On Wednesday, May 5th, Shipley’s Lower School hosted a virtual lunchtime Parent Education Series Talk entitled “Providing a Stable Foundation for Body Acceptance.” The Lower School welcomed two experts from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to lead the discussion: Dr. Eleanor (Ellie) Benner, Psy,D., a licensed clinical psychologist, and Amy Mack, a licensed clinical social worker, who both work with young patients in the Eating Disorder Assessment and Treatment Program at CHOP’s Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science. The talk was designed to help caregivers navigate conversations with children about size, shape, and health in ways that help foster body positivity in children and their peers. 

860-496-2973. The phone number to my mom’s work is still ingrained in my mind. I had to dial this number from my neighbor’s house (pre-cell phones!), any time I got off the school bus and realized that I had forgotten or lost my key. Again. 

So, how’s everyone recovering from the wild ride that was 2020? A global pandemic and the resulting extended period of isolation, uncertainty, and widespread anxiety have worn us all down. To top it off, a schism has resurfaced in American society as an old wound was ripped open and escalated to levels of vitriol and violence not seen here in decades. How did this happen? Why is everyone so bitterly divided? I recently saw a video on TikTok which expressed a simple yet profound thought that has helped me give an answer to my two sons when they ask these complicated questions (and it makes me very cool to have my finger on the zeitgeist of the moment, so that’s a plus). The man in the video explained the difference between challenging someone’s argument rather than challenging them as a person.

The #OwnVoices movement in literature was started as a hashtag movement on Twitter. In 2016, Corinne Duyvis coined the term to emphasize that “an author from a marginalized or under-represented group [should be] writing about their own experiences/from their own perspective, rather than someone from an outside perspective writing as a character from an underrepresented group.” (Seattle Public Library, 2020) 

As we near the end of January, you may be feeling like a failure for having ditched your New Year’s resolutions last week. Don’t despair! Shipley SEED teacher and mindfulness coach Marc Balcer is here to help with these five tips to help you make good on your goals for the new year and beyond.

Jesse Wang ’14 transferred to Shipley from public school when he was in the tenth grade. Though he wasn’t always the best student in high school, he learned a lot about perseverance, grit, and how to be a good writer—skills that would prove useful after his less-than-stellar performance as a first-year law student. With encouragement from a mentor, Jesse drew on his law-school experience for inspiration to write Underdog: 12 Inspirational Stories for the Despondent Law Student. “The book,” he says, “tells the stories of twelve people, including law students, professors, and attorneys, who have faced incredible adversity throughout their lives, but were able to persevere using their grit and creative thinking.” The book debuted as a best-seller in its category on Amazon in December, 2020.

The 2020-21 school year is an experience no one could have predicted. Many children remain at home, continuing their remote learning—a process that began over six months ago. Others are engaging in a hybrid model, blending remote learning with a limited presence on campus. As a result of our meticulous planning and exhaustive safety precautions, Shipley is fortunate enough to offer our students the ability to be on campus and in the classroom five days a week with a full schedule. 

I want you to close your eyes and picture a stranger that you saw today. Maybe it’s someone you saw on the commute to work. Or someone you saw walking outside. Or maybe even it’s someone you saw as you dropped your student off at Shipley. Try and get a super clear image of that person in your mind. 

My family came to Shipley seven years ago. I have a current fifth grader, who began at Shipley in Kindergarten, and I also have a Class of 2020 graduate, who started at Shipley in sixth grade—so we have almost made our way through each grade at the School! I have volunteered at Shipley in many ways, helping to decorate for events, being a Homeroom Mom and a Parent Coordinator, helping with Annual Giving, soliciting donations for the Spring Auction, planning the Fall Festival, and more. Sure, I volunteer to help the School, but volunteering has been good for me, too. Here are five reasons why I volunteer at Shipley:

September 21, 2020 is World Gratitude Day, and we’d like you and the children in your life to join in the celebration with us! One of the 24 character strengths that make up the backbone of Shipley’s positive education framework, gratitude can be a powerful tool to help you flourish. Research indicates there are both emotional and physical health benefits when gratitude is practiced regularly, including: increased happiness, improved sleep and physical health, a more optimistic outlook, increased meaning and life satisfaction, stronger relationships, and greater success.