Pandemic Pivot: Ellis’ Strategic Momentum Throughout the COVID-19 Crisis
One of the hallmarks of The Ellis School is the focus on interdisciplinary, project-based learning across divisions. From partnering with external clients on engineering projects to learning about the Spanish language and culture alongside pen-pals in Mexico City, Ellis students learn about themselves and their interests from each other, their communities, and the world around them. And while the world and school this past year looked different than any year prior, the reality is that Ellis students may have gained more practical, real-world skills during this time than ever before. They took on new challenges with courage. They practiced flexibility at every turn. And, notably, they tackled a new normal together as one school community—with the help of masks, social distancing, and lots of hand sanitizer.
It all began with a two-week period of remote learning that quickly shifted to a two-month extension, which then transformed into over a full year of navigating school, well, a bit differently. And while no one could have anticipated that the COVID-19 pandemic would have such a far-reaching impact, the Ellis community—or, as we like to say, family—united together to weather the storm.
In her first school-wide communication of the 2020–2021 school year, Head of School Macon Finley opened with “Dear Ellis Family.” She had this to say about her choice of words: “I typically address my letters to you as ‘Ellis Families’, but today I’m writing to you as the Ellis Family for a reason. The last months have required a lot of all of us as individuals, and I’ve been so impressed by the stories many have shared with me about how they have weathered this unprecedented time. Most of those stories have involved reliance on families—small or large, nuclear or extended, related by blood or bonded by friendships. When we function well as families, we stick together during challenging times; we stay committed to each other even when we see things differently; we watch out for each other; we think as much or more about the needs of others in our family as we do about our own. And we laugh and play together, celebrate our successes together, and learn and grow together.”
As we reflect on the 2020–2021 school year, the Ellis family endured quite a bit. There was indeed plenty of learning, laughter, and play, and, most notably, lots of growth as students and their families, teachers, and all who care for The Ellis School were asked to adapt, change, and pivot in response to everchanging circumstances.
A Strong Foundation
The intense flexibility and adaptation required to not only survive but continue to thrive as a school community throughout the pandemic would not have been possible without the strategic thinking we did together as a community leading up to it. A number of advances in recent years positioned the School well for what was to come.
The launch of the Ellis on the Move strategic plan with its five priorities—enhance and enrich the visionary program, recruit and retain a vibrant student body, build an exemplary school climate, support facilities that enhance the program, and ensure long-term financial health—provided a strong foundation to sustain and move Ellis along a path of continuous innovation and excellence. Two initiatives in particular—the implementation of Tailored Tuition and a revamped recruitment strategy—allowed the School to meet the evolving needs of current families and reach new ones this past year.
Launched prior to the pandemic, Tailored Tuition granted families a more individualized approach to tuition. This new approach was pivotal to the School’s ability to meet its goal that no student needed to leave Ellis because of changes in their family’s financial circumstances caused by COVID-19. In addition, Ellis’ Enrollment Management Team also had to reimagine on-campus tours, Open Houses, and events to reach new students and families. They implemented weekly showcases for prospective Middle and Upper School students that included real-time insights from the Touring Tigers, Ellis’ student ambassador program, and held numerous virtual events on everything from kindergarten readiness to equity and inclusion to spotlight the dynamic Ellis experiences across divisions.
To support the School’s strategic priority of recruiting and retaining a vibrant student body, Ellis also launched a new promotional campaign, SHAKE THE WORLD, to celebrate our multifaceted student body and to raise awareness within the region. In November, 39 students participated in a tandem photo and video shoot on campus, and stand-alone profiles have been released on a rolling basis since the start of the new year. This hard work behind the scenes paid off—applications were up 20% this year and Ellis will enroll over 75 new students next year.
Bravely Reopening Campus
One of the great accomplishments of the 2020–2021 school year was that throughout almost the entirety of the year, the vast majority of Ellis students were able to gather on campus for in-person learning together—something that not many schools across America were able to do. In order to reopen and safely return to in-person learning, all members of the community—students, families, faculty, and staff— were asked to commit to three shared expectations:
Another way that Ellis supported students as they transitioned from remote to on-campus learning was through small-group workshops led by School Counselor Karen Boyer. Ms. Boyer hosted sessions on Zoom that focused on managing stress and anxiety related to school and COVID-19. She emphasized that certain levels of stress are normal and that there are many ways students can manage anxiety and the unknown in a healthy way.
“Beginning the year with that kind of dialogue was so important. One of the key forms of coping is through social connection, and once school was back in session, there were a lot of opportunities for students to share their feelings with one another,” said Ms. Boyer. “We employed different strategies to remind the kids that this was temporary and that the skills they’re learning now will be in their arsenal to call upon for the rest of their lives.”
Undoubtedly, teaching remote and in-person students simultaneously, with masks and social distancing, was a huge ask of the faculty, staff, students, and their families. But Ellis’ four guiding pillars for what every Ellis student should take away after their time at the School—being committed and ready to make a positive mark on the world; having great confidence and a strong voice; being caring, open, and authentic; and having deep intellectual vibrancy and power—acted as bright beacons as students navigated an unpredictable year.
New Opportunities and Shifting Possibilities
Ellis faculty joined educators around the world this year in learning how to teach in new ways, including working with both remote and in-person students concurrently. Even Ellis’ veteran teachers sometimes felt like they were starting from scratch as they looked at their courses with fresh eyes, but they approached every challenge with innovation and creativity. Lifelong learners themselves, Ellis faculty demonstrated their commitment to developing the next generation of risk takers and trailblazers more than ever.
“This was my 25th year of teaching, but in many ways, it felt like my first year,” said Grade 8 Dean and Teacher Shannon Rohr. “We utilized new tools and learned right alongside our students, modeling that together we can do hard things. There was a lot of value in the girls seeing us think on our feet, make mistakes, and try again.”
Throughout the transition from remote to hybrid learning, Lauren Laschon, former Upper School Division Head, was there to remind the community that Ellisians are united by much more than just a physical campus. After seven years leading the Upper School, Ms. Laschon transitioned into a new role, adding an additional title alongside Assistant Head of School: Director of Teaching and Learning. This positioned her to support Ellis’s teachers as opportunities to innovate the learning process unfolded.
While much of the attention was focused on new ways of teaching amidst a global pandemic, Ellis faculty continued to examine the School’s curriculum this school year. Beginning in 2018, Ellis implemented a rotating curricular review process for each department so that faculty can closely examine their curriculum at least once every seven years. Throughout this process, each department identifies key issues, reviews their scope and sequence, and examines classroom content through a culturally responsive framework. In doing so, they determine their strengths and opportunities as well as create an action plan for the years ahead. This year, the English department concluded this process together, with the mathematics and history departments launching their research in the next six months.
In the Middle School, English teachers are now offering more choices to students beginning with the fifth grade summer reading. Instead of reading one book as a class, students are now given the option of selecting one of five different novels to read. The new offerings are written by diverse authors and feature a wide range of plucky protagonists and cultural themes, speaking to the importance of representation and inclusion. This fresh take on the summer reading assignment allows students to relate to stories and characters that mirror their own lives, identities, and/ or interests.
“I find the girls are more invested in what they're reading because many of them can personally identify with the novels,” said Amy Sidari, Grade 5 Dean and Teacher. New assignments and texts have also been welcome additions in grades 6, 7, and 8. Natalie Dixon Bell, English and History Teacher, introduced the novel Refugee by Alan Gratz and implemented a variety of innovative assignments for students to present their understanding of the novels they read. For grades 7 and 8, English Teacher Amy Rigsby introduced multiple new texts and refreshed the summer reading assignments. Through class discussion, written reflections, response journals, and cooperative learning, Middle School students are encouraged to examine their individual responses as readers and to explore the influences of social norms on their reading. In the Upper School, the curricular review brought about structural changes as well as academic ones. The ninth grade English class that was previously Western Literature is now World Literature 1. And while Gina Kilpela, English and Academic Support Teacher, did not change the novels students read as part of that course, she did reframe the discussions from a cultural reference and storytelling standpoint. Now, as her students read The Odyssey by Homer, they read it alongside excerpts from Circe by Madeline Miller to garner a female-driven point of view of the Greek epic.
“The focus has been on teaching this classic text with a new perspective. We’re examining the female stereotypes depicted in The Odyssey and considering the weight they hold with a man as the storyteller,” shared Ms. Kilpela. “I’ve been asking my students to consider who is telling the story and if the depictions of women ring true to them. It’s interesting to discuss how easy it can be for readers to consume these concepts without questioning them.”
Across the Upper School, English faculty diversified their assignments to maximize student engagement and invite student perspective. In addition to writing argumentative essays, students delivered oral presentations, penned creative fiction, and shared personal literary analysis and criticism. “Our students are being challenged to think about how the literature they read plays a role in their lives,” shared Dr. Anna Redcay, English Department Chair and Upper School English Teacher. “How is a 100-year-old novel like The Great Gatsby still offering metaphors or motifs that underpin our society’s current ideas about class, race, and gender? Through assignments and discussion, we encourage students to examine their own identities and cultural influences and consider how their experiences—including their experiences of literature—have uniquely shaped them and their thoughts on the world.”
The Process of Iterating and Evolving
One of the advantages of experiencing a challenging situation is that it presents an opportunity for creativity. And while the visual and performing arts are known for their inherent creativity, this year saw those teachers and their students really push the envelope of ingenuity.
The visual arts faculty kicked off the year rethinking the tools and materials that go into a student's “art kit.” Students across divisions were given different art kits to use at home, along with a tangible list of supplies to bring to each class if they were learning on campus. And while the kits proved to be handy, faculty noticed that it was the intangible items in their students’ toolkits that made the biggest difference. It wasn’t paint, pencils, or paper—it was the students’ positive attitudes, their quick-to-collaborate mindsets, and their ability to problem-solve creatively that made an impact and allowed them to strengthen their skills as artists.
“Sometimes creative problem-solving does not involve solving problems at all but teaches us to embrace ambiguity and collaboration,” shared Linda Tonetti Dugan, Visual Arts Department Chair. “When a student comes to a crossroad or is afraid of ‘messing up,’ our visual arts teachers gently remind them to let go and to take action as they develop confidence and faith in their creative process. In doing so, Ellis student artists came to know the power of believing in themselves and the power of supporting one another in a community. Ellis artists of all ages were challenged to trust the creative process and break things down, step by step, this year.”
By recognizing the value in taking risks to test their limits, Ellis artists grew in ways they didn’t think possible. Students across divisions partnered with the #notwhite Collective (NWC), an artist collective composed of 13 local women of color (including Ellis alumna Veronica CORPUZ ’92), who create artwork about a range of topics such as identity, power, and belonging to the global majority. In collaboration with NWC, students explored the theme of identity and learned from artists of color in age-appropriate ways. In the Lower School, students created ancestral tribute collages that encouraged them to explore their identities and family histories. For Middle School students, their work focused on gaining a greater understanding of each other’s differences by getting to know one another’s cultures and traditions. Calling upon their burgeoning digital media skills, students produced videos, drawings, and artworks to tell a story about their identity, interests, or culture. In the Upper School, the NWC partnered with students in Integrated Studies classes. NWC artists spoke about their backgrounds and experiences, the tools they use to communicate visually, and how they use art as a tool for advocacy. Students then generated questions about identity, representation, storytelling, and the relationship between art and research.
This unique partnership modeled the importance of collaboration, self-reflection, and communication in the art studio and beyond. As the artists challenged students to unearth their own narratives and passions through visual storytelling, Ellis students expressed themselves in new ways as they asked questions, considered the stories they wanted to share, and explored their identities creatively through art.
The pandemic also immensely changed the landscape of performing arts. Students and teachers forged new terrain to cultivate a sense of confidence and student voice like never before. Ellis musicians and thespians banded together as they reimagined concerts and performances. Glee Club and choir members took up residence on the patio outside of Alumnae Hall for choral practice; the Ellis Orchestra rehearsed (in custom-made masks designed for musicians) as an ensemble from the green space next to the faculty parking lot on Fifth Avenue; and the casts of Ellis productions rehearsed, staged, and recorded their shows with masking and social distancing guidelines in place. Together with their teachers, Ellis students managed the restrictions by learning on the fly, adapting as best they could, and refining their skills over time.
“Ellis students jumped on board and exceeded our wildest expectations this year with their drive and determination to make art,” shared Elisa Hill, Performing Arts Department Chair. “Students joined their teachers on a journey as they innovated and tried non-conventional things, assessed their effectiveness, collaborated on solutions, and then tried and tried again. Students rose above atypical circumstances as they advocated for themselves, and gained confidence that can only be found when you record yourself for the seventeenth time while staring at a computer screen, or while learning movement combinations from your living room while your family looks on as they pass by.”
While the world of remote and socially-distant rehearsals and performances could be a frustrating place, the impressive final productions were proof that, no matter the circumstances, the show must go on.
A Community Triumph
Whether it was the field hockey team toughing out humid fall weather in masks on the athletic field, fourth graders leading the rest of their division in a Lower School musical unlike any other, or Division Heads pulling countless late nights and early mornings to ensure that school could operate smoothly in new and different ways, this year tested the Ellis family in a multitude of ways.
“This past year asked much of all of us, and we rode through it together with great success by continuing to practice patience, flexibility and kindness, and by allowing each other grace,” said Ms. Finley. “My greatest hope is that our students' memories of this year will be filled with moments of great learning, both about the academic content and skills that infuse our program, but also about how a caring community comes together in challenging times.”
Throughout it all, Ellis students continued to think deeply in their classes, to engage in meaningful work and conversations with each other and their teachers, to play hard on the athletic fields, to laugh on the playground, to perform with great abandon in their reimagined plays and concerts, to make lovely art in our studios, and to care deeply about each other. Given the School’s emphasis on growing strong and confident children and young adults, witnessing Ellis students of all ages rise to the occasion this year was a true inspiration that would make any member of the Ellis family, past or present, proud.
Back
In her first school-wide communication of the 2020–2021 school year, Head of School Macon Finley opened with “Dear Ellis Family.” She had this to say about her choice of words: “I typically address my letters to you as ‘Ellis Families’, but today I’m writing to you as the Ellis Family for a reason. The last months have required a lot of all of us as individuals, and I’ve been so impressed by the stories many have shared with me about how they have weathered this unprecedented time. Most of those stories have involved reliance on families—small or large, nuclear or extended, related by blood or bonded by friendships. When we function well as families, we stick together during challenging times; we stay committed to each other even when we see things differently; we watch out for each other; we think as much or more about the needs of others in our family as we do about our own. And we laugh and play together, celebrate our successes together, and learn and grow together.”
As we reflect on the 2020–2021 school year, the Ellis family endured quite a bit. There was indeed plenty of learning, laughter, and play, and, most notably, lots of growth as students and their families, teachers, and all who care for The Ellis School were asked to adapt, change, and pivot in response to everchanging circumstances.
A Strong Foundation
The intense flexibility and adaptation required to not only survive but continue to thrive as a school community throughout the pandemic would not have been possible without the strategic thinking we did together as a community leading up to it. A number of advances in recent years positioned the School well for what was to come.
The launch of the Ellis on the Move strategic plan with its five priorities—enhance and enrich the visionary program, recruit and retain a vibrant student body, build an exemplary school climate, support facilities that enhance the program, and ensure long-term financial health—provided a strong foundation to sustain and move Ellis along a path of continuous innovation and excellence. Two initiatives in particular—the implementation of Tailored Tuition and a revamped recruitment strategy—allowed the School to meet the evolving needs of current families and reach new ones this past year.
Launched prior to the pandemic, Tailored Tuition granted families a more individualized approach to tuition. This new approach was pivotal to the School’s ability to meet its goal that no student needed to leave Ellis because of changes in their family’s financial circumstances caused by COVID-19. In addition, Ellis’ Enrollment Management Team also had to reimagine on-campus tours, Open Houses, and events to reach new students and families. They implemented weekly showcases for prospective Middle and Upper School students that included real-time insights from the Touring Tigers, Ellis’ student ambassador program, and held numerous virtual events on everything from kindergarten readiness to equity and inclusion to spotlight the dynamic Ellis experiences across divisions.
To support the School’s strategic priority of recruiting and retaining a vibrant student body, Ellis also launched a new promotional campaign, SHAKE THE WORLD, to celebrate our multifaceted student body and to raise awareness within the region. In November, 39 students participated in a tandem photo and video shoot on campus, and stand-alone profiles have been released on a rolling basis since the start of the new year. This hard work behind the scenes paid off—applications were up 20% this year and Ellis will enroll over 75 new students next year.
Bravely Reopening Campus
One of the great accomplishments of the 2020–2021 school year was that throughout almost the entirety of the year, the vast majority of Ellis students were able to gather on campus for in-person learning together—something that not many schools across America were able to do. In order to reopen and safely return to in-person learning, all members of the community—students, families, faculty, and staff— were asked to commit to three shared expectations:
- Each person had a responsibility to others in the community to adhere fully to the School’s health protocols and guidelines— staying healthy and safe required a shared community effort.
- Each person was asked to stay flexible as we responded as a school community to an unpredictable year. The School was prepared to shift to a fully remote mode of teaching and learning if needed at any point, and families were asked to be ready for that possibility.
- Each person was asked to acknowledge, and accept, that school would look different this year as we all weathered the pandemic.
Another way that Ellis supported students as they transitioned from remote to on-campus learning was through small-group workshops led by School Counselor Karen Boyer. Ms. Boyer hosted sessions on Zoom that focused on managing stress and anxiety related to school and COVID-19. She emphasized that certain levels of stress are normal and that there are many ways students can manage anxiety and the unknown in a healthy way.
“Beginning the year with that kind of dialogue was so important. One of the key forms of coping is through social connection, and once school was back in session, there were a lot of opportunities for students to share their feelings with one another,” said Ms. Boyer. “We employed different strategies to remind the kids that this was temporary and that the skills they’re learning now will be in their arsenal to call upon for the rest of their lives.”
Undoubtedly, teaching remote and in-person students simultaneously, with masks and social distancing, was a huge ask of the faculty, staff, students, and their families. But Ellis’ four guiding pillars for what every Ellis student should take away after their time at the School—being committed and ready to make a positive mark on the world; having great confidence and a strong voice; being caring, open, and authentic; and having deep intellectual vibrancy and power—acted as bright beacons as students navigated an unpredictable year.
New Opportunities and Shifting Possibilities
Ellis faculty joined educators around the world this year in learning how to teach in new ways, including working with both remote and in-person students concurrently. Even Ellis’ veteran teachers sometimes felt like they were starting from scratch as they looked at their courses with fresh eyes, but they approached every challenge with innovation and creativity. Lifelong learners themselves, Ellis faculty demonstrated their commitment to developing the next generation of risk takers and trailblazers more than ever.
“This was my 25th year of teaching, but in many ways, it felt like my first year,” said Grade 8 Dean and Teacher Shannon Rohr. “We utilized new tools and learned right alongside our students, modeling that together we can do hard things. There was a lot of value in the girls seeing us think on our feet, make mistakes, and try again.”
Throughout the transition from remote to hybrid learning, Lauren Laschon, former Upper School Division Head, was there to remind the community that Ellisians are united by much more than just a physical campus. After seven years leading the Upper School, Ms. Laschon transitioned into a new role, adding an additional title alongside Assistant Head of School: Director of Teaching and Learning. This positioned her to support Ellis’s teachers as opportunities to innovate the learning process unfolded.
While much of the attention was focused on new ways of teaching amidst a global pandemic, Ellis faculty continued to examine the School’s curriculum this school year. Beginning in 2018, Ellis implemented a rotating curricular review process for each department so that faculty can closely examine their curriculum at least once every seven years. Throughout this process, each department identifies key issues, reviews their scope and sequence, and examines classroom content through a culturally responsive framework. In doing so, they determine their strengths and opportunities as well as create an action plan for the years ahead. This year, the English department concluded this process together, with the mathematics and history departments launching their research in the next six months.
In the Middle School, English teachers are now offering more choices to students beginning with the fifth grade summer reading. Instead of reading one book as a class, students are now given the option of selecting one of five different novels to read. The new offerings are written by diverse authors and feature a wide range of plucky protagonists and cultural themes, speaking to the importance of representation and inclusion. This fresh take on the summer reading assignment allows students to relate to stories and characters that mirror their own lives, identities, and/ or interests.
“I find the girls are more invested in what they're reading because many of them can personally identify with the novels,” said Amy Sidari, Grade 5 Dean and Teacher. New assignments and texts have also been welcome additions in grades 6, 7, and 8. Natalie Dixon Bell, English and History Teacher, introduced the novel Refugee by Alan Gratz and implemented a variety of innovative assignments for students to present their understanding of the novels they read. For grades 7 and 8, English Teacher Amy Rigsby introduced multiple new texts and refreshed the summer reading assignments. Through class discussion, written reflections, response journals, and cooperative learning, Middle School students are encouraged to examine their individual responses as readers and to explore the influences of social norms on their reading. In the Upper School, the curricular review brought about structural changes as well as academic ones. The ninth grade English class that was previously Western Literature is now World Literature 1. And while Gina Kilpela, English and Academic Support Teacher, did not change the novels students read as part of that course, she did reframe the discussions from a cultural reference and storytelling standpoint. Now, as her students read The Odyssey by Homer, they read it alongside excerpts from Circe by Madeline Miller to garner a female-driven point of view of the Greek epic.
“The focus has been on teaching this classic text with a new perspective. We’re examining the female stereotypes depicted in The Odyssey and considering the weight they hold with a man as the storyteller,” shared Ms. Kilpela. “I’ve been asking my students to consider who is telling the story and if the depictions of women ring true to them. It’s interesting to discuss how easy it can be for readers to consume these concepts without questioning them.”
Across the Upper School, English faculty diversified their assignments to maximize student engagement and invite student perspective. In addition to writing argumentative essays, students delivered oral presentations, penned creative fiction, and shared personal literary analysis and criticism. “Our students are being challenged to think about how the literature they read plays a role in their lives,” shared Dr. Anna Redcay, English Department Chair and Upper School English Teacher. “How is a 100-year-old novel like The Great Gatsby still offering metaphors or motifs that underpin our society’s current ideas about class, race, and gender? Through assignments and discussion, we encourage students to examine their own identities and cultural influences and consider how their experiences—including their experiences of literature—have uniquely shaped them and their thoughts on the world.”
The Process of Iterating and Evolving
One of the advantages of experiencing a challenging situation is that it presents an opportunity for creativity. And while the visual and performing arts are known for their inherent creativity, this year saw those teachers and their students really push the envelope of ingenuity.
The visual arts faculty kicked off the year rethinking the tools and materials that go into a student's “art kit.” Students across divisions were given different art kits to use at home, along with a tangible list of supplies to bring to each class if they were learning on campus. And while the kits proved to be handy, faculty noticed that it was the intangible items in their students’ toolkits that made the biggest difference. It wasn’t paint, pencils, or paper—it was the students’ positive attitudes, their quick-to-collaborate mindsets, and their ability to problem-solve creatively that made an impact and allowed them to strengthen their skills as artists.
“Sometimes creative problem-solving does not involve solving problems at all but teaches us to embrace ambiguity and collaboration,” shared Linda Tonetti Dugan, Visual Arts Department Chair. “When a student comes to a crossroad or is afraid of ‘messing up,’ our visual arts teachers gently remind them to let go and to take action as they develop confidence and faith in their creative process. In doing so, Ellis student artists came to know the power of believing in themselves and the power of supporting one another in a community. Ellis artists of all ages were challenged to trust the creative process and break things down, step by step, this year.”
By recognizing the value in taking risks to test their limits, Ellis artists grew in ways they didn’t think possible. Students across divisions partnered with the #notwhite Collective (NWC), an artist collective composed of 13 local women of color (including Ellis alumna Veronica CORPUZ ’92), who create artwork about a range of topics such as identity, power, and belonging to the global majority. In collaboration with NWC, students explored the theme of identity and learned from artists of color in age-appropriate ways. In the Lower School, students created ancestral tribute collages that encouraged them to explore their identities and family histories. For Middle School students, their work focused on gaining a greater understanding of each other’s differences by getting to know one another’s cultures and traditions. Calling upon their burgeoning digital media skills, students produced videos, drawings, and artworks to tell a story about their identity, interests, or culture. In the Upper School, the NWC partnered with students in Integrated Studies classes. NWC artists spoke about their backgrounds and experiences, the tools they use to communicate visually, and how they use art as a tool for advocacy. Students then generated questions about identity, representation, storytelling, and the relationship between art and research.
This unique partnership modeled the importance of collaboration, self-reflection, and communication in the art studio and beyond. As the artists challenged students to unearth their own narratives and passions through visual storytelling, Ellis students expressed themselves in new ways as they asked questions, considered the stories they wanted to share, and explored their identities creatively through art.
The pandemic also immensely changed the landscape of performing arts. Students and teachers forged new terrain to cultivate a sense of confidence and student voice like never before. Ellis musicians and thespians banded together as they reimagined concerts and performances. Glee Club and choir members took up residence on the patio outside of Alumnae Hall for choral practice; the Ellis Orchestra rehearsed (in custom-made masks designed for musicians) as an ensemble from the green space next to the faculty parking lot on Fifth Avenue; and the casts of Ellis productions rehearsed, staged, and recorded their shows with masking and social distancing guidelines in place. Together with their teachers, Ellis students managed the restrictions by learning on the fly, adapting as best they could, and refining their skills over time.
“Ellis students jumped on board and exceeded our wildest expectations this year with their drive and determination to make art,” shared Elisa Hill, Performing Arts Department Chair. “Students joined their teachers on a journey as they innovated and tried non-conventional things, assessed their effectiveness, collaborated on solutions, and then tried and tried again. Students rose above atypical circumstances as they advocated for themselves, and gained confidence that can only be found when you record yourself for the seventeenth time while staring at a computer screen, or while learning movement combinations from your living room while your family looks on as they pass by.”
While the world of remote and socially-distant rehearsals and performances could be a frustrating place, the impressive final productions were proof that, no matter the circumstances, the show must go on.
A Community Triumph
Whether it was the field hockey team toughing out humid fall weather in masks on the athletic field, fourth graders leading the rest of their division in a Lower School musical unlike any other, or Division Heads pulling countless late nights and early mornings to ensure that school could operate smoothly in new and different ways, this year tested the Ellis family in a multitude of ways.
“This past year asked much of all of us, and we rode through it together with great success by continuing to practice patience, flexibility and kindness, and by allowing each other grace,” said Ms. Finley. “My greatest hope is that our students' memories of this year will be filled with moments of great learning, both about the academic content and skills that infuse our program, but also about how a caring community comes together in challenging times.”
Throughout it all, Ellis students continued to think deeply in their classes, to engage in meaningful work and conversations with each other and their teachers, to play hard on the athletic fields, to laugh on the playground, to perform with great abandon in their reimagined plays and concerts, to make lovely art in our studios, and to care deeply about each other. Given the School’s emphasis on growing strong and confident children and young adults, witnessing Ellis students of all ages rise to the occasion this year was a true inspiration that would make any member of the Ellis family, past or present, proud.
