Report
The Ridge
April 2012
Celebrating our gifts For the past 18 months, we have been engaged in our “SHCOG” (Sacred Heart Commission on Goals) reflection, visit and action plan with the provincial of the U.S. Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart. The SHCOG facilitates a system of accountability for the 23 schools carrying out the mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart in the United States. The Commission is composed of RSCJ (Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) and lay educators and trustees in the U.S. Network of Sacred Heart Schools, together with a member of the provincial team; this process is accountable to the provincial team.
The SHCOG initiates, oversees and officially responds to a process
approval of the plan, I wanted to share with you the three major
of institutional self-reflection, by which each school at regular
items we have committed to working on for the next three years:
intervals is able to determine not only where its strengths lie in
communication — both personal and institutional; community
relation to the Goals and Criteria, but also to express the concerns
— participation in, responsibility to and for, and expectations of;
it has regarding how well it is living the vision expressed in them.
and a deepening appreciation of our Catholic identity as a Sacred
The process aims to enable each school to formulate a plan for what
Heart school.
it intends to do to deepen the life of the Goals and Criteria within its community.
Once the Commission responds to our plan, I will make the complete document available to members of the Forest Ridge
The mission of the SHCOG stems from the belief that a community
community and will share more of the concrete steps we will take
of educators can renew itself by means of reflective self-evaluation
to put this plan into action. All of us on the Action Plan Committee
that yields fresh insights and recommitment. Forest Ridge
are excited for our future and committed to seeing this plan
completed its self reflection in the fall of 2011, and in November
become a part of our daily life for the next three years.
hosted a visiting team of Sacred Heart colleagues from across the country charged with engaging us in conversation on the successes
Our genuine desire is for this to be less of a plan — something we
and challenges of our self-reflection. Once the visiting team report
have to do — and more of a way to celebrate our gifts and build
and recommendations are considered by the Commission, the
community together — something we continue to want to do. I
provincial issues a letter from the Province that comments on our
look forward to working with all of you in making Forest Ridge as
reflection and gives us direction in forming an Action Plan for
the premiere educational community for girls. They deserve
addressing the challenges we have named.
nothing less.
For the past two months, an Action Plan Committee led by Sara Konek and Cindy Murphy has worked with a dozen faculty, staff, trustees, alumnae and parents to form our overall Action Plan, which will be sent to the Commission in April. As we await the
Mark Pierotti Head of School
relationships
The value of
Dr. Carola D. Wittmann Director of the High School
Conducting admission interviews; attending student events; following the Peace and Reconciliation blog; touching base with students throughout the day; conversing with colleagues; meeting with current and prospective families.
What connects those and other daily interactions is the theme
Clearly, our daily interactions are not only supported by these
of relationships. Everything we do is built on the value of
tangible currencies; in addition, we rely on specific value
relationships. When our alumnae speak of their high school
propositions to guide our conversations and debates. So the focus,
education at Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, they
for instance, might be on assuming good intent, even in the midst
consistently speak to the value of relationships that have been
of a passionate exchange. When discussing these values with
formed, between students and faculty; student to student,
students, I frequently liken them to an invisible backpack,
students and community.
describing the assumptions, realities and experiences each of us brings to the relationships we strive to form. And given our
This value of relationship propels alumnae to reach out to our
uniqueness, we are fortunate to be guided once again by the Goals
current students. Last fall, and again on March 30, we hosted a
and Criteria. Their message helps us bridge our differences and
Career Luncheon attended by the class of 2012 and alumnae. In
provides a mutually agreed upon platform from which to begin the
the fall, table conversations focused on career opportunities. This
conversation and enter into relationships whose goal it is to
spring, seniors benefited from an alumnae panel with a focus more
“promote[s] a safe and welcoming environment in which each
on seniors’ upcoming college experience. Even though this is our
person is valued, cared for and respected” (Goal IV, criterion 2).
first year offering Career Luncheons, nobody was surprised by the animated level of conversation that marked the fall event. The luncheon on March 30 was marked by equally vibrant exchanges.
But the relationship building extends to other areas of school life as well. Whether it is the leadership exercise during the 10th-grade winter trip or our parents’ dedication to their daughters’ school experiences, what distinguishes Forest Ridge culture is the value its community places on these relational interactions. And here it is important for all of us to keep in mind that mutual engagement does not necessarily mean agreement. Rather, the foundation of relationship is what allows for community discourse, for sharing ideas and for respectfully disagreeing with one another.
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Seniors speak with alumnae at the Career Luncheon March 30.
Who will your daughter become? Julie Lundgren Alumnae Relations Director
Who will your daughter become? Will a Forest Ridge education make a difference in her life? As the alumnae relations director, I can tell you that working with Forest Ridge alumnae is inspiring, because Forest Ridge alumnae are confident, smart, well-spoken, interesting, passionate and kind.
Dean Shoemaker said it best when, as an invited speaker at our Alumnae Board retreat in February, he said, “I like the women our girls become.” As a teacher who has taught Forest Ridge students for 39 years – almost the entire time we’ve been at the Somerset campus – Dean should know. I couldn’t agree more. Alumnae I have met include: Jenny Durkan ’76, U.S. Attorney for Western Washington; Siobhan Malone ’93, program officer in the Global Health Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Kaliswa Brewster ’00, Shakespearean actress; Krysta Svore ’97, Ph.D., research scientist at Microsoft; Karen Patterson Gradilla ’93, project manager at Fred Hutchinson on international HIV prevention clinical trials; and Kendee Yamaguchi ’95, executive director of the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs. These women spent their formative years at Forest Ridge developing their minds, bodies and souls. At Forest Ridge, their classical training in writing, literature, history, religion, math and science allowed them to move effectively through their college years. With their preparation as critical thinkers, these women have valuable opinions and skills to offer and the confidence to lead. Forest Ridge has helped them be ready to work and to be serious about their endeavors. And through their religious studies, these women have learned to think beyond themselves. One of the unique aspects of a Forest Ridge education is that your daughter will become part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart alumnae and alumni. We will hold a very special Induction Ceremony and Spring Luncheon in May, when the senior class will be formally inducted into the Forest Ridge Alumnae Association. We also will honor a Distinguished Alumna, one who has loyalty to the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria and a strong commitment of service to others. The event makes the seniors aware that they are part of a larger family who will be there for them throughout their lives, and it drives home the message that their Forest Ridge education offers friendships and connections around the world.
Violence Europe, in Vienna. With no affordable place to live and at risk of losing her internship, she wrote to me desperate for help, hoping she could find a Sacred Heart connection. And she did! Through the Sacred Heart Alumnae Network, Amber was able to connect to our sister school in Vienna: Sacre Coeur Wien. It welcomed her with open arms, found a staff member who had an available apartment for the summer and invited Amber to take part in its school festivities. Amber got to know the community and made friends immediately. One of the English teachers even invited her to speak to her students about her work with WAVE. What other school can offer such a far-reaching network, where one is treated as family around the world? In answer to the question, “Who will your daughter become?,” I can offer that my daughter, Annie Lundgren, spent seven years at Forest Ridge. She graduated last year and attends Loyola Marymount University. Because Annie is shy in nature and a homebody, my husband and I weren’t sure what her transition to college life would look like. Now, in the middle of the second semester of her freshman year, I can tell you that she has made the adjustment better than my husband and I could have imagined. She was prepared for college. Armed with discipline, leadership skills and the ability to advocate for herself, she was mentally ready to take the next step in her life. After all, isn’t this why we send our children to a college preparatory school? I know that there are many factors that go into raising a daughter, but I also know that because of Forest Ridge, Annie was prepared to go out into the world and be successful in whatever it is that she wants to do.
These connections are typified by the experience of Amber Gmerek ’09. Amber attends Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany. She obtained an internship last summer with WAVE, Women Against
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Creativity and imagination in the MS Fine Arts Program
“What is the good of teaching various subjects, of wasting time in learning them, if at the same time we cannot teach children the words of life and touch their hearts and their consciences?” –St. Madeleine Sophie
As a middle school faculty, we strive to provide daily opportunities for girls to become creative and innovative thinkers. While this occurs across the curriculum, we believe that within our Fine Arts Program intentional engagement allows girls to practice creative problem solving, flexible thinking and risk taking. The arts provide an opportunity not just to answer questions but to create new questions. As art teachers, we give our students problems to solve in an innovative manner while remaining within a materials-based structure. As a result, middle school girls go beyond passively looking for solutions to seeing the beauty in a problem’s intricacies and contradictions. Art students interpret global ideas, challenges and historical innovations through visual and performance-based means, connecting universal themes to their own lives. In Eighth-Grade Visual Art, each girl explores her identity
Alison Mohrbacher Brigida Swanson and Mandy Underhill Middle School Faculty
through mediums of clay, photography, collage and drawing. She reflects upon her past, dreams and the pieces of her present life that make her who she is. In doing so, girls learn art skills and think deeply while articulating their burgeoning personal identities in a safe environment. Creative problem solving within the frameworks of materials, time and themes, challenges girls to express themselves as learners while experiencing the same thought processes, setbacks and successes as professional artists, performers and designers. Flexible thinking occurs naturally in the fine arts classroom when students are asked to imagine and embrace several possible outcomes for a project. In Seventh-Grade Ceramics, students regularly encounter unexpected structural roadblocks during the forming process and must determine an alternate approach in response to these challenges. Due to the procedural nature of ceramic art, starting over is rarely an option. During the initial kiln firing, pieces can shatter, crack or break due to uneven forming, air pockets or weak clay attachments. The final glaze results can contrast dramatically with a student’s original vision. The healthy challenge of some unpredictability offers girls an invaluable opportunity to practice release, embrace surprise and celebrate an unexpected
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outcome. The middle school fine arts classroom is a place
that will be shared with the larger community. Throughout the
where correcting, amending, altering, adjusting, tweaking and
fine arts, we develop a safe environment in which students feel
making creative enhancements are all a part of the fun!
comfortable taking risks and owning their personal opinions,
Teachers offer specific, positive and realistic feedback
struggles and creations in a manner that respects those of their
throughout the girls’ creation process in an effort to model
classmates. Cultivating a communal space that minimizes a
flexible thinking. Our hope is to inspire girls to work with
fear of failure teaches girls to trust themselves and their fellow
mistakes, accept a lack of precision, create a realistic plan and
artists. This respects the messiness of the creative process and
celebrate the process over the final product.
encourages a lifelong commitment to innovation. A girl who has embraced her fine arts education will discover that, often,
The commitment to risk taking is an integral aspect of personal
our best and most creative successes develop out of a long
growth and happens best in the atmosphere of wise freedom
process of experimentation, perseverance and refinement; to
we foster in fine arts classes. These classes hold the unique
discover this in middle school gives students a great advantage
possibility for the girls to lead and direct the progress of the
in all of their endeavors.
class in a way that matches their passions and talents. In Eighth-Grade Literary Magazine, students guide the publication process and are asked to trust each other as a team and to trust themselves in creating a personal writing piece
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Why
a Forest Ridge education? Diana C. Wall, RSCJ, ’82 (Broadway) Director of Advancement
“I recognize how much my time in high school shaped who I have become.... [I]t strengthened my passion to learn and ... discover and my courage to change the world ... in short, to become the phenomenal woman I dreamed of becoming when I was a young girl,” Gina Fernandes ’04 shared in her speech at the high school welcome party for newly admitted ninth-grade students last February.
Gina’s words captivated the room filled with new students and
would help me become a phenomenal woman. To give you some
their parents, as well as the faculty and staff who were gathered
context, I visited Forest Ridge when I was seven, and while I
there. Her infectious enthusiasm for Forest Ridge and her firsthand
vaguely remember a vacuum chair surfing across Mr. Fenoli’s
experience answers best the question, “Why a Forest Ridge
classroom, I vividly remember the feeling of certainness, the same
education?”
one that I have right now as I tell you that the four years you will spend in the Forest Ridge High School will change your life
A graduate of George Washington University, where she earned
forever. To be fair, my parents had me look at other schools while
both her undergraduate and graduate degrees, Gina currently
I was applying (in fourth grade and again during 8th grade). They
works at the University of Washington in the Office of the
wanted to make sure that my gut feeling was based on fact. And
Architect. She aspires to design a kind of university and eventually
they were right: on both occasions, looking at other programs and
become a university president. To that end, she recently gained
comparing them to Forest Ridge solidified my confidence in my
acceptance into several Master of Architecture graduate programs
decision to come here.
to which she applied, including Rhode Island School of Design. So what happened to me in high school? Well, I met one of my best Reprinted here is Gina’s speech to these incoming ninth-grade
friends, Talyn, at high school orientation. She was joining Forest
students; it offers insight into what a Forest Ridge education did
Ridge from another school, and we’ve been best friends ever since.
for her and what it can do for your student. I hope you enjoy it
I engaged in debates on politics and history with Mr. Shoemaker
as much as I did.
and Ms. Turner, spent countless hours stage prepping for our musicals, explored new art mediums with Mr. Manion, uncovered
“I spent a great deal of time reflecting on the question, “Why
the mysteries of the world through science with Mr. Fenoli, learned
Forest Ridge for high school?” The art of reflection comes
about who I was becoming with Ms. Palin and Ms. Boerth and
naturally to me. It is something I have been practicing since
struggled but finally achieved a strong five-paragraph persuasive
I entered Forest Ridge in the fifth grade: [It’s] a time to sort
essay for Sr. O’Dea!
through and analyze thoughts, experiences and feelings that will provide me with a conclusion, a decision ... an answer.
Then there was planning for congé and senior skip ... dreaming up the perfect senior prank (we “borrowed” all of the chairs across
However, I am still struggling with this “Why” question because
the high school and locked them in a giant horse trailer, which we
I simply knew that the education I would receive at Forest Ridge
parked across the head of school’s parking spot) ... baking bread on
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the 10th grade retreat ... the library that lived in the back of my Volvo
women with “Coeur de Jesus” ringing ·in their hearts and a gleam
... countless Junior State of America conferences ... Kairos ... volleyball
of mischief in their eyes, and I reflected on the awesomeness of my
matches ... flash mobs at Copper Jesus ... my amazing senior (who, to
classmates, my sisters. So I will answer, “Why Forest Ridge for high
this day, is still one of the coolest women I know) and that one time
school?” with a question for each of you to reflect on.
that a classmate and I got into a HUGE green-paint war in the newly redone Commons during a basketball game, and we scrambled to
Each of you has a phenomenal woman inside who anxiously awaits to
clean up our mess before anyone realized we made one.
change the world. Will you let Forest Ridge nurture her spirit, give her a voice and support her as she becomes who you want her to be?
When I reflected on these experiences I recognize[d] how much my
I did, and it was the best decision I have ever made.
time in high school shaped who I have become.... [I]t strengthened my passion to learn and ... discover and my courage to change the
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you today.
world ... in short, to become the phenomenal woman I dreamed of
I wish you the best on your journey.”
becoming when I was a young girl. My choice for college was easy.... I ended up at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., after looking at a mix of both coed and all-women’s colleges. We live in a world made up of people of different races and ethnicities, sexual orientations, social backgrounds and religious beliefs. I knew I wanted to attend a school that would expose me to the world, and my Forest Ridge education provided me with the confidence, vocabulary and openmindedness to either embrace new ideas or comfortably, and, sometimes, rather vocally, disagree with them. In college, I varsity lettered in women’s rowing, actively participated in student government, served as an orientation freshman leader and explored the political and cultural histories of East Asia. In graduate school, I created a new administrative program for my university, served as a university ambassador (I met Jon Stewart and Kerry Washington! And I stood an arm’s-length away from Henry Kissinger.) and researched how the physical space transforms how college students interact with one another. Now, I’m anxiously waiting for acceptance letters to Master of Architecture programs. I aspire to design a new-style universit[y] and eventually become a university president. And my classmates from high school? Well, they are doctors, lawyers, corporate managers, rock climbers, social advocates, actors, teachers and scientific researchers. And each one of them is doing her part to change the world, just as we dreamed about when we were in high school. In my effort to find you the answer to, “Why Forest Ridge for high school?” I pulled out my yearbook last night from 2001. I flipped
“I knew I wanted to attend a school that would expose me to the world, and my Forest Ridge education provided me with the confidence, vocabulary, and open mindedness to either embrace new ideas or comfortably, and, sometimes, rather vocally, disagree with them.”
through the pages of my class and looked at these smiling young
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Lessons from the
Labyrinth
As a part of our Lenten devotion this year, we installed a labyrinth in the Sacred Heart Chapel. A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that has been adapted over the centuries. People have walked labyrinths for thousands of years. They have been used in many faiths and cultures, from places as far apart as China, Greece, India, Ireland, Spain and Scandinavia. The labyrinth was on campus for three weeks. Students walked the labyrinth with their religion class, as well as on their own before or after school or during lunch. In a world filled with noise and distractions, the labyrinth is a way to quiet our hearts and minds to hear what God might be trying to say. The labyrinth is a metaphor for life’s journey. Over the past few weeks, I have had the time to ponder this as I sat in the Chapel with the girls as they made their labyrinth walk. The path doesn’t always seem clear: Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has one path. When watching the girls, I noticed that girls would look frustrated when they were trying to figure out the path. The girls that surrendered to the experience and allowed the path to take them where it would, seemed to enjoy the experience more. What a marvelous lesson for us: Sometimes we need to surrender to the experience and not worry about trying to figure everything out. Take time to pause in the middle: Just as the path leads to the center, we move slowly to our center as well. When walking the labyrinth, there is an opportunity to pause in the middle for reflection. A number of girls relished this part of the labyrinth walk: lying down in the middle, closing her eyes, even falling asleep. My experience of being in the middle of the labyrinth is that there is a sense of safety and security. It feels comfortable in the middle, so much so that it is hard to leave. At times our friends are close, and at times they are far away: Watching others walk the labyrinth is almost as rewarding as making the walk yourself. One student described it as a dance. This was especially powerful for our seniors, as they begin to grapple with the reality that their days as a class at Forest Ridge are dwindling rapidly. When walking the labyrinth in community, it is easy to see how we can support one other by our presence. Likewise, it is easy to see that at times we walk close by one another’s side, and at other times we are far away from each other, all the while on the same path.
Tanya Lange Campus Minister
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This was our third year of welcoming the labyrinth to campus. It has been a blessing to watch the girls grow in their understanding of this spiritual practice and in their appreciation for the value of silent reflection. May you and your family have a blessed Easter season!
Journey
My Lent and leadership
During this time of Lent many around me have been vocal about what they are forgoing in their spring ritual of cleanse and renewal. I listen to these things: chocolate, meat, sugar; the list of food items to give up during Lent is lengthy. But this Lent for me presented an opportunity to reflect on the mental or physical behaviors that may affect my ability to lead and discern authentically. This means questioning my automatic responses and fasting from engagement without intentionality. This is hard. It’s similar to deciding to always tell the truth; great in theory but often uncomfortable for myself and others when actually practiced.
Kisha Palmer Program Director Women As Global Leaders
I began this Lenten observance on Ash Wednesday while in Bethlehem with the Peace and Reconciliation team of 2011-12. As various members of the team discussed the significance of Ash Wednesday and the 40 days until Easter eve, I reflected on the power of self-restraint from automatic response. We had been travelling together since the previous Thursday, on long flights and bumpy bus rides and rain-drenched walks along the cobbled corridors of the Old City of Jerusalem. During those few days, I found myself responding differently to small daily things. The rain that sours my mood in Seattle made me feel hopeful in Jerusalem. The woman who bumped into me as she rushed to the bakery didn’t automatically annoy me; she made me curious: “What’s her rush?,” I wondered. In my journal I noticed the difference geography can make in automatic responses and how easy it can be to revert to automatic pilot in certain moments of the day as they become routine. But what could happen if I work not to do this? How will I be changed if I start with questioning my automatic response and making a conscious choice? And so I began my Lenten journey. The first two days after Ash Wednesday presented themselves as challenges. Every question asked of me was met with deliberate silence; every thought I had was immediately followed with, “Why am I thinking this?” While this presented physical tension for me, as though I were holding my body back from the starting line after the pistol had been fired, I noticed something shift in the landscape around me. Potential problems, like a closed garden when the guidebook said it was open, or a missing bus driver when the group was hungry, or even a surly guard telling me, “No,” when the answer was supposed to be, “Yes, of course,” became opportunities for creativity. As I faced these minor obstacles with internal curiosity and an intention to examine my responses, I recognized that there is a vital connection between curiosity and creativity, and this relationship is inherent in every leadership function. I made the decision to write down my Lenten discipline accomplishments every day, and the entries read like a shorthand casting list for a low-budget movie: –Unfriendly guard - curious, not annoyed –Weird hotel clerk with wrong rate for room – curious, not irate What has the impact been on my daily life as I continue my practice back home? I’d have to let you read my journal for that, but so far I am leaning towards understanding the need to infuse leadership with a willingness to engage from a place of intentionality, curiosity and creativity. The automatic response is a good fight or flight impulse, and one could argue it saves brain space for other more meaningful activities, but in the conversation of leadership, isn’t every detail important?
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Arrival of spring prompts call for 2012-2013 volunteers
Spring has officially arrived; the leaves are popping, and the flowers are blooming. The days are getting longer, and we all have the opportunity to get outside more often. One of the best things about spring on the Forest Ridge campus is the opportunity that it lends for students, teachers and volunteering parents to spend some time out of doors, enjoying the beautiful setting up on �the Ridge�! The Parent Association hosted a competitive evening of bingo for the middle school mothers and daughters early in March, an exciting night of laser tag for the high school fathers and daughters at the end of January and an inspiring week of events in the library in February to celebrate Love your Library Week. Once again, many thanks to all of our generous parent volunteers who lend their time and energy to organizing these fun-filled events for our community, all the while reinforcing Sacred Heart Goal IV, the building of community. Thank you! Believe it or not, the Parent Association is beginning to recruit volunteers for the 2012-2013 school year. There are many opportunities to get involved, support Forest Ridge and get to know other parents. We are looking for parent representatives, event chairs, and support for these coordinators. Please be on the look out for the volunteer form that will soon be coming your way. Take some time to read it over, and let us know what you might like to do! In the meantime, if you would like more information about getting involved, please contact our PA Volunteer Coordinator, Luann Desautel, at frvolunteer@gmail.com.
Amy Anderson and Cynthia Seely Parent Association Co-Presidents
Following our April 5 Parent Advisory meeting, the Parent Association posted the slate of PA officers for the 2012-2013 school year. Please join me in thanking members of the Nominating Committee for the considerable time and attention they have devoted to this process. We are excited to have so many dedicated volunteers who enjoy working to support the Parent Association, faculty, staff and, ultimately, the students! Thank you and Happy Spring!