Connected In Values
Belonging. Engagement. Advocacy. Resilience.
From the Head of School
Dear Dawson Community,
As you turn the pages of this Petroglyph magazine, I invite you to join me by reflecting with great pride and gratitude on a quarter-century of growth, learning, and innovation honoring the legacy of our founder, Girard B. Henderson.
Since our founding in 2000, Dawson has become more than just a place of education; it is a vibrant modern learning institution built on a collective vision. This is a testament to the strength and dedication of our entire community — the students, families, faculty, alums, and Board of Trustees — who have all played a crucial role in bringing our vision to life.
Our commitment to living our throughline of Connected in Values fosters an environment where respect, empathy, and integrity are taught and lived daily. Your enthusiasm and support allow us to continue building a strong network extending beyond the walls of our classrooms.
As we look back on the past 25 years, we also look forward with excitement for the future. We remain steadfast in our Mission to nurture knowledgeable and skilled individuals and compassionate and upstanding members of society. As our journey together continues, I hope our shared belief in Dawson guides us, excites us, and connects us in profound ways.
Thank you for being an integral part of this defining year. Here’s to celebrating our past, embracing our present, and looking forward to a future where remaining Connected in Values continues to unite and inspire us all.
Warm regards,
Roxanne Stansbury, Head of School
The Alexander Dawson 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.
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Roxanne Stansbury
CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER
Dr. Brandon Wiley
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Rachael Lachhwani, Executive Communications Officer
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How Feedback Nurtures Resiliency & Growth
By Dr. Brandon Wiley, Chief Academic Office r
Dawson students are growing up in a fastpaced, information-rich world filled with unique economic, social, and political challenges. Their environment is shaped by constant digital stimuli which can lead to shorter attention spans and a diminished capacity for sustained focus. This raises a key question for parents, educators, and caregivers: How can we nurture resiliency and foster meaningful growth in our children despite these obstacles?
The answer lies in the power of feedback and the resilience-building practice of productive struggle and a breakthrough in learning is achieved after a challenge. When used effectively, these tools empower students to embrace difficulties, develop the ability to reflect and think critically about themselves, and take pride in their progress.
Adapting to the Ever-Changing Nature of Kids Today
Kids today are growing up in an era vastly different from their parents. Research shows that the average attention span of a young person has decreased from 12 seconds in 2000 to just 8 seconds today, shorter than that of a goldfish ( Microsoft Attention Spans Research Report, 2015). This is largely due to the influence of digital media, where instant gratification reigns supreme. In his book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt describes how 24/7 connectivity exacerbates issues like sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, and social comparison, especially for teenage girls. Social media’s isolating and addictive design intensifies these effects, making it harder for teens to disconnect. (Haidt, 2024)
Moreover, students navigate a world where self-awareness often takes a backseat to external validation, particularly through social media platforms (Twenge, J., 2017). In the age of social media influencers and gaining as many “likes” as possible, students can be hyper-focused on learning the latest lingo, replicating the most popular TikTok dances, and competing with other students they may never meet in real life over gaming devices. This makes it harder for them to develop intrinsic motivation or stay engaged in longterm learning tasks or projects, especially if they perceive the task as challenging. By middle school, increased awareness of their changing physical characteristics, evolving peer dynamics, and access to more varied extracurricular activities, all play a part in distracting students from their core academic pursuits. To put it plainly, there are just many more exciting, interesting things to draw their attention away from school work.
Families and educators need to meet children where they are in response to these challenges. This doesn’t mean lowering expectations but rather designing environments and learning experiences that consider where students are academically and that foster growth. Engaging lessons, clear structures, and opportunities for self-reflection are key to helping kids reconnect with their innate curiosity and resilience. Encouraging students to see the purpose and value of what they are learning, how they will use that knowledge, and trying to engender true care for what they are learning are all critical to keeping students engaged.
Dawson helps students reflect on their strengths and growth areas through our Student Success Skills framework. This tool, formerly known as the learner profile, helps students understand key skills related to academic mindsets, work habits, and community responsibilities.
When mastered, these skills will set them up for success in high school and beyond. Used during student-led conferences and 1:1 coaching conversations with homeroom and advisory teachers, these competencies are explicitly taught and reinforced from an early age until our students graduate in eighth grade. During conferences, students reflect on which skill they are currently working on and which skill they feel is particularly strong. The skills are fluid and must be reinforced, modeled, and practiced throughout each student’s educational journey. When meeting with our receiving high schools, they have identified several of these skills, such as the ability to cooperate, being reflective and responsible for self-regulation, and taking pride in the quality of their work as key characteristics their successful graduates demonstrate regularly.
The Power of Productive Struggle
“Struggle is not a sign of failure. It’s a stepping stone to mastery.” These words from Dr. Jo
Boaler, a professor of mathematics education at Stanford University, underscore the value of productive struggle (Boaler, J., 2016). Far from being something to avoid, struggle is essential for learning and growth. When students are allowed to wrestle with problems and work through challenges, they build essential skills like critical thinking, perseverance, problemsolving, and self-confidence. Productive struggle creates a mindset that says, “I can overcome challenges,” foundational for both academic and personal life success.
However, for struggle to be productive, students need guidance—and this is where feedback comes in. Giving students the relevant information they need to do a job accurately is important. Constructive feedback helps children understand what they’re doing well and where to improve, and it is a powerful way to support learning and nurture meaningful relationships with students. Research by John Hattie, a leading educational researcher, identifies feedback as one of the most powerful influences on learning, with an effect size of 0.70, well
above the typical threshold for impactful interventions (Hattie, J., 2008).
Feedback doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple, actionable comments like, “I noticed you’re trying different strategies to solve this problem—keep going!” can reinforce effort and persistence. Teaching kids to view feedback as a gift of continuous improvement and motivation rather than criticism is a skill that will serve them for life. Helping students understand that making mistakes is part of the learning process, and when mistakes are made, we can learn from those mistakes is an underlying message. Providing students opportunities to make corrections on assignments and tests, revising and improving their writing, and reflecting on what worked or didn’t work in a project are all ways in which Dawson students are encouraged to learn from failure. Whether it’s students creating a prototype in the Design Lab that needs revision and iteration, or a secondgrade student who revises their work based on feedback during a conference with their teacher or peer, we must foster an environment where feedback is kind, specific, and helpful. (Berger, 2010).
Adults, including those who work with our students daily, are no different. Dawson employees hope to model what it means to give and receive feedback well to drive our culture of continuous learning, and we have participated in many professional development sessions in which we work together to hone these abilities. Giving and receiving feedback is a leadership skill that directly impacts personal advancement, team dynamics, and organizational performance. Important benefits include building relational trust and respect through open lines of communication, promoting a healthy work environment, aligning expectations with goals, promoting accountability and responsibility, and strengthening emotional intelligence by creating a learning environment where all individuals feel motivated to express concerns, offer solutions, and grow together.
Raising the Bar Through Ownership and Curiosity
While it’s important to support students, raising the bar and empowering them to take ownership of their learning is equally critical. Encouraging students to think for themselves, ask questions, and explore solutions builds their academic curiosity and engagement.
This requires shifting the focus of thinking from adults to students. For instance, instead of giving answers immediately, families and teachers can ask open-ended questions such as, “What do you think will happen if we try this?” or, “Why do you think this solution works?” When there is an over-emphasis on getting the “right answer” every time, it does not allow for true inquiry and a deeper understanding of the why or how of a problem. That is not to say that the quality of a student’s work doesn’t matter; craftsmanship–ensuring that what is submitted is your very best quality work and you take pride in that work–is one of the key success skills students are held accountable for. For some students, the journey to that quality product will look different from that of others, and the feedback that helps most is the feedback that affirms and builds on someone’s strongest work.
Fostering curiosity also involves designing relevant, hands-on learning experiences. A study published in The Journal of Educational Psychology found that students who were given opportunities to explore and experiment retained knowledge better and were more motivated to learn (Engle et al., 2011). As students take ownership of their learning, they also develop academic stamina, which is staying engaged with a task over time. Building stamina doesn’t happen overnight, but small steps, like breaking tasks into manageable pieces and setting incremental goals, can help.
Actionable Tips for Families
Families play a crucial role in reinforcing these principles at home. Here are some practical ways to support your child’s growth:
Embrace productive struggle. Encourage your child to persist through challenges instead of rescuing them too quickly. For example, if they’re stuck on a math problem, guide them with questions rather than providing the answer. If they are struggling academically or socially, ask them what strategies they might use to push through the challenge rather than telling them what to do to solve the problem. Give your child the space to get there independently because everyone comes into each learning experience with growing to do.
Normalize feedback.
Model how to give and receive constructive feedback. You might say, “I appreciate how hard you worked on this project. One way you could make it even better is by adding more details here. What else could you do to make this your very best work?” It’s also powerful to invite your children to give you feedback! Invite them to share how your parenting makes them feel and what you might do differently to support them. Be willing just to listen, not defend. Modeling two-way feedback makes it clear to children that they can ask for feedback when they need help, and that they can also offer feedback in constructive ways.
Foster curiosity.
Incorporate curiosity into daily life by exploring nature, conducting simple experiments, or conversing about current events. Show them that learning is an adventure, not a chore. Discover their passions and foster greater curiosity and exploration in those areas.
Build focus and stamina.
Help your child practice staying on task by setting short, focused work sessions with breaks in between. Celebrate their effort and gradual improvement. Monitor what they typically will spend time on and what detracts from their focus. Many students try to “multitask” when doing homework or reading (e.g., listening to music), but their brains are underdeveloped and cannot do this effectively.
Celebrate growth, not just outcomes. Praise effort and progress rather than solely focusing on grades or final results. For instance, say, “I’m so proud of how much effort you put into this—you’ve come a long way!” When we are hyper-focused on the product over the process, we sometimes miss where the greatest growth is with our children.
In a world that demands adaptability and resilience, teaching children to embrace challenges and see feedback as an opportunity to grow is more important than ever. Through productive struggle, curiosity-driven learning, and providing supportive (and appropriate) guidance, we can raise academically capable children who are confident in their ability to navigate life’s hurdles.
As families and educators, our role isn’t just to help children succeed today—it’s to give them the tools to thrive tomorrow. Let’s embrace the journey together, knowing that every step forward (even a little step) is a victory worth celebrating.
Annotated Bibliography
Microsoft Attention Spans Research Report (2015)
Twenge, J. (2017). iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood.
Boaler, J. (2016). Mathematical Mindsets.
Hattie, J. (2008). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 MetaAnalyses Relating to Achievement.
Engle, R. A., Nguyen, P. D., & Mendelson, A. (2011). The Effects of Hands-On Learning on Student Retention and Motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology.
HELLO,
HOPE!
Connected by Hope: How Dawson’s Comfort Dog Cares for Our Community
By Asti Ptak, Middle School Counselor
As a school counselor, I chose Dawson as my educational home because of our strategic direction goals. These goals are the school’s guiding beacon, providing alignment throughout our community to ensure that all levels work toward a common purpose. Specifically, our Climate of Care goal is to create an inclusive community that cultivates cultural competency and prepares our students for future success in a global environment. An essential building block of this is the wellness and safety of our students, a priority that is always at the forefront of our work, programs, and the decisions we make within our community.
The Association of Academic Learners 2024 Insights Report identifies student mental health as one of the most important issues facing independent schools, citing that “The adolescent experience has changed. Students’ mental health challenges are interfering with their ability to learn, and schools and teachers find themselves challenged as they try to serve students well. Academic leaders can respond by creating systems that promote mental wellness for all and identify students at risk before problems escalate.”
How schools support students and collaborate with families is key to improving the mental health epidemic in our country. One exciting new initiative at Dawson is our partnership with ParentMap, which brought our school community free access to webinars designed to guide families through the ups and downs of caring for today’s children. The feature of our November Family University was the “The Anxious Generation” webinar with social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt. He highlighted how the rewiring of childhood through devices and social media is creating a mental
health crisis, and what children need is hours of unstructured play and discovery.
We must peel back screen time and focus on realworld relationships and experiences at home and school. The more we align our work through a collaborative school-home partnership, the better the overall health of our students. We will continue to strive to rebuild cutting-edge initiatives that foster student well-being and aim to counter the effects of a screen-wired generation. Enhanced, real-life relationships and connections that give us meaning and purpose can be with family, teachers, friends, coaches, mentors, and even animal companions.
Dawson’s newest on-campus mental health initiative to reduce anxiousness and stress within our community is a four-legged furry friend named Hope. Hope is a Goldendoodle (70 percent Poodle and 30 percent Golden Retriever) and my sidekick in the middle school counseling office. Her origin story began in 2009 when I was enrolled in a Creative Therapies class as part of my Master’s in School Counseling program. I was captivated by the benefits of animal therapies and the healing and support they can provide individuals. Part of me at the time was saddened to know I would, most likely, be unable to implement this approach in a school setting. Yet, in 2017, when our city was rocked by the October 1 massacre, I was moved to learn how Faith Lutheran School responded to its community’s fear, grief, and needs by bringing in a visiting team of comfort dogs. Following this, the administration was so convinced of the benefits that they brought their own comfort dog on staff, Esther. Over the following years, I reached out to Faith’s middle school counselor to inquire about the launch and efficacy of their program. From that moment on, I was enthralled with researching the
benefits and impact of comfort dogs. Some of the most intriguing discoveries were their natural ability to reduce blood pressure and stress hormones. As a professional counselor, I provide emotional comfort but not physical comfort—yet a dog can bridge that gap and give a student support we cannot, naturally expanding our services. I was also convinced a comfort dog would deepen my connection with students who may be more guarded, helping me support those beyond my regular visitors who seek my help. I embarked on my mission to bring Dawson a comfort dog, making it my top priority and diving headfirst into submitting proposals.
After a long and thorough process, I received the news in January 2024 that my proposals had been approved at all levels and I could begin this campus-changing journey! I leaned on a connection I developed with the local Norton Dog Training. Owners Brad and Jamie Norton met me at a breeder’s home to assess the puppies and select which would best meet the profile of a service dog. I was incredibly nervous, wanting to make the very best pick for Dawson. I remember locking eyes with Hope when we entered the outdoor play area. There was something special about her, and as soon as I picked her up, she melted into me—I could feel our connection and her caring heart. I still stewed over the decision for two hours until we finalized that she would be the one to comfort and love our students at Dawson.
When she came home, she was just a 12-week ball of fluff. I was given a puppy curriculum to implement while building our connection, and at 20 weeks old, she left to go to her board and train program for two months. I received regular updates about how the staff fell in love with her and that she would be the perfect fit for comfort work. When her training was complete, our reunification lesson began on Dawson’s campus before school began in August. This was the first time she would take in the smells, hallways, and faculty and staff of her new work home. We were patient with each other and worked on our lessons and commands until it became effortless. She was ready.
On August 22, Hope met our students for the first time. The excitement was palpable, and the love was radiating. Since her introduction, I have seen her support students, teachers, and even families as they worked through moments of sadness, anxiousness, grief, and loneliness. I have witnessed her reinvigorate many on tough days, including myself, and bring a smile to all who encounter her. When students are feeling distraught or are in tears, Hope practices DPT (Deep Pressure Therapy) by pressing her body against theirs to provide relief and calmness for their nervous system. I see firsthand how the calming effects occur much faster than if I were solely implementing talk counseling. In moments when a middle school student feels as if no one likes them or they’ve lost all their friends, I’ve seen Hope give them a place of solitude until their storm passes, embodying our Core Value of Belonging. For our value of Engagement, she has been a topic of writing prompts and projects where students were very focused, attentive, and passionate about their work. Also, when students read to her, it brings a sense of calm due to her non-judgmental disposition. If students’ wellness is improved, their academic potential is improved. I find students talking with me more on campus, outside my private office, even further normalizing connecting with the school counselor. In the past, my seventh- and eighth-graders would mature into puberty and seek my help less frequently. Yet, I have discovered that Hope’s presence has helped keep those counseling relationships intact throughout their final years at Dawson. I am in awe and grateful for the positive impact Hope has brought to our campus in just a few short months.
As Dawson nears its 25th anniversary, Hope is one example of how we will continue to move forward with modern and effective initiatives that improve our students’ well-being and mental health. She will be the uplifting moment a student or teacher may need. She can be the calm presence, the warm hug, and the non-judgmental listener present throughout their personal and educational journeys. I am hopeful for the future and honored to be her handler in our quest to improve campus well-being.
Comfort Dog Benefits
Creating a calming and soothing environment with the help of a gentle, friendly pet offers significant benefits for both children and adults. Hope provides the following advantages:
PHYSICAL HEALTH
Lowers blood pressure
Improves cardiovascular health
Releases endorphins that have a calming effect
Diminishes overall physical pain
Petting a dog produces an automatic relaxation response
MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
Lifts moods and lessens depression and anxiety
Decreases feelings of isolation and alienation
Reduces loneliness and increases socialization and communication
Creates motivation for students on a difficult day
Improves trust and comfort within the counseling room so counseling is more effective
Crisis intervention through relief and support
ACADEMICS
Reduces boredom and enhances focus
Improves concentration, engagement, and memory retention
Reduces incidents of disruptive behaviors
Increases self-confidence and reduces self-consciousness
Provides a non-stressful, non-judgmental environment that promotes students’ ability to cope with academic challenges
Enhances Dawson’s curricular program by participating in class lessons and projects
Beyond the Basics: School-Wide Writing Sets the Stage for Success
By Lindee Witt, Lower School Dean of Academics, and Dr. Nicole Zito, Middle School Dean of Academics
Writing is a complex process that requires both ample opportunities and thoughtful instruction. Research shows that effective writing instruction includes several key elements such as creating a supportive writing community, fostering collaboration and providing feedback, teaching the writing process, building foundational skills, incorporating digital writing tools, and promoting connections between reading and writing. These elements are interdependent
and work together to support our students in developing their writing skills.
Writing is also essential for academic and professional success. Dawson prepares students for high school and beyond by investing even more time in developing students’ analytical writing and research skills. Based on feedback from receiving high schools, teachers want students who can compose close readings, engage in literary
analysis, conduct research, and argue persuasively. In college, most professors require students to complete technically competent, analytic writing but, generally, do not explicitly teach students how to write. The National Association of Colleges and Employers reports that 82 percent of employers cite strong written communication skills as a critical requisite for employment. So, how does Dawson effectively develop strong writers in a world where Grammarly, ChatGPT, and other AI platforms can do the heavy lifting of writing for students?
During the August Teacher Academy this past summer, ongoing professional development workshops, and teacher meetings, Dawson focuses on the coherency, consistency, and communication of our writing expectations and student experiences across all three divisions. We are zeroing in on constructing the following elements with students: a writing community, assignments with authentic purposes and audiences, technical competence, and an explicit reading and writing connection. Our goal is to provide worthwhile work in conjunction with technical
support and time at school within a constructive writing community so students lean into the difficult and meaningful work of writing.
Creating a Writing Community
Throughout the Lower School, we have the unique opportunity to foster a love of writing in our youngest learners to ignite their curiosity and show them how writing can be a powerful tool for creativity, expression, and communication. Writing plays a crucial role in our daily lives, and we want students to understand its impact and potential.
Because writing can be personal and sometimes intimidating, our first task as teachers is to create a supportive community where students feel comfortable sharing their ideas, questions, and writing. We encourage them to take risks and explore different types of writing, knowing that this is only possible in a safe and welcoming environment. To build this community, we provide daily time for writing, making it a regular part of their routine. As teachers, we also engage in writing ourselves, keeping writer’s notebooks and participating in the same genres of writing we ask our students to try. This helps us better understand the writing process and gives us real examples to model for our students. Additionally, we help students develop social skills that foster respectful communication and collaboration. Providing opportunities to share their thinking with a partner before committing to their ideas helps students gain confidence and often uncover new perspectives. These moments of sharing help spark creativity and deepen their understanding of the writing process.
By eighth grade, students in critical literacies classes have written personal narratives, poetry, fiction, literary analyses, and research-based argumentative pieces. During the first quarter, students write a personal narrative about an experience that involves either an external or internal conflict with a clear resolution and reflection. In the second quarter, students focus on their Capstone research essays, a positional paper on a local issue tied to the United Nations sustainability goals. Students also write secondary school essays, as many write similar ones for their high school applications. In the third quarter, they write a literary analysis piece, and finally, in the fourth quarter, they complete a graduation
speech. For all these pieces, students read models as a class and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the writing. They co-construct rubrics to judge quality effectively and confer and edit with one another and the teacher. Conferring communicates to students that writing in general – and their writing in particular – has consequences. Reading others’ work, talking about that work, discussing their pieces, and receiving written feedback build both writing skills and community. Over time, students improve their notion of exemplary writing and how to make revisions to meet those criteria. These conversations deepen students’ investment and engagement in their development as writers.
Authenticity
Teachers develop writing assignments for authenticity in terms of purpose and audiences. Students write in different genres for various intended audiences because, increasingly, they are expected to write throughout their lives for varied purposes and audiences. Seventh and eighth-grade humanities students complete Document-Based Question (DBQ) analyses. Students use primary and secondary sources such as maps, political cartoons, and newspaper articles to analyze an issue from the past. They denote the historical context, intended audience, purpose, and point of view. The purpose of a DBQ is to put students in the position of historians to make sense of these documents, and DBQs have appeared on Advanced Placement History examinations for decades.
Teaching Writing and Implementing a Writing Process
To develop strong writing skills, students need strategies for every stage of the writing process— prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, and publishing (Zimmerman & Riesemberg, 1997; Graham et al., 2019). In the Lower School, students learn the elements of each writing genre through mentor texts, which provide strong examples. We model each step of the writing process and introduce students to the habits of professional authors. For example, in the fourth grade, students learn about Jon Scieszka’s revision process, which helps them appreciate the importance of revision. Our lessons follow a predictable structure: Getting Ready to Write (sharing mentor texts, brainstorming, and quick
writing exercises), Independent Writing Time (where students write independently while teachers confer one-on-one), and Share and Reflection Time (where students reflect on their work or share feedback with partners). This structure gradually shifts responsibility from teacher to student.
We also emphasize foundational writing skills, such as spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. These skills are taught within the context of writing, not in isolation. For example, during a fiction unit, we teach quotation marks as students naturally encounter them in their writing. We use mentor sentences to demonstrate grammar and mechanics, allowing students to practice and apply these skills in their writing. Starting in the third grade, students use word processing tools like Google Docs for editing and publishing, preparing them for digital writing in later grades. Integrating these foundational skills into their writing helps students understand that clear, accurate writing is essential for effective communication.
Technical Competency
In the Middle School, teachers explicitly teach writing conventions to ensure students convey their messages fluently and confidently. Teachers do not correct every grammatical error in a student’s writing but provide feedback where an adjustment would have the biggest impact on the quality of their work. In fifth-grade humanities, students study Ötzi, an ancient Neolithic man. As a class, they use curated resources to outline a persuasive essay with a claim to convince an audience to support museum funding for an exhibit on Ötzi. They then use this same process of developing a claim and gathering supporting evidence to write persuasive essays that convince family and friends of the best location to avoid a Zombie Apocalypse. They use physical features, natural resources, and climate to build their case for why they might leave Las Vegas and where they might go. In sixth grade, students use curated text resources to develop a theory on what happened to the lost Colony of Roanoke. They write a five-paragraph essay with a claim and supporting evidence. Students are developing technical competency in what a claim looks like. They need to practice finding evidence from the text to support their claim. They write books as a class and on their own. They practice transitions and linking one idea smoothly to another. The gradual
release model of building technical competency around persuasive writing begins with mini-lessons (I do and you watch), develops through collaboration (we do in small groups), and culminates with students working on their own with guided and independent practice (you do on your own).
Fostering Collaboration and Providing Feedback
Feedback plays a crucial role in the writing process, benefiting both the writer and the reviewer. Teachers create structured routines to teach students how to give meaningful feedback, starting as early as kindergarten. In third grade for example, when writing personal narratives, students ask for feedback on specific elements, such as sensory details or the strength of their opening and closing sentences. Together, we generate questions to guide peer feedback such as, “Where in my piece were you able to visualize the scene?”, or “How did my opening grab your attention?” These targeted questions encourage specific, constructive feedback rather than vague comments like “good job”. In addition to peer feedback, teachers provide individualized support through one-on-one conferences, which are central to our writing instruction. During these conferences, we offer feedback that helps students think about their writing from a reader’s perspective. For instance, I might ask, “What did you want me to picture here?”, or “Could you add more sensory details to help me visualize the park?”
This helps improve the current piece and guides students in applying these skills to future writing.
The Reading-Writing Connection
As Stephen King shares, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all else: read a lot and write a lot.” The connection between strong writing
and strong reading skills is evident; writing alone will not improve writing competence. Writers build their knowledge of text features through exposure to the syntax, vocabulary, literary devices, and word choice of the literature they read. During quarter one, for example, students write a creative story in critical literacies after discussing their summer reading of The Oracle. Author Chad Wise visits Dawson for a week to workshop students’ stories. As a class, they look at The Oracle’s elements of plot, character development, setting, and theme when outlining and drafting their pieces before receiving feedback from Mr. Wise and their peers. For example, students identify the rising action, climax, and falling action in The Oracle and then discuss how different stories may have the climax earlier or later when plotting their storylines. Dawson students write both for quantity and quality across disciplines. Regarding quantity, teachers want students to have many opportunities to develop their competence. For example, math teachers have students reflect on their test corrections and describe their learning; critical literacies teachers have students annotate text to clarify the writerly strategies of an author; science teachers have students write lab reports to communicate the results of an experiment so others can replicate their work; and design technology students use process documents to set goals, document the steps they have taken, and reflect on their iterations. These minor pieces may or
may not include all aspects of the writing process, such as revision or peer feedback. For signature writing pieces, teachers want students to engage in the full writing process that demonstrates their best effort and work. Writing is iterative, a hallmark of our Dawson Design Process. For some major pieces, students follow Collaborative Classroom’s elements that entail specific steps to plan, draft, share, evaluate, revise, and edit multiple times before publishing. Both processes have students organize their thinking, rework their pieces, and share their work with a broader audience. We want students to recognize that quality work is a process and that no one is innately born a strong writer. Writing is rewriting; each of us needs to rework and improve the words we put down the first time again and again, just as Hemingway rewrote the ending to Farewell to Arms 39 times before he was satisfied.
The leap from lower school to middle school is significant, as is from middle to high school. During
middle school, Dawson students come to appreciate that writing requires struggle. We emphasize the importance of writing as an essential skill for school and a lifelong tool for self-expression and creativity. Through writing, students better understand themselves and clarify their thinking. Through the struggle to organize their thinking and make decisions about syntax and vocabulary, they develop critical-thinking skills and enhance their creativity. The writing process is the formative act of deepening understanding and clarity of thinking. As emerging writers, students communicate, in a lasting way, their unique voice to the world. Due to the number of pieces students write and the writing process they undertake on some of those pieces, students are encouraged and supported to embrace the struggle, undertake the process, and tackle the challenges of high school and beyond. Our ultimate goal? To nurture confident, creative writers who can express themselves authentically and inspire a deep love of writing.
STUDENT WRITING EXAMPLES
Personal Narrative:
Perspective of a New Student
Hello, my name is Charlotte. I am a new student at Dawson this year. I am in the second grade, plus the only second-grader who knows cursive. I really want to get out of the habit, but I’m worried that if I do, that can ruin my future, and that would be a problem now, right? Now I need to share my feelings. So let’s begin. I used to not like recess but I overcame it by playing with my friends and talking to Ms. Robbins, my teacher. I love English and reading, Reading my IDR (Individualized Daily Reading) book is my dream life. It’s called Fish in a Tree (even though it has nothing to do with the concept as far as I know). It’s about a 6th-grade girl called Ally Nickerson and how she doesn’t know how to read. I think the lunches here are amazing. My personal favorite is chicken tikka masala. But, I’m afraid that’s my time with you today. So bye-bye! The end.
Creative Writing: Maya’s Dream
It all started with the sound of hoofbeats galloping on Maya’s front yard. Maya woke up and peeked out the window. She saw something that no one had seen before. A unicorn. Maya raced down her staircase, careful not to wake everybody up. When she got there, she saw the unicorn more clearly now. The unicorn had white fur, rainbow hair, golden horn, and shiny blue eyes. Maya also noticed that the unicorn had a collar. The collar read Uni.
“Uni,” she called. “Please stop munching my flowers.”
The unicorn turned to look at Maya. Uni neighed in fright and plunged away. “Wait,” Maya shouted. “Don’t leave, come back!”
Suddenly, her parents burst out of the front door. “Maya, are you okay?” her father asked. “Yea…”
“Darling!” her mother yelled. “We have been so worried about you. Where have you been?” Maya’s
mother shrieked. “And why are you still in your nightie? Come on, spill it all out.”
Maya didn’t want to tell her parents that she saw a unicorn so she replied, “I was… sleepwalking.”
“Well, don’t scare us next time. Promise?”
“Promise.”
So it was a deal and even if Maya wanted to at least see the unicorn…but she couldn’t because her parents had bought a drone and programmed it (her father is a technician) to follow Maya wherever she went. However, one day, Maya heard the faint sound of hoofbeats coming from outside her window. Maya walked sleepily towards her window and glared out at the unicorn. Surprisingly, Maya seemed to understand what the unicorn was neighing about. Confused, Maya jumped out of her window, landed on Uni, settled herself in, and together, they galloped away.
Maya seemed so sleepy that she literally dozed off like five minutes later. When she woke up, Maya gazed around the wonders surrounding her. But she only had time for a glimpse because very soon, guards marched into her room and carried her off someplace else. 1 or 2 minutes later, she found herself in what looked like a palace throne room, and in front of her was a majesticlooking lady, she told little Maya that she was her fairy godmother and suddenly, Maya was in the underworld.
Maya then woke up stunned and sighed, phew! It was just a dream.
Writing samples by 2nd-grader Charlotte P.
*Edited for punctuation
In Lower School, students typically focus on building a strong writing foundation to develop both basic skills and a greater sense of creativity and expression. Many skills are enhanced during these formative years to build confidence in the craft, including sentence and paragraph structures, spelling and phonics, handwriting, storytelling and using descriptive language, writing for different purposes, revision and editing, and collaboration and sharing.
In the seventh-grade math class “Mattaverse” unit, students study financial literacy by picking a profession, writing a resume for the job they seek, and determining a personal budget based on their income. Writing lessons that span disciplines equip students with the technical writing skills and the cognitive tools to engage with a broad range of subjects, preparing them for academic success and future careers. Skills emphasized are research, critical thinking, analysis, and developing more sophisticated writing styles focused on refining writing mechanics and learning clarity and organization.
#AmazingDawsonAlums: Edward Rastgoo, Class of 2013
By Rachael Lachhwani, Executive Communications Officer
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the importance of maintaining open lines of communication with our alums cannot be overstated. Our former students are not just a part of Dawson’s 25-year history; they are living testimonials of the quality of our modern learning education. Their successes illuminate the value of our programs, faculty, and community.
Alum achievements are powerful reminders of Dawson’s impact on shaping future leaders, innovators, and change-makers. By staying connected, we create a vibrant network that not only supports our graduates but also enriches current students with inspiration and guidance. Each success story is a reflection of the dedication, hard work, and commitment to whole-child education that defines our educational philosophy.
When we highlight the accomplishments of our alums, we celebrate the legacy of our school and reinforce the notion that learning is a lifelong journey. Our alums are ambassadors of our Core Values, showcasing how the skills and knowledge gained during their time at Dawson propelled them toward remarkable milestones. By sharing their experiences, we foster a sense of pride within our school community and inspire the next generation of graduates to reach for their goals.
The story of Edward “Eddy” Rastgoo, Class of 2013, exemplifies the transformative power of a Dawson education and the lasting bonds formed within the School. His family was introduced to a current Dawson employee at an event this past fall, and they raved about Eddy’s experience – how he formed deep friendships and developed a love for learning that shaped his identity. The lasting personal connections he cultivated and his engagement with our community are special because they
instilled in Eddy a sense of belonging and sparked a lifelong enthusiasm for exploration and discovery.
“Some of my best memories of Dawson were my interactions with the faculty,” says Eddy. “Whether it was Mrs. Maria cheerfully welcoming us back to campus every morning, or sneaking into Mr. Estrella’s classroom before physics to try to scare him, there were so many incredible people working at our school that many of us will remember forever. However, the best part about these memories is I share them with my classmates. Even now, over a decade later, sitting down with fellow Dawson alums and often laughing until we cry about these memories is an irreplaceable gift Dawson gave us.”
Eddy attended The Meadows for high school, graduating in 2017. He recalls high school as academically challenging, and lessons learned at Dawson about resilience, embracing the unknown, and the courage to take risks prepared him for amazing experiences with stories he cherishes today.
“One of the best examples from my time at Dawson was when my friends convinced me to join the middle school basketball team. I was not very tall, had little interest in basketball, and preferred tennis, but I took a chance to play with my friends. That season showed me how much I loved the sport and I stayed connected to it for the next decade. While in high school, I played another season before joining the team’s staff as an unofficial manager during my senior year. Thanks to the strong recommendation of our coach, I leveraged that experience to become a manager for my college basketball team during my first two years of undergrad. At that moment, I could never have imagined that taking a seemingly insignificant chance with
my buddies in middle school would have such a lasting, positive impact on my life. However, I now know that had I never taken that chance, I would have deprived myself of an incredible experience and the countless great memories that came with it.”
Dawson instilled in Eddy a passion for world history, which continued throughout high school and grew into an interest in global affairs. His talents and aspirations led him to George Washington University, where he doublemajored in International Affairs and Middle East Studies with a concentration in Security Policy and a minor in Religion. He was confident in his choice of school because GWU focuses on providing students with real-world perspectives from practitioners in the classroom and authentic experiences through internships in the D.C. area.
Eddy is currently a student at The Georgetown University Law Center, where he is also the Senior Articles Editor of the Georgetown Journal of International Law. He recently accepted an offer to join Milbank LLP’s Washington, D.C. office, where he hopes to practice law with their Global Risk and National Security team.
“Many factors influenced my decision to pursue and accept this role, but the most significant has been a strong sense of self. I truly believe learning more about myself began during my time at Dawson, and not only gave me the freedom to explore new experiences but encouraged it,” Eddy reflects. “Through this, I developed a clearer understanding of my passions, preferences, and dislikes. This everevolving self-awareness has guided me in making more informed decisions, ultimately leading me to where I am today.”
Eddy’s journey illustrates the profound impact of a supportive educational environment on a young person’s development. His experiences highlight the essential role that community, exploration, and mentorship play in shaping the leaders of tomorrow. At Dawson, students like Eddy are not just recipients of knowledge; they are encouraged to embrace challenges, form meaningful connections, and discover what brings them joy.
So what advice does Eddy leave our current students?
“Branch out and try literally anything that remotely sparks your interest. As we grow older, it becomes harder to step out of your comfort zone, and many realize later in life what they missed out on by not doing so earlier.”
As we continue to celebrate the successes of our alums, we reinforce the enduring legacy of Dawson’s commitment to whole-child education. Each unique story adds to our vibrant tapestry of shared experiences and inspires current students to pursue an individual path with confidence and curiosity. The bonds formed at Dawson extend beyond graduation, fostering a network that supports lifelong learning and growth. As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to nurturing the potential within each student, ensuring that they too can transform their Dawson experiences into a lifetime of happiness and fulfillment.
Read more about Dawson’s alums or share your alum story by visiting adsrm.org/alumni.
DAWSON BEARS
STUDENT LIFE
Welcome Back Assembly
Dawson’s annual Welcome Back Assembly was an amazing way to kick off the new school year! We watched a competition between the divisions for a free dress day, watched the welcome-back slideshow, and cheered on our kindergarten and eighth-grade students during the ceremonial handshake, a beloved tradition between these two grade levels.
High School Fair
The Dawson High School Planning Team collaborates with eighth-grade students and their families to ensure the Class of 2025 gains admission to their first-choice schools. In September, we hosted 25 local public, private, Magnet/CTA, and boarding schools for students and families from the Las Vegas Valley. The next day, our eighth-graders participated in interactive seminars focused on interview preparation and high school admissions essay writing.
Back-to-School Bash
Our entire community joined us for our annual special Back-to-School Bash in September! With students as the guides, families visited classroom spaces to see modern learning in action, shopped at the Book Fair, played health and fitness games on the new Gym floor, and enjoyed our beloved campus tradition of Spaghetti Dinner.
Early Childhood Dot Day
International Dot Day, celebrated every September, highlights creativity, courage, and collaboration, and our Early Childhood students were inspired by the book The Dot . They focused on developing a growth mindset and dressed in polka dots to demonstrate unity. The unit included play-based centers, writing lessons, and art projects that showcased how mistakes can foster learning.
Classroom Connections
Dawson’s throughline for this school year is Connected in Values. To enhance family involvement and strengthen community bonds, we introduced “Classroom Connections” in the Lower School each month so families could visit classrooms, engage with their child’s learning, and connect more deeply with our community.
6th-Grade Traveling Field Trip
The experiential learning opportunities provided to students during the Middle School traveling field trips each 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 sixth graders embarked upon a Grand Circle Adventure to Bryce Canyon National Park, the Grand Canyon, and Zion National Park.
Community Composting
Eight Dawson family members, five students, four alums, and seven faculty members volunteered with Farmer Stella for a fall composting event in the Ruffin Organic Garden. Composting enriches the soil with nutrients, improves soil structure, and promotes healthy plant growth while reducing waste. We appreciate our community members’ time and effort spent enhancing garden productivity and sustainability.
National Junior Honor Society Induction
The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is the middle school counterpart to the National Honor Society, a national program that recognizes students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character. Each year, Dawson honors seventh- and eighthgrade students who excel in these areas and embody our Core Values. In October, we inducted 10 new members, bringing the total number of NJHS members at Dawson to 23.
Veterans Day Observances
While many schools observe Veterans Day as a holiday, Dawson holds classes and commemorates the day to honor those in uniform. Our community reflected on their sacrifices through a morning meeting featuring a flag-raising ceremony with military members, a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, student-written reflections, and a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by our advanced vocal ensemble. Students engaged in meaningful discussions about the history of Veterans Day with retired and active military members. They wore red, white, and blue, created bookmarks, and wrote letters thanking veterans for their service.
Ruby Bridges Walk-to-School Day
The Ruby Bridges Foundation highlights how six-year-old Ruby Bridges made history in 1960 by integrating William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, becoming an icon of the civil rights movement. Her story inspires future leaders to combat racism one step at a time. November 14 is recognized as National Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, fostering dialogue and encouraging student activism against racism and bullying. The Dawson community wore purple in solidarity, held an all-school walk around Administration Circle, and crafted divisional collages. Teachers provided resources and facilitated discussions to help students connect with this significant historical day.
Grandparents & Grandfriends Day
This Grand Day celebrated the special individuals in our students’ lives. In addition to classroom visits, Dawson hosted a Garden Market featuring items crafted in the Middle School Design Lab and harvested from the Ruffin Organic Garden. Guests also enjoyed performances by our Lower and Middle School cheerleaders and Middle School choir in the Dining Hall, an interactive art activity in Garden Circle, and a special reading and book signing by author Charlene Day in the Library. This beloved tradition honors the care and kindness our community’s loved ones bring to the School.
Advocacy Day
Dawson students aspire to positively impact our school, local community, and the world by investigating root causes, analyzing solutions, and connecting with people in need. During a special December assembly, we highlighted our Core Value of Advocacy, focusing on care for ourselves and our community, and mental health and wellness. We also kicked off our Annual Fund 25 Hours of Giving with games and celebrated the accomplishments of our performing and fine arts groups and our fall season student-athletes.
DFA Gingerbread Event
We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of Dawson’s Family Association (DFA), whose dedication plays a pivotal role in creating a nurturing, vibrant learning environment that aligns with the School’s Mission and strategic goals. The DFA consistently goes above and beyond to support our community. One of the many highlights of their contributions is the beloved annual Gingerbread Event, a heartwarming tradition that brings our community together each December. The Dining Hall is transformed into a winter wonderland, filled with festive music, laughter, and the joyful activity of decorating gingerbread houses.
The DFA’s boundless energy and commitment enrich the Dawson experience, helping to build a stronger, more connected school community.
PERFORMING ARTS
7th & 8th-Grade Coffeehouse Concert
Our seventh and eighth graders combined their orchestra and choir talents to perform an array of solo and small ensemble pieces. Students showcased their resilience through intricate string solos, singing in Japanese, and belting out Sinatra. The cozy performance featured light refreshments and beautiful music
1st-Grade Performance: Cookies! The Musical
This sweet and scrumptious musical celebrated togetherness, friendship, and learning to accept each person for their differences. Through fun songs and several speaking parts, students performed as bakers and special cookie characters that came to life at a bake sale. The focus on belonging fits perfectly with Dawson’s Core Values.
Kindergarten Performance: We Honor the Brave
Set during a Veterans Day parade, this annual kindergarten musical honors current military personnel and those who have served or sacrificed their lives for our country. Families, faculty, and Early Childhood students came together for this special performance, observing Veterans Day with inschool commemorative activities and events recognized throughout our community.
Middle School Acting Showcases
In the first semester of the theater-acting elective, students had unique opportunities to unleash their creativity, build self-confidence, and immerse themselves in storytelling and live performance. Fifth grade performed the hilarious play 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse , sixth grade staged The Rehearsal , which explored the drama surrounding a drama club production, and seventh and eighth grades presented Back to the ‘80s, a story about a modern teen sent back in time.
Early Childhood Winter Showcases
All five Early Childhood classes participated in winter musical performances designed to enhance self-esteem, creative thinking, concentration, and teamwork. Students chose their roles and actively contributed to preparing for the shows, including brainstorming costume ideas, sketching designs, gluing pieces, and using the sewing machine. They also applied their finger-painting skills to create backdrops, save-the-dates, and programs for the performances.
Middle School Choir & Orchestra Winter Concerts
During the first semester, our Middle School students honed their musical skills individually and as an ensemble through collaborative efforts. With a holiday music theme, they showcased their talents as soloists, in small ensembles, and as part of large groups during the winter choir and orchestra concerts. All students embraced the opportunity to express their passion for music while deepening their understanding of music theory, history, and appreciation.
DAWSON ATHLETICS
We empower our student-athletes to embrace a dynamic and healthy mindset toward competition while mastering vital life skills like collaboration, time management, leadership, risk-taking, and goal-setting. Our athletes embody the School’s Mission and Core Values with pride. By recruiting skilled coaches and mentors, we provide an inclusive and vibrant program that benefits every student. Congratulations to our student-athletes for their extraordinary strength, skill, and unwavering trust in their teammates this fall sports season with the Red Rock Athletic Conference (RRAC) and the National Choice Schools Athletic Association (NCSAA).
The cheer team, coached by Dawson faculty Sara McDaniel and Jessica Abel, supports our Athletics program throughout the year and keeps school spirit high on game days and during important school events. Cheer performed in Disneyland’s Holiday Spirit Extravaganza parade in November, a truly exciting and magical opportunity that has become an annual tradition. Our competition team performed at a cheer showcase in December and USA Regionals in January.
Our cheer team also spends time throughout the year mentoring our BASE Enrichment K-4 cheer team. The squad attends practices to share techniques and invites our younger Bears to cheer with them from the sidelines of our Middle School games. This builds relationships and understanding across grade levels, helps develop students’ social and listening skills, and gives the younger students positive role models on campus.
CHEER
Cheer Team at Disney
Cheer Showcase
CROSS-COUNTRY
Coached by faculty Corey Drummond and Jess Balzano, our cross-country runners showed incredible drive and motivation this year and improved their race times over the season. Dawson had several top finishes in the Championship meet in October, with four student-athletes running the 1.5-mile race under 10:45.0, with the fastest clocking in at 10:04.8.
SWIM
The swim team, coached by Dawson faculty Nancy Myster, had a fun season. The swimmers enthusiastically supported one another, contributed to the team, and improved their swim times. The team’s growth in participation and engagement was a success in itself. Notable results from several races during the Championship Meet in December included five second-place finishes, four thirdplace finishes, and four fourth-place finishes.
FLAG FOOTBALL
Coached by faculty Malcolm Hodge, alum Mikey TuccelliMargolin (‘08), alum Payton Buchmiller (‘18), and Joe Dembowski, our four flag football teams had great success this season. The 5th/6th and 6th-grade teams showed dedicated growth and teamwork. The 5th- and 7th-grade teams ended both leagues with great records, and the 5th-grade team made it to the second round of the NCSAA playoffs. The 7th/8th team finished the season on a high note by winning the RRAC Championship for the fourth year in a row!
5th-Grade Team
6th-Grade Team
7th-Grade Team
8th-Grade Team
VOLLEYBALL
Our volleyball teams, coached by Irene Renteria, Kaya Anderson, and Dawson faculty and staff Lily Monares, Cal Govang, and Danielle Lombardo, had incredible seasons. Our 7th/8th White team won the RRAC Championship and the Blue and Navy teams made it to the finals. Our Silver and Red teams demonstrated dedication and teamwork on the court, fostering bonds and memories that transcend wins and losses.
Fall
Festival
Thank you to everyone who supported Dawson at our Fall Festival in October by attending, volunteering, and participating in our silent auction. We especially want to acknowledge our generous event sponsors: The Adair Family Foundation, Bash & Design Gallery, Bell Family, Best You Med Lounge, Chloe + Mint and 8 Pine, Dawson Family Association, Dennis Uniform, Diamondback Land Surveying LLC, Drummond Law Firm, Events With a Twist, Gaughan Family, Global Surveillance/DiCerbo Family, Hue Salon and Spa, islandDOTxyz, Kaplan Family, Kravitz and Savio Families, Malkin Family, REDCON1, Ruffin Family, Saxe Orthodontics, Snyder Family, Summit Specialty Physicians, and Wildflower Pediatrics.
VISUAL ARTS
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Henri Matisse Art
In Dawson’s Early Childhood and Lower School visual arts classes, students are not just taught to create — they are encouraged to think like artists. With a curriculum designed to ignite curiosity and foster creativity, they explore their ideas and interests, making meaningful choices as they bring their visions to life. Through art, they tackle challenges, ask thought-provoking questions, and uncover new perspectives on the world around them.
In the Middle School visual arts electives, students dive deeper into various mediums, refining their technical skills while embracing the freedom to experiment and innovate. Here, they develop the tools to express complex ideas and emotions through their artwork. Through self-reflection, growth, and playful exploration, students learn to communicate their unique messages, empowering them to create and discover their own artistic voice.
KINDERGARTEN
Kindergarten Kandinsky Color Mixing
FIRST GRADE
SECOND GRADE
Patterned Pots
Prehistoric Art
Rainbow Chips
THIRD GRADE
FOURTH GRADE
Batik Art
FIFTH GRADE
SIXTH GRADE
SEVENTH & EIGHTH GRADES
