Insurrection at the Capitol

Dear St. Paul’s Families,

It has been an eventful week, with Georgia’s Senate run-off elections yesterday, and the Electoral College Vote certification process today. Then late this morning, the news broke about the insurrection in the capital. I watched the events unfold with enormous sadness, concern, and outrage at the state of our country.

This afternoon, the faculty and staff convened to talk about the events at the Capitol Building and about how we can create space for our students to process their feelings together. Some teachers have already held space in developmentally appropriate ways for those students who were aware of what was happening today. We discussed further plans to hold space for students moving forward.

This evening, take some time to just be with each other and with your children. Turn off the news, and create space for a conversation. If your child(ren) has/have questions, encourage them to ask you. At St. Paul’s, we want to empower our students to develop their voice and agency. Our Mission and Values emphasize compassion, inclusion, empathy, diversity, and critical thinking. We are nurturing the next generation of leaders, innovators, and coalition-builders; they need to feel hopeful to dream big. 

We are just 14 days from a transition in leadership and if today’s events are any indication, the news will be full of headlines. As a community, we need to continue to hold each other as we hold our children and engage them in conversation if they want to talk or just provide space for them to reflect quietly. No matter what, we must wrap our (physical and metaphorical) arms around them and ensure that they feel seen and safe. 

Here are some resources to help support your conversations with your children:

I wish you all well and am grateful for this community. 

Be well and stay safe,

-Cheryl