This particular blog post has given me much reason for reflection over the last month. I have fiercely debated between calling it "The Behavior of Man" and "The Character of Man."

Yet what has always stood out to me the most about Humanities Day throughout the years I have been attending is not just how it showcases the manner and content of our education, but the way in which it is presented to us.

I do not know what I would put on the short list of things to carry to a science bowl competition. Favorite flash cards, dog-eared textbooks, and – if you are packing light – a detailed glossary would all likely have a place. But such a list would be incomplete. Where, after all, is the ultimate Frisbee?

Ridgeview kicked off the holiday season by celebrating Halloween with the community.

Did we simply become more responsive to the concern of parents and teachers, or did we become self-sufficient and internally motivated?   Did we become thoughtful contributors? Did we become expert thinkers and writers? Did we become students who performed tasks with integrity in a timely manner?

Even though most of my time was spent at Ridgeview or with Ridgeview people, I was more than a student. I was a sister, a daughter, and a friend. It does a great deal of good to also realize that teachers and staff are also more than just that: they are siblings, children, friends, spouses, parents, and much more.

No matter who we supported in this year's election, we are all can breathe a sign of relief that the campaigning is over. With no more commercials and no more debates,  only a few stickers and yard signs remain. Now is a time to reflect not simply on the issues, but on the system itself.

Anyone with the slightest imagination or interest in the world dreams of being a fly on some wall [ … ]Such were my thoughts during the stretch break of a block session of Modern European Literature.

While we must assess academic achievement based on standards and rubrics, we must recognize that other areas also distinguish our students.

Modern youth have received many epithets, very few of which have been complimentary. Perhaps the most disparaging of these remains "The Entitlement Generation." This is the strongest opprobrium because it implies not simply a cosmetic flaw, a flaw in application, but an identity flaw, a flaw in how we see ourselves in relation to the world.

I've had several students from other schools in the area ask me how and why we have a Spirit Week in the first place. So why do we? Because our students are energetic and excited, ready to celebrate and make our school community even stronger.

Often I look at new traditions and wish that, as an alumna, Ridgeview had implemented them sooner. The tradition I am most envious of as a graduate of the school, and most proud of as a member of the community, is First Responders' Day.

Twenty or so seniors with half a dozen of their most ardent teachers encircled the oasis, joking lightheartedly, sharing confidences, and dwelling, if only briefly, on what a unique school they are part of.

Students will not remember every detail of every class they take at Ridgeview Classical Schools. Rather, good character is the permanent mark of a successful Ridgeview education.

Every graduate who has walked to "Pomp and Circumstance" has also walked into Ridgeview's doors with only that first day on their mind. Graduation is no small feat, but neither is that first day. 

In my experience, one of the hardest tasks students face at Ridgeview can be summed up in two daunting words: required contribution.