| | | | Dear Friend, With Earth Day this month, we are invited to care for something larger than ourselves—our planet, and also our communities, our schools, our cities, and our country. Care asks us to pay attention. To stay present. To remain grounded in what is real, even when that reality feels complicated or uncomfortable. Right now, many of us are navigating a climate of uncertainty and, at times, great fear. In schools and communities across the country, there is a growing hesitation about what can be said, what should be said, and how to lead with integrity in moments that feel increasingly fraught. But care is not passive. It requires engagement. This month, we are creating opportunities to do just that. We invite you to join us for our upcoming panel, Navigating a Culture of Fear—a timely and honest conversation with school leaders who are choosing to lead with clarity, courage, and care, even in challenging moments. And we invite you to take the next step by joining the Pollyanna Circle Membership. The Circle is designed to support you throughout the next school year—with access to 20 online workshops, Teen Council special leadership opportunities, a discount on our National Conference, and a community committed to connection and action. This is a moment to stay grounded.
This is a moment to stay engaged.
This is a moment to lead. Because Building Stronger and Kinder Communities requires all of us. Warmly, | |  | | | | | Navigating a Culture of Fear Pollyanna is creating space for an honest and grounded conversation about how to lead through this moment. Jason Craige Harris will facilitate a panel of school leaders featuring a Head of School, Trustee, Chief Community Life & Well-Being Officer, and Department Chair. This conversation focuses on leadership: how school leaders remain steady, values-driven, and thoughtful in moments of tension. Join us for our free panel on Zoom, April 29, 9-10AM PT, 12-1PM ET | | | | | | Pollyanna's Circle Membership 2026-27 Year-Long Learning. Stronger Communities. One Annual Fee. Join the Pollyanna Circle and equip your entire school community with the programs, tools, and inspiration needed to Build Stronger and Kinder Communities all year long. Program begins July 1, 2026. Become a founding member and gain expanded access to the resources schools rely on most from Pollyanna. Click here for more information and to register. And if you were a National Conference school, don't forget to add your discount code. | | | | | | | | Teen Council: AI and the Future of Inclusion On April 19, inclusion strategist Samantha Hosein joins the Teen Council and explores the intersections of artificial intelligence, inclusive leadership, and equitable organizational change. She will discuss how AI may shape education, workplaces, and leadership practices while fostering inclusion and fairness. If you're 13-18 years old and would like to join a great group of students from across the country, fill in this form and we'll be in touch. | | | | | | April's Workshop Series Join us for three strong sessions: April 8: Naledi Semela's for all serving on hiring committees April 16: Jaleesa Anselm's for all community members April 21: Shernice Lazare's for trustees or future trustees Our upcoming workshops are filled with incredibly strong content which is very needed now. See you on Zoom | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Our Board Together The Pollyanna Board dinner reminded us of something simple but important: the work we do together is strengthened by the time we spend simply being together. Our trustees gathered for a purely social evening at a trustee’s home. No agenda, no presentations. Just conversation, laughter, good food, and the chance to reconnect in person. It was a beautiful evening and a wonderful reminder that the strength of organizations begins with the relationships that sustain it. We appreciate their strong commitment to our work. | | | | Raising Compassionate Kids Jason Craige Harris spoke with parents and caregivers at The Town School in New York City as part of their All-School Speaker Series on a topic that feels deeply urgent right now: Raising Compassionate Kids in a Polarized World. When we cultivate compassion in our homes, we are not only strengthening our families—we are preparing the next generation to move through the world with empathy, courage, and humanity. | | | | | | | | The Teen Council is Shaping The Future In March, the Pollyanna Teen Council gathered with poet, educator, and equity practitioner Noah Arhm Choi for a thoughtful conversation on media literacy, misinformation, and allyship. In a moment when the information landscape can feel overwhelming, the dialogue centered on how young people can stay sharp, stay kind, and stay hopeful. The conversation was a reminder that young people are not just navigating today’s media landscape—they’re shaping a more thoughtful, informed, and compassionate one. | | | | | | | | National Conference 2026 Sponsor Workshop Building on the energy of the National Conference, our Sponsor Workshop brought this group back together. Sponsors shared their work, reinforcing what’s possible when we stay connected in service. Jason Craige Harris moderated the panel with Chrysalis Consulting, DoSomething.org, James Education, Katie Rocker Leadership Solutions, Klingenstein Archival Project, Meredith Herrera Consulting, Private School Axis, Strategenius, and teachAAPI. We missed The Boys Room, Educating for Equity, Joy-Raising, Private School Village and VHH Consulting. Congratulations to The Madeira School in Virginia, winner of the raffle for a Pollyanna Circle Membership! | | | | | | | | | | | | Call for 2027 Pollyanna National Conference Workshops Have an idea or practice to support school communities? Submit a workshop proposal for the 2027 Pollyanna National Conference. This year’s theme—Building Stronger and Kinder Communities: The Power of Us—focuses on how individual and collective voices make a difference. We’re seeking interactive sessions with practical takeaways for administrators, alumni, community engagers, faculty, heads of school, high school students, parents/caregivers, and trustees. Selected facilitators receive a stipend and complimentary registration. Deadline: April 17, 2026. [Submit a Proposal] Questions: [email protected] Share Your Story: Invitation to Participate in a Study on Cultural Reclamation Angelica Cardenas is an educator and mental health practitioner conducting dissertation research, which explores how reconnecting with cultural, Indigenous, and ancestral practices is experienced through the body, and how these practices support well-being, cultural identity, and liberation. She is inviting individuals who engage in practices, such as traditional rituals, movement, music, dance, storytelling, or other cultural expressions, to participate in a one-time interview to share their experiences. If you’re interested in learning more or participating, please click on this information sheet or email Angelica directly. | | | | | | 10 STORIES FOR 10 YEARS Belonging isn’t something we announce. It’s something people feel. “If you think you’re inviting someone but they don’t know if anyone cares if they show up, that’s not an invitation. That’s just an announcement.” Charles Vogl Read Charles’s full story on page 12 of our 10-Year Impact Brochure. | | | | A FINAL THOUGHT “Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”
Simone Weil | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pollyanna, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation 501(c)(3). © 2026 Pollyanna | New York, NY 10075 | | | | | | | |
