A Quiet Place to Rise and Shine

Letter from Our Head of School

While their parents work, faculty and staff children volunteer after school for grounds clean-up on campus supervised by Ms. Illar.

Dear WSP Families,

Next week on Friday, November 13, we will celebrate our annual Lantern Walk as part of Martinmas. The Lantern Walk is a simple, reverent event where students carry handmade lanterns along luminaria-lit paths. This year will be extra special as we will hold the event on WSP’s campus. This is also the first all community event we have hosted since March. Plans have been made with great care and consideration for our Health and Safety Plan and everyone's well-being.

The Lantern Walk, an expression of the festival of Martinmas, celebrates hope and kindness and being called to help others by bringing light in the world. As we walk in light, we hold a quiet space within ourselves. We are invited to ponder the unique talents and gifts which live within each of us that we can share with our family and with our community.

The festival of Martinmas grew out of the story of St. Martin which is about a young man who came upon another man who was cold and shivering in the night. Martin took off his cloak, tore it in two, laid half over the shivering man, and gave him his lantern so he would have warmth and light.

This year, we chose to pair the annual fund theme of ‘Rise and Shine’ with this festival as we have watched our community come together in so many ways to help one another through hard times. Our school has a history of fortitude which we carry with us always. We have come through many challenges already this year, and we know there will be more that lie before us in the months to come. May we spark the light within each of us, so we may collectively bring hope and kindness to our families, community, and world.

With warmth and light,

Kirsten Christopherson-Clark

Head of School