Transition Time

In less than a month, Bosque School’s 28th school year will come to a close. In many ways, it feels like yesterday that we were deep in the flurry of back-to-school transitions, and now, in the blink of an eye, we find ourselves in the midst of a different, equally busy end-of-year transition. 

I have always found that the return from spring break signals an acceleration through what feels like a mad dash to the finish line of the school year. This feeling has only been enhanced over the past two years as we added our immersive courses. Our students have just wrapped up their year-long classes, submitting final projects and writing exams, our seniors presented their Senior Capstone research at this week’s Colloquium nights, and all students are now preparing to launch into their three-week-long immersive courses. Last year, as we readied for immersive’s inaugural year, there were understandable questions, anxiety, and some skepticism, but this year that has been replaced with significant excitement for what provides a significantly different flow of the school day, later starts, no transitions between classes, and highly engaging, dynamic, and fresh new educational opportunities for our students and staffulty. 

The end of the year also brings with it many symbolic transitions. During our last upper school morning meeting, which included the traditional reading of Oh, the Places You'll Go! to the senior class, students in grades 9-11 rose from their current spots, where they have gathered every morning meeting this year as a class, and moved to their new locations in Budagher Hall where they will once again gather as a class during each morning meeting next year. Our 8th graders are readying for their own middle school step-up ceremony where they will officially graduate to upper school, and all of us are consciously thinking about the celebrations and their significance as our seniors wrap up their final month of high school and prepare for graduation. 

One of the most significant transitions to witness each spring comes through the moments of leadership that showcase our students’ personal growth. Some recent examples include our Wildlife Conservation students presenting their original research at the Arizona-New Mexico Chapter of the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society conference in Farmington; our 7th graders researching a strand of their heritage, exploring folktales, fables, or myths from this part of their heritage and crafting a folktale they orally retold to a delighted group of second graders at Manzano Day School;  and the grades 6-12 Bosque School field science students who recently welcomed over 260 first graders from three different local elementary schools to campus for our beloved annual Otter Days. Around the corner, our 8th graders will be welcoming their year-long reading buddies from Armijo Elementary to campus for a special celebration; Seeing our students showcase their confidence and competence as professional and peer leaders is always one of the most meaningful displays of growth. 

We also celebrate the transition to warmer weather, ripe with buds on the trees in which hammocks once again swing in the quad, and to beautiful and very meaningful moments of community. For the first time since the spring of 2019, we hosted our Grande Finale concert on the quad this week, closing with a powerful rendition of “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff performed by Bosque’s Canate, Wind Ensemble, and Serenata. Two weeks ago, we brought approximately 1,000 of our community members together for a celebration of our third annual Founder’s Days event at Explora and raised almost $100,000 in support of the Bosque Fund and significantly overpassed our goal for donor engagement, with over 350 donors standing in support of Bosque School! Given all of our successes this year, it is not surprising that Bosque School has been voted the Best Private School in the city three years in a row! This is an acknowledgment we hope will carry forward, and voting for 2023 is currently ON! Please click here to help Bosque maintain our title as the Best Private School and Best Summer Camp in Albuquerque!

As Roy Cooper shared, “Transitions are a time for reflection and a time for looking forward.” Let’s all take a moment to reflect, with gratitude, the richness of Bosque’s 28th school year and look forward with optimism and appreciation for all the opportunities ahead. 

I am so grateful to share this beautiful community with each of you.

All the best,

Jessie Barrie, Ph.D.

Head of School