“…at the core of the word community, to experience a sense of belonging, and to connect with each other and to something bigger than ourselves: call it our our collective spirit or our institutional integrity.”
Ashbrook is a school with rich traditions and deep pride in who we are and how we rep being Explorers! Not in ways that separate us from others, but in ways that reinforce and invite connections, almost like a kind of glue.
Traditions provide an annual way to connect with each other, help build our Explorer identity, and provide fodder for shared memories. When we come together to engage in these traditions, we are able to provide the members of our community with an opportunity to feel the “unity” at the core of the word community, to experience a sense of belonging, and to connect with each other and to something bigger than ourselves: call it our our collective spirit or our institutional integrity.
From our Student Council led assemblies to our Explorer Gala, from VIP Day to Founders Day, from Awards Day to Graduation Day, from Planet Palooza to Field Day, or from the Chess Tournament to the Gaga Tournament, Ashbrook traditions build belonging and foster joyful engagement. These periodic “rituals” are more than fun (although they are definitely that, TOO!), they are meaningful markers of the growth of individuals and of the strength and solidarity of our community.
Explore Character Education Today
We also take a great deal of pride in who we are and how we do things: we call it the Ashbrook Way, and it starts with your mission!. Pride in our work, our values, and our shared journey means always remembering we are Explorers, no matter where we are: at home, on a fieldtrip, on summer vacation far from campus, or on campus: our values, made clear in our monthly character education program, are not something left behind in June, July, and August, but carried with us (in fact, 5 years ago we added traits for June, July, and August, just in case there was any question about our expectations). And all of this helps us deliver on the promise of our Mission to challenge and nurture academically capable students.
In this spirit, Ashbrook students wear our compass logo not just as a uniform, but as a badge of honor. They know what it stands for: integrity, curiosity, courage, and care, and they know that others will notice this in the way they carry themselves, from our youngest preschooler through our graduating 8th graders! Moreover, when people outside of Ashbrook learn that one among them is an Explorer, they will naturally expect more from them, and this is a good thing.
Ashbrook’s traditions and pride inspire students to contribute with purpose and to represent their school with honor. At this time of the year, when we are getting ready to bid farewell to our soon-to-be graduates, we hope they remember their years here with fondness and gratitude, and return often to let us know what they have been up to!