Recognizing Staffulty Appreciation Week

by Eva Nichter News Co-Editor

The NDB community showed lots of love for its staffulty during Staffulty Appreciation Week from March 6 to March 10. Throughout the week, both faculty and staff members received handwritten cards, gifts and a lot of gratitude from NDB students and families.

In previous years, NDB, along with many other schools across the nation, celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week during the first full week of May. But, as NDB implements the use of the word “staffulty” this year in order to acknowledge all who work at the school, the community also recognizes the need to extend the celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week to all of its other members, including staff.

This year, Staffulty Appreciation Week was officially established as the second full week of March.

“Everybody who’s on a campus in a school is working towards the same goal, which is to elevate the student experience, whether that’s intellectually or socially or spiritually,” said Head of School Meredith Essalat. “So, I want everybody to receive the same degree of gratitude and appreciation for what they’re bringing to the table.”

“We celebrate success, recognizing women who have gone before us to really make it possible for us to be able to have the lives and the experiences we have today, and the careers we will eventually have.”

“I think Women’s History Month is every day, and it’s a reminder to continue fighting. Because we are an all girls community, we need to write women back into history.”

“We are cultivating activists here, people that actually go out and make a difference and do something. In other words, we feel like we actually are being strong leaders who want to make a difference.”

Ashley Sullivan, mom of two current NDB students, organized the events for the week. She worked with the NDB Mother’s Club and individual families to make Staffulty Appreciation Week a success and to acknowledge the efforts of every working member of the school.

On Monday, the week’s festivities began. Before the school day started, a coffee cart was set up in the staffulty lounge with a variety of caffeinated beverages for members to enjoy. Each staffulty member received a mug with the phrase “NDB Staffulty” printed on the front.

On Tuesday, cards from students were written for every staffulty member. These cards contained words of appreciation and gratitude for every person who makes NDB special. Each staffulty member picked up their individual card in the parlor.

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