Class of 2013: Lowell`s First 8th Grade Graduates!

The Lowell Ledger
A biannual publication of Lowell School
|
Summer 2013
|
Vol. 22. No. 2
Class of 2013:
Lowell’s First 8th Grade Graduates!
On the morning of Friday, June 7,
Lowell’s inaugural 8th grade class
gathered in anticipation of their
graduation ceremony. They were
prepared, confident, excited,
maybe just a little bit nervous. Five
of the twelve graduates came to
Lowell as three-year-olds, five came
in Primary School, and two came
in Middle School. Whether they
came eleven years ago or two years
ago, they were ready—not only to
present their speeches and receive
their diplomas, but to celebrate the
journey and move on to the next
chapter of their lives.
On hand to help the graduates and their families celebrate
were Chair of the Board of Trustees, Jay Rapp; Debbie Gibbs
and the full faculty and staff; and the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th
graders, who helped mark the occasion with three songs.
Moira Regan, Director of Middle School, and faculty members
Domi Long, Sarah Smith, and Kavan Yee offered some special
parting words and reflections. Later, everyone was grinning as
a slideshow chronicling the graduates’ years at Lowell flashed
on a big screen. As a final send-off, 6th and 7th graders armed
with pom-poms lined the hallways outside the gym and
cheered enthusiastically as the graduates emerged from the
ceremony.
With the
graduation
of our first twelve
8th graders, it is a
good time to ask
ourselves, “Have we
accomplished with
these promising
students what we set
out to accomplish?”
We know that
we delivered,
through extremely skilled teachers, a unique,
conceptually-integrated curriculum that
builds on the strong foundation established
in the Pre-Primary and Primary Schools. We
offered challenging and engaging classes
enriched by experiential and hands-on learning
opportunities, including a week-long trip to
Costa Rica—a capstone to our field trip program.
We created and implemented a one-of-a-kind
advisory system—Detla U, as we call it—to help
the students grow socially and emotionally. And,
SUMMER 2013
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE Class of 2013
We are proud of who our graduates have become, and we wish them all
the best as they enter high school (in alphabetical order): Zoe Ades, Maya
Andresino, Abby Binder, Brandon Burton, Madison Chambers, Sam KwaitSpitzer, Luke Lama, Vera Nikolaeva, Jazz Walla, David Watkiss, Julia Wenick,
and Phillip Yeldell.
each graduate successfully completed a two-year
independent study project, the Profile of Passion
(POP), and shared it with the community this
spring.
While we know what we, as adults, developed
and what the students experienced, it is harder
to know what the students will take away. We
can look to final papers and exams as evidence
of course work completed; we can look to high
school placements in Spanish and math as
further evidence and feel reassured that the
students were well-prepared. But, what is lasting?
Next year, we can follow this diverse group of
graduates to see how they do in high school. We
will want to know How are they doing academically,
socially, and emotionally? Are they participating fully
in school-life? How have they pursued their passions?
Are they exercising their voices and advocating for
themselves and others? Their experiences and
accomplishments will be an excellent measure
of our work—but we won’t know these things for
another year, perhaps even longer.
FROM THE
HEAD
What we can do now is
reflect on the strength of
the experiences the students had,
some of which you will read about in
this issue of The Ledger. I would also like to share
with you a few highlights from the 8th grade
graduation speeches. Their words indicate just
how powerful a Lowell education is.
On the next page, you will hear the graduates’
enthusiasm for learning and their appreciation
for the teachers, classmates, and family members
who supported them throughout their time at
Lowell. The students will show you how their
academic journeys were entwined with their
growth as individuals and their relationship to
their communities. You will see Lowell’s values
of inclusivity and individuality shine through in
their words.
It is important that our graduates feel prepared
for the next steps in their educational journeys
and the next phase of their social and emotional
continued on page 2
1
FROM THE HEAD
continued from page 1
growth. Some graduates spoke of
the challenges they faced and the
strength they found within, a sign of
their resilience. Many of them spoke
with confidence and excitement
about the future.
When Madison Chambers looked to
the future, she could see a process of
constant change and growth—one
requiring flexibility, an open mind,
and responsibility. Our graduates are
ready.
As our mission states, Lowell strives
to be a community in which “each
individual is valued and respected.”
Being respected as an individual
means knowing your voice counts,
and these graduates do.
I could not be prouder.
CLASS OF 2013
REFLECTIONS
On the first day of sixth grade, Moira said, “Ask for what you need.”
I’m pretty sure any Lowell Middle School student has heard that phrase
a million times. My parents heard the phrase too and have adopted it
into their own repertoire of quotes they like to use. People at Lowell
have always expected me to ask for what I need and to communicate for
myself. This has always been difficult for me, but the teachers at Lowell
never underestimated my abilities. Yes, I have learned a lot at my time in
Lowell; I learned how to multiply fractions and the countries that border
China.
But the thing that I will carry with
me more than anything else is that I have
learned to speak up for myself. ~Zoe Ades
Ever since I began
developing a long-term
memory, I have been
internalizing Lowell’s
core beliefs about
inclusivity, equity, and
individuality. I know I will
remember them forever. It seems at first
that what you should remember from a
school are the facts and numbers they
have taught you. But I believe Lowell
has taught me so much more than that.
We have been exposed to cultures and
places and concepts so far from our own.
Everything from my first overnight trip to
Echo Hill in 4th grade, to my first home
stay experience this year in Costa Rica, has
shaped me as an individual, brought me
closer to my friends, and taught me about
other cultures. ~Maya Andresino
“I have been at Lowell
for six years now, and
I have made
many friends
and enjoyed
every single
moment.”
~Jazz Walla
Although we are leaving Lowell, we have
made our mark on the school as the firstever 8th grade class to graduate. ~Luke Lama
I know that no matter what
I say in this speech, I won’t
be able to stress how much
Lowell has impacted me.
I only hope that
this place and
these people can
inspire others half
as much as it has
inspired me. I cannot
imagine a winter without seeing
snow accumulate on the Lowell
field, a spring without Lowell,
an end of the year that isn’t
marked by Field Day. It’s been
over a decade since my first day
at Lowell School, and I’m ready
for the next chapter in my life.
I’ll be 14 and a half, and excited,
knowing that there’s nothing to
cry about on the first day of high
school. Julia Wenick
~
moving on with our journeys we
continue to grow as people, and it
is up to us to carry on the legacy
Lowell has left us with.
~Madison Chambers
She made
learning fun for me and shaped me into a person that
likes to learn. The 4th grade was probably my favorite Primary School year. After that year
I became a more solid student, I took my studies more seriously, and I made sure that I held myself
accountable if I were to get into trouble. ~Brandon Burton
getting to know them, and while communicating proved to be a bit of a challenge at times, we were
able to joke around with them and ask questions. They helped us improve our Spanish and learn about
Costa Rican culture. ~Abby Binder
The teachers here at Lowell have taught me things
you cannot find in a textbook. They have taught me
about myself. They have taught me how to take risks.
I am not saying that I am no longer a worrier, but
I have learned that in order to
grow you must push yourself
and step outside your comfort
zone. ~Sam Kwait-Spitzer
Middle school is the first big step towards
college and life. An important part of that big
step came from Kavan teaching us. In 6th grade
Kavan realized my determination as a student.
When building bottle rockets I had became the
“MacGyver” of the class, bringing duct tape
down to the field trying to seal off the holes
that were making our rocket useless....
And
my determination keeps
pushing me, getting me
past the impossible.
~David Watkiss
I learned a lot about trust and also developed a keen eye for the traits of a good friend. Both of these
Lowell has helped shape the
person that stands before you today and for that, I am
thankful. ~Philip Yeldell
2
We are recreating
our journey right
now, we are molding
who we are as
citizens, teenagers,
creative minds and
people. . . .While we are
My teacher, Joni Kuckuck, was the turning point in my student career.
Going out of the country and staying with Costa Rican
families was an amazing experience that I will never
forget. A highlight from the trip was eating and hanging out with our families because it was fun
lessons will serve me well for the rest of my life.
“Every morning we are born again.”
These are the great words of
Buddha. They speak to me the most
because they are true. We obviously
aren’t reborn every day but our
mindset is. Some people think they
have what they want for the rest
of their life. But our minds change,
then we change, and we experience
things and hear about things and see
things that make us think.
When I moved from Russia to America,
everybody was very welcoming. Although I
mixed up words, like through and though,
everybody just had a laugh about it; it was
not a big deal. Not knowing the language
was very hard at first; everybody was always
correcting me, but it paid off. I want to
especially thank Sarah Smith, who helped
me improve my English so much. The most
challenging part of speaking in another
language is not the grammar or spelling,
it is the self-consciousness of wondering if
people can understand you. It was very hard
at first to adjust, but my Lowell family made
me overcome that fear.
Although I
still get confused if Jackie
Robinson was a baseball
or a basketball player, I
still feel very comfortable
in the community that
is so far away from my
home. ­~Vera Nikolaeva
THE LOWELL LEDGER
SPRING
SCRAPBOOK
Grandparent &
Grandfriend Day
In March Lowell welcomed 150 grandparents
and grandfriends to campus for a special day
with students. Some highlights included Singing
Meeting in the Pre-Primary School, performances
from K-5th grade, and a Middle School oral
history project for which 7th graders interviewed
grandguests about their memories of the Civil
Rights Movement.
FIELD DAYS!
Despite a rainy May and June, every division of the School found time to celebrate spring with
outdoor fun. This year, the Student Council assisted parents and teachers in running the Pre-Primary
School’s Field Day, which included an obstacle course, parachute games, and time in the sprinkler.
Primary School students had two Field Days—one for K-3rd grade and one for 4th-5th grade. A special
appearance by the Lowell Leopard at the K-3 event increased the excitement. Middle School students
had their own day in the sun, which culminated in the ever-popular and always-epic Tug of War
contest.
Congratulations to the
Class of 2016!
On June 6 Lowell recognized the 5th graders’
completion of the Primary School program with
a special ceremony at the last Gathering of the
year. Primary School Director Elizabeth Lener and
teachers Tara Scully and Natalie Stapert celebrated
the class with short speeches and then each 5th
grader came to the stage to offer a piece of advice
to K-4th grade students. Afterwards, the festivities
continued with a reception in the 5th grade
classrooms.
SUMMER 2013
3
Rising
8th
Graders
Help Plan
Middle
School
Space
by Lee Bissett
Math Curriculum Coordinator and
Middle School Math Teacher
The renovation of Parkside presents many opportunities
for Lowell and also creates some short-term challenges.
In Lowell’s math program, we call these challenges and
opportunities “problems” and view them as essential to
learning and mastering new skills.
The particular and immediate problem created by the renovation of Parkside was the location of
Middle School classes and activities for the 2013–2014 school year when the Primary and Middle
Schools would share space in Lowell’s main building. The teachers knew that we would have access to
the dining room, conference room, teacher’s lounge, teacher’s workroom, and library. We didn’t know
how these spaces would be set up or planned and were, thus, faced with the problem of designing a
Middle School in a fixed physical space.
In order to tackle this problem, we turned to our resident experts on learning
in classroom spaces—the students who sit in them every day. After all,
they often see things that we as teachers miss. For example, can the
board be seen from each desk? Is there enough room between desks
for students to pull out their chairs if they need to get up? In
enlisting them to help design our space for next year, we not
The design
only utilized their expertise and valued their voices, but also
process is
empowered them to make meaningful contributions to the
School community and buy in to the challenges we all will
where Lowell’s
face next year.
focus on valuing
student voice
really emerged,
and students
felt empowered
to make
decisions.
The actual design process began with determining the
non-negotiables for the spaces. The students went to all
Middle School teachers and asked them to make a list
of things that must be in their rooms and things that
would be helpful, but optional. After cataloguing all of the
teachers’ needs and wants for the Middle School, students
were given the exact physical spaces they could use to
create classrooms. Different teachers had different needs, and
students were forced to make choices about which of the wants
could be met, given the constraints of the physical spaces they were
designing.
Students then needed to learn the mathematical skills necessary to solve the
actual problem at hand. In this case, and because producing scale models is a 7th grade standard,
students needed to learn about and apply scale models. They did all of the necessary background
research by measuring all of the items on teachers’ lists of needs and wants. They then used their
knowledge of proportional relationships and scale to convert all of the furniture into scale models.
Once they had scale models of all the furniture, they began the design process in which they developed
different approaches to get all of the items into the spaces they were designing.
The design process is where Lowell’s focus on valuing student voice really emerged, and students felt
empowered to make decisions. One group met all of the teachers’ requirements and asked if they could
create a space for students to gather before school and during their break. I asked them to prove to me
that their plan met all of the teachers’ requirements and fit within the physical spaces. Once they had
verified their design using mathematical knowledge and tools, I told them they could design a space
for themselves if it was okay with the Middle School director. They went to her and, upon receiving
approval and a budget, began incorporating a space for themselves into their plan.
As they designed their own space, they struggled with balancing the physical sizes of pieces of furniture
with the actual cost of the pieces. For example, would three chairs be a better use of money than a
sofa? If neither of these met the budget, could beanbag chairs serve the same function for a lower cost?
This particular group discussed the ratio of size to cost for various pieces of furniture they wanted,
demonstrating a deep understanding of important Middle School math concepts. Ultimately, this
group was able to incorporate a small space for students that not only gave them a place to gather
comfortably, but also met the budget set by the Middle School director.
After all of the groups completed their designs, they presented them to the other Middle School
students, the teachers, and their parents to solicit feedback. They then made revisions to their
proposals. The final Middle School spaces for the coming school year are a combination of all their
ideas and serve as a genuine reflection of their vision for their learning space for next year.
4
THE LOWELL LEDGER
Construction Begins
On June 17, just ten days after graduation, crews
arrived to begin work on Parkside Building. In
the first few months their work will focus on
mobilization, selective demolition on the interior
of the building, and exterior site work, including
excavation for the addition. In late fall and early
winter, the steel structure will be assembled and
the new addition will start to take shape.
Lowell selected the following professionals
to guide the School through the construction
process:
• Bowie Gridley Architects
• Keller Brothers (general contractor)
• Kramer Consulting (project management)
During the 2013–14 school year, the Middle
School program will be housed in the main
building. Over the summer, the teachers’ lounge,
workroom, and dining room were reconfigured
to meet the needs of Middle School teachers
and students. In addition, art teachers David
Vickers and Mario Argueta transformed the
“penthouse” space at the top of the main
building from an exercise room into an art room
for 4th–8th grade students. (Read how 7th grade
students helped design the new spaces on the
previous page.)
Don’t miss our
Groundbreaking
photos on page 9!
Parent Education
Sneak Peek
The Mobile Lo-Jack:
A Technology Program
for Parents
Monday, September 9 | 7:00 PM
Have you decided to
purchase a cell phone
for your child? What are
parental control options
on a phone? Should you
be concerned that the next
slumber party will be filmed
and put up on YouTube?
Can photos of your children
online compromise your family’s safety and
privacy? Come, learn what you need to know
about cutting-edge technologies and how to
keep children safe in the digital age.
Katie Koestner is a national expert on student
safety and teen relationship culture. She has
appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine, The
Oprah Winfrey Show, NBC Nightly News, CNBC
Talk Live, CNN, Larry King Live, Good Morning
America, Later Today, Entertainment Tonight,
and other national television programs.
Parent SEED
Pre-Primary School Playground
Enhancements
Thanks to designer Nancy Striniste, MLD, from EarlySpace, her team of landscapers, and the PrePrimary School faculty, Lowell’s youngest children are now enjoying an updated play space. The
boulder scramble, obstacle course, and running areas offer new opportunities for active play, but the
expanded trike path and new playhouse are also popular! Next summer, Lowell will complete Phase II
of the project, adding a stream with a ponding area, a water trough play area, water pump, gardening
features, a bird blind, leafy arbors, and mosaic benches.
SUMMER 2013
Lowell’s Parent SEED program heads into its
second year this fall. The National SEED (Seeking
Educational Equity and Diversity) Project on
Inclusive Curriculum explores scholarship
from the “shelves” (articles and books) and
scholarship from the “selves” (participant
stories). Michelle Belton, Director of Diversity
and trained SEED leader, facilitates the threehour monthly seminars on various aspects of
equity and inclusion. If you would like to join this
year’s group, contact Michelle: 202.577.2056 or
[email protected].
PEP Classes at Lowell
For the second year, Lowell will be a host location
for the Parent Encouragement Program. We will
be offering PEP I: Parenting 5 to 12 Year Olds, an
eight-week course, beginning in October. Learn
more about the course on our website under
Campus and Community.
5
Profile of Passion
Searching for the “Perfect Project”
by Maya Andresino ‘13
Students who exhibited and performed at The Fridge
What happens when teachers
take a step back, and students
imagine and structure their
own projects?
Lowell’s Profile of Passion
(POP) project, which spans
the 7th and 8th grades, asks
teachers and students to do
exactly this.
Each student picks something they love to do
and then learns more about it through a project
they create. At the end of 8th grade, students
showcase what they have learned. For some
students in my class, like those who made art and
had a gallery opening, this final presentation was
the goal. For others, the project was ongoing, like
an after school club or maintaining a blog. Some
people found it easy to decide what to do, but for
others like me, it was a little more challenging to
find something to devote two years to learning
about.
Since I had always liked working with kids, I
decided I wanted to learn more about teaching.
During the first year of my POP, I wasn’t at all
sure how to do this. I ended up just trying to
soak in as much information as possible from the
Lowell community. Over time, I learned a lot and
gradually got a clearer picture of what I wanted
my POP to be.
During 7th grade I helped out in Naomi Adams’
Kindergarten class and assisted in an after school
art elective, also for Kindergartners. That teacher
was pregnant, so she didn’t mind a little extra
help. Mostly it entailed getting supplies and
helping the kids with their art projects. From
these experiences, I learned to communicate with
kids—how to talk without being confusing or
condescending.
An important part of the POP class is working
with a mentor. We were required to find
people who could teach us about our chosen
subject. Usually, they were outside the Lowell
community, but since I wanted to learn about
teaching, there were quite a few people available
right here.
Elly Porter, Creative Movement and Dance
Teacher, was a really valuable mentor. Some kids
are very high energy, and Elly is teaching them
some of the same things children might learn in
the academic classroom, just in a different way.
For example, instead of sitting still while a story
is read to them, Kindergarten students get to
actually act out the story. Or, instead of drawing
the life cycle of a butterfly, they get to perform it.
This is great for the high-energy kids. I enjoyed
watching Elly teach and then teaching creative
movement myself because it was interesting to
see the contrast between two ways of teaching
the same thing. Sometimes, creative movement
was fun for kids, but it was harder to control.
This is an exciting way to learn, and a fun
(although tiring) subject to teach!
Another mentor, Leslie Sinsay in the Pre-Primary
School, taught me about motivation. Something
she said that stood out to me was “the kids want
to make you happy.” That made sense to me
more and more during my POP because it made
me look at things from a different perspective.
At that point, I realized that the main goal was
to support that motivation—for example, giving
them instructions they could understand or
strategies for sitting still.
All of these experiences gave me different ideas
for my POP project. After learning from Elly, I
thought maybe my project could be teaching
creative movement, although I eventually
decided that teaching creative movement didn’t
really represent everything I had learned.
Maya and friends
continued on page 8
8th Grade POP Projects
One of the chefs and his crew
6
STUDENT
AREA OF INTEREST
FINAL PROJECT
Zoe Ades
Drama
started an after-school drama club that staged three
performances
Maya Andresino
Teaching
assisted in Lowell classrooms and a daycare center and
wrote a feature article for The Ledger
Abby Binder
Photography
exhibited at The Fridge
Brandon Burton
Cooking
prepared a Chinese dinner for family and friends at Lowell
Madison Chambers
Drama
wrote and performed a monologue at The Fridge
Sam Kwait-Spitzer
Sports
created a podcast of interviews about sports culture
Luke Lama
Graffiti Art
exhibited at The Fridge
Vera Nikolaeva
Fashion Design
wrote a fashion blog
Jazz Walla
Cooking
prepared a three-course restaurant-style dinner hosted at
Lowell
David Watkiss
Music recording
produced a cover of Coldplay’s song, “The Scientist”
Julia Wenick
Photography
exhibited at The Fridge
Phillip Yeldell
Parkour and free-running
screened an original documentary at The Fridge
THE LOWELL LEDGER
What’s Cookin’ in Costa Rica?
by Gia Harewood, Communications and Diversity Associate
One of the six biochar stoves students constructed in
Copey.
LEARNING IN THE FIELD
Dreaming Big
Getting Ready
When Lowell’s Middle School team envisioned
the culminating trip for the new 8th grade, they
had three things in mind. They wanted students
to 1) be immersed in the Spanish language for
a week, 2) undertake a service/sustainability
project, and 3) travel to another country that
was relatively close and generally safe. As Science
Coordinator and Delta U Program Chair, Kavan
Yee, explains, “We wanted students to have an
experience that would last a lifetime.”
Preparations for this kind of experience actually
begin long before Lowell students get to Middle
School. Field trips are an integral part of a Lowell
education: teachers design age-appropriate
experiences that scaffold students’ learning
in every division. As they move through the
divisions, students gain not only valuable
information and skills from their field studies,
they also gain confidence and independence
when they encounter novel situations.
These aims led the team to select the educational
travel program Sustainable Horizon as their
trip partner and Costa Rica as their ultimate
destination. Sustainable Horizon hosts school
groups on international adventures with
a mission “to create authentic volunteer
opportunities promoting sustainability through
community service and environmental
conservation.”
In Pre-Primary School, field trips are “in house.”
Children take trips that physically move them
from inside of their classrooms into new outside
environments, such as journeying to the Middle
School science lab to see the animals or to the
“big kid” playground on the front field—parts
of the campus not connected to their everyday
routines. They also mentally travel when the
outside world comes into their classrooms
through a series of interactive presentations.
These in-house trips expose children to new
concepts that encourage them to investigate the
whys and what-ifs around them.
Kavan and the other organizers chose to bring
students to the farming town of Copey in the
province of San Jose—a community powered
entirely by wind. Costa Rica is known as a
global leader in sustainable practices and ecotourism, and the country prioritizes alternative
fuel technology that all citizens can access for
free. This commitment aligned perfectly with
the team’s desire for the 8th grade to see Costa
Rica in a way that differed from a typical tourist
brochure. But now that the destination was set,
how would teachers help students get ready for a
week-long trip out of the country?
When they get to Primary School, students
start venturing off campus on day trips that
begin in Kindergarten. Highlights of Primary
School trips include the 1st grade’s trip to the
National Building Museum to participate in an
interactive workshop on buildings and land
use. The information they gain later helps them
to visualize how to construct their own 3-D
model town out of recycled materials. Another
wonderful example is the series of trips 3rd
graders take to the city of Alexandria where they
continued on page 8
An American History Girl is Born
Lowell’s field trips have impacted Jillian Wilson ’14 in
a significant way. After her 3rd grade class traveled to
historic Alexandria to explore what life was like in the
18th century, she became enamored with the American
colonial period. In 5th grade, Jillian made a movie
retracing the steps of Paul Revere and started a blog
about various historical topics called “American History
Girl.” She even became a junior docent this spring at
Gadsby’s Tavern, giving tours to visitors.
Jillian traveled with her iPad during the 7th grade’s
Civil War to Civil Rights trip and blogged from the field,
allowing her parents and other blog followers to keep up with the group’s activities down
south. After visiting the historic Lorraine Motel, she reflected:
“Day Three…We got to see the room that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stayed in….They had his
favorite song playing, ’Precious Lord,’ and a big, red and white wreath at the place he lay after
he was shot by James Earl Ray. If he were alive today, I’d have at least fifty questions to ask him. “
When Jillian got home, her mother asked her to capture the best part of that 7th grade trip,
and she replied without hesitation: “All of it!” Witnessing her daughter’s enthusiasm, her
mother says, “These trips are so valuable.” As Jillian puts it, “The field trips we take at Lowell
make whatever you are studying come to life.” Because of these experiences, Jillian wants to be
a historian someday and is continuing her blog as part of her POP project.
60 Field Trips
in 2012–13
Pre-Primary School
• Visits from Under the Sea, Eric Energy, and
Living Classrooms (Kindergartners also
attended these presentations).
• On-campus visits to the embankment slides
on the front field and the Middle School
science lab to see the animals.
Primary and Middle Schools
• AFI—2nd, 5th, 7th
• Alabama and Memphis—7th
• Alexandria Archeology Museum—3rd
• American Art Museum—5th, 7th
• American Visionary Art Museum—
2nd, 3rd, 8th
• Antietam Battlefield—7th
• Brookside Gardens—K
• Calleva Overnights—5th, 6th, 8th
• Carlyle House—3rd
• Costa Rica—8th
• Discovery Theater—2nd
• Echo Hill Overnight—4th
• Folger Shakespeare Library—8th
• Freer and Sackler Galleries—6th
• Gadsby’s Tavern Museum—3rd
• Glen Echo Park—1st
• Hadley’s Park—2nd
• Habitat for Humanity—5th
• Harpers Ferry—5th
• Homestead Farm—K
• Inova Heart and Vascular Institute—7th, 8th
• Japanese Embassy—6th, 8th
• National Building Museum—1st
• National Geographic Museum—5th, 8th
• National History Museum—2nd
• National Postal Museum—K
• National Air & Space Museum—K
• National Zoo—1st
• Newseum—7th
• New York City Overnight—6th
• Philadelphia—5th
• Pyramid Atlantic—K, 1st
• Round House Theatre—1st
• Reston Zoo—2nd
• Shakespeare Theatre Company—8th
• Sheridan Mountain Campus Overnight—3rd
• Smithsonian Environmental Research
Center—4th
• The Fridge—8th
• Union Station—2nd
• US Capitol—5th
• US Supreme Court—5th
• Vishnu Temple—6th
• Walking Tour of Old Town Alexandria—3rd
• Washington’s Mt. Vernon Estate—5th
You can visit her blog at www.americanhistorygirl.com.
SUMMER 2013
7
POP
WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN COSTA RICA?
continued from page 6
continued from page 7
At the end of 7th grade, I knew I needed to
gain some experience in schools outside the
Lowell community. I decided to volunteer at a
daycare center near my house to get a feel for
how teaching styles vary in different schools.
Reaching out to unfamiliar people in a new
place was stressful because I didn’t know what
to expect or how I would be received. The only
comfort was that my classmates had experienced
that feeling as well.
visit Alexandria Archeology and the historic
Gadsby’s Tavern—a colonial-era town hub for
news, commerce, entertainment, food, and
lodging. Then, they study census data and return
for a walking tour to get a sense of the people of
18th century Alexandria. The trips give them the
content knowledge they need later when they
bring to life a colonial tradesperson during a daylong classroom re-enactment. This emphasis on
living history is echoed in other Primary School
trips such as the 5th grade’s travels to the US
Capitol, Supreme Court, and Philadelphia.
For most of us, this project was one of the first
times we had to contact people outside of school
independently. Moira taught us how to write
emails, and in the beginning she edited every
one before we sent it. We had to learn everything
from how to properly introduce ourselves to how
to politely sign off.
I’m glad Moira taught us all of this because
it really came in handy. Outside of Lowell,
suddenly we were treated differently. Although
everyone I came across at the daycare center
where I volunteered was very polite and kind,
I was an outsider. There were forms to sign and
health forms to find. At Lowell, I was generally
accepted as trustworthy and responsible; I had to
prove it when working in a new place. It took a
while before the daycare center would allow me
to give tests or to look after the kids if the teacher
left the room for a few minutes. I actually think
that was a great experience, but it did take some
getting used to.
I also found a few differences in routine. The
daycare center used different tactics to get
children to pay attention. The call-and-response
we use at Lowell to get the attention of a class
was replaced by one in Spanish. That was a quick
adjustment, however. They were a bilingual
school, and that was an interesting difference
because it was harder to communicate with some
of the children. I never fully adapted to that,
although my Spanish did improve.
An important thing that I learned was that some
parts of teaching are universal, no matter the
nuances of the subject or the school or even
the language. The fundamental part of teaching
stays the same. Teachers working hard to teach
students and make them care about the material
they are learning was something I observed no
matter where I went.
Although I didn’t always know where my POP
was going, I’m glad because it gave me the
opportunity to learn many different things.
In 7th grade I felt kind of lost. And then, over
the summer I realized that maybe I had already
found my POP. I had been searching for the
perfect project, but I had already learned so
much more from being in the classroom than
I had ever expected. Because I was noticing all
these differences and similarities and styles of
teaching, I started thinking more about what
teaching is. In the end, I decided my POP was the
experience of learning as much as I could about
different parts of teaching. I’m happy with where
it ended up.
Primary School is also the time when students
step into the realm of overnight trips that focus
on outdoor education, stewardship, and teambuilding. For example, 3rd grade students spend
one night at Sheridan’s Mountain Campus, 4th
graders spend two nights at Echo Hill Outdoor
School, and 5th graders visit Calleva Outdoor
Adventures—also for two nights. While these
short overnights foster personal responsibility, as
well as group cooperation, they prepare students
for the longer Middle School trips—such as the
6th grade trip to New York city for three days and
the week-long 7th grade Civil War to Civil Rights
Trip to Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas, both
of which lead up to the Costa Rica adventure.
Experiencing Copey
The rural town of Copey was unlike anything
these 8th graders had experienced on previous
school trips. Not only were they traveling to
another continent, most of them had never seen
life in a small, rural community. After landing
at the airport, the students and chaperones had
to travel an additional four hours on a bus on
windy dirt roads to reach their mountainous
destination and the Spanish-speaking families in
whose homes they would stay.
Teachers assigned three 8th graders to each
household, and the students were required to
help their host family with everyday chores
such as cleaning, cooking, or walking the dog.
Students reported eating wonderful home-cooked
meals, and they often wanted to spend their free
time hanging out with their new friends.
Sustainable Stoves
Sustainable Horizon trip leaders list coffee as
Costa Rica’s most important agricultural export,
and 8th graders spent three days working on
an organic coffee farm in Copey and learning
about fair trade. The farm owner prides himself
on linking his business to sustainable living
practices. For example, he and his wife are
teaching local villagers how to replace the electric
and wood-burning stoves in their homes with
biochar stoves—an environmentally-cleaner
alternative.
Biochar is the matter produced after burning
natural materials, such as food waste or garden
debris. Biochar stoves remove toxins (like
carbon monoxide and other greenhouse gases)
from whatever is burned. Because the toxins
are removed, biochar is an excellent host for
the microbes and bacteria that plants love and
a better natural fertilizer than manure. Biochar
stoves can also help reduce deforestation because
they use a wide variety of fuels in addition to
wood. And, being smokeless, they are linked to
cleaner air and reducing respiratory diseases.
The Costa Rican farmer learned about using
biochar stoves from a completely self-sufficient
community in Portland, Oregon. Interested
in this technology, he flew to Portland last
year to learn how to create them and has been
encouraging his community to make the switch.
He admits that it has been challenging to get
villagers to try a new cooking method, but
he is convinced that these clean stoves are an
important step toward sustainability because
“we’re all living on the same planet.”
When Kavan heard about this project, he wanted
stove-building to be the focus of Lowell’s service
work. Sustainable Horizon’s trip leaders had
previously suggested painting a school, but
they were excited by the possibilities of this
new project—it would be the first time their
organization ever had a school group make
stoves.
Students came well-prepared to dive into this
project. As an extension of their robotics unit
earlier in the year, 8th graders explored some of
the ways technology can influence a community.
In early spring, they made mini, tin-can stove
prototypes that helped them understand the
functionality of the larger, stoves they would
be making on their trip. While in Copey, the
students constructed six, fully functioning stoves
for the community; each stove took two people
six hours to make.
Subtle Surprises
Middle School teachers had not anticipated how
much of an impact that this trip would have on
these 8th graders. The students learned about
themselves and really grew as individuals. In
Kavan’s words, “We were prepared for someone
getting sick, or hurt, or wanting to go home, but
we didn’t need to do any of that. Their growth
was organic and a third take-away that I did not
expect.” One of the 8th graders put it this way:
Traveling to a new country and living
the culture was phenomenal. However,
my favorite thing about the trip was not
anything we did. It was how I grew up.
I took risks and stepped outside my
comfort zone.
This is integrated, experiential learning at its
best. It’s learning that strengthens personal
identity and gives students the confidence in
their abilities to meet any challenge.
Kavan and the other organizers are already
planning next year’s Costa Rica trip, knowing
that some of the best learning on the trip will
emerge from the individual transformations
taking place within the students.
Luckily, I wasn’t alone—at one point or another,
all of our projects morphed in some way. Some
of my classmates’ experiences were like mine:
we kept on learning while trying to figure out
what to do with that knowledge. Some people
ended up changing their focus midway through,
like Julia, who shifted gradually from writing, to
writing and photography, to just photography.
Of course, there were other people who knew
exactly what they wanted to do from the start
and did it. While that was quite impressive and
wonderful for them, it was vaguely disheartening
for me initially.
Overall, I think POP was a wonderful experience.
It taught us about independence, responsibility,
and successful communication, which I now
know are essential skills. We also got the
amazing opportunity to learn about something
of our choice, however we wanted. I, along
with everyone in my grade, appreciated this
opportunity greatly.
8
Read more about the global impact of biochar stoves in the January 2013 National Geographic article,
“Biochar Cookstoves Boost Health for People and Crops.”
THE LOWELL LEDGER
PHOTOS BY: Tim Makepeace
FROM
DEVELOPMENT
WENDY MCGRATH
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Congratulations to the
Class of 2013!
1st 8th grade graduation
1st 8th grade tag sale
1st 8th grade graduation gift
With help from the Sustainability Committee,
the class of 2013’s 12 graduates collected, sorted,
displayed and sold hundreds of items to the
community on May 11, 2013 and raised $500 for
their graduation gift. Melissa Francis then led
the charge for the 8th grade parents’ graduation
gift, raising $10,750. Together, the class of
2013 contributed over $11,000 to the Lowell
Endowment!
Pop bands are wowing
audiences with this Yamaha keyboard
donated by Kristina and Stephen Penhoet,
parents of rising 1st graders Evelyn and Adrien.
Parkside Groundbreaking
On June 6 the Lowell community gathered in front of Parkside to thank all of
the donors to Building on Success, Stretch for Success, and Race to the Finish
and to honor those whose leadership gifts enabled us to move forward with
the exciting expansion of Parkside. The impending rain held off, and a jubilant
crowd celebrated in song as the ground was ceremonially broken and a time
capsule containing student writing about Lowell was placed in the dirt. We look
forward to unearthing the time capsule in 2040 for Lowell’s 75th anniversary
and 25 years of learning in the new Parkside.
There is much to be proud of and much work to be done!
UPDATE
Class Captains | Grade | Percent Participation
Melissa Francis | 8th grade
Fuel
the Fire
La’Tonya Sullivan | 7th grade
Amy Mauser & Fred Walls | 6th grade
100%
93%
100%
Renee Stasio | Tara’s 5th grade
92%
Kelly King | Natalie’s 5th grade
100%
Annual Giving
2012–13
Francesca Milliken | Emily’s 4th grade
94%
Emily Hanford | Charlene’s 4th grade
94%
Adam Strasberg | Kathie’s 3rd grade
100%
Thank you and
congratulations to Fuel
the Fire, Annual Giving
2012–13 Class Captains!
Laila Sultan | Laurie’s 3rd grade
If you haven’t made your gift
to Annual Giving, it’s not too
late! We will gladly accept
contributions for 2012–13
through August. You can make
a tax-deductible gift online by
choosing Make a Gift Now under
Support Lowell or mailing a
check to Lowell School marked
for Annual Giving. Thank you for
fueling the fire!
Deb Gray | Wendy & Mario’s 1st grade
SUMMER 2013
Rozita Lagorce-Green | Karen’s 3rd grade
Todd Wilson | Kiira & Sara’s 2nd grade
Naseem Akhtar | Maria & Marina’s 2nd grade
100%
93%
100%
88%
Roll the presses! A small
group of Annual Giving donors responded to
an additional request to the community for a
printing press for the art department and raised
the funds so quickly that the new printing
press will be ready to roll when school opens in
September.
Naseem Akhtar
Laila Sultan & Carolos Angulo
Debbie & Charles Gibbs
Tracy Ballard & John Gorman
Robin Gellman & Simon Marks
Geri & Steve Irwin
100%
Kati Towle & Beth Lower
Pam Whitney | Kristin & Renee’s 1st grade
94%
Jessica Epperson-Lusty & Paul Lusty
Simone Devaney | Kimberly & Nuria’s 1st grade
87%
Wendy & Dan McGrath
Olivier & Rachael Fleurence | Naomi & Rosa’s Kindergarten
100%
Sarah Harding & Nick Penniman
Amy Mielke | Katie & Carolina’s Kindergarten
100%
Jennafer Kwait & Allan Spitzer
Divina Peters-Natter | Lisa & Dave’s Kindergarten
100%
Eliza Leighton & Josh Wright
Erinn Torres | the Adventurers Room
83%
Molly Rauch | the Sunflower Room
92%
Marcela Zamora | the Explorers Room
75%
Tony Dobranski | the Discovery Room
100%
9
Reflections on Finland:
Educational Superpower of the West
Reprinted from In the Loop,
May 2013
This winter, Kavan
Yee—Lowell’s
Science Curriculum
Coordinator, MS
Science Teacher,
and DeltaU Program
Chair—was selected to accompany a
team of researchers from the Graduate
School of Education at the University of
Pennsylvania to study Finland’s primary
and secondary educational systems.
Over spring break, Kavan visited five private and public schools to observe
their instructional and administrative practices, as well as the ways they
promote student voice, through the lens of a progressive educator in
an independent school. Prior to the trip, Kavan met with Pasi Sahlberg,
Director of the Finnish Ministry of Education Centers for International
Mobility, who said, “If John Dewey was alive, he would see his words on
child-centered and problem-based learning put into practice in Finland.”
Having heard this, Kavan was particularly interested in finding out how
much of Finland’s success was, in fact, rooted in the values and practices of
progressive education.
This educational research trip to Finland was the first to be documented in
real time through social media. All members of the team posted to the PennFinn blog and to Facebook and also participated in a mid-trip online video
forum. This panel brought together US and Finnish educators, students,
parents, and community leaders to discuss the core beliefs of the Finnish
educational system. Both the blog and the panel were hosted on edutopia.
org—one of the efforts of the George Lucas Educational Foundation “to
inspire, inform, and accelerate positive change in schools.”
Excerpts from Kavan’s Blog
March 20: Collaboration
Pasi Salhberg, Director of the Finnish Ministry of Education’s Center for
International Mobility, states that in Finland “the main driver of education
policy is not competition between teachers and between schools, but
cooperation.” I see this policy practiced every day at Lowell amongst our
faculty and staff. This commitment to modeling collaboration is what I feel
makes my school so successful. It’s unfortunate that our national system has
created this competition between private and public, public to public, and
even private to private.
March 24: Respecting Students’ Gender Identities
On our flight last evening, my colleague and I had the pleasure of meeting
the Director of Education of Sweden. Sweden is currently in the process of
implementing gender-neutral values from toys to games to books to pronouns.
10
After spending 12 years in the public school system, I arrived on Lowell’s
campus noticing that the majority of the bathrooms were not designated.
Colleagues address the student body as “friends” or “5th graders” instead
of the traditional phrase “boys and girls” or “ladies and gentlemen.”
Faculty and parent [SEED] groups (Seeking Equity and Educational Diversity)
proactively discuss how to improve our efforts to ensure the safety of
everyone.
In Sweden, the word “hen” (pronounced like the bird) is the new pronoun
being used by teachers to replace “he” and “she.” The Finnish word “han”
can be used to recognize either gender. Swedish legislators say the changes
being made in the country’s schools are an essential part of creating equal
opportunity and preventing gender stereotyping. Is Sweden’s new policy
“enlightened equality” or is this gesture making a mountain out of a mole
hill? Is Sweden’s push for gender-neutral schools going too far? Would
this act of respecting an individual’s gender identity be considered too
progressive in the US?
I don’t think so–it is absolutely “enlightened equality.” Every . . . individual
has the right to feel safe at school–physically, socially, and emotionally.
Schools that make the conscious effort to make these subtle changes give the
individual an overwhelming sense of support towards their developmental
journey. I applaud both Swedish and Finnish teachers in their efforts to
change behavior and common practice. It truly begins with the teachers!
Critics believe that this act in schools would be damaging, evoke bullying,
and cause confusion for the children. What do you think? Can American
schools do the right thing?
March 26: Creating a Community of Trust
Trust must exist in schools. If progressives believe that the purpose of school
is to develop citizens to participate in a democratic society, then the schools
themselves need to model what democracy should look like in society. Ivan
Krastev posed this question on a recent TED Talk: “Can society exist without
trust?” I believe it cannot–that’s why Lincoln wrote that government should
be “of the people, by the people, for the people.” So I ask: Is our human
right to have a voice based on the principle that one must trust others to
feel safe to say it? Pasi Sahlberg told me today that to support innovation
and creativity, schools must “create a safe environment to allow an
individual to take risks.”. . .
Today, I observed a school that instills this type of trust to all of their
students. Helsinki Normal (grades 7–9) fosters an environment that allows
students to express their individuality, take appropriate risks for growth,
and feel independent while still feeling supported. When I asked a 7th
grader what she felt was the “best thing about her school,” she replied: “The
teachers of course. They’re chill. They are approachable and they don’t just
tell us what to do.” As evidence of how teachers provide trust, she gave me
the example of their “free time.” Throughout the course of a day, students
will have 4 break periods (including lunch) in between 5 classes. It is at
these breaks, students are allowed to roam freely throughout the school
without supervision. During the lunch hour, students can elect to eat their
lunch within the dining hall or in the hallways. This at first sounded really
scary and dangerous for my conservative views towards student safety. But,
as she continued with her explanation, I realized that the teachers had laid
a lot of groundwork or established expectations to reach this community of
trust.
THE LOWELL LEDGER
“If you start a fight, leave school, or go into the
elevator, you get into a lot of trouble!”
“Well, what happens when you get in trouble?”
“If you always get into trouble, they first tell your
parents. If you get into big trouble, then you
have to go tell why you got in trouble in front of
other students.”
“You mean a peer review?”
“A what? Yeah, peer review.”
“What happens there?”
“They tell you that you have detention.”
I asked Olli Maatta, our host and Language
Teacher, to clarify the process. He explained
that the students are trusted to act as “human
beings,” and when they make mistakes, they
need to “take responsibility for their own
actions.” Peer reviews were established by the
students and for the students to recognize
appropriate and fair consequences.
March 27: What Motivates
the Finns
Tonight, I had the pleasure of sharing a forum
with Finnish students, parents, and educators. . . .
A quote that stood out for me this evening was:
“We don’t want to be #1, we just want the best
for the development of each child.” That belief
is the mantra I’ve been hearing over and over
again. Do I believe in this? Do you? Of course we
do, that’s why I’m here, and you’re reading this!
But, for an entire nation to believe in this, that’s
what stands out for me.
March 29: the Use of Cell Phones
in the Curriculum
Innokas Koulumestari (translated as Mastery
School of Engagement and Enthusiasm) is one of 60
schools in the country that promotes creativity
and innovation through the full inclusion of
technology. The Innokas staff believes that
their creative and versatile use of technology
encourages and models for students to apply 21st
century skills to problem solve and innovate.
The lesson plans are designed to view the school
building and its surroundings as “an entity, as
well as a network of learning environments.”
Tiina Korhonen, Vice Headmaster, feels that in
order to “truly promote inquiry-based learning,
the learning must happen everywhere.” From
Tiina, I learned that the learning can happen
anywhere with the use of cell phones. Second
graders were given the assignment to provide
evidence of that spring is arriving. Groups were
given a smart phone device (Nokia Lumia 800) to
take pictures during a walk through the outside
campus. . . . The students were so excited to use
the phone to take pictures, they literally ran
from object to object, shouting for each other to
“come see!”
they deserve our trust.” Students are initially
introduced to the proper use of their devices
inside the classroom with teacher supervision
and instruction. As each activity in a unit
progresses, students sign up for different areas
around the school to work. Teachers move
around the building make sure the students are
on task. If a student is seen off task, they lose
the teacher’s trust and must conduct the next
activity back inside the supervised classroom.
The ultimate trust is to be able to work anywhere
in the school, with any device, independently–
“Motivation to learn increases when students feel
trusted to know where and how they learn best.”
The use of phones was also shown to me in
Janne Nissinen’s 5th grade classroom. The class
was currently learning an integrated unit about
“Exploring the Sky.” Two students showed me
how they used their phones during an evening
trip to observe the constellations by using a
Skyview App. Students held their phones up to
the array of stars and the App would identify the
constellation or planetary body. “Some students
liked to use the Lumia phones for the activity,
but others liked to use their own devices. We
want them to be able to use their own devices
so they can be familiar on how to use them as
an educational tool,” says Janne. As a school
leader, Tiina felt that phones are an excellent
opportunity to make learning both authentic and
organic. . . .
April 30: Some Final Thoughts
Janne added that “we don’t use phones just
because it’s technology. We use it because we find
it handy, it’s motivating, and we don’t use it for
everything. Students are taught to use it when
they need it and students are free to use it when
they want to. Some students need to use the
phone for note taking or data collection. Others
use pencil and paper. Some use it as a reorder or
camera.” The Innokas staff and Tiina believe that
in order to reach all their students’ needs, they
need to create different ways for them to learn–
“If we continue to teach in our traditional ways,
we will lose our new learners.”
None of this can happen without trust of course.
Janne explained that “students earn the trust
of using these devices from their actions. We’ve
built a system for each student to prove that
It has been a number of weeks since my
trip to Helsinki. In this time, I’ve had many
opportunities to go over my observations of the
Finnish school system . . . . I [cannot] help but
think about David Kolb’s Learning Styles Model
and his Experiential Learning Theory. Tweet
after tweet, blog after blog you can read all of
the #pennfinn13 examples of how our Finnish
counterparts put Kolb’s theories into practice.
From the teachers, administrators, and students
we spoke to, it resonated with me that the
commitment to understanding the whole student
was an integral piece to the development of the
type of learners (or the type of citizens) they
want to be. This was quite apparent to me when I
visited Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu (SYK)
and noticed that one of the school’s core values
was “Learning by Doing.” At another school—
Innokas Koulumestari—creating innovators is the
goal and technology is purposefully integrated
with team teaching to support differentiation. . . .
The true success of [Finland’s educational]
system is not their PISA scores—high stakes
testing of facts and statistics is not the goal. Their
true success is [creating] educated citizens—a
population that is curious, innovative, creative,
open-minded, and respectful.
You can read more of Kavan’s posts, as well
as the posts of others on the trip, at http://
pennfinn13.wordpress.com
NEW
FACES
Lourdes Alfonso
Welcome
to Lowell
Lourdes Alfonso joins the faculty as a 2nd
grade assistant teacher. She graduated from the
University of Maryland in 2012 with a bachelor’s
degree in art and a minor in Spanish. She was
born in Cuba and had the opportunity to live in
Venezuela before coming to the United States
in 1990. A printmaker and fine artist working
in different media, Lourdes loves teaching art
and Spanish to children in a way that fosters
creativity, imagination, self-growth, and
appreciation for others. She is excited to be part
of the Lowell community this year.
Colleen DeChancie joins the 1st grade
team as a lead teacher this fall. Colleen is
relocating to DC from Pittsburgh, PA. She
holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary and
special education from Duquesne University in
SUMMER 2013
Colleen DeChancie
Emily Dillard
Pittsburgh and a master’s degree in curriculum
and instruction with a specialization in reading
from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ.
Colleen has 11 years of experience working
with elementary-age students and has taught
in Pittsburgh as well as in Los Angeles. She is
excited to be joining the Lowell community and
is bringing her son, Jack, who is thrilled to be
attending Kindergarten at Lowell this fall.
Emily Dillard joins the faculty as Lowell’s
academic technologist. She earned her bachelor’s
degree in elementary education from Elon
University and is currently completing her
master’s degree in educational technology
leadership from The George Washington
University. Emily worked as a classroom teacher
before transitioning to the role of school
technology facilitator and later lead teacher
for professional development and technology
integration for the Alamance-Burlington School
District in North Carolina. She is delighted to be a
part the Lowell community.
Shannon Dooling, a dance artist and
educator based in the DC Metro Area, is thrilled
to be joining the Lowell team as a part-time
Shannon Dooling
Orli Handmaker
Middle School dance teacher. She has six
years of experience teaching dance at private
studios, universities, and community centers in
Maryland and Pennsylvania and is active as a
researcher in the field of dance education. As a
dancer and choreographer, she has performed
in Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City, and
Washington, DC. In addition to her work at
Lowell, Shannon is an administrative assistant
at the National Dance Education Organization
in Silver Spring and teaches at the University of
Maryland Baltimore County. She holds a master
of fine arts degree in dance from the University
of Maryland, College Park, and a bachelor’s
degree in dance from DeSales University in
Center Valley, PA.
Orli Handmaker joins the Lowell
community as an associate teacher and Spanish
teacher in Kindergarten. This past spring she
graduated from Skidmore College with a
bachelor’s degree in Spanish and economics.
For the last four years, she worked in a pre-K
classroom at the Skidmore Early Childhood
Center and taught Spanish to children of all ages.
Orli is excited for the year to come!
11
BOARD
UPDATE
2013–14 Incoming Board
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Six Lowell parents and one faculty member will serve as new Board members
for the 2013–14 school year. They will join returning members Jay Rapp,
Chair of the Board; Jennafer Kwait, Immediate Past Chair; Jess Rosenbaum,
Chair Elect; Elizabeth Mumford, Secretary; Will Pecau, Assistant Secretary;
Chris Ginter, Treasurer; Howard Riker, Assistant Treasurer; Debbie Gibbs,
Head of School; Tracy Ballard; Melissa Bianchi; Charan Brahma; Cheri
Bridgeforth Castillo; Jeff Davis; Jennifer Fairfax; Robin Gellman; Brian
Joseph; Geri Kierse Irwin; Jill Morningstar; Nick Porritt; Jeff Sindler; Liz
Steinglass; and Louellen Stedman.
Wes Bizzell and his partner, Joe Summerill, are the parents of Jake ’19
who started at Lowell in the Pre-Primary School. For the last three years, Wes
has served as Co-chair of the Fall Bazaar. He is Assistant General Counsel
for Altria Client Services, where he provides advice on legislative issues
and oversees the political law compliance program for Altria Group and its
companies.
Kathie Clements, 3rd Grade Teacher, has been at Lowell since 1983. In
addition to teaching in the elementary grades, she has worked as an educational
diagnostician, served as an Adjunct Professor at The George Washington
University, and led teacher-training programs in the Republic of Georgia. She
is also a past president of Reading is Fundamental of Northern Virginia. Kathie
will succeed Mike Woods as the Board’s non-voting faculty member.
Deb Gray and her husband, Josh, have four children at Lowell: Nick ’16
Hudson ’18; Jackson ’20; and Elsa ’21. They joined the Lowell community
last year, and Deb served on the Annual Giving Committee 2012–13.
Deb is a development and board management consultant with a career
in conservation fundraising at World Wildlife Fund and Conservation
International. She currently leads the Washington Area outreach of the New
York based Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation.
Katrina Holliday and her husband, Khaled Rabbani, are the parents
of Safia ’20 and Laila ’22. They joined the Lowell community in 2010
after moving from Singapore. Katrina is serving as President of the Parents
Association for the 2013–2014 school year. In her previous career, she
worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, helping people with
disabilities to obtain education and employment.
Colette Matzzie and her husband, Daniel Rosenberg, are the parents
of Louis ’16; Nathaniel ’16; and Eva ’21. They have been part of the Lowell
community since 2005. Colette served on the Parent Council as the New
Family Coordinator in 2011–2012 and as a group parent. She is a partner at
Phillips & Cohen LLP, where she represents whistleblowers in cases alleging
fraud against the United States and other governmental entities.
Laura Howard
Nancy Martinez
Laura Howard is joining the Lowell
Kindergarten team after spending the past two
years teaching at International School Manila.
She started her career in PG County Public
Schools after receiving a master of education
degree from Howard University in elementary
education with a focus on curriculum and
instruction. Laura has twenty years of experience
teaching in Montgomery County, Long Beach,
Inglewood, and Washington, DC. When she’s
not in the classroom you may find her traveling,
fixing up her 88-year-old house, spending
time with her 5-year-old daughter, or trying to
improve her serve on the tennis court!
Nancy Martinez joins Lowell’s 2nd grade
team as an assistant teacher. She earned her
associate’s degree from Montgomery College in
hospitality. You might have seen her on Lowell’s
campus as a guest teacher or working in ASP and
Summer Camp. Originally from El Salvador, Nancy
is fluent in English and Spanish. She is devoted to
her family and working with children, and she is
thrilled to have the opportunity to grow within
the Lowell community.
12
Duncan Olsen
Kimberly Michienzi and her husband, Gary Rahl, are the
parents of Will ’19, and Owen ’21. They have been part of the Lowell
community since 2009. For the past two years, Kim has co-chaired the
School’s Annual Auction for Financial Assistance, and she volunteers regularly
in the classroom. For 17 years, Kim was a Principal at Booz Allen Hamilton,
providing leadership within the firm’s healthcare business segment.
Betty PierreSaint-Walla and her husband, Sona Walla, are the
parents of Jazz, a recent graduate and member of Lowell’s inaugural 8th
grade class, and Azur ’17. They have been part of the Lowell community
since 2007. Betty has dedicated her professional life to education. She has
taught in both the elementary and secondary levels and is currently a math
specialist at an elementary school in Montgomery County. Betty is thrilled
to be on the Board and is looking forward to using her strengths to support
Lowell’s mission.
THANK YOU TO THOSE RETIRING
Paul Ameer served on the Board for eight years, providing invaluable
leadership, guidance and support for Lowell’s middle school expansion. As
Chair of the Finance Committee, Paul could always be relied upon for sound
fiscal advice, strategically securing the financial stability of the School. Paul
also served on the Buildings and Grounds, Heads Support and Review, and
the Executive Committees of the Board. Paul and his wife, Jacqui Lieberman,
have three children—Simone ’13, Margaux ’15, and Nadine ’17. The family
has been at Lowell since 2002.
Wendy Cividanes served on the Board for six years, providing
incredible leadership on the Personnel Policies and Diversity Committees.
Under Wendy’s leadership, Lowell’s Strategic Plan for Diversity was created
and implemented. Wendy also served on the Head Support and Review
and the Admissions Committees. She and her husband, Emilio, have two
children—Julian ’14 and Isabela ’17. Wendy and her family have been at the
School for nine years.
Nishant Mehta served on the Board during the 2012–13 school
year. As Assistant Head of School at Alexandria Country Day School,
Nishant provided a unique perspective on the issues and challenges facing
independent schools, which helped shape and guide important strategic
conversations. Nishant and his wife, Neeti, are now living in Atlanta,
Georgia, where Nishant is the new head of school at The Children’s School.
Mike Woods, Music and Drama Teacher and Instrumental Music Program
Coordinator, served on the Board as the faculty representative for two years.
His perspective as a newer faculty member who has been involved in all
divisions of the school made him a valuable representative to the Board.
Mike has been at Lowell since 2009. ●
Khalid Shakur
Vicki Steinwurtzel
Jessica Tomback
Duncan Olsen, a former guest teacher,
joins the faculty as an assistant teacher for
the 4th grade. Duncan comes to Lowell from
Calleva Outdoors where he spent the past nine
years working in outdoor education. Duncan
graduated from Clemson University in 2011 with
a bachelor of science degree in Geology. His
hobbies are caving, kayaking, mountain biking,
and rafting.
of technology experience, having worked in the
government, corporate, and legal sectors. Prior
to joining Lowell, Vicki worked as a litigation
support specialist at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver &
Jacobson, as an online curriculum developer for
InfoSorce, and as a computer specialist for Apple.
Vicki holds a degree in secondary education with
a concentration in English from the University of
Arkansas at Little Rock.
Khalid Shakur comes to the Lowell
community via DCPS where he taught for 11
years. He began this summer as the sports activity
coach and will join the faculty as a health and
physical education teacher. He holds a bachelor
of science degree in business administration
from Saint Augustine’s University and a teaching
certification in K–12 health and physical
education from Howard University. Khalid enjoys
coaching basketball, is an avid swimmer and
cyclist, and loves to participate in fitness activities
of all kinds.
Jessica Tomback joins Lowell as the math
resource teacher. In addition to nearly ten years
of classroom teaching experience, Jessica has
been a course instructor and teacher educator at
The George Washington University and at The
Center for Inspired Teaching. In those roles, she
has mentored teachers and teacher interns at
schools all over the DC area since 2005. Her work
in math includes creating customized curricula
for multi-age classrooms, as well as collaborating
with a university professor to teach algebra.
Jessica received her master of education degree
in elementary education and her education
specialist degree in curriculum and instruction
from GW. Outside the classroom, Jessica enjoys
gardening, reading, biking, and spending time in
nature with her family.
Vicki Steinwurtzel joins Lowell as the
technology integration specialist. You may have
seen Vicki in the halls last year as she was a
guest teacher. Vicki brings more than 20 years
THE LOWELL LEDGER
Reeling in the Year
A busy and exciting year, indeed, it has been for the Lowell
Parents Association! We were able to enjoy a full roster of communitybuilding events and activities.
PA
NEWS
Community Building
Thanks to Brett Bobley for organizing a memorable night at Lowell’s Annual
Night with the Nationals. The number of Lowell family members present
way surpassed previous years’ attendance records!
Lowell parents spearhead The Parent Connection, an online directory of
businesses and services offered by Lowell parents, and The Carpool Listserv,
an email group created to connect families looking for opportunities to
carpool. Both continue to expand, and their links can be found on the
school website.
Parents are an integral part of the Lowell community and the Parents
Association relies on volunteers to lead efforts in supporting the School.
Your participation is highly valued—a huge THANK YOU to all who
contributed their time and kept that non-stop energy flowing this year!
New Endeavors
To our absolute delight, Lowell’s new Sustainability Committee, led by
Amelia Kalant, delivered on several initiatives this year. The kick-off
event was a Community Work Day in early September. This resulted in
the construction of five raised garden beds on the lower front field. Third
graders immediately planted several beds with salad greens for their salad
dressing project. Sixth graders planted kale. Gravel gardens on the back
playground were built as research gardens to be used by Kindergartners. This
activity was a wonderful opportunity to show our kids how to be part of a
larger community and responsible global citizens.
During the winter season Lowell’s Sustainability Committee ventured to
partner with RelayFoods.com, a Metro DC local online farmers market
and grocery store that will deliver to your home and also offers a pick-up
location near the school. Everything from grass-fed beef, organic eggs, fruits,
and vegetables to delicious specialty foods is available. Armand’s, Lowell’s
lunch vendor, has connected with them also to source lunch ingredients,
and RelayFoods.com donates 5% of ALL sales generated by Lowell families
and staff to the School.
In late spring the 8th graders, guided by Domi Long, hosted a Tag Sale. The
Sustainability Committee collaborated with them in the spirit of Reuse/
Recycling. The $500 raised went toward the students’ class graduation gift
and some high-quality items remaining were donated to A Wider Circle.
The variety of Parent Education programming— Study Groups, Panel
Discussions, Parent Ed series, PEP talks, and Parent SEED—all continue to
flourish at Lowell and we encourage parents’ ongoing participation and
attendance.
The annual PA events including the Fall Bazaar, Secret Shop, Casino
Night, Auction, Book Fair, and Teacher Appreciation lunch led entirely by
parent volunteers were hugely successful. These always-popular parentdriven events reinforce our mission to help create and maintain a positive,
welcoming, and inclusive climate for all parents and to foster a sense of
community among families.
In Appreciation
It has been such a wonderful and extremely satisfying adventure for me to
lead the PA this past year. It has enabled me on many occasions to meet
and work with so many different people across various grade levels. What
a dynamic group—from parents to faculty/staff and, of course, Debbie!
As parents, we are not only an invaluable resource to the School, but a
significant resource to each other.
Warm regards,
Geri Kierse Irwin
PA President, 2012-2013
Parents Association Events
LIGHTS, CAMERA, AUCTION!
On Saturday, April 20 the Parents Association rolled out the red carpet for an evening
of fun Hollywood-style. Parents, faculty, staff, and friends joined the party dressed
to impress and ready to bid! The total raised that evening hit a new all-time high—
$173,000—to benefit financial assistance at Lowell. Many thanks to Co-chairs Kim
Michienzi and Celina Gerbic, pictured left, and their dedicated team of volunteers for
organizing this highly successful, gala event.
Night Out at Nationals
Park
MORE
PA EVENT
PHOTOS NEXT
PAGE
A record number of families turned out to watch
the Washington Nationals take on the Chicago
Cubs on Friday, May 10. Shout-outs to Brett Bobley
for organizing this homerun event.
SUMMER 2013
13
Class Notes
Helen Beckner ’03 graduated in May from
the University of Wisconsin with “Distinctive
Scholastic Achievement” and was initiated into
the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society. A
2009 graduate of National Cathedral School,
Helen was recruited from high school to row with
the Wisconsin lightweight women’s crew. While
Helen was rowing with the varsity eight crew,
it won the lightweight women’s event at the
Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston twice, the
women’s Eastern Sprints regatta, and a bronze
medal at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association
Regatta. She has also competed as an elite
sculler for the Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia,
participating in crews that won lightweight and
open weight women’s events at the US Rowing
Boat Club National Championship regatta and
at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in St.
Catherine’s, Ontario. Helen currently rows for
the Potomac Boat Club. Last fall, Helen interned
at National Defense University’s Center for
Hemispheric Defense Studies, and she has been
nominated for an assignment with the Peace
Corps. (Read more about Helen’s rowing career
on page 16.)
All School Picnic
Torrential downpours did not dampen the spirits of this year’s picnic attendees! Inside, everyone
enjoyed picnic fare and catching up with friends before the long summer break. Our student pop
band and parent-staff band headlined the event, keeping energy high.
Book Fair
The year of events would not be complete
without Lowell’s beloved Book Fair. Children
eagerly browsed the tables, made wish lists, and
dressed up for Book Character Day. Family Night
with picture book author Amy Reichert was
fun for everyone. Hats off to Co-chairs Melissa
Hill and Laila Sultan and librarians Christine
McDaniels and Domi Long who made sure the
Book Fair lived up to expectations!
Jackson Davis, V ‘14 stays busy with his
campaign for a Black Heritage Stamp honoring
York—the enslaved African American man who
was instrumental to the success of the Lewis
and Clark expedition. Jackson’s efforts were
the subject of his sister’s film, Chasing York
(http://vimeo.com/46354196), which debuted as
a mini-documentary at the Martha’s Vineyard
Film Festival in August 2012. In September
2012, Jackson attended the Congressional
Black Caucus and had a private meeting with
National Urban League President and CEO, Marc
Morial. In January 2013, he was a special guest
at the ceremony to unveil the Emancipation
Proclamation stamp at the National Archives.
During Father’s Day weekend, he was a guest
speaker at the oldest AME Church in Philadelphia
where he talked to young teens about starting
campaigns of their own. In the fall, he will be a
guest blogger for the National Postal Museum.
And, William Clark’s great, great, great, great
grandson connected with Jackson on his Vote 4
York Facebook page, which currently has 3400
fans.
News from the class of 2007:
MadDy Bazil ‘07 is taking a year to travel
before going to the University of St Andrews in
Scotland.
As part of Lowell’s Middle School Speaker Series,
Jake Catt ’07 visited campus this spring to
share his experiences as a budding film producer.
He plans to move to Los Angeles to pursue work
in the film industry.
Lucas Karron ’07 a National Merit Finalist,
Quad Captain of the Walt Whitman drumline,
and captain of the Varsity Ice Hockey team is
heading off to Boston College in the fall.
Priti Brahma, Volunteer Coordinator
Eva Martin ’07 spent her junior year at
Sidwell Friends School participating in School
Year Abroad (SYA) Spain. This study abroad and
homestay program sends junior and seniors to
China, France, Italy, and Spain, and Eva wanted
to cement the learning that she began at Lowell.
She is now fluent in Spanish and thanks Lowell
for giving her a solid foundation in the language
before she got to high school: “I fell in love with
the Spanish language in 2nd grade at Lowell
and wanted to be a native speaker more than
anything. My year abroad gave me that and
so much more—I now have a host family that
I consider second parents, I was supported by
teachers and mentors in the native Aragonese
dialect of Spanish, and I created so many lasting
friendships that I hope to maintain over the
course of a lifetime—just like many of the
ones I still have from my time at Lowell.” After
graduation this spring, Eva and a friend returned
to Spain to visit her host family for a week.
Beth Ginter, Sustainability Coordinator
Eliana Miller-Cohen ‘07 was accepted to
Parents Association 2013-14
The Parent Council will continue to meet
monthly with Debbie in the coming year.
These meetings provide great opportunity
to facilitate communication and share ideas
from the parent’s perspective. The committee
consists of different PA leaders and group
parents representing the Pre-Primary,
Primary, and Middle Schools, along with the
Sustainability Chair and an Athletics liason.
The vibrant incoming PA leadership team for
2013–2014 will include:
Katrina Holliday, President
Laila Sultan, Vice President
Renana Keynes, Treasurer
Kate Yonkers, Group Parent Coordinator
Divina Peters-Natter, New Parent Coordinator
Susan Lyle, Lunch Coordinator
14
THE LOWELL LEDGER
alumni
corner
seven colleges and plans to study athletic training
at Endicott College in the fall.
Irene Raviz ‘07 is working at a music and
arts camp as a chef and will go to music festivals
in Canada this summer before heading up to
Hampshire College.
Jassiem Shabazz ‘07 recently traveled to
South Africa on a service-learning trip and will
attend Ohio Wesleyan University.
Donnie Shaw, III ’07 was the first
recipient of the National Hockey League/
Thurgood Marshall College Fund four-year
academic scholarship. This new scholarship
is for participants in the NHL’s Hockey Is For
Everyone initiative, the League’s official youth
development program. During his senior year at
The Field School, Donnie broke three track and
field records—in the 300 meter hurdles, 4x100,
and triple long jump. He is also a graduate of the
Tuskegee Youth Airmen Program Ground School.
This fall, Donnie will be a freshman at Elmira
College.
Jai Singletary ’07 is working at Lowell’s
summer camp for the fifth year and looking
forward to attending Temple University.
Chava Taske ‘07 will study exercise science at
Indiana University in Bloomington.
A more complete list of colleges and post high
school plans for the class of ’07 can be found on
the Lowell website. We continue to update the
list as our alums share their news!
Correction: In the Winter 2013 issue, Julian Cividanes’s
‘14 last name was misspelled in Class Notes. We
apologize for the error.
alumni reunion
Lowell’s class of 2007 joined family, friends, and
their former teachers on May 5 to reminisce and
reconnect. This year’s event focused on recent
Lowell alums graduating from high school.
Attendees flipped through pictures, shared stories,
and toured the campus. Best wishes to our alums
as they transition to new chapters in their lives.
SUMMER 2013
15
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Permit No. 93
Editor
Carolyn Law, Director of Communications
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Gia Harewood, Communications and Diversity Associate
DESIGN
Mari Foret
1640 Kalmia Road NW | Washington, DC 20012
Tel. 202.577.2000 Fax 202.577.2001
www.lowellschool.org
Contributors
Maya Andresino, Lee Bissett,
Debbie Gibbs, Geri Kierse Irwin, Kavan Yee
PhotographY
Lee Bissett, Sheranda Campbell, Henry Levin,
Tim Makepeace, Brian McNeal, Todd Park,
Moira Regan, Carmen Parsons Sneed,
Adam Strasberg, Kavan Yee
Upcoming
Events
October 26
Fall Bazaar
April 26
Auction
May 4
Class of ’08 Reunion
June 11
Graduation
Check the website
for more information.
Inside
The Lowell Ledger
3
6
15
First 8th Grade Graduation . . . . . 1
From the Head . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Class of 2013 Reflections . . . . . . 2
Spring Scrapbook . . . . . . . . . 3
Students Help Plan
Middle School Space . . . . . . . . 4
Construction Begins . . . . . . . . 5
Profile of Passion . . . . . . . . . . 6
What’s Cookin’ in Costa Rica? . . . 7
Development News . . . . . . . . . 9
Kavan Yee’s Finland Blog . . . . . 10
New Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Board Update . . . . . . . . . . . 12
PA News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Alumni Corner . . . . . . . . . . 14
Visit www.lowellschool.org/aboutour-school/publications/index.aspx
for a current copy of The
Lowell Ledger and other
publications.
16
The Lowell Ledger is printed with EcoSmart Inks on
Rolland Opaque50, a forest-friendly paper containing
50% FSC certified post-consumer fiber.
Easy Ways
to Stay in Touch!
1. Like our Facebook page and pass on the
link: facebook.com/lowellschooldc. In addition
to updates, you will receive invitations to allcommunity events.
2. Send your pictures and news to Gia
Harewood, Communications and Diversity
Associate, [email protected],
202.577.2067.
3. Attend some of our fun community events
(see upcoming events).
Alumni Profile: Helen Beckner ’03
Helen Beckner ’03 remembers when she was 11 years old: a New York
Knicks basketball player came to Lowell to recruit elementary school
students for one of their children’s programs. Even though she had never
played, she was open to a new experience. She recalls the scout eyeing her
5’6” frame and thinking that she would make a fantastic center, but she
and the scout discovered that she was not exactly the perfect fit. “I was
terrible at ball sports,” she recounts, and yet, she was undeterred. Helen
was in good physical shape, and her PE teachers had begun to recognize
that she enjoyed physical activity. But, it wasn’t until she was twelve, when she joined her father on one
of his Princeton reunion rows with his college crew team, that Helen thought about rowing.
The summer before high school, Helen attended the US Naval Academy’s Navy Rowing Camp to learn
how to row, and she liked it—particularly when she found out that National Cathedral School (NCS)
offered it as a club sport in the spring. Her coaches were not sure if she was competitive enough or would
excel at rowing, but Helen was determined to improve. In addition to rowing in the spring at NCS, she
joined her first summer club team—Thompson Boat Center—at age 15 and was introduced to year-long
rowing, eventually winning several national championships, including first place in the Head of the
Potomac for women’s lightweight scull.
When she tried out for USRowing’s Junior National Team, she wasn’t considered because she was “too
small.” Nevertheless, discovering lightweight rowing gave her choices when applying to colleges, and
she was recruited by the University of Wisconsin at Madison. They have a Division I lightweight team,
as well as a good international studies program. She knew she wanted to do something abroad, but she
also wanted to pursue rowing. Rowing became part of the foundation for the person she was becoming—
someone who is very disciplined and can organize their time to “make everything happen.” She says,
“Rowing is extremely competitive and you physically and mentally bring yourself to limits you didn’t
think you could reach.”
But her experience as an athlete has been a springboard for exploring several other interests, including
Spanish language and international studies. As she puts it, “Athletics has given me the confidence
and perseverance to try anything. I’m willing and able to handle any challenge or problem, and I’m
physically, intellectually, and culturally flexible. I’m now comfortable stepping into new environments.”
This is reflected in her work with the National Defense University and her decision to teach English
in the Dominican Republic (for which she won a partial grant). Now that she has graduated from the
University of Wisconsin, Helen has been nominated to serve in the Peace Corps and requested that her
assignment be in a Central or South American country. Her estimated departure date is March 2014.
Through it all, Helen credits rowing with bringing out her best self and she feels strongly that athletics
can do the same for other students—particularly if they find the sport that’s right for them. Now, she
is transitioning from her rigorous competitive schedule and is enjoying rowing with the Potomac Boat
Club. She laughs that her body still wakes up to train before 6:00 am. Even though she sometimes has to
force herself back to sleep, the changes that rowing has brought to her life have all been worth it.
THE LOWELL LEDGER