From your midtown campus principal, Rhonda Jones
Greetings Rhetoric Parents! I have an eccentric habit of spontaneously ordering books on a whim as I move through my days. Once a book arrives the content is often very different than the presupposition I dreamt up in my head during the 30 seconds when I pondered and purchased the book. Recently this very pattern played out when I purchased The Good, the True, and the Beautiful, which embodies a compilation of writers providing essays on the Good, the True, and the Beautiful. While I am once again surprised by the content, as it doesn’t necessarily align with my presupposition, I am enjoying the essays in this text and want to share the below excerpt written by James Jones.
“The Good is all that God has made: “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). The Good is all God’s creation. The True is the one who came from above into the world full of grace and truth. His name is Jesus, and he declared himself to be the Truth. Here was the truest human being ever to walk the face of the earth. The Beautiful are those who express by any means possible – by art, by music, by song, by poetry, by sculpture, by painting, by drama, by dance, by body, by voice, by hands, and even by feet. Yes, according to the prophet Isaiah, even by feet, the Beautiful are those who assume peace, who bring good news, who announce salvation, who proclaim, “your God reigns (Isa. 52:7).”
This week Mrs. Vishanoff emailed a homework survey to all of you. I invite you to view the exercise of filling out this survey with your son or daughter as an act that informs the greater good. In order for my staff to successfully usher your students into a daily dance with the Good, the True, and the Beautiful, we need to assess homework practices. Homework is a double edged tool; it has the ability to hone what happens in the classroom and shape affections with deep internalization or cut through classroom experiences with a sharpness that jaggedly distorts the True, the Good, and the Beautiful conversations occurring during the day. Please help inform our perspectives about your student’s experience. Survey content will truly help inform how our pedagogy and format afford rich opportunities to experience good, true, and beautiful educational encounters.
Upcoming Lyceum Guest Speakers:
1) November 12th – Academy Father, James Wickersham will lead a discussion on the Reformation from a Catholic perspective. This date may change due to our South Rising to Rhetoric Day. We will reschedule this event and reflect it in the weekly parent notes when confirmed.
2) November 19th – Academy Father, Reverend Ben Janssen will lead a discussion on the Reformation from a Protestant perspective.
Visitor Entrance Instructions: If you visit the school during the school day please use one of the two entrance doors under the large, white portico on the North side of the building. The far East door under the portico will lead to stairs. Signage will lead you to the 2nd floor and you will come out directly in front of the school office. The West door under the portico leads to an elevator, which you will take to the 2nd floor. This will also lead you to the school office. Both doors have a keypad and will open with your parent/student code.
On October 23rd we will also have no school. This day is set aside for staff training and development.
A Few Logistics
October 22nd Rhetoric Halloween Event – This is such a fun Rhetoric tradition, loved by staff and students alike! Parents, you are welcome to contribute by donating pastries or candy. Please let Mrs. Rankin know via email if you plan to send a treat for our students. Students are expected to wear costumes that aligns with uniform modesty guidelines. Specifics are below to help eliminate confusion.
Upcoming Calendar Events
