CONNECTIONS SUMMER
2021
GROVESACADEMY.ORG
[ FROM THE PRESIDENT ] Summer is the perfect time to take a moment to reflect on the year we just successfully completed. But before you hear about the many successes and challenges at Groves, I must first begin with appreciation. As you’ve heard ad nauseum this year about education, there were many hurdles and obstacles to overcome compared to what one might consider a “normal year.” This, of course, is true which is why I am eternally grateful for the grit, the courage, the flexibility, and the positivity that every single member of the Groves community manifested each day, and throughout the year. We can only call this pandemic year successful because of the tremendous efforts of our teachers, faculty, and staff, the daily perseverance of students and families, and the unwavering support of the wider Groves community of professionals and donors. Thank you all, truly, so very much! So, what should we celebrate? "I am eternally
• What a win to start the school year in person at
grateful for the
Groves Academy, the Groves Learning Center, and in our Groves Literacy Partnerships® (GLP) schools (with a few virtual exceptions).
grit, the courage, the flexibility, and the positivity that every single member of the Groves community manifested each day, and throughout the year."
• We were reminded of the power of relationship building as we welcomed masked, but clearly smiling and eager faces through our doors once again in September, or caught them beaming at a diagnostic table, or in their desks at their GLP school. This was only reinforced when the inevitable shift to some distance learning occurred as our teachers and instructional experts pivoted quickly to an online platform but still delivered effective teaching and fostered engagement.
• We launched a Mental Health Task Force to bring awareness and understanding of our Groves Academy students' mental health so we can serve them even better.
• The entire Groves team engaged in a yearlong professional development program focused
on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) with Dr. Abdul Omari.
• We taught 252 kids at Groves Academy, and graduated 12 amazing Seniors!
• Over 1,000 students were served in the Groves Learning Center via Diagnostics, Speech, Tutoring, and Summer Programming.
• 4,000+ students and hundreds of teachers experienced the powerful Groves Literacy Framework® in GLP.
• We successfully collected data on GLP students and saw that 30% of the students most at-risk for reading failure moved to the moderate risk or average range, and, 49% of moderately atrisk students moved to the average or above average range suggesting that the literacy achievement gap is closing for these students!
• Our Leadership Team and Board developed, and will soon launch, a new 5-year Strategic Plan called “Growth for Impact.”
PHEW! What a busy year, and of course the list above does not include the small but critical celebrations that kids and adults experienced every day. So, what’s next?
• We will welcome 275 faces to Groves Academy in the fall!
• GLP will serve more than 60 schools! • Our Learning Center will continue to grow and
• Coming soon—a refreshed Groves brand focused on helping every student discover their brilliance and raising awareness in our community of the great literacy work we do at Groves.
provide critical support to the wider community.
• We will ramp-up to our 45th Gala celebration
• We are excited to launch our 5 year strategic
(in person!) on April 23, 2022 which will kick off Groves Academy’s 50th Anniversary year!
plan which focuses on 8 interconnected objectives all designed to accelerate our mission throughout all of Groves.
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• And of course, we will continue the tremendous work of the Groves team from this year.
[ CONTENTS ] 2-4 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 5 WHY I GIVE 6-7 FACULTY/STAFF FEATURE 8-9 GROVES CLASS OF 2021 GRADUATES
My thanks go out to each and every one of you who supports Groves. Whether you’ve been with us for 50 years, or you are just getting to know about who we are, please understand that we know we could not do this without you, and we are so thankful for your continued support.
10-11 GROVES STUDENT AWARDS 12-13 GROVES' COMMITMENT TO MENTAL HEALTH 14-15 HONORING OUR HEROES
All the best,
16 GROVES GALA IS A SUCCESS
Dan Morgan President, Groves Academy
17 STUDENT LED SERVICE 18-19 GLP UPDATE Literacy for All 20-21 PAA PROGRAM UPDATE Commitment to Equitable Education 22-23 WHAT IS SPEECH-LANGAUGE AND WHO CAN BENEFIT? 23 2020-21 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 24-25 GROVES HIGHLIGHTS 25 GROVES ACADEMY TRAP TEAM WINS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 26 WAYS TO SUPPORT GROVES 27 GROVES NEWS AND BLOG
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[ ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT ]
What are some of your favorite memories of Groves? Favorite memories from my time at Groves are playing “Medic” (a Groves variation of dodgeball) in the gym and skateboarding during recess. Groves constantly encouraged healthy forms of expression and despite my lack of skill on a skateboard -- I was sure to get a round of applause from the teachers on recess duty.
How long were you at Groves Academy and what were a few key things you learned? I attended Groves Academy from 1st through 6th grade (2003-2008).
Why do you think Groves is an important asset to the Twin Cities community? Groves offers the individualized attention and treatment that other learning institutions just can’t match. Groves knows that not everyone learns the same way and helps those with learning differences realize their full potential. Groves doesn’t boil intelligence down to a test score or a letter grade but instead expands the horizons of what learning truly looks like for each individual. If everyone had access to the resources you can find at Groves, I truly believe that traditional notions of education would be a thing of the past.
Groves Academy gave me the frame of mind that there was more than one way to learn. At Groves there was an environment to experiment and succeed despite my learning disabilities. Groves Academy is different from other learning institutions in that Groves doesn’t just teach you -- they teach you how to learn. While dyslexia and ADD still affect my personal and professional life, the skills Groves equipped me with have helped me find success despite my challenges.
What would you tell a student who was new to Groves about the school? I’d tell them, “Don’t be discouraged that just because you don’t understand something right now doesn’t mean you never will. Learning takes time, it takes work, and it doesn’t always come naturally. Don’t let a few tough subjects kill your curiosity and desire to learn. Groves is a place where everyone learns differently. Embrace this difference as it will lead you down some really interesting paths."
What did you do after Groves? After leaving Groves, I graduated from Orono High School, then went on to graduate with honors from University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in Political Science and Business. I have since gone on to work in the software industry for a number of international technology companies.
Anything else you would like to share with the Groves community? One thing I'd love to stress with the Groves community is how important it is to draw attention to learning disabilities not just in Minnesota, but nationally. So many other bright children around this country are not fortunate enough to have a place like Groves to realize their full potential. Raising awareness outside of this community can lead to systematic changes in the way we think about educating students. Traditional education standards in this country are often a one size fits all policy. I think it's incredibly important to start changing this.
Kellen Burke
How did your time at Groves prepare you for your next steps? Groves gave me the personalized tools necessary to learn and to continue to do so. For people with dyslexia, ADD, or any number of learning differences, standard schooling does not always cut it. Groves gave me a framework and the individual attention to look at education differently. Because of my time at Groves, I know how I best absorb and digest information and this allows me to approach education from a different angle and still find equal or better success.
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Why do you think Groves is an important asset to the Twin Cities community? Groves is more than just a school; it is a community of people who want to help. So many teachers and resources that Groves offers help people from many different organizations and places. The community workshops are beneficial to so many. Because the Director of Student Disabilities at the U of M Morris received training from Groves, she was able to help everyone who wanted help at Morris. Groves’ outreach is not just for those in the building it is for the entire state and beyond!
Mallory Taylor How long were you at Groves Academy and what were a few key things you learned? I was at Groves for four years during my high school grades 9-12. I learned how to get organized, how to make my ADHD work for me instead of against me, how to advocate for myself, and how to research and to find resources to help with my dyslexia.
What would you tell a student who was new to Groves about the school? I would tell a new student that Groves is a lot more fun than you might think it is. Groves is different from any other school community. On my visit day, I toured with Sarah Anderson and we became great friends. She is going to be the maid of honor in my wedding this fall! Anything else you would like to share with the Groves community? I am forever grateful to Groves for helping my family and me. What Groves gave to me in life is beyond amazing.
What did you do after Groves? After Groves, I attended college at the University of Minnesota, Morris. It was a perfect fit for me because it was a small school that came with all of the resources of the U of M system. Yet the smaller teacher to student ratio helped, and the Director of Student Disabilities who received training from Groves was super helpful with tips to get through college. The accommodations were amazing and they helped me choose classes and manage my workload. How did your time at Groves prepare you for your next steps? Learning how to advocate for myself prepared me for college and the workplace. I was confident and prepared to speak with my professors, colleagues, and leaders at my job. Because of the help and tools I received at Groves, I am able to describe my unique challenges and what tools I need to use to be successful. What are some of your favorite memories of Groves? There are many great memories! Being able to paint the murals at Groves (the big G in the Upper School and the big Griffin) were a lot of fun. The junior/senior camping trip where we got to do science experiments and have fun together was awesome!
Are you a Groves Alum? We'd love to hear from you. Let us know how you're doing! Please contact Ashley Gotreau at 952.915.4258 or gotreaua@grovesacademy.org. Don't forget to join the Groves Academy Alumni Association on Facebook!
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[ ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT ] willing to put in the time, I could get grades at the same level as my peers. This ended up being a critical lesson that helped me get through college. What are some of your favorite memories of Groves? The class trips were the most memorable experiences for me. The end of year bike trip to a local park and the junior/ senior camping trip come to mind. The camping trip was the first time I slept in a tent and it may have been the good weather or the good food, but this sparked a growing affection for camping. Now I choose to spend my weekends camping on the North Shore or in Wisconsin, all rooted in my first camping trip with Groves.
Kyle Cleary How long were you at Groves Academy and what were a few key things you learned? I attended Groves Academy from 7th grade through graduation. I learned so much at Groves about myself, how to interact with people, and how to learn. Recently I looked at my yearly standardized test scores which had measurable improvements year-over-year while at Groves. In my first year at Groves my scores increased 20% from the previous year in my public school! What did you do after Groves? After graduating from Groves, I spent the summer working on a golf course in northern Wisconsin then started college at Winona State University. At Winona, I worked through my four years then graduated with a double major in Business Administration and Human Resources and a minor in Business Management. After college graduation I spent the summer hiking in Japan before starting my professional career at C.H. Robinson where I have been working for more than three years. How did Groves prepare you for your next steps? Groves prepared me well. With the small class sizes, individualized attention from teachers, and flexibility I was able to develop the skills I needed for learning at my own pace. This was not something I experienced in the public school system where I felt every year I was getting further behind in my studies, overlooked and pushed to the corner. The consequence of this was that I left public school with very little self-confidence. After just one year at Groves I felt better about myself in social situations and in my ability to manage schoolwork. A key lesson I learned at Groves was that while it may take me longer to do an assignment, as long as I was
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Also, my reading and writing class with Ms. Dinapoli was memorable and ended up having a large impact on who I am today. I did not know it at the time, but Ms. Dinapoli’s class showed me that reading could be enjoyable even though it was my most challenging subject coming into Groves. The lessons learned in her class created the foundation for me to go from avoiding reading at all costs to now reading being one of my favorite hobbies. Why do you think Groves is an important asset to the Twin Cities community? Groves may appear to be just another school building that many people would recognize as they drive down Highway 100, but do not realize the importance of the school to the students, families, and teachers inside. Groves is a place where parents and children who feel lost or at a dead end with school can find hope at a new school. My hope is that with stories like mine and other alumni profiles, families will see that Groves is much more than just another school in the Twin Cities. Groves is a game-changer. What would you tell a student who was new to Groves about the school? My advice would be to take advantage of this unique environment by making friends with students who have diverse interests and backgrounds. Groves has this ability to create a unique atmosphere by pulling students that may have felt like the “outsider” in another school to a place they can feel welcome and normalized. This creates a social setting with far fewer individual cliques, so it is easier to make friends between groups with different interests. Anything else you would like to share with the Groves community? The effect Groves has had on my personal life and career is hard to articulate in a few paragraphs, but I would like to share my appreciation. I am extremely thankful to the founding Groves families for starting a school like this. I am also thankful to the individual teachers, faculty, my parents, and other students who did so much for me during my years at Groves.
[ WHY I GIVE ]
Mark Donahoe Alumni Parent and Board Emeriti Helps Groves Expand Reach "I’d like to have a wide societal impact on literacy instruction in our country and I believe Groves is the way."
Could you please describe your relationship and history with Groves? I have a personal connection with Groves because my son, Travis, attended Groves from 2007-2013. He needed Groves and I believe Groves saved his life. I was honored to serve on the Board of Trustees from 2010 to 2014, which included a number of years as Board Chair. It was an easy decision to join the Board because of the impact Groves had on my son. I saw so much potential in Groves and I knew so many students like my son needed the life-changing work of Groves. I wanted to help Groves grow as an organization and expand its reach in the community. My time on the Groves Board was dedicated to creating the systems and infrastructure needed for Groves to expand in the way it has over the past few years. We laid the groundwork for what is the Learning Center and Groves Literacy Partnerships® (GLP) today. It’s really rewarding to see. On a personal note, as a kid, I was very passionate about sports and I was excited to participate
in high school athletics. However, my freshman year, I started having debilitating headaches which made participation in sports impossible for me. I had to switch gears. With time on my hands, I started reading more and fell in love. I channeled my passion for sports to a passion for reading. This love of reading ignited my strong belief that reading and literacy for all is critical. The ability to learn to read has the dual impact of changing the trajectory of someone’s life and also making a positive impact on society. I believe it is critical for all people to learn to read because literacy levels the playing field. Why do you continue to stay connected with and financially support Groves? I was pleased to be an early supporter of Groves Literacy Partnerships, investing in the hire of current GLP Director, Katharine Campbell. I continue to support the GLP because I believe in what it's doing. I see the growth of Groves and how it fulfills my goal of teaching more students to read in our community. I continue to invest in Groves because I have seen the data and impact of Groves' work
through GLP. I believe this program can continue to grow and grow. I am also excited about the overall growth trajectory of Groves as an organization. I am at a point in my life where I am considering legacy and where I want to use my resources to make the most impact. I believe Groves can make this impact. I also stay connected because of Travis. He has graduated from college and is now working. I am proud of the man he has become and I am grateful to Groves for the role it played. What do you hope your philanthropy will accomplish? I want my philanthropy to leave a legacy. I have seen my initial investment in Groves turn into something bigger and I want that to continue. I’d like to have a wide societal impact on literacy instruction in our country and I believe Groves is the way.
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[ GROVES STAFF FEATURE ]
Lynn Giovannelli
A Groves Champion who will be missed
Over the past four years, Lynn Giovannelli, Director of Advancement, has elevated Groves through meaningful relationships, strategic philanthropy, community building, exceptional leadership, passion for literacy and equity, positive energy, and a perspective of abundance. Groves is in a better place today because of Lynn and her dedication to creating community and raising philanthropic support to fuel the important work at Groves of transforming lives through education. Among many things, Lynn’s involvement in helping to grow Groves Literacy Partnerships® through a data driven approach to philanthropy has positively affected the lives of thousands of teachers, students, and their families in our community. Lynn hired Groves’ first grant writer, Kay Gray, to help identify new partners for growth, and in conjunction with the leadership at Groves catapulted this program into a thriving catalyst for change. Lynn has also enjoyed working on the annual Groves Gala and seeing it expand its reach and quality. Lynn has loved working with the amazing
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Groves Gala committees throughout the years. When Lynn was asked about her time at Groves, she said her favorite part has been building deep and lasting relationships with all of the people who make Groves, Groves, and helping each person on the Advancement team focus on their strengths to level up to the next chapter in their career. “This has been the job of my dreams. I knew I would retire in this position, I just didn’t think it would be so soon,” Lynn shared. After an unexpected and difficult diagnosis of ALS in July of 2020, Lynn is pursuing healing and is focusing her time on her wellness journey. Lynn will continue to spend her time as an active community member, sports fan, and friend to many. She does all of this with her incredible family by her side including her husband, Gino, and their three sons Marco, Luca, and Stefano. If you’d like to get in touch with Lynn, please contact the Advancement team at 952-915-4269 or advancement@grovesacademy.org.
"Lynn Giovannelli is that extremely rare combination of exceptional leader, outstanding and passionate ambassador, and most importantly, deeply wonderful human being. She is, and will remain one of the singularly best people I know and her impact on my life, and that of Groves will resonate and reverberate well beyond her tenure. Generations of students will sow the seeds of literacy she helped plant in the years and decades to come and there isn't enough gratitude in the world for that.” -Dan Morgan President, Groves Academy
[ GROVES STAFF FEATURE ]
Jean Hayward We want to thank Jean for her incredible contribution and wish her well in her retirement.
Could you share some of your various roles at Groves? I have had many different positions at Groves over the years including: tutor, Response to Intervention (RTI) teacher in the school, Literacy Specialist in Public Schools (before Groves Literacy Partnerships® existed), Lower School classroom teacher, Math Coach, Diagnostician with Diagnostics (before The Learning Center was formed), Literacy Specialist with GLP, Tutor Coach in The Learning Center, I finished my career at Groves as a RTI Literacy Specialist for the Lower School. For those unfamiliar, response to intervention (RTI) includes tracking student growth and benchmark testing of students. We support and coach teachers and students. We also work with students who need extra help when we receive a referral from the classroom teacher. We help to focus on each individual student and create a plan to support them in and out of the classroom. It has been humbling and amazing to see the growth and the changes that have taken place at Groves during my 14 year tenure.
What is your favorite part of your role at Groves?
What will you miss the most about Groves?
The highlight of my work has been working with staff and students to provide meaningful learning experiences.
I will miss the challenge of exploring and determining the best way to provide learning experiences for teachers, students and their families.
What are some of your favorite moments while working at Groves?
What are you looking forward to in your retirement?
There is nothing like seeing new Groves students come in as non-readers and leave Groves as confident readers. Interacting with students over the years and benchmarking their progress has been extremely rewarding.
Traveling and spending time with my children and grandchildren.
In what ways have you seen Groves change over the years? As I review the positions I have held at Groves over the past 14 years, I realized that I have helped to pioneer different initiatives and now see how the programs I worked with have grown and developed into the three branches of the Groves organization. If you could describe Groves in one word what would it be? Growth - in size and scope as well as the professional development to help teachers grow and transfer knowledge into student growth. What makes Groves a special place?
“Jean is a true ‘master teacher.’ Jean has made a huge impact on both students and teachers through her work at Groves. In addition to all her work to promote literacy instruction, she led our three year implementation of Singapore Math in the Lower School. We will miss her terribly. Best of luck, Jean!” - Ellen Engstrom, Groves Academy Director of Curriculum
Groves focuses on students’ individual needs to make each learning experience truly student-focused.
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[ CLASS OF 2021 GROVES GRADUATES ]
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2021!
THOMAS BUNDY
ETHAN EILERTSON
Thomas is a creative, techsavvy, compassionate student who entertains teachers and students alike with his clever wit. He has been actively involved in Groves Snowboard and Ski Club and on the Trap Shooting team. In the fall, Thomas will attend Hennepin Tech to study Media Arts.
His sense of humor, infectious laugh, and positive attitude make Ethan stand out amongst his peers. He has worked hard in the classroom, on the basketball court, and helping on his family farm. In the fall, we know Ethan's hard work and dedication will help him to excel at Alexandria Technical & Community College.
DINAH HUNEGS
ALESHA KANER-ROTH
Dinah is a kind and caring friend with a great sense of humor and a heart of gold. She is an amazing mentor to her lower school buddy and dedicated to creative art projects. In the fall, Dinah will attend Minnesota Independence College and Community.
Alesha is a bold and creative leader who isn't afraid to stand up for others. She is a thoughtful friend, inquisitive student, and passionate activist for social justice, particularly with our Groves GSA. After high school, Alesha is excited to get a job and start college.
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THOMAS ENGER
Thomas is a thoughtful, loyal friend, and leader in our Groves community. A dedicated member of the Groves Trapshooting team, he also enjoys hunting and spending time with his friends. In the fall, Thomas plans attend the Diesel Mechanic Program at Dakota County Technical School and he dreams of owning a diesel mechanic shop.
LUCY LAMOSSE
Pottery. Drawing. Painting. Digital art. Embroidery. Stained glass. Murals. T-shirts and poster design. How blessed we have been to enjoy Lucy's artistic talents over the past few years! They are passionate, creative, and thoughtful. Lucy will take a gap year before pursuing post secondary artistic goals at Maine College of Art.
CARL FRANCHOT
Carl is leaving a lasting and profound legacy at Groves. In the classroom, he is a humble leader, dedicated student, and thoughtful writer. Outside the classroom, he has excelled in leadership positions on Student Council and Student Ambassadors. In the fall, Carl will attend Northland College in Ashland, WI where we know he will continue to shine.
MICHAEL LEBLANC
Michael brings an infectious amount of positivity, enthusiasm and kindness to our Groves community. He is fully committed to leaving the world a better and brighter place and gives his all to his leadership roles, sports teams, volunteer groups, and friendships. In the fall, Michael will attend Montana State University in Bozeman, majoring in Psychology.
On June 8th the graduates and their families gathered to celebrate a momentous occasion in every high school senior's life - graduation! This year included a small gathering to celebrate their achievements. We wish them all the best of luck in their future endeavors. JOSHUA LIGHTOWLER
Josh has an amazing sense of humor and charisma that light up the classroom. On the baseball field or basketball court, he is a dedicated athlete who enjoys living in the moment and making the best of life. In the fall, Josh will attend Hennepin Tech where we know he will excel!
QUINN MARTINSEN
When you think of Quinn, you think of a kind, caring and creative student. He is a quiet, humble leader on the Groves Trapshooting Team, budding photographer, and committed e-sports player. In the fall, Quinn will attend the University of Minnesota Duluth to study business with dreams of starting his own company.
DANIEL MCHENRY
Daniel is the ace sharpshooter on the Groves Trapshooting Team. His quirky sense of humor, strong work ethic, and endless knowledge of history make him beloved by teachers and peers! In the fall, Daniel plans attend Normandale Community College to study Archaeology.
DANIEL SCHOENFELDER
On the soccer field, basketball court, trapshooting field, track or theater stage, Daniel has left his legacy all over our Groves community! With his calm demeanor and strong work ethic, he is a kind friend and dedicated student. Daniel will attend Summit Academy in the fall.
STUDENTS TRANSITIONING FROM GROVES ACADEMY This spring Groves Academy said farewell to 29 students who confidently transitioned to 23 schools, both private and public, to continue their academic journeys. Students are transitioning to the following schools: Benilde St. Margaret’s, Orono, Minnetonka, Blake, Upper Mississippi Academy, Osseo, DeLaSalle, Rosemount, Providence Academy, Edina, Cretin Derham Hall, Eastridge, Hope Academy, and others. We will miss these students and families, and we wish them well at their new schools next fall. Please keep in touch and let us know how it’s going! Email us at advancement@ grovesacademy.org
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[ GROVES STUDENT AWARDS ]
Nash Avery Wicka Leadership through Service Award This award honors the memory of longtime Groves student Nash Wicka and furthers his legacy of compassion, empathy, and fun while acknowledging Groves students who lead others through service.
2021 RECIPIENTS:
Lower School
Middle School
Upper School
ABIGAIL DANKWERTH EMERY BADGER
ISLA MEYSENBURG
SILAS ANDERSON
B.E.N. (Be Extra Nice) Awards To honor the memory of Groves student Ben Ruedisili, each year lower, middle, and upper school students are recognized with the B.E.N. Award for demonstrating kindness and leadership throughout the school year.
2021 RECIPIENTS:
Lower School
Middle School
Upper School
FRANKIE HUGHES TWYLA LEAVITT
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GRIER JULKOWSKI
DAVI WORMAN
Groves Founder Awards It has been said that the greatest good someone can do is to develop their powers so that they may be of greater service to others. The Groves Service Award, awarded to lower school students, and the MacFarlane Award, awarded to middle school students, are presented to those who exemplify sensitivity to the needs of other students, teachers, and the community—and who exhibit academic and behavioral strengths, being all-around positive members of the Groves community.
GROVES SERVICE AWARD 2021 RECIPIENTS:
MACFARLANE AWARD 2021 RECIPIENTS:
HARLOW SONDELL SOPHIA SMITH
KYRA HAMILTON LANIE FRIEDMAN
Thomas S. Hartzell Leadership Award Thomas Hartzell was one of Groves Academy’s founders. He had deep compassion for the needs of young people with learning challenges, and Groves benefited enormously from his leadership and financial support. In his memory we are honored to present the Thomas S. Hartzell Award each year to upper school students who distinguish themselves as leaders while attending Groves Academy.
2021 RECIPIENTS:
MICHAEL LEBLANC
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[ GROVES' COMMITMENT TO MENTAL HEALTH ]
The Connection Between Mental Health and Academic Success Students' mental health and academic success continue to be at the forefront at Groves Academy, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent life stressors. These recent challenges made it abundantly clear how closely academic success and mental health are connected. The association between learning disabilities and mental health concerns has always existed. Often, there are co-occurring mental health concerns or other neurodevelopmental disorders present. Although the causes are not 100% clear, these connections are likely due to some combination of genetic, cognitive, and environmental factors. The relationship is symbiotic between mental health and academic achievement. Acknowledging this, Groves created a Mental Health Task Force (MHTF) with the purpose of bringing together a multidisciplinary team
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made up of counselors, psychologists, and school administrators to support the mental health needs of our students. The goal is to use a systematic screening process that will allow Groves to identify students' social, emotional, and behavioral needs and create a plan to continue to support their mental health needs. This past school year the MHTF created a universal screening procedure that allowed the team to identify students who are either at-risk for or experiencing difficulties with social, emotional, or behavioral skills. Next, a parent survey was compiled to obtain a better understanding of our students' current mental health needs. Lastly, the task force piloted the new universal screening procedures with a small subtest of students to determine feasibility of this system.
The systematic screening efforts include: • Groves teachers complete short questionnaires that measure students’ various mental health needs multiple times throughout the year, including social skills, feelings of anxiety or depression, or behavioral concerns. • For younger students, similar parent questionnaires will supplement teacher reports to ensure that students’ overall mental health needs are being met. • Older students supply self-ratings to provide a comprehensive picture of their current mental health development to identify any areas of concerns. These efforts will continue to help meet Groves students' overall needs and allow understanding and individualized support necessary to strengthen their mental health. The future year goals of the MHTF are to expand the procedures to all students in the school (over time), continue to monitor Groves students' needs throughout the school year, and work on longterm goals of identifying additional ways to support our students' needs. Positive mental health and academic achievement can powerfully impact one another! Strong overall mental health, well-being, and resiliency positively impacts students’ school performance. If students feel adequately supported and successful in school, this improves their self-esteem and emotional health.
When every student’s unique needs and neurodiverse brain are recognized, understood, and supported, we allow each student to showcase their strengths and true potential. Our students’ mental health needs are part of them, and it is our job as educators to understand how this part may manifest in their learning.
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[ HONORING OUR HEROES ]
Groves Heroes The faculty and staff at Groves Academy are the heroes of the 2020-21 school year. Their resilience and compassion created and maintained a positive learning environment making tranformative experiences possible for our students this school year. We asked them to share five words to describe this unique school year, as seen above.
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Some candid reflections from our teachers, tutors, and coaches: "Even though this year was exhausting as an educator, seeing the students thrive while encountering great changes, was one of the most rewarding teaching experiences of my career." "This year, more than any other year, I have seen teachers strive harder and deeper for their students. They have embraced change and the application of the science of reading to bring the best to their students. I have seen students grow because teachers have shown amazing commitment. Their growth and passion keeps me going and constantly looking forward to the next day!" "I feel as though my relationships with students strengthened through this tough time and that my skills as an educator did as well, as I needed to think outside the box and try new approaches." "Although this year was filled with many challenges, we also affirmed how adaptable we are." "Reaching outside of the box from within our Covid bubble made the Groves' community stronger and more connected." "Our staff gave the best learning experience to Groves students they could, always keeping the students in mind first with every decision that was made. Reinforced what an amazing staff and environment we have at Groves!" "What a year we have overcome with unique and flexible solutions. So very proud of our team!" "The GLP team has rallied surpassing our own expectations for the past year." "The students and I sort of switched roles-- they showed me the resilience, adaptability, and growth-mindset, and they begged for more mindfulness and self-care activities, which I usually have to promote pretty hard!"
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[ AMAZING SUPPORT FOR VIRTUAL GALA ]
You Made the 44th Annual Groves Gala a Success! On Thursday, June 17th Groves hosted its 44th Annual Groves Gala. The virtual event raised more than $600,000 to support scholarships at Groves Academy and help fund the important K-3 literacy work happening at our 64 partner schools during the upcoming 2021-2022 school year. The Gala is an annual community-wide opportunity to celebrate Groves’ mission to build confidence, success and purpose through transformative learning experiences. The event brought more than 1,000 people together online from all over the world including Groves families, alumni, grandparents, donors, and community members for a 40 minute program and exciting silent auction. Save the date for next year when Groves will host the 45th Annual Gala on Saturday April 23, 2022, where we will be able to be together in person. Proudly Sponsored by
Mark Sanger
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[ STUDENT LED SERVICE ]
G.E.A.S.E.
2020-2021 G.E.A.S.E. Leadership Team Members are: Noah Berger, Michael LeBlanc, Liv Dalby, Luca Dalsin, Paul Ellertson, Davi Worman, Ella Kahn, Silas Anderson, and Kate Woolley (not pictured)
This Spring, five different student clubs at Groves combined to make a mega group called G.E.A.S.E. that is dedicated to creating a greener Groves. G.E.A.S.E. stands for the Griffin Service Core, Electronics Club, Student Ambassadors, Student Council, Environmental Climate Club. In April, the student leaders of G.E.A.S.E. presented to Groves leadership Kim Peeples (Head of School), Dan Morgan (President), and Lawrence Graham (Director of Finance) a detailed 5-year plan. The 5-year plan includes these four initiatives: Recycling Program - educating all students and staff to be better recyclers. G.E.A.S.E. is teaming with Project Based Learning (PBL) students to design bins and create shelves with examples to organize the recycling in the lunchroom. The Upper School (US) students will take out the recycling as part of their service hours requirement. The team will create and distribute educational and promotional materials, including posters and other media. Composting Program - educating all students and staff to be better composters. PBL students will create composting bins for the lunchroom, US students will earn service hours by taking out the compost each day, and the program will be explained and promoted using various media, including “What Can and Cannot be Composted” posters in the lunchroom.
G.E.A.S.E. and PBL students will plan and build the garden beds, create a schedule for the Groves families to come and tend to the garden, and also help Groves students fulfill their service hour requirements. Solar Panels - helping the Groves building become solar energy supported and educating all Groves community members about solar energy. This is the G.E.A.S.E. team’s most ambitious undertaking. They started by talking with solar panel experts and gathering pricing information. Then they met with Groves leadership to present ideas, including the environmental benefits of solar panels, the longterm financial benefits including drastically reducing energy bills, and showing the community that Groves is committed to greener practices. G.E.A.S.E. also met with the Groves Advancement and Marketing teams to get input and feedback on their ideas, and together, they have come up with a proposal about how to fund their plans. Stay tuned on the exciting things happening with these student leaders who are committed to making a greener Groves!
Groves Garden - teaching Groves community members how to build and maintain the new gardens. CONNECTIONS | SUMMER 2021
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[ LITERACY FOR ALL ] Over the course of the year, the percentage of GLP students who were high-risk readers in our partner schools decreased from 31% to 22%.
Oral Reading Fluency Assessment Data Groves is closing the gap despite the additional challenges our partner schools faced this year, which included distance learning.
FALL 2020-2021 16%
31% Above Grade Level At Grade Level Moderate Risk High Risk
This data represents the oral reading assessments of 2,955 students in grades 1-3 who were tested in both fall and spring of the 2020-2021 school year.
39%
14%
SPRING 2020-2021 During the 2020-2021 school year Groves Literacy Partnerships® (GLP) impacted 47 schools and 289 classrooms.
19%
22% Above Grade Level At Grade Level Moderate Risk High Risk
15% 43% Kindergarten students in GLP partner schools* do not take the oral reading fluency assessment. *Nellie Stone, Jenny Lind, and St. Paul City School are not included in this data set because they use a different screening tool. Important Note: These norms are based on data from a non-COVID school year.
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Groves Literacy Partnerships® Pilots New Literacy Summer Program New for summer 2021, Groves Literacy Partnerships® (GLP) expanded its impact to deliver summer school to more than 500 students in six Minneapolis charter schools and one school site of Minneapolis Public Schools. This new summer program was specifically designed to help students with the highest need through literacy training and coaching of summer teaching staff. This program supported both schools with existing Groves literacy partnerships and schools that were new to GLP. While this program was initiated to remediate learning loss due to COVID-19, we hope to continue summer literacy programs in the future.
GLP Funders We are grateful to the generous donors whose investment in Groves is helping change the way literacy is taught, one student, one teacher, and one school at a time. Jayne Carey-Peterson
Prospect Creek Foundation
Carlson Family Foundation
Great MN Schools Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation
Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE)
Sandra and Richard Haddad Steve Hall and Danny Della Lana
Walser Foundation
The Ciresi Walburn Foundation for Children
Cindee and Kevin McCarthy
Mark Donahoe
Otto Bremer Trust
Old National Bank Foundation
Sauer Family Foundation Steve and Jeannie Wanek WEM Foundation
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[ COMMITMENT TO EQUITABLE EDUCATION ]
Psychoeducational Assessment for All (PAA) Program Update Despite the challenges brought by COVID-19 and schools moving to distance learning, Groves’ commitment to deliver equitable educational experiences to all students continued during the 2020-21 school year as its Psychoeducational Assessment for All (PAA) program met its goal of delivering 20 no cost comprehensive diagnostic evaluations to students attending three underserved elementary schools in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Each school is a participant in the Groves Literacy Partnerships’® (GLP) initiative addressing the literacy achievement gap through the delivery of teacher training and coaching embedded in evidence-based literacy instruction and curriculum. A collaboration between the Groves Learning Center and GLP, the PAA program brings the Learning Center’s expertise in providing diagnostic evaluations to children at risk for academic failure. The diagnostic evaluation provides a comprehensive assessment of cognitive, academic, social-emotional and behavioral functioning. From the evaluation the Learning Center’s psychologists are able to identify potential diagnoses that allow school professionals and parents to implement crucial accommodations and recommendations for individualized student support. Of the evaluations
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completed between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, all students were diagnosed with some type of learning disability, including, but not limited to, ADHD and dyslexia diagnoses ranging from moderate to severe. With 100% of families offered a follow-up session with the psychologist to discuss their child’s evaluation results, there was a 91% success rate in meeting with the family. This was a significant accomplishment in that for many of these families they had to overcome transportation, language, work challenges and COVID-19 school cancellations and restrictions to meet with the psychologist. The disruption brought by the pandemic to classroom instruction has only intensified the recognition by the PAA team that the need for comprehensive diagnostic evaluations at underserved schools is vast and deep. With PAA relying solely on philanthropic support, it is still the hope to add a fourth school to the program and complete 30 assessments during the 2021-22 school year. PAA’s overall goal is to deliver equitable and accessible psychoeducational evaluations to all students regardless of circumstances.
PARENT AND EDUCATOR TESTIMONIALS "Our school has been so tremendously blessed to be a recipient of the PAA program from Groves Academy. As a small school serving an underserved population, our families would never have been able to have these assessments completed for their children. The Groves staff made it so simple and unassuming for our families. They met the families at our site to fill out the paperwork, making it even more comfortable for parents. Assessments are completed at our site as well as the follow-up parent meeting. Teachers and parents then take this important information and target instruction to meet the student's needs. I cannot say enough how thankful we are to have been a part of this program! It literally has been life-changing for some of our families." -School Principal "I kept beating myself up as a parent, thinking I was doing something wrong. I now feel like I have answers and a path to take to support my son."
To learn more or to support this program, please contact advancement@grovesacademy.org
-Parent response during a follow-up feedback session
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[ GROVES LEARNING CENTER ]
What is Speech-Language Therapy and Who Can Benefit? by Meghan Miller, Director of Groves Speech-Language Pathology, ADHD Certified Educator - M.S., CCC-SLP, ADHD-CE “But my child talks just fine…” is often the response I get from parents when I first recommend that they have their student participate in a speech/language assessment. This is such a common misconception, but the truth is, speech is a small part of what we focus on in speech-language therapy. At Groves, it’s really the LANGUAGE part of speech-language therapy that our students need. We work with students from Groves Academy and from our broader community who are diagnosed with specific learning disorders, ADHD/Executive Functioning deficits, or often both. Our goals with students target reading comprehension, vocabulary development, sentence structure/grammar, telling narratives, writing, etc. BUT, before we can target any of those skills, we have to target executive
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functioning. Executive functioning is, after all, foundational to learning. In order to learn, students need to be able to attend to the material, organize their ideas, plan ahead, manage their time, be flexible when plans change, and be able to reflect on their work to continue to improve. Speech-language therapy at Groves always includes an executive functioning component, as all students, even those without a diagnosed disorder, have difficulty with executive functioning because that part of the brain does not fully develop until adulthood. Understanding language (both spoken and written) and expressing oneself are huge keys to success in academic (and really all) environments. Language is involved in every
part of a student’s day from following directions during gym class, solving word problems in math, communicating with peers at lunch and recess, writing a paper for social studies or reading the instructions for a project in art class. If a student has a hard time understanding spoken language or expressing themselves effectively, it will affect all parts of their day. Between 5-10% of children have a language disorder, making it the most common developmental disability of childhood according to the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Many students who do not have a language disorder, but have a learning disorder in reading/writing or ADHD/executive functioning deficits, also need support in developing strong language skills.
If your student experiences any of the following difficulties, it may be helpful to have them assessed by a speech-language pathologist:
2020-2021 Groves Academy Board of Trustees Trish Blake Dan Deikel, Treasurer G. Bryan Fleming
• Uses vague language like “thing” or “stuff” when speaking
Tom Grover
• Has trouble answering comprehension questions
Travis Hansberger
• Has a hard time remembering words or using them correctly
Dr. Kathryn Hecht
• Waits to see what others are doing before getting started • Gives responses that are not related to the question or are not specific • Has a limited vocabulary compared to other students their age • Gives short/simple answers to complex questions • Does not tell stories in a logical way or with enough context for you to understand • Remembers details but not the main idea or “big picture” • Does not understand jokes/sarcasm
David Iverson Damon Johnson Scott Lang, Secretary Cindee McCarthy Meredith McGuirk, Vice Chair Dan Morgan, President Megan Prindiville, Chair Ellen Stewart
For information about speech-language evaluations and/or therapy at Groves Academy please call 952-920-6377 or visit grovesacademy.org/learning-center/speech-therapy
Deborah Sundal Jennifer Weeks
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[ GROVES HIGHLIGHTS ]
All School Talent Show Groves held its annual All School Talent Show on April 15th. The talent show was live-streamed to each classroom, and recorded for parents and families to view in the future. Groves students of all divisions showed their unbelievable talents which included juggling, singing, group acts, dancing, and more.
Groves invests in its employees with new Employee Assistance Program This was a stressful year for most and in response, Groves made an investment to support its employees with a new Employee Assistance Program. The program is for all Groves staff who may be experiencing stress, trauma, or other life events and it helps staff access professionals who can support them during a difficult time.
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Upper School Students perform Wizard of Oz
Groves Parent Book Club Going Strong
Simon McAllister and the talented upper school students did it again with their spectacular annual spring performance of the play The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Laramie Dean based on the L. Frank Baum novel.
Led by Head of School, Kim Peeples, the Groves Parent Book Club chose Whistling Vivaldi by Claude Steele for their book study this year. The purpose of the book club is to create relationships amongst the Groves parent community while engaging parents in deeper discussions.
The show was performed in a pandemic friendly theatre-in-theround style in the Groves gym with 12 actors and 6 crew. This was the first production with a school audience since fall 2019. Simon shared, “All the students at Groves possess amazing qualities, but just like Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Lion and Woodman, sometimes they need a little help to find them. Also, with the pandemic we all had to dig deep and find new resilience and qualities we perhaps never knew we had. So coming out of the pandemic is a little like returning to Kansas.”
50th Anniversary Kick Off Save the Date - Groves is turning 50 and we need your help! We are in the planning stages of a wonderful 50th Anniversary celebration of Groves in 2022. We’d love your help celebrating this big milestone. We want to hear your Groves memories and stories. Please reach out to Ashley Gotreau at gotreaua@ grovesacademy.org or 952.915.4258 to share your memories.
Groves and University of St. Thomas partner to develop New Essential Literacy Instruction Course Groves developed a new online self-guided course, “Essential Literacy Instruction” in partnership with the University of St. Thomas. This new educational program is created for Elementary Educators & Reading Specialists to underscore the importance of teaching literacy using an approach based on the Science of Reading. Through this new partnership, Groves is sharing the research-validated teaching methods developed in our school to advance literacy instruction with other teachers and schools in the community. Our aim with the Essential Literacy Course is to give educators everywhere access to literacy instruction methods based on the science of reading, impacting thousands of students to ensure they receive proven literacy instruction.
Groves Academy Trap Team Wins State! The Groves Academy Trap Team won the State Championship in June in Alexandria, MN, taking 1st place in the Class 1A small school division, out of the 72 teams that competed. The team consists of 17 students - Nate Bjeldanes, Justin Bruggeman, Thomas Bundy, Luca Dalsin, Calvin Emrick, Thomas Enger, Caleb Ertel, Matthew Gilboe, Tom Iverson, Jace Jermeland, Quinn Martinsen, Daniel McHenry, Jonathan Murphy, David Nicklawske, Benji Paxton, Wyatt Schurtz-Ford, and Ethan Taccone. Grove’s top shooter, Daniel McHenry, hit 99 out of 100 targets, tying him with 3 other athletes for the top score out of 700 competitors. Congratulations to the entire team. You make us proud!
The course was written by Ellen Engstrom, the Director of Curriculum at Groves Academy, working closely with a University of St. Thomas course designer.
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[ WAYS TO GIVE ]
Make a Difference in the Life of a Student Your generous support transforms the lives of thousands of students and their families. Groves Academy appreciates a variety of donation types. • Gifts of appreciated stock support students while providing tax benefits to donors.
• A donor-advised fund is a great way to support
Groves Academy and differs slightly from other giving mechanisms. You may make contributions into your donor-advised fund (DAF) account, and subsequently, recommend distributions to Groves from the fund. Please contact your sponsoring organization to advise on a donation.
• Planned Giving through estate planning continues your legacy of support into perpetuity.
• Tribute Gifts celebrate special events, people, or
• Matching Gifts increase the impact of your gift.
Corporate matching gifts are a great way for Groves to maximize personal contributions. By utilizing a company’s matching gift benefit, you may be able to double or even triple your gift (depending on the program).
• Monthly giving allows for easy, ongoing
planning and delivery of transformative learning experiences. Set it and forget it.
• Amazon Smile allows a portion of your eligible purchase price from Amazon to be donated to Groves Academy.
memorialize loved ones.
Donate online at grovesacademy.org/support/donate, call 952-915-4269, or send a check to: 3200 Highway 100 S, St. Louis Park, MN 55416 Questions? Contact Becky Busselman at 952-915-4269 or busselmanb@grovesacademy.org. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to transforming lives through education.
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OUR MISSION
OUR VISION
We build confidence, success, and purpose through transformative learning experiences.
To redefine the way our nation is taught, one student, one teacher, and one school at a time.
OUR VALUES At the heart of Groves Academy is a community where students, families, faculty, and staff are engaged with a sense of belonging, sharing, and support. As a community, integrity and respect are intrinsic in everything we do.
AUTHENTICITY
COLLABORATION
DISCOVERY
We are genuine, honest, and open in our relationships, our actions, and our words.
We gain energy when we are working together and recognize our decisions and actions are better when we engage as a team.
We have a passion to persistently learn, explore, and innovate.
COMPASSION
TENACITY
We embrace each other’s differences and value our unique abilities, personalities, and styles.
We are driven to take risks, to advocate, and to encounter challenges with boldness and a firm resolve.
Groves News and Blog Never miss an update. Don’t forget to sign up on the Groves website for news and blog updates- and follow us on social media for the most up-to-date information. Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube
We want to hear from you! Share your news, success story, or meaningful moment about Groves. Please visit https://bit.ly/3orymeq to tell us how you're doing.
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3200 HIGHWAY 100 SOUTH ST. LOUIS PARK, MN 55416 GROVESACADEMY.ORG
Watch recordings of Groves virtual workshops at grovesacademy.org Groves workshops are a free and open resource to the community. They cover an array of learning disability and attention disorderrelated topics, as well as mindfulness, executive functioning, anxiety, IEP plans, and more. The workshops are presented by Groves on-staff experts, as well as outside experts who are recognized as authorities in their fields. Watch for our 2021-2022 Community Workshops Season Announcement!
Find out more at grovesacademy.org/learning-center/workshops-events
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