As we settle into another school year, I have been thinking a lot about what we really mean when we say we want our students to be successful.
Of course, we want our students to grow academically. We want them to become stronger readers, writers, mathematicians, thinkers, and problem-solvers. We want them to work hard, persevere when something is difficult, and discover the gifts God has given them.
But some of the moments that have stayed with me most during these first few weeks have been much simpler.
I have had the privilege of walking some of our youngest and newest students into the building, sometimes holding a small hand as they take those first uncertain steps into a new school and a new adventure. There is something pretty special about watching that uncertainty slowly turn into confidence and belonging.
Sometimes success looks like opening a carton of milk for a student at lunch. It is a very small thing, but those moments matter. A student asks for help, an adult stops what they are doing, and a relationship begins to form. We get to know our students through hundreds of little interactions like these. They begin to understand that there are adults here who know them, care about them, and see them for who they are.
And yes, I have also loved seeing the excitement and gratitude our students have shown for their new playground. Watching them enjoy something that so many people worked together to provide has been a wonderful reminder that gratitude is something we can teach and model, too.
At OLP, we often talk about wanting every child to feel safe, seen, and supported. Those words are important to me because they describe the foundation that allows everything else to happen.
My hope for our students this year is certainly that they learn a lot. But I also hope they become a little more confident, a little kinder, a little more willing to help someone else, and a little more aware of how deeply they are loved by God.
If that happens, I think we will have had a pretty successful year.
Paul Berry
OLP School Principal
