Atrium

By Kathy Hanson, Assistant Head of School

What is an atrium?
Well, to start, it is an invitation.

The atrium is the centerpiece that invites light, air, and life into the heart of a place. It is, very literally, a greeting of welcome. It beckons without words.

“Please, come inside.”  

Last June, when I first walked through the doors of Atrium School, children were all gathered in the atrium space. There was a feeling of openness. The room was full, yet there was somehow room for more. And everyone belonged. I feel the same sense of invitation today and this is hardly news. I have heard many families repeat the same experience: “I walked in and just knew that this was the place for us.” The feeling of welcome touches the heart at once and the extension of welcome reaches out to the whole family.  

When the school was first founded on the second floor of a then new Armenian Cultural & Education Center in 1982, Ginny Kahn openly expressed that Atrium School was founded to draw whole families in. The name of Atrium was even inspired by the lovely open space at the Center. This is where you belong. Others have followed her vision. Even now, Atrium’s Head of School Linda Echt ends a tenure that embodies the act of vivid invitation - wholeheartedly welcoming new families, opening the building up (literally) for more, and co-creating a space that warmly greets visitors, families, and new challenges. Soon, in July, Atrium School’s new Head of School, Marshall Carter will do the same. The concept of “atrium” has become fundamental, as we have incorporated this openness and community-focus into the very core of who we are. To each one, the invitation is extended: “Come inside.” I heard the invitation, myself. So have you.

I cannot help but notice that in recent months, journalists, educators, and others have emphasized how essential it is for children (and truly all of us) to feel a sense of belonging - a sense of welcome. When we feel that sense of belonging, we actually think more creatively and prolifically (see: Why a Sense of Belonging Matters for Learning). On the one hand, feeling like an outsider significantly thwarts all brain activity, and, on the other hand, feeling that we are part of a community opens our minds wide to new ideas and even urges our hearts to persevere (see The Psychology of Belonging and Why it Matters). When we are welcomed in, when there is a place for us, when we feel connected with others, this not only makes us feel at home, it makes us better thinkers and learners. When children feel a sense of belonging, they become empowered. When they feel known and at home, they can cross barriers and resolve conflicts that usually divide people. When children feel welcome, they can work harder and experience excellence . . . with joy. It would seem that our hearts need a kind of atrium - as does the heart of all our learning together - for us to find our way forward in both comfortable and difficult times. It would seem that to learn deeply, enlarge our skills, and extend the reach of our minds, we need a school where we are all, each one, invited to come inside. And so, here at Atrium, we are.

Coincidentally, once invited and welcomed in, we become the kind of learners who, in turn, extend welcome to others. Just over ten years ago, Atrium School moved to our new permanent location on Grove Street when we redesigned the physical structure of an old industrial space (see: Edutopia ) into a beautiful and inviting progressive PreK - Grade 6 school. And just over three years ago, the seldom used lower level was transformed into a vibrant and bright Grade 6-8 Middle School and home to our art and music studios. In each move, the physical space transformed and increasingly took on the shape of the school’s mission. In the process, it also became, increasingly, a living invitation. This matched what had been true of the school community (and its name) from the start - that we are open to the unique and varied gifts of those around us. In our strategic plan and in our school's diversity statement, diversity is essential here. Differences are welcomed and explored with enthusiasm and respect. We are eager to meet diverse perspectives and ideas. At our own invitation, then and now, light and air continue to fill our spaces here.

So, come inside.

“The culture of our school is warm, inviting and inclusive, with a supportive and compassionate community concerned with the academic and social emotional lives of our learners."
 - Linda Echt, Head of School