"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." - Marcel Proust

 

Dear Echo Horizon community,

 

While I try to nurture gratitude throughout the year, I am always reminded to refocus my attention on it as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. I thought it might be a good time to remind you as well about the power and beauty of gratitude. 

 

There are so many people in the Echo community who deserve our thanks–our joyful andl kind students, our caring and dynamic teachers, and our incredible hardworking staff who make our school run. But in this moment, I want to focus today’s blog on our amazing Parent Association and all of the parents/guardians whose incredible volunteerism, generosity, and selflessness make our community so engaging, vibrant and beautiful.  

 

In just the past few weeks, I have watched our parent/guardian community do miraculous things: put on our over the top Halloween Carnival, show up for a last minute Dodger spirit tunnel, host our JEDI parent education dinner and speaker event on body image, spearhead the LIFT-LA Thanksgiving Drive and food packing event, lead tours as admissions ambassadors, bring delicious treats to our faculty/staff meeting, and busily prepare for an epic and sold out Grandparents and Special Friends Day. All of this in just a few short weeks, and this list doesn’t even cover everything they have done in support of our school. There is NO WAY a school our size could possibly do all this without the creativity, energy, and selflessness of our Parent Association and all of our parents/guardian volunteers.

 

In a recent article by Harvard Health Publishing titled Giving thanks makes you happier, the authors shared their definition of gratitude as “the thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible” and shared that often the “source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves.” The research abundantly points to the fact that gratitude is “strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness.” There is a lot to think about here in these powerful statements. To me, the most important and thought-provoking piece of information is that much of our goodness and happiness comes from “outside” ourselves. We need others to fill our buckets, to prop us up, to make us feel cared for, to truly be happy and healthy. The Flourish trait of interconnectedness is so vital to our happiness and wellbeing. We depend on others to love, support, and show deep care, and we are so fortunate at Echo Horizon that community members give so readily of themselves for the greater good.   

 

Take a moment this holiday season to be that “charming gardener” who helps make a community member’s “soul blossom”. Share a kind word or note with someone who has supported you recently. Send your teacher a message of gratitude for all things big and small that they do in support of your child. Heck, even pop your head into my office to thank me for hiring such incredible faculty and staff members that help your children to learn, grow, and flourish. 

 

To each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU for all that you do in support of Echo Horizon School. Have a lovely Thanksgiving holiday!

 

With overflowing love and gratitude,

Peggy

 

Resources:

1.  Harvard Health Review, “Giving thanks can make you happier” (August 14, 2021), p. 1-5

 

 

I continue to float on clouds after the amazingly joyful first week back to school. Having our young scholars, who have all grown like beanstalks this summer, back in the building brings so much joy and laughter back to campus. Our teachers are absolutely crushing it, spreading exuberant love to their students as they teach them classroom routines, yard safety, and daily schedules. Our Parent Association is busily leading so many fun events that will build deeper connections. Our sixth graders are already owning their roles as school leaders, and with them at the helm, there is nothing that we can’t accomplish!

 

As we start the school year, I’m inspired by our new mission statement, which was shared with our families last week by our phenomenal Board chair and alum parent Ziad Toubassy.

 

Echo Horizon School’s mission is to cultivate a joyful community where children blossom into capable scholars and bold explorers of new possibilities. Through our pioneering co-enrollment model, we unite deaf and hard of hearing students with hearing peers, instilling lifelong communication skills and an authentic respect for diversity.  Our graduates lead with kindness and integrity, and venture forth into the world with confidence and purpose. 

 

First, I’m inspired by the Board’s dedication to our school. They grappled for over a year – getting feedback, writing, and re-writing – to make sure that the mission was true to who we are and what we aspire to. The Leadership team, faculty, and staff at Echo Horizon are wholeheartedly committed to supporting our new mission this year and beyond.  

 

In grade level classrooms and specialists, our students will “blossom into capable scholars and bold explorers” under the mentorship of the best teachers in the universe. They will show their “authentic respect for diversity” as they advocate for self and others and welcome our newest students into our community with care and kindness. They will practice their strong “communication skills” as they represent Echo as effective public speakers by presenting their findings on projects and sharing their stories with prospective families at admissions events.  They will show their “confidence and purpose” as they “venture forth” into the community to serve, to spread love, and to make the world a better place. 

 

While of course, a great day is any day where I get to don a colorful headband and goofy glasses, this first day was the greatest of all as I lead with abundant optimism knowing that our new mission will serve as a brilliant north star.