Shaping a Class/Community
On Friday, March 9, we shared admission decisions with applicants and their families who have sought admission to La Jolla Country Day School. I have often wished that the parents of applicants could be in the room to see the amount of care and attention that goes into the thoughtful consideration of each and every student. Those of us in the Office of Admission never forget that behind every application portfolio is a precious child.
The goal of every admission process is to “shape a class” and to not only identify students who are the best match and fit for LJCDS, but also to consider if this is the school that will allow the student to become the best version of himself or herself.
What is it to be an educated person? Having grown up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I was fortunate to attend a public elementary, K–Grade 8 school that was situated next door to the Harvard graduate school dormitories. Consequently, graduate students would send their children to the neighborhood public school for convenience. The unintended consequence of this for my sister and me as “townies” was that many of my classmates had parents who were either graduate students or professors at Harvard, MIT, Lesley Teaching College, Tufts, Brandeis, and the list continues.
I grew up around people with diverse backgrounds from around the world. One of my closest friends in fourth grade was a girl named Ipek. She had come from Turkey and spoke very limited English. Anyone in the LJCDS community who knows me well knows that not speaking the same language wouldn’t slow down my ability to develop a friendship—Sony was from Korea; Teddy was from the Philippines; Kerr was from Austria; Martin was from Germany. Playing on the playground and having fun was the universal language.
I feel such a sense of delight when I walk across the LJCDS campus, and I see children whose parents come from Ireland, India, Iran, Sweden, Nigeria, Russia and China. One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the opportunity to be around people with divergent experiences and perspectives. Beyond what happens in the classroom, children are shaped by the people around them. Whether those people are peers, teachers, coaches, staff members, security guards, bus drivers or food service staff, it is crucial that children are influenced by quality individuals. I can comfortably say that some of the best people that I have ever met make up the La Jolla Country Day School community. The common denominators of laughter, dignity and kindness make this an extraordinary place to be.
La Jolla Country Day School
9490 Genesee Avenue
La Jolla, CA 92037
858-453-3440
© 2024 La Jolla Country Day School
Privacy Policy
COVID-19 Prevention Plan
La Jolla, CA 92037
858-453-3440
© 2024 La Jolla Country Day School
Privacy Policy
COVID-19 Prevention Plan
