Sceptre winter15

THE SCEPTRE Volume 24, Number 2

Winter 2015

• 2015 Distinguished Graduate Linda Sullins Ballew • National Junior Honor Society Induction • Catholic Schools Week & Student News A Publication of Christ the King School, Nashville, TN • A Primary Education Ministry of Christ the King Parish

A MESSAGE FROM MRS. WOODMAN Dear Families and Friends,

Our celebration of Catholic Schools Week each year is a time that we recognize those in our community who support our mission and honor those aspects of our school that make it unique. The students will quickly tell you that their favorite parts of the week are the 8th grade vs. faculty basketball game and pajama day. Those two traditions inject a sense of fun and belonging into dreary January. However, if you ask them to think about why CKS is special, they provide some thoughtful responses.

PreK and Kindergarten students tell us they love learning about Jesus, having P.E. in our gym, the treasure box, their senior service helpers from Fr. Ryan High School, their teachers, and being at school with their family members. Lower elementary students love the bond they form with their middle school buddies. Older students mention the strong relationships they form with friends and caring adults. Attending Mass regularly in the church with Fr. Dexter and Fr. Hammond is a treasured time of the week for all ages.

Students realize they are receiving an exceptional education. They admire their teachers and the extra time given to make sure everyone learns. A delightfully surprising number mention math as a favorite subject in which they feel they are challenged to learn and excel. Having the opportunity to experience STEM activities in the science lab, join in extracurricular clubs and sport teams, and participate in service projects to help others are all ways that students feel their CKS experience is enriched. Students are also proud of the beautiful campus that we enjoy each day.

The resounding themes that emerged in students’ Catholic Schools Week reflections are community, faith, friendship, learning, service, and fun in a small, family-like environment. How affirming that those qualities are exactly the ones expressed in our school vision and mission statement! Christ the King School is indeed a special place where we go about the business of educating God’s children. I am ever grateful that you, our parents, grandparents, parishioners, staff, alumni, relatives, and friends, experience a piece of this joyful school along with me.

Sincerely, Mrs. Sherry Woodman Principal We have some very exciting news to share: On March 22nd, Fr. Dexter will be running in the Rome, Italy Marathon on behalf of Christ the King School. All proceeds raised will support the ongoing and rising costs associated with operating our school. What a blessing it is for us to have such a supportive pastor! Thank you, Fr. Dexter, for reminding us and our children that we are a community of Christ, in spirit and service.

SAVE THE DATE(S) Please help us show our gratitude as we send Father off and celebrate his return with a big bang!

March 13th at 1:30p: Pep Rally Send Off, March 30th at 2:00p Victory Lap Around the School.

For more information on how to support Fr. Dexter and CKS, please contact: Kate Evertsen, Development Director, Christ the King School, kate.evertsen@cks-nashville.org, (615) 777-8975

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from Mrs. Woodman/Dexter Dash..............................................2 2015 CKS Distinguished Graduate.......................................................3 Distinguished Graduate Continued.......................................................4 National Junior Honor Society/KC Free Throw Winners....................... 5 Catholic Schools Week..........................................................................6 Catholic Schools Week..........................................................................7 Dates to Remember ...............................................................................8

On the Cover: Ms. Brennan Ballew Fischer, daughter of our 2015 Distinguished Graduate, Mrs. Linda Sullins Ballew, receives the award for her mother posthumously, from Mrs. Sherry Woodman.

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CKS DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE LINDA SULLINS BALLEW CLASS OF 1964

by Nancy Ensminger Rohling ‘64 It had been forty years since high school graduation when our enthusiastic and lively group of classmates reunited in October 2008. Many among this amazing group of girls also claimed Christ the King School as our alma mater – Class of 1964.

Our gathering in 2008 was filled with laughter and excitement as we became reacquainted with fellow classmates; caught up with one another’s lives; and, best of all, recalled many wonderful moments from the past. Looking back, several of us remember Linda Sullins Ballew that night, telling tales on herself and others as we shared happy memories of our school days together. Linda had not changed a bit--still the friendly, outgoing, youthful, spirited person everyone remembered–and still quite the storyteller! That was one thing every CKS graduate remembered from our eighth grade year – we could not wait to get to school each morning and read the next chapter of Linda’s latest “soap opera.”

Thinking back to that night, some also remember Linda talking briefly but enthusiastically about her latest endeavor as a “life coach”…many having no idea what a “life coach” even was! And as we all went our separate ways that evening, Linda continued to urge fellow classmates to get together more often…maybe even monthly...in fact, gather at her home anytime.

Who would have dreamed that one year later Linda would begin the fight of her life. On November 4, 2013 she wrote, “four years ago today a perfectly strong and healthy me fell on the tennis court for no apparent reason. That’s the day ALS began.”

Linda’s battle continued for less than five years, and over those years Linda never once wavered from the strong, cheerful, upbeat person we all knew. Her Facebook page was filled with updates and stories and inspirational messages from this incredibly courageous woman. During this time Linda wrote “C’mon people, give life all you’ve got. Give yourself, your gifts and talents, your smiles and cartwheels. Give your precious time and your undivided attention. Cast your unbridled love across the day. Sleep well. Repeat.”

Her bedroom became the vantage point from which Linda now took great delight in early evening sunsets, and the computer became her window on a “pink sky” world. Not surprisingly, Linda took every advantage of this opportunity…communicating with her army of admirers…until finally succumbing to her debilitating disease in August 2014. Many of Linda’s classmates from SBA and CKS were on hand to bid her farewell, but we were quite unprepared to hear about the Linda Sullins Ballew none of us actually knew!

Linda’s path had taken her in several interesting directions, and the impact she had made at every turn was significant: pediatric assistant at Old Harding Road Pediatrics, teaching assistant and dance instructor at Franklin Road Academy, student and assistant to the director of mass communications at MTSU, special events and development coordinator at Centerstone, vice-president of development at YWCA, and director of special projects at The Harnisch Foundation. But her favorite job along the way was always that of mother and grandmother.

Ruth Ann Leach Harnisch shared her heartfelt words at Linda’s funeral and further emphasized her varied and unique accomplishments. “Our dear friend and longtime colleague Linda Ballew, “Lindy” to those who were privileged enough to be among her intimates, made her transition on August 7, 2014. We will miss her unremitting sunshine in a sometimes shady world—Lindy always chose to see the best in everyone and everything.

“We met Linda when she intrigued us with a fundraising proposal for a Tennessee-based nonprofit. She went on to other development work, continuing to wrangle grants from us on the sheer force of her persuasive personality. Eventually we couldn’t resist inviting her to become a part of our team.

Ruth Ann also referred to their team’s use of “thinking hats” when trying to solve a problem--derived from a critical think-

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CKS DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE cont’d ing concept where people look at problems wearing different colored hats. For instance, “Black Hat thinking” looks at things critically, cautiously. “Red Hat thinking” looks at the emotional aspects of a decision. “Yellow Hat thinking” sees the benefits, the positives and possibilities, accepts the inherent good in a thing or person, and sees the payoff despite obstacles. Linda was a “Yellow Hat Thinker”! She always saw the possibilities, the good. She lived life looking inside herself and others, accepting people and situations, even when circumstances were not favorable. She looked for the greater meaning and always looked for the positive, even in the face of tragedy.

Also according to Ruth Ann,”Linda knew long before these last years that we are made of spirit, that we are one, that our highest purpose is to see the divine in each other and ourselves. Lindy purposed herself to apply her experience and talents to good works and to find joy by sharing her gifts with the world. She did it as a teacher, forever influencing so man others; she did it as a dancer, contagiously bursting with physical grace and energy; she did it as a fundraiser, recognizing that fundraising is essentially relationship building--raising millions of dollars for institutions that ease the suffering of the least among us in this world--truly God’s hands on earth; she did it as an executive, leading a nonprofit that became The Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School’s teaching affiliate McLean Hospital.

“Lindy organized and led many, many initiatives to bring together leaders in academic research in the field of professional coaching. Through it all, Lindy’s “Yellow Hatness” managed to smooth over a lot of internationally ruffled feathers to create a cohesive community of coaches who continue to support each other in their work around the world. There is an entire body of academic, peer-reviewed, high quality research undergirding the profession of coaching now that did not exist before Lindy took leadership of the project. In honor of her contributions to the field, the Harvard Coaching Conference will present the first annual Linda S. Ballew Lecture, better known as ‘The Lindy Lecture’ on September 12th (2014). The topic of this annual lecture will be ‘Self-Acceptance.’

Nobody taught that better than Lindy.

“As long as we’re making grants, we’ll ask ourselves, ‘What Would Lindy Want?’ We know she would always want us to err on the side of sunshine, dancing, and love. Especially love.”

Above: Some of the family of Linda Sullins Ballew, husband David L. Ballew, grandsons, Cole and Campbell Fischer, and daughter, Brennan Ballew Fischer.

It didn’t take long following Linda’s funeral for our group of classmates to see the possibilities in coming together more frequently. We could honor Linda by making her dream come true, and we would call ourselves The Yellow Hatters (or some such name). This time around we would not drop the ball. Several of us even met for lunch that very day, and many of our classmates have gathered regularly since—with our group growing larger each and every month. The laughter and camaraderie continue, and Linda is always with us in spirit. One of our CKS classmates even attended the “Coaching in Leadership and Healthcare Conference” in Boston last September 12th where “The Linda S. Ballew Lecture” was prominently featured in the Institute’s brochure. In addition, the conference program included a dedication to “Linda S. Ballew who worked tirelessly with Ruth Ann Harnisch to found and fund the Institute of Coaching. We honor Linda, her contribution to creating the Institute, and her commitment to beauty and excellence.”

Linda Sullins Ballew grew up only a few blocks from Christ the King where she walked to and from school for eight years.

She hardly traveled much further from home for her high school years at St. Bernard Academy or her college years at Memphis State University and MTSU. Linda married and raised her two children in the Nashville area as well…always remaining close to her original roots. But life ultimately propelled Linda far beyond Christ the King and far beyond her Nashville community in many impressive ways; in fact, Linda’s work impacted countless individuals and had far-reaching influence across the country and around the world.

We are proud to claim Linda Sullins Ballew as one of our own at Christ the King School. We honor her, recognize her tremendous accomplishments, salute her generous and loving spirit, and wish for Linda an eternity of “yellow hats” and “pink skies.” www.ctk.org/school

NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY

On February 23rd, new members were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. We congratulate the following new inductees:

New Members: Emily Brackman, Rebecca Darke, Samantha Grover, Nadia Hobeika, Danielle Meacham, Kendall Rosinski, Tori Rowan, Grant Tinsey, Isaac Vandenbergh, Joseph Wehby, Current and alumni members pictured: Front row-Grant Tinsey, Isaac Vandenbergh, Sam Estepp, Macie Long, Anna Cate Burke, Samantha Grover, Nadia Hobeika, Emily Brackman, Rebecca Darke, Ashlynn Caylor, Tori Rowan, Kendall Rosinski, Regan Rosiinski, McKenzie Mathew, Owen Chamness. Back row-Jack Morgan, Luke Tinsey ‘12, Joseph Wehby, Stephen Shahan, Sarah Wehby ‘11, Carolyn Darke ‘14, Rachel Grover ‘11, Rachel Cullison, Audrey Heinemann, Anna Warner, Danielle Meacham, Rachel McHenry, Sebastian Jones, Seamus O’Connell, Patrick Beacom ‘13.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FREE THROW WINNERS SCHOOL LEVEL KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FREE THROW WINNERS: (1st row) Patrick Warner, Henry Zenor, Patrick Graham, Kailey Nicholson, and Sydney Long. (2nd row) Rebecca Darke, Sam Estepp, Emily Healy, Nick Dumas, Joseph Wehby, Susanna Donnelly, and Lilly Wilder.

The District Free Throw Champs from CKS who competed against other parochial school winners are Kailey Nicholson, Sydney Long, Susanna Donnelly, Patrick Warner, Lilly Wilder, Nick Dumas, Rebecca Darke, and Sam Estepp. They go on to compete in the Regional Free Throw contest on March 22nd. Go Raiders! www.ctk.org/school

STUDENT NEWS

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK: It was a fun-filled week. We celebrated our Parish with special THANKS and treats on Sunday; Monday - we wrote cards of thanks to our community workers (police officers, postmen, garbage men, etc.); Tuesday - a beautiful school Mass and the recognition of our 2015 Distinguished Graduate, as well as a Vocations Panel which included Mr. Richard Chambers, FRHS teacher; Rick Musacchio, TN Register; Betty Lou Burnett, CKS Alum, Holy Family Church, JA Diocesan Contact; Sr. Regina Mary, Dominican; Sr. Mary Anthony, Dominican, and later in the afternoon a visit from the Brentwood Chick-Fil-A Cow who brought free ice cream for all at the Ice Cream Social; Wednesday - Teacher Appreciation, ; Thursday; Parent Appreciation with kids in PJs and no homework, and Friday - Student Appreciation which included 8th grade vs Faculty Rivalry Basketball Game (8th grade victorious (officiated by special refs/students: Dylan Timmons, Lilly Wilder and Thomas Wesnofske, and special snack Scavenger Hunt and the teachers/staff in school uniform.

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CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

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THE SCEPTRE

NASHVILLE, TENN. PERMIT NO. 2987

Christ the King Church 3001 Belmont Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37212 www.ctk.org/school

Serving the Families of Christ the King, Cathedral, Holy Family, Holy Name, Saint Ignatius, Saint Patrick, and Saint Phillip

DATES TO REMEMBER March 2-13 13

16-20 22 23 30

April 2 Iowa Assessments/CogATs 3 1:30p Dexter Dash Send5 Off 6 Spring Break 13-17 Dexter Dash Marathon 17 Summer Uniforms Begin 20-21 2:00p Dexter Dash Victory Lap

Holy Thursday-No School Good Friday-No School Easter Sunday Easter Monday-No School Scholastic Book Fair Shakespeare Production Science Fair

23 28

Talent Show 7:00p Confirmation

May 3 4-7 8 10

11:00a First Communion 8th Grade Trip 8th Grade Rest Day Mother’s Day

13 15 22 25 27 28

Academic Banquet PreK/Kdg Field Day 1st-8th Field Day Memorial Day-No School 9:30a Spelling Bee Last Day of School 8:15a EOY Awards 12:00p Dismissal 7:00p Graduation

The students had an extended Winter Break, as Nashville was hit with a winter storm that gave us four snow days.