and grounded in real-life experiences. Our curriculum is designed to spark curiosity, foster creativity, and inspire a lifelong love of learning. 

Bixby’s teachers are skilled at weaving academic concepts like literacy, math, and science into a child’s natural curiosity and play. Instead of rote learning, a child at Bixby learns to read by creating a story, understands physics by building with blocks, and explores biology by tending to our gardens. This approach builds a foundation for critical thinking and a lifelong love of learning, not just school readiness.

• Extensive Outdoor Time and Spaces: Bixby students are outside every day, and in preschool throughout each day. Our unique and beautiful 2.7 acre campus offers multiple spaces to explore, learn, garden and play. 
• Mixed-age Classroom: Bixby’s Preschool classroom includes children from 2.5 to 5 years of age. Age is a starting point, but every child is different, and each develops at their own pace. A mixed age classroom provides opportunities for leadership, social skill building and learning activities tailored for each child.
• Highly Experienced and Caring Teachers: Bixby preschool teachers love kids and love teaching.  Teachers have X to X years of experience, all are certified early childhood educators. Once teachers come to Bixby they typically stay for many years.  We in turn support our teachers with a living wage, generous benefits, professional development and lots of support.
• Individualized Attention: Bixby’s small class sizes and a low student-to-teacher ratio (6:1) which allows teachers to know each student deeply 
• Focus on Social-Emotional Development: Bixby teachers focus on a child’s “social-emotional development” as much as emergent academic skills, helping children build independence and self-awareness,and  learn to advocate for themselves, express their feelings, and navigate relationships with their peers.
• Strong Sense of Community: Beyond the curriculum, Bixby fosters a welcoming and inclusive community. Parents consistently describe a “warmth and sense of community” where “every child is seen, valued, and supported for who they are.” This strong community is built through various events like Parent Connect gatherings, Preschool hike, school events, Preschool Breakfast Buddies, monthly coffee mornings, and more, all making it a place where families feel welcomed and involved.

To learn more about Bixby Preschool, visit www.bixbyschool.org or email me at ninal@bixbyschool.org 

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or what their journey will be, we are the single greatest influence on the environment in which they spend their earliest years.  We can choose people and places to surround them.  We can help them see that they are highly capable of doing things that feel scary or where they may not succeed at first. We can show them through our words and actions that they are loved and

This approach can indeed help a child experience external success, but most importantly whatever they accomplish they will approach it with a healthy sense of self-awareness, respect and responsibility intact.  A recent letter from a Bixby alum powerfully makes the case for this approach.

That balance of curiosity and accountability has been a through-line in my life. Since then, I’ve moved from technology to nonprofit, to policy, to finance—each time needing to dive into something completely new. What carried me through was the confidence to learn as I went, the discipline to prioritize and deliver, and the resilience to keep going when things got hard. Those weren’t abstract lessons; they were habits I first practiced at Bixby.

One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is to see them for who they are. I am not advocating for a “Lord of the Flies” approach to parenting, or that as parents we abandon our responsibility to set limits and create opportunities.  What I am encouraging is that we focus our parenting efforts on two key areas:

• Observing and affirming who our children already are, and 
• Creating or seeking out opportunities for them to explore the best versions of themselves  

Thank you for taking on the incredible role of raising a human.

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~ Valerie Kaur

With the 2024 election just over a week away, we recognize that each of us brings our own concerns, hopes, fears, opinions, and beliefs into daily experience; and our students bring to school the conversations that they hear at home and in the world outside of school.  At Bixby we recognize this is a uniquely valuable opportunity to help our students learn about the importance of respect, curiosity, and empathy, especially when engaging with different perspectives.

In our classrooms, we’ll emphasize our shared Bixby values: We Take Care of Ourselves, Each Other, and Bixby. Teachers will use age-appropriate strategies to guide conversations, encourage thoughtful questions, and set respectful boundaries when needed.

Here are a few ways we approach this:

• Modeling Curiosity and Respectful Dialogue: We encourage students to express their thoughts kindly, understand different viewpoints, and learn to navigate disagreements with empathy.

• Validating Emotions: We help students articulate their feelings and understand why they feel strongly, fostering self-awareness and self-advocacy.

• Modeling and Promoting Self-Care: We encourage everyone to pay attention to how they feel and exercise the freedom to walk away or disengage respectfully in order to take care of themselves.

• Reinforcing Our Core Values: We gently remind students that kindness and respect are at the center of our conversations.

A strength of this community is the variety of beliefs, opinions and experiences that each of you contributes.  We also acknowledge that this season can bring up strong emotions. It’s important for each of us to be gentle with ourselves and to remember that we all have many things in common, such as a desire to raise our children in safety, to live with dignity, pursue our passions, leave a better world for our children and grandchildren, and find joy and beauty in our daily experience.  Even if we disagree about how to accomplish the things that matter to us, I ask you to keep at the center of our interactions at Bixby the recognition that we all care about our families, our community, and the world we share.

If you have any questions about how we’re approaching this at Bixby or would like to discuss ways to support your student during this time, please reach out. We’re here to support our entire community in using our shared values as a compass to help navigate this unique season together.

Resources for Families:

• Studying the Impact of Politics on Children | Whitman College

• How Politics Can Impact Your Kids, and How to Help

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