CAPTAIN'S CORNER

Dear St. Margaret's friends and families,

If you were on the East Coast during Hurricane Isabel, you'll remember the cool, sunny, bright blue day that greeted us when we awoke after our terrifying night. The familiar saying talks about the calm before the storm, but I think there is another kind of calm after the storm. This second calm grows from acceptance and appreciation, accepting that God's forces are stronger than our own, and appreciating that we came through as well as we did and that we'll have more opportunities to show our appreciation within the context of our chosen ways of life.

How did this play out in the life of our school? Administrators resumed their planning, which included debriefing our implementation of the school's emergency plan along with looking ahead to both campus clean-up and next steps. Teachers returned to the classroom grateful for a regular schedule. Students settled into the structure they know and count on. Parents kept their plans to visit campus for Fall Family Weekend. Our Board of Governors endorsed ambitious new initiatives. And we did all this with a renewed appreciation for how precious these opportunities are. Here in Essex County, 18 families lost their homes and the county recorded $22 million in damages. This is not a figure you can see as you drive down Water Lane, where all trees that fell missed houses, but it is one we will live with as the clean-up continues. It will be a long time before the 239 lost docks are replaced along the Rappahannock River.

As you can see from the photos and articles in this issue of River Views, Fall Family Weekend, just two weeks after the hurricane, provided more sunny days for our Board of Governors, parents, alumnae, and school community. This weekend is a highlight of the year because it brings all those who care for our school together and adds essential perspectives to our work. We appreciated the fun of sports events, oysters, music, and shopping; the power of partnerships in parent conferences, a Board of Governors/Parent Council dinner, Peer Leader presentations to the Board's School Program Committee, the new Parent Council reception, and the Honor Book signing; and the depth of commitment to our school evidenced by strong attendance and contributions to this year's Annual Fund.

And, as I watch us all settle back into our own routines, another familiar quotation comes to mind, "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Sincerely,
Margaret R. Broad,
Head of School

COMPASS POINTS

30 - Registrations due for France/Spain trip

31 - Sophomore Halloween

1 - SATs

14-16 - Closed weekend

16 - St. Margaret's Day observation

18-22 - First trimester exams

22 - Thanksgiving travel after 2 p.m.

1 - Boarders return by 7 p.m.