In Memorium: Lucile Beckman, The Spark Plug

SCDS

WINTER 2012

SEATTLE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE

in memorium

Lucile Beckman The Spark Plug

SCDS

WINTER 2012

DEAR SCDS FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, When I first began as head of Seattle Country Day School in the summer of 2004, one of the first people I sought out was Lucile Beckman. I truly desired to meet the person who set the foundation and direction for the school in its infancy and early growth stages.

SEATTLE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE

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EDITOR Joan Hudson DESIGN/PRODUCTION Christa Fleming Design CONTRIBUTORS Sally Bauer; Jackie Bradley; Brian Crawford; Joan Hudson Denise Luenow; Sara Mockett; Debbie Pearson; Joann Sims, PhD; Greta Zorn COVER Lucile Beckman, oil portrait detail. The portrait hangs at the Lucile Beckman Library entrance

KINETICS is produced by the SCDS Development Department for its current and former families and friends. Inquiries may be sent to: joanhudson@seattlecountryday.org THE SCDS MISSION Inspiring gifted children to reach their potential through inquiry, curiosity, and wonder.

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT Seattle Country Day School strives to maintain a diverse school community. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admission, financial aid, or any other schooladministered programs.

seattlecountryday.org

We had not even sat down to lunch when Ms. Beckman told me she was anxious to meet me. Here was a woman who spoke directly and candidly. I came to learn quite quickly what many others knew about Lucile: she did not mince words or beat around the bush. She looked me dead in the eye, sizing me up at every turn, all through lunch.

Lucile invested many years of her life in SCDS. Understandably, she wanted to know the school, her legacy, was in good hands.

While initially a bit intimidated, I quickly warmed to Lucile, taking advantage of our time to pick her brain and memory about SCDS. What words of wisdom did she have for me? What lessons did she glean in working with a board of trustees? How were parental interests handled? What qualities did she seek in when hiring staff?

What insights would she share to inform me about the school and its traditions? In the years ahead, she was helpful and supportive at every turn and every lunch meeting. She even attended some SCDS auctions.

At a recent faculty meeting we took some time to reflect on Lucile’s life at SCDS and the impact her leadership and management style had on the school. We enjoyed a few cherished stories from veteran faculty hired by Ms. Beckman who are still teaching here.

Lucile’s portrait hangs next to the library named in her honor. I see her smiling image…and she is always looking back at me. At that moment I am humbled by my responsibility and duty as head of school: to be a good steward by building on Ms. Beckman’s foundation.

This issue of Kinetics is a celebration of Lucile Beckman. As professor Morrie Schwartz so eloquently reminds us in Mitch Albom’s bestselling book, Tuesdays With Morrie, the life may end but the relationship continues.

Michael G. Murphy HEAD OF SCHOOL

See Me! –L.B. The “L.B.” was Lucile Beckman, director of Seattle Country Day School from 1966 to 1986, who died on January 1. Former SCDS librarian Sara Mockett recalls that when this brief message appeared in a teacher’s mailbox, it was “always unsettling and caused a certain amount of fear and trepidation among faculty. Often Lucile just wanted to touch base or check on something.” And sometimes not. Everyone who worked for her at SCDS knew they were dealing with a strong-minded woman of intelligence and high standards. She had a vision, knew what she wanted, and was very direct about what she wanted from others. (continued) KINETICS | WINTER 2012

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See Me! –L.B.

In Memorium

Lucile with parent auxiliary members Mrs. Norman Carls (L), and Mrs Victor Jaussand

Lucile was instrumental in transforming SCDS from a small co-op school in Burien into a leading independent school noted for gifted education.”

MICHAEL MURPHY

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Lucile’s passion was the education of gifted children, a population largely ignored in the 1960’s. Hoping to change that, she served as president of the Northwest Gifted Child Association, and subsequently became director of SCDS in 1966. Says current School Head Michael Murphy, “Lucile was instrumental in transforming SCDS from a small co-op school in Burien into a leading independent school noted for gifted education.”

It wasn’t easy. In a video interview from 2005, Lucile said, “Our school was in a church basement. Our teachers were inadequately paid, and we had a difficult time recruiting students.” In a 1967 Seattle Times article featuring Lucile, she remarked, “Some parents are embarrassed at the idea that they have a gifted child.

They think it’s undemocratic!” The article credited Lucile with “promoting the cause of the gifted child in every respect. This means his total well-being.” K-3 Division Head Jackie Bradley says, “Lucile understood that gifted students will not

The Spark Plug

Lucile Beckman

necessarily learn on their own or succeed in life without an education that meets their academic and social/emotional needs.”

She was tireless in her efforts. The Highline Times called her “the spark plug that fires Seattle Country Day School.” Lucile’s schedule during a few months’ span in the late sixties found her—in addition to her duties as SCDS—making presentations on gifted education for the Burien Chamber of Commerce, Central Area Kiwanis, and the Mental Health League of Bellevue; participating as panel-member at a Seattle Junior League discussion, becoming an advisor to the Renton School District Able-Child Program, speaking twice to the Oregon State Department of Public Instruction, and lecturing about early child development at the University of Washington.

Lucile knew that for SCDS to grow, they had to move out of that basement. When plans to build in Burien didn’t materialize, she set her sights on the present location of SCDS— which in the 1970’s was a single building on Seattle’s Queen Anne Hill, rented to the Seattle School District and used as an alternative high school. She said the board at the time “thought she was crazy.” The building was dirty and in disrepair, but she persisted.

With final cleaning and repair help over a summer from the parent body and board, Seattle Country Day opened the doors of its new home in 1975. Phil Johnson, a board member from that time, says that Lucille wanted to “transition SCDS to a full-fledged institution. It took seven years but we did it.”

It is hard for me to believe she died. In many ways she seemed almost immortal.”

JOANN SIMS

Past and present SCDS faculty who worked with Lucile can attest to her impact on them and on the school. Jackie recalls, “When I came to SCDS after teaching in a classroom of 32 students, I remarked how exciting it was going to be having a class of only 16. Lucile told me not to get too excited because our 16 students were like having 32. Was she ever right!” Adds Jackie, “Lucile believed in the inquiry method of teaching long before it was introduced in elementary schools. She made sure that all of her teachers taught this way.

She sent us to classes and closed the school for us to attend conferences. She knew that we needed to nurture a gifted child’s passionate thirst for knowledge.”

Retired 3rd grade teacher Joann Sims, EdD, says, “I learned so much from [Lucile] about how to empower teachers to meet the needs of the students while keeping the school financially stable. She was an astute administrator.”

Current teacher Denise Luenow credits Lucile’s personal enthusiasm and support as making all the difference in helping her to thrive as a teacher. “She was behind me 1000% whenever I proposed a new project for my intermediate science classes. Raise salmon in the classroom? Yes, write your grant and go for it! Try building an inflatable planetarium with sheets of polyethylene and a box fan? Sure, try it! Write a play about beach ecology and have your class put on the play in various community venues?

Certainly!” Denise’s colleague Sally Bauer agrees. “Lucile always felt that if teachers were happy and creatively engaged, then the students would see their enthusiasm, feel the intrigue, and become engrossed in the lesson. She was right!”

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See Me! –L.B.

In Memorium

Lucile accepts scholarship funds raised by parent auxiliary members Mrs. Felix Campanella (L) and Mrs. William Stoneback

Meeting Lucile Beckman 31 years ago led me into an incredible journey and a wonderful career in gifted education.”

JOANN SIMS

An avid outdoorswoman, Lucile began the SCDS Winterim program, taking learning outside the classroom. Over 30 years later, Winterim is still going strong. On Fridays during January and February, the entire student body, faculty, and often parents, go skiing or skating. Lucile felt it was important for students to partake in the natural beauty of the northwest, to learn a physical skill for building confidence and self-reliance, and, as Jackie says, “to keep their bodies as healthy as their minds.”

Before Lucile retired in 1986, the new Head of School, Jayasri Ghosh, spent a month at school with her. Jayasri says that Lucile was “generous in sharing her philosophy and her strategies for running the school, and had a unique understanding of the spatially gifted child, who is often misunderstood. Lucile gave teachers all the support they needed. I simply built on her legacy of honoring great teaching at SCDS.” Summing up Lucile Beckman’s career, Michael Murphy calls her “a peerless educational advocate whose philosophy of education continues to guide Seattle Country Day School’s mission.” About Lucile’s passing, Joann Sims may speak for many when she said, “It is hard for me to believe she died. In many ways she seemed almost immortal.”

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Shortly after Lucile Beckman’s retirement in 1986, the SCDS Library was named in her honor.

Reflection

BY SARA MOCKETT

SCDS LIBRARIAN 1980–1997, PARENT 2 SCDS STUDENTS, GRANDPARENT 4 SCDS STUDENTS

My introduction to Lucile Beckman and to Seattle Country Day School came when my youngest daughter started school as a kindergartener at SCDS in 1979. I was in Library School at the University of Washington at the time, and Lucile must have known this. She asked me if I would organize the AV equipment, the video tapes, the audio tapes, and the phonograph records. The teachers never knew where anything was.

The years I spent with Lucile were a dream job come true. I feel privileged to have known and worked for this incredible woman.”

I agreed to take on the task, which as I recall, did not take very long.

One day while I was working, I noticed that Lucile was having all the equipment in the science lab near the gym taken out and moved to a room upstairs. Book shelving was being installed in what had been the science lab. I questioned her about this, and she replied that I was now going to catalog all the books next. SCDS was going to have a library, and I was going to be the librarian. She also told me that she had purchased the library collection of one of the Seattle Public Schools that had recently closed. As it turned out, it had been well picked over by all the other Seattle Public School librarians before Lucile bought it.

Well, it looked as if I had a job without even applying. I had not completed all my course work yet for my library degree, but the job would be part time. I could still continue with my course work. Plus, I could name my hours. What could be better?

The little library grew, as libraries have a habit of doing. So Lucile then embarked on a very ambitious building project—a project that created not only a large new library, but also two new classrooms, a viewing room for films and events, and a new main entrance to the school.

The years I spent with Lucile were a dream job come true. I feel privileged to have known and worked for this incredible woman.

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From L to R: Cara Williams, Amelia Mockett, Pia Jacobs Photo by Joan Hudson

?

What do these women have in common?

Completed both primary and middle school at SCDS Alums of the SCDS Class of 2007

Earned valedictorian status: Class of 2011* Attending top-ranked universities 6

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*at Holy Names Academy

Pia Jacobs, Amelia Mockett, and Cara Williams ended their many years as students together this fall as Cara left for Duke University, Pia to Vanderbilt University, and Amelia to MIT. We had the opportunity to talk with them about SCDS and beyond before they departed.

What was your transition to high school like?

Cara: SCDS really set us up to succeed in high school. We were often already familiar with the material and had a head start in many areas. We were able to take more AP classes.

Pia: We already knew how to problem-solve!

“At SCDS, teachers are part of the group, not the only leader or authority.”

AMELIA

Amelia: There was a lot more lecture, memorization, and testing in high school. I was okay with that because it’s good training for college.

Pia: It’s hard to memorize if you don’t understand what you’re memorizing, like in a science class. Because our science education at SCDS focused on really understanding what we were learning, it was so helpful.

What stands out for you about the teachers at SCDS? Amelia: Our relationship with teachers at SCDS helped us not to be afraid of them. I’ve seen people afraid to raise their hands or ask a question. SCDS helped me to have the confidence to assert something or ask a question, even though it might be wrong. It’s not going to ruin my day. At SCDS our education was based on questions and on our own motivation. And part of that is making mistakes.

Pia: I agree. We had a personal relationship with our teachers. They all really cared that you learned.

Cara: They respected us.

Amelia: There’s no condescension. At SCDS, teachers are part of the group, not the only leader or authority. They understood it if you challenged them.

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Pia Jacobs, Amelia Mockett, and Cara Williams, cont.

What are your thoughts about staying at SCDS through 8th grade, rather than going to high school for middle school?

Pia: I’m glad I stayed at SCDS. Middle School is the time I learned the most.

Cara: Middle School was also my favorite time at SCDS. The core group of students stayed together for many years. I wasn’t best friends with everyone, but we are all really close. From a social aspect, it’s really important to stay through Middle School. It’s a huge confidence builder.

“SCDS really set us up to succeed in high school. We were often already familiar with the material and had a head start in many areas.”

CARA

Amelia: As I reflect back, education at SCDS is a building experience. In K-5 the emphasis is all about how to approach problems and becoming a selfmotivated learner. Then, in Middle School, it’s like the transition point. It’s where everything you’ve learned is put into practice. I’m not sure I would have been as successful without a school like SCDS. What is your advice to 8th graders and high school students?

Amelia: Don’t be afraid to go to a school where your friends aren’t going.

Cara: I’d add that when choosing a high school, feeling is more important than heresay about what a school is like. If a school doesn’t feel right, resist pressure from others (even teachers!) about where you should go.

Don’t feel you need “that certain school.”

Amelia: People in high school should get involved in an extra-curricular activity in or out of high school.

70% of people who apply to Harvard are academically qualified, and they take 7%. What seems to be a deciding factor is outside interests—something you can devote a lot of time to—a real passion or pursuit.

Don’t do a bunch of little things. It’s better to be deep than shallow. It’s helpful if you can do something quantifiable where you can cite results.

Cara: You may love scrapbooking for fun, but it may not be the best for college applications! At the same time, you can’t fake an interest.

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How about advice to parents?

Pia: If your child is interested in a particular thing, you should help them to keep getting better at it.

Amelia: Keep exposing kids to new experiences and learnings.

Push a little and at the same time encourage them.

Cara: I loved learning at SCDS—learning concepts. Parents should keep supporting learning outside of school.

You’ve all mentioned “falling in love” with your chosen colleges.

Pia: I’m interested in psychology and economics and was looking for great academics—but also some fun! I loved the Vanderbilt campus and school culture.

Cara: Duke wasn’t even on my original list of schools. I decided to visit at the last minute and found that it’s the perfect combination of strong academics and strong school spirit. I’ll focus on math or science.

“Because our science education at SCDS focused on really understanding what we were learning, it was so helpful.”

PIA

Amelia: I love to read and love English, but I knew that science or engineering would be my path. At this point, I can’t decide between the two. While applying, I found out that it can be an arduous process to change direction from one college to another within a university. When I visited MIT, I found that I can easily pursue science or engineering.

Although the academics are intense, the campus felt laid back at the same time. MIT has a collaborative atmosphere that doesn’t rank students. It’s like SCDS—students are competitive but not cutthroat.

Photo by Joan Hudson

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Naomi!

Naomi responds to questions from 4th and 5th graders.

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Photos by Joan Hudson

7th grade students Joelle Dong Heller and Katie Sluss were among Naomi’s guides during her visit.

Naomi Mushimiri, a teen-ager from Rwanda, spent a day at SCDS on February 1. She came as a stranger and left as a friend—a testament to her engaging personality and personal warmth.

How did Naomi find her way to SCDS? It all began with Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl. Grades 7/8 language arts teacher, Brian Crawford, felt that his students would also benefit from learning about a more recent genocide in a country far removed from Anne Frank’s Germany—Rwanda. In searching for a speaker to visit SCDS, he discovered a non-profit organization founded by a Seattle girl, Jessica Markowitz. At age 11, she learned about the lack of education for Rwandan girls from Richard Kanaga, an activist staying with her family. His stories made such an impression on Jessica that Richard’s Rwanda was born to help them.

With Brian’s support, the SCDS Middle School began a new club as a chapter of Richard’s Rwanda. In addition to pen-pal letters written by our students to Rwandan students in Nyamata, they also hosted Naomi, here on a trip to see her sponsors.

Naomi visited grade levels throughout the school and even participated in classes.

When asked if the Rwandan conflict of the early 90’s still affected children of her generation, she answered with a quiet “Yes.” 8th grade student Greta Zorn, who was one of Naomi’s guides for the day, writes, “Throughout Naomi’s busy day, she answered innumerable questions about her culture. I learned that she speaks English and Kinyarwanda, she is a tenth-grader, and her favorite subject is history.

I also learned (through her responses to first graders) that she has never ridden an elephant or owned a pet zebra.” Naomi took photos in technology class and, as Greta reports, “We discussed Facebook—she has an account, I don’t. I enjoyed getting the opportunity to show Naomi what life is like at SCDS. She was sociable, kind, and worked extremely well with young children. I was impressed by her enthusiasm and smiling responses to our naturally inquisitive students.”

The end of the day found Naomi sharing hugs and words of thanks with our students. Jessica Markowitz reports that “Naomi was so touched by her visit to SCDS, she was crying tears of joy. It made me so happy your school provided her with a very special day. I think it will remain in her heart forever!” Adds Brian, “It has been truly inspiring to witness SCDS kids forming personal bonds with middle and high school students from the other side of the world. Though Rwandan and SCDS kids have different cultures and personal histories, they are all discovering their shared humanity. The world is opening up.”

Naomi was so touched by her visit to SCDS, she was crying tears of joy.

JESSICA MARKOWITZ

www.richardsrwanda.org

Frustrated in his quest to find any ageappropriate literature written about Rwanda in English, Brian Crawford solved the problem this way: he researched the topic and wrote his own young-adult novel about Rwanda. Brian, who has a BA in French and German, and Dual MA’s in French Literature and Modern German Culture, has been sending out the manuscript since last September, but is still seeking a publisher.

Undaunted, he will revise the novel this summer and try again.

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notes

class

SHARE YOUR STORIES! UPDATE YOUR INFO! SCDS wants to hear from our alums! If you have news to share about yourself or a former SCDS student, or if you have email / snail mail address changes, please contact us: 206-691-2620 or patsycadwell@seattlecountryday.org.

DAVID ATCHESON ‘79 is living in Honolulu with his wife Penny

and daughter Koki. Koki is a freshman at Pacific Buddhist Academy, a small, college prep high school incorporating peace studies throughout the curriculum. David continues to work in web development and communications. He was pleased to connect recently with SCDS classmate Rachel Tillman through LinkedIn. SHIRA (KOST-GRANT) BREWER ’94 lives in Johannesburg,

South Africa, where she moved from Seattle. She is teaching high school math at the American International School of Johannesburg, where her husband Matt is also a teacher. They have a son Rafael, who is 2.5 years old. She reports that “the school is great, the wild animals are exciting to see, and the weather is sunny almost all the time.” She encourages other alums visiting Johannesburg to get in touch!

BENEDICT BROWN ’93 completed a post-doc in computer science at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, and became a Lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Pennsylvania on November 1st. His primary research involves working with archaeologists to help reassemble ancient wall paintings using 3D scanning technologies.

JOLIE FERNANDES ’90 lives in Bellingham and works as a firefighter/paramedic for Mukilteo Fire Department. She recently learned to play the side drum and will be playing for the Snohomish County Firefighters Pipes and Drums. She also teaches the Emergency Medical Technician Program at Bellingham Technical College.

STEPHEN FUHS ’90 recently received his PhD in Biomedical

Sciences at University of California San Diego in the Department of Pharmacology. He is now a Postdoctoral Research Associate at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, CA, studying protein sumoylation and histidine phosphorylation in the laboratory of Dr. Tony Hunter. He is also the proud father of an 8 month old boy named Kieran.

SARAH (GOLDBLATT) EMERSON ‘00 is a program manager for Amazon Studios in Seattle. Her husband Chris is a producer for Glu Mobile in Kirkland. They live in Seattle’s Maple Leaf neighborhood.

BEN KADIE ’09 recently finished his film Alone Together and is submitting it to several festivals.

ANDREA MASTERSON ’11 a freshman on the Lakeside Girls’

Varsity Cross Country team continued her assault on Metro League opponents this fall with a first place finishing time that helped the Lions win the Metro League Championship.

BRIAN MASTERSON ’08 is on the

Lakeside Boys Varsity Cross Country team and turned in the fastest Metro cross country time of the season with a 16:17 clip.

LISA NARODICK COLTON ’03 is now living in Charlottesville, Virginia with her husband Jason, kids Eli (7) and Meira (4), their dog Stella, and 7 backyard hens. After graduating from Stanford and traveling in the Middle East for a year and a half, Lisa started a nonprofit which provides social media and business strategy consulting and training to Jewish organizations around the country.

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CONOR MYHRVOLD ’03 graduated from Princeton with an AB in Geosciences in May 2011, and is currently pursuing a 1-year SM in Science Writing at MIT. REMI SCHNEIDER ’06 made the Oberlin College soccer team

as a freshman.

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PHILLIP THURTLE ’75 is currently the Director for the Comparative History of Ideas program and an Associate Professor of History at the University of Washington. He received his PhD in History from Stanford in 2002.

JAKE VAN DUSEN ’98 was living in San Francisco for the past 4 years, but

left that city with his wife Natalie to travel for 5 months in Southeast Asia, and then through the U.S. and Canada. At the end of the road, their goal is to find a new home and new jobs in a small town in the Rocky Mountains.

CORDELIE WITT ’00 attended the University of Washington where she

graduated with honors in Neurobiology. Currently she is a 4th year medical student at the University of Michigan. She will be entering a residency in General Surgery next year. Cordelie presented her research on head trauma at a conference in Paris, and presented in San Francisco in October.

ALDEN WITT ’03 graduated from the University of Washington with Honors

in Creative Writing, and was accepted at Berklee College of Music to study Songwriting. In the meantime he works as an audio engineer and at Seattle schools in a variety of capacities.

AMY WOODRUFF ’04 is in her 4th year at the University of Chicago, majoring in Public Policy (focusing on Education Policy.) This past year she directed a free one-day educational program for high school students at the University of Chicago campus. They offered over 100 different classes and more than 400 students from all over Chicago attended. See their catalog at splashchicago.learningu.org/learn/Cascade/2012_Winter/catalog

Some SCDS 2011 Grads Check in LIZZIE AMES, MEGAN BANG, and IRENE SAKSON all attend The Bush School. Lizzie

joined the Social Committee, and says, “I am so appreciative of the opportunities I had at SCDS.” Megan appeared in the school play, Night of the Living Dead, and says, “I miss the SCDS teachers so much!” Irene is pursuing her passions for math and dance.

She was the only freshman in her math analysis (pre-calc) class, and she also took a salsa/modern class. BEN SIMONTOV attends Mercer Island High School and is enjoying it very much, especially swim team. OLIVIA MACHETANZ is one of only sixteen students accepted to the early entrance program at the University of Washington. She says “I love my classes and all is well as I have not been eaten by the scary University students.”

Eight Former SCDS Students Graduate from Lakeside Class of 2011 Top Row: Ross Smith, Noel O’Shea, Luke Monroe; Not pictured: Connor Bennion; Bottom Row: Donna Leet, Betsy Wade, Nikki Kiga, Lucia Childs-Walker The eight students now attend Princeton University, Whitman College (2), Wesleyan University, Amherst College, Barnard College, University of Washington, and Carleton College

In Memoriam, Pat Scott Pat (L) loved Hawaii. Here she “hangs loose” with SCDS Teachers Susan Mise and Sarah Willis.

Our community was saddened by the December passing of Pat Scott, former SCDS teacher. Pat was a Seattle area native and taught in the Shoreline school district and Hebrew Academy before coming to SCDS out of retirement for a one year appointment. She enjoyed SCDS so much and we enjoyed her so much that she stayed full-time for 4 more years. Pat even continued to sub for us until recently. She will be remembered for her love of teaching, her energy, and her indomitable spirit. 2nd grade teacher Susan Mise says, “Pat was a friend first, and co-worker second. She had this uncanny ability to make anyone feel like you were her best friend. I miss her terribly.”

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SEATTLE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE

ideas in

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Kinesis comes from the Greek word for motion, and “kinetics” is used in the vernacular to describe mechanics associated with the forces that cause motions of bodies. At SCDS, we’re all about energy and active learning. Every day, SCDS teachers engage students’ minds and bodies through inquiry-based teaching.

The SCDS Chess Team won the 1st Place Team Trophy in the 1 -3 grade division at the recent Medina All-School Chess Tournament. Many team members also won individual trophies and/or qualified for the upcoming state tournament. Pictured with the team are, from L to R: Head of School Michael Murphy, Coach Lori Osseward, and Coach Leo Stefurak.