Thoughtful: School year theme invites kindness, consideration

“Thoughtful” is the theme for the 2023-24 school year at Santa Catalina Lower and Middle School.

The school adopts a new theme each year that highlights an important value or virtue that speaks to Catalina’s mission. Head of Lower and Middle School Christy Pollacci announced this year’s theme at the Flag Raising Ceremony on September 4, where parents and students gathered together to celebrate the start of the school year.

Being thoughtful invites kindness, empathy, and connection, Mrs. Pollacci explained. To be thoughtful is to consider what someone may need at a given moment: It might be a hug, a laugh, an invitation to play, a kind note, or even quiet time alone. “As we explore together what it is to be thoughtful, we can’t help but create an environment where consideration and kindness live at the center and where recognition of others continues to be woven into the fabric of our school culture,” she said.

Themes are reinforced all year through service projects, classroom activities, assemblies, and more. Through hands-on experiences of intangible ideas, students are able to make a deeper connection to the real-world meaning of the theme.