All Those Back-to-School Photos

If you are like me, your social media feeds are filled with photos of fresh-faced kids standing in smart new outfits perched on their porches, in the driveway, or in front of a big yellow bus. Some hold up signs or fingers, matching their upcoming grade and clutching colorful new lunch boxes announcing their interest du jour. Most are grinning from ear to ear in anticipation of old friends, new teachers, and the promise of learning adventures.

As a teacher myself, raised in a family of educators, I’ve continued this first day of school tradition well into adulthood. My mom still awaits that back-to-school photo text from me. My lunchbox has been replaced with a mug of strong coffee in one hand and a class pet in the other. My cheesy smile is a giveaway of my excitement for the morning bell and a classroom of eager learners.

As Dean of Admission at Leelanau, I’ve worked with families eager, even desperate, to see those back-to-school smiles again. For many, their child has lost their joy in the classroom or dreads the tediousness that awaits them in their one-size-fits-all school community. Many have felt unseen, unheard, and unsatisfied. I serve parents and students who are deciding to change that trajectory. I reassure families that joyful learning is still possible. 

This week, I have the pleasure of introducing our Leelanau faculty to our new enrollees. Our Provost, Becca Dymond, will provide details about returning students, their summer activities, and hopes for the year ahead. We explain everyone’s learning styles, important history, and fun facts to help foster healthy relationships from day one. We develop a picture of what each student needs and expects before they set foot on campus. 

Next week, our Fall Exploratory programs will depart campus within hours of our students’ arrival at Leelanau, expanding our knowledge of each child. Watching classmates don backpacks, pitch tents, swing from ropes, and interact with one another is like watching a Polaroid photograph come into focus - black and white to technicolor right before your eyes. Our Dean of Students, Michael Jarvis, explains it beautifully:

“When new students come in, they are usually a mixture of hopeful and scared. There is a search for belonging…We start the year with Exploratory experiences, which are usually camping trips, and those are all about making connections and creating a sense of belonging. They come out of this knowing each other outside the classroom. All of this means that once they get into the classroom and the Learning Center, there is more of a sense of seeing students as individuals. They understand that at Leelanau school is not about judging them - it’s about finding what works for them.”

As we approach our first week of school and the first photographs of the season, I am eager to watch those worries dissipate and smiles develop. We look forward to sharing those photos with you in the months ahead.