Fall 2017 | Vol 2 | No. 1
Connect A Magazine for the Eton School Community
Mathematical Journeys
As a program that offers eleven years of education, Eton School faces a challenge typical to educational institutions that cover so great a span and have multiple divisions. The fact that we have a Pre-elementary, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and a Middle School means that it is necessary for us to convey clearly the fact that we have a cohesive scope and sequence to our program that represents a consistent and excellent educational experience. The contributions to this edition of Connect focus on Mathematics at Eton and do just that. The Math program at each level is not developed in isolation, and there is a logical and stimulating progression of concepts and skills that allows many of our students to go further than most traditional 8th grade math programs. Most complete Geometry in eighth grade and dive into Algebra II in ninth grade, and—in special circumstances—a few complete Algebra II during their eighth-grade year and move on to the next level as they enter high school. The sequence of the academic curriculum, however, is only one aspect of the overall Eton School program. The development of social, emotional, and life skills is also woven into each year of the Eton experience and is focused on delivering our vision of inspiring “creative, confident thinkers who have an enduring passion for learning and are poised to contribute to the world.” My favorite example of this is the development of public-speaking skills and the confidence to speak and present to groups of various sizes with degrees of familiarity. Our eighth-grade students present complex and extensively researched projects to an audience of parents, faculty, and friends, and every eighth-grade student also gives a graduation speech. They will have acted in a Shakespeare production and another play in their final two years. This, however, is the culmination of years of gradually more challenging and sophisticated presentations, speeches, and acting roles. It all begins, amazingly, with sharing in Pre-elementary. Whether it is a LEGO® toy, a souvenir from a trip, or an art project, the students in Pre-elementary learn to present their “artifact,” talk about why it is special to them, and call on classmates for questions and comments. As they move up through the grades, students work on dioramas, PowerPoint presentations, Cosmic Fair displays, STEAM and History Fair projects, and countless more opportunities to present and articulate their thoughts, opinions, and feelings. Many families are drawn to the Gifted programs in the public school districts, in part, because they believe those programs offer an academically advanced curriculum for their child. What we often hear, however, is that the students in such programs are simply given work a grade level ahead of their age. There is, unfortunately, no emphasis on social and emotional learning or the development of life skills. At Eton School, we provide a more individualized approach to students. We challenge and encourage students when they are ready for more; we reinforce and support students when they need additional time and help. We also introduce and nurture social and emotional learning at every grade throughout the Eton program, and our graduates leave Eton with a firm foundation of life skills and the confidence in themselves as learners to succeed in high school and life. It’s for all these reasons that I often ask parents, “Why settle for Gifted?”
Russell Smith, Head of School
Mathematical Journeys
Connect A Magazine for the Eton School Community
Math is Everyday Life! by Susan Baccellieri.................................................................................................................................................................................. 2
Montessori Terminology.................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Learning to Describe the World Mathematically by Lindsey Farmer, Angela Kim, Julie Sauvage and Ashley Sewell................................................................................. 6
Ways to Support Math at Home................................................................................................................................................ 9 Math: Curious, Creative and Passionate Learners by Kevin Glatt, Pete Kashevarof, Laura Moore and Sadie Reitz................................................................................. 10
A New Year, A New Library by Poppy Louthan................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
A Place to Learn by Kris Meyer Gaskins........................................................................................................................................................................ 14
Helping Our Four Legged Friends by Susan Baccellieri............................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Welcome to the Eton Parent Council! ............................................................................................................................ 16 by Anica Harris........................................................................................................................................................................................ 16
Annual Report About Eton School’s Board of Trustees........................................................................................................................... 17 Meeting Financial Priorities by Jason Mallon........................................................................................................................................................................................ 18
2016–2017 Annual Fund by Monica Maling.................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
Life‑Long Learners Alumni Update.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Connect Authors and Contributors.................................................................................................................................... 24 Fall 2017 Volume 2 No. 1 © 2017 Eton School www.etonschool.org 2701 Bellevue‑Redmond Road Bellevue, WA 98008 Ph. 425.881.4230
Pre‑elementary (Age 3 through Kindergarten)
Math is Everyday Life! by Susan Baccellieri
Contributions from Holly Fleming, Madeline Lee, Michelle Lee, Lynette Oshiro and Kalsom Wali Pre‑elementary Teachers
When young three‑year‑old students enter their new Pre‑elementary classrooms, they are immediately presented with their first mathematical experience. They open their lockers and behold, there are two hooks, one on each side. One hook for their coats and one hook for their backpacks! This is their first experience with a “real‑life” one to one mapping activity. It is just the beginning of their journey as students move between formal math lessons and informal, experiential math activities. The many pouring exercises in Practical Life offer tangible experiences in the concept of more than/less than, stringing beads is a colorful introduction into the pattern of number, and even the three‑year‑olds know when there is not enough snack! Math matters, even for the three‑year‑old students.
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The young students discover the universal math concepts of biggest/smallest, longest/shortest, thickest/thinnest through their interactions with the Montessori Sensorial materials. Higher levels of thinking are introduced through their activities of ordering, comparing and contrasting these materials. In addition, these materials match the young child’s need for movement, love of carrying large things and eagerness to move through the sequenced curriculum. Presenting concrete concepts before abstraction is critical in all areas of math. Ask the youngest students how old they are and the answer most often received is three little fingers proudly held up. Quantities matter to them! The numerical Fall 2017
rather like learning to swim. Once a person can swim, she need not stay in shallow water; she is ready for all water! The Montessori Golden Beads ease this transition into “big” quantities because they concretely illustrate the decimal system. There is no such thing as ten units, but there is something at “The Bank” that is an equal amount; one ten of course! When the four‑year old is doing four‑digit addition and adds six hundreds with seven hundreds, he will sound the alarm when he counts to ten hundreds. There is no such thing as ten hundreds, so the child will go exchange his ten hundreds at The Bank for one thousand, and then count the remaining three hundreds for his sum. This is operational math that is vigorous! It stimulates the child’s curiosity of number far beyond that of rote memorization. As the foundation strengthens, the materials used become smaller, more concise, and the students become adept at using more abstract representations of these base ten concepts.
symbol is just that, a symbol. Quantities are always presented first so that when the symbol is presented it has meaning. As the students work with concrete materials, the stage is set for the gradual discarding of matter, until only the abstract idea is left. Observing a four‑year old discover the meaning of the symbol zero is observing scientific thinking! As more activities are presented that strengthen the quantity/symbol correspondence between zero and ten, the pattern of number is strengthened and the initial foundation of the decimal system is laid.
As students progress, math lessons become layered while they work on multiple concepts. They continue to strengthen their understanding of the
Students love counting and the young ones can often be heard chanting, “Ten, eleven, twelve, fifteen, sixteen, twelve, twenty‑teen…” as they practice. There are many materials in the math curriculum area that provide concrete experiences that help refine these linear counting skills. Joining a Ten Bar with a colored bead bar from the Short Bead Stair provides meaningful lessons about the Formation of the Teens. Using the Ten Board helps define the transition from twenty‑nine to thirty, and soon, twenty‑teen becomes a lost number. Once there is a strong understanding of units up to ten, then why hold the young student back from understanding tens, hundreds and thousands? It is VOL 2 | NO. 1
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decimal system through the four‑digit operations of addition, multiplication, subtraction and division. The Square and Cube chains allow them to practice linear counting up to a thousand while introducing them to multiplication concepts. Practicing math facts reinforces students’ understanding of the pattern of numbers. When they were younger, the students discovered the odd and even pattern while using the exercise, Cards and Counters. When they are older, this initial number pattern is explored, reinforced and internalized further through working with Addition and Subtraction Strip Boards, the Multiplication Bead Bar layout, Snake Game exercises (subtraction) and the Division Bead Board. Together, these math activities provides concrete explanations of how numbers are constructed so that the students can rely on cognitive reasoning to make conclusions instead of rote memorization. Math activities are not limited to the school hours of nine to three, either. Fun, everyday math experiences can be done at home to strengthen the child’s problem‑solving skills and build a love for the process of mathematical functions. Concrete experiences such as slicing a pie into four parts can then lead into dividing the clock into four sections which can then lead into noting that four
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quarters make one dollar. Have a measuring wall or chart at home to keep track of each growing child. Keep a tooth chart to graph the loss of baby teeth. Check out story books from the library about math concepts, numbers or patterns. The language of math surrounds the lives of Eton’s Pre‑elementary students. “I am taller than you!” boasts the four‑year standing atop a playground rock. “Is Library Day tomorrow?” “What time is lunch?” “The Thousand Cube is heavy!” “How many slices will this apple make?” Math units including measurement, telling time, fractions and money further expose children to the language and world of math. Through all the hands‑on, concrete activities, students find meaning in their learning. The world of math surrounds them, and at school, it all starts with a three‑year old opening a locker. • Fall 2017
Montessori Terminology Mathematical Mind
All babies are born with mathematical minds, that is, they have a propensity to learn things which enhance their ability to be exact and orderly, to observe, compare, and classify. Humans naturally tend to calculate, measure, reason, abstract, imagine and create. But this vital part of intelligence must be given help and direction for it to develop and function. If mathematics is not part of the young child’s experience, the child’s subconscious mind will not be accepting of it at a later date.
Classification
Sorting. Allocating or distributing according to common characteristics. The young child engages in classification activities because the process is essential for the construction of the intellect. The Montessori classroom offers many opportunities for classification.
Concrete to Abstract
A logical, developmentally appropriate progression that allows the child to come to an abstract understanding of a concept by first encountering it in a concrete form, such as learning the mathematical concept of the decimal system by working with Golden Beads grouped into units, 10s, 100s, and 1,000s.
Control of Error
Montessori materials are designed so that the child receives instant feedback as the child works, allowing child to recognize, correct, and learn from mistakes without adult assistance. Putting control of the activity in the child’s hands strengthens the child’s self‑esteem and self‑motivation as well as learning.
Practical Life and Practical Life Activities
The Montessori term that encompasses domestic work to maintain the home and classroom environment; self‑care and personal hygiene; and grace and courtesy. Practical life skills are of great interest to young children and form the basis of later abstract learning. Young children in Montessori classrooms learn to take care of themselves and their environment through activities such as hand washing, dusting, and mopping. These activities help toddlers and preschool‑age children learn to work independently, develop concentration, and prepare for later work with reading and math; older children participate in more advanced activities.
Prepared Environment
The teacher prepares the environment of the Montessori classroom with carefully selected, aesthetically arranged materials that are presented sequentially to meet the developmental needs of the children using the space. Well‑prepared Montessori environments contain appropriately sized furniture, a full complement of Montessori materials, and enough space to allow children to work in peace, alone or in small or large groups.
Sensorial Exercises
These activities develop and refine the five senses (seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling) and build a foundation for speech, writing, and math through the use of sensorial materials. The exercises also bring order to the barrage of sensorial impressions the child experiences from birth onward.
Work and Work Cycle
Purposeful activity. Maria Montessori observed that children learn through purposeful activities of their own choosing; Montessori schools call all of the children’s activities “work.” A basic work cycle begins with choosing an activity, doing that activity, returning the activity to order, and then experiencing a sense of satisfaction. That defines one unit or cycle of work. This sense of satisfaction, which may last a few seconds to a few minutes, helps motivate the child (and adult) to choose the next activity, thus creating another cycle of work • VOL 2 | NO. 1
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Lower Elementary (Grade 1 through Grade 3)
Learning to Describe the World Mathematically by Lindsey Farmer, Angela Kim, Julie Sauvage and Ashley Sewell Lower Elementary Teachers
Try and remember being six, seven or eight years old, and walking into your classroom. What did you see? How did the room feel? What intrigued you about the classroom? What did you think about school? What do you remember about your learning experience in those early years? Was there an area of the classroom that you couldn’t wait to explore? On the math shelves in a Lower Elementary classroom, you see green, blue, and red beads, squares, and manipulatives. There are hanging chains of beads of nine different colors. Beautiful wooden boxes fill the shelves, inviting students to open the lid and take a peek inside. Math charts and activities evoke numbers and patterns of numbers. Other materials are concrete representations of
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fractions. There are plane and solid figures to touch and hold, clocks that can be manipulated and different types of timers. Real money is there to count. Containers with drawers hold operation cards, story problems, dice, operation signs, and more. How does a student go about navigating his or her way through the myriad of materials? There is a sequence of learning that is reflected in the placement of materials on the shelves. For example, a student who is working with addition can find work, manipulatives and materials in one place, arranged in order of difficulty. The student begins with the most concrete material, the Golden Beads, where there is a physical difference between the unit bead, the ten bar, the hundred square and the thousand Fall 2017
materials as in Pre‑elementary, such as the geometry cabinet, but in Lower Elementary they have the satisfaction of learning precise mathematical descriptions and new nomenclature to build on their foundational understanding of the materials. The students learn to connect geometry to the mathematical concepts they have been studying. Language and math intertwine when the children learn the etymologies of vocabulary words and specific nomenclature. Whenever possible, stories are included about the history of the words or the mathematicians behind the concepts to make their experience more meaningful and memorable. For example, they learn the story of Geometry:
cube. Once the student starts to get a grasp of place value, the Stamp Game is introduced, which is more symbolic because their manipulatives represent place value. Each subsequent material adds a level of abstraction until the child can abstractly solve large digit addition with a deep understanding of the underlying concepts of process and place value. Each operation is structured in this way, with the foundational concepts anchored in the concrete world building up to more abstract principles.
Geometry means earth measurement and comes from Ancient Egypt. The lives of the Egyptians were centered around the Nile River. Century after century and year and year, the river would flood. The overflowing of the banks would bring black mud down from the mountains making very fertile soil. However, each year the floods would wash away the markers the farmers used to mark the boundaries of their fields. As you can imagine, year after year the farmers had to
Another set of shelves contains sequenced materials to learn math facts, as fact work is taught in tandem with operation work. The beautifully Colored Bead Bars invite the student to work with a friend to build equations. Finger Charts are quick refreshers if some facts are still not solid. The Cube Chains reinforce linear and skip counting. Flash cards, dice games, work sheets, bingo games, and so on are added as enrichment materials to keep the interest level strong. Geometry introduces a new level of complexity and meaning in the Lower Elementary classroom. The students learn nomenclature, relationships between plane figures or solid figures, angles, symmetry, perimeter, area, and more. They move beyond the sensorial level to a deeper understanding of geometry as a practical application in everyday life. They work with volume and area while building their own city out of graph paper. They use angles to figure out how high model rocket ships can go before falling. They encounter some of the same VOL 2 | NO. 1
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figure out a way to put their boundary markers back in the right place. An Egyptian surveyor, Harpedonapta, would walk along the fields with a rope with special knots tied in specific places. The rope was used to make a triangle with a ratio of 3:4:5, a right‑angled triangle. They also discovered that it didn’t matter how long the rope was. As long as the ratio was 3:4:5, they always got the same right‑angled triangle. At the time, the Egyptians didn’t know why it worked, they just knew it did. Learning stories like these puts learning in context. The child’s natural curiosity about why and how things came to be is linked to their understanding of mathematical concepts, enriching their engagement with the material. The students continue to apply and deepen their mathematical knowledge by working with applied math skills. They work with percentages, money, time, fractions, decimals, graphing, measurement, algebraic equations, logical reasoning, story problems, and critical thinking. They also learn to describe relationships and quantities such as rounding, estimation, congruence, symmetry, transformations, greater or less than, equivalency, and third grade students work through Model Drawing packets in preparation for fourth grade. They gain confidence and a greater understanding of the world as they start to describe the situations and patterns around them
using math. For example, the students can calculate the cost of theater tickets, make change, or plan their day using the clock. These lessons inspire creativity, collaboration, and exploration. Montessori math exercises give students the satisfaction of learning by discovery. The materials invite them to be curious and structure their process; the students explore with concrete objects to find the relationships and patterns for themselves. Nomenclature cards for matching will include an answer chart for students to check their work, while the math materials all have a color coding system to control for place value errors. The teacher is always a resource available to them in their autonomous explorations. Often, the students are inspired by their math lessons to combine several curriculum areas and create new projects. Understanding of number comes from concrete experiences. Number itself is an abstract concept that can only be understood with a strong foundation in the concrete manipulation of materials. The ability to count, to compute, and to use numerical relationships is among the most significant of human achievements. Putting the student in charge of this momentous process of learning to describe his or her world mathematically inspires creativity and a love of discovery while providing a strong foundation of skills that helps them continue to explore throughout the continuation of the curricula. •
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Fall 2017
Ways to Support Math at Home Provide Opportunities to Count • When walking, count steps, telephone poles, trees and other items you see. Move to counting by two, fives or tens. Skip counting is an enjoyable way to build a foundation for multiplication. • In the car, count the number of big trucks, cars of a specific color, stoplights, or exit signs. • Use a calendar to count the number of days to a special event. At the next level, count by sevens and figure out how many weeks until the event. • At the store, count the items in the cart or ask for help in picking out a specific quantity of an item. • Have them set the table and count the plates, silverware and glasses. • When baking cookies, have your child count the cookies on the baking sheet. Take this to the next level by counting skip counting by twos or threes and then progress to counting by groups: four rows of cookies with three cookies in each row is four groups of three which is twelve cookies. Explore Shapes and Sizes • At home, in stores or while driving, look for triangles, circles, cubes, spheres and other shapes. • When unpacking groceries, stack items by their shape or size. • In the house or outside, do scavenger hunts for specifically shaped objects. Discover Ways to Collect and Organize • When unloading the dishwasher, have your child sort the dishes and silverware. • Look around the house or outside to find and identify groupings of objects such as gloves, socks, mailboxes, and even cars in driveways. Take it to the next level by regrouping items such as a dozen eggs which can be regrouped in threes, fours or two groups of six. • Explore and gather items in nature such as rocks, leaves, pinecones, and shells. Sort the items by size, color, shape, or type. • Collect, sort and organize change. Begin by sorting by type. Move to the next level by creating equivalent amounts using other coins. For example, the equivalent of 115 pennies is four quarters, a dime and five pennies or 11 dimes and five pennies. Read About Math (A few recommendations as a starting point.) • Books by Tana Hoban. Wonderful books • Missing Math by Loreen Leedy (often wordless) that show shapes, colors, • Sir Cumference and the First Round Table: A counting and more through photographs Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander of everyday items and places. • How Much is a Million and G is for Googol: A • Chicka Chicka 123 by Bill Martin Jr. Math Alphabet Book by David M. Schwartz • The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns • Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside • Zero the Hero by Joan Holub School by Lois Sachar Play Games • Card games develop matching, categories, counting and score keeping. Examples include Go Fish, War, and Solitaire. • Dice and dominos help with counting and recognizing groups of dots. • Tic Tac Toe helps with recognition of rows and columns plus it develops strategic thinking. • Tangrams develop shape recognition and geometry • Mancala develop pattern detection through moves, planning ahead and prediction of outcomes with alternative moves. • Checkers and Chess develop strategic thinking. • VOL 2 | NO. 1
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Upper Elementary and Middle School (Grades 4 through 8)
Math: Curious, Creative and Passionate Learners by Kevin Glatt, Pete Kashevarof, Laura Moore and Sadie Reitz Upper Elementary and Middle School Teachers
Upper Elementary students expand on the strong mathematical foundation and concepts presented in Lower Elementary. While manipulatives and concrete materials are still used, the focus shifts to core understanding and abstraction. Students review basic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Further, they build upon those skills to include operations using fractions, decimals, percentages, and ratio. Geometry, measurement, time, money, area, perimeter, volume, and graphing are explored in greater depth with hands on activities and projects. Having a solid understanding in mathematical concepts allows students to explore and apply real life solutions to their challenging projects. Computational thinking is a major focus for Upper Elementary students. They become adept
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at identifying patterns and following through with sequential steps when solving equations and puzzles. This helps to build efficient and effective routines when approaching new mathematical problems. Model drawing, a technique presented in the Singapore Math curriculum, is utilized to help students visualize and solve complex equations. Model drawing is a preliminary and natural precedent to basic algebra, and students learn to use both tools when presented with problem solving activities. Upper Elementary students devote time to analyze the reasoning behind math concepts in an effort to promote understanding and adaptability versus rote memorization and basic application. While the students learn about reciprocals, supplementary angles, ratios, and all else, the overall goal in Upper Fall 2017
to construct fractals, including the Dragon Curve and the Koch snowflake. A favorite unit of study is taught by a special guest teacher who takes them through micro and macro‑economics. Math competitions offer a dynamic and collaborative approach to advanced and complicated problems.
Elementary is to expand upon a strong foundation, to instill a love of numbers, and to develop mathematical confidence for future endeavors. Middle School math students transition from the Singapore curriculum to course work in Pre‑Algebra, Algebra 1, and Geometry. Students who demonstrate strong skills and abilities have been offered Algebra 2, an advanced high school course. Starting with Pre‑Algebra, from the minds at Art of Problem Solving, sixth grade students are presented with rigorous problem sets designed to inspire thinking and reasoning. The meticulously arranged content presents algebraic techniques at an academically rich level, which Eton students embrace with guidance from multiple classroom teachers. Seventh and eighth grade students progress to the Mathematics Vision Project curriculum, which emphasizes connections between algebra and geometry, reinforcing a more permanent understanding of patterns and functions. Material includes rich story‑telling problems applied to our world, highlighting linear, quadratic, and exponential patterns, along with application of proofs and geometric concepts, probability and data modeling. Eton math teachers believe that this content promotes deep mathematical understanding. Emphasis for all students continues to be confidence and enthusiasm for mathematics through participation in challenging and enriching experiences. While many of these experiences are integral to the main curriculum, students are also given opportunities beyond basic content. For example, students learn VOL 2 | NO. 1
Middle school students are often surprised to revisit Montessori materials that they may have experienced in Pre‑elementary and Lower Elementary. These materials are used to model concepts as a source of enrichment. For example, the trinomial cube demonstrates (a+b+c)3 expansion. Experiencing the mathematics behind the cubes, the decanomial square and the pink tower, helps students understand the algebraic and geometric representations of these profound resources. It is truly a case of coming full circle when Middle School students are able to utilize materials and understand the depth of their own learning in this challenging, motivating, and fun environment.
Eton’s math curriculum is based on autonomous discovery, process rather than product, and instilling a confidence and love of mathematical thinking. The concrete skills continue to be relevant and important as the students add layers of abstraction to their understanding of numbers. Conceptual understanding and learning builds as students get plenty of opportunities for self‑directed growth, resulting in curious, creative, and passionate learners. •
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Library (Grade P3 through Grade 8)
A New Year, A New Library by Poppy Louthan Teacher‑Librarian
I have always loved that the Eton School library is at the main entrance of our school. In addition to being warm and inviting, it shows Eton School’s commitment to supporting its community of learners. The goal in redesigning the library was to build on that warm welcome by creating a greater sense of flow to the space and improving its visual appearance. The reception and circulation desks were combined, which greatly increased the usable area of the space. The metal shelving was replaced with wooden shelving and a few fun colors were added to remind us that children are our focus. Additionally, curved shelving was installed to break up the straight lines with some softer movement and introduce some fun shelving
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options. In the classroom, tables were added that can be easily rearranged for a variety of collaborative work, as well as booth and tiered seating to support all ages of our students. Throughout the entire space, new ways of browsing and book display have been added that have increased students’ effective use of the library. I am proud that Eton School was able to begin the 2017‑18 school year with a new library that has been such an exciting and successful journey from idea, to dream, to reality. And, I am grateful to everyone who supported this endeavor, because it is our community who helped make this redesign a possibility. Thank you for being part of our journey, and for being a part of our journeys to come. • Fall 2017
Thank You for Raising Your Paddle for the Library Susan Baccellieri Beth Bazley David and Megan Bolinder Marjie Butler Diana Butler Vibhas and Aru Chandorkar Laurren Chase David Colwell Mark and Kit Craig Sonia and Sunny Dhillon Viki and Chris Dragich Sonja Everson and Ryan Rautio Pat and Vic Feltin Holly Fleming Jessie Fu and James Zang Michelle Gadot Olivier Garamfalvi and Tamara Pesik Kris Meyer Gaskins Cherie Goetz Sharon Gonzalez Amit and Harini Gupta Rae Ann Haistings Rick and Anica Harris Eric and Noah Heutchy Aaron Holm and Saira Khan Blair and Kathy Hotchkies
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Katica Iceva and Aleksandar Icev Olga Ivanova and Bilal Aslam Xiaoxuan Jia and Cong Yao Carolina Jurgensen Prashant and Kavita Kamani Akhilesh Kaza and Harveen Kathuria Kaza Angela Kim Jeff Kizner and Allison Hastings Mohan and Minnu Kotha Anand Krishnan and Aruna Sury Thomas and Peggy Ku Madeline and Joe Lee Kirill Levanidov and Nadia Levanidova Ian and Poppy Louthan Attilio Mainetti and Jia Na Monica Maling Jason and Jamie Mallon David Mar and Paulina Salmon Cindy and Mark Mattix Tasha McCoy Alice and Jim McNeer Abdulwajid Mohamed and Shahina Banthanavasi Laura Moore and Douglas Straight Jeremy Ng and Shirlene Lim Joseph and Michelle O’Malley
Anne Pace and Bob Frangooles Pascal Pinck and Erika Flesher Stephen and Jacqueline Rauch Nikki and Khurram Rehman Sadie Reitz and Agustin Da Fieno Delucchi Martha Riggers and Kip Olson Brad and Julie Sauvage Ashley Skye Sewell and Eric Tadeja Nasreen and Shams Shamsuddin Russell and Rebecca Smith Joerg Zender and Kirsten Steinhauer‑Zender Maya Subramanian and Ranjit Varkey Joe Suty and Judi Hoskins Angela Ting and Desney Tan Roxana and Derrick Tzau Sudha and Mohan Vaghul Kam and Patricia VedBrat Brad Weed and Susan Pappalardo Gwen and Hank Williams Kristin and Patrick Wyatt Ping Zhang and Xiaonan Lu Jinhui Zhong and David Marlow Microsoft Corporation
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Assistant Head of School knowledge, comprehension, or mastery through experiences or study.” Maya saw first‑hand as her older daughter found joy and passion in learning as she moved through the Upper Elementary and Middle School programs entering high school prepared to excel. She also saw her younger daughter, who had very different learning needs than her older sister, thrive in her Montessori classroom and dive into learning in her own time.
A Place to Learn by Kris Meyer Gaskins
Assistant Head of School Recently, an Eton parent shared a story with a group of families visiting for the School Day Open House held this past October. We were sitting in the Activity Room for an information session, and parents were asking a lot of questions about how students are taught in a multi‑age environment. After some discussion and more questions, the Eton parent host, Maya, entered the discussion. Maya started her conversation with asking the parents to think about the verbs to teach and to learn. She went on to explain that her education in India fell under the verb to teach. Teachers stood in front of the classroom imparting information for the students to take in, memorize, and then regurgitate on tests. She talked about sitting at her desk for hours on end as various teachers came in, taught them concepts and held them accountable for the information. Test results were held up as the sole indicator of their knowledge. She learned that one must take in information, test well, be driven by external demands, and that meant success. Maya went on to tell parents that she once would have been considered a “Tiger‑mom,” wanting her children to excel by being constantly fed information, challenged, and tested on what they were taught. Yet, through her children’s Eton education, she came to understand the important difference between the two verbs: “to teach—to impart knowledge or skill, and to learn—to gain
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Take a moment and think about your own school experience from the earliest memory you have. What did you love about school? What inspired or excited you? What did you look forward to each day? What were your happiest school memories? What was challenging? How did you navigate those challenges? What would you have kept the same? What would you have changed? During the interview process with new families, parents often say, “Eton School appeals to us because we want something different for our child than we experienced in our system of education.” What is this educational journey Eton School offers? The strength of our program lies not only in the educational continuum but also in how the students are educated. Eton students gain knowledge, comprehension, or mastery through educational experiences that have meaning. They engage in the learning process through constructivist, hands‑on activities. Active learning leads to Intrinsic motivation as students work independently and collaboratively, problem solve and think critically. Starting at age three in the Pre‑elementary classrooms, and at each subsequent level, students are given many opportunities that empower them to learn and grow. With empowerment comes engagement, passion, and inspiration. A young three‑year‑old will spend time concentrating and experimenting as he builds the Pink Tower from largest to smallest. That same child, as an eighth grader, uses the tools he has gained over the years to figure out the surface area of the ten stacked blocks. The activity has meaning for him because of his experience many years ago in his Pre‑elementary classroom. Making connections and finding value in learning, leads a student down the road of becoming a lifelong learner. • Fall 2017
Students Connect with the Local Community
Helping Our Four Legged Friends by Susan Baccellieri Kindergarten Ambassador Advisor As the children in Mezzo pounced, stalked, crawled, hopped and flew about while celebrating their fanciful Halloween theme of Amazing Animals, they also worked at collecting food and supplies for real animals in need. They brought in leashes, squeak toys, dry and canned food, sweet potato and kale snacks and lots of tennis balls as donations for the local Humane Society in Bellevue. Many thanks to all of the Pre‑elementary families who contributed to this special and timely cause. Just after Halloween, the Kindergarten Ambassadors from Mezzo 1, Mezzo 3 and Mezzo B gathered to sort the items into their special categories. The students worked as teams in deciphering into which pile the supplies could go.
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Cat and Dog labels were easy to read but sometimes the only clue that decided which pile the item belonged to was a teeniest illustration. Once sorted, the students put the items into boxes and then huffed and puffed as they toted their loads out to Mrs. Fleming’s car, so she could deliver everything to eager and enthusiastic four‑legged amazing animals! •
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Eton Parent Council (EPC)
Welcome to the Eton Parent Council! by Anica Harris
Eton Parent Council President
As parents or guardians, we are all part of this group by having our children enrolled as students at Eton School. We have already had some fun gatherings and events this year and are working on more.
On the first day of school, it was great to welcome our new families and those new to a level with a picnic. In September, we held the Cultural Fair, our annual celebration of the diversity of Eton School. We also had our first business meeting of the year followed by a presentation from Dr. Smith on the state of the school.
We are planning the 2018 Gala and encourage everyone to attend the event on Saturday, February 10, 2018. If there is interest in helping plan the event, please join the planning meetings or let Eton’s Development Director, Monica Maling know you are interested. This year the EPC executive officers are: President: Anica Harris Vice President: Michelle O’Malley Treasurer: Harini Gupta Secretary: Laurren Chase Volunteer Coordinator: Patricia VedBrat Community Coordinators (for each level): Mezzo Coordinator: Kathy Hotchkies Lower Coordinator: David Charter Upper Coordinator: Kristin Wyatt The Executive Committee meets at the end of every month. All are welcome to attend the meetings, which provide a peek into the inner workings of Eton Parent Council. We are all here to make sure people feel connected and to build a strong community. •
In November, we had a fun Game Night where families came together to play games and enjoy each other’s company. Coming up in January, we have another business meeting to be followed by a presentation from Savvy Parents, Safe Kids about online safety. Every month, we welcome you all to come and have coffee on the first Thursday in Casa 207.
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Eton School EPC Liaison Monica Maling (l) with the EPC Executive Committee (from left to right): Michelle O’Malley (Vice President), Anica Harris (President), Patricia VedBrat (Volunteer Coordinator), Laurren Chase (Secretary), Kathy Hotchkies (Pre‑elementary Community Coordinator). Not Pictured: Harini Gupta (Treasurer), David Charter (Lower Elementary Community Coordinator) and Kristin Wyatt (Upper Elementary and Middle School Community Coordinator)
Fall 2017
Eton School Board of Trustees
About Eton School’s Board of Trustees Welcome New Board Member Karl Dehmer Karl was an active volunteer when his children, Isabella and Riley Dehmer, attended Eton School. He enjoyed working with other Eton parents and faculty. Karl has a BA from Eastern Washington University in Management Information Systems and Operations Management. He has spent his career in the tech industry primarily working at Microsoft in the Education field. He is currently a Product Manager for Workforce Development and Education in Microsoft’s Office of Military Affairs. •
Role of the Board of Trustees Eton School is governed by a Board of Trustees. The Board provides for oversight and planning adequate to sustain the School’s mission and vision and for institutional decision‑making based upon a system of checks and balances that assures the School’s long‑term viability. The Board of Trustees hires and evaluates the Head of School. •
2017–2018 Board of Trustees: (l to r): Beth Bazley, Russell Smith (Ex Officio Member: Head of School), Nasreen Shamsuddin, Judy Hoskins (Secretary), Minnu Kotha, Karl Dehmer, Viki Dragich (President), Bob Frangooles (Vice President), Peter Roppo (Treasurer) and Anica Harris (Ex Officio Member: Eton Parent Council President).
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2017 Annual Report We are a little over one‑third of the way to our 25% operating reserve goal, which is great considering implementation began two years ago. The second financial priority I would like to discuss is more forward facing to the community. The focus of the school continues to be on updating the campus, to help better serve current students, as well as the students who will enter our doors in the future. Over the summer months, the school completed the following facility projects:
Meeting Financial Priorities by Jason Mallon
Chief Financial Officer
I always use Fall as a time to reflect on the previous year’s financial operations. In ruminating on the year that was, a couple of themes continued to resonate with me when deciphering the prior year’s financial numbers. Eton School’s personnel have done an outstanding job at juggling multiple financial priorities, while at the same time delivering on our program mission. In addition, it has become quite clear to me how engaged and enthusiastic our Eton community is with their philanthropic generosity. In Eton School’s continued march towards long‑term sustainability, there are two financial priorities I would like to highlight. The first financial priority is establishment and maintenance of Eton School’s operating reserve. There are many Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) that I look at to judge the extent of our sustainability. All the KPI’s are important in their own way, but the operating reserve is one metric that I look to in determining whether we have a proper safety net in place. Best practice for independent schools is to have an operating reserve that equals 25% of budget operating expenses for a given year. This ensures that a school can continue to operate even during uncertain times, such as a recession. At the end of the 2017 Fiscal Year (FY), Eton School had an operating reserve of $490,087, which is 9% of our 2018 FY budgeted operating expenses.
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• Renovation of the Eton School Library and front office area
• Renovation of the bathrooms in the Main Building
• Installation of flooring throughout Mezzo Building Fall 2017
Everyone did a tremendous job of collaborating across program and operational platforms to ensure all objectives were met. In addition, I would like to extend a special thank you to John and Carol Griffin, one of Eton School’s landlords, for helping Eton pay for the HVAC replacement. This will help us reduce future energy costs and our environmental footprint.
• Replacement of the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system on the Mezzo Building All construction projects went smoothly this summer (as did the summer programs that operated during those construction projects). This happened because of the dedication of Eton’s staff.
Revenue
The school had another strong year of enrollment and demand, which led to net income of $408,610. In addition, Eton School continues to focus on delivering an exceptional educational experience to the students and families in our community, expending 76% of each dollar towards program. This tilts to the higher portion of the range when comparing percentages of other independent schools in the area. Below is a further breakdown of the financial operations for the year. •
Expenses
Net Tuition Clubhouse Annual Fund Other Income Rental Income Annual Gala
$4,661,208 370,902 209,347 149,440* 141,604 96,911
Payroll Expenses $3,615,916 Facilities 785,660 General and Administrative 294,506 Other Expenses 164,041** Interest Expense 151,926 Educational Materials and Program Activities 110,447 Depreciation 98,306
Total Revenue
$5,629,412
Total Expenses
$5,220,802
* Includes enrichment classes, summer school, and miscellaneous revenue ** IT expenses, fundraising expenses, employee training, and miscellaneous expenses
Expenses Grouped by Function 2%
Educational Program
22%
Management and General Fundraising 76%
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2017 Annual Report
2016–2017 Annual Fund by Monica Maling
Development Director
Eton School’s Annual Fund helps ensure that our students continue to receive an outstanding educational experience. Like other independent non‑profit schools, Eton relies on charitable contributions made by parents, Trustees, former parents and people within the community to help keep our program strong and dynamic. Here are a few examples of the impact of Annual Fund donations: • Teachers purchase science, art, physical education, and Montessori materials and curricula resources for students. • Special guests present and work with students in assemblies and/or classroom workshops.
• Teachers attend professional educational workshops and/or trainings, which enhance their teaching and allows professional sharing amongst the staff. • Facility enhancements are made creating a greener, safer, and vibrant educational environment. During the 2016‑2017 Annual Fund drive, a generous friend of Eton School challenged Eton School’s parents to reach 60% participation by January 15, 2017. If the challenge was met, then this friend would make a donation of 60% of the total raised up to the date stated. The parents successfully met the challenge and Eton School’s Annual Fund received the challenge gift of $26,230 (60% of the total donations from parents). A heartfelt thank you to the benevolent friend of Eton School and to every parent whose donation helped meet the challenge! •
Thank You 2017 Fiscal Year Annual Fund Donors Mahadev Alladi and Vandana Gummuluru Anonymous (8) Muthukaruppan Annamalai and Vaishnavi Sannidhanam Benny Arazy Bilal Aslam and Olga Ivanova Arvind Arasu and Janani Arvind Chaitan Bandela and Sujatha Chappidi Michael Barta and Cynthia Shelly Peter Bleszynski and Robyn Sambo Robert and Megan Bolinder Lenox and Trudy Brassell Daniel and Stephanie Brown David and Julia Charter Parents of Vivian J Chen and Wendy Chen Peter Chin and Jo Park Arjun Chittoor and Vanishree Hombal Gagan and Rashmi Chopra Julia and Scott Cole Mark and Kit Craig Timothy and Marnie Craycroft Bruno and Diala da Costa Munindra Das and Sanghmitra Gite Varun Das and Radhika Kapur
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Kannan Dhanasekaran and Subratha Selvaraj Sunny and Sonia Dhillon Alexander and Franziska Eckerlin Rose Field Darren Firth and Samantha Webb Robert Frangooles and Anne Pace Jessie Fu Suyog Gadgil and Anagha Kothurwar Michelle Gadot Olivier Garamfalvi and Tamara Pesik Jim Garris Prakash and Sirisha Gatta Arif and Nausheena Ghouse Boris and Mitchelle Gonsalves Sriram Govindarajan and Rukmani Gopalan Miguel Guerrero and Violeta Arroyo Mario Guimaraes and Suzana Canuto Amit and Harini Gupta Kapil and Neetika Gupta James Gyarmathy Richard and Anica Harris Hao He and Zhen Zhang Magnus and Heather Hedlund
Gabriel and Raluca Hera Eric and Noah Heutchy Brian Hondowicz and Audrey Park Bruce and Bridget Horne Rob Horwitz and Jodi Minkin Blair and Kathleen Hotchkies Bing Hu and Jie Feng Wenzhong Jiang and Hongli Fan Grant and Jeri Johnson Hanjun Kang and Yasha Li Pavel Karpovich and Svetlana Gromak Brett and Lori Kilty Jeff Kizner and Allison Hastings Emre and Gaye Kok Aaron Konvisser and Hailing Huang Thomas and Peggy Ku Anjani Kumar and Aarti Bhargava Nishant Kumar and Vineeta Arole Eduardo Leal Tostado and Magali Guerrero David and KC Lemson Kirill and Nadia Levanidov Lin Li and Chunling Yu Ning Li and Xiaofei Kong Yuqing Li and Hongan Chen
Fall 2017
Tony Liu and Jennifer Sun Weipeng Liu and Xiuyu Zhou Ian and Poppy Louthan Attilio Mainetti and Jia Na Michael and Lin Marcelais Maxim Mazeev and Nadejda Poliakova Nadeem and Uzma Merchant Ivan Mladenov and Irena Andonova Liang Mou and Yangzi Wu Rajesh Munshi and Prachi Munshi Jeremy Ng and Shirlene Lim Gor Nishanov and Anzhela Nishanova Kip Olson and Martha Riggers Joseph and Michelle O'Malley Andrei Pascovici and Qun Guo Pedro and Katie Perez The Pinck Family Vaqar and Manizeh Pirzada Rob and Javania Polenska Ramya Ramachandran and Shankar Balakrishnan Filippo and Christina Randazzo Nikki and Khurram Rehman Sushant Rewaskar and Uttara Korad Ted and Julia Roberts Michael and Susan Robinson Jason and Rebecca Rogers Peter Roppo and Berengaria Winkler Roppo Svetlana Rowell David and Patricia Sauntry Brad and Julie Sauvage
Yagya Sethuraman and Kruthika Ponnusamy Kushal Shah and Vijal Tapar Arvind Shyamsundar and Gita Arvind Fnu Sidhartha and Ritu Singh Brian and Diane Smith Brian and Jennifer Stucker Hunter Su and Yun Chen Sriram Sunder Raman and Ramya Reguramalingam Desney Tan and Angela Ting Yu Tan and Guo Liu Yi Tang and Hui Sun Sabir Thapar Derrick and Roxana Tzau Ranjit Varkey and Maya Subramanian VedBrat Family Gary Voth and Jessica Vania Brad Weed and Susan Pappalardo Dan Weisman and Ally Gelt‑Weisman Patrick and Kristin Wyatt Eric Xia Xichun Xu and Jianghong Yan Yongliang Yang and Yuan Zhang Cong Yao and Xiaoxuan Jia Kevin and Nancy Yim Jinbai Yin and Lan Tang Joerg and Kirsten Zender Wei Zhang and Chunping Li Ping Zhang and Xianon Lu Minyi Zhong and Jiayin Tian Weiyu Zhu and Xiaochun Tan
Corporate Donors Amazon Google Microsoft Snow Sports Consulting Service, LLC T‑Mobile Wells Fargo Alumni and Alumni Families Anonymous Karen Bunney Aarti Chandorkar Vibhas and Aru Chandorkar Xiudong Fei Neel and Smita Jain Mary Murfey Phil and Rosalyn Rourke Friends of Eton School Anonymous Donald DeSantis Andrew and Tricia Enfield Vic and Pat Feltin John and Carol Griffin Eton School Faculty and Staff 100% Participation Eton School Board of Trustees 100% Participation
Eton Community Gala Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. Glendale Country Club 13340 Main St. Bellevue, Washington
RSVP: etonschool.ejoinme.org/gala2018 $85 by January 24, 2018 ($100 After) Complimentary Childcare Onsite
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Alumni Update
Thomas Constantine Moore (2004) is living in Brooklyn, New York, working as a software engineer for radiation oncology data company, MedLever, Inc. He attended Eton School from Kindergarten through 8th Grade, and is enormously grateful to the independent learning encouraged through Eton’s educational approach, which emphasizes self‑directedness and encourages students to take responsibility for their own education at an early age. Thomas fondly remembers
that he and two other girls in his class had an unofficial competition going to see who could complete the most vocabulary workbooks, and as a result, they reached far higher levels than expected in the curriculum (new workbooks had to be ordered). This internal drive to learn, create, and accomplish has informed the early part of Thomas's career. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BFA in 2014, and bounced from coast to coast until landing in New York City. Thomas has worked as a Lyft driver, a barback, an actor, and a computer programmer. He still acts occasionally, cherishing his role as a sometime collaborating artist with the Los Angeles‑based immersive theater company, The Speakeasy Society, but is primarily focused on application development for the time being. He co‑founded the downtown‑theater event networking company Yollerhorn (www.yollerhorn.com) and is in the process of writing a new tabletop role‑playing‑game (RPG) called Sensational. If any of this sounds interesting, follow him on Twitter @thomascmost. • not just a school, but a home. The staff and faculty, once‑in‑a‑lifetime learning opportunities, and copious support offered through Madeleine’s collective education set her up to be not only a bright pupil, but a motivated and successful adult.
When Madeleine Orton (2009) began what would be eight years with Eton School she was hopeful, but unexpecting. Starting with a new school during her kindergarten year seemed like a fabulous adventure, not the beginning of what would become the foundation of her academic career and motivation to live and learn to the fullest. The years pushed by beautifully: new friends of all backgrounds, teachers to love like family, and most crucially, trials and tribulations of youth. The difference, for Madeleine, and for all other students privileged enough to spend these developmental years with Eton, was that every mistake, every dropped ball, and every heartbreak was under the roof of
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Some transitions later, Madeleine faced her highest hurdle yet: College graduation. There was so much to consider: financial security, genuine fulfilment, and loved friends moving in all directions. What job would be the right job? Which career would be the happiest? What lessons were most important to remember all of these years later? Perhaps unsurprisingly, the same narratives from her beloved Eton mentors still rolled around in her head and heart: Always do your best work. Always listen to your intuition. Never doubt the process, or the journey you must take to succeed. Never sacrifice your joy. There will be higher hurdles, greater transitions ahead of Madeleine as she settles into her career, as she Fall 2017
moves far away from home, and perhaps as she returns to school—her greatest passion to date. But the love that Eton gave her—greater, the momentum—will always keep her moving in the most graceful and blissful way to the best of destinations.
Having graduated from Seattle University with a double degree in English Literature and French, and a specialization in creative writing, Madeleine is now pursuing a career in Publishing while living in the Bellevue area. • workload of a regular high school student plus dancing for up to eight hours a day. The teachers at Eton School had always emphasized to her the importance of accountability and encouraged students to work independently and these lessons and tools helped her to succeed.
After graduating from Eton School, Alisa Nishinova (2014) took an unconventional path in order to pursue her dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer. She worked diligently to finish four years’ worth of high school in two years through an online school. It wasn’t easy for her to manage the double
When Alisa officially graduated from high school, she was able to focus solely on dance. She travelled to several countries (including Canada, England, and Switzerland) to audition for vocational schools. During the audition process, networking was very important. Eton School helped give her the confidence to make phone calls, self‑advocate, and present herself in the best possible way. She was accepted into a program and is studying at Northern Ballet School in Manchester, United Kingdom. She could not be happier, studying and pursuing her dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer! • he met Nica Digerness at, the Olympic training facility. Nica and Danny started training as a pair skating team. In 2016, Nica and Danny medaled at every U.S. skating competition they entered. They were selected for TEAM USA and competed internationally in Saransk, Russia and in Dresden, Germany. They participated in the National Figure Skating Championships in January 2017 and won their event to become the 2017 U.S. National Junior Pairs Champions. They were one of two U.S. teams selected to compete at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in March, 2017 in Chinese Taipei where they placed tenth overall.
Danny Neudecker attended Eton School from preschool through fifth grade when in 2007 the family moved to Colorado so he could pursue his dream of becoming a high level competitive figure skater. Danny entered the spotlight in 2014 when he captured a national skating title, becoming the 2014 U.S. Collegiate Junior Men's Champion. In 2015, VOL 2 | NO. 1
Along with the rigorous ice skating training, Danny attends the University of Colorado, majoring in Communications and minoring in Psychology. His goal is to become a sports psychologist at the Olympic Training Center and to work with elite athletes. For the past four semesters Danny has attained a 4.0 GPA. Danny's mom credits his success on and off the ice to the wonderful academic and leadership foundation he received during his years at Eton School. •
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Connect Authors and Contributors
Susan Baccellieri is a Pre‑elementary teacher in Mezzo C.
Lindsey Farmer is a Lower Elementary teacher in Room 1.
Holly Fleming is a Pre‑elementary co‑teacher in Mezzo 3.
Kris Gaskins is the Assistant Head of School.
Kevin Glatt is an Upper Elementary and Middle School STEAM teacher.
Anica Harris is the 2017-2018 Eton Parent Council President.
Pete Kashevarof is an Upper Elementary fifth‑grade teacher.
Angela Kim is a Lower Elementary teacher in Room 3.
Madeline Lee is a Pre‑elementary teacher in Mezzo 4.
Michelle Lee is a Pre‑elementary co‑teacher in Mezzo 3.
Monica Maling is the Director of Development.
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Fall 2017
Jason Mallon is the Chief Financial Officer.
Alice McNeer is the Director of Communications and Marketing.
Laura Moore is a Middle School Math and Science teacher.
Lynette Oshiro is a Pre‑elementary teacher in Mezzo 3.
Sadie Reitz is an Upper Elementary fourth-grade teacher.
Julie Sauvage is a Lower Elementary teacher in Room 5.
Ashely Sewell is a Lower Elementary teacher in Room 4.
Russell Smith is the Head of School.
Sudha Vaghul is a Pre‑elementary teacher in Mezzo A.
Kalsom Wali is a Pre‑elementary teacher in Mezzo B.
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SEATTLE, WA PERMIT NO. 1319048
2701 Bellevue-Redmond RD Bellevue, WA 98008
Vision In educating the whole child, Eton School inspires creative, confident thinkers who have an enduring passion for learning and are poised to contribute to the world.
www.etonschool.org
