Welcome Aboard: A New Year Begins at Sturgis

A lot transpires in the first month of school at Sturgis, especially between Convocation and Open House. We wish to share some of the highlights, including some of the remarks made at Convocation by East Principal Patrick O’Kane and West Principal Jenn Kirk. You will also find a description of freshman orientation at Camp Burgess, Sturgis maritime traditions including the story of William Sturgis and signing the Sturgis Logbook at  Aselton Park.

Convocation

This fall, Sturgis convenes for its 26th year. We are dedicated to our mission of providing an ‘International Baccalaureate (IB) for All’ philosophy, preparing high school students for higher education in a supportive learning environment encouraging academic achievement, intellectual confidence, and personal growth.

Over these years, we have found that a lot of our new students and parents have heard about Sturgis and have an appreciation for the school, our culture and our community.  Some, but not all, have heard of the IB, but many have not – which is expected. So as a result we want to show you, perhaps for the first time, the IB mission statement. The IB is at the center of what we do.  So, as you begin your Sturgis journey, it seems appropriate to also share the IB mission statement:

All of you will learn much more about the IB – and what an IB for All education entails – in the coming years. Students, you will hear from peers and older students.  Parents, we will provide several opportunities to learn more about the program during your child’s 10th grade year.  

But for now, you are probably more focused on the next few days and weeks.  You may have a few questions running through your mind – What does it feel like to be a Sturgis student?  What is so special about this community? Those of you who were able to attend our student run new student orientation on Saturday may have already gotten a glimpse of this.

As we come together tonight I’d like to continue our tradition of identifying what we see as six key beliefs that help to define and strengthen our school culture, beliefs that are shared amongst all members of our community and contribute to remarkable student growth.

These are some of the key beliefs that we believe help us to build such a strong and vibrant school culture:

Mutual respect

• Mutual respect – visitors to Sturgis have noticed that faculty and students, students and students,  faculty and faculty communicate with each other with appreciation and respect and that is the baseline. We have an ethos where acceptance, careful listening and discussion of ideas in a respectful way is what is expected of all of us. Our teachers, counselors, and school leaders will do their utmost to foster mutual respect in the classroom and hallways. 

Adults teach YOU, not stuff.

• We believe in the importance of building caring and nurturing relationships with our students combined with having high expectations.

• To our students - All of the adults sitting here  are here to help you grow. They know that helping to teach you how to learn is just as important as what you learn.  They will seek to find and emphasize what you know rather than what you don’t. 

Your maximum potential

• We purposely do not have honor rolls, class rank, weighted grade point averages, National Honor Society, valedictorians or salutatorians.  We would much rather help you to strive for your individual maximum potential–not how you rank against the student next to you. At Sturgis we believe success is individual to each one of you.  We believe that all students can be challenged by rigorous work and that this will help you stretch and grow. 

That you run, not what you run

• We often talk about the marathon analogy - You are training for and running a metaphorical IB marathon. We believe that the journey alone - not the statistics that you accumulate - will transform you as a student and a person.  The habits, mindsets, and skills that you acquire over the next few years are far more important than any test score you might achieve on a given day in May 3 or 4 years from now.

Importance of being humble

• I think you will find that our teachers and the Sturgis staff are extraordinarily knowledgeable, but they are not the type to be showy with that strength. Quite the opposite: our most knowledgeable colleagues are also the most humble. I hope you learn by their example.

Questions matter more than answers

Our hope is that you grow in your ability to thoughtfully and skillfully question the world around you so that you can live a rich and fulfilling life and help to improve the world around you. Questions are the heart and soul of learning. Listen for others’ questions and be courageous in asking your own.

Those are 6 beliefs to reflect upon as you enter Sturgis. 

They are certainly not the only mantras/sayings that you will encounter.  Just understand that you are entering a unique place–a place where we also 

• we respect one another’s similarities and differences, 

• and where asking for help is a sign of strength. 

We hope and anticipate that these beliefs will become evident in the work that you, your classmates, and your teachers do together every day.

Freshmen Orientation Activities:Team Building and Maritime Traditions

Since we have a wide range of towns on Cape Cod and off Cape from which our students come from, when freshmen first arrive on campus they are met with many unfamiliar faces. Every year in September, Sturgis freshman spend a day away from campus to attend a team building field trip at Camp Burgess in Sandwich. During the day, Camp Burgess leaders, grade 9 Sturgis teachers and freshmen break into small groups to participate in a variety of team building activities like problem-solving tasks designed to help group members learn how to work together effectively.  An important part of team building involves reflection and discussion about the activity, including how participants approached the situation and what they learned, while building trust, cooperation, and teamwork. Some of the goals for this day are: 

• Improving communication.

• Problem solving and conflict resolution.

• Re-energizing group members.

• Providing focus for developing group goals.

At the end of the day, Sturgis freshmen and Grade 9 teachers make their way from Camp Burgess to Aselton Park at Hyannis Harbor, the exact location where Sturgis Graduation takes place each June. Each campus Principal awaits them at a table displaying the Sturgis Log and Ship’s Bell. Once freshman are assembled on the lawn, the annual ceremony for new Sturgis students begins. They learn the history of William Sturgis, sign the Sturgis log book and ring the ship’s bell. Just as Sturgis signed on board at sixteen for his first voyage to China, Sturgis freshmen commit to the four-year challenge ahead by signing on for the voyage. During Sturgis graduation in the same location at Hyannis Harbor, seniors sign out next to their original signature in the ship’s log book signifying they completed the voyage.

Just as William Sturgis signed on board for his first voyage, students at Sturgis Charter Public School must commit themselves to the challenge ahead of them and “sign on for a term of duty. As each student accepts the responsibility of the four-year commitment they sign on the first line, signifying their request to board for a new voyage.  Upon completing the graduation requirements they “sign out” beside their original signature, signifying the voyage was completed.

Sturgis was 15 – about the age of incoming students when he began intensive study to further his career. Four years later, the same time required to complete high school, he achieved his goal to become the youngest captain in the American merchant fleet. Much can be accomplished in four years and each student’s goal can be achieved.