What a difference it has been to resume our school year in person!

At this time last year, University Prep, like all other schools, was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and dire social issues. Many of us were grieving for lost friends and loved ones, uncertain of our future and anxious about our finances and disrupted plans. We missed our in-person community and grasped for the opportunities to take a walk together or play in our athletic pods. 

Now that we have had school in person for half of the school year, many of us have enjoyed resuming a sort of normalcy. Our return has also made me realize that the UPrep community is far more than a collection of people in one location.

What makes our community vibrant and special is that we engage in the act of weaving together the fabric of our community every day. It's the act of celebrating and struggling together that makes our community what it is. 

Then there are the acts of seeking out each other for a purpose. Walking through the hallways and the Commons, I often see teachers reaching out to students with the intent to connect and support. Sometimes it's to prevent a student from falling behind in class, but frequently a teacher notices a student who is suffering in silence or needs to talk. What strikes me is the variety of ways that these touchpoints convey a message to the student of "You matter. I see you. How can I help?"

I also believe our struggles define who we are as a community, perhaps even more than our celebrations. Celebrations are straightforward and bring joy, whether on stage, in the Pumadome, or in classrooms. But our struggles—how we define what are issues in our community and how we choose to resolve them—demand from us an affirmation of our values and actions. When we lean into our struggles, we strengthen our community. Here are a few questions that we, as adults and students in the school, ask each other:

• Are we inclusive if we casually joke about other people's sexual orientation or race?
• Do we have a culture of kindness if we overlook hurtful actions and words between students?
• Do we have a learning community that can challenge and support students with all learning differences?

Bringing these questions to our community and making the space to discuss them together, we give weight to our values. And, most importantly, we constantly work toward the vision that UPrep truly belongs to all of us.