This Easter season I've been pondering the ways in which the resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Earlier this week, I came across this passage from St. Basil the Great in his treatise On the Holy Spirit:
As a preparation for our life after the resurrection, our Lord tells us in the gospel how we should live here and now. He teaches us to be peaceable, long-suffering, undefiled by desire for pleasure, and detached from worldly wealth. In this way we can achieve, by our own free choice, the kind of life that will be natural in the world to come.
I love the image of the Christian's earthly life lived in a fundamentally different way because of Christ's resurrection, and how that way of living is gradually habituating us--even as we shuffle along this mortal coil--to the "kind of life that will be natural in the world to come."
My prayer for my own family and for my Atonement Academy family is that during this time of social distancing, we will advance greatly in the way of life natural to the kingdom of heaven--practically among our families, and prayerfully as we lift up those from whom we are physically separated.
But we do not plan to be separated for long.
Yesterday evening, as Academy families streamed through the piazza for the PTC’s Teacher Appreciation Parade (thank you, Mrs. Pro and Company!), I received the same question, sometimes consisting of only one word, from several parents as their vehicles reached my position—“August?”
I knew what they meant.
Our answer is—“Yes!” Last week, we let you know that the 2020-2021 Academic Calendar was available for viewing on our website. The first day of the new school year will be Wednesday, August 12. Short of seriously compelling health considerations or government directive, it is our plan to spend that day on campus. Even now, we are developing procedures for a safe return as well as refining our approach to remote learning, in case of a COVID-19 resurgence in the course of the school year. You can expect to hear more about these preparations in the coming weeks.
Perhaps the most important preparations we can make as a school involve the teachers who will be with your children in our classrooms. I am pleased to report that all Academy teachers will be returning for the 2020-2021 school year. This includes Ms. Bridget Kennedy, who came on board as our long-term substitute in 6th grade and has been doing wonderful work. Next year, she will join us as a full member of the faculty. Congratulations, Ms. Kennedy!
At the administrative level, however, next year will witness some changes. Mr. John Creech, who has served ably this year as Dean of Lower School, will take on a new responsibiliites. Beginning July 1, he will take on the role of Assistant Head of School and as such will work closely with me to support our teachers and families from PK-12. I know that those of you who have had the chance to get to know and work with Mr. Creech will applaud this move. I would also like to thank Dr. Lorelle Lamascus for her service to the Academy as Dean of Middle and Upper Schools over the past two years and wish her the best as she takes on new challenges. We will also be bidding farewell to our Interim Music Director Mr. Tucker Moore, who will be fulfilling a long-term dream as he matriculates this fall as a doctoral student at the University of Notre Dame’s prestigious Department of Sacred Music. We are currently in the process of interviewing candidates to replace Mr. Moore. We hope to share an update soon.
Ultimately, we do not know the future. But I firmly believe that, by God’s grace, we have the pieces in place to meet whatever challenges await us.
Stay steady, Crusaders. Our Lady of the Atonement—pray for us!