Ms. Oberstein's Fourth Grade Recognition Remarks
Ms. Oberstein spoke to Fourth Graders and their families on June 4, 2020.
Welcome Class of 2028! And families, as well as many teachers and administrators, to our first ever virtual Fourth grade Recognition ceremony! This year has had its moments of both positivity and challenge, full of exciting experiences, as well as difficult ones. I am thrilled to have gotten the chance to be your Lower School Director, to spend some time with you both on campus and virtually, but also sad that it was only for one short year.
Fortunately, it was long enough for me to learn what a wonderful group of people you are. You are, according to your teachers - inventors, readers, artists, musicians, nurturers, jokesters, space explorers, sock collectors, athletes, and performers, just to name a few! As a group you are also thoughtful, insightful and extremely hard working, good friends to one another and deeply kind individuals, full of the virtues that make Hackley so special.
How do I know all of these things about you? Because you told me! When I asked you what advice you have for next year’s Lower School students, these are some of the things you said:
- Work hard! It will pay off and if you fail get back up and keep trying.
- Push past your limits and always do your best
- Make sure to meet one new person a day. That helps you make friends.
- Listen to everything closely, if you miss something you shouldn't be embarrassed to ask the teacher to repeat, though.
- Even if you think you can't do something, always believe you can.
- Think positive!
- Well, honestly I'm not sure. There isn't really anything to worry or prepare about. Hackley is a great school! I guess that they should always be kind to others. Well, you should be kind to others everywhere.
As a grade, some of your favorite memories included:
- Kingsland Point Park, Kayaking on the Hudson River.
- Square dancing
- Kindergarten buddies
- Field day
- All of the essays I got to write!
- Sitting on a branch of the oak tree overlooking the Hudson during 3rd grade
Thank you, fourth graders, for sharing your thoughts and observations with me. I’m sure your advice will be well-received by our students next year.
Today’s ceremony is obviously a little different than it might have looked in previous years, but it is no less important or special. It is the culmination of several years of hard work, whether you joined Hackley this year or have been with us since Kindergarten.
Keeping very much in line with one of Hackley’s core values - “United, We Help One Another” - I would like to take a moment to thank the people who made today possible and without whom we would not have this lovely experience - Ms. Lynskey, Dr. LeTard, Mr. Dioguardi, Mr. Tonken, and of course the 4th grade homeroom and specialist teachers, Ms. O’Lunney, Ms. Lopez, Mr. Lopez, Ms. Turton, Ms. van der Heijden, Ms. van Buren, Ms. DiStefano, Mr. Diaz, Ms. Steinberg, Ms. Chisholm, Ms. Bueso, Ms. White, Ms. Gaven, Mr. Stanek, Mr. Frolo, Mrs. McKay, Mrs. MacDonald, and Mrs. Murray-Jones, who came together to help celebrate and send off our fourth graders to middle school.
Although I love them all, my favorite of our mottos is “Go Forth and Spread Beauty and Light.” My wish for you is that you go joyfully onto Middle School sharing and spreading your individual and collective beauty and light to all.
Thank you all for being here and enjoy the program!
Hackley School
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