A WELCOME FROM Head of School, Sarah Johnston

Recently, I listened to a speech delivered by the women’s basketball coach at Duke University entitled, Handle Hard Better. In this talk to her players, Kara Lawson made clear that any meaningful pursuit in life will never be easy.

Schools, like teams, prepare young people for what is next. We prepare them to be able to handle what life presents them, especially things that are difficult or unexpected. After all, life doesn’t get easier when you leave school; rather, the opposite happens. So, our responsibility is to prepare students to handle hard better.

This message resonated with me as we introduced the school’s strategic plan in January. One of the top priorities is to “Raise global citizens ready to be nimble, empathetic and resilient in a complex world.” After all, when our students leave Old Trail School and become adults, the world in which they will launch will undoubtedly be more interdependent and complicated than the one that exists today. We understand this and embrace the challenge of preparing students to handle hard better by helping them develop the resiliency, creativity and critical thinking skills they will need for a meaningful path to adulthood and beyond.

Over the past three years, members of the Old Trail community, including school leadership, Board members, faculty and parents, have been working on a three-year strategic plan for the school. Despite the immense challenges brought on by the pandemic, our work has continued; oftentimes, behind the scenes. As such, many of the initiatives that surfaced during our discussions are already in motion, and some have already been achieved.

We are proud of our work thus far and look forward to continuing to deliver on the initiatives that will further establish Old Trail as a leader in the educational landscape and a premier destination for families across Northeast Ohio. In that vein, the following three priorities have been established in order to inspire continued growth:

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Create a cohesive, consistent and distinctive Old Trail Experience. Students should follow an intentional pathway as they develop and progress through the grades in a clearly identifiable Old Trail School signature experience. In addition, we will continue to invest in teaching excellence and the development of a strong faculty culture.

Raise global citizens ready to be nimble, empathetic and resilient in a complex world.

From the development of an intentional curriculum to fostering cultural agility to programing focused on each child’s potential both academically and emotionally, we look to prepare each student to achieve their best selves.

Dedicate to a sustainable future for Old Trail School.

To grow both in programming and value, we must maintain financial stability through a well-managed and balanced budget and an eye towards long-term viability. With a focus on the growth of our Old Trail Endowment Fund, we will infuse operating dollars into each school year while simultaneously investing in the school’s future.

As Coach Lawson expressed, meaningful pursuits in life will never be easy. The growth and learning that will take place over these next several years will make us stronger and even more relevant as an institution. What we do at Old Trail defines meaningful pursuit and we are honored to share in the hard work with you.

All my best,

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Table Of Contents

Teaching and Learning

Raising Ethical and Curious Citizens

Experiencing Culture Through Cuisine

Solo Walks Introduced to Middle School Curriculum

Mapping Monarchs and the Miracle of Migration

Fifth Grade Embarks on Three-Day Excursion to Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center

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Campus News

Trail Tales

Athletic Hallway Renovation Challenge Course

Pathways to Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center

Alumni News

Old Trail School Fund

Report of Giving Memorial and Honor Gifts

Ceara O’Sullivan ’06

Molly Vollman Makris ’95

Katie Kagler

Alumni Parents

Casey Bullock ’20

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