As we look ahead to the election, our teachers and staff have been preparing students and our community to process a range of possible outcomes with care and understanding. 

Through developmentally aligned lessons and projects, students across divisions are learning how civic engagement and the democratic process take shape in everyday life. In the Lower School, fourth graders are running their own student government campaigns, while their peers will have the opportunity to cast votes—honoring and modeling the democratic process in a developmentally meaningful way. In Middle School, students are exploring civic engagement through hands-on experiences across all grades. Fifth graders are learning about different types of elections and campaign strategies as they create persuasive materials for the “America’s Favorite Calf” vote, while sixth through eighth graders are examining democracy’s origins, researching current candidates, and connecting historical power structures to civic issues in the world today.  

In the Upper School, though there are a limited number of students eligible to vote, many US students have been discussing various bills up for consideration this year. The US Student Government is also working with the LS/4th grade-team to help those students considering a run for LS Student Council. The hope is that by sharing their own stories, Upper Schoolers will inspire a wave of younger grade reps who are willing to put in the time to create the type of changes they hope to make across Calhoun.

At the heart of this work is our commitment to keeping students’ well-being at the center. Calhoun will continue to be a steady, supportive community for all of us. We’re also keeping an eye on any potential disruptions to city transportation or operations and will share updates if anything affects the school day.

To support families in the conversations that may be happening at home, we’ve gathered a few helpful resources:

• Let's K12 Better podcast
• National Geographic: Talking to kids about the election
• APA: Talking to children about the election
• Child Mind Institute: Guidance for Speaking to Kids About the Election
• Psychology Today: Talking to Children and Teens About Elections