From the Head of School 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. It is published twice a year. EDITOR EDITOR Megan Gray Director of Marketing & Communications mgray@adsrm.org PROOFREADER Rachael Lachhwani Shea Phillips DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY Megan Gray HEAD OF SCHOOL Paul Wenninger
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rowth Mindset is a frequently used term at Dawson. The basic concept is this: students (or any of us) see themselves as having the potential for being successful. A fixed mindset, on the other hand, is limited by a static or unchanging view of one’s self. While this is a very simplified view of a more complicated concept, it is true that what we believe about ourselves has a lot to do with the possibilities in our future. The Alexander Dawson School is at a significant point in its maturing. It is a very young school – just 15 years old – and had a gifted beginning with a beautiful campus and a spirit that values both warmth and challenge for its students. Yet the School – its faculty, staff, and students – does not just talk about nurturing a growth mindset; it is put into practice in every corner of this campus. This means the possibilities in Dawson’s future look very bright. In this issue of the Petroglyph, we are going to look at how growth portrays itself at Dawson. Growth not just in the sense of getting bigger but growth in the sense of being more relevant in delivering an education that serves and shapes young lives. Read and grow with us. Here’s to looking forward to another 15 years.
DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT & DEVELOPMENT Davida Sims dsims@adsrm.org ALUMNI RELATIONS Stella Finfrock alumni@adsrm.org
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Paul Wenninger Head of School
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For more information, please visit www.AlexanderDawsonSchool.org or call (702) 949-3600 2
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ROWTH AT DAWSON The Many Ways We Define & Celebrate It
several decades of sound research. We believe that high-quality, developmentally appropriate programming and experiences produce short-and long-term positive effects on children’s cognitive and social development. This is the optimal and ideal time to focus on every aspect of a child’s potential for growth as well as on the relationship between families and schools. Like our students, we also continue to grow as a school. New initiatives, including this year’s exciting addition of Dawson’s
WATCHING THE VERY YOUNG GROW
Summer Cubs and Summer Bears programs – six-week teacher-
By Tara Williams, Head of Early Childhood
led learning experiences for students from EC to Middle School
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and explorers in a nurturing and thoughtful environment. Our
t all starts with Dawson’s Early Childhood Education Center. Last year, as I attended our eighth-grade graduation ceremony
and realized that 14 of our former preschoolers had beautifully transitioned from snuggling in the reading loft to taking a prize in the Nevada Science Bowl or shooting the winning basketball goal in the Red Rock Athletic League, I witnessed the true meaning behind the importance of an early childhood education. Giving young children a safe space to collaborate, play, and become confident learners isn’t just about that specific moment in their growth and development; it is about setting them up for success now and in the future. What made this Dawson graduation ceremony a truly transformational experience was the realization that our students were not only prepared for high school but also
– will further allow our students to grow as thinkers, adventurers, expert teachers have designed collaborative and inventive units in coding, programming, construction, solving mysteries, and observing phenomena that will stimulate the joy of learning while escalating their skills in reading, writing, science, and mathematics. As much joy as we experience watching our students sweep a paint brush across their first canvas or plant their first seed, nothing compares with their warm embrace as they rush past us many years later, happy and confident young adults. Helping them discover in EC the person they want to be, and seeing that come to fruition as they graduate from Middle School, is what Dawson
for leading a purposeful life.
growth truly means. Let’s have another 15 years of growing and
Dawson’s Early Childhood Education program (EC) is based on
lead us into tomorrow. k
developing our beautiful baby cubs into the strong bears who will
“Children who experience high-quality, early childhood programs engage in more complex play, demonstrate more secure attachments to adults and other children, and score higher on measures of thinking ability and language development.” - The Call for Excellence in Early Childhood Education, 2013 4
USING DATA TO MEASURE GROWTH AT DAWSON
These observations are a catalyst for uncovering curricular
By Roxanne Stansbury, Director of Education & Head of Lower School
example, data from the CTP4 can be aggregated to tell the story
hen viewed accurately, data is a valuable tool for
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analysis category has outscored the independent school norm
measuring growth among programs, teachers, and
group, an elite population pool when comparing CTP4 results.
students. Effective schools are data-informed and strategically
This trend tells us that a conceptual-based math program is the
gather information that identifies areas of growth and areas in
best approach to mathematic instruction, and our students are
need of growth. At Dawson, many different measurement tools
developing strong number fluency and problem solving skills
contribute to the interpretation of our growth story:
based on this curricular implementation.
Reading assessments administered in September, January, and May allow
A supporting trend of Dawson’s writing philosophy is the growth
teachers to measure student growth on a continuum of national projections
displayed in writing mechanics. In the primary years, emphasis
for independent reading levels.
is placed on developing creative ideas and a strong voice; our
initiatives specifically impacting student learning and growth. For about the Lower School Everyday Math program. Throughout the last 15 years, Dawson’s mean average in the quantitative
rationale is that young writers need to be captivated by the art of Beginning, middle, and end-of-the-year math assessments identify key
composing independent, authentic thoughts on paper without the
concepts that need revisiting, re-teaching, and extended application
constraints of editing rules. As students mature, accountability for
opportunities.
conventions rises in the list of priorities and editing tools and rules are explicitly taught. The results of our eighth grade graduates
Periodic school-wide writing samples provide evidence of students’ writing
illustrate that the “Writing Mechanics” mean percentile rankings
craft development.
match and often exceed the mean independent school scores. The rise in student scores begins around sixth grade, an example
Social studies and science pre-tests gather insight on students’ prior
of how a standardized assessment can reinforce the tenets of our
knowledge and help determine the scope and sequence of upcoming units.
instructional philosophies.
Each assessment type illustrates student growth at incremental
On an individual student level, the CTP4 can reinforce or dispel
times throughout the year and results are compared with
themes in a student’s growth story. The categorical breakdown
beginning-of-the-year benchmarks. These informal and formal
allows teachers to distinguish specific skill areas where intervention
checks tell the story of growth in each individual student.
would increase student learning. Discrepancies in test results can identify disconnects between instruction and understanding.
Standardized assessments provide a quantitative summary
Other times, declining performance among the sub-score results
of skill mastery and conceptual understanding in math and
point to issues such as test fatigue, attention challenges, or a lack
reading. Every spring, students in grades three through eight
of time management skills. In isolation, the weight of these test
participate in the Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP4), an
results do not always tell a valid and reliable story; however,
assessment designed by the Education Records Bureau (ERB).
coupled with observations from daily classroom performance,
This standardized evaluation is a valuable tool that provides a
attitudes, and learning habits, these data points can close the gap
snapshot of student progress, program strengths and weaknesses,
in identifying where support should begin.
and instructional impact. Although the CTP4 test is a valuable data point, utilizing The data, when analyzed historically, allows for trends to emerge.
assessment results as the sole factor in making informed decisions 55
and constructing school improvement plans would be irresponsible. The CTP4 has blind spots that need to be filled in by other forms of evidence; it does not measure effort, perseverance, determination, or commitment to problem solving, and, most importantly, a standardized assessment struggles to capture the depth of a student’s creativity. An attribute of an independent school is a curriculum that promotes and allows for out-of-the-box thinking. Twenty-first century skills – such as creativity, collaboration, and communication – can often be measured through student artifacts and anecdotal teacher notes. Growth is multi-faceted and, as parents, our barometer for measuring our child’s advancement should include the many contributing factors that piece together the overall picture of aptitude, achievement, and the learner profile.
GROWTH BEYOND THE CLASSROOM By Chris Estrella, Assistant Head of Middle School
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n my seven years as a middle school educator, I’ve watched students grow and change in ways that are not always measurable or visible, and where time and experience
play a big role. I’ve watched hesitant students become more comfortable speaking up in class; I’ve witnessed the confidence that builds in students with the mastery of a subject or skill; I’ve seen others overcome social-emotional challenges that seemed insurmountable. The type of intellectual and emotional growth I’m speaking of is hard to quantify and is never as concrete as an ERB score. At Dawson, the concrete and abstract aspects of growth are equally important because both are necessary components to the “whole child” approach to education. We regard the development of emotional intelligence as no less important than academic intelligence. As parents, the worry about your child’s success now and in the future is understandable. Middle school can be an especially intense time of tremendous physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth for children. It’s also a time when academic and social pressures increase in conjunction with independence and accountability. In other words, middle school students are learning and growing at a pace that can be both exhilarating and stressful, and how a school approaches this period of transformation is central to every student’s success. At Dawson, individual attention, the freedom to be curious, and the empowerment of each and every student’s voice are the pillars we use to guide our students through this formative experience. A deep respect for and understanding of the process of learning and growing is found in every corner of the Middle School, from conversations with advisors, teachers, administrators, and coaches to the strength of a community that fully believes and invests in the growth of each child. Dawson’s philosophy on growth and learning sees both as never-ending journeys. But
you don’t have to take my word for it. You can look and listen
increased emotional wellbeing (Blum & Libbey, 2004; Jackson &
for it everywhere on campus: Our students and faculty from
Davis, 2000; Klem & Connell, 2004; Mac Iver & Epstein, 1991;
Early Childhood, Lower School and Middle School live and
McNeely & Falci, 2004; National Association of Secondary
breathe this philosophy. However, nowhere is the product of this
School Principals, 2006).
philosophy more evident or affirming than in the confident voice of our graduates.
I’m a senior in high school now, and after going to Dawson for nine years, I am well prepared for anything my teachers throw at me. What I learned in grades
Dawson has taught me vital lessons in solving math problems, writing English
six through eight is still useful four years later. The skills and knowledge that
essays, completing science labs, speaking a foreign language, shooting excellent
everyone can learn from Dawson are rare to find in high school because they
photography, and becoming a well-versed student of history. After graduating,
are solidified with caring teachers and adults. The ability to speak publicly,
I’ve found that all of these foundational lessons have helped tremendously in
think critically and study properly are just a few examples of what Dawson
not only surviving high school courses, but in thriving under a new educational
has prepared me for.
environment, allowing me to lead class discussions and help my peers. More importantly, however, is Dawson’s success in inspiring me to become a student
Too often, the push to measure growth as a destination or a data
of the world. Learning is a critical component to understanding both who we
point on a graph surpasses the intent of growth as a lifelong
are and where we came from.
commitment. Becoming a “grown up” doesn’t mean we stop growing emotionally or intellectually, and growing up in the
In Dawson’s Middle School, we know that some of life’s most
Dawson community doesn’t mean students are protected from
important lessons are not found in books and lesson plans. A
the daily struggles and stressors of adolescence. What it does
big part of the Middle School’s growth plan for each student
mean is that our students are respected members of a community
includes creating safe social situations and space for personal
that values individuality, trust, love, and personal accountability.
development. One way we achieve this is through advisory
It is Dawson’s “whole child” approach to education – nurturing
courses that facilitate strong student and faculty relationships by
independence of mind, learning from mistakes, and enjoying self-
focusing on “connectedness” – a characteristic of school cultures
discovery – that helps our students build greater resilience in the
in which students have meaningful relationships with adults, are
face of challenges both in and out of the classroom, and to make
engaged, and feel a sense of belonging. These close student-
growth and learning a part of their life journey. But again, you
faculty relationships give insight into the broader dimensions of
don’t have to take my word for it. It’s right there in our Vision
an individual student’s personality and personal development,
Statement:
help discover what motivates and excites students to perform well, and generates teachable moments across a wide array of settings.
Our graduates will be ready to achieve their individual potential, savor life and
And research backs up what Dawson already knows: Advisory
meet the challenges of the world. k
relationships are linked to higher grades and test scores, as well as 7
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Dawson Student Essay
THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME Seventh Grade Trip Essay
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By Ariana Sanatinia, ‘17
he salty air whirled around me as I gazed at the
surfing. Everyone at camp slowly dissolved onto the beach. It
breathtaking, hazy autumn sky. As the seventh grade
felt smooth and soft, as sand flew up everywhere. Dragging the
students reached their destination of Imperial Beach,
turquoise surfboard with me, the chilling cobalt water drenched
California for YMCA Camp Surf, the waves crashed down,
me. Incredible waves whirled past, carrying everything to the
slowly creeping onto the sand. Palm trees swayed in the breeze,
shore This was my first time surfing. Although I stood up once,
their emerald branches hanging down. The air was misty, for
I mostly collapsed off of the board, tumbling into the crashing
it had just rained. After the lengthy seven-hour bus ride, it was
waves. It was definitely the most thrilling thing I have ever done.
spectacular to see the stupendous scenery surrounding us. It was now Wednesday; one more full day left, one full day past. As we arrived at our new home for the week, exploring the
After our regular routine of surfing and CPR training, we settled
campus filled our afternoon. Later that day, we were directed
in for an eventful night. As we headed over to the Pirate’s Cove
toward the beach to admire the beauty of the rolling waves.
for a night activity, I gazed upward. The crescent moon glistened
There, the seventh grade students played in the sand, the pristine
in the starry night, lighting up the midnight blue mystery. The
waves crashing. The water was refreshing, as it slowly began to
wind whistled, a sudden chill spreading. That day, it was decided
soak me. Diving into several waves, salt filled my throat.
we would play “Minute to Win It”, a competition in which each team performs one-minute challenges. My group, The Blue
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The bright, inviting sun woke me the next morning, making
Narwhals, started the first challenge. We successfully completed
me eager for the day. We got ready and ate a savory breakfast.
almost every one. And then, it was sudden death: The teams were
Finally, it was the moment for which I was waiting: time to go
tied and had to face off in one last challenge: unravel streamers
as fast as possible. We were fast but not fast enough; the orange team defeated us, calling victory for the day. “Minute to Win It” was definitely a night to remember. As our final night crept closer and closer, we all bonded over a campfire. The burnt marshmallow scent swirled through air as laughter and joy filled the California beach. Gazing into each other’s eyes, we shared a special connection. I smiled, admiring the tangerine tinted flames slowly dying out in the crisp dark night. That night, our last night in this paradise, we separated into our groups and performed probably the worst – and most hilarious – skit I have ever seen. But the important thing is that we did it together. That night, we all implanted a memory into our heads and this memory wasn’t going anywhere. I would not trade this trip for anything. Of the last three years, this was the most sensational trip ever, giving me experiences and memories that I will remember forever. And from this trip, we all took something home: new friendships, new relationships, and new memories. We became a family. Camp Surf was an experience that couldn’t happen in Las Vegas, the experience of a lifetime. k
View images from this trip and more on Dawson’s Instagram feed: instagram/dawson_bears
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DAWSON'S VISION Our graduates will be ready to achieve their individual potential, savor life and meet the challenges of the world. Learn more at www.AlexanderDawsonSchool.org or call (702) 949-3600 for a personal tour.
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For more information, please visit www.AlexanderDawsonSchool.org or call (702) 949-3600