Dear Turning Point Families,
Welcome to our 2022-2023 school year and all the wonderful possibilities ahead!
This summer allowed me the opportunity to consider how living through unprecedented times has offered opportunities to reframe my core values—as a woman, mother, partner, and educational leader. As a school leader, I believe growth and learning flourish when we put love, belonging, and wholeness at the center. With these compass points firmly in place, we are more prepared to help our children navigate the inevitable ups and downs that accompany their intellectual, social, physical, ethical, and emotional development.
In partnership with my talented, passionate colleagues and with our engaged parent community, we will continue this year to deepen the work we do in our rich learning environment to support not only students’ academic growth but their overall well-being and sense of place in the world.
We must first identify and understand our—and others’—emotional landscapes if we want to make use of them. To this end, I found Brené Brown’s Atlas of the Heart (our summer read: see below) indispensable. She states, “we cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known.” I see love as a prerequisite for the belonging that, as Brown points out, requires vulnerability so we can “learn how to be present with people without sacrificing who we are.”
Belonging leads to dynamic connection, the “energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”
We are lucky to have so many “impact educators” at Turning Point—colleagues inside and outside of the classroom who embrace challenges, focus on the work most needed, step up in the face of ambiguity, and make our school a place of collaboration and collegiality through humor, appreciation for others’ contributions, and care for others’ well-being.
When we value different perspectives at play in our conversations, our interactions open and expand, allowing us to better discern purpose—both our own and others in our midst. I’m reminded of four powerful agreements from the Equity Lab that can help us to get to this powerful place.
- Stay engaged.
- Speak your truth.
- Experience discomfort.
- Grace with others, grace with ourselves.
As I enter my seventh year as Head of this remarkable school, I continue to serve with humility. I don’t know all the answers, but I embrace our pursuit for ways to shape human possibility. Alongside my colleagues, I work assiduously to create space for as many small—and profound—moments of grace as we strive to honor the worth and integrity of every student at our school.
I look forward to welcoming you back to our new, improved campus. I think you’ll be pleased with the updates. As always, I thank you for your partnership and look forward to connecting with each of you as the year unfolds.
Warmly,
Laura
Dr. Laura Konigsberg
Head of School
lkonigsberg@turningpointschool.org
