Dear Parents,

Now that the fall is underway and we’ve enjoyed the burst of energy that often comes with the start of the school year, I have noticed with great pleasure how students and teachers have immersed themselves in their studies as well as in artistic and athletic pursuits.  The blogs we began in September continue to reflect this commitment as does the evidence in classrooms: Middle School and Upper School students’ work decorates our walls and weaves itself into many conversations.   In short, there’s a hum at NYA that is strong and positive.

I welcome the chance to hear what you’ve noticed and what you have gleaned from end-of-the-day conversations with your child about their school experience.  Keeping those bridges alive between home and school is a critical piece to helping our students remain engaged, thoughtful, and productive learners.  To that end, I am looking forward to a follow-up discussion on the film “Race to Nowhere” tonight, October 18 at 7:00 p.m. and to the forum “Nurturing Efficient and Successful Learners on the Educational Super Highway” offered by Biz Houghton and Karyn Kurland on Thursday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m. For more details on both events, please check the calendar section on our homepage. 

It’s critical, of course, that faculty also engage in learning and stretching themselves professionally.  To that end, we’ve initiated some exciting discussions about our academic program and how we would like to shape it to better serve our students.  One of the key shifts we are already planning for next year is a reduction of faculty course load so teachers can spend more time on class preparation, with their advisees, on the playing fields, and in other informal teaching moments with your children that happen naturally across our campus.  We also hope to expand the number of electives offered at NYA, and the faculty is in the process of designing courses and curriculum both individually and in teams across academic disciplines.  I am looking forward to sharing more details about these exciting proposals in the months ahead. 

The investment by our faculty and students into making learning creative, practical and challenging is one of the features that distinguishes NYA and it is a strength we hope to build upon in the coming years.  Thank you very much for the support you provide at home to help your children thrive in all these realms, and as always, please let me know how we may best support your children and your family. 

Yours truly, 

Brad Choyt
Head of School