Lise's Lens: May 7, 2026
This week I am reading a piece about rare seed collection, thinking about the power of partnership, and celebrating all of our incredible teaching faculty. Happy teacher appreciation to all of the fellow teachers out there!
WHAT I'M READING
I loved this short piece (you can read or listen) from NPR about botanist Naomi Fraga’s quest to find and collect the seeds of a rare California plant for safe keeping. The Death Valley Sage is unique in that it thrives in a place where humans generally do not: Death Valley. And yet, the impact of humans is still felt through the effects of climate change, which have started to prevent some plants from flowering and producing seeds. It is reassuring to know that people like Fraga are making the effort to collect and preserve the seeds of endangered plants in special seed vaults, though it’s also too bad that it has come to this point. It makes you realize how precious and vulnerable our plant’s biodiversity is.
WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT
The Power of Partnership
Yesterday, with contributions from across the parent/guardian community, members of the Family Engagement Network hosted a faculty/staff appreciation celebration with treats and a special coffee cart. It got me thinking about how important the parent-faculty-staff dynamic is in schools. This year has been such a tremendous success because our parents/guardians, faculty, and administrators have worked together with openness, generosity, and a deep commitment to our students’ growth and well-being. I am deeply grateful for the spirit of teamwork that has defined this year and for the many ways our families and educators continue to support one another in service of our students — because it takes a village!
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
Have you ever sat in on a CSW class? While I don’t get to do it as much as I would like, I cherish every opportunity I have to watch and learn from our teachers, who are incredible experts of their craft. They are engaging, patient, knowledgeable, passionate, and above all else, genuinely kind, dedicated individuals who care so much about their students and this school. In honor of teacher appreciation week, I invite you to watch this short slideshow of all our departments and reflect on the many ways these individuals have positively impacted your child. Thank you, CSW teaching faculty, for all that you do. Your tireless work does not go unnoticed.
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
Here are a few shots from our faculty/staff appreciation gathering yesterday in the East Quad. Look at that delicious spread! Thank you parents and families.
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.