Finding the Magic in Middle School
Parents & teachers, this is your guide to making middle school awesome.
“A must-read for anyone who has a tween or works with tweens. It will be permanent on my bookshelf.”
Writing
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Growing Wiser Newsletter
My newsletter explores how we can raise wise, capable, and loving adolescents. I love exploring all the aspects here, from our relationship with time, to how schools can reimagine the role of teachers in service of this goal.
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Put Wellness at the Center
If I could recommend one single change that would improve our schools dramatically, it would be this: build high-quality advisory programs for everyone. I mean everyone: learners AND adults. Read more in this article published by Education Reimagined.
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A Review of Wayfinder
We adults tend to dwell on all that can go wrong in the middle school years. But new SEL curricula, Wayfinder’s among them, reminds me of how much can go right if support is there. Read my review of their curriculum here.
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The Enduring Power of Rituals
In these times of high anxiety and tremendous change, routines and rituals offer stability and structure. This is especially true for teens, for whom so much is changing. Rituals usher in transformative moments. Read more in this article co-written with Roberto d’Erizans.
Leadership
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Hakuba International School
Chris serves as Founding Principal of Hakuba International School, a boarding middle and high school situated in the Japanese Alps. HIS is both a lab school and a future teacher training center, oriented around innovative learning techniques and environmental stewardship.
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Argonaut
Argonaut is an online advisory program for middle schoolers from around the world, offering a safe space for students to discover their strengths, explore their identity, and find ways to contribute to the world. Chris is Founder and Lead Facilitator of Argonaut.
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Advisory Facilitation Training
Each summer, Chris co-leads the SEL Advisory Facilitation training in San Francisco. It’s a two-day deep dive into the skills to be an excellent advisory facilitator, followed by 5 months of implementation coaching. The training is open to teachers at the middle and high school levels.
Past Projects
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Millennium School
Chris was Co-Founder and founding Head of School at Millennium School, a lab school in San Francisco, California. Millennium’s vision is to re-imagine middle school, and the school has become known for innovative and effective learning designs.
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Spark
Spark is a US nonprofit creating apprenticeship-based learning opportunities for thousands of middle school students around the country. Spark’s vision is to help middle school students understand, experience, and pursue what’s possible for their futures. Chris was Co-Founder and CEO of Spark from 2005-2013.