ACORN Monthly

Much has happened since the last Acorn article; I feel another season of life is upon the McCanles Family! Brooke graduated from college and officially entered the workforce…true adulting! I am very proud of her; she is quite driven and completed her degree in three years…she will do great things! Brady is now engaged…he popped the question as a part of a well designed plan (if you know Brady, you know he had a solid plan); we were able to be in Texas for the after engagement celebration. I am grateful for my future daughter-in-law - she is kind, intelligent, driven, and makes Brady very happy! 

If someone asked me about my favorite season, I would say Fall; if I was asked to pick my favorite month, I would immediately say September followed closely by December. But…I really enjoy the month of June; a slower pace for sure - the past school year wrapped up and plenty of time to prepare for the new school year. We have several team members at Oakhill who work year round, and I share with them the importance of “taking a breath” during the summer months. Although there is much work to be done, slowing down allows reflection, philosophical discussions, less rushed conversations, deeper connections, and time to truly think about possibilities. 

Summer at Oakhill brings excitement to the campus! Not only do we have the “best” summer program ever for the kiddos, but we have an incredible team of Oakhill teachers, alumni, and friends working, playing, and enjoying their time together! In conjunction with the summer program, we have a tutoring department to help keep skills sharp, fill in gaps, and enrich during the “out of school” months. I am extremely proud of these programs, the people, and the partnership between the teachers, students and families.

Beyond our summer program, there is much hustle and bustle around campus. Drive by and see our new Elizabeth’s Garden Space (where the white house once stood) - complete with a new fence, brick pillars being built, and a rock landscaping path under construction which will separate the Living Lab from Elizabeth’s Garden plus a new entrance sign to come! The campus is buzzing with cleaning, repairs, upgrades, and more! 

With the 4th of July being the “midpoint” of summer, lean into the long days! Say YES to adventures, activities, day trips, traveling, reading, biking, hiking, playing or watching sports of all kinds, concerts, movies, farmers markets, festivals, and whatever else sounds fun! Spend time together, call someone you haven’t talked to in a while, visit family and friends, send a card to those you don’t see often, go get ice cream at 10 pm, and shake up your routine in a way that only summer allows! Enjoy every minute of a more flexible schedule!

I will enjoy this more flexible season…playing with my goats (Clarence and Walter), walking my dogs, running, hiking, biking, playing some golf, traveling, reading, gardening (I actually planted one this year), mowing (I love to mow), 4-wheeling on the trails, and working alongside the Oakhill Team to make next year the best yet!!!! 

I’ll be back in a few weeks with “Back to School” need to knows,

Suzanne