Messages from Our Head of School

Here at TQS, the summer sun brings with it our Summer Program, which is now joyfully underway. Children are here learning, studying, laughing, running, swimming, and playing together. There is glee in the hallways and on the playing fields, and a lightness in the building that brings me great satisfaction and happiness. 

The rising sun also signifies a new day … a refresh … a starting over. And boy does that feel appropriate this summer. 

I’m thrilled to announce that on July 1, 2021, Virginia “Ginnie” Cho began her role as TQS’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). 

You may not notice Ginnie’s work, yet her accuracy, communication, analysis, and empathetic decision-making affects every aspect of this organization. 

If you ask me, there’s nothing that yells “summer” more than a good old fashioned slip-and-slide. The anticipatory run, the spray of the hose, the inevitable belly flop and skin burn as you dive over bumpy grass into a frigid pool of water. The. Best. 

However, while some amount of slipping and sliding provides a wonderful break from reality (especially when done down a large backyard hill), the idea of a “summer slide” can be detrimental to students with complex challenges who have a more difficult time transitioning from one routine to the next. 

That’s why I’m thrilled that today is the first day of our Summer Program. 

As I reflect on the long, strange trip it’s been, I realize something surprising: even if this year wasn’t the exact experience we expected, it was still an epic, amazing journey — more so because we navigated it all together. 

“Should I be doing something specific to get my child ready for the next school year?” 

YES. You should...

The finish line is in sight. The horizon is near. The light is bright at the end of the tunnel. 

Yes, you’ve nearly made it to the end of the 2020-2021 school year, and you deserve to take a moment to breathe deep, or jump up and down, or shoot off confetti cannons — anything to celebrate this tremendous accomplishment. 

When you’ve been searching for the light at the end of the tunnel for so long, it’s no wonder that, when it finally begins to shine, it makes your eyes a little teary. 

I know that’s what happened to me anyway, after I read Governor Wolf’s announcement this week that all COVID mitigations mandated by the state of Pennsylvania will end at 12:01 a.m. on Memorial Day. 

Sometimes, the heavy issues we face in this country can weigh on us, demoralize us, and make us feel like society is so deeply fissured that there is no hope of healing. 

Yet it is in these bleak times that it’s important to remember: just because America feels divided doesn’t mean it needs to be. The vast majority of people care for and believe in each other, and, when invited into the conversation, will work toward a more inclusive and just society. 

One thing that this challenging year has made us all recognize and newly appreciate is the power of partnership. 

Here at TQS, we have always held the belief that we are not simply educating students but partnering with families, working together to ensure each child blossoms