It’s my favorite season. The trees and streets of the West Village are covered in multicolored leaves, the stoops are lined with pumpkins, it’s chilly out, and the sky is blue as an orange, as Éluard would describe it. It’s the time of year for dressing up–for anyone who was wondering, last night I was channeling Bob Harris in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation. Last year, I wrote about the importance of play at school, and I was delighted to see the playfulness of our parents on display at the Halloween for Grown-Ups event–starting with Philippe and Laurence, who were magnificent as Mary Poppins and Bert the chimney sweep.

This evening, it will be our middle schoolers’ turn to dress up and dance, and I wouldn’t miss it for (almost) anything in the world. Thanks to Andria’s inability to say no, all 53 student volunteers (out of a total of 61 middle schoolers!) were accepted on the Halloween Dance Committee that worked to prepare this evening’s party. It’s a party with ecology and healthy eating at its heart: there will be very little single-use plastic, and the committee has steered clear of high sugar and hyper-processed food in its catering choices. It will also be a chance for us to see some of our most recent alumni–most of last year’s 8th graders have volunteered to chaperone tonight–an indication, among others, that time spent at The École is an unforgettable moment in our students’ lives. For the past week (it feels like longer), Andria and I have been listening to the playlist on repeat (Sabrina Carpenter is definitely popular at the moment!), making sure all the tracks the committee chose are middle-school-dance-appropriate. For those who’ve ever wondered what I do all week in my office, you now have some insight!

Festivities that New York does so well aside, this is also my favorite time of the year because it’s project season. And this year, the projects are more exciting than ever (I know you’re going to say I make the same declaration every year–but it’s true!) From the return of an old tradition with the 12-day China trip organized by Annie Huang to the (phone-free) 4th and 5th Grade Nature’s Classroom trip and the yet-to-be-announced sports competitions and much beloved intergrade projects, everything seems possible in the fall.

I’d like to linger a moment on the intergrade projects, which sum up our school spirit so well. Whether it’s this week’s 1st and 4th Grade Semaine du goût experience, or the 3rd and 6th Grade Contes collaboration, or the upcoming 2nd and 6th Grade geography partnership, these projects provide a framework for students of different ages to work together, to develop skills and talents outside of their classrooms, and to forge new friendships with other children at The École. These projects and the ones still to come are part of a broader reflection within our school, and I want to thank the teachers for all the planning and collaboration that have gone into making them happen. The Friendly Falcons, coordinated by Dara Herschenfeld and Katie Repman, provide the perfect platform for our new students to get to know continuing ones and to receive the warm The École welcome they deserve. The objective of the House system, now in its third year, is to create opportunities for children from all grade levels to meet up, work, and have fun together. Finally, our weekly Middle School assemblies stem from the same desire to break down age barriers and to build a lively, unique, and fulfilling Middle School for all our students–6th, 7th, and 8th graders alike.

A Middle School that will dress up and dance together tonight. Like parents, like children.