At Turning Point, we emphasize the importance of general well-being; we know there are fundamental intellectual, social, physical, ethical, and emotional elements that drive growth and set the stage for successful learning. When we feel healthy and strong from a holistic standpoint, we are better able to perform efficiently, persist longer on challenges, and navigate difficult situations more resiliently.

Our emphasis on well-being serves us well typically, but certainly is amplified in this challenging time of COVID-19. As a result, we have repurposed our usual school newsletter to focus on well-being; helping nurture our families’ intellectual, social, physical, ethical, and emotional health during time away from campus.

Certainly, the idea to share resources on coping and wellness is not a novel one. However, when we chose our resources, we remained laser-focused on those that best model our school values. We broke them down into the same five categories we always emphasize — intellectual, social, physical, ethical, and emotional. This allows parents to choose one or two that are appropriate in each category. We also kept our adult community in mind, providing resources specific to their well-being as well.

Our curation process was strategic and purposeful. We had heard from families that the high number of resources and suggestions floating around on the internet and social media felt overwhelming. We took that opportunity to do the “work” of picking and choosing ones that we know will best resonate with our community.

The parent response has been very positive, with many expressing appreciation and relief at having a trusted source to serve as a starting point for diving in, especially as they attempt to fill the homebound hours of a re-imagined Spring Break. It is our hope that efforts such as these will help our community remain appreciative of the unique value an independent school can bring to their children and their families.