Leading a School in December

“The good of man is the active exercise of his soul’s faculties in conformity with excellence or virtue, and if there are several virtues, in conformity with the best and most complete. But we must add ‘in a complete life.’”

— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7

“The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one’s ‘own,’ or ‘real’ life. The truth is, of course, that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life—the life God is sending one day by day.”

— CS Lewis, The Weight of Glory, “Learning in War-Time”

As I write this blog post, I have already heard and read warnings from pastors and Christian leaders about the “busyness” of the season, heaping guilt on their flock for the sin of not focusing on “the reason for the season.” This guilt is often felt most acutely by the women in our lives who are working hard to make Christmas a wonderful time. They generally bear the burden of finding the right gifts, sending the cards, planning and cooking wonderful meals, cookies and decorating for Christmas. Most of our faculty and staff are these women. 

Why all this busyness? Because Jesus was born in Bethlehem and it changed the world forever. Our world is transformed into a wonderful, and often beautiful time of celebration and reconnecting with family, friends and members of our schools and churches, mostly because of the work of the very same women who are made to feel guilty for it.  Why, then, are these activities often seen as disconnected from virtue and the surrender of the soul to its Creator? Have we become gnostics? 

To my eyes, I see this so-called busyness as primarily acts of charity and self-sacrifice, oriented toward family and the social networks in which their families are involved, for the sake of Christ and celebration of Him. I see beauty, warmth and good food. I see laughter and joy and cleaned up kids dressed nicely to be taken to church. Take out Christ and none of this would be happening. Recognizing the theological richness of this season should naturally inform how we approach its challenges and opportunities in our schools.

Could your staff view all this as mere ‘interruptions’ or even as materialism? Only if the narrative they hear constantly tells them that is the case. Screwtape for the win! We all need to hear the truth of what we see around us- overwhelmingly it is good.

Can the good be better? Sure. We all ought to be more contemplative. We ought to have a better devotional life. A lot of “oughts” come to mind. If you heaped more oughts to the season, would it be helpful? No, the oughts often kill our spirits. Encourage your staff to pursue the good, rest in Christ, and enjoy the fruits of their labor!

Since we are in the season of Advent, which is a time of preparation for the Coming of Christ, we should be encouraging and praising such preparation.These “interruptions” should not be considered mere distractions. As the Head of School, it would be good to see these preparations and celebrations as part of a “complete life” and run our schools in conformity with this good and joyous effort. Here are a few suggestions for how this can be done.

1. 1. Properly name the activities of the season as either Celebration or Preparation and stop demeaning it by calling it busyness. Warnings about being too busy or looking at a spouse’s work Christmas party as something other than good are not in conformity with the reality of what Christ’s birth signifies. Yes, introverts may not like some activities, but don’t demean them. These activities are good. Remind your staff that these preparations and celebrations are good and that to be a part of them are not distractions, but the real life things that bring eudaimonia (human flourishing/happiness) to our dark world. 
   2. Plan December in such a way that your faculty and staff have the time to participate in the activities of preparation and celebration. If at all possible, try to have a whole week off before Christmas. The more time your people have before Christmas to prepare for their family celebrations the better. Limit tests and papers to be due a few days before the end of the year so much of the correcting can be done before school is out for break. Or, make papers due the Friday after everyone is back in the new year. Thoughtful planning can foster an atmosphere where both staff and families can truly embrace the joy of the season.
   3. Form a school culture that sees Advent as longing and preparation, and Christmas as twelve days from Christmas Eve until the Eve of Epiphany. Yes, have a Christmas concert and Christmas parties while everyone is together, even during Advent, but change some of the class and school decorations and colors for early January while it is actually Christmas, taking them down after the 6th of January. Try not to cram your Board and Staff Christmas party in December competing with all the other celebrations and preparations and have it in the beginning of January. Or, consider having an Epiphany Party recalling the Magi’s visitation. 
   4. Avoid any unnecessary or extra work or meetings in December. We don’t need to add more pressure on our staff and faculty than  already exists in their work, home and church life. 
   5. Be attentive to those for whom Christmas has been a source of anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, for many, the holidays drum up all the negative experiences of the past, remind them of loved ones who are no longer with them, and are associated with drunkenness and abuse. Pray for them and help them to navigate the season with joy. 

As I wrote earlier, these are suggestions. The point is that the activities of this time of year should be seen as active service and celebrations of Jesus. No one would make expecting parents feel guilty for preparing the home for the arrival of a new baby. We would encourage them in their preparation. Let’s do the same for our school as we prepare for Christmas.