COVID-19 may be in the rearview mirror for most of society but students and teachers across the county are still dealing with the social and emotional fallout from the pandemic, said the new “Head of School” at Wilmette’s Baker Demonstration School.
“I think one of the things all schools are looking at right now is what are we doing in the post-COVID world to support the social and emotional development of children and for families?” said Kate Cicchelli, a veteran educator with roots in Chicago who brings two decades of experience in progressive education to Baker Demonstration School.
“I think there’s lots of interesting research now about both the social emotional and educational impact of those two years,” she added. “I think Baker can really be a leader in that post-pandemic world where education is looked at through the lens of the whole child.”
Cicchelli doesn’t officially begin until July 1, but she recently started a listening tour to get to know the school, its families, faculty and staff.
“I think that’s certainly a priority that Baker be a place that is attending to a child’s capacity as a leaner, a thinker, a problem solver, an innovator and also as a living breathing human being who feels deeply about those things that the are connected to,” she added. “I think the goal would be to grow the adults we want to see leading the world forward. It’s a priority for Baker families.”
But like many schools, Baker is having to deal with problems in hiring and retaining teachers, increased anxiety and depression among its student population as well as sometimes heated debate around book banning and preferred names/pronouns.
Many teachers across the country say they quit teaching because of ongoing problems with so called “helicopter” or “bulldozer” parents who some teachers complain are overbearing and worse in their relationships with educators. Cicchelli said that historically the first five years in a teacher’s career are the “make or break” years during which they decide to stay in or leave the profession.
She said the trends are worrisome and it begs the question of how to keep teachers in education.
“That’s really something we need to work on, how we interact with teachers,” she added. “Parents and teachers have that very complicated relationship. It can be filled with joy and it can be filled with tension. When we talk to a parent or guardian we’re talking about their most precious thing, their child. That is delicate work and also deserves a lot of time and attention in building those relationships.”
Cicchelli has spent 14 years in the classroom as a teacher and said she’s also exploring opportunities to look at how schools compensate educators.
“I’m just digging into that,” she said.
She also said that book banning and the use of pronouns to express gender identification is an issue many schools are grappling with.
“School is a safe space for all individuals and that is a goal for us at Baker,” she said. “Any child or adult who is walking into that building is known and seen and supported by all members of our community. If a child has decided and determined that they’re most comfortable in being themselves using a pronoun, that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to honor that and support it and support that child and their family as they make their way through school.”
Cicchelli explained that while the school is always evaluating what books go into its library, the school is not in the business of banning books.
“We are in the business of looking critically at the content in our books and making sure that they meet best practices and best standards for supporting and representing all members of our community,” she said.
Baker is one of the oldest and most respected progressive schools in the country, a release from the school says. It also says the school was founded in 1918 by its namesake Clara Belle Baker, one of several educational pioneers who tested new educational approaches at laboratory or demonstration schools in Chicago in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and helped fuel the progressive education movement. Since its early days, Baker has helped students “learn by doing” and has educated generations on Chicago’s North Shore, says the release.
“I’m hearing the great depth of love throughout the community for this wonderful school and the true commitment to its progressive history and future,” said Cicchelli. “It’s really been wonderful for me to get to know different members of the community different constituencies. It’s a very close and engaged community.”
Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
