I'm pleased to share that the Learning Commons has been open for nearly a month, and I must tell you that the opening day and the days that followed were among the best days of serving as principal because of the reactions of the students to the space, which were incredibly positive-and also because opening a new space of this magnitude doesn't happen every day in the life of a school. Our students had expressions of wonder and delight on their faces, and they took to it just as we had hoped-enjoying the fresh menu, mixed seating, and breakout rooms for work and socializing. Teachers brought their classes to the iLab even on the first day to take advantage of the flexible furniture, whiteboard wall, and integrated technology.

The impact on the school overall has been transformative, as students are more likely to linger in this space during lunch and when they meet together during the day, and the stress on the capacity of related spaces such as the library and the main cafeteria has been greatly reduced by the availability of this space. On our video page you can view the ribbon-cutting ceremony and the students' first day in the space.

This Learning Commons represents the collective effort and commitment of the Scarsdale community. Our Superintendent, Dr. Thomas Hagerman, worked from his first days with us on the bond vote and ensured that the work that followed focused on realizing the vision and maximizing the potential of these spaces. We are grateful also for the support of our parent leadership, not only for the important role they play in getting information out to our parent community but also because of the time they give to ensuring that parents are well represented on our committees.

Teachers also played a role in shaping the vision of what this space could mean for instruction as well as in the life of the school, and in particular Chris Renino, assistant principal, and Stephen Mounkhall, representing the teachers' association, worked closely together in managing the impact of the construction on the school operation over the past year. Our student government representatives played a role in reminding the adults on the committee what was important to them and kept our discussions informed by the student perspective. Finally, several Boards of Education saw the Learning Commons from conception to inclusion in the bond through construction and opening.

The design of the Learning Commons reflects the principle of developmentally appropriate latitude in time use that we give our students and that is a guiding principle of our overall program design at SHS. Instead of assigning students to a specific place every minute of the school day, we allow them to make real-time decisions about how best to use their time when not in class: working alone, with peers, or with a teacher; catching up with a friend or mentor; or taking some alone time to read or recharge. The Learning Commons can be added to the list of spaces in which students can choose to do these things, and it fosters even richer experiences because of its modern and student-centered design. It's fair to say that this space has substantially enhanced the variety of ways students use their time, and thus their daily and overall high-school experience.