Friends, This week I received a letter titled “Dear St. Louis Regional School Leaders” in my inbox. I thought I’d share it with you along with a few thoughts. I invite you to read the entirety of the letter by clicking the link above. I also invite you to add your support to the letter as many area educators and …

Friends, Social activist Paul Rogat Loeb writes that “only someone who knows how good life can be is in a position to appreciate what’s at stake when life is degraded or destroyed.” I thought about this recently when I came across a picture of Martin Luther King, Jr. laughing. Not this exact picture, but if you Google “Martin Luther King …

[W]e are challenged to eradicate the last vestiges of racial injustice from our nation. –Martin Luther King, Jr. “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution” Friends, This week, I began think and reflecting on the life and work of Martin Luther King in preparation for Monday’s holiday. I came across some notes I made on his speech “Remaining Awake Through a …

Friends, Our students at Crossroads are the energy, the focus, and the power for our work. I am so glad that the life and joy of our school returned this week from winter break. I am always very excited to stand in front of them and welcome them back. At Crossroads, we are smart and good. When taken together, each …

Friends, What might we do to begin 2017 with hope? I have struggled with this a bit. All of us no matter our point of view can list life events of the past year, from personal, community, regional, or national experiences, that defy the notion that hope alone will light the way forward. In her essay, “The Small Work in …

Friends, Before I begin writing on any given day, I go back and review my journal or what I shared around that same time in previous years. This year, I noticed that each November I begin writing to our community about diversity, inclusivity, and equity more frequently than at other time of the school year. I wonder about this. What …

Friends, How do we develop a network of mutuality? How do we remain true to our mission and provide space for a range of differences, whether those are differences in identity or ideology? How do we practice listening and empathy? These questions have been on my mind as the result of a few conversations this week, and I have two …

Friends I am trying to think and to write quickly this morning; I have been awake and thinking much of the night. Brittyne shared with me via text that our students in Washington, DC are distressed: some are very angry and some very hurt by the outcome of this election. I have received emails from parents who are also distressed, …

The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. –Neil Gaiman Friends, At Crossroads, we intend to cultivate and make room for each student’s voice because we believe that everyone has a place, a voice, and something to contribute to our school and community. This is a joy and …

Friends, I have two events on my mind (well, three, since the volleyball district championship is tonight): Parent- Teacher Conferences (on Friday) and Open House (on Sunday). Both of these have me thinking about our smart and good students. The first time I stood before the Crossroads student body and said, “I believe that Crossroads students are smart and good,” I …