Can we talk? In this election year, can we pause and reflect on how we are preparing our own children and students for civic life? When our children and students look back on this time, what will they remember about our words and actions? What is the pattern of comments, the nature of dialogue in our homes and classrooms?

What civic legacy are we leaving?

When parents look at Montrose School’s reading lists in the humanities, they immediately notice that our students encounter truly challenging texts. At the moment, students in 9th grade are finishing Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations in English and nearing the end of Homer’s Odyssey in history. 

Those are hefty books for 14-year-olds beginning high school. I wish I could put a lens on our discussions to help you see these students’ journeys through these epics. The energy is high, the emotions are passionate, and they are developing deep reading and critical thinking skills as they analyze these texts.