It’s not every day that you hear college counselors suggest you should approach the college admissions process with an open mind and a sense of humor. But with several decades of experience among them, Shipley’s college counseling team knows what they are talking about. While making such a weighty decision is certainly no laughing matter, Shipley’s college counselors want parents and guardians to bear in mind that the process can be stressful with applications differing across the board, changes in testing requirements, and, well, the pandemic that has engulfed our lives.

By keeping an open mind and broadening the scope of the college search, students will not only benefit in terms of their well-being, but they will be able to focus on finding the best possible fit for them—one that is more likely to provide the best possible learning environment and opportunities to achieve their personal and professional goals once they leave Shipley.

Most of us are familiar with the positive mental and physical benefits of playing sports: regular exercise, strong social bonds with teammates, and a way to relieve stress and anxiety. Being an athlete builds positive character strengths and develops leadership skills that translate to other areas of life. Even though sports can be a gateway to student-athletes’ happiness and well-being, when athletes face an injury that sidelines them from the competition, their emotional and social well-being and sense of identity may be negatively impacted. The stress, pressure, and high expectations that athletes face daily can be draining. As coaches, role models, and leaders, we need to advocate for our student-athletes and make mental health a priority in athletics.

For many of us, the beginning of this school year has marked a return to routines and structures that we have been missing since March of 2020. Mixed in with the excitement of getting our students back onto school buses and soccer fields is worry: worry about how the pandemic has impacted our children and how those impacts will show up in their daily lives. As we work tirelessly to protect the physical health of students, there are steps that parents and guardians can take now to help support mental well-being in their children.

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.