Sacred Heart Schools
the Heart
FROM THE HEAD &
INSIDE:
Nat Wilburn, Head of Schools
FOCUS ON FACULTY - read about our faculty stars!
Nat Wilburn
Head of Schools
FROM THE HEAD
and the Heart
FEBRUARY 2013
S Focus on faculty
acred Heart teachers are the heart and soul of our educational mission. The theme of this issue of From the Head and the Heart is “Focus on Faculty.” What better way to reveal the quality and dedication that goes into each student’s experience within our walls, than to take a closer look at their teachers? While we feature three, they embody the wealth of talent, learning and nurturing love of our entire faculty. As I walk the halls each day, I am humbled by the lessons I see being learned in each room…some academic, some lessons for life. Farewell, my sister, fare thee well. The elements be kind to thee, and make Thy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well.
~William Shakespeare These words of the immortal bard are an appropriate sendoff to Wenche Haverkamp, one of the Schools longest-tenured teachers who is retiring at the end of this year. She has inspired a love of the classics and an affinity for literature in her students over her 23 years here. Read about her and her legendary classroom swordfights in the center spread of this issue! As we bid adieu to this much-loved retiring teacher, we continue to add talented, dedicated faculty to our classrooms. One such first-year teacher, Nick Murawski, is using his improv talents to keep the second grade boys on their toes. His profile on the next page reveals the close collaboration between new and experienced teachers which benefits all of our students. Finally, on the back page, we get a glimpse of the Learning Assistance Program through the eyes of its LS Coordinator, Karen Uselmann. In her 15 years at the Schools, she has seen the tremendous growth of our student support services. While we are proud of the fact that 75% of our faculty have advanced degrees, with four holding doctorates, what really impresses are the intangibles… the belief by each and every one of our teachers that we would do it all, in the words of our foundress St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, “for the sake of one child.”
Nat Wilburn Head of Schools
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FOCUS ON FACULTY...
What makes a 1st-year teacher tick? Nick Murawski has been at SHS in various capacities for the past five years, but became a 2nd grade Hardey lead teacher this fall. His serendipitous journey from a budding career in improv to the classroom reveals much about his success with the boys.
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ick Murawski was not new to Sacred Heart when he took the helm of the Hardey 2nd grade this fall. He had been a coach, substitute teacher, kindergarten and first grade assistant and a summer camp counselor. His road to teaching was paved with twists of fate. When he moved to Edgewater in 2008, he ran into an old friend at a wedding who happened to teach at Sacred Heart. He was subbing two weeks later and eventually became the Kindergarten assistant teacher. “I fell in love with teaching and everything that Sacred Heart embodied,” he said. So much so, that he enrolled in DePaul’s graduate teaching program. As they say, the rest is history. Before these opportune events, Murawski studied acting and improvisation in Chicago and performed throughout the country. He was a member of the improv house ensemble at The Second City, while writing sketch comedy material. He also performed in improv groups at iO Chicago and the Annoyance Theater. “I guess like most comedic actors in Chicago, I had quiet aspirations of becoming a cast member on ‘Saturday Night.” But after six years of immersion in Chicago’s improv scene, he stopped. “I had a feeling that there was more to my life. That’s when I found Sacred Heart, or maybe it found me.” This theater experience has served him well in the classroom. “Teaching is essentially a production,” he explains. “Lesson plans can be viewed as the script, the students are the audience, and the stage is the classroom.” He believes in any play, consistency is crucial. “Students thrive for consistency in their teachers... especially at the primary level. No matter how I’m feeling... the show must go on. Also, if I am not excited about what I’m teaching... how can I ask for the same in return?” He has no trouble generating that excitement and is
ready for the unexpected. “Kids will always surprise you and that’s where training in improvisation can be useful. I accept the fact that my agenda for the day will ALWAYS be altered.” He finds there are many challenges unique to teaching boys. “To say, ‘they explore their space’, is an understatement. They need room to stand, tap, talk, sing, stretch, lean, flick, and run... and that’s just inside the classroom!” He observes that they always enjoy a challenge and are constantly competing. Murawski speaks from experience. He grew up with two younger brothers who are twins. “We were very close and were each I had the other’s built in playmates, which ability to meant we were at each other’s throats most of time.” learn from He can relate to what 7- and amazing 8-year-old boys are going through teachers. because he has lived it. He makes it a point to share some of his experiences growing up with his class. “I want them to know that I understand what it’s like. I get it.” What does he enjoy most about teaching boys? Well, the sport-oriented atmosphere gives him a chance to talk about wise choices on the playing field, good sportsmanship and the importance of following the rules. “Boys also keep me moving constantly, which has allowed me to cancel my gym membership!” he adds. “I enjoy creating an environment that is student directed but teacher facilitated.” He also believes it is crucial that boys see a reflection of themselves in the primary grades. “They do not necessarily need to be the next Brian Urlacher or Derrick Rose.... there are other amazing options for boys.” continued on next page
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Nick Murawski
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As a first year teacher, Murawski leans heavily on the experience of the other faculty. He observes classrooms when possible and bounces ideas off of his colleagues. “I find that my most successful moments occur after I have had the opportunity to confer with other teachers….what works, what doesn’t, and what can be done differently.” While collaboration is the key to ongoing success, finding the time to do so is a challenge. He is grateful for his years as an assistant teacher. “I had the ability to learn from amazing teachers. They are people who care deeply about Sacred Heart and the encompassing community. I was fortunate enough to be blessed with their inspiration and patience.” Becoming a lead teacher had its initial stressful moments for Nick, but he learned from the mantra “Follow the Fear.” “What if I screw up? What if I am the worst teacher ever? What if I forget to let the kids eat their snack? I had to embrace the unknown.” As the second graders will attest, he is a success! In Murawski’s free time, he enjoys running, beach volleyball, the Rolling Stones, painting and reading about anything historical, especially the Presidents. He is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan and is fascinated by ‘Finding Bigfoot’ on the Animal Planet. “I’m serious,” he says. “It’s going to happen one of these days.” Mr. Murawski holds an M.Ed. from DePaul University; B.A. University of St. Francis in Illinois.
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A loving presence f Wenche Haverkamp shares her love of all things literary After 23 years nurturing an appreciation of literacy and literature in her students, Wenche Haverkamp is retiring at the end of this school year.
amuse us and stir our hearts, even after 400 years.” But, how does she stir the hearts of her classes? Performances are the key. “Students love our reenactments of the Trojan War, as we fight the battles and say the lines that these ancient characters might have spoken,” she says. “They also love performing Shakespeare in costume with props.” These “hands on” activities seem to we reap th be what students rechildren who member most fondly about her classes. and learnin Many alums return every year to visit Mrs. Haverkamp. What do they reminisce about the most? “I think they remember the Iliad and the Odyssey most often and talk affectionately about sword fights, wearing costumes and using armor and helmets,” she says. She treasures these visits. “It is always such a joy to see how much they have changed and grown up. All of them have become interesting, vital adults.” Her favorite SHS memory revolves around those reminiscences. “I love it when students talk about the characters in the Iliad and Odyssey as though they
When Wenche Haverkamp first stepped onto the SHS campus in the fall of 1989, things looked very different. There were mobile trailer units where the South Wing now stands; there were cars parked where the MS basketball hoops now reside; and there was a steady stream of children walking outside to get from their classrooms to the gym. But some things never change, and one is Mrs. Haverkamp’s dedication to, and popularity with, her students –and those students have run the gamut in her 23 years of teaching on Sheridan Road. “I began as a French teacher to 7th and 8th grade Academy girls,” she explained. Hardey was a separate entity in those years, with its own administration and faculty. She moved from teaching French to language arts when, she said, “I found that teaching beginning French year after year, with no chance to teach advanced language skills, was not to my liking.” So in the mid 1990s, she began teaching 5th and 6th grade language arts first in the Academy, and then to both Hardey and the Academy when they joined to form one middle school. She still teaches 6th grade language arts to both Academy and Hardey today. A passion for the classics Mrs. Haverkamp’s passion for the classics has infected more than two decades of students. “I love teaching classical literature which has endured for thousands of years,” she explains. “I also enjoy teaching Shakespeare, since The Trojan War, revisited. Jackson Kyhl H6 and Mason Wicklander H6 do battle his work has so many elements that still in the Iliad.
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for 23 years with generations of students lived next door to them or as though they played together on the playground,” she said. Students seem to find it disappointing that they are fictional, not historically real, characters. Of course,” she points out, “we know people even today who resemble Achilles, Hector, Agamemnon, Odysseus, so, in a sense, they are real. I keep reminding my students that this story is
While she admits she now has more papers to correct, she finds delight in teaching the boys. “I love the contrasts between teaching the two genders. It keeps my school life varied and interesting.” This school life has provided her much joy. “I have never worked with such dedicated and intelligent colleagues anywhere else. They are a joy and I look forward to each day so I can be with them. Equally rewarding is the time I spend with our amazing students. There he benefits of teaching are no students like ours anywhere.” like books, music, theater Parents make the difference ng about other cultures What makes our students unique? She cites their intelligence, eagerness to fiction but they find that hard to accept learn, diligence and the fact that “they …and, I think in the long run, they don’t are polite and cooperative 99.9% of the really accept it. That makes me very happy!” time.” But what really sets them apart, What has changed? she believes, is the influence of their What change has impacted her the most parents. “Their parents have raised them over the past 23 years? “Our increase in well, and we reap the benefits of teaching size is the biggest change for me. When children who like books, music, theater I came there were about 340 students and learning about other cultures.” She in the building. Now, we have 700! I adds, “Parents are their original teachers, am delighted that so many parents want and they have exposed our students to so to send their children to us. However, I many varied experiences even before they sometimes miss the closeness of knowing walk through our doors.” all of my colleagues well and seeing them Mrs. Haverkamp herself is a Saevery day.” cred Heart parent. Her daughter, Heidi, attended SHS until the high school closed in 1993, finishing her senior year at Woodlands Academy, and according to her, gained an appreciation for “doing things right” or in the Sacred Heart way. “Whenever I tell her about incidents at school, special events, etc. she always says, ‘That is so Sacred Heart!’ The Five Goals permeate our lives more than we realize sometimes.” She will be missed by all. Stephen Hector & Achilles: Christian Coletta H6 and Puricelli, MS Head, affirms, “Mrs. Zach Sessions H6 square off on the fields of Troy. Haverkamp has a warm heart, loving
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Wenche Haverkamp presence and passion for teaching. She has been a caring mentor to me since my first day at SHS!” He adds, “She is irreplaceable and will be missed by all of us!” While Mrs. Haverkamp will miss sharing her love of the Iliad, the Odyssey and Shakespeare with her enthusiastic students, she is looking forward to a full retirement. In addition to traveling to visit family in Vancouver, Oakland and in Norway, she is going to study Italian, read, and exercise each day instead of three times a week! “Most importantly,” she says, “I am going to play with my grandson, Harry Haverkamp, age 2, who calls me ‘g’andma.” Mrs. Haverkamp holds a B.A. from Hope College; Grad.Work: Kent State University.
FACULTY FOCUS By the Numbers
78... Teaching faculty 13... Teaching assistants 13... Male faculty 75%.. Faculty with
advanced degrees 4..... Faculty with doctorates
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Special help is her specialty! In Ms. Uselmann’s 15 years at SHS, LAP has expanded dramatically.
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aren Uselmann, the Lower School Learning Assistance Program (LAP) Coordinator, was a trailblazer when she started at Sacred Heart Schools 15 years ago. In those days, the enrollment was less than 400 students, and formal programs for those needing special help were in their infancy. Ms. Uselmann was hired for the nascent Learning Assistance Program, a position she initially did part time while teaching in the reading lab. The program has evolved as the student population has changed and grown. In fact, in the past 10 years, the entire student support area has expanded, with the addition of another full time LAP teacher, two counselors, an enrichment coordinator and a reading teacher. Ms. Uselmann appreciates its tremendous progress over the years. ‘With the “The formation of the Student proper Support Team (SST) this year and the support and additions to the student support facenvironment, ulty have been positive changes in our all kids ability to aid a variety of students,” can be Karen said. (see more on SST below) On an average day, Ms. Uselsuccessful.’ mann sees four or five groups of students, and some individually. “I also collaborate with the classroom teachers and lend support in their general education areas,” she notes. What was Ms. Uselmann’s original impetus to enter the learning assistance field? “While growing up, my dad was involved with an organization that provided services to boys and girls with developmental delay,” she said. “ I volunteered there as a teen and found it very gratifying.”
Karen Uselmann She also has a personal parallel to her school career, one which gives her empathy with her students and their families. “I have a daughter with some unique challenges so I have a lot of hands-on experience as a parent as well.” She especially enjoys the fact that she gets to work with a variety of students and their curriculum while collaborating with their parents and teachers. There are unique challenges inherent in working in the LAP. “Collaborating with faculty and parents who have a wide range of beliefs and understandings about learning and social/emotional issues can be both a challenge and a joy,” she said. Working closely with the classroom teacher is the key. “We problem solve about student needs, the classroom units and different strategies to support students,” she explains. For instance, during the 2nd grade penguin project, she collaborated with the teachers on a note taking and a paragraph template that added more scaffolding, or framework, for those students who needed additional support. Ms. Uselmann’s mantra is, “With the proper support and environment, all kids can be successful.” In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to movies and trying new restaurants. But her favorite guilty pleasure is “being alone in my house.” Ms. Uselmann holds an M.A. from National-Louis University; B.A. Lawrence University.
What is LAP? The Learning Assistance Program (LAP) is a service for students in K-8 diagnosed with mild to moderate learning disabilities. The program serves approximately 10% of the student body and is staffed by three full time learning specialists. Students are taught in small groups of 2-4 students and are seen approximately 2-4 times per week, depending on grade level. Students are identified by the Student Service Team (SST), which meets weekly. The SST determines the best steps to further those students’ needs. The SST process can include completion of checklists by faculty and counselors, recommendations for a screening or a full evaluation, and for internal and external support services. Students who can benefit from remediation in the lower grades or from curricular support in the upper grades are then selected into LAP.
FROM THE HEAD &
the Heart
Nat Wilburn, Head of Schools
This publication is emailed and posted online, saving trees and following Goal 3, Criterion 5: The school teaches respect for creation and prepares students to be stewards of the earth’s resources. Editor:
Diane Fallon
6250 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL www.shschicago.org
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