Head of School's Message: January 23

They put coats and sweaters on hangers and organized lost lunch boxes and water bottles on shelves outside the lower school juice room where most of the belongings remain unclaimed. We are keen to do something about the situation. 

Two weeks after the area was tidied and organized, the collection has grown again and looks like this: 

Two weeks after it’s tidied up, which takes about an hour, the mound grows. At the conclusion of the school year, we wash and recycle uniform items through the Shamrock Shoppe pop-up and take everything else to Goodwill.  

What to do about it? Make sure your students label their belongings. If students return home without an item of clothing, a lunch box, or a water bottle, please encourage them to go to look for it in the ‘lost and found’ and discourage them from giving up assuming you will buy a replacement. If help is needed, students know to check in at the Lower School office, and we can provide assistance.

We intend to make changes by tidying up the lost and found area each week rather than once every two weeks, and we may change the location to an area that is more accessible to parents and students. It comes down to students taking responsibility for their belongings and discouraging parents from bailing out their children by buying a new item.

In her book How to Raise an Adult, Julie Lythcott-Haims, former Stanford University Director of Admissions advises parents to “develop a capacity to wince but not to pounce.” We need to wince a little more and insist that kids find what they’ve lost. It’s usually where they last left it.

Parent volunteers make a big difference at Chandler. We are always grateful and never take your kindness for granted. On Friday, led by Jerry Shen and Lily Wu, a group of parents served hot lunch to the students while CFA President Joyce Sakonju '87 helped by a posse of parents organized a festive Lunar New Year lunch for faculty and staff. It’s almost impossible for most parents to volunteer during the school day because of work commitments, but for those who have the time to help tidy the lost and found and serve lunch on Fridays, we appreciate you.