Monthly Letter from Head of School

Posted on December 4, 2017

December 4, 2017

Dear Members of the Manzano Day School Community,

Even though the calendar has turned to December, after the warmest November on record in Albuquerque, it is hard to know what to expect. While the warmer temperatures were great for golf, clearly we need some colder weather and snow for winter skiing and drought relief.

My phone calls and conversations with parents have been completed, and I want to reiterate the importance of effective communication between home and school. In general, we are more likely to be able to resolve issues with early awareness. Therefore, I encourage all of you to talk with us about your concerns and questions sooner rather than later. Our professional staff is passionate in its desire to work with families to find solutions. Please communicate with us whenever the need arises. Thank you.

The holiday season is a time of joy and reflection. As many of you know, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the feast and time with family and friends, and I also enjoy being surrounded by the positive feelings of gratitude that come with the day. I appreciate that, regardless of our backgrounds, wishing someone a “Happy Thanksgiving” is widely accepted as a well-intended message. However, as we approach winter holidays such as Hanukkah and Christmas, sometimes what to say is not so obvious. I often remind people that it is not so much what you say, but the intention behind it. Please know I will always accept a person’s sincere good wishes regardless of the words.

Over the last few days, I have had the pleasure of seeing our students perform in a variety of settings. Our chess team hosted a match on Thursday night, and on Friday night our jump rope team and Good Apple Singers had performances at the tree lighting in Old Town. They should all be proud of their accomplishments. Thank you for sharing your talented children with us.

This Wednesday, December 6, is a restaurant fundraiser at some of the nearby West Downtown restaurants. Specifically, Amore, Duran’s, Five Star, and Vinaigrette, will donate a portion of their food and beverage sales to MDSPA.  While we appreciate the benefit to MDSPA, this is more importantly an opportunity to support our neighborhood businesses that have struggled through the ART project. Please encourage your friends and family to participate and thank you in advance for supporting these West Downtown businesses.

There are fewer than two weeks before winter break. In the midst of the holiday season, I challenge all of us to find opportunities to perform random acts of kindness. We can all make the world a better place. Best wishes for the holidays, and if you are traveling, “May the wind always be at your back.”

Warmly,

Neal Piltch
Head of School