You know you’re going to have a great week when you’re already counting blessings on a Monday. Veteran’s Day.
Much of NYC—and its schools—is off today for Veteran’s Day. QPS does not close on this day because a day off that students don’t know anything about is perhaps not the best way for them to spend their time. Instead, today we had the incredible gift/blessing of a visit from Jason Sagebiel, founder of Sage Music. Sage is our neighbor in the LIC Art Center, and Jason is a good friend to us and everyone in our community who knows him. He is also a Vet with a deep well of experience and insight into the U.S. veteran experience.
Bringing Meaning to a Monday
Jason met with our middle school students and shared his story in language and pacing that they could follow and take in. The more our students heard, the more questions 
they had, and the more Jason drew them into his world—why he chose to serve starting in 1999, where he was based in the States and abroad, and what he did while he was in Iraq. He also explained the challenges that many vets face when they return to civilian life after serving, which include health problems, psychological adjustment, and job uncertainty. One of Jason’s missions is to educate people about these challenges and help them get beyond any misconceptions they might hold.
In Jason’s case, he had to relearn many basic skills due to injuries he suffered. That process of learning and relearning is what led him to start Sage Music School, which is not just a music school predicated on the science of learning but also “a community of musicians – teachers, students, and supporters alike – who are dedicated to musical and personal growth and success.” Jason and Sage’s mission engender only admiration from us, the learning theory-based K-8 school a few doors down.
