Welcome, Grandparents!

Ask any parent: if your child is sleeping well, life just seems to run smoother.

After all, when kids are sleeping well, parents can sleep well too. And when the whole family feels rested, everyday routines and challenges feel a lot easier.

Of course, every family also experiences moments where good sleep feels out of reach. Whether that’s waking with a young infant who doesn’t yet sleep through the night or dealing with a sleep regression, parents and caregivers are very familiar with the frustrations and worries that accompany moments of poor sleep. And because they’re also well aware of sleep’s essential role in children’s health, growth, and learning, they often feel even more pressure to fix things fast. It can be a rough cycle.

That’s why Rowland Hall’s princiPALS are focusing on sleep in the first of their newest batch of episodes that go back to basics when it comes to raising children who thrive.

Leaning on their own experiences as parents and educators, as well as a bit of sleep science, the pals talk about building healthy sleep routines that work for your child, dealing with inevitable bumps or pushback, and knowing if your child is getting enough sleep. Using their positive, no-pressure approach, the pals will help you remember you’re not alone in tough sleep moments—and you will get through it.

Listen to “Back to Basics: Let’s Talk About Sleep,” as well as other episodes of The PrinciPALS Podcast, on Rowland Hall's website and Apple Podcasts.

Podcast

Rowland Hall is pleased to announce that shortly before winter break, Director of Operations Ann Burnett was presented with a 2024 Professional Achievement Award from NBOA: Business Leadership for Independent Schools.

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NBOA’s Professional Achievement Award, explained the organization, “honors business and operations staff at independent schools who have made significant and lasting contributions to their schools’ operations or financial health. These staff members distinguish themselves every day and make exceptional contributions to their schools and the independent school community.”

Ann was one of 10 independent school staff members from across the country who received the 2024 honor. And, as anyone who knows this dedicated member of Rowland Hall’s operations team will tell you, her inclusion on the list is very well deserved.

“This award is for staff members who go above and beyond in their contributions to their schools’ operations, and there’s no doubt that Ann meets this requirement,” said Chief Financial and Operations Officer Steve Cross, Ann’s manager. “Ann is dedicated to Rowland Hall and covers so much ground—literally and figuratively. We’re thrilled she was selected for this award and that her outstanding commitment to the school has been recognized by NBOA.”

Ann has been the cornerstone of Rowland Hall’s operations team for 26 years (22 of those years as director). As the person who oversees the physical plant of the school’s two campuses, Ann’s work isn’t often glamorous, but she loves it—and it’s necessary to ensure that students, teachers, and staff have safe spaces for learning and working. Whatever is on Ann’s to-do list (or, honestly, whatever pops up, day or night), she approaches it with dedication and a positive attitude.

“Some might doubt how much I love my job when they hear what I do day to day, but it’s work that I love and I am fortunate enough to be in a place with people that I respect, working alongside a team that supports me in everything I do,” said Ann.

I am fortunate enough to be in a place with people that I respect, working alongside a team that supports me in everything I do.—Ann Burnett

Caring for others is another way Ann has made a significant impact at Rowland Hall. As the manager of a team of 15, she’s proven herself an exceptional leader by consistently advocating for colleagues, championing opportunities for growth and success, providing support during challenging times, and fostering a positive and inclusive environment. And this care and kindness isn’t limited to her own team. Ann’s positive attitude touches all members of the Rowland Hall community, as well as those she works with on behalf of the school, and those who know and work with her are quick to share their deep respect and admiration of her.

And if there was any doubt, the kudos Ann received after the announcement of her Professional Achievement Award made clear this adoration.

“For me, the most amazing part of the award was to receive so many well-wishes from the Rowland Hall community,” Ann shared. “I received letters from former coworkers, as well as well-wishes from current students when they saw me in the hallways.”

Congratulations, Ann, on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for everything you do for Rowland Hall.

People

As we kick off a new year, we want to take just a moment to look back on some of the incredible Rowland Hall happenings in 2024.

Below, we’re sharing five of the most exciting stories we published in Fine Print last year—examples of the incredible students, teachers, and moments of learning that exemplify the Rowland Hall experience. Check them out, if you haven’t already, or revisit them for a feel-good reminder of what makes Rowland Hall such an exceptional place.

Advanced Research Classes Immerse Students in Real-World Questions, Further Rowland Hall’s Strategic Vision

Ever since the Upper School rolled out Advanced Research classes, our community has been buzzing. These exciting classes allow students to dive deeply into subjects, develop theses, and conduct research alongside experts. They also prove that students of any age can find solutions to real-world problems. (Bonus: be sure to check out the follow-up to this story, AR Biology Students Published in ‘Cancers’ Scientific Journal, to see how far one class’s work has gone.)

Rowland Hall Debate, One Step Closer to World Domination

For years, Rowland Hall debaters have shined locally (they currently hold their fourth consecutive state title) and nationally. Now, they’re making a name for themselves on the global stage. In October, top teams traveled to Taiwan for their first-ever international tournament, held at the Taipei American School.

Student-Created Wings of Inclusion Conference Brings Together Utah High Schoolers, Inspires Leadership

After being energized at the national Student Diversity Leadership Conference in 2023, a group of Upper School students chose to dedicate much of 2024 to organizing their own conference for Utah high schoolers. Held at the Lincoln Street Campus in September, our students’ Wings of Inclusion Conference aimed to create belonging for all Utah students, and to develop tomorrow’s leaders. 

2024 Convocation Speakers Share Joyful Moments, Encourage Community to Create and Spread Joy

Rowland Hall’s 2024–2025 theme, Joy, was unveiled to the community at Convocation in August. As part of that annual gathering, three students and one alum shared their own reflections on joy with their peers and the larger Rowland Hall community. They discussed what joy means, the forms joy takes, how to look for joy in your life, and how to create joy for others.

Upper Schoolers Teach Money Smarts to Lower Schoolers

It’s always an exciting day when cross-divisional learning happens! One especially joyful collaboration took place this fall, when students from the Upper School’s Business & Finance and Entrepreneurship classes came to the McCarthey Campus to teach personal finance lessons to first and third graders.

Community

When families are looking for a new school, there are lots of areas to consider. What’s the community like? Is it easy to make friends? How do the students feel about their teachers?

While parents and caregivers often lead the way when it comes to a school search, kids also have a say in school choice, which is why three fifth-grade interns decide to create a resource just for them.

Nicky C., Kyeran G., and Nora S. are three of the 50 interns participating in this year’s 5-I Fifth-Grade Internship Program. These three students, assigned to the school’s marketing and communications team, expressed interest in writing opportunities. So when they were asked if they wanted to create a blog post that would help Lower School–aged kids and their families as they navigated the admission process, they jumped at the chance.

When the interns were asked if they wanted to create a blog post that would help Lower School–aged kids and their families as they navigated the admission process, they jumped at the chance.

To kick off the project, the group first brainstormed the things they think make Rowland Hall special. All three have attended the school for years (Nicky started in kindergarten, Kyeran in 4PreK, and Nora in 3PreK), so they have firsthand knowledge of the Lower School experience. The kids then narrowed their list down to the areas they thought prospective students would be most interested in, like making friends, recess, and activities. Each wrote a first draft on a handful of topics, then combined their contributions in a single post, which they edited together.

“I thought it was awesome,” said Nicky about the writing process. Kyeran agreed, noting, “It was really cool to collaborate and share our ideas.”

The group also enjoyed the chance to learn more about writing for a specific audience, self-editing, and the best ways to structure a post for search engine optimization (which is important so that even more people can find your school). They said they enjoyed the entire experience.

“It’s fun that it was step by step, not a rushed process,” said Nora. “It was something to look forward to.”

And with their first project under their belts, the marketing interns are excited for a new challenge. This week, they began thinking about what they can share with the community next.

Read the students’ blog post, “7 Reasons to Choose Rowland Hall, as Shared by Three Fifth Graders,” now available on the admission page. (And be sure to share it with anyone you know who’s considering Rowland Hall.)

Student Voices