Letter from the MC Principal

Hello MC families,

Last week our students were at home completing asynchronous work on Election Day. Hopefully your students were able to be productive on Tuesday. During Morning Meeting the day prior I talked to students about the idea that Presidential elections can bring big change, and I told them that some people would walk in happy on Wednesday and others may be disappointed. I reminded students that there are varying viewpoints on different issues in our country, and everyone has a right to their own opinion. However, I also reminded students that irrespective of the outcome of the election, it’s important for us to be civil and respectful in our conversations. We seek to help our students become engaged global citizens and elections are great opportunities for students to learn about ways to be civically engaged.

This past weekend it was great seeing many of you out at Run with the Wolves. Students and parents ran and supported each other along the way. Run with the Wolves is such a great community building event. After leaving Run with the Wolves I was able to get over to the volleyball playoffs where our team won their second consecutive championship! Congratulations to Coach Hinton and our Wolves volleyball team.

Yesterday during Morning Meeting we continued our celebration of Native American Heritage Month with a presentation from our students recognizing the Muskogee tribe that is indigenous to our local area. We also celebrated Veterans Day with a presentation of our flag by the Color Guard from Maynard Jackson High School followed by a panel consisting of veterans who are related to some of our students (Lila Corrigan, Isaac Hurley, and Jack Matta). The panelists talked about supporting those in need and connecting to cultures around the world during their experiences in the military; themes that align with the work that we do as an International Baccalaureate school. It was an engaging panel. Afterwards I encouraged our students to reach out and talk to the veterans that they may have in their lives to learn more about their experiences.

Finally, as technology continues to evolve, cell phones have become a significant part of our students’ lives. To better understand the impact of cell phone usage on their educational experience and mental health, we have posted a survey in the Courier to gather your insights and opinions on this important topic. Please take a look and share your opinions with us.

As always if you have any questions feel free to reach out.

Kind regards,

Mark

Mark Sanders

Mark Sanders began teaching at ANCS in 2011. Before coming to the school, Mr. Sanders worked in New York City. He spent three years teaching 7th and 8th grade mathematics at Middle School 50 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and two years at Harlem Village Academies teaching Geometry and Algebra 2/Trigonometry. He taught 8th grade Math/Science/Technology at ANCS for five years.