Lakeside School

There were days
And there were days
And there were days between

—“Days Between,” Grateful Dead 

As a student and then as an educator, I’ve always loved the school calendar. Summer break is always amazing, but just as wonderful are the smaller breaks sprinkled throughout the school year that serve as milestones, chances to relax, and opportunities to mentally prepare for the next stretch of classes. However, there is one month that often feels like more of a grind than the ones before and after it: March. 

The days between midwinter break and spring break can feel like a slog. Daylight saving time means brighter mornings, but also robs us of an hour of precious sleep. Days are getting longer, but are still predictably cloudy and rainy in our beloved corner of the Pacific Northwest. The 31 days in March can seem unreasonably long after February’s very efficient 28. Even the name “March” sounds exhausting.

However, there are still many things to get excited about in these days between breaks. Our winter sports teams are finishing up their seasons with tournaments and team banquets, just as spring sports are beginning and preparing to guide us to the end of the school year. The Upper School musical takes center stage with four electrifying performances, after which our drama students transition into planning for “Circus!”, our annual student-led one-act festival. Our band, choir, jazz band, and orchestra students are busy preparing for their spring concerts. We also have our Spring Fling Dance scheduled for late-March to keep spirits high heading into the final week of the quarter. 

So, while it can be easy to look ahead to the next break, there are still lots of things to celebrate in these days between. Learning, growth, and friendship don’t go on hold as we race from one milestone to another; the experiences that come to make up our students’ formative years, and become their warmest memories of high school, are happening right now, every day.

Important dates for March

• Monday, March 1-Tuesday, March 2: Purim
   
• Thursday, March 5-Saturday, March 7, 7-9:30 p.m.: Upper School Musical: "Anything Goes", St. Nicholas Hall
   
  • There is also a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets for the musical are limited and are released in waves: All Upper School students received an email with a link to reserve seats on Tuesday, Feb. 24; families with students participating in the musical should look for an additional email today. All parents and guardians will receive an email on Monday with a link to reserve remaining seats.
     
• Tuesday, March 10, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.: ACT School Day Exam for Juniors
   
• Thursday, March 12, 8:30-9:45 a.m.: College Talk: New to College in the United States, Fireplace Room; on Zoom
   
• Tuesday, March 17, 6:30-8 p.m.: Upper School Choir and jazz combo: Studio Sessions Concert, McKay Chapel
   
• Wednesday, March 18: End of Ramadan
   
• Wednesday, March 18, 7-8:30p.m.: Dan Ayrault Memorial Lecture featuring Megan Asaka '99, St. Nicholas Hall
   
• Thursday, March 19: Eid al Fitr
   
• Friday, March 20: Nowruz
   
• Saturday, March 21, 7-10 p.m.: Upper School Spring Fling Dance
   
• Monday, March 23, 7-8:30 p.m.: Parent/Guardian Webinar - The Authentic Connections Survey: Insights & Future Directions, presented by the human development and health department on Zoom
   
• Wednesday, March 25, 6:30-8 p.m.: Comparing Financial Aid Awards and Considering Appeals: A Webinar by College Money Method, on Zoom
   
• Thursday, March 26: Spring Semester Mid-Point
   
• Thursday, March 26, 4-6 p.m.: Cultural Game Night (sponsored by SALT)
   
• Friday, March 27: Faculty Workday; No Classes
   
• Friday, March 27, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.: SAT School Day Exam for Juniors
   
• Monday, March 30: Lakeside Giving Day Begins at Noon
   
• Tuesday, March 31: Lakeside Giving Day Ends at Noon
   
• Tuesday, March 31, 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Upper School Band and Orchestra (Symphony), St. Nicholas Hall

Jeff Bonar is Lakeside’s Upper School assistant director. You can reach him at 206-440-2743 or info@lakesideschool.site.