As we are heading into our vacation, I am thinking about a student at Rock Point from many years ago who really struggled to get back into the school schedule when she returned from vacation. It was impossible to get her downstairs for breakfast before her first class of the day. Jokingly, we made the first day back from vacation “Tara clause” - making breakfast optional that first Monday morning to help students ease back into school. To this day, some students still use the “Tara clause” on the first morning back from break!

Every quarter, students choose from several electives, which meet three times a week to supplement the curriculum and provide a fun way to start their morning.

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” - Nelson Mandela

“Writing is like driving at night; you can only see as far as the headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” - E.L Doctorow While E.L Doctorow was talking here about the writing process, I use this passage often when I talk to students about post-high school planning. Rock Point students are bright, capable, creative, independent thinkers, who have needed some extra support and guidance to unlock their potential in the classroom and beyond.

As the days grow shorter and the first signs of fall begin to appear, the shift from summer to school year is palpable for students, families, and educators alike. While some students eagerly anticipate the return of friends, routines, and opportunities for growth, others may feel a rising sense of anxiety or uncertainty. At Rock Point School, we recognize that the transition back to school is both a practical and emotional process, and that it looks different for every student.

One of the unexpected changes over the past few years has been how the rise of video meetings allows greater participation. We’ll always value in-person connections at Rock Point School as the ideal, and at the same time, these virtual gatherings have opened up new avenues for parent engagement. During the pandemic, I initiated a monthly parent discussion via video meeting, which has become a vital part of how we stay connected as a school community.

As school winds down and the weather heats up, our students are already looking forward to summer. Some are planning to get jobs or go to camp, others are looking forward to spending more time with family and friends, and some are looking blissfully ahead to sleeping in every day. Other students (and their families) get a little nervous about three whole months without school and with less structure.If you want to have a healthy, balanced summer, here are some tips that could help.

"How can I help my teen build self-confidence—without tipping into overconfidence?" It's a question many parents ask, and it captures one of the complications of teen life. We want our young people to be confident in themselves, but we don't want them to be overconfident to the point of taking dangerous risks. Risk and confidence are both intricately tied to adolescent development, and it is so important that teens build their confidence and learn their limits through taking healthy risks. When teens develop these attributes, they are empowered to make informed decisions, embrace opportunities, and build resilience for the future.

In the small, beautiful, lakeside community of Burlington, there are both the advantages of a city — public transportation, rich cultural opportunities, vibrant dining and shopping — and the closeness of a small town. It's a perfect place for an intentionally small school.