Last week, Head of School Suzanne Fogarty hosted the first Coffee and Conversation of the 2025-2026 school year. Parents, faculty and staff gathered in the Lower Level Dining Room eager to listen to a dynamic conversation between the panelists on civil discourse. Head of Lower School (LS) Literacy & Social Studies Miranda Orbach, K-12 Speech & Debate Program Coordinator Jim Shapiro, Associate Head of Upper School (US) for Culture and Community Liz Solis, US English teacher Emily Feder and two Class 10 students joined Ms. Fogarty to discuss their unique perspectives on the ways civil discourse shapes both teaching and learning at Chapin.
The conversation began with a powerful question from Ms. Fogarty: “What does civil discourse mean to you?” Mr. Shapiro began by defining discourse as a deep, thoughtful exchange of ideas. He emphasized the critical role of listening, noting that genuine dialogue requires individuals to listen more than they speak. Mr. Shapiro went on to explain that active listening not only fosters mutual understanding but allows participants to respond with intention.
Class 10 student, Suman S., confidently shared her belief that civil discourse means, “disagreeing without disconnecting and acknowledging humanity,” — a definition she connected directly to Chapin’s core values of Curiosity, Excellence, Humanity and Integrity. Her classmate, Sofie B., expanded on this idea, describing civil discourse as, “engaging in conversation and creating a safe space,” one that welcomes diverse perspectives. Sofie and Ms. Fogarty discussed the essential role of kindness as a grounding point in these types of interactions.
The Close Up Foundation — a leading national organization in civic education, classroom discourse and experiential learning — held its annual NNSP conference in D.C. in February 2025. Solis took four Chapin US students, including Sofie and Suman. Tasked with selecting a topic from a list to focus on for their sessions, they chose civic engagement and began researching and brainstorming ways Chapin could expand its civic work both in and outside the classroom. Guided by Close Up leaders through discussions and meetings, the students developed several actionable ideas. One expanded upon the Current Events Forums led by Mr. Shapiro. The first of their Current Event Pop Ups, which created an opportunity to continue discussing topics of interest to the students, was held last year and featured a Chapin parent and Board of Trustee member discussing tariffs. Their participation in the conference also helped to inform the Coffee & Conversation panel discussion.
Building on the student panelists' ideas, Ms. Orbach described civil discourse as involving “a commitment to learning and understanding different perspectives, including talking with people, not at them, to create true dialogue over debate.”
After sharing other personal reflections, the panel discussed how civil discourse takes shape within the Chapin community and in their specific roles. Ms. Feder highlighted the summer professional development work she earned a grant for in the Netherlands. While there, she visited two high schools and the University of Leiden and interviewed teachers, high school students ranging in age from 14 to 18, and university professors. Her goal was to learn more about the theory and practice of consensus-building and consociation in that country and how these approaches were embodied in classroom and school communities.
Mr. Shapiro noted the importance of helping K-12 students understand what it means to be both a strong speaker and an attentive, respectful listener. He said that it's not enough to simply listen — it must be done with active engagement and intention. He stressed the importance of “empowering students to engage deeply with one another” across all grade levels.
Several of the panelists highlighted the importance of cultivating a safe and inclusive environment where students with varying levels of confidence and communication skills can coexist and thrive.
Solis went on to emphasize the importance of community-wide circles in her US work, noting that these gatherings twice a year create meaningful opportunities for students to engage with one another and practice empathetic listening. She said that Chapin student leaders, including self government presidents, peer leaders and coalition leaders, are trained to be “circle keepers” — a role that empowers them to select topics and lead respectful group discussions that create room for diverse voices to be heard. Several faculty members across all content areas, she added, are also trained to support students during these conversations.
Ms. Orbach described the LS students beginning each day with a morning meeting that encourages sharing and community building with their peers. In Classes 1-3, students explore civics through five core pillar lessons that focus on learning how to hear all voices, responding as members of a community and learning how to disagree respectfully. In Class 3, specifically, students engage in an “In the News” project where they present on a current event that is important to them. Later in the year, the girls work on persuasive speeches with Mr. Shapiro, learning the concepts of counter-arguments and understanding that there are often multiple perspectives on a given argument.
Suman expanded on this, sharing how civil discourse is woven into various US courses. In history, for example, multiple perspectives and viewpoints are presented and her writing assignments feature “complex and multifaceted prompts that challenge the students to consider historical context, integrate diverse viewpoints and overall learn how to craft stronger arguments.”
After a thoughtful 45-minute conversation, Ms. Fogarty and the panelists encouraged the guests to participate in a Q&A, which they did actively..
The next Coffee and Conversations with Suzanne Fogarty event will focus on Artificial Intelligence and the ongoing work this past year of Chapin’s Artificial Intelligence Working Group (AIWG). This conversation will take place on Thursday, November 13.
