Stay Informed

The Ram Reminder | October 26 - 30, 2026

I grew up in a house where my parents decided what we ate, when we went to bed, and when the television went off. I certainly didn't appreciate how deliberate that was when I was growing up, but upon reflection, I am so thankful today. My parents had very strict boundaries, and I loved to test them, and I was also grounded for an entire summer once so that lets you know who won those battles.

I was reminded of what great parents I had recently while watching a friend's son negotiate his bedtime at a dinner party. He confidently presented his case like a small lawyer negotiating the terms of a very important contract. Everyone found it charming. I did too.for about thirty seconds.

Then I started thinking about the book I read by Leonard Sax called The Collapse of Parenting and one of the questions that stayed with me throughout the book: Are we sometimes confusing a child having a voice with a child being ready to make the decision?

Sax isn't interested in blaming parents for loving their children too much. Quite the opposite. His argument is uncomfortable because so much of what he describes comes from love. We want our children to feel respected. We want them to have a voice. We want them to develop independence and confidence. We don't want to become the parent who simply says, "Because I said so."

But there is an important difference between listening to a child and handing them the steering wheel. Children naturally test boundaries. They negotiate. They push. They ask, "Why?" ... sometimes repeatedly! And when adults don't provide the structure, children will often step in and create their own. That doesn't mean children are being manipulative or difficult. It means they are children.

One of the ideas I appreciated most from Sax is that children actually need adults to provide the structure, even when they appear to be pushing against it. A clear and consistent "no" can sometimes be more loving than a long negotiation. Not every boundary needs to become a debate. And this matters beyond bedtime, screen time and what's for dinner.

At Central Memorial High School, we work with young people who are becoming increasingly independent and preparing to make very significant decisions about their futures. We want our students to have strong voices. We want them to advocate for themselves, ask questions, challenge ideas respectfully, and take increasing ownership of their learning and their lives.

But independence doesn't mean the absence of boundaries. In fact, I believe young people become more independent when they have caring adults around them who are willing to provide appropriate structure, clear expectations, and honest feedback.

This is one of the reasons our Culture of Well-Being matters so much at CMHS. We want every student to feel safe, valued, connected, and supported to thrive. Sometimes supporting a young person means listening carefully. Sometimes it means giving them another opportunity. Sometimes it means helping them problem-solve. And sometimes it means saying, "No. That isn't okay, and here is why."

Our students don't need adults who make every decision for them. They need adults who help them develop the judgment to eventually make those decisions for themselves. That work belongs to all of us.

Parents and caregivers are our most important partners. The conversations happening around the kitchen table about bedtime, phones, friendships, attendance, responsibilities, respect and expectations all contribute to the young person who eventually walks through our doors. What happens at home and what happens at school are deeply connected.

I think that may be the part of Sax's book that stayed with me the most. Children need a voice. But they also need adults who are willing to be the adults. Our young people should not have to carry the whole world yet. They need opportunities to make choices, make mistakes, learn, grow, and gradually take on more responsibility, but they also need to know that there are adults standing beside them who will hold the line when necessary.

As I walk through the halls of Central Memorial, I am continually reminded of how capable our young people are. They are artists, athletes, musicians, tradespeople, designers, entrepreneurs, scholars, performers, leaders and so much more. They are becoming the adults they will one day be. Our job is not to control that journey. Our job is to guide it, support it, challenge it and sometimes provide a very firm guardrail.

Thank you to our CMHS families for the incredibly important work you do every day. Parenting is not easy, and none of us gets it right all the time. But when home and school work together, with high expectations, compassion, consistency and a whole lot of care, we give our young people something incredibly valuable; the confidence to use their voice, and the security of knowing that they don't have to steer the whole ship just yet.

Anne Kromm, Principal

Important Dates to Remember

Tuesday October 27 – Get it Done Day

Tuesday October 27 – Final Grades & Comments Turned Off 3:30

Wednesday October 28 - School Avoidance & Sleep Hygiene 6:30 - 8:30

Thursday October 29 – Wrestling Team Info Meeting Rm 229 12:05

Monday November 2 - First Day of Term 2

Tuesday November 3 & Wednesday November 4 – Jostens Grad Display (foyer 11:15 – 12:30)

Monday November 9 – T1 Parent Report Card Access Turned On 9:00am

Tuesday November 10 – Last Day of Classes Before Fall Break

Wednesday November 11 – Friday November 13 - Fall Break NO SCHOOL

Monday November 16 – Classes Resume

Wednesday November 18 – Tuesday December 8 – Grad Photos

Friday November 27 – Non-Instruction Day NO SCHOOL

Tuesday December 15 – Deadline for Kids Poster Contest

Friday December 18 – Last Day of Classes before Winter Break

Monday March 1- Jake Weitz Memorial Scholarship Deadline