Yes, that’s a little bit of ice on my beard. It grew yesterday, as I was greeting families in the morning. And suddenly I understood why everyone kept asking me if I was ready for “Iowa winter.” It’s real.
But even with sub-freezing temperatures and arctic windchill, there remains an undercurrent of joy coursing through this place. The snow has simply delivered another way to express it.
Learning outside the classroom
You’d think that the weather would have kept us inside for classes, but it just hasn’t.
Our third graders visited Jefferson County Park before Thanksgiving, and then watched a snow volcano erupt this week.
Our fourth graders planted their own succulents and took them home.
Our fifth graders went to Iowa City — twice, including today! — to visit the Natural History Museum and the Englert Theater to watch The Nutcracker ballet.
Our eleventh graders went to see The American Gothic house as part of their US History course.
And our 12th graders visited the Co-Lab in Fairfield as part of their Global Solutions class.
International Festival success!
Elsewhere, our World Fair Field was hugely successful, with hundreds of people learning about the traditions, dances, and food of over 30 cultures.
Giving thanks
Both our Middle School and Upper School had meaningful Thanksgiving celebrations. The Middle School hosted a (very popular!) potluck on Wednesday, November 19, and then held a special assembly to share what they were thankful for.
The Upper School organized a “Pie and Chai” event on Tuesday, November 25, where each class was responsible for making a part of the feast.
Discover the difference in Consciousness-Based education
If you’re looking for a K-12 school environment that reduces stress, inspires creativity, and builds character alongside academic rigor, it’s time to learn more about Maharishi School.
Inquire today and find out how TM supports your child’s success. ➡️ Maharishischool.org
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Brett Potash is the Head of School at Maharishi School.
We are thrilled to announce that we are participating in the ISACS Parent Series 2025-2026, a cornerstone program designed to strengthen the vital partnership between independent schools and parents.
This outstanding series comprises six one-hour webinars led by renowned experts, providing guidance and support across all aspects of your child’s development.
We invite you to join our monthly series
We invite all parents, caregivers, faculty, and administrators to join fellow independent school communities for these evening webinars.
Immediately following the webinar, Brett Potash, Head of School, will be available for a Q&A session to delve deeper into the topic.
Our most recent webinar featured renowned author and researcher Jonathan Haidt, who discussed “How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Impacted Everything, And What We Can Do About It.”
Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist whose most recent book, The Anxious Generation, brings to light how play-based childhood has been replaced by phone-based childhood.
Haidt continues to push reforms to put an end to the youth mental health crisis. He believes that there are four steps that we all must take now: delay smartphones until high school, delay social media until 16, establish phone-free schools, and encourage more independence and play in the real world.
Haidt will share his research and leave parents with inspiration and concrete plans to facilitate change in their families and communities.
View the Full Parent Series Brochure to see the upcoming featured speakers. All parents, teachers, and caregivers in the Fairfield community are welcome. Directly after the webinar, Brett Potash, Head of School, will be available for a Q&A to dive deeper into the topic.
Roxanna Medeiros, MIU Vice President of Online & Continuing Education, spoke as part of a panel presentation at the recent Quality Matters (QM) Conference, held November 3–5 at Loews Ventana Canyon in Tucson, Arizona.
The annual event brings together educators and instructional designers to share best practices for improving the quality of online courses.
“The goal of our panel,” she said, “was to give institutions tools they can immediately adapt to improve academic integrity, course quality, and student support.”
Drawing on her work as a QM Research Colleague, Medeiros explored two timely topics in her presentation: artificial intelligence (AI) and Social Emotional Learning (SEL).
AI, she explained, can be more than a tool for detecting plagiarism or enforcing rules. “AI should serve as a reflective design partner,” Medeiros said, “helping faculty create clear course navigation, provide scaffolding for learning, and offer constructive feedback — not functioning as a policing mechanism.” Scaffolding refers to structured support that guides students step by step toward mastering complex skills.
“The goal of our panel was to give institutions tools they can immediately adapt to improve academic integrity, course quality, and student support.”
— Roxanna Medeiros, Vice President of Online & Continuing Education
She also introduced SEL, which focuses on helping students develop self-awareness, manage emotions, and build interpersonal skills — abilities that research shows are essential for academic success and well-being.
“SEL isn’t just about emotional support,” Medeiros noted. “It’s about creating clarity, fostering reflection, and ensuring instructor presence. These practices directly impact student engagement and retention in online environments.”
Her session offered practical strategies for embedding SEL into course design, such as adding well-being check-ins, reflective activities, and clear communication from instructors. She also shared approaches for building faculty AI literacy — helping educators understand how to use AI responsibly and design assessments that emphasize authenticity and meaningful application rather than rote memorization.
Audience members responded enthusiastically, especially to the integration of AI literacy, authentic assessment, and SEL-informed design. Several attendees expressed interest in MIU’s holistic approach to quality and asked follow-up questions about its instructional design practices.
Medeiros emphasized that MIU’s involvement in Quality Matters benefits the university by keeping it aligned with national standards for online learning, strengthening faculty support, and increasing visibility in global conversations about quality and integrity in education.
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Banner photo by JC Cervantes on Unsplash. Loews facility photo https://www.loewshotels.com.