Up Front
Celebrating Falk ’ s Class of 2023 Graduates
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On the evening of Wednesday , June 7 , 2023 , the Falk Laboratory School community gathered in the sanctuary of Rodef Shalom Congregation to celebrate the graduation of the 44 members of Falk ’ s eighth-grade class .
The audience was treated to a slide show of photographs submitted by each student ’ s family , a rendition of the Falk school song sung by the graduates , and a recitation of students ’ memories of their time at Falk .
Falk ’ s director , Jill Sarada , spoke at the event , along with Valerie Kinloch , then the Renée and Richard Goldman Dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Education . Sarada displayed a picture frame that hangs in her office , containing the names and handprints of her final class as a kindergarten teacher — all students from the Class of 2023 .
“ Over the years , you ’ ve left your mark on Falk , some of you literally on this framed art that hangs in my office , and all of you in the legacy artwork that lines the steps on our playground ,” Sarada said . “ But also , in many small ways over many years , you brought joy to kindergarten children by simply stopping by their room . They love that someone as important as you would take a moment to spend time with them . But seeing you carry them , giving them piggyback rides , fills us with joy . In moments like those , we witness your care for others , and the little ones feel it .”
Sarada applauded the way this class of eighth graders embodied the Falk values of wonder , care , and act .
4 EN AVANT | FALL 2023
“ The examples of how you embody these three words as individuals and as a group are many ,” Sarada said . “ You built Little Free Libraries in memory of a friend and peer . You collected donations for those impacted by the earthquake in Turkey . You planned a way to raise funds for the entire class to have an end-of-the-year experience . Two of you wrote a piece of slam poetry , titled ‘ Letters We Never Sent ,’ that you read out loud during the talent show , showing how thoughtful and conscientious you are to recognize the things you wished you ’ d said and to take the chance to say them before it was actually too late .
“ And a group of you asked [ Falk Equity , Inclusion , and Diversity Coordinator ] Mrs . [ Samantha ] Schmitt if she could arrange a meeting with Dean Kinloch to discuss ideas for changes that could help make Falk more inclusive ,” Sarada added . “ You recognized that individual needs vary , and by respecting the differences , we create a community where more individuals belong , with the hope that we are always working toward a community where everyone belongs .”
The site of the graduation ceremony was fitting because , during the COVID-19 pandemic , the Class of 2023 spent the first half of their Falk Middle School years at Rodef Shalom , which sometimes was referred to as “ Falk at Fifth .” For all of the class ’ s sixth-grade year , followed by the first half of seventh grade , students learned , ate , and socialized in “ pods ” of six to eight students that remained separate from other pods . Rodef Shalom ’ s agreement to let Falk use its classrooms freed up space in Falk ’ s Allequippa Street location for Primary and Intermediate classes to spread out in an effort to socially distance during the pandemic .