August 2020 – Clairbourn School News

August 19, 2020August 19, 2020

Nine Things that Matter – But Only One that Truly Counts!

Head of School Dr. Amy Patzlaff with Clairbourn students from the Fall of 2019

As the Head of School for Clairbourn, caring for our parents, in addition to students and staff, is always on my mind. Recently, an in-depth article from DevelopmentalScience.com caught my eye called, “Pandemic 2020: Will the Kids Be All Right? Lessons on Parenting from 100 Years of Crises.” It contains a lot of helpful explanations and advice for parents dealing with their fears about how to raise children successfully in the midst of so much uncertainty.

Can children go on to lead successful lives and flourish in the face of educational disruptions and great adversity? Research shows that, while there are nine important elements that offer full coverage for children’s wellbeing, the real key to favorable outcomes boils down to one thing, and the good news is, it’s you!

August 12, 2020August 12, 2020

An Important Message of Pandemic Hope from Clairbourn Alumna Tiffany Chang

Tiffany Chang, from Clairbourn’s Class of 2018, sees the opportunities embedded in every crisis. She credits her elementary school, Clairbourn, for the optimistic thoughts that inspired an award-winning video she made for the Center for Future Global Leaders (CFGL) Young Artist Competition. She says, “I will always be grateful to Clairbourn as the school has always taught me to look at the positive side of every situation and to stay optimistic even during the most difficult times. I will never forget the important life lessons Clairbourn instilled in me.”

Over a period of about 2 weeks, fueled by her positive-outlook habits and motivated by her own optimistic actions while staying at home, she scripted, animated, and recorded an artistic video on the topic of “Hope” for the CFGL competition. Her “Leaders of Tomorrow Video During the Pandemic” project was designed for parents and students, and reveals a path out of hopelessness by making a point of looking at the brighter side of the stay-at-home-order and disruptions to normal routines.

After addressing the world-wide toll on health and the derailment of education in the era of COVID-19, she uses the powerful and repeated reframing question, “What if?” “What if this generation is advanced because of this pandemic?” Tiffany’s project presents 18 reframing questions in total that provide ample reasons for optimism in the face of great hardship. As a result, her project not only delivered on the intended inspiration, but it also won her a $300 prize and a top spot as a national finalist in the CFGL competition.

We invite you to watch her video below, read the transcript that follows, and then learn more about Tiffany’s impressive record of philanthropy and community service:

August 7, 2020August 7, 2020

Set Your Child Up for Home-Study Success

With school starting up in Remote Learning formats at almost all school locations, now is a great time to set up your child with everything they need to support their home studies.

This personalized work space is inviting with a cozy rug, several chairs, and colorful posters.

Begin by considering a properly-equipped location in your home where your child can learn. Experts say that, “Without a specific learning spot, young learners can be easily distracted, they don’t have supplies they need nearby, and there’s no sense of consistency. The family couch, then, as comfortable and easy as it seems, may not be the right option for young children needing to learn about routines, early education, and self-regulation.”¹

While assessing the available space in the home, ask yourself what type of setup would provide the most consistency in your child’s learning? Would portable learning boxes for different subjects work best, or would it work better to create a designated area of the house where they have everything out and ready? Are there electrical outlets to plug in lights and to keep devices charged? Should there be a simple or a stimulating environment for my child? What are their favorite things to look at and interact with to keep them engaged?¹

August 6, 2020August 7, 2020

College Applications: Clairbourn Alums Share Advice

Clairbourn School held a virtual panel in July 2020 featuring alums who offered advice on the college application process. Panelists included Kristofer Chang ‘16, who will be attending Harvey Mudd College, Jada Gritton ‘16, who will be attending the University of Pennsylvania, and Salvatore Rego ’15, now attending the College of William and Mary. The panel’s moderator was Mina Kasama, From Clairbourn’s Class of 2011, who attended Dalhousie University for her undergrad and is currently pursuing an MA in International Relations at American University.

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Clairbourn School held a virtual panel, in July of 2020, featuring alums offering advice on the college application process. Panelists included Kristofer Chang and Jada Gritton, from Clairbourn’s Class of 2016, with the former attending Harvey Mudd College and the latter attending the University of Pennsylvania, and Salvatore Rego, from Clairbourn’s Class of 2015, now attending the College of William and Mary.

Watch the recorded virtual panel here, or read the following notes from the meeting below .