Although I love weekends as much as the next person, this is the time of year when Friday afternoons also bring with them a vague sense of worry -- concern that our students will make good, sensible decisions during the weekend, following School rules and avoiding risk and temptation.It seems that each Spring we get a "Dean's wake-up call," that is, a mistake made by students that is full of lessons about doing the right thing, taking care of one another, taking responsibility for one's action, and accepting and dealing with the consequences of one's behavior. Our Principles of Community enumerate these values (and more), and thereby capture, in black and white, the concepts that bind us as a community and that we hold dear.Yet we know that adolescents will take risks and make mistakes. That is part of growing up. Our job, along with their parents, is to try as best we can to protect them from these risks. The first step is to recognize them as risks. We engage the students in a conversation about decision-making, and we encourage them to think about the impact of their actions.The beauty of a day school is that we work in partnership with parents on all matters, including students' safety. We encourage parents to maintain an active (yet appropriate) presence in their children's social lives: When your child is headed to a party on a Friday or Saturday evening, please call ahead and speak with the host parents about the nature of the gathering; with cell phones and computers, it takes only a few minutes for word to spread of a party. If you do not feel comfortable making these calls, please call me. I will make the call for you. Click here for some great tips on navigating these tricky social-life waters with your children.KO is known for its strong relationships among students, faculty, and parents, and communication is a big part of this. It is essential for parents to be clear with their children about their expectations and to engage in open conversations about these matters. We know that kids can do the right thing and make the right choices, and we ask for your help in ensuring that they do.
