February Update from the Head of School

February 1, 2020 Dear Green Hedges Families,   Every day at Green Hedges School enriches young people’s lives, as it has for over 75 years. The classroom experience, the creativity and confidence children develop in the arts, learning about different cultures, the life-long friendships the students make, and the lasting values of an independent school education all contribute to the joy and enthusiasm children experience throughout their educational journey at GHS.   This month we celebrate Black History Month. In 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, an educator, originated “Negro History Week.” Fifty years later it became “Black History Month.” Dr. Woodson chose February because it’s the birth month of Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln. This endeavor began as a way to intentionally highlight and honor the culture, experiences, and contributions of African Americans. I ask that you, with your children, visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture on the National Mall to begin to create a deeper and richer understanding of African American history.

For Black History Month this year, we will be honoring Thurgood Marshall. Marshall, best known as the first African American Supreme Court Justice, played an instrumental role in promoting racial equality during the civil rights movement. As a practicing attorney, Marshall argued a record-breaking 32 cases before the Supreme Court, winning 29 of them. In fact, Marshall represented and won more cases before the high court than any other person. During his 24-year term as Supreme Court Justice, Marshall’s passionate support for individual and civil rights guided his policies and decisions. Most historians regard him as an influential figure in shaping social policies and upholding laws to protect minorities.

Honoring diversity has always been part of the ethos of Green Hedges. An article from the Summer 2011 issue of Clippings shares the importance:   One of the hallmarks of Green Hedges is its celebration of diversity. The metal sculpture called “Beyond Forever” that stands outside Kilmer Hall was installed in 1988 by metal artist Tomas Fernandez, a graduate of the school, and is said to represent the feeling that “the two figures are leaving behind their own prejudices, symbolized by the background metal, to meet on common ground.”   …A potent paradox of Green Hedges is that with its small size it reflects such a large world. The reasons for this have to do with the intentions and courage of its founders...and with the intentions and efforts of those today, who feel called to share in the ongoing creative endeavor that is the School.   Our work continues, but I could not be more excited about how much we have already accomplished together. We have an exceptional faculty, a thoughtful and hard-working Board of Trustees and Parent Association, and extraordinary generosity from engaged and committed parents. I want to thank you for being part of the Green Hedges School community. I am grateful to each of you for choosing Green Hedges and trusting us with your children.

Best,

Jennifer P. Bohnen Head of School

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Mission We inspire young people of talent and promise to develop clear values, a desire for wisdom, and an appreciation for all endeavors which broaden the mind and enlighten the spirit.