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Over the winter break I had the joy of celebrating my daughter’s first birthday. As I spent time reminiscing over her first year of life I couldn’t help but think about Heart of Ohio Classical Academy and how opening our school has been much like raising a child.
The first day, much like the first day a child takes a breath, is a milestone—a moment so eagerly awaited, but also daunting. The school has no words yet, only the soft rustle of papers, the click of door latches, the sound of footsteps reverberating through the hallways. In those first weeks, there was a certain tenderness to the way everyone moves—students, parents, and teachers alike. It’s a time of learning how to communicate, how to grow into the rhythm of school life. Teachers, like parents, hold hands—metaphorically—guiding their young learners as they discover how to learn, how to listen, how to share.
As weeks pass, the school begins to establish its own heartbeat. The teachers, once uncertain about how to balance the needs of the students with the demands of the curriculum, start to find their rhythm, just as a parent gradually begins to understand their child’s patterns and needs. They learn that it’s not just about what students are capable of but how to nurture their curiosity, their confidence, and their desire to explore. It’s not about pushing too hard but about offering the right amount of support, the right moment to let go, and the right words to encourage.
Soon, just as my daughter learned to pull herself up and take wobbly steps, the school community starts to feel the confidence of its own growth. The halls buzz with a new energy, as if everyone has found their place, their rhythm. The students have learned to navigate the playground, the lunchroom, the quiet moments of reading, and the loud bursts of laughter that echo from classroom to classroom. Teachers understand when to intervene and when to give students space to grow on their own.
And then, somewhere around the time that the school year hits the second semester, the milestones become more subtle. It’s no longer just about survival or the excitement of new beginnings—it’s about refining the focus. The school begins to focus not just on what the children are learning but how they are learning, and why. The values begin to take root—courage, temperance, perseverance, and kindness—just as a child’s first words give a glimpse into the values a parent hopes to instill. The foundations of community-building grow stronger, and the school becomes a space where everyone understands their role: the teachers as nurturers, the students as explorers, and the families as partners.
Just as a parent, by the time their child reaches one, can feel the groove of daily life, they also recognize the long journey ahead. Similarly, the school community has found its rhythm—its own set of routines and practices that will guide its work in the years to come. The panic of the unknown is replaced with the confident belief that, together, the children and the adults can navigate the road ahead. And much like the parent who knows their child’s needs by instinct, the school, now seasoned by its first year, is prepared to hone in on the values it aims to cultivate, ready to shape and guide its future students in ways that are both intentional and deep.
As the school community settles into its second semester there’s a mutual understanding: the work of nurturing growth—whether in a child or in a school—is never truly done. It’s a dance of milestones, of pushing boundaries and celebrating the quiet, everyday moments that build the foundation for something lasting. And so, much like parents who look back on their child’s first year with both awe and gratitude, the school looks ahead, ready to continue shaping the lives of those in its care, one lesson at a time.
Best Wishes,
Anna Johnson
Office Manager/Registrar
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