Fall 2015 5
Philanthropy Builds Program
6 Embracing a Dynamic Tension 9 Campus Events 12 Graduation 2015 14 S hady Hill Kicks Off Its Centennial Celebration 16 Alumni Weekend 20 Summer Grants
A t r a di t ion of i n novat ion
Shady Hill School | 178 Coolidge Hill | Cambridge, MA 02138 www.shs.org 617–520–5260
2 Building an Academic Blue Zone
our mission Shady Hill School wants children to be joyful, active learners who develop the intellectual discipline necessary to become contributing, ethical citizens. To accomplish these ends, we believe in the primacy of exploration and discovery, we advance the mastery of skills, and we help students shape meaning from knowledge.
Boa r d of Trustees 2015–2016
Jane Moncreiff ’76, Board Chair Bob Crowley, Treasurer & Finance Chair Suzanne Siner ’83, Clerk Carita Anderson David Brewster ‘86 Holly Edmonds ’84 Maria Choi Fernandopulle Jeanne Fitzgibbon Melissa Hanenberger Alyssa Haywoode Jake Hopkins ttc ’01 Wynn Huang Keri Hughes Hilary Johnston Christopher Lee Arthur D. Little ’59 Rory Morton ’78 ttc ’87 Jeita Phillips ’94 Erik Ramanathan Alex Sacerdote Mark Stanek, Head of School Ralph Wales Shady Hill School Fall 2015
By Invitation: Kimberly Kubik, Director of Institutional Advancement Maureen Nunez, Chief Financial Officer/ Chief Operating Officer Sarah Wasserman, Co-Chair, Parents’ Council Allison Webster, Assistant Head of School
A lumni Boa r d 2015–2016
Isabel Black ’02, Outreach Officer Kip Brown ’84, Annual Fund Officer Hilary Johnson ’01 Vera Zieman Garibaldi ’91 Meg Grossman ’62 Nora MacDonald ’01, ttc ‘15 Melinda Margetson ’76 Jeita Phillips ’94, Chair Fred Wang ’65 Charlie Wyzanski ’59 Kathryn Bailis Phillips ’90, Regional Chair, NYC Caroline (Carrie) Simonds ’95, Regional Chair, SF
Communic ations office
Christopher Randall, Director of Communications Kathy Breen, Systems Specialist Photogr a ph y
Porter Gifford ’79, Porter Gifford Photography L ayout
Boynton Hue Studio
Cov er Photo
As they examine how much the plants have grown, Grade I and VII partners bask in the purple glow of our Food Computer—a computer-controlled, hydroponic growth chamber.
We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. — T. S. Eliot
Shady Hill is and always has been a pioneer in the world of education. From founders Agnes and Ernest Hocking, who
launched Shady Hill on their back porch, to Katherine Taylor, who began a national model for teacher training, to today’s faculty leaders whose STEAM initiatives are a current example of our dedication to innovative curriculum, the School remains committed to its original pioneering vision. Our recent strategic plan emphasizes the importance of nurturing the unique professional culture that has, for over 100 years, infused the program with new ideas and kept learning joyful, meaningful, and relevant. Each year, the School supports teacher-led innovation by providing faculty the time and space for reflection, experimentation, and collaboration. Through their numerous professional development experiences, faculty members learn about and share new research and approaches to teaching and learning. New faculty and apprentice teachers provide an additional engine for exploration as they enhance practice and question current pedagogy. In this, our centennial year, it is especially important to recognize the School’s enduring pioneering spirit. Our primary focus remains an unparalleled standard of excellence in student intellectual, ethical, and social-emotional development. The articles in this issue shed light on a vibrant culture and core process that enable us to be the unique school we are. I remain honored to lead a community of dedicated, engaged educators who ensure the development of relevant, transformative curriculum that prepares students to thrive in an increasingly complex world. This issue will provide insight into our shared sense of purpose—a synergy of tradition and innovation.
Mark J. Stanek, Head of School
LE T TER FROM THE HE AD OF SCHOOL
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Building an Academic Blue Zone
Allison Webster
Adaptation is key. Since the earliest days,
Assistant head of school
What makes people—or institutions—vital and vibrant as they age? Interestingly, there
seems to be a pattern. Blue Zones—places where people live to be 100 years old at ten times the average rate—share a number of common factors, whether located in Japan, Greece, Italy, or elsewhere. One trait that centenarians in these areas share is a strong sense of purpose. As Shady Hill reaches its centennial birthday, the shared sense of purpose held by its people—both today and in the past—is a major source of its vitality and success. For 100 years, our mission has been our lodestar. This vision, in tandem with Shady Hill’s tradition of thoughtfully examining its curriculum and methodologies, ensures that our program and approaches are relevant, vibrant, and well matched to the needs of current and future students.
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the ways teachers have built and adapted our program have added vitality to the School. Recent examples of this process include the addition of Mandarin to our World Language Program; the shift to a Central Subject on China in Grade V; the adoption of Fundations, a phonics program; the development of service-learning programs; and the expansion of academic technology resources, including student laptops and iPads. In each of these instances, the faculty’s culture of learning and innovation, along with their shared sense of purpose, injected dynamism into the curriculum and brought new classroom experiences to life. The work of Shady Hill’s STEAM Council over the past year provides a window into our tradition of curricular innovation. The STEAM Council, which I facilitate, is a group of 15 teachers from all areas of the School. We gathered throughout the
B lu e Z o n e s . . . are places where people live to be 100 years old at ten times the average rate. One trait that centenarians in these areas share is a strong sense of purpose.
2014–2015 academic year to build upon Shady Hill’s strong science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) programs. Our curricular goal was to use teacher expertise and collaboration to develop and pilot STEAM lessons and units at various grade levels. Our broader goal was to better understand STEAM education and the ways it resonates with Shady Hill’s mission. The Council’s process of educating itself about curricular possibilities showcased how faculty experiment with and adapt the existing program as a way to build new curriculum. We did this in a number of ways: we brought in an expert from Olin College of Engineering to share his research on the childhood roots of adult creativity; we traveled to schools to see STEAM programs and spaces in action; we experimented with curricular materials ourselves, whether littleBits circuit boards, STEAM-related children’s books, or new online platforms for telling
a story; we observed each other’s classrooms; we watched videos and read articles to fuel our discussions; we visited Le Laboratoire, an art and design center in Cambridge designed for adult learning; we presented the Council’s work and findings at a national STEM conference and participated in two days of workshops. Throughout these experiences, we evaluated how these ideas and materials supported our traditions and current work with students, while also offering new possibilities for enrichment. Our conversations were filled with questions that tethered to our mission: Will this lesson or activity allow for deep exploration? Will it create a joyful learning experience? Will it enable students to master basic skills? Will it help them add new skills and capacities? At the same time, we debated and distilled the capacities and skills students will most need to accomplish their goals in high school and beyond. Our sense of
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Shady Hill’s powerful tradition of caring, along with our shared sense of purpose, fuel our community’s ongoing evolution.
The STEAM Council exemplifies a process that happens daily here on campus. If the
purpose as a group was invigorated through our shared learning and through articulating and evaluating our methods. Our STEAM work was deeply collaborative.
As we piloted new projects, we co-developed and co-taught numerous lessons. For example, science and arts teachers came together so eighth graders could explore solubility and marbling; Central Subject and math joined forces to guide fifth graders through the process of scaling up 8x10-inch photos into 20-foot murals; library and science collaborated to have Lower School students design engineering solutions to problems faced by characters in books. These partnerships enabled teachers to discuss, plan, learn, and evaluate an area of study with another skilled educator. The results were inspiring for students and teachers alike. For a myriad of reasons, Shady Hill fosters this kind of growth and exploration. It enriches the student experience. It energizes the faculty. It invigorates the program.
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unexamined life is not worth living, then surely the unexamined school is not worth attending. Shady Hill is well examined, and children benefit from the results of this ongoing reflective, creative process that strengthens our program each day. Aside from a strong sense of purpose, people in Blue Zones have another trait in common: they are part of a caring community. Each day, I am struck by the incredible care that Shady Hill faculty bring to their work with students, their own learning, and their relationships with other adults on campus. Shady Hill’s powerful tradition of caring, along with our shared sense of purpose, fuel our community’s ongoing evolution. While proudly rooted in the wise tenets of our founders, our methods help us meet the needs of children both today and in the future. At the age of 100, human centenarians are approaching the end of their life span. I don’t know what constitutes old age for a school, but thanks to the process of renewal at our School’s core, Shady Hill’s impressive tradition is an odds-on favorite for carrying it well into the future. _
“More and more about less and less.” Liz Coleman,
President of Bennington College, recently made this critique of a wide swath of contemporary K−12 educational practice. She is one of a chorus of educational leaders calling for schools to “rediscover and re-incorporate” foundational values and visions. Shady Hill could well be a model for such a proposal. From our start, we have organized teaching and learning around foundational values and visions: collaboration, community, communication, critical thinking, creativity, and cultural competency. Yet one rises above the rest: community.
Philanthropy Builds Program Kimberly F. Kubik Director of Advancement
Community makes Shady Hill’s vision and mission a daily reality. We are a community dedicated to the idea of having students live lives that make a difference. We are a community committed to exploring excellence, innovation, and collaboration. We are a community eager to support a school that creates meaningful engagement, that inspires joyful, active learning, and that develops ethical citizens. We are also a community committed to achieving financial sustainability. We are a “gift-supported institution.” But what does this really mean? To begin with, tuition covers only about 75% of our annual costs. As a result, much of the fabric of the school day, week, and year is possible because of gifts made to the Annual Fund. In fact, the Board builds the School budget assuming that the Annual Fund will cover about seven percent of the annual costs. Our proud tradition of philanthropy includes gifts of time, skills, and money. This generosity has enabled us to do many essential things: construct and maintain buildings, provide off-campus education and travel for students, and support professional development for faculty; invite artists to work with our students; award TTC scholarships; and provide equity in access to education. These are but a few of the ways philanthropy builds the program. At Shady Hill, philanthropy is community. We are a community that understands that we must all give in order to sustain our mission. Through our tradition of giving, we create one of the greatest gifts of all: education based on foundational values and visions. _
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Embracing a Dynamic Tension What it means to have a 100-year tradition of innovation
Monica Chrambach and Cheryl Bruun Facult y coaches
Embracing tradition while exploring innovative educational practice plays out in many ways at Shady Hill. As faculty coaches, our vantage point enables us to see the synergy between tradition and innovation in every classroom, every day. In a school with such a long history, last century’s innovations have morphed into today’s traditions. Looking forward, we imagine that many of today’s innovations will persist for years to come. Time can sure do a number on innovation! Since its founding in 1915, Shady Hill has embraced the richness of integrated curriculum and hands-on learning. At each grade level, curricula have been designed and implemented to provide children with opportunities to, as our mission states, “be joyful, active learners who develop the intellectual discipline necessary to become contributing, ethical citizens.” Passionate teachers are at the core of any successful school. Here at Shady Hill, teachers are truly the keepers of the mission. We do this by finding a balance between honoring the work of those who came before and elevating that work to the expectations of a new day. Our professional culture of questioning practice, whether it be with apprentices or amongst ourselves, celebrates what works well with children and casts an innovative eye toward what doesn’t.
May Day, 1938
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Shady Hill School Fall 2015
May Day, 2015
Science, 1943
Science, 2015 The fourth-grade Greek curriculum is a classic example of this innovative tradition. Visionary teachers created this curriculum in the earliest days of Shady Hill. One hundred years later, it is still with us. The tradition of recreating the Greek O lympics and the Greek plays has persisted and reflects students’ immersive learning experience in Greek culture and history. Have those plays changed over the years? Absolutely! Cyclops’s paper maché head may be historic, but its story is now told in the language of rap. Today’s Greek plays resonate with today’s kids, because teachers respond to students’ needs, and student needs are always at the center of our innovations. Shady Hill’s May Day celebration is another example of a long-standing tradition that has been truly transformed over time. Community gatherings are central to the culture of the School. But each year, May Day is revitalized with new twists to reflect the times. For many years the seventh-grade May Day tradition was to dance the Jitterbug. But with a new Central Subject on Colonial America, a new tradition of square dancing emerged. Similarly, the sixth grade now dances to African drummers and the fifth graders perform a traditional Chinese stick dance, representing ways to integrate new Central Subjects into long-standing traditions while embracing our values of diversity and community. Interestingly, STEM/STEAM, an integrated approach to education that is widely publicized as the future of education, has existed in some form at Shady Hill for as long as the school has been in operation. Hands-on projects and authentic problem solving—pillars of STEAM programs—are at the heart of what we do. Integration of subject areas—another mainstay of STEAM—is key to our successful thematic studies and central subjects.
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These approaches are also very much alive in the art, music, science, and math classes. Shop class is a perfect example. There, third graders build sea chests for their “whaling voyage” and sixth graders carve wooden masks in the African tradition. These projects exemplify how our students “advance the mastery of skills” as stated in our mission and employ the design process, something now celebrated as a modern learning strategy. Furthermore, our current focus on “design thinking” offers additional infrastructure for this kind of work. These examples testify to how innovative thinking in one era can take root and, in a later era, become a curricular cornerstone. These initiatives stay current by building on another of our traditions—modifying programs to incorporate new methodologies (like coding) and new technologies (like 3D printing). Collectively, we are dedicated to making sure that the innovations we embrace are true to our mission and create meaningful, dynamic learning opportunities for all of our students. That’s a fine tradition! _
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Shady Hill School Fall 2015
Campus Events Spring Musical : Shrek
In a far-away Assembly Hall, . . . the eighth-graders did themselves proud. The full-team effort culminated in one week of strong performances to sold-out houses. Singing, dancing, acting, set design, tech and stage crews, and band. It was a stellar production, with the exuberant cast moving seamlessly between playful and dramatic moments. The surprising twist was that Princess Fiona turned into an ogre, and she and Shrek lived happily ever after!
SHS STE AMs Ahead in Minnea p o lis
Ten Shady Hill teachers and administrators traveled to Minneapolis in May to present at the National Science Teachers Association’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) conference. Teachers offered sessions on engineering a better human, integrating STEM and humanities, and promoting teacher engagement and interdisciplinary learning. Shady Hill was one of the most active schools at the four-day conference, a tribute to the innovative, groundbreaking STEAM-based work (we include the arts in our mix) happening here on campus.
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Campus Events
O lympic G ames
The weather gods served up a beautiful day in May for one of Shady Hill’s oldest traditions. The Olympics began on the Green, with the fourth-graders reciting odes to Zeus and victory. The action moved to the playing fields for javelin, discus, high jump, long jump, and foot races. After an afternoon of energetic performances, the competitors headed back to the Green for the wreathing and closing ceremonies and, of course, some ambrosia.
May Day
With a program that drew from nine countries and four continents, the Green transformed into an international stage. The standing room-only crowd of students, parents, faculty, and friends cheered enthusiastically as each grade performed with energy and exuberance. The day was a satisfying blend of tradition, community, and joy.
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Shady Hill School  Fall 2015
The Internatio nal Fair
In April, families celebrated their heritages, hosting over 30 tables that showcased countries hailing from every continent but Antarctica. They found many ways to distill what is special about their cultures, delighting the senses with a wide variety of tastes, smells, colors, sounds, and textures. From the stage, student performers sang, danced, and paraded, giving the Blue Gym a vibrant, festive atmosphere.
Shady Hill Laun ches New Website
In July, Shady Hill rolled out a newly designed website. The clean, elegant look includes lots of photos and readily accessible information. Check it out: www.shs.org.
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The graduation ceremony on June 4 began dramatically with Grade VI playing African drums as the Class of 2015 entered and took their seats. Krista Demas welcomed the 64 eighth-graders and their guests, sharing poems and lyrics that she and the class have enjoyed together. With a little help from Confucius, Grade V imparted words of wisdom to the graduating class, and Grade VII addressed each eighth-grader individually, relating something they appreciated about each person. Then it was the eighth-graders’ turn. The graduates stood and recited their class graduation poem, which were excerpts from their declamations. Head of School Mark Stanek reminded us of Shady Hill’s long tradition of service and the reputation its graduates have for acting with compassion. He then presented graduates with their diplomas, and the class sang the May Day Carol together for a last time. It was a memorable day and a proud celebration of Shady Hill’s newest graduating class.
Congratulations
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Shady Hill School Fall 2015
class
of
2015
!
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1915 2015
Shady Hill Kicks Off Its
Centennial Celebration
We kicked off our centennial year by installing a plaque commemorating the site of the original Shady Hill School—now on the campus of Harvard University. The plaque relates Shady Hill’s notable role in American progressive education. Mark Stanek opened the ceremony by reflecting on the School’s earliest days and how the vision, mission, and educational philosophy articulated by Ernest and Agnes Hocking still resonates throughout our School today. A “chorus” of 13 readers took turns reading passages excerpted from May Sarton’s ’26 I Knew a Phoenix, which paints a vivid picture of Shady Hill’s early years. The crowd walked back to campus along the Charles River to a celebratory luncheon, complete with huge “Happy Hundredth” birthday cakes. The day was a festive mix of students, parents, alumni, current and past faculty, and Shady Hill friends.
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Shady Hill School Fall 2015
Three Heads of School: Jonathan Slater, Mark Stanek, and Bruce Shaw. Kit Eaton Dreier ’45, John W. Cobb ’43, and Ellen Moot ’45 cut the Happy 100th cake.
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Alumni Weekend Alumni, ranging from the Class of 1945 to the Class of 2005, returned to campus to reunite and reconnect with their classmates.
Class of 1980 members Andrea Spears Jackson and Jess Aguilera-Steinert point to themselves in Grade IV.
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Shady Hill School  Fall 2015
Science teacher Jeanne McDermott and Assistant Head of School Allison Webster lead 30 alumni through a hands-on paper-marbeling activity.
Alumni enjoy the all-class dinner and remarks from Head of School Mark Stanek in the Assembly Hall.
Charlie Wyzanski ‘59 moderates a lively discussion and alumni Q&A with eighth graders during the SHS Today panel. 17
Alumni Weekend
Alumni sing the Shady Hill repertoire at the All Sing.
Head of School Mark Stanek hosts the Class of 1965 for a special 50th reunion breakfast at his home.
Members of the Class of 1990 celebrate their 25th reunion.
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L to R: Angela Absher ’55, Betsy G. Forgarty ’55, Miriam K. Truslow ’55, and Ann L. von Rosenberg ’55.
Ellen Moot ’45 and Dorothy Altman ’45 share a laugh.
Reunioning alumni and Shady Hill families connect at the community lunch following the plaque dedication.
Members of the Class of 2005 enjoy lunch together.
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Summer Grants The engine that drives innovation at Shady Hill? Teachers. The School’s commitment to professional development supports their work of introducing meaningful innovation and understanding how best to meet the needs of today’s students. Faculty pursue professional development throughout the year—course work, conferences, trainings, school visits. Nevertheless, the School’s summer grant program offers a window into how teachers think about their work.
Diversity Directions Institute
Marta Rivas
I am interested in how we tell stories, to whom, and why. At the Institute, participants shared cultural stories and pushed one another to consider ideas and interactions from different perspectives. The shared stories created a sense of intimacy and built trust. In the coming year, I plan to use stories as a way to help students share different aspects of themselves and build an empathetic classroom culture that enhances learning and leads students to become wiser thinkers.
Tufts University Robotics Camp
Jeanne McDermott
Programming Legos®? Yes! In the camp, led by SHS Science Department member Barbara Bratzel, I built a car, programmed a spiro-graph, and made a puppy-bot—a puppy made of Legos and programed to precisely follow my movements. Our class also programmed our robots to do “the wave” together. The camp prepared me for some of the project work I will be doing with my Grade VIII physics class.
Refining “Changemakers” Julia Ale x ander and Erica Rogers -Jensen
In our Grade I Changemaker sessions, we introduce students to the stories of people who have enacted change in the world. To help develop a shared understanding among students, we compiled a list of important words. We also focused on ways to make Changemakers relevant, such as by discussing people who reflect the diversity of the class. Over the coming year, we will write lesson plans to facilitate adaptation for different classes and teachers.
Strengthening the Grade VI Central Subject Gr ade VI Gr adeheads
We identified new ways for our classes to collaborate as well as how to meet the needs of a wide range of learners. We worked with a Yoruba fiber artist and built a mini-golf course to learn about angles and design. We also visited an African art gallery. The owners explained that objects—artistic, everyday, and ceremonial—serve as a window into the culture that made them. We will use this perspective to help students explore what it means to be “African.”
Differentiated Instruction in Grade VII Math Jake Nunes
I produced course materials to help me better scaffold student learning. To ensure that all students can make the intended leaps, I reviewed the sequence of my course topics and expanded the questioning in my lessons.
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Enhancing the Grade I–Grade II Loop Sequence The Gr ade I and Gr ade II teachers
The eight “looping” teachers met to establish consistency throughout the Grade I and II curriculum. We looked at schedules, and we standardized class length, naming conventions, and report templates. In addition, we created a shared folder that housed our shared documents.
Sports-Science Connection Stephanie Tr avers and Tr acy Polte
We developed lessons that introduce students to the science involved in many of their PE sports and activities. We will pilot the “The Science of Soccer” where second graders think about 1) Legs as levers, 2) Angles, 3) Tension and compression, 4) Impact, 5) Surface area, 6) Measurement and analyzing data, and 7) Forces vs. Finesse. In the future, we will expand the program to other grades.
NAIS School Leadership Institute
Darin Goulet
The Institute focused on the challenges and opportunities inherent in school leadership. The core of the institute was the Leadership Practices Inventory. It subdivides leadership into 60 behaviors and offers strategies for mastering them. I received thoughtful feedback from other participants, which made the challenging process especially rewarding. I also met with other Arts Chairs and learned about a wide variety of independent school music and performing-arts programs.
Guided Reading in Early Literacy
Michelle Young
How do students become effective readers? To plan instruction and use assessment data to choose and introduce appropriate books for guided reading instruction, I observed, assessed, and analyzed students’ reading behaviors. I studied differentiated instruction, managed independent learning, and grouping students dynamically based on assessment. My goal this year is to apply the ideas of managed independent learning to enhance my whole group, small group, and individual teaching.
Lower School Movement/PE Webpage Stephanie Tr avers and Will Borden
We began developing the Beginners–Grade IV webpages, posting course/grade explanations and adding pictures. This work will continue throughout the year.
Leadership Skills Workshops
Keri Hughes
To develop a clearer vision for how our department serves both teachers and students, I attended two workshops. In Facilitative Leadership, I learned about frameworks for decision making and models for developmental coaching. In Designing Adult Learning, I practiced the art of making an agenda, planning a sequence of meetings, and supporting teachers in their learning process.
Graduation Portfolios
Gr ade VIII Gr adeheads
Drawing on the SHS mission statement, we identified the purpose of portfolios, designed a process by which students will collect work, developed tools for them to reflect on their work, and discussed how they will present their portfolios. Our plan will enable students to demonstrate how they think critically, communicate effectively, analyze evidence, and value different perspectives by the time they graduate.
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Upcoming Events — 2015 — Monday, November 9
Cheers to 100 Years, Regional Gathering: New York City, 7:00 PM
Wednesday, November 25
Grandparents’ Day, 8:15–11:45 AM Thanksgiving Assembly, 10:45 AM Young Alumni Pizza Lunch, 12:00 PM
Thursday, December 3
Award-winning Flm Screening, Most Likely to Succeed, 6:30 PM
— 2016 — Thursday, January 21
A Centennial Celebration of Creativity: A panel of alumni sharing their stories, 6:30 PM
Friday, February 12
Black History Assembly, 11:00 AM
Wednesday, March 23
Alumni Art Show Reception, 7:00 PM
Thursday, March 31
Parents’ Council Speaker Series: Deborah Roffman, 6:30 PM
Thursday, April 28
Parents of Alumni Gathering, 6:00 PM
Friday and Saturday, June 3 and 4
Reunion Weekend
Saturday, June 4
Centennial Gala Community Celebration, 6:00–11:00 PM