Dear Parents and Caregivers,
As our community processes the attempt to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election, Wellington denounces the acts of violence that occurred in the U.S. Capitol. Leaving political ideals to the side, this was not a demonstration of reasonable disagreement and discourse that we work to instill in our students, but rather a direct attempt at destruction. We want to ground our community in Wellington’s purpose in moments like these. As we always do when confronted with such a challenge, our team began earnest conversations last night focused on the support, resources, and programming we need to put in place rapidly for our students, faculty, and staff.
When we reflect on how the events in the U.S. Capitol unfolded, it is also likely that our students, families, faculty, and staff of color may feel increasingly vulnerable after such displays of stark inequity between yesterday’s law enforcement response in contrast to the response during the racial justice protests in the same space over the summer. We know that there is no perfect formula for supporting all students during this time. However, our faculty is focused on these essential affirmations: you are known, you are cared for, and you matter.
Our leadership team in partnership with our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team has a thoughtful framework to support our students in the coming days by:
- Processing concerns and providing resources
- Creating space for age-appropriate conversations on campus throughout the day in order to process the events of yesterday
- Consistently focusing on our approach that follows these three steps: listen, protect, and model civil discourse
We frame these courageous conversations within our mission to help students find their purpose and realize their potential for tomorrow's world, and we are more passionate than ever in this pursuit. We can stand in agreement that diverse views and backgrounds are vital to our strength and to our success. The world, and our country, need a future full of leaders who guide with empathy, responsibility, and the belief that their words and actions make a difference at every level and in every space.
As you consider how to discuss and process these events with your student, we encourage you to tap into the resources our counseling staff has developed by clicking here.
With care,
Dr. Jeff Terwin, Head of School
Jill Webb, Head of Lower School
Lissa Wade & Cristen Geary, Interim Middle School Co-heads
Rishi Raghunathan, Head of Upper School