GrizzliesTogether

GRIZZLIES TOGETHER

By Patrick Carruth

Welcome to the Fall 2020 issue of Modus Vivendi. It would not be an overstatement to say that the past eight months have been unlike any other in the history of The Bear Creek School, and likely in your own life as well. In early March, Bear Creek made the decision to close our buildings and move to remote learning. At the time, we hoped it would prove to be a temporary situation, but, over time, it became apparent that we would need to continue teaching remotely for the remainder of the school year.

I am indebted to our faculty and staff for making such a swift transition and for the way in which they developed and embraced new and innovative ways of teaching in order to help students continue to be successful learners in a remote environment. Their concern for each student as an individual made the spring semester a time of positive growth and development. I am also grateful to our students and parents who approached remote learning with curiosity, perseverance, commitment, and good humor.

Reflecting back on the prior months, and looking forward to the ones to come, I am reminded of the strength that comes from knowing that the Lord is sovereign, and that the Gospel calls us to love one another in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. That agape or chesed manifested itself abundantly throughout the spring—sometimes in fun and virtual ways—but always rooted in our identity as a community in Christ. The generous outpouring of support for Bear Creek families economically affected by the pandemic, evidenced through the Bear Creek Responds Grant Fund, was heartening and a gracious example of compassion for our neighbor.

We have heard countless stories as well of how our Bear Creek community—parents, grandparents, parents of alumni, and alumni—have also played important roles during this difficult time. From sewing hundreds of face masks to serving on the front lines of health care and in all types of essential businesses, we see a community filled with wisdom, compassion, and courage at work and in service to others in myriad ways.

We are now in the midst of a new school year, balancing the health and safety of our teachers, staff, students, and community with the need to educate our students in the best way possible. At the time of this writing, we have made significant investments in health and safety infrastructure as well as technology tools in order to enable students to attend school either in person or remotely, according to the individual needs of the family. We will remain flexible to adjust to changing circumstances in creative ways, while staying focused on our students’ education and our mission. While our methods will necessarily be different, they will still be true to our mission to provide a high-quality, Christian liberal arts education in a nurturing environment that enables each student to become the individual God intends. I am grateful to each of you for your partnership in this endeavor.

#GRIZZLIESTOGETHER