The Principal's Perspective

Thanksgiving For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, For love and friends, For everything that goodness sends. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fall blessed our trees with vibrant colors and beauty that defines autumn in New England. The 2018-2019 school year has been launched well and our theme, “Be Brave” is in full evidence. Higashi is indeed the home and the school for the brave! Our Higashi friends enable us all to be braver than we think we can ever be on any given day.

Terry Brady, one of our very talented Higashi dads performed a lead role in the musical, “Man of La Mancha.” This show with its iconic song resonates and inspires me. It captures the essence and the spirit of Higashi. Its main character, Don Quixote, is a dreamer who exudes courage and bravery in the most challenging of circumstances while making others connect and collaborate together. He takes these new friends with him on a storied journey beyond themselves and their current plight. As he weaves his magical, imaginary tale, he gives everyone a special part to play. Each person has a role that is vital to the plot. The props are minimal and it is the strength and interactions among the characters that bring the concepts of bravery, courage, resilience, loyalty, endurance, and the power of friendship to life.

This aptly describes our life at Higashi where we nurture and cultivate social connection and friendship while educating the whole child. We disagree with those who think that persons with autism are not social, nor are they interested in having friends. We believe they just need to be taught how. We espouse the words from that signature song from Man of La Mancha. We “dream the impossible dream” together. Every day we “run where the brave dare not go.” We try “when our arms and hearts are too weary” because we believe we can “reach the unreachable” and that the world at large will be better for the efforts and actions we take on behalf of our students with autism. We “fight for the rights” and dignity of our students and families “without question or pause”. We willingly go above and beyond the ordinary to meet the needs of every student. Like Don Quixote, we believe in and treasure our friends, both old and new. We are braver souls because of them. In turn, we make others that we encounter brave as we strive to follow our quest - to create a full life for each and every child entrusted to our care to reach that unreachable star. Especially at this time of Thanksgiving we are grateful to one and all that join us in this sacred quest. On behalf of the staff I extend my heartfelt wishes to one and all for a harvest of abundant blessings, grace and goodness.