Pp winter 2015 final w

W I NTER 2015

The Park Parent in this issue: LEARNING THROUGH PLAY // 2 ENGINEERING DESIGN COACH // 3 PA AS VC FUND // 4 ASK DR. O // 9 AROUND THE LIBRARY // 10

The Park Community Tree b y HARLYN AIZLEY, Park Parent Editorial Board

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n the 1930’s, when Park drawing teacher Louise Ames Norman designed the School’s logo, she

chose the image of a tree to exemplify

Park’s commitment to “Simplicity and Sincerity.” In 1971 when The Park School moved to Goddard Avenue, Head of School Bob Hurlbut adopted the large tree near the main athletic field as a reflection of the School’s charter. So it’s no surprise earlier this year, when the front entrance to the School was being

redesigned, that the administration had the idea of somehow including a tree. In the hands of the Parents’ continued on page 6

Is Latin Dead? A Contrario! b y P E T E R F R U M KI N , Park Parent Editorial Board

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atie Reardon just was entering middle school when her father told her she had to study Latin.

She already spoke Spanish and didn’t think she

needed another language.

vo l u me 48 nu mb e r 2 a pub lication of the park s c h o o l parent s’ assoc iation

“He was adamant,” Katie said. “He knew that it was beneficial in so many ways between helping my English and expanding my language skills beyond the modern languages.” And he stressed that there was a lot of culture and history that comes with the study of this ancient tongue.

Katie fell in love with it. She studied Latin all the way through high school. In college she majored in Classics. Then she went continued on page 7

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

Early Childhood Education at Park B y A NNE HARVEY KILBURN, Park Parent Editorial Board

Pre-Kindergarteners with teachers Hilary Fabre, Betsy Platt and Pre-K Associates Elizabeth Jansen and Patricia Espinosa on a recent fall day

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s my child finishes up her ninth year at Park and heads off to high school next year, I can’t help but reminisce about those early years and how important they are

to navigating the older grades, getting along in the world, and learning how to make transitions in life. The wonderful journey that is The Park School begins with Pre-K and Kindergarten.

Park’s Pre-K teachers, Betsy Platt and Hilary Fabre, are respectively in their 27th and 28th years at Park. The four- and five-year olds they taught at the beginning of their careers are now in their early thirties! That’s a lot of early childhood education practice.

“This age is all about magical things,” Betsy, a former costume designer, reflects. “They love dressing up, finger painting, playing with dinosaurs. They have that sense of wonder and openness,” says Hilary, who worked at Harvard’s Child Care Center early in her career. “They’re absolutely joyful and our job is to protect that sacred state of wonder.”

Betsy and Hilary build a sense of community in Pre-K guided by the responsive classroom concept, a research-based approach to education that is associated with greater teacher effectiveness, higher student achievement, and improved school climate (https://www.responsiveclassroom.org). “It requires a lot of improvisation!” notes Hilary. From Pre-K plays to sing-a-longs in the “race around” with Pre-K Associate, Patricia Espinoza, there’s a lot of “behind-the-scenes teaching work” being done to make the community a cozy, smaller space within the larger Park School.

Yet, the proximity to older students is a real benefit to these young children. As they interact with students in Grades I, III, and V, they learn to listen, respect others, give compliments, clean up, care for

The Park Parent // PAGE 2

each other, and use words to negotiate their world. To the passing eye, it may just look like a lot of play, yet teachers are consistently embedding math concepts, encouraging inventive spelling, and gently guiding childrens’ explorations.

Parents visit the classrooms to talk about what they do for work, which introduces children to a wide range of topics in social studies, science, and math. The children spend time outdoors as well, building fairy houses and exploring nature. A love of science and inquiry comes naturally at this age and teachers find many ways to give them tactile learning experiences as well as lots of decoding for reading.

While much of the process of teaching four- and five-year olds hasn’t changed over the past decades, diversity education stands out as a key component of the curriculum that has evolved and continues to be a work in progress. Along with the School becoming more self-aware, “mirrors” for children are used to explore socioeconomic, family formation, cultural, and race differences. Both Betsy and Hilary echo each other, “We all need to embrace this change and try to imbue some of that same sense of wonder that is wired in young children.”

As if by magic as I was writing this piece, I came across a post on Facebook by Kindergarten teacher Leah Dunn Rossi: “Sometimes kids remind me of the most important things...

Me(looking at our class picture) “I don’t like the way I look in this picture” Kid “It doesn’t matter how you look, it matters how you love.”

Out of the mouths of babes…

HEAD’s LINES

Science Challenge Results in Creation of Engineering Design Coach at Park B y M ICHAE L ROBINSON, Head of School

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n her article, Making Sense of the World, teacher-scientistauthor Shirley Malcom writes,

“If people are shaped by their experiences—and I believe they are—then all of my experiences as a scientist and as a parent have convinced me that science, mathematics, and technology matter for young children because they matter to young children. As children set the table, match their socks, or reach for their jackets, boots, and mittens on a snowy day; as they learn to cook or play with bath toys, they amass experiences that set them up for the punch line. And the punch line is this: We live in a world that is governed by rules, where some outcomes are predictable, where knowledge can be uncovered, where questions can be asked and answered.”

Citing decades of research and curriculum work conducted by the National Council on Science and Technology Education, Malcom asserts that to thrive and contribute to our increasingly scientific and technological world, children will need a solid understanding of how the world works and how we humans have come to know what we know. Just as important as the ability to acquire useful knowledge is the ability and inclination to apply that knowledge in new contexts to solve problems.

With this as the backdrop, I am very pleased to announce the creation of a new position at The Park School, the Engineering Design Coach. Having successfully completed the Science Challenge in 2014—a fundraising drive under the umbrella of the Park21 strategic plan—funds were very generously given by the Lynch Foundation and matched by a group of equally generous donors to support and grow Park’s science curriculum. The end result was an initiative to bring a strong applied science and engineering arc to Park’s already strong science curriculum. Over the past two years, robotics was introduced in nearly all grades, in short but impactful units. Now, I am proud to announce the creation of the Engineering Design Coach position to further realize these ambitious and exciting goals.

What is “engineering design,” you may ask? While many of us think of “design” as belonging to the visual or decorative arts, it actually describes a very important movement in education, as well as in many different fields including business. Design in the educational world encompasses engineering (how things work),

organization (how things are structured), presentation (how things are organized visually and presented technologically), and interdisciplinary composition (how different subject areas work together and feed off one another.)

Design as a concept forms the basis for the innovation labs which are sprouting up in classrooms from Kindergartens to universities.

Engineering design focuses specifically on applied science curriculum, creating synergy among disciplines, perhaps most obviously between math and an ever-expanding palette of technological tools. We are excited to be leaning into this interdisciplinary realm, providing a more connected way for our students to use and absorb what they are learning in math, science, and technology.

Innovative engineering design experiences are authentic, real-world challenges designed for creative problem-solving. At Park, we will steer the students’ design challenges toward the realm of social responsibility, solving problems that help others, and fostering empathy in our students as citizens of a larger world. Age-appropriate design challenges will target effective communication, interpersonal intelligence, self-management of both time and materials, original problem-solving, various technologies, and grit. Grit and determination will be especially important as students move through the process of identifying a challenge, generating potential solutions, designing and testing their hypotheses, and most importantly, working through failures and refinements. Engineering design work is empowering for both students and teachers. While it places teachers in a facilitative role where answers are often unknown, it also positions students to become confident innovators who can work and think critically, creatively, and collaboratively. In addition, the powerful connections students make through the design thinking process engages them both mentally and physically in their own learning, leading to a greater ability to retain and apply newly-developed continued on page 8

WINTER 2015 // PAGE 3

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

The Park PA: A Mini “VC Fund” for Great School Initiatives B y L A U RA BARKAN, PA President-elect and Jen Eielson, PA Treasurer

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any of us contribute hours helping the Park School

Parents’ Association (PA)—a vibrant community of volunteers made up of 22 committees dedicated to helping make Park a better place for students, teachers, and parents.

We are often asked “Where do the funds we raise in the PA go and how do they help the School?” Funds are thoughtfully allocated across four broad initiatives that are aligned with the PA mission: 1) Student Support; 2) Faculty Support; 3) Parent Support; 4) Community Building.

STUDENT SUPPORT At 38 percent of the PA’s overall budget, funding for Student Support is the largest category of PA expenditures and supports new and exciting initiatives that enrich students’ experiences at Park. There are three types of grants for Student Support, for which Faculty are required to apply:

A terrific example of a “Branch Grant” that the PA recently approved is to purchase Kibo Robotics Kits for the lower and middle divisions. Lower Division Head Kimberly Formisano remarks, “The PA funding allowed us to provide developmentally appropriate opportunities for students to use coding skills while incorporating the concepts of Design Thinking into the curriculum.”

Examples of FY 2015 PA-funded Grants for Student Support Grant

Students Benefited

Funding Provided

Fly Guy Performance at Berklee School of

Grade I

$530

Grades IV-VIII

$2,400

Grade IV

$860

Grade VII

$540

All grades

$3,200

Music

Leaf Grants are small, one-time support for ideas and/or materials for an individual classroom, an event, an extracurricular activity or the community.

First Lego League “Physical Changes in

Acorn Grants support a “seed” of an idea and/or an innovation that a faculty/staff member would like to try. These grants are meant to be exploratory in nature.

Matter” classroom program French class trip to the MFA Math Department

Branch Grants support innovations that “branch out” across classrooms, grades, divisions and/or departments to create powerful collaborations and learning. Some acorn grants may grow into branch grants.

Faculty at Park value having a source of flexible funding to support their new ideas to enrich teaching and learning.

Often, these ideas pop up mid-year, and if not for PA funding, would not be considered until the Administration’s next annual budgeting cycle. The PA funding enables more flexibility and quick adjustments to opportunities that benefit students that can make a big difference in the classroom. If these new initiatives have measured impact, they may subsequently be rolled into Park’s administrative budget, given the PA does not fund ongoing classroom programs.

The Park Parent // PAGE 4

Speaker Jo Boaler from Stanford/ YouCubed

….and many more!

FACULTY SUPPORT At 22 percent of the PA’s overall budget, funding for Faculty Support is the next largest category of expenditures and is designed to help support professional development for Faculty, and to ensure community appreciation and celebration of our incredibly talented Faculty and Staff.

Each year, a Faculty member at Park is awarded the Horizon Grant, which is a professional development award that the PA and Park co-fund every year. Last year, Kathy Coen, an Upper Division English Teacher, used the grant to finance her “literary pilgrimage” to England. Kathy said, “I went to rediscover and further explore

PA EXPENDITURES FY2016: $76,000

the land and culture of the writers’ lives and their roots in terms of London as a city of ideas and traditions. Highlights for me were my explorations of archives, portraiture, house museums, and the modern literary scene.”

A wonderful PA tradition is to fund and host the Faculty & Staff Luncheon every May Day in the Dining Room. Committee members choose a theme, and Faculty are treated to an inspired celebration in their honor. Last year’s team created a Cinco de Mayo experience complete with a Mariachi Band! Additionally, Faculty are treated to monthly breakfasts and recognized for important milestones.

PARENT SUPPORT The PA also contributes six percent of its overall budget toward enriching the Parent body in two primary ways—via the PA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee (DE&I) and the All School Evenings and Parent Forums. The PA is offering two DE&I programs this Fall—Color Brave Parenting in November, and Parenting in the Age of Gender Fluidity in December.

Every year, we consider new ways to support parents. This year, for example, as part of the evening Parent forums to meet Liza Talusan (Park’s new Director of DE&I) the PA paid for babysitting to enable more parents to attend the evening discussion. During the 2014-2015 academic year, the PA sponsored speaker Catherine Steiner-Adair, EdD to join us for an All School Evening and discussion on stress and anxiety in our kids. Most recently, the PA funded the Middle Division’s Digital Citizenship Curriculum by purchasing the book The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age by Catherine Steiner-Adair

for every Middle Division family.

COMMUNITY BUILDING Fifteen percent of the PA budget goes to important community building activities such as the New Parent Dinners, hosted at the Robinson’s home, Grade-specific parent dinners (often called “winter warm-ups”), and hospitality during school events (such as Grandparents’ Day and Yule Festival).

Of course, community building work also represents the largest “chunk” of how we as PA volunteers spend our time. In other words—it’s the “sweat equity” that we all put in to hosting great events that make the Park community feel connected, supportive and a great place to be. There are two “categories” of community building activities that the PA organizes: •

Fundraising: The largest community building event and fundraiser at Park is Springfest, Park’s Community Day of Play, featuring the Springfest Auction. During the past two years, we have added fun new events funded by the Springfest Auction, including Bingo Night (MC’d by Michael Robinson himself ) and the Skating Night at Larz Anderson. Thanks to the incredible dedication of Park parents and their generous participation in Springfest and the auction, the PA is able to host these events while raising funds for the PA.

•

Community Service: Working with the administration to plan hands-on service projects for students, this PA committee coordinates the annual Chop-a-Thon and Birthday-in-a-Box events as well as the Cradles to Crayons clothing drive and the Pine Street Inn food drive, to name a few.

AH, YES WE HAVE OPERATIONAL EXPENSES! Of course, to help us achieve these four primary funding goals of the PA, we do incur operational and outreach expenses. For example, the PA funds a portion of The Park Parent, the school newsletter that highlights academic, extracurricular, social, and fundraising activities at The Park School.

In addition, the PA is pleased to offer one-time funding for special expenses such as the beautiful Park Community Tree Installation in the front entrance, and gifts from Park Apparel to promote school spirit.

THANK YOU! The PA is deeply grateful for the contributions of the entire Park community that enable great initiatives benefiting the students, faculty, staff, and parents. The PA would also like to give a special thank you to Minnie Ames ’86, past PA Treasurer, who dedicated hours to helping us build a financially robust budget that fully aligns with the PA mission.

WINTER 2015 // PAGE 5

Park Community Tree, continued from page 1

Association that idea soon became the shimmering brass, bronze, and aluminum community tree greeting us in the front foyer.

The contribution is uniquely in keeping with the mission of the Parents’ Association whose goal is to foster and support parent and community engagement at Park. “The PA tries hard to create gestures of support and to be physically present in the building,” says Katie McWeeny former president of the PA. It was the dream of Katie and the PA to contribute something to the new front lobby that would welcome people to the school and let visitors know as soon as they approached Park the sense of community at the School’s core. Most importantly, the PA wanted to send a message to every staff and faculty member, every student and family, that once they walk through the doors of the School they are part of the Park community and that that community is very inclusive.

So what better symbol of inclusion than a tree and who better to create the tree than a member of the Park community? The Artist Blacksmith responsible for the spectacular hand-forged tree now at home in the front entranceway is none other than Dave Little, brother of current Park Athletic Director Bob Little, and the son, grandson, cousin, and nephew of several Park School alumni.

Dave and his team at Winnipesaukee Forge had been making donor recognition trees for several years, but the Park School tree marked their first “family” tree, an all-inclusive tree designed to provide the most gracious of welcomes.

“Every staff and faculty member, every student family has a leaf with their name on it so they can walk in and see they’re a part of this community,” says Katie.

As with a real tree, each year some leaves will change as departing student families, faculty, and staff take their leaf with them as a memory of their time at Park, and every new student family, faculty, and staff adds their leaf to the tree.

That meant in the 2015-2016 academic year approximately 575 leaves would adorn the tree. And that meant the Park tree needed to be big. In fact, the Park tree needed to be the biggest tree Dave and Winnipesaukee Forge ever made.

With the new entrance still under construction, Dave and the PA worked together with Kimberly Boyd, Assistant Head of School for Finance & Operations, and the School’s architects to envision a place for a Park Community Tree. Several sites were discussed before the group settled on the inside of the vestibule, just left of the main entrance, a location large enough to hold the tree and also one that would allow visitors to see the tree from the outside. Time and consideration were given to the type and color

The Park Parent // PAGE 6

of tile for the wall to best make the tree stand out. That plus the choice of multi-colored leaves and the careful positioning of the tree, all contribute to the magical indoor/outdoor feel of the front entryway, where day and night, natural and indoor light reflect off the leaves with a twinkle.

The ever-changing leaves of the Park Community Tree resemble the lifescycle of a real tree. And like a natural tree, the Park Community Tree will require upkeep in the form of newly engraved leaves. Katie estimates each year about 100 leaves will change. The PA is committed to keeping the tree “alive” through PA fundraisers such as Springfest. Plans are being considered to formalize the presentation and removal of leaves with a ceremony, and a permanent plaque offering a brief explanation of the tree’s origins is being engraved.

If you haven’t yet found your leaf or the leaf of someone you care about, spend a moment in the front entryway. You won’t smell tree sap but you will likely be infused with the sense of community and belonging that inspired this tree.

Yuletide Update Thanks to the tremendous generosity of so many Park School families, parent participation in this year’s Annual Fund is now over 55%! Thank you for your enduring, generous support of The Park School.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to make an Annual Fund gift this year, please consider doing so this holiday season. Not only is your gift tax-deductible, it supports everything that makes Park exceptional – excellence in teaching and learning, vibrant diversity, robust financial aid, and a close-knit inclusive community that supports each and every child. As always, every single gift makes a tremendous difference and is important to our School. To make your contribution, you may talk with a parent volunteer, call Jessica Conaway, Associate Director of Development, at 617-274-6019, or go online at www.parkschool.org/give.

Thank you and happy holidays!

Katie Reardon, continued from page 1

Grade VI scholars creating in Latin

to law school. But after a few years as a practicing lawyer and the birth of her daughter, she decided to come back to her first love. Now in her third year at the Park School she brings her enthusiasm for the ancient world to Park as it’s Latin teacher.

For Katie the study of Latin is about much more than just language. “I can see the pattern of events in western history.

And, you know, when I see either really good things or really tragic things that are happening, it’s nice to be able to draw connections and sort of see it as just an ongoing timeline rather than just this terrible moment or wonderful moment.”

But for Katie and her students the first task is language. “This class is a great place to be if you love words.” That perspective informs her four-year Latin program from day one. From very early on students study derivatives—where words come from.

“We’re really looking at… whether a word began in Latin or came through another language,” Katie says. When [students] understand where a word came from, they’re more likely to use it.”

“Derivatives are really fun,” according to one student. “It really helps me to understand English better.”

But isn’t the study of Latin all about repetition, and the endless study of arcane cases? “We do do endless repetition. The students will tell you that first,” Katie agreed. “But in addition to that, I put a lot of emphasis on language output. I want them creating in Latin.”

Grade IX students enjoyin a Roman holiday

That’s what sets Katie apart from many other teachers of Latin. Her students write Latin in a variety of very creative outlets designed to bring the language to life.

Students create scrolls on which they can tell stories or talk about their interests. The rule is: No English on the scrolls. There is also a class website with Latin blog posts.

“We begin by writing very simple sentences about ourselves,” one student said.

“But it gets much more complicated pretty fast.”

One student wrote in Latin about the Boston Marathon. Another wrote about soccer. Some have tried to translate lyrics to their favorite songs.

Students also do a special project each year that brings together the study of Latin language and Roman culture. In Grade VI they focus on archeology by studying a family that lived in Pompeii at the time Mount Vesuvius erupted. In Grade VII they study architecture by examining buildings in the Roman Forum.

In Grade VIII each student focuses on a key person in the monarchy, the republic, or the empire—perhaps Julius Caeser, or Horatius, who defended Rome against Etrustcan invaders. Toward the end of the year students create a social media project on which they post messages written in the voice of their chosen Roman. “If that person were alive today—what would they be tweeting?” Katie asks. “What would they have on their Facebook page?”

Katie Reardon displays a Latin scroll

“It’s a nice way for them to kind of become that person and feel a little bit more connected to the story that they’re telling.

But it’s also great from the perspective of life skills, using social media and what’s appropriate, and what’s my voice, what would this person’s voice be?”

The big prize for Katie’s students comes in Grade IX with a trip to Roman Italy—to Rome, Sorrento, Pompeii, and Capri. They spend an entire year preparing for the trip. When the trip is done, they create a webpage about the places they’ve visited.

For Katie this is a very satisfying way to teach. “I like the stories. I like the buildings.

So I get to share what I’m interested in.”

But she also knows that the study of Latin is about even bigger things. “I want them to learn Latin and I want them to learn history, but ultimately, if there’s a connection to today, in real life skills or thinking deeper about what’s happening around them, then I think that’s a lot more beneficial than whether they can decline a noun.”

Her approach seems to be working. An informal survey of Katie’s students found that they love the class. One student had originally signed up for another language but was convinced to take Latin instead at the last minute. “I’m really glad,” he said.

“I’m in my third year and it’s one of my favorite subjects. It’s about more than just language and it’s always been interesting.”

WINTER 2015 // PAGE 7

Engineering Design Coach, continued from page 3 Elaine Hamilton will assume the role of Engineering Design Coach in January. She will work closely with all of Park’s science teachers, plus with Director of Curriculum and Instruction Pamela Penna, to weave engineering design into the Pre-K to Grade IX science curriculum arc.

skills in a variety of authentic contexts.

In short, design thinking asks students to look for opportunities to improve the world around them, create prototypes, run experiments, collect data, and iterate until success is reached.

Over the past two years, Park has piloted design thinking in the humanities, thanks to Park21 and a Peter Amershadian Faculty Leadership Grant. Faculty members Kimberly Formisano and Elaine Hamilton teamed up and were selected to receive a grant to pilot “PSITE,” or the Park School Institute for Transformative Education. In these past two years, PSITE has been piloted successfully in three grades, showing us the power of design thinking and paving the way for this new movement to grow at Park.

• Grade II students engaged in solving challenges around aging for elderly friends at the Sophia Snow House. The students interviewed senior citizens to learn about various physical challenges they face. After learning more about tools that help those who are older, students improved those tools with prototypes and then revised their creations to best help their new friends.

• Grade IV students engaged in analyzing sustainability challenges for The Park School environmental footprint, and felt empowered to cause significant change.

They learned about Park’s many green initiatives and then created prototypes to advance additional ways for Park to become even more sustainable.

• Grade V students engaged in understanding and communicating the varied stories of modern immigration to the United States, impressing upon their audience that no two stories are the same. Students interviewed Park parents who had immigrated to the United States and then retold their stories in interactive and engaging displays that all interviewees were shown.

The Park Parent // PAGE 8

Through these three pilot experiences, lower and middle division Park students used design thinking principles to apply their critical thinking skills to people and places outside their classrooms. The success of these PSITE pilots will be extremely helpful in expanding design into engineering and science at Park.

I am very pleased to report that the position of Engineering Design Coach is being filled by our own Elaine Hamilton.

True to the essence of Park21, we identified one of our best professionals at Park and are leveraging her considerable talent and supporting her growth. Her role will begin this January, where she will work closely with all of Park’s science teachers, plus with Director of Curriculum and Instruction Pamela Penna, to weave engineering design into the Pre-K to Grade IX science curriculum arc. It is envisioned that over time, as Elaine brings her strong background as a math teacher and current Math Department Head to the role, she will also increasingly draw math faculty members into the collaborative design process with science faculty.

Recently, Elaine and Kimberly gave

a presentation on their innovative PSITE work at the Summit for Transformative Learning, a conference in St. Louis.

Upon her return, Elaine reflected on the conference presentations and on her new role as Park’s Engineering Design Coach. “As I listened to various presenters at the Summit, I heard again and again from school leaders who are changing the focus of their science classes. Students aren’t reading about science. They aren’t researching long-deceased scientists to find out about scientific laws and principles.

Students are doing science to figure out that information on their own. Schools are leaning into interdisciplinary work as they combine math, science, and humanities.

As Park creates this engineering design coaching role, we can say with confidence that this is the direction exemplary schools are taking and that Park is going to be on the leading edge of that wave.”

The creation of the Engineering Design Coach position is yet another remarkable, innovative benefit of the Park21 strategic initiatives. Those essential goals of Park21—teachers benefiting from coaching and collaboration; going outside of Park’s walls to learn best practices and bring them back to Park; finding and building teacher leaders within Park; and further strengthening our teaching of math, science and technology—are being achieved.

What Do You Want To Know?

Ask Dr. O!

By Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter, Psychologist I’m in a tricky situation that seems to require my help, but

We’re a very busy family with two working parents.

I’m not sure what to do. When my “tween” daughter and her

Sometimes our work requires travel and this means some

friends have friendship problems during the day at school, I

adjustments for everyone. How do we handle this with our

experience the “fall out” of tears and angst at home. I know

children to make this more manageable? I'm noticing that

that I’m only hearing her side of whatever has happened and

things can get really hectic and we're all a bit more frazzled!

that misunderstandings in friendships are inevitable. How do I help when this happens again?

You are right to anticipate that this will indeed happen again! For

Making family life work for everyone can require some "fancy

many kids, one of the best parts of coming to school is spending time

footwork." When there are lots of people, places and things involved,

with friends. When everyone is getting along, all is well. However,

a family calendar can become your best friend. It can also allow your

when there are conflicts, the social waters can become murky and

children to see what's coming and to have a good sense of what is

require some navigation. It can be very difficult to see and hear your

happening for each family member during the week.

daughter’s upset and not want to “fix it.”

As her parent, if she’s sharing all of this with you, it’s important that

Children love and thrive on routines and consistency. This doesn't mean that life has to be totally the same and totally predictable all

you listen calmly, keeping in mind that most difficulties with friends

the time. It does mean that life will be less stressful for them if it is

can and should be resolved by the children. Consider this practice

clear that there is enough of what they will need to make sure that

for the many complicated social situations that she will encounter

all is well. That means, when possible, let your children know when

in the future. Listen to your daughter, offering feedback that helps

you will be away and who will be responsible for taking care of

her think through the situation. Ask questions that demonstrate that

what they will need while you are away, e.g., getting to afterschool

you are listening and seeking to understand both your daughter’s

activities, dinner time, bedtime routines. When possible, schedule

perspective as well as the perspectives of the friend(s). Be alert

your work travel so that one of you is home when the other parent

for more serious concerns that might warrant some form of adult

must be away. Technology now makes it possible to be in touch in

intervention.

Be aware that your daughter may not want your help with solving

virtual ways, so make use of FaceTime, Google Chat, Skype and other such vehicles for being in touch.

the situation. Sometimes, listening is “just right” and can result in

Remember that children are generally quite resilient and will take

just enough relief from venting the high emotions involved for your

their cues from you. Your calm reassurance that you are always

daughter to determine the best path forward. Other times, it might

thinking about what they need and want to hear any concerns

be helpful to nudge her thinking in one direction or another or to

that they may have about when you are away will help you to

ask how she might handle a similar situation differently in the future.

better understand what will make these times easier. Creating

Know that it is less helpful for you to dictate a list of actual solutions.

balance is easier said than done in all families. Bypass the notion

You might also suggest that your child consider seeking out a teacher,

that there is only one way to make life "good" and that you have

advisor, or other trusted adult at school if there are issues that might

to be everywhere at once. You'll feel less stressed and so will your

be resolved in more “real time.” The goal is for your daughter to

children. When possible, engage your children in the planning,

emerge with increased confidence in her ability to problem solve and

looking over the calendar for the week ahead and thinking through

to handle complicated social situations.

Keep the big picture in mind. You want your daughter to develop her social acumen and to learn that building and maintaining friendships require open communication, compromise, and risking that your feelings might get hurt along the way. Being a good friend also requires that she be able to acknowledge if her words or actions have hurt someone else. If so, the best salve for healing the hurt is

what everyone needs to be prepared, e.g., clothes and shoes for P.E. or after school sports/activities. Plan for who will do the bedtime routine and whether it will be in person or FaceTime. And, when you're putting things on the calendar, don't forget to schedule some fun times for everyone as well! Involving your children will insure that they feel included in all of your plans and teach them an important life skill at the same time.

a sincere apology accompanied by behavior that reflects that she meant what she said. Encourage your daughter to treat her friends as she’d like to be treated. As a parent, urge your daughter to approach relationships with friends with kindness, empathy, generosity, and

Have a question for Dr. O? Submit questions in the box in the

good humor. Even with the rough times, it’s worth it!

lobby or email MooreheadO@parkschool.org.

WINTER WINTER 2015 2015 //// PAGE PAGE 99

nd

A rou

Selection criteria include: • Books that represent the best of children’s literature from other countries • Books that introduce readers in the United States to outstanding authors and illustrators from other countries • Books that help children in the United States see the world from other points of view

The Library

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Each year, the Park Library acquires many of the honored books.

Here are a few recent favorites:

ark librarians, Tory Lane and Christian Porter, joined a global community of learners for the 11th IBBY Regional Conference in New York City. IBBY (International

Board on Books for Young People, ibby.org) is an organization which represents an global network of people who are committed to bringing books and children together. The organization’s mission includes promoting international understanding through children’s books, and giving children everywhere the opportunity to have access to books with high literary and artistic standards.

Ms. Lane’s highlight: The first night of opening speeches included a keynote address by IBBY president Wally de Doncker. His welcoming remarks were actually a call to arms. He spoke passionately about the vital importance of literacy in our fractured world and about how the right book in a child’s hand at the right time can change everything. The IBBY Children in Crisis Fund helps children affected by natural disasters, civil disorder or war by replacing or creating libraries of appropriate children’s books. The

Surprise by Mies van Hout

intersection of social justice and literacy is an interest of mine, and

(The Netherlands)

Mr. de Doncker’s speech rekindled my passion. (See page 11 about

A heart-warming picture

Park’s participation with The Mother Tongue book project)

book that captures the universal tale of parenting through vibrantly illustrated one-word spreads.

Mr. Porter’s highlight: I met the great Brazilian children’s book

(PreK-Grade II)

author and illustrator Roger Mello! Roger Mello is the most recent winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the most

Two Parrots by Rashin (Iran)

distinguished prize in children’s literature, often referred to as the

An outstanding illustrator from Iran brings her colorful

“Little Nobel Prize” since winners are chosen from around the world.

and lively art to this contemporary translation of a classic

Amazingly, the works of Roger Mello are not available in the U.S.,

tale from thirteenth-century poet and theologian Rumi.

nor have they been translated into English. I was lucky to acquire

(PreK-Grade II)

one of his wordless picture books for the library—Selvagem. It is an extraordinary book that I know children (and parents) will enjoy.

My Heart Is Laughing by Rose Lagercrantz Illus. by Eva Eriksson. Trans. by Julia Marshall (Sweden)

FOUND IN TRANSLATION

This boisterous early chapter book confirms Sweden’s

The USBBY Outstanding International Books List for Children

international reputation for outstanding contributions to

(usbby.org) is published yearly with the hope that “by highlighting

children’s literature. (Grades I–III)

outstanding international literature, readers will demand more of it.”

The Park Parent // PAGE 10

Macanudo by Liniers Trans. by Mara Lethem (Argentina) Liniers is the “Charles Schulz of Argentina,” and this collection of comic strips finally brings the talented humorist to English-speaking (and reading!) audiences.

(Grades IV & up)

The Migrant by Jose Manuel Mateo

The Park School

PARKING SPACE

Parking space ads are free!

Contact Kate LaPine by phone (617-274-6009), or e-mail (communications@parkschool.org).

The deadline for the Spring issue is Friday, February 12th.

Illus. by Javier Martinez Pedro Trans. by Emmy Smith Ready (Mexico) A Mexican boy tells of his journey to the U.S. with his family. The narrative is accompanied by strikingly detailed illustrations, designed as an accordion-style foldout frieze. (Grades V & up)

I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister

Volunteers Needed!

501c3 charity with mission to support orphaned and vulnerable children and their families in Tanzania is looking for individuals eager to help a beautiful cause.

Opportunities for fundraising, event planning, grant writing, and directorship responsibilities. Visit www. foreverangelsusa.org or contact Caroline for more information: caroline@foreverangelsusa.org / 617.981.0986

by Amélie Sarn. Trans. by Y. Maudet (France) Sarn adeptly explores contemporary cultural and religious issues in this novel about two Muslim sisters who choose very different paths of self-expression.

(Grades VII & up)

Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day 2015

PARK’S INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH THROUGH BOOKS The Matenwa School in Haiti has developed a publishing project called Mother Tongue Books. Working with schools (many in the Boston area), Chris Low, co-founder of the school, works to create a cross-cultural exchange through books.

In 2012, Tory Lane and Brian Cassie collaborated with third graders to create four books about snow. Facilitated by a PA grant, these books were translated into Creole and printed for the students of The Matenwa School. In the spring of 2015, we learned that our books were selected to be part of a wider distribution project across Haiti.Tory Lane, Brian Cassie, and Liza Talusan are now planning another series of nonfiction books for the Mother Tongue project.

Photos Available Online Please visit our online photo gallery to view hundreds of photos from the day: https://parkschool.smugmug.com/ Public-for-Park/Grandparents-Day-2015-/ You can also purchase prints from this site. If you have any questions about ordering photographs, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@parkschool.org

Videos Available Online Videos of Grandparents’ Day and Yule Festival performances and school plays are available for free.

Students at The Matenwa School reading snow books written by Park Grade III (Class of 2018) students.

(Log into the Park website and search for the performance on the “Featured News” tab. You can download it and burn your own CD.) Questions? Please contact Carole Carter. carterc@parkschool.org

WINTER 2015 // PAGE 11

Upcoming Dates of Note Yule Festival (Pre-K – IX Dress Day), 9:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m. dismissal – No ASP

Editorial Board Chair: Stanley Shaw

Winter Vacation begins

January 4

Monday

School Resumes

January 18

Monday

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – NO SCHOOL

February 10

Wednesday

Grade VI Play, 7 p.m.

Director of Communcations: Kate LaPine

February 15 Monday Presidents’ Day – NO SCHOOL February 16 Tuesday Winter Vacation Day – NO SCHOOL February 26

Friday

Grade VIII & IX Play, 7 p.m.

February 27

Saturday

Grade VIII & IX Play, 7 p.m.

March 1

Tuesday

Parent Conferences – Pre-K–V NO SCHOOL

March 11

Friday

Spring Vacation Begins, 3 p.m.

March 28

Monday

School Resumes

Visit the calendar on the Park School website for more dates!

President, Parents’ Association: Shannon Falkson Chair, Board of Trustees: vinny chiang Head of School: michael Robinson

We want to hear from you!

If you have a story idea or issue you’d like to see covered or thoughts about something you’ve read, please let us know.

TheParkParent@parkschool.org

WINTER 2015

regular schedule VI-IX

Editorial Board: HARLYN AIZLEY, laura barkan, Carol batchelder, CarolINE bicks, PETER FRUMKIN, Martha Golub, Anne Harvey Kilburn, Todd idson, HAJAR LOGAN, Emily raviola

Read The Park Parent online at www.parkschool.org

Editor: TC Haldi

The Park Parent

Friday

The Park School 171 Goddard Avenue Brookline, MA 02445 617-277-2456

December 18

The Park Parent