The Petroglyph Magazine, Fall + Winter 2022-23

PETROGLYPH

THE ALEXANDER DAWSON SCHOOL FALL & WINTER 2022-23 LEVEL UP! Alexander Dawson Is On The Rise

Dear Dawson Community,

Our campus is alive once again! Community traditions and annual exhibitions of learning have been reinstated, and we have welcomed friends and family into the halls of our school. It feels really good, and with this re-emergence of face-toface celebrations comes a renewed sense of spirit. The pandemic challenged our way of thinking and required us to respond with adaptability, determination, and innovation. “Level Up” quickly emerged as the perfect throughline for the 2022-2023 school year because we find ourselves in a constant state of reflection and improvement.

The commitment to Level Up is a constant reminder to think of every aspect of school life with a simple question: How can we get better? Hopefully, this culture of growth and advancement is evident in your family’s Dawson experience. From the inclusive Food & Wine Festival that offered a magical mix of great conversation and delicious food to our Back-to-School Bash that delivered dinner alongside an immersive classroom experience, we are elevating the Dawson Difference.

Faculty have seamlessly integrated the Level Up throughline into their classrooms. During an age when children have immediate access to information and digital experiences that feed their curiosities, the ability to sustain attention during challenging situations seems to be dwindling from our students’ competencies. The mantra to Level Up pushes students to embrace the process of productive struggle and deliver multiple iterations of an idea or product. I want our Dawson students to feel the pride that accompanies the accomplishment of something difficult, from resolving friendship issues to the completion of a complex project. Our ever-changing world requires an outlook of perseverance and versatility, one where a growth mindset becomes a norm that guides our daily quest for progress.

In this issue, we highlight the people, processes, and programs that allow our students to engage in an ongoing cycle of reflection, improvement, and engagement. I hope you enjoy traveling the path of Dawson’s Level Up journey!

The Petroglyph is the magazine of The Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain. Its Mission is to celebrate Dawson’s growth and the achievements of its students, alumni, and faculty.

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Roxanne Stansbury

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

Andrew Bishop

EDITOR

Rachael Lachhwani, Communications Manager

MARKETING & PHOTOGRAPHY

Shea Phillips, Marketing & Digital Content Manager

PHOTOGRAPHY

Dawson Faculty

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Tanja Nikolic Design

CONNECT WITH US!

FACEBOOK @AlexanderDawsonSchool INSTAGRAM @dawson_bears

TWITTER @DawsonSchool

VIMEO vimeo.com/ alexanderdawsonschool

ISSUU issuu.com/ alexanderdawsonschool

YOUTUBE

The Alexander Dawson School

Roxanne Stansbury, Head of School

The Alexander Dawson School

On This Page: For the first time since August of 2019, we were again able to invite our community into the Dawson Gym for our annual Welcome Back Assembly! Everyone enjoyed watching a Level Up dance challenge between faculty and students, a tumbling and back flip competition between faculty and students, a performance of the new Dawson Fight Song by our Middle School Cheer team, and the traditional handshake between our kindergarteners and our eighthgrade students.

DESIGNED BY DAWSON Creating

REDEFINING

HIGH SCHOOL PLANNING Finding The Best Fit For The Future

LEVELING UP A Teacher’s Journey BEARS

CHALLENGE SUCCESS

The Benefits Of Developing The Whole Child

AMAZING DAWSON ALUM

Taylor Corrigan Miller, ‘07

FRESHMEN FIRSTS

Giacomo Ferrence, ‘22 & Camille Oh, ‘18

DAWSON ANNUAL FUND

DAWSON FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

ARTISTS’ CORNER

Cover Art: Cami Moreno, 8th grade

Preparing for the Tests of Life

By Dr. Brandon Wiley, Chief Academic Officer

Two years ago, I packed my vehicle and headed down the highway from San Francisco to my new home in Las Vegas. The anticipation and excitement associated with starting a new job was tempered by the reality that our school was trying to safely remain open during a pandemic while also offering a brand-new online distance education option for families. For 10 years prior to joining Dawson, I worked with and supported schools around the United States that aspired to create more student-centered, relevant learning environments. Many of those schools were redefining what success looked like for students in an attempt to prepare them

for an ever-changing world. Having started my teaching career in a very traditional, test-focused, adult-centered environment, I’ve spent the better part of my career since thinking about how schools need to evolve and change to better meet the needs of students. I wanted to find an educational home that shared these same values and was committed to being on the cutting edge of teaching and learning. Dawson has been the perfect fit.

As I reflect on the last two years, there’s much we’ve learned about ourselves as a school and community, but especially what it takes to help our students succeed

and thrive. Unfortunately, the national data is clear: Students are experiencing rising stress levels and lower engagement with learning since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our “new normal” requires us to pay even greater attention to the social and emotional well-being of both our students and faculty. Examining our teaching practices, the relevance of our curriculum, and how we provide feedback to students about their learning have become the central focus for our faculty. We continue to evolve our program, people, and campus spaces to ensure we live up to our espoused values as a school.

“I’M NOT EVEN SURE HOW TO HELP MY CHILD WITH THEIR HOMEWORK! DAWSON DOES THINGS SO DIFFERENTLY COMPARED TO WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL!”

During many of my interactions with parents, some version of this statement is often shared. Sometimes it’s born out of frustration, while other times it’s said with delight and excitement for their child’s learning opportunities. In either case, one thing is true: The education your child receives at Dawson should look different from what you experienced at their age. While many research-based practices in education have

withstood the test of time, the society in which our students are learning and living is changing rapidly around them. Two years ago, phrases such as social distancing, COVID, and Zoom fatigue were not even part of our vocabulary. Increasingly, technology is shaping the way we communicate, collaborate, and simply live our lives. As such, schools must respond to these changes and prepare students to inherit a world that will look very different for them as adults. Core skills around reading, writing, speaking, and listening are still central to our curriculum; however, helping students apply those skills to real-world, authentic situations is more important now than ever.

During her recent visit to Dawson, co-founder of Stanford University’s Challenge Success program Dr. Denise Pope asked a room of about 60 parents, “How do you define success? What are the life outcomes you most value for your children?” After some hearty discussion, parents shared some of their hopes. The answers were similar variations of happy, well-adjusted, active members of their community, curious, advocates for themselves and others, joyful, and showing perseverance. Not one parent (at least openly) named high test scores or for their child to be ranked at the top of their class. Here is the dilemma: I would venture a guess that all parents want their children to develop

Class of 2013 Alum Blake Resnick with students from Dr. Kelly Gooden’s science class

the traits just listed…and…they want them to perform academically to their highest potential. It is not, in fact, a zero-sum equation, but where you place the emphasis does make a difference.

As a Challenge Success school, we strive to nurture the academic, social, and emotional development of all students. We believe all students possess unique talents, interests, and individualized definitions of success. We also believe that if the definition of success is too narrow (i.e., grades, test scores, and an overcommitment to activities outside of school), it can interfere with a child’s development, leading to increased stress and disengagement. This is where the dissonance for many of us comes – what was valued and important when we went to school cannot be the same focus today. Let me reiterate: Academic achievement and growth matter, yet Dawson’s approach also highly values the development of the social and emotional skills necessary to take on the many challenges our students will face in their present and future. High academic achievement, in fact, is not possible if students do not have a sense of belonging, engagement, or well-being.

“ARE WE PREPARING STUDENTS FOR A LIFETIME OF TESTS OR FOR THE TESTS OF LIFE?”

This question was first posed to me nearly 20 years ago at a very formative stage in my career by Dr. Bena Kallick. Over her illustrious career, Dr. Kallick has worked with thousands of educators around the world, conducted research about child development and learning, and has co-authored several books, including her seminal work on Habits of Mind. Dr. Kallick presented virtually over Zoom to our community in February of 2021 and discussed how schools must respond to the changing needs of our students as they inherit a post-pandemic career force. You can watch her presentation with fellow author Allison Zmuda by searching “Parent University: Growing a Culture of Inquiry with Our Children” on Vimeo.

While it is true that our students will encounter tests throughout their lives (primarily in high school and college), it’s the “tests of life” that will determine their true success and worth as a person. Will they make the right choices when no one is looking? Will they push through a challenge or simply give up? Will they ask for help when they need it, and advocate for themselves

Class of 2020 Alum Grace Wike working with representatives from the non-profit organization Foster Kinship

when they must? Will they think creatively to solve complex problems, especially when dealing with matters about which they care deeply? Will they stand up for their own rights and the rights of others? The skills and dispositions necessary to answer these questions are not easily evaluated on a standardized test, but instead must be applied in life when needed most.

This is, of course, somewhat of a trick question. Most people I pose this question to answer, “Yes! I want both.” And therein lies the challenge. Schools must develop curricula that answer this question with a “Yes, and…” approach. Students must be prepared to take on the academic challenges that await them in high school and beyond and must also know themselves as learners in such a way that they can advocate for themselves, seek information and new learning in appropriate and novel ways, and apply that learning in meaningful ways. Traditional approaches to instruction don’t often afford opportunities to learn these lessons. An over-emphasis on rote memorization, linear or operational ways of thinking, or one-size-fits-all approaches will not elicit these outcomes.

At the heart of Dawson’s modern learning approach is an attempt to “thread the needle” on providing academic challenge with an emphasis on developing the mindsets and dispositions a learner will need to be successful in high school, college, and career. Developing compassion, empathy, and understanding diverse perspectives can be found in our intentional social-emotional learning lessons in Lower School classrooms and the advisory program in our Middle School. Developing skills around collaboration, communication, creative problem solving, project management, and presentation skills for an authentic audience are central to many of the Project-Based Learning experiences beginning in Early Childhood and culminating in our eighth-grade Capstone project. Valuing different approaches to learning and solving problems is inherent in our math curriculum, where there is an emphasis on a conceptual approach to math compared to an overreliance on a procedural approach (which many of us were taught).

Students practice defending their thinking, understanding the thinking of others, and trying different strategies to solve problems. We want students to ask questions such as, “Why are we learning this?” or “How can I use this information in my life?” and not, “Is this going to be on the test?” We value the process of learning as much as the final product. Students learn from their mistakes and persist through setbacks until they accomplish their desired outcome. Revision and redemption policies allow students to gain the feedback they need on assignments, tests, and projects to appropriately learn and improve their work. Students are afforded the opportunity to reflect on their strengths and areas of growth. It’s through reflection that some of the most important learning occurs.

In the past month alone, I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with students about their learning in ways that capture what makes Dawson such a special place to work and learn. I attended the Middle School art show hosted by faculty members from our Fine Arts and Design Technology departments. This exhibition of student work was curated by new Dawson art teacher D. Smith. As I perused the art on display, I spoke with some of the students who created these magnificent pieces that included creative photographs, intricate 3D models, or expressive paintings. Each student could describe their work, their inspiration, and the meaning behind what they had created. In one case, eighthgrader Lucy Shulman shared her numerous attempts to replicate the Lincoln Memorial as a 3D model and how difficult it was to get the size of the pillars and the spacing just right. The amount of mathematical

Eighth-grader Lucy Shulman’s 3D model of the Lincoln Memorial

computations, visualization, and deft computer skills needed were impressive. Said Lucy, “I wanted to give up a couple times but felt really determined to solve it. I’ve probably gone through about a dozen prototypes, but I learned something from each try.” Prior to taking the stage for the second-grade musical performance Journey Into Outer Space , I spoke with some of the students and asked about their preparation for the performance. One student shared, “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done! We had to learn all the words to the songs and the movements [choreography]. It was hard, but I’m very proud of myself. I can’t wait for my family to see me today.” Students in Matt Reynolds’s seventh-grade math class are currently working on his “Mattiverse” project where they learn mathematical life skills by earning a salary in the classroom, using those funds to create and track a budget, and by making decisions about how to pay real-world expenses. In all of these scenarios, students demonstrated pride in their work, high engagement, perseverance, and a purpose for their learning.

HOW CAN I BE SURE MY CHILD WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND?

How can I reassure parents that Dawson’s modern approach to teaching and learning will prepare students for the challenges that lie ahead? Feedback we gain from our receiving high school partners is consistent: Dawson kids are leaders at the next level. Dawson students display a curiosity and joy for learning that is unique. They become leaders in athletics, student government, and the overall school community they join. This doesn’t mean high school comes easy to them. Dr. Pope also shared during her presentation that research shows that students who graduate from “progressive” middle school programs emphasizing a whole-child approach often see a dip in academic performance during their first semester in more traditional high schools because the approach to teaching and learning is so different. The over-emphasis on homework, grades, and testing is foreign to many of these students, but in the end, they achieve at a higher rate because they developed a love of learning and the perseverance and skills necessary to cope with these new challenges.

Two recent visits to campus from Dawson alumni also speak to the long-term success of our graduates. Grace Wike (Class of 2020), currently a junior in high school at West Career & Technical Academy, recently

spoke to our seventh and eighth-grade students about a service-learning project she designed and implemented to benefit a local non-profit, Foster Kinship. Grace conceptualized a giving campaign and activities to raise awareness about local youth in need, and she partnered with Dawson to bring this project to life. Her commitment to community and her projectmanagement skills, ability to communicate effectively, and overall leadership skills have all been on full display. Blake Resnick (Class of 2013), CEO and founder of BRINC Drones, recently visited Dr. Kelly Gooden’s aeroSTEM class to talk about how his company is revolutionizing emergency management and rescue efforts using drones. These are among countless other success stories to share about how Dawson students go on to do creative, socially minded work that makes our community a better place to live, play, and work.

AN INVITATION

As you navigate the rest of this school year and beyond, I encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have about what or how your child is learning. The dissonance you may feel because the learning looks different than what you’ve experienced or expect is normal. I encourage you to attend our Parent University sessions where we go into greater depth about our curriculum and overall program, and events such as Open House and other exhibitions of student learning throughout the year are additional opportunities to see more. We hope to continue to strengthen our school-home partnership in support of your child’s journey at Dawson.

Dawson’s second graders performing in Journey Into Outer Space

For the latest recordings of our Parent University Sessions from nationally renowned parenting and education experts, visit our Parent University webpage

@ adsrm.org/parentuniversity

For information and strategies to create a more balanced and academically fulfilling life for kids, visit our Challenge Success webpage

@ adsrm.org/challengesuccess

For insight from Dawson’s teaching and learning leaders, visit our Education Blog webpage

@ adsrm.org/blog

For more about the power of a Dawson education and how our graduates continue to achieve greatness out in the world, visit our Amazing Dawson Alums webpage

@ adsrm.org/alumni

Students exploring BRINC drones with Class of 2013 Alum Blake Resnick

“ Designed By Dawson ” Creating Changemakers Through Our Authentic Design Program

By Rich Lehrer, Director of Academic Innovation & Design

Real-world problem solving, critical thinking, student agency…. Schools know they should be teaching these things, but how do they effectively incorporate these crucial, “future-ready” skills into their curriculum? At Dawson, our design program teaches students how to use design to make the world a better place while providing authentic opportunities to practice doing so. Take a trip around our school and you might see kindergarten students creating LEGO prosthetics, third graders designing and laser cutting signs for our organic garden, sixth-grade students developing games for Early Childhood buddies, and Middle School Tech for Good students solving problems posted by Dawson teachers to their Problem Bank. Dawson students are learning how to think and act like designers, becoming changemakers in the process.

Last year, we launched our K-4 Design Lab and implemented a Lower School design curriculum. Students from kindergarten through the fourth grade spend time in the Design Lab each cycle learning the “tools of the trade” and applying them within the context of engaging and genuine Project-Based Learning projects. The K-4 Design Lab program gives students the opportunities to experience the power of the iterative design process, become familiar with a variety of design technology devices and their applications, use the design process and technology to solve real-world problems, create a positive impact on their community, and learn to love the act of designing. Each grade level has its own specific focus on a different design theme that explores the use of various design technology instruments and equipment all related to real-world problem-solving.

In addition to building our Lower School students’ design skills and mindsets, the K-4 Design Lab program aims to prepare students for design technology experiences embedded throughout the Middle School. A suite of electives and insights classes such as fifth-grade design lab, sixth-grade game design, seventh-grade genius hour, and two seventh and eighth-grade design technology electives, Tech for Good and 3D modeling, allow students to continue their design journeys throughout their later years at Dawson. Tech for Good and genius hour specifically provide authentic problem-solving opportunities for students to learn how to improve schools, communities, and the world.

In addition to spending time iterating ever-progressing solutions to problems, students further explore the concept of “changemaking”, an approach through which they learn to develop agency and see themselves as agents of positive change through the solving of immediate problems within their school community.

Dawson’s scaffolded design program allows students across divisions to first experience design from no- and low-tech perspectives, and then later prepares them to use CAD programs to design and fabricate their work using emerging high-technology tools such as vinyl cutters, laser cutters, and 3D printers. The common thread woven throughout the fabric of this program is our newly created Dawson Design Process. Design and science teachers collaborated on the creation of this process to ensure consistency in how our STEM teachers educate students on using design to solve problems. The kids are encouraged to see problems as “design opportunities” and are taught to thoughtfully

A student-designed cardboard and LEGO prosthetic

and logically approach the solution to problems with positivity, empathy, empowerment, and enthusiasm.

After investigating problems and brainstorming ideas, students propose potential solutions and enter an iterative cycle of improvement, during which they revise their designs, test them, receive feedback on their efforts, and then redesign until completion. Once students are satisfied, the finished designs are openly shared with their clients and the community. Public exhibitions of student work help us understand more completely what students know and can do, and throughout the entire Project-Based Learning experience, students are asked to reflect upon their work, how they performed as learners, and how they can continue to Level Up.

In addition to the “hard skills’’ students learn through this work – sketching, modeling, CAD design, digital fabrication – the fact that they often collaborate with actual clients imbues the experience with a legitimacy that encourages them to take pride in and strive for excellence in their work. Furthermore, they develop

important habits of mind such as persistence, resilience, collaboration, and risk-taking. The potential to connect this work to our broader community holds great promise, and we look forward to extending our “problem-finding” exploits beyond Dawson’s school walls and increasing parent understanding of the work our students are doing. Such progress included a special Parent University this past October when we opened our K-4 Design Lab to a group of parents interested in learning more about our digital design and fabrication endeavors. The adults became the students, guided through the same processes their children enjoy on a daily basis to create introductory designs using Dawson’s lab equipment.

THE DAWSON DESIGN PROCESS

Chess pieces created in the Dawson Design Lab

Dawson parent holding a laser-cut book

Two recent Tech for Good student-designed projects do a particularly excellent job of illustrating the power of our Dawson Design Process in action. In the first, Tech for Good novice students were presented with a problem: Mr. Lehrer’s thirsty cat, Athena, was constantly knocking over his family’s cups of water. The students’ design challenge was to therefore create a system that prevents this from happening. After conducting research, students brainstormed solutions, proposed one they could design, and created cardboard prototypes that were tested by a swinging bag of LEGOs. Once they had a functioning conventional prototype, they turned their attention toward translating their ideas into CAD designs, which they fabricated using a combination of 3D-printed holders and laser-cut supports. The following photos show seventh-grade student Shaan’s “Spill Protector”.

In a second project, a more experienced group of eighth-grade Tech for Good students undertook the problem that our school was lacking an adequate way to showcase students’ 3D-design work. Cami, Genevieve, and Pepper used the Dawson Design Process to generate and refine their idea of a mountable shelf and created a cardboard prototype to test. They CAD designed using the program Tinkercad, and after more than five laser-cut iterations, the group arrived at a functional solution. They then fabricated and mounted 12 shelves that allowed our 3D-modeling students to effectively showcase their work during Dawson’s Middle School visual arts show in November.

At Dawson, we believe one of the best ways we can prepare our students for an uncertain future is to teach them to meet challenges head-on with confidence, competency, and positivity. Our authentic design program, therefore, provides students with the skills, dispositions, and knowledge that allow them to make a constructive difference in their lives, schools, community, and world…not at some future, undefined point in their lives but right now! From kindergarten through the eighth grade, we teach students how to approach problems; give them authentic, meaningful, and public opportunities to practice solving problems; and encourage them to grow as reflective learners open to feedback. We believe strongly that a child who is not afraid of a challenge learns the value of improving upon their work, sees the importance of persisting and pushing through to achieve something important, and repeatedly experiences what it means and feels like to truly solve a problem is a child prepared to make a difference. In short, a “changemaker”.

Learn more about Dawson’s Problem Bank by scanning the QR Code:

See how Shaan created his “Athena Proof” Spill Protector and how Pepper, Genevieve, and Cami created their 3D Modeling Display Shelves using the Dawson Design Process by scanning the QR code:

Redefining Success In The Student Success Lab

By Nissa Reynolds, Dean of Student Services

The transition to Middle School is a time of excitement at Dawson. Students choose electives for the first time, walk independently from class to class, and store their belongings in lockers. Yet Middle School also presents students with increased executive functioning demands because they learn to juggle multiple classes and teachers, homework expectations, and family and extracurricular commitments. Recognizing these needs, last school year Dawson expanded its learning support offerings by adding the Student Success Lab (SSL) program for fifth through eighth-grade students. Students enroll in this semester-long course in lieu of a world language. In the spirit of differentiation and meeting students exactly where they are, SSL provides Middle Schoolers with the personalized opportunity to learn executive functioning skills in a designated small-group setting through a structured curriculum.

Nissa Reynolds, Dean of Student Services, spoke with Matsuko Freeman, Dean of Student Success and SSL lead teacher, about her reflections on the inaugural year of the Student Success Lab program.

Describe the curriculum and methods you employ in SSL to facilitate student learning.

We use the SMARTS (Strategies, Motivation, Awareness, Resilience, Talents, and Success) curriculum, which is scaffolded for each grade level, takes into consideration where Middle Schoolers are in their development, and includes skills and understandings related to executive functioning. It incorporates goal setting, cognitive flexibility, organization and prioritizing, time management, working memory, self-monitoring, and advocacy.

Learning support team members also address specific math and literacy areas with students through a push-in model multiple times per six-day DAWSON cycle. Along with core teachers, the dean of student success and our learning strategists work together to make sure Dawson meets the academic and executive functioning needs of students enrolled in this course. This collaboration allows the SSL program to be highly individualized.

How is Dawson’s Student Success Lab different from what is offered at other schools in Las Vegas?

Dawson’s approach is more inclusive and developmentally appropriate because most schools in the valley don’t offer a specialized program for

executive functioning skills. Other schools simply provide a study hall for students where they can complete homework or receive academic help, but that stops short of providing explicit instructions for how to prioritize assignments and manage time, as well as other skills students need to become successful academically and in life. Just as in math or reading, subjects need to be made transparent to students so they grow to become selfdirected learners.

High schools notice and appreciate that our students in the SSL program are independent and well-prepared. I’m incredibly proud that all of last year’s eighth-grade students were admitted to their first-choice high schools!

A year from now, what is one goal you have for our students and the SSL program?

My goal is for students to develop measurable advancements toward executive functioning skills with particular attention to self-advocacy, such as knowing how and when to approach a teacher for help or emailing a teacher on their own. Self-advocacy can be a difficult area for students because it involves knowing and understanding themselves as learners, reflecting upon what support they can and should seek from their teachers, and executing a plan.

Looking back on the first year of the SSL program at Dawson, what have you learned?

We’ve certainly accomplished a stronger partnership with families. Families help not only with the goal-setting students engage in at the beginning of the semester, but also with the carry over and implementation of strategies and systems at home. At Dawson, parent partnership is always encouraged, and for students in the SSL program, the positive impact of family support is a key part of our success. What we’ve also observed is students have gained skills that are beneficial to their learning. It’s a joy to see children execute some of the skills they’ve acquired, as well as express happiness when they realize the competencies they’ve gained have helped them to improve their grades.

High School Planning: Finding the Best Fit for the Future

By Rachael Lachhwani, Communications Manager

Our graduates will be ready to achieve their individual potential, savor life, and meet the challenges of the world.

–The Alexander Dawson School Vision

One of Dawson’s goals, in alignment with our Vision, is to ensure that once students exit Dawson, they continue to hone their intellectual and personal skills as they enter high school, college, the workforce, and beyond. We want to ensure growth within all facets of life continues to be the norm: that students take pride in their education, health, happiness, and adaptability; that their choices in life are confident, ethical, and moral; and that they find opportunities to make positive contributions to our global society. Additionally, Dawson seeks partnerships that elevate the experiences of our students, leverage our complementary skill sets, appreciate our differences, create a context for innovative thinking, provide mutual support, and engender trust within the community. One program that is the catalyst for such valuable partnerships is our High School Planning Team. This team consists of several school educators and employees dedicated to finding the right-fit high school for our graduates, one that both meets students’ expectations and maximizes their abilities.

There are a variety of options to explore as part of Dawson’s high school planning assistance, from local public and private schools to magnet and career/tech academies to nationally recognized boarding schools. This is why our versatile support services include individualized recommendations and access during the high school application process, on-campus information sessions with high school representatives, shadow day opportunities at area schools, on-campus SSAT testing and prep courses with Dawson faculty, and regular communication about high school planning featuring advice from industry experts.

In October of 2022, Dawson’s High School Planning Team hosted a special two-day high school event on campus that promised the best of a traditional school fair merged with the intimacy of an individual, personalized school visit. The event began with an evening boutique high school fair on campus featuring 18 schools in total: local private, public, and magnet high schools and premier boarding schools from across the country. It was open to Dawson’s fifth through eighthgrade families and students, as well as middle schoolers and their families from around the city as a free service to the larger Las Vegas community. The following day provided an exclusive opportunity for Dawson’s seventh and eighth-grade students to attend a panel presentation with the visiting boarding school representatives; this presentation allowed those schools to explain what their diverse institutions represent and what makes them so remarkable, with the goal of students considering different possibilities for the future and visualizing themselves finding happiness in a new environment.

“When we think about our throughline of Level Up this school year, we want our students to expand their horizons and think deeply, not just about the next four years, but also the four years after that,” says Dawson’s Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, lead organizer of the high school event. “We want our students to continue asking themselves, ‘What does life look like after Dawson?’”

Additionally, each of our eighth-grade students had the unique chance to work directly with a visiting boarding school representative during one-to-one conferences

Boarding school representatives visiting Dawson in October

for interview preparation. Students received real-life feedback on their ability to listen, engage, present, and ask questions. This shared experience of growth empowered students to develop connections and tell the captivating story of who they are as individuals, and for the boarding school representatives to witness our students’ level of preparedness and confidence when they shine on their own. And to further ensure the School continues to be a national leader in education innovation, members of Dawson’s leadership team held a curricular roundtable with all boarding school representatives to discuss current boarding and high school application trends, the role of standardized testing, and the changing curricular landscape of education. Representatives were also given the option to sit in on some of our classes to observe students in action as a way to better understand our school culture and community.

We strive to provide advice, attention, and mentorship based on the individual needs of all students as they leave Dawson. Because of incredible opportunities such as this, Dawson is able to deliver on its pledge

of preparing students for a successful transition to high school. We don’t clear the path for our students, yet we do walk the path alongside them in support as they discover what their distinct journey might look like. Our High School Planning Team is a center of excellence, and we are proud that our graduates continue to thrive at the secondary schools they attend. We want our students to explore who they are as young adults to make the most well-informed high school choice, with the outcome of bringing their best talents and gifts to their new school.

Boarding school panel for seventh and eighth-grade students in the Dining Hall

PARTICIPATING HIGH SCHOOLS IN ATTENDANCE

Las Vegas Private High Schools

Adelson Educational Campus

Bishop Gorman High School

Faith Lutheran High School

The Meadows School

Las Vegas Public Magnet Schools

Clark High School

Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

West Career & Technical Academy

Boarding Schools

Berkshire School - Sheffield, MA

Blair Academy - Blairstown, NJ

Cate School - Carpinteria, CA

Choate Rosemary Hall - Wallingford, CT

Dunn School - Los Olivos, CA

Miss Porter’s School - Farmington, CT

Stevenson School - Pebble Beach, CA

St. Paul’s School - Concord, NH

The Thacher School - Ojai, CA

Tabor Academy - Marion, MA

The Webb Schools - Claremont, CA

Quotes from Visiting Schools

“My visit to Alexander Dawson and the opportunity to meet with Dawson students was incredible. The families I spoke with were well-informed and eager to learn about my school, and the students the next day were amazing. They were motivated, articulate, and well prepared to excel following their time at Dawson.”

~Eric C. Long, Tabor Academy

“Our recent visit to Dawson reflected the innovative and student-centered values that seem to so clearly sit at the foundation of the Dawson experience. In true Dawson fashion, every inch of our visit was intentionally designed to provide opportunities for meaningful and authentic engagement with the community. And while I had the pleasure of connecting with a diverse group of students, common themes emerged that are deeply reflective of the most compelling aspects of a Dawson education: Dawson students have a deep and abiding sense of pride for their school, an infectious love for learning, and an authentic commitment to character and citizenship. Clearly, students who are fortunate enough to be a part of the Dawson community are the benefactors of an educational experience that is engaging, inspiring, and joyful. As an educator and admissions director at a selective boarding school, Dawson is a school on my radar, a place I am watching closely as I think about exemplary and forward-thinking K-8 educational models.”

~Allison Letourneau, Berkshire School

“Dawson Bears are an amazing addition to The Meadows School! They are kind and supportive and understand what it means to be a part of an independent school community. We value the Dawson students we welcome each year into our Upper School and enjoy watching them thrive in all areas.”

~Naomi Palacios-Nelson, The Meadows School

Boarding school panel for seventh and eighth-grade students in the Music Building Multi-Purpose Room

Leveling Up: A Teacher’s Journey

By Isis Lopez, Fourth-Grade Teacher & DEI Ambassador

Have you ever wondered what a teacher does during their summer break? You might think we are traveling, relaxing, or visiting loved ones. This in part is all accurate, but would you believe me if I told you some of us like to use this time to grow as learners and prepare for the new school year? Yes, it’s quite true: As soon as the school year ends, we hit the ground running and start planning for the next one.

To begin, in order for teachers to have a successful and smooth transition from summer break to a new year, we need the right approach and proper planning. At Alexander Dawson, we are fortunate to have an administrative team that provides teachers ample opportunities and resources to Level Up our educational journey, thanks to the many who donate toward Dawson’s faculty professional development designation as part of our Annual Fund. In alignment with our Core Beliefs, Dawson is a true learning community that invests in educational best practices, advances in technology, and relevant world development, and we are grateful to our community donors who continue to aid the professional needs of the dedicated educators who nurture, challenge, engage, and inspire our incredible students.

Annual Fund donations help support Dawson’s commitment to modern learning, and the School’s application of a Project-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum is one facet of modern learning that prepares students for a limitless world. PBL teaches academic knowledge and skills and develops students’ lifelong mindsets about learning; it is an inquiry-based approach toward uncovering new information, challenging assumptions, and demonstrating ongoing learning over a period of time. High-quality PBL provides our young learners the opportunity to experience intellectual challenges and accomplishments, often based on real-world, authentic tasks that are connected to their lives and what happens in the world around them.

PBL further introduces opportunities for collaboration and communication amongst team members, helping to develop the necessary project-management skills that enable students to proceed effectively from project initiation to completion. This may look different based on the grade level of students or the content being taught, which is why it’s important that teachers have the opportunity to meet with their grade-level teams, collaborate with committees, or attend conferences with other field experts to increase our knowledge. So how do teachers Level Up their preparation? It starts with reviewing the goals set forth during the previous school year because determining how well we accomplished certain initiatives allows us to make the necessary changes for the upcoming school year.

Back in 2021, under new action to implement more Gold-Standard ProjectBased Learning across campus, Dawson offered a school-wide training during our February Teacher Academy, a week-long session of professional development workshops for all faculty and staff. Later that same year, a cohort of 18 Dawson teachers participated in a threeday workshop offered by PBLWorks (PBLworks. org), an organization whose mission is to help build the capacity of teachers to design and facilitate quality PBL with all students. This allowed faculty to expand our knowledge of implementing PBL within our curriculum and effectively execute a well-designed PBL lesson. During the summer of 2022, several of my amazing colleagues and I had the opportunity to attend the PBL 201 sessions at the PBL World conference in California. This helped to further extend our knowledge of successfully implementing a Gold-Standard PBL and allowed my team to revisit and revise our initiatives with a deeper focus on intentionally setting our students up for success.

Collaborating as a grade level or content area team is a great way to create cohesion and consistency. Whether you are a new or seasoned teacher or on a new team

or the same team, there is always room for improvement. Fellow fourth-grade teacher Rachael Stratmeyer and I attended the PBL World Conference with the main focus of taking ourselves and our students to the next level. We each revamped one of our social studies units, and Rachael specifically focused on Nevada’s Indigenous Peoples unit, which quickly turned into a favorite of our students. This project not only teaches students about the lives of Indigenous People before and after the presence of settlers, but it also allows students to focus on the driving question, “How can we lead our community in showing reverence for Nevada’s Indigenous People?” For their culminating activity, students are asked to make a proposal that depicts how they will honor Nevada’s Indigenous People with a sculpture or mural of their design displayed on campus, a public exhibition of their work. This allows for student voice, choice, feedback, and reflection during an authentic learning experience.

Dawson additionally continues to move forward in our pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for all on campus. A team approach that seeks to accomplish a sense of belonging for all led the School to create an opportunity for staff members to apply to become an ambassador for DEI work and serve on the School’s main leadership teams. Our DEI ambassadors went through a rigorous selection process and were chosen because of a devoted commitment to Dawson’s Diversity Statement

and the willingness to examine and evaluate our school culture through an inclusivity lens. In an effort to build a community where each individual is included and treated equitably, Dawson’s DEI Ambassadors work to intentionally cultivate an environment where students learn the essential skills and tools necessary to thrive in an ever-changing, interconnected, and globally diverse world.

As one of Dawson’s five DEI ambassadors, I am also a proud member of our campus People and Culture team. This team collaborates closely with Head of School Roxanne Stansbury and Director of Human Resources India Barton to facilitate and support the School’s transformational change processes through organizing and implementing the school’s strategic DEI goals. We are always looking at how we can Level Up the initiatives we have set for our faculty and staff. After my experience of attending the PBL World conference this past summer, I further found areas where we could apply equity levers across our DEI work. Ambassadors have a range of responsibilities when leading and engaging in DEI initiatives, some of which also includes the teaching and learning taking place in classrooms. Last summer, time was set aside for the People and Culture team to review and revise our initiatives; we reflected on the work we did as a team over the previous school year and began to plan for the new year. We poured over data that informed us of the areas in which we had direct im-

pact and others where we could give input to best drive our future decisions.

The true accomplishment of both DEI and PBL on campus happens when the efforts are interconnected. Dawson as a center of academic excellence is only achievable when an understanding of each is evident in all work. This is how we create personalized learning in which every student plays a direct role. Both are successful only when the interests, strengths, and needs of all students are addressed for the advancement of the school we all share, and there is intentionality behind the work we do to ensure we integrate our learning across all les -

sons and content. With our students at the forefront, I am very grateful for the opportunities our entire Dawson community continues to provide to our incredible faculty and staff for ongoing personal and professional growth. Working together, I’m excited to illustrate how we all can continue to Level Up year after year and well into a boundless future.

Fourth-grade student reflections about their Indigienous Peoples PBL

“This project was different because it has a lot of things for us to work on. My favorite part of this project was making the posters.”

~Alexander Briggs

“(My favorite part was) doing the proposal.”

~Bosco Melendez

“It was different because we learned about Indigenous Peoples, and we also respected them.”

~Charles Michelson

DAWSON BEARS ATHLETICS

We strive to teach our student-athletes to develop a flexible and healthy mindset toward competitive activities, as well as important life skills such as teamwork, collaboration, time management, leadership, risk-taking, and goal-setting. Our student-athletes are important representatives of the School’s Mission and Core Beliefs, both on campus and throughout the larger Las Vegas community, and they represent our school with pride and spirit. Each year, we are lucky to experience incredible successes through our athletics program, and by forming purposeful partnerships with local sports clubs and recruiting knowledgeable coaches and mentors, we continue to enhance an athletics program that is inclusive, dynamic, and beneficial to all of our students. We congratulate each of our student-athletes for their incredible strength, skill, and trust in one another both on and off the court and field. Here’s a recap of our fall and winter sports seasons with the Red Rock Athletic Conference (RRAC) and the National Choice Schools Athletic Association (NCSAA).

VOLLEYBALL Coached by Kinsey Minter, faculty Lily Monares and Cal Govang, and Stacy Sykora of Sykora Volleyball, each of our three volleyball teams had stellar seasons. The fifth-grade Red Team made it to the NCSAA playoffs due to their winning record, and the seventh and eighthgrade White Team made it to both the RRAC and NCSAA playoffs! Dawson is in its second year of a school partnership with Sykora Volleyball Academy, a high-quality volleyball program that strives to develop its players into the best individual, teammates, athletes, and community members through competition and life skills development. Owner and coach Stacy Sykora is a three-time Olympic athlete who took silver with Team USA Volleyball in 2008.

CHEER Dawson’s cheer athletes, coached by Dawson faculty Jessica Lopes and Vegas Golden Knights cheerleader Sara Simpson, support our programs throughout the year and keep school spirit high on game days and other important school events. Almost 40 middle school students are on the squad, and we are grateful for their boundless energy, leadership skills, and positive community impact. The cheer team performed in the Disneyland Holiday Parade in Anaheim this past November, a truly exciting and magical opportunity!

FLIP-FLOP GAME As a fun community-building activity, our Middle School student-athletes participated in a special afternoon Flip-Flop Game in which the cheer team played football and the football team cheered them on from the sidelines. It was a fun opportunity for students to see things from another perspective and deepen their understanding of how hard each team works toward success.

SWIM The Dawson swim team, coached by Dawson faculty Jessica Balzano and Nancy Myster, had an incredible season and participated in several meets with notable results. The team’s best finishes from the relay meet in November included two swimmers finishing in fourth place in the 50-meter backstroke, third place in the 50-meter freestyle, third place in the 100-meter individual medley, and first place in the 50-meter breaststroke! In the championship meet in December, the swim team finished the season strong with three ribbons: second place in the 50-meter freestyle, fourth place in the 50-meter backstroke, and third place in the 50-meter backstroke.

CROSS-COUNTRY

Our runners, coached by Dawson faculty Corey Drummond and Rachel Ferguson, showed incredible drive and motivation this year, improving their race times over the season. Right out of the gate in the first meet, Dawson’s best finish was a runner in second place out of 67 competitors. The entire team participated in the championship meet in October, and Dawson’s two best finishes were third out of 84 runners and sixth out of 82 runners. The entire season brought a lot of continued success for our runners.

SWIMMING (CO-ED)

CROSS COUNTRY (CO-ED)

FLAG FOOTBALL (CO-ED)

FLAG FOOTBALL

Coached by faculty Malcolm Hodge and Dawson alums Mikey Tuccelli-Margolin (‘08) and Remmington Penn (‘08), each of our three flag football teams finished the season with winning records. Highlights include the fifth-grade Red Team making it to the NCSAA quarterfinals and the seventh and eighth-grade Red Rock Team winning backto-back RRAC championships in November! Congratulations to our student-athletes and coaches on this amazing season!

#AMAZINGDAWSONALUMS

Our Middle School athletics teams are an integral part of Dawson’s community and culture. In the fall, faculty and coach Malcolm Hodge arranged for several of our alums to work with our seventh and eighth-grade flag football team during a special practice. In addition to Class of 2008 coaches Remington Penn and Mikey Tuccelli-Margolin, we were lucky to welcome back Class of 2022 graduates Jacob Figg, Giacomo Ferrence, Hudson Borsari, Tyler Protell, and Alex Freestone.

DAWSON STUDENT LIFE

INTERNATIONAL DOT DAY

International Dot Day, celebrated annually in September, is a global celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration. Our Early Childhood students participated in activities that recognized the importance of these characteristics and learned about having a growth mindset from the book The Dot . This celebration also included a community meeting where students listened to the story and sang the song. The thematic unit consisted of playbased centers, writing lessons, and art projects to celebrate how a mistake can lead to a fantastic learning experience. Plus, the entire Early Childhood family dressed in polka dots to show unity on this beautiful day.

NEW FAMILY CONNECTIONS

Fostering connections is important when we welcome new families to our community, especially at the start of a new school year. The sense of comfort and belonging we seek to create for all is significant to our school climate and culture. Our Admissions team is instrumental in planning several events that help new Bears join Dawson, which includes a summer treasure hunt to explore important areas of campus, an ice cream social to learn about different school programs, and a new family morning social for the adults to meet leadership and engage in getting-to-know-you activities.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASH

Our entire community joined us for a special Backto-School Bash in September. This fun evening allowed families to travel through classrooms from Early Childhood through eighth grade to see learning in action through the eyes of our students. We also opened up our Dining Hall for food and fun, bringing back a campus tradition: Spaghetti Dinner!

Darryl McDaniels, known on the stage as DMC as lead singer of the hip hop group Run DMC, visited Dawson in September for a surprise K-8 assembly! He shared an inspirational story with our students about what it means to Level Up by setting goals and working hard, and he performed part of his hit song, “It’s Tricky”. He also visited a few classrooms to share his book, Darryl’s Dream , a children’s picture book about creativity, confidence, and finding your voice.

SURPRISE VISIT BY RUN DMC!

KINDERGARTEN MEET-UP

This event for our kindergarten families was an incredible opportunity to build grade-level community on campus outside of school hours. On a special Saturday morning, parents mingled while students played on the playground, got their faces painted, and did spin art with Middle School student volunteers. Afterward, families were invited to catch our Middle School volleyball and flag football games during one of our Athletics’ Super Saturday events!

NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15 each year and honors the heritage and contributions of members of the Hispanic community in the United States. Several countries in Latin America also celebrate their independence day during these dates. Our teachers used conversations with Hispanic school community members, music, books, and digital resources within the classroom to teach students in age-appropriate ways. Some examples include our Early Childhood students learning the familiar song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in Spanish and singing it together in celebration, and our faculty and staff members celebrating their Latinx and Hispanic culture with a special video series over Dawson’s social media channels.

DAWSON PARENTS EXPERIENCE THE K-4 DESIGN LAB

Dawson’s K-4 Design Lab is an innovative and collaborative space where our students enjoy imaginative educational experiences that enhance the partnership between design and technology. During a special Parent University in October, our Dawson parents became the students! With Director of Academic Innovation & Design Rich Lehrer and a small team of Middle School Design Ambassadors, a group of parents learned more about our digital design and fabrication endeavors and created introductory designs using lab equipment such as 3D Printers and Laser Cutters.

MIDDLE SCHOOL TRAVELING FIELD TRIPS

The experiential learning opportunities provided to students during the fifth through eighth-grade traveling field trips each school year build community and culture among peers and teachers, allow students to take healthy risks with trusted adults, and create awareness for environmental stewardship during meaningful experiences in the natural world. During the first semester, our fifth graders traveled to Yosemite National Park and our sixth graders embarked upon a Grand Circle Adventure to Bryce Canyon National Park, the Grand Canyon, and Zion National Park.

DUNGEONS & DAWSON CRITICAL LITERACIES GALLERY WALK

Using the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy game as their framework, our seventhgrade critical literacies students learned the art of crafting a compelling and dramatic backstory for tragic characters in their creative writing. Students worked on this project throughout the entire first semester, first independently building a new character that had a defined personality type, unique physical traits, and specific equipment to assist them with their life’s journey. After a period of reflection, students collaborated on their character development before presenting their writing to other students and faculty during a special in-class gallery walk.

CELEBRATING DIWALI

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is observed by more than a billion people. It is India’s most important festival of the year and celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. The festival gets its name from the row of clay lamps people light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. The Ocean Room in Early Childhood celebrated Diwali by learning more about the festival’s traditions through books, activities, and a special visit from one of their classroom families.

METRIC OLYMPICS

To cap off their metric measurement unit, our third-grade science students invented games for their “Metric Olympics” event. An excellent example of Project-Based Learning, the games are selfguided and apply students’ newly learned metric measurement skills. They invent games using “props” that include cups, corks, straws, plates, and more. Students inquire, collaborate, and investigate possibilities to engage in designing posters and score papers. After teams complete each station in a day of fun games, they are required to provide feedback during the reflection process so students know how their game designs can be improved, a key component of PBL.

ANNUAL GINGERBREAD EVENT

Dawson’s amazing Parent Association is committed to building a strong community that fosters a supportive learning environment and embraces the Mission and strategic goals of the School. Their time, talent, and energy are displayed in countless ways through their many volunteer and fundraising initiatives, including and especially our annual Gingerbread Event. Each December, our community joins together to adorn gingerbread houses amidst a winter candy land-decorated Dining Hall abuzz with music, laughter, and excitement. This year, we included a special donation station in support of Dawson’s school-wide service-learning project led by Class of 2020 alum Grace Wike, our NJHS students, and the nonprofit organization Foster Kinship. The DPA’s ongoing efforts are a thriving part of the Dawson experience and a wonderful way to engage, connect, and build our remarkable School community!

GRANDPARENTS & GRANDFRIENDS DAY

Grandparents & Grandfriends Day is a community-wide celebration honoring the people who have a special place in the lives of our students. In addition to classroom visits, Dawson held a Farmers’ Market in the Richard & Malena Ruffin Organic Garden with items harvested and packaged by all of our students. Grandparents and grandfriends further enjoyed performing and visual arts showcases in the Dining Hall, as well as visits to the K-4 Design Lab and the Dawson Library to purchase a book dedication for their grandchild. Grandparents & Grandfriends Day is one of our most enjoyable and memorable Dawson traditions, and we are truly grateful for the care and kindness our community’s loved ones continue to show our school year after year, all in support of our culture of belonging.

RUBY BRIDGES WALK TO SCHOOL DAY

The Ruby Bridges Foundation shares how six-year-old Ruby Bridges stepped into the history books in 1960 when she integrated William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, becoming a national icon for the civil rights movement. Today, her story continues to inspire the next generation of leaders to end racism together one step at a time. November 14 is now recognized annually as national Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, a day of dialogue to commemorate her historic steps, and for students to continue the conversation and take part in their own forms of activism to bring an end to racism and all forms of bullying. The Dawson community wore purple in solidarity, and if possible, walked to school this day. Teachers shared resources and had conversations within the classroom to help students make personal connections to this important day in history.

NOVEL ENGINEERING EXHIBITION

Our sixth-grade engineering, technology, and application of science classes partnered with our eighth-grade technology, engineering, and integrated lab science classes for a semester-long project that merged science and reading. The students read survival-themed books and autobiographical and biographical STEM narrative books to identify problems facing the characters and then presented their engineered solutions, prototypes, and demonstrations to the Dawson community in a culminating Novel Engineering Exhibition. The sixth and eighth graders also partnered with our Early Childhood students for a similar cross-grade-level PBL project called Novel Engineering, Jr. in which they read picture books to small groups of EC students and helped them engineer solutions to a problem for each story’s character.

VETERANS DAY

While most schools across the nation observe Veterans Day as a holiday, Dawson holds classes and joins together for an in-school commemoration to honor those in uniform for their dutiful contributions of sacrifice and service. Our community spent the day in reflection; we held a morning meeting in which we raised the American flag with military members and student helpers, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and enjoyed a student-written poem and “The Star-Spangled Banner” sung by our advanced vocal ensemble. Students participated in critical and purposeful discussions in the classroom and with retired and active military members about the history of Veterans Day and what it means to be a veteran. Students wore red, white, and blue clothing in unity and created bookmarks and wrote letters to veterans thanking them for their service.

DAWSON’S PERFORMING & VISUAL ARTS

MIDDLE SCHOOL ARTS SHOWCASE

In November, our fifth through eighth-grade students put their incredible first-semester visual arts, photography, and 3D design and technology work on display for our entire community during a special art show. This was an amazing opportunity for students to hone their public presentation skills by sharing their artistic processes and various forms of self-expression through different media, as well as further advance the Mission and Vision behind the Dawson Difference.

THIRD-GRADE IDENTITY

PBL ART SHOW

In their visual arts class, our third-grade students investigated how artists portray identity through visual images. Their culminating project during the first semester was to interview a member of Dawson’s administrative team to create a piece of art that not only showcases how a person looks but who they are –their unique identity. During a special exhibition of their work in December, students shared their creative process and how they used their ideas to finalize their art pieces.

In a first-ever joint Coffeehouse performance, our seventh and eighth graders brought their orchestra and choir skills together for two songs, “Enemy” by Imagine Dragons and “I Put a Spell On You” from the Harry Potter films. The night also featured eight soloists, two duets, and one trio.

7TH & 8TH-GRADE COFFEEHOUSE CONCERT

KINDERGARTEN MUSICAL WE HONOR THE BRAVE

Set at a Veterans Day parade, the kindergarten musical performance We Honor the Brave celebrates and honors the men and women who have risked or given their lives to protect our country and those who are currently serving in all branches of the military. Families, faculty, and Early Childhood students attended this special performance on Veterans Day itself, a holiday recognized by our entire community with in-school commemorative activities and events.

2ND-GRADE MUSICAL JOURNEY INTO OUTER SPACE

The second graders performed Journey Into Outer Space , complete with fun songs about the planets, the moon, space travel, and aliens. This fun and joyful performance was an excellent way to debut our renovated Dining Hall stage!

4TH-GRADE MUSICAL GO WEST!

The fourth-grade musical, Go West! combines music, history, and drama to explore important facts about the westward expansion of the early United States as adventurers of all kinds make their way west to chase the promise of the American dream. This musical performance allows students to make cross-curricular connections, as it pairs with fourth-grade social studies units focused on indigenous peoples, modern pioneers, and westward movement.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ACTING SHOWCASES

During the first semester theater-acting elective, students studied aspects of theater in multi-cultural, social, and historical contexts.The fifth graders performed the one-act play Container of Sharks , a parody of the show Shark Tank , and the sixth graders performed the one-act play So You Wanna Be A Cheerleader , which showcased students’ comedic acting skills during a series of cheerleading auditions gone wrong. The seventh and eighth-grade acting students performed an adapted play of Lewis Carroll’s classic story Alice in Wonderland , complete with the White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, and many others as Alice traveled through Wonderland. The students flourished on stage and off, building their talents and gaining the confidence to share their skills and ideas.

MIDDLE SCHOOL WINTER CHOIR & ORCHESTRA CONCERTS

Our Middle School students spent the first semester focusing on perfecting their craft as individuals and as an ensemble through collaborative musical efforts. Though the work is difficult, students find a lot of reward through public performances, which include the culminating winter choir and orchestra concerts in December. Both with a theme centered around holiday music, students had the chance to showcase their talents as soloists, small ensembles, and large groups. All students enjoyed the chance to express their passion for music, singing, instruments, and community, and they gained a wealth of knowledge about music theory, history, and appreciation.

7TH & 8TH-GRADE PERFORMANCE AT THE SMITH CENTER

Our Middle School vocal ensemble and orchestra students showcased their musical talents at a pre-performance experience for The Nutcracker ballet in the lobby of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in December. “Dawson students are incredible on and off the stage,” says Cindy Fox with Nevada Ballet Theater. “Their talent, attitudes, and overall demeanor are wonderful, and we work with a lot of performers. Thank you for sharing their professionalism and enthusiasm with us.”

EARLY CHILDHOOD WINTER PERFORMANCES

All five Early Childhood classes participated in developmentally-appropriate winter musical performances that fostered self-esteem, creative thinking, concentration, and teamwork skills. As an introduction to later taking the stage in front of a live audience, students enjoyed smaller-scale opportunities to perform for their families in the EC lobby. The students chose their roles in the performances, and each class was involved in all of the preparation for their shows. This process included brainstorming what they wanted their costumes to look like and then sketching the designs, gluing pieces, and helping with the sewing machine to make them. Students also used their finger-painting skills to design the backdrops, save-the-dates, and programs for their shows. Additionally, our eight-grade music tech students helped with the music by enhancing the sounds and slowing it down so the EC students could better sing along.

EARLY CHILDHOOD WINTER PERFORMANCES

Challenge Success: The Benefits of Developing the Whole Child

By Rachael Lachhwani, Communications Manager

The Alexander Dawson School is proud to be Nevada’s first Challenge Success school. In alignment with the Challenge Success philosophy, we provide students and families with information and strategies to create a more balanced and academically fulfilling life for kids. We partner with parents to help children strengthen their sense of self, increase their motivation and criticalthinking skills, and learn how to effectively deal with life’s inevitable challenges.

Dawson had the distinct privilege of welcoming Dr. Denise Pope, co-founder of Challenge Success and senior lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education, to campus in November to meet with parents, faculty, and students. Dr. Pope explored how the guiding principles of Challenge Success promote “developing the whole child”, an approach that includes creating environments of belonging and connection so students thrive. This foundation supports and nurtures

all areas of a child’s overall development and learning and is necessary for children to grow into well-rounded, healthy individuals.

As a parent, how do you define success? What are the life outcomes you value the most for your children? According to Challenge Success, the students of today are under more pressure than ever to be successful, and with that expectation comes immense stress that can lead to sleep deprivation, feeling overloaded by homework and extracurricular activities, mental health issues, lack of a sense of belonging and authentic social connections, and feeling the need to cheat to keep up academically. Denise shared that from preschool-aged children to high schoolers, this all leads to widespread disengagement, decreased resilience, and students not being prepared with the 21st-century skills necessary to participate and thrive in an ever-changing world. These important skills include critical thinking, communication, creativity, problem-solving, perseverance, collaboration, information, technology, and digital literacy. Instead, we find ourselves surrounded by “robo-students”, or kids who spend the day merely going through the motions, devoid of any real sense of engagement, well-being, or belonging.

S - Students’ schedule and use of time: Applying a school schedule during the day that allows for creativity and collaboration, and a homework load that supports a healthy school-life balance. Dawson faculty also utilize a special project and test calendar so each has knowledge of what’s happening in other classes so as to not overschedule kids. This places important value on their well-being and supports student engagement .

P - Project and Problem-Based Learning: Allowing students to have voice and choice in their work when they solve problems in our community and beyond. This dispels the misconception that deep, challenging, and rigorous learning is connected to workload. In fact, it’s more purposeful and engaging for students to learn the mastery of skills through profound reflection, feedback, and revisions rather than hours and hours of homework.

A - Authentic and Alternative Assessments: Dawson has constructed rubrics that show it’s okay to make mistakes and to use these learning experiences to develop a Level-Up mindset versus solely focusing on letter grades. Revision and redemption policies in classes allow students to gain the feedback they need to appropriately learn and grow.

C - Climate of Care: The most successful academic environment is achieved when there are trusting, caring connections between adults and students. Our socialemotional learning foundation is built into students’ daily schedules and supplies them with the positive coping strategies necessary to deal with stress and challenging situations. This includes Dawson’s relational discipline policy and our Middle School advisory program, which further supports students’ resilience, critical-thinking skills, and global awareness.

Denise shared that one way Dawson commits to developing the whole child is through the application of the Challenge Success SPACE Framework, a blueprint for creating an equitable learning environment in which all students are given the support they need to be happy, healthy, safe, supported, and challenged affectively, behaviorally, and cognitively:

E - Education for the Whole Community: The significance of a school-home partnership, or the open and honest dialogue between parents and teachers, ensures that we are working collaboratively to support all students. Dawson offers opportunities for faculty and parents to attend workshops and provides resources through blogs, podcasts, parenting sessions, and more that deliver insight with motivational and encouraging ideas to help families best support the individual needs of their children.

Most importantly, Denise asked families to participate in a session of personal reflection: Ask yourself (honestly) how many hours your child is in school versus how many hours of homework they have versus how many hours of extracurricular activities they participate in versus time spent on chores versus time spent online versus…. You get the point. The most important thing you can do for your child is PDF: give them the gift of playtime, downtime, and family time:

• Although well-meaning, stop asking how the test went that day. Instead, ask discovery questions such as, How was your day? Did you make a friend? In what way did you stand up for someone today?

• Hit the pause button and allow for some unstructured enjoyment. Let your kids be kids. Let them unwind, relax, be creative, and simply play.

• Encourage them to get to sleep on time without devices or other distractions. Kids need anywhere from nine to 13 hours each night depending upon age, and sleep deprivation can lead to depression and anxiety, issues with short and long-term memory, bullying, and sports injuries.

• Spend time together as a family to make connections, such as having a meal or playing a board game. Family time communicates to kids, “You belong here. We love you, no matter what.” Kids need to feel that they belong. It’s not enough to just say it to them.

Focus on what really matters: health, safety, and relationships. Calm fears and anxieties (including your own) by discussing and modeling that there is no straight-and-narrow path to success; there are many roads to the mountaintop. And this is all perfectly okay.

Challenge Success-Stanford Survey of Adolescent School Experiences

Dawson continues to look for ways to respond to the unprecedented health and emotional wellness issues students are facing, largely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and cultural stressors. Our goal continues to be educating our community about mental and physical health and wellness to help keep our students safe. The best way to keep our pulse on student health and wellbeing is through data collection.

In November, Dawson further partnered with Challenge Success to conduct the Challenge Success-Stanford Survey of Adolescent School Experiences. During their morning advisory period, we invited our fifth through eighth-grade students to participate in this research study on their social, emotional, and physical well-being; their educational goals; beliefs about teacher care; and their views on the academic climate and expectations at Dawson and at home. The Challenge Success survey delivered helpful insight into how we as a school can decrease academic stress, increase student engagement, and foster greater student voice and belonging in school.

During her campus visit, Dr. Pope met with all faculty to review the findings of the survey, which our studentcentered Challenge Success Team will use as a guide when planning our annual Challenge Success Week during the second semester. This will ensure that the efforts of our Dawson team continue to best meet the needs of our community. Challenge Success surveyed over 310,000 middle and high schoolers at 300 schools. Some important data gleaned from Dawson’s student survey include:

THREE WORDS STUDENTS USE TO DESCRIBE DAWSON

• 46% - Fun

• 33% - Caring and Welcoming

• 21% - Difficult or Stressful

SOURCES OF STRESS

• 64% - Grades/tests/quizzes/assessments

• 53% - Overall workload or homework

• 39% - Lack of sleep

• 33% - Lack of time to relax, play, or be with friends or family

HOMEWORK LOAD

• High schoolers have 2.7 hours per night

• Middle schoolers have 1.7 hours per night

• Dawson middle schoolers have 1.5 hours per night

• 1% have more than 3.5 hours per night

• Over 37% perceive homework as busywork

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

• 94% participate in at least one extracurricular

• Average middle schoolers have 6.1 hours of extracurriculars per week

• Dawson students have 5.9 hours of extracurriculars per week, with 2.7 hours over the weekend

SLEEP

• Middle schoolers are recommended to have 9 to 11 hours per night

• The average of sleep for middle schoolers is 7.8 hours

• The average of sleep for Dawson students is 7.9 hours

• 55% of Dawson students have their phone in the bedroom when they go to sleep

• 25% of Dawson students have their phone in another room when they go to sleep

• 20% of Dawson students have no phone at all

CONNECTIONS

• 77% of Dawson students have an adult they can go to if they have a problem

• 27% of Dawson students are engaged affectively (students find schoolwork interesting and they enjoy doing the work)

• 24% of Dawson students are engaged behaviorally (students complete assignments and work hard)

We asked our Challenge Success team of Middle School students, What does Challenge Success mean to you?

Payton Borsari, 7th Grade: Having a less stressful school life

Levi Finfrock, 8th Grade: Giving each student what they need to become successful

Jordan Luh, 6th Grade: Challenging yourself in multiple ways to reach your goal

Bianca Raddue, 6th Grade: Balancing academics and mental health

Jackson Steele, 8th Grade: Speaking from the student perspective

Genevieve Thai, 8th Grade: Change for everyone

By

Phillips,

Amazing Dawson Alum: Taylor Corrigan Miller, ‘07

Shea

Marketing & Digital Content Manager

Taylor Corrigan Miller, Class of 2007, joined The Alexander Dawson School in its very first year as a second-grader in current Librarian Kelly McNamara’s class. She always loved school, and Dawson’s learning environment and community always felt like her home away from home. The relationships she developed in her early years with teachers and peers alike are ones she still maintains today because of their significant, positive impact on her life.

“While Dawson has grown tremendously since its first seven years, it is evident that its foundation and its core Mission are well-withstanding,” says Taylor. “If anything, I only wish I could attend the school today and experience its even-morerobust program.”

During her younger years, Taylor learned the importance of developing a growth mindset and was challenged to think outside of the box. Her experience was the result of many things: enthusiastic and dedicated faculty, a well-rounded offering of rigorous academics mixed with creative electives, and access to leading resources and opportunities. Plus, she says, “Having such a supportive and close-knit community surrounding me for seven years shaped my character, interests, and work ethic in countless ways.” This strong work ethic –one rooted in accountability, intrinsic motivation to continually push herself, and teamwork – are among the life skills Taylor learned at Dawson that have been critical to every endeavor thereafter.

One year that stood out as an influential favorite was the third grade in Dawson’s current Head of

School Roxanne Stansbury’s class. “The learning in her classroom was authentic, cross-curricular, project-based, and allowed for so much creativity, all while instilling a strong foundation of core skills,” Taylor remembers. “The relationships and class environment she established was one that motivated me then as an eight-year-old student and now as an adult educator.”

As an eighth-grader, Taylor delivered the student commencement speech for her class during graduation, and it was a culminating moment in which she reflected on her years as a Bear. “Dawson instilled in me a deep determination to succeed in the face of challenges and the importance of staying academically curious,” she recalls. These values, coupled with the rich and personalized experiences she was exposed to, proved invaluable to her during high school and beyond.

Taylor always knew she wanted to be a Gorman Gael after Dawson. In addition to the many family and friends who attended the school, she knew it was her right fit because it shared many of the values that were important to her: a strong emphasis on academics and athletics, and like Dawson, Gorman had a very strong community. During her high school years, Taylor felt academically prepared because, “Dawson was more rigorous in terms of the cross-curricular, real-world problem solving and creative application that was demanded. Aside from pure academic readiness, Dawson also equipped me with the overall learning behaviors and study skills that made the transition to high school very smooth.”

“It is critical that, at a young age, students see themselves as innovators, leaders, and problem solvers who are creating meaningful impact in the world around them.”

After high school, Taylor attended Southern Methodist University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a minor in education, followed by a master’s degree in elementary education. She always loved school and knew she would work in education one day, and today, Taylor is a third-grade social studies teacher at The Hockaday School, a nationally acclaimed, all-girls PK-12 school in Dallas, Texas. She is honored to be a contributing member of a school whose mission is to help develop confident women of character inspired to lead lives of impact. Taylor recalls how pivotal her Dawson teachers were in unlocking her own love of education and the support she felt as they pushed her to reach her full potential. “It is impossible to inspire a love of learning if you aren’t passionate about it yourself,” she says. “The passionate educators I learned from at Dawson inspired me to instill the same love of learning in younger generations.”

As a social impact coordinator at The Hockaday School, Taylor’s favorite project has been launching “Dolphin Tank”, a third-gradefriendly version of the Shark Tank television show that merges her school’s mission of leading lives of impact with her business background. Using design thinking, Taylor’s students create a business stemming from a need or problem they see within their community. They work collaboratively with high school entrepreneurs to develop a business plan and pitch their final presentations to their community. Explains Taylor, “It is critical that, at a young age, students see themselves as innovators, leaders, and problem solvers who are creating meaningful impact in the world around them.”

The pursuit of her teaching career and most, if not all, of her educational approach and philosophy, can be attributed to her seven-year career as a Dawson Bear. The enthusiasm and joy modeled by the faculty at Dawson, along with her own affection for language arts and love of cultures and people, is what drives her as a social studies teacher each day. Taylor says the best thing about being a teacher herself is, “It’s incredibly rewarding to work alongside colleagues who

share your same passion and desire for continual progress and innovation. Furthermore, my students are learning to see themselves as leaders and problem solvers in a very rapidly changing world.”

For our current Dawson Bears, Taylor’s advice includes, “Leave all inhibitions, hesitancies, and doubt at the door. Any experience or opportunity is what you make of it, and fearing failure or rejection stifles all possibilities of innovation, growth, and ultimately, success. Dawson does an incredible job of presenting its students with a plethora of challenging, authentic experiences, and in order to continue that trajectory of involvement as you get older, you need to be willing to get out of your comfort zone. Jump right in!”

Taylor in the third grade with then-teacher Roxanne Stansbury, Dawson’s current Head of School

#AmazingDawsonAlums: Freshmen Firsts

As illustrated in our Vision, a Dawson student exits our doors ready to achieve individual potential, savor life, and meet the challenges of the world, and a graduate’s partnership with the School can offer keen insight into the meaning and purpose behind the student experience. We caught up with two notable alums, Giacomo Ferrence from the Class of 2022 and Camille Oh from the Class of 2018, and asked them to share how their journey prepared them for the world beyond the walls of The Alexander Dawson School.

GIACOMO FERRENCE

Freshman At Bishop Gorman High School Sport: Football

Going into your freshman year of high school, what do you remember or cherish most about your Dawson experience?

I cherish the friendships and knowing everyone around campus. I also cherish how free we were and we could enjoy school while learning.

In what ways did Dawson prepare you for high school?

Dawson prepared me for high school by helping out with my social skills and

knowledge of the world and knowing right from wrong.

How did it feel to start at a brand-new school?

It is very weird to start at a brand-new school. There are a lot of people at Gorman so it is a big change from Dawson.

What are a few highlights from your first semester of high school you want to share with the Dawson community?

A big highlight from my first semester of high school was the football season and playing on the team.

CAMILLE OH

Freshman At University Of California, Irvine

Major: Film & Media Studies

Minor: Business Management

Going into your freshman year of college, what do you remember or cherish most about your Dawson experience?

I will be forever grateful to Dawson because of the community. My best friends for life were formed at Dawson and some of my best memories were there, too. Something I remember the most is the food! I specifically loved the breadsticks.

In what ways did Dawson prepare you for college?

Dawson helped form my public speaking skills. The small class sizes also helped me get one-on-one attention!

How did it feel to start at a brand-new school?

It was scary at first, but UCI feels like home now. Although I am out of state and my family isn’t with me anymore, I have met new people who already feel like family. I am super exited to take new classes and explore different career pathways.

What are a few highlights from your first semester of college you want to share with the Dawson community?

Recently, there was a November fair from Monday to Friday where a ton of vendors would line up and students were able to purchase goods. It was super cool and I bought a lot of stickers!

We want to hear from you!

Stay connected to fellow alumni, the School, and our community by visiting adsrm.org/alumni.

DAWSON ANNUAL FUND

It takes a lot of dedicated effort to operate a school like Dawson, from the simple things like the supplies our students require every day to the resources needed to strengthen and protect the schoolhome partnership with our families. By supporting the School through the Dawson Annual Fund, you help to enrich an equitable educational experience for our students beyond what is possible through tuition alone. There are several areas in which you can contribute to help Dawson as we actualize our Mission and Vision. We welcome donations to the areas of:

• Athletics

• Access & Affordability

• Faculty Professional Development

• Innovative & Creative Campus Spaces

• We Believe in Dawson (any area of greatest need)

Your participation is what matters most, and we invite you to show just how much you “Believe in Dawson” by visiting adsrm.org/ giving or by scanning the QR code to give a gift today. Thank you for your continued support of The Alexander Dawson School!

DAWSON FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

It felt incredible to raise a glass together in a true celebration of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families at Dawson’s annual Food & Wine Festival in November! The beautiful indoor and outdoor setting in Dawson’s courtyard, Dining Hall, and patio was complemented by amazing local chefs serving delicious bites, great wine and spirits, music, a silent auction, a raffle and wine pull, and a whole lot of fun in support of our remarkable school community!

Thank you to all of those who supported The Alexander Dawson School with their generous contributions, and we especially want to acknowledge event sponsors Avalanche Canyon Foundation, Pamela & Patrick Graham, HUKL Investments, JRS Hospitality, Liz & Tom Kaplan, Ari & Tiffani Kastrati, LASgrafix, George Maloof, the Miller-Amend family, Cody Nakhjavanpour, Perry & Nicole Rogers, the Ruffin family, the Savio family, Solus

Hydration, and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, as well as our incredible Food & Wine Task Force of Dawson parents Corri Backman, Jen Blais, Leslie Brodie, Pamela Graham, Amanda Gumberg, Liz Kaplan, Tiffani Kastrati, and Jayne Kelly.

We are also grateful to the following Las Vegas brewers, chef partners, and restaurants for giving their time and talent: Jon Batista of Artisanal Foods, Abbigail Byrd of Graze PlantPowered Kitchen, John Griffith & Nathan Carney of Mojave Brewing Company, Susan DeLisle of SAGE Dining, Greg Kim of Gabi Boutique Donuts and Pastry, Keris Kuwana of Donutique, Gina Marinelli of Harlo Steakhouse & Bar and La Strega, Melissa Coppel Chocolaterie, Daniel Ontiveros of Carversteak, Donald Thompson of Hearthstone, and Wolfgang Puck Players Locker.

DAWSON FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

DAWSON FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

DAWSON FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

ALEXANDER DAWSON ARTISTS’ CORNER

ALEXANDER DAWSON VISUAL ARTS

The Dawson visual arts program uses the Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB) approach to art education. In all EC through fourthgrade visual arts classes, students are empowered to express themselves as artists and are offered real choices for responding to their own ideas and interests. They solve problems through their art while asking questions and seeing possibilities within the world around them. In the fifth through eighth-grade visual arts elective, students explore different mediums to grow their artistic skills and navigate creative ideas. They gain the skills needed to express the message behind their works of art through key components such as self-reflection, developmental growth, and fun.

All EC Collaborative Art

EC Room 5 Collaborative Art

Cozy Lowen, 8th Grade

Bianca Raddue, 6th Grade

Chloe Golden, 8th Grade

Kinnley Stevens, 7th Grade

ALEXANDER DAWSON VISUAL ARTS

Harrison Smith, 8th Grade

EC Room 3 Collaborative Art

Angela Zhao, 6th Grade

London Lien, 6th Grade

All EC Collaborative Art

Angela Zhao, 6th Grade

Calvin Abin, 8th Grade

Pepper Jung, 8th Grade

Naya Fowler, 3rd Grade

Gabby Ruissanchez, 6th Grade

EC Room 1 Collaborative Art

Makana Ross, 3rd Grade

ALEXANDER DAWSON VISUAL ARTS

Callie Jorge, 3rd Grade

EC Room 2 Collaborative Art

Savannah Rourke, 3rd Grade

Evan Camarota, 3rd Grade

Madison McGee, 1st Grade

ALEXANDER DAWSON VISUAL ARTS

Alaia Coppel, 6th Grade

Anastasia Pastorella, 3rd Grade

Ethan Potter, 1st Grade

Luca Vincent, 1st Grade

EC Room 4 Collaborative Art

Shloka Soni, 3rd Grade

Riley Fegert, Addy Velardi & Sadie Crafton, 7th Grade

Kendra Orozco & Lola McCabe, 3rd Grade