With the holiday season fast approaching, many students may feel stressed about their workload and are counting down the days until winter break begins. As an integral part of their lives, the Upper School Deans are just as excited for the well deserved two week break. As many students return to things they’ve had to put off due to schoolwork, winter break allows them to slow down and reconnect with what they enjoy. The Deans are no different, from traveling, to spending time with family, to completing personal projects and watching television shows, they are just as eager as students to have life slow down a bit. Upper School Deans Department Chair and Director of College Guidance Emily Gardiner along with Upper School Deans, Cherkira Lashley, Amy Lucero and Alex Carter, shared their plans for the upcoming holidays.
How do you usually spend your holiday break?
Gardiner: “I’m a New York native, but I have roots in Northwest Connecticut where my parents are. I tend to be with them, my kids and my husband, and [we like] being outdoors and [doing] Christmas stuff.”
Lucero: “The holidays are a little different for me this year because I just moved a few months ago to New York and my kids are all young adults. Since they are all living their own lives, it will be a low-key holiday season this year. I will just be relaxing for Thanksgiving, and we will be doing Hanukkah celebrations when our kids come to visit us in December.”
Lashley: “My mom’s a pastor, so we have a candlelight service on Christmas Eve at my church, which is a classic church service, but we add in some singing… For Christmas, we usually do a gift exchange with our immediate family.”
Carter: “Over winter break, I go to Charlotte [North Carolina] to [visit] my wife’s family, and we stay down there for the break.”
Is there anything specific you are looking forward to doing once school lets out?
Gardiner: “I love going to shows in New York, and sometimes I try to give experiences instead of tangible gifts… Experiences are so special [and create] good memories, so sometimes I try to give my kids or my parents tickets to something instead of a thing.”
Lucero: “For winter break what I actually really like to do is make a list of things that I want to accomplish, and my two things [this year] are to read a full book and to start to learn how to knit.”
Lashley: “I love binge watching television on breaks… What I’ve been watching now that I’ll probably really tap into over break are ‘Physical 100 and Physical Asia’…I’m [also] looking forward to the next season of ‘Stranger Things’, which I definitely will get into [during break].”
Carter: “I really look forward to going down there [Charlotte, North Carolina]. It’s a nice change of pace and it’s not as busy as New York…I also love going to Waffle House. It’s my favorite breakfast spot.”
What holiday traditions are important to you and your family?
Gardiner: “I love to cook and at Christmas time, I think being cozy, lighting fires, decorating the tree, making cookies, being with friends and family [is important to me].”
Lucero: “The tradition that’s really important to us is lighting the Hanukkah candles… We do that for eight nights straight, and it feels really special. It’s something I look forward to each year.”
Carter: “[Ours is] Christmas dinner… I typically will cook greens, mac and cheese, beans and rice, but it’s nice that we all get together and share a meal, which, because our families are kind of all spread out on the East Coast, [is] nice to have that moment where we all get together.”
What is your favorite holiday dish?
Gardiner: “I love making a swiss chard gratin…I’ve been doing it for years. It’s full of herbs and has a very unique, delicious taste. I [also] love making pastries. I’m a big galette and pie maker and I love making crusts and sweets.”
Lucero: “My favorite holiday dish is called sufganiyot…For Hanukkah, you make a ton of fried foods, and they are essentially homemade donuts… you roll them around in powdered sugar and you can put jam in them. They’re super delicious.”
Lashley: “There’s so many dishes! My family’s Jamaican, so I’m looking forward to oxtail for Thanksgiving and for Christmas,… I really love any sweet potato or pumpkin pie, and we actually do this sweet potato souffle that’s really good.”
Whether they are traveling or staying local, Upper School Deans are as eager as students are to be on break and spend time with family and friends. They each have their ways of recharging to come back in January feeling refreshed and relaxed, helping guiding students in the new year.
Is there a tradition you enjoy at Poly on the last day of school before winter break?
Gardiner: “I usually sing in the faculty choir… [History Department Chair Virginia] Dillon and I have been doing that for years, it gives us joy to stand there together.”
Lucero: “I’m really excited. I can’t wait to see what kind of school culture [Poly has] before the holiday break.”
Lashley: “The faculty-student [basketball] game is always a blast for me as a former player here…Playing basketball on that court brings back so many memories. So [I am] probably most looking forward to that.”
Carter: “The faculty and staff get together the last day before break begins…that’s a really nice tradition that we all get to get a chance to to get together as peers and friends and colleagues and kind of see each other off before we all get a well needed rest.”
