KNOW THE KID
Recently our Division Heads reflected on several questions regarding their work at SAAS including what energizes them, what their favorite time of the day is, and what hopes they have for their divisions. Here are their responses to these those questions:
REFLECTIONS Julia Kassissieh Head of the Middle School
The sense of belonging in our Middle School space energizes me every day. It is the combination of our institutional belief in a broad definition of talent and the connections I have every day with so many extraordinary people that make our community so vibrant. This broad notion of talent deeply resonates with my own beliefs and what I want for our Middle School. It sows the seeds of inclusiveness and opens the mind to many possibilities. My favorite time of day is lunchtime when our students are busy socializing, working in the maker lab, planning events in the Seattle Academy Leadership Team (SALT), contributing to the work of the community, playing soccer on our rooftop playground, or dining in our beautiful common space. Teachers are providing support to students, collaborating as a grade level, supervising clubs, and getting to know students outside of the classroom. The Middle School at lunch reminds 48
BEST OF SAAS
VOL. 19 | 2020
me of a busy town and shows me how much our students love being at school. This is always my hope for our students and a differentiator in middle schools. Our students love to be here! That they feel heard, welcomed, seen, understood, and valued in our Middle School community. Leading for an inclusive community and the future is no simple act. It is always in the service of others but also for the future of the organization. Our faculty reach out to students daily to make connections, understand our students more fully, and to demonstrate the commitment we all share for their care. We do this one person to another, day in and day out, making our choices together as a community to reach across all our differences and see the potential in each one of us. I hope that we can maintain our deep knowledge of students and leverage that for continued innovation in our Middle School program. ☜
