Earlier this week, as we approached the conclusion of our inaugural Winter Term adventure at MICDS, I thought it would be a good idea to survey our Middle and Upper School students about these last eight days of school. “What has been your favorite Winter Term experience so far,” I asked them, “or what have you enjoyed most about the schedule or program?” I received about 160 responses that offered a wide range of perspectives on this new schoolwide undertaking.
Not surprisingly, a solid majority of students—approximately two-thirds of survey participants—wanted to talk about the “stuff” of Winter Term: classes, internships, travel opportunities, and so forth. Here is a random sample of the experiences they highlighted:
Getting to teach other people how to swim in “Rams Can Swim.” (Pete ’30) • Working with power tools during “Instrumental Design” and watching my classmates’ recycled materials turn into working musical instruments. (Tess ’28) • “The Science of Well-Being.” We got to go on a Zoom meeting with the author of the book we read and ask him questions. (Rohaan ’27) • I really liked “Puzzles and Games.” (Anonymous ’29) • My favorite experience has been in my guitar building class. I have had to build a ukulele from scratch, and as a person who likes to build things, it was the perfect activity for me. (Anonymous ’27) • My favorite thing about Winter Term is learning things that I would not normally learn. (Anonymous ’29) • Fixing my car with the QA (quality assurance) department of Hunter Engineering. (Anonymous ’24) • “The Little Mermaid Jr, the Musical.” (Brooke ’28) • The Harry Potter class! (Wyatt ’30) • I have enjoyed “Couch to 5K” because it made me feel more fit and happier. But I also really enjoyed my babysitting class. (Meg ’28) • Going hiking in different places around St. Louis with my friends. (Maddy ’26) • In “Winning the Financial Game of Life,” I made a blueprint of my next 20 years financially. I also learned about my responsibilities as an adult (caring for my children, retirement saving, paying for insurance, etc.). (Anonymous ’29) • I have really enjoyed the costume prop and design class. (Anonymous ’28) • I have enjoyed all of my classes, especially “Dungeons and Dragons.” (Stella ’30) • I liked talking to environmental activists who are lobbying for real change in our community and using their methods and ideas as inspiration to spur change at MICDS. (Siboney ’26) • I was lucky enough to shadow Dr. Kolovos at the Children’s Hospital where I got to sit in round-table discussions, experience triage, rounding on patients, and interacting with other nurses and doctors. My interest in medicine and pediatrics was solidified during these two weeks. (Isabel ’24) • I’ve loved being able to help fourth graders and step into a teacher’s shoes for a few days. (Bridget ’24)
About a third of survey respondents also emphasized the “fringe benefits” of Winter Term, especially those that helped to reduce stress. One of our sixth-grade students, Sana, was quite precise on this point. “My brain hurts 3% less than it usually would,” she noted in her survey response. Here’s what some other students had to say:
I really enjoy not having homework (or not as much), which reduces the amount of stress we are normally under throughout the year. (Anonymous ’27) • I really like Winter Term because I can relax throughout the day and work on things that I love. (Anonymous ’27) • Community time. (Anonymous ’28) • Early dismissal. (Anonymous ’26) • Sleeping in. (Anonymous ’26) • My favorite part of Winter Term is that we do not have any normal classes that make us stressed. (Caroline ’31) • I have enjoyed the late start days. It is really helpful to have some extra time in the morning to get ready and have time to eat an actual breakfast instead of being rushed or getting up super early and ruining my sleep. (Anonymous ’25) • Free time before lunch. (Anonymous ’28) • I have enjoyed Winter Term so much, and having a brain break from all my other classes. (Abby ’30) • No homework. (Anonymous ’31) • Winter Term as a whole is more relaxed and enjoyable. (Anonymous ’25) • My favorite part about Winter Term has probably been the fact that there is little to no stress (no homework) and we get to have fun classes. (Anonymous ’29) • I like how we aren’t overloaded with work. (Anonymous ’26) • Free periods. (Anonymous ’28) • This will inevitably be a common answer, but coming later and leaving earlier compared to the regular semester, even if just a bit, made everything seem much more relaxing. I would even go so far as to say the relaxed schedule made the courses even more fun than they would have been if we had had a normally-timed school day. (Anonymous ’26) • I have enjoyed the extra time to sleep in and time after school to relax a little more. (Anonymous ’25) • I like how I can go at my own pace. (Rosie ’30) • Having extra reading time. (Anonymous ’29) • Shortened schedule. (Muhammed ’26) • Not having to worry about homework. (Crystal ’29) • The no homework part. (Anonymous ’29)
Winter Term’s social benefits were also a common theme in students’ survey submissions. A sample of their points of gratitude:
Getting to spend time with my friends that are both in and outside of my grade. (Syeda ’28) • I have enjoyed making friends with other people in other grades. (Anonymous ’29) • I enjoyed the chance to meet some upperclassmen. (Anonymous ’27) • I enjoyed having classes with my friends and working really hard with them. (Leticia ’29) • Getting to know people in different grades. (Layla ’26) • Being in class with new people, like people I see in the hallways a few grades younger than me, has been really fun. (Anonymous ’28) • There are a lot of people who I have a Winter Term class with but not any other class. It has allowed me to get to know more people and have more time with my close friends. (Gertie ’27) • I get to have classes with friends I don’t usually have one with. (Caroline ’29) • Getting to meet teachers outside of my normal schedule. (Grace ’27) • I have enjoyed making friends in different grades. (Simone ’29) • Just being able to eat with one of my friends I normally don’t have lunch with. (Anonymous ’25) • I like having extra time during the day to hang out with friends I might not have classes with otherwise (Anonymous ’28) • My favorite Winter Term experience was becoming closer with people who I wasn’t close to at the start of the year. (Anonymous ’27) • I have enjoyed connecting with people I normally wouldn’t connect with. (Nya ’30)
I have been so pleased to witness on campus these last eight school days—and to read in reflections like those I have shared with you here (and to hear in conversations with parents as well)—the joy that so many members of our community have found in Winter Term. The genesis of this project was actually just a practical consideration. Our administration realized four years ago, as we were planning to shift from trimesters to semesters, that the resulting spring term would be approximately 10 days longer than the fall term; so to balance the scales, we began to entertain the prospect of offering during the two weeks nestled between winter break and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day more immersive, interdisciplinary, and wide-ranging learning experiences than we are able to provide during our traditional academic terms. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the realization of this concept, of course, and we added an additional year of “padding” for good measure to ensure sufficient planning and preparation—but now here we are, on the other side of a very promising first implementation of an ambitious and distinctive program at MICDS. I am so grateful to our teachers, staff, and administrators who have invested themselves passionately and tirelessly in ensuring Winter Term’s initial success.
I think I should give the last word to Ayaan in seventh grade. “I enjoy every aspect of Winter Term,” he wrote in his survey response. “I especially like being able to choose and personalize courses and electives to our interests. It allows us to branch out, learn, and explore new things that aren’t covered in the normal school curriculum. It is also a nice break/change from normal school and is a great time to be curious and have fun with your friends. I hope to see Winter Term come back next year!” I think you can count on it, Ayaan—and it will only get better from here.
Always reason, always compassion, always courage. Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to you and your families, and best wishes for the weekend.
Jay Rainey
Head of School
This week’s addition to the “Refrains for Rams” playlist is Easy Does It by Briscoe (Apple Music / Spotify).