Kate Lane

Another cold week in the Nation’s Capital, although with the right clothing these sunny days can provide for a great opportunity to get outside and be active during this otherwise bleak time. With the absence of indoor activities, we’re embracing the winter months and organizing some fun events this weekend: skating on the canal this Saturday afternoon (link to pictures and more information in last week’s Weekly) and “sliding” aka sledding at a nearby hill on Sunday. Please encourage your children to take advantage and get off campus this weekend. A special mention to Lorena, pictured, who completed the full 7.8 km of the canal last weekend!

We had some fun birthday celebrations yesterday for Viviana and Deborah. While the Gillin kitchen and common areas are closed for food consumption, the girls could celebrate together in our dining hall.

The return to in-person learning was an important change this past week; re-establishing good habits – like showering and putting on a clean uniform, attending breakfast – before classes is an important step to enhanced learning experiences. And certainly being physically present with your classmates and teachers far outweighs the benefits of learning from the comforts of your dorm room. We are optimistic about this continuing through to the spring and hope to see co-curricular programming return, perhaps at a reduced level, at some point this term. In the meantime, the boarders are very lucky to have access to our two own skating rinks on campus, a curling rink that is being entered almost any outdoor gear they might require to enjoy an active lifestyle.