SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

The first week back on 92nd Street after summer can be overwhelming for students: adjusting to new schedules, meeting new teachers, reviewing syllabi for their new courses, etc. However, in the Upper School, things looked a bit different this year.

Instead of jumping into their new schedules after orientation, Upper School students had the opportunity to settle back into Schoolhouse life through a series of workshops over the course of the first week of school that focused on the missions and visions of each grade. In Class IX, students focused on creating a sense of belonging and community, diversity, equity, inclusion, connections, community norms, and understanding where they are in their social emotional wellbeing. In Class X, students centered the idea of owning their own learning; self awareness regulation and continuing community building. Also beginning their first year of one-on-one advising, students had the opportunity to meet and connect with their advisors. Students engaged in a futures thinking workshop, as well as a session with Christina Wallace, author of The Portfolio Life, Harvard senior lecturer, and entrepreneur, where students learned about the power of crafting their own narratives of who they are and who they want to become. In Class XI, students connected with college counselors, and also attended workshops around diversity, equity, inclusion, future thinking, and their personal narratives. Class XII students engaged in longer workshop sessions about building healthy relationships and spent time with the health department and new Upper School Counselor Ms. Benoit.

Later that week, all Upper School students heard from Christina Wallace at an assembly where she dove into “The Portfolio Life,” a model which consists of four pillars: identity,optionality, diversification, and flexibility. Throughout her lecture, Christina shared her background and life trajectory, as well as some lessons and revelations she learned along the way.