January 24, 2016

Greetings!

Today, Wellness Teacher/Yearbook Coodinator Julia Getty shares some thoughts on the weekend storm - and its aftermath - that has gripped our area:

Our skiiers - before the "real stuff" came down
The big story at Swain this week is, of course, the record-breaking snow that fell on the Lehigh Valley and much of the East Coast this weekend. Anticipation ran high in the Lower School hallways Friday morning and on the ski slopes Friday afternoon, where many of our 5th through 8th graders enjoyed manufactured snow for the annual middle school ski trip (right).
 
The common question of the young, "How much do you think we'll get?" was skeptically answered by the old, "Probably not that much." We'd been taken in by meteorologist hype too often to fall for it again. So, perhaps we were all more than a bit surprised when the results far exceeded the predictions.

By 8:00 p.m. last night the snow had stopped and the moon peeked through the clouds, lighting a crystal landscape typically only found in children's dreams.

An early forecast!
Initially the storm kept us inside, glued to TVs and social media, following the event as it unfolded by the hour, shar-ing what was happening in our own backyards. Families read, cooked, played games, did laundry and binge-watched Netflix. Thankfully, the predictions of widespread power outages failed to come true.

This morning revealed more snow than most of us have ever seen covering our own homes and cars, bringing the concrete realization of how much white stuff there was to plow, shovel, blow - or play in. But this morning brought something else - a neighborhood bonding experience. People, even those rarely seen outside, came out of their homes. An early walk around the neighborhoods surrounding The Swain School didn't reveal frustrated motorists and disgruntled shovelers, instead there were laughter and smiles and enthusiastic greetings among strangers, neighbors and friends. Some took breaks from shoveling and chatted with each other on street corners. Some waved and smiled from behind snow blowers. Some joked about being "almost done" shoveling when that was clearly not the case.

Before the Big Dig Out
Winter storm Jonah, Snowzilla, or the Blizzard of 2016 - whatever you want to call it - it was an unusual and widely shared experience. Unusual and widely shared experiences bring people together to reflect, to share stories and perspectives: Did you hear...? Did you see...? Can you believe...? Of course, no widely shared experience will be all laughter and smiles. Jonas brought hardships ranging from minor inconveniences to major tragedies, up and down the East Coast. But for the most part, we will remember where we were this weekend and how an unusual blanket of snow shifted our world for a bit.

The smiles and camaraderie among neighbors
The bonds flourish in everyday moments
this morning felt like the warmth in the halls when we walk through The Swain School. The privilege of being at Swain is the unusual and widely shared experience that brings all of us together. Because we live the Swain experience (with the accompanying smiles, laughter and range of hardships that come with all shared experiences) we share a bond with each other and with all of those who have ever been or ever will be a part of The Swain School. 

So, let's lift our cups of cocoa (or your blizzard drink of choice...) and toast: To friends, neighbors, and the crystal landscapes of children's dreams!

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Thanks for reading this edition of Swain Stories, and we will see you back at school on Tuesday. 
 
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The Swain School
1100 South 24th Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18103