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That awkward silence

9/11/2016

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Parker Palmer recently posted this poem on silence by Gunilla Norris.  I found it interesting and beautiful.  We often talk about accepting silence when we gather as staff wholly or in small groups. In the complexities that are often presented before us, we seek to answer questions or proffer advice before fully understanding or reflecting on what has been presented. There is something binding about sitting silently together. In my experience, these moments of silence compel us to think deeper, share more and connect authentically. Silence creates space for contemplation and growth, both personally and professionally. We use the concepts and protocols of Critcal Friends Groups frequently as a staff. Embedded in the process of CFGs are many moments of shared silence and group reflection. I highly recommend it. Many find it awkward at first, but quickly come to appreciate that awkward silence. I hope you enjoy the poem. 

Within each of us there is a silence
- a silence as vast as a universe.
We are afraid of it...and we long for it.

When we experience that silence, we remember
who we are: creatures of the stars, created
from the cooling of this planet, created
from dust and gas, created
from the elements, created
from time and space...created
from silence.

In our present culture,
silence is something like an endangered species...
an endangered fundamental.
The experience of silence is now so rare
that we must cultivate it and treasure it.
This is especially true for shared silence.

Sharing silence is, in fact, a political act.
When we can stand aside from the usual and
perceive the fundamental, change begins to happen.
Our lives align with deeper values
and the lives of others are touched and influenced.
Silence brings us back to basics, to our senses,
to our selves. It locates us. Without that return
we can go so far away from our true natures
that we end up, quite literally, beside ourselves.

We live blindly and act thoughtlessly.
We endanger the delicate balance which sustains
our lives, our communities, and our planet.

Each of us can make a difference.
Politicians and visionaries will not return us
to the sacredness of life.

That will be done by ordinary men and women
who together or alone can say,
"Remember to breathe, remember to feel,
remember to care,
let us do this for our children and ourselves
and our children's children.
Let us practice for life's sake."
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IAA Welcome Back 2016-17

9/9/2016

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People are talking.  They are talking in Vermont, New England and throughout the Country.  From press releases, television spots and mentions in books, people are talking. IAA is a special place.  Our creative and innovative approach and our deep seated belief that the arts can make a difference, sets us apart.  

It's fun that people are talking, but quite honestly, that's not, by far,  the best thing we have accomplished.  What's most important is our development as a community. it's because of the arts. The arts has given us so much.  It has helped us change the way we teach and learn, but more importantly it has helped us grow collectively.   This level of deep connectedness is pretty remarkable.   

Our transition to an arts magnet school has profoundly changed the way we function as a school.  It has prompted us to develop tremendous levels of collaboration and it has blossomed a holding environment in which we take care of each other as adults, and this translates into providing for each other and the children and families in our care. Of all our work here, it is this that I’m the proudest and speak of the most often when describing what an amazing place IAA is.

This level of care is the charge of us all. Every student, every parent and staff member.  Let us apply what we learn through the arts- confidence, collaboration, compassion, understanding, communication and use these skills throughout our day to support each other, care for one another and be kind. This will not only lift our spirits, but will continue to help our students and  our school soar.   
​

So, with that in mind, open your imaginations and hearts, and welcome to the 2016-17 IAA school year.  

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    Mr. Bobby

    I was principal at IAA for 9 years and employed there for 18.  I loved every minute of the journey. We were all about community, the arts and positive vibes.  Now I am in my first year as the District's Alternative Learning Program's Principal. Learning new things and applying my experiences to a new setting. 

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