Dear SESO community, 

         I hope that this letter finds you all in good health and enjoying some quality time with your family and loved ones. Hopefully summer is a time for everyone to reconnect, explore, and recharge. Here at SESO, we have been working hard to prepare for the 2023-2024 academic year, including an upgrade of our school facilities. In addition to deep-cleaning and painting classrooms and common spaces, we are working to complete repairs under our FEMA grant. These include repaving the beltway and parking lots, resealing our buildings, roofs, repairing damaged fencing, as well as other action items. Thanks to the efforts of our Fundraising Committee and your support, the school’s cafetorium stage is in the process of being remodeled and will be ready for this upcoming semester.

         This year marks an important year for our school as we continue to celebrate our 50th year anniversary. We at SESO have worked hard to build a school community that is recognized for its academic excellence as well as its well-rounded students. We are happy to be adding new course offerings this year, such as AP Seminar for high school students, in addition to new courses in robotics and coding. We are working to update our technology curriculum to include not only computer literacy, but also robotics, coding, and other emerging technologies. Teachers will be participating in high-quality, targeted professional development this year. For instance, teachers in grades kinder through fourth will participate in a reading methodology workshop presented by Lectores Para El Futuro. SESO faculty will also be able to attend a one-day workshop on October 6th at TASIS Dorado School, which is sponsored by CAIS, the Caribbean Association of Independent Schools. These, among other professional development opportunities, will allow us to explore new ideas and practices, and provide support for faculty and staff as we continue to develop professionally.

       Along with professional development, part of maintaining our academic excellence as a school is taking part in the Middle States Association reaccreditation process. This process allows for self-reflection and analysis while providing a framework for growth and strategic planning. In November, we will be hosting an MSA accreditation team who will be visiting the school to evaluate and assess our school. The visiting team will be speaking with stakeholders such as parents, students, teachers, administrators, and staff to make sure that we meet the standards for accreditation. We have been working hard to prepare for this visit in order to showcase our school as the excellent learning community that it is. Over the summer, the MSA planning team and school administration met to analyze our self- study and identify our objectives for growth. This reflective process is an integral part of SESO’s continued success and development.

      Finally, in a few weeks, I’ll be embarking on my expedition as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions, where I’ll be circumnavigating Iceland. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore a new part of the world and bring back this experience to share with everyone at school. During the next semester, I’ll be meeting with students to share about my expedition and to facilitate lessons about this part of the world. At SESO, we hope to nurture a love of learning for our students and inspire lifelong learning for students, faculty, and staff. I’ll be posting about the expedition at my blog, which is linked here and on our school website. I can’t wait to share this adventure with you! 

       My hope is that this upcoming school year will be one of joyful learning, new experiences, and open communication. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. 

Best wishes for a fantastic year!

Sincerely,

Katrin Beinroth

School Director

Photo Credit: Mark Thielen, 

National Geographic