Patterns- Fall 2014 by St. Martin's Episcopal School

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Patterns

2014

The Magazine of St. Martin’s Episcopal School

Teaching the digital generation Professional Development • Music and Movement • Alumni News • Voices

Patterns Editor Christina Mimms Director of Communications

Contributors Neil Conrad Mimi Deupree The Rev. Dr. James Hamner IV Printing: Standard Press Photography: Mark Adams, Christina Mimms

Administration The Rev. Dr. James E. Hamner IV Headmaster Cindy Alexander Principal, Early Childhood Dr. Mary McPherson Principal, Elementary School James “Skeeter” Lee Principal, Middle School

The Rev. Dr. John McCard Church Rector Patterns is published quarterly by St. Martin’s Episcopal School. Please direct any letters, comments or news items to: St. Martin’s Episcopal School 3110-A Ashford Dunwoody Rd. Atlanta, GA 30319 Attn: Christina Mimms (404) 237-4260 www.stmartinschool.org cmimms@stmartinschool.org

Mission Statement : St. Martin’s Episcopal School is dedicated to providing a quality education of the whole person in a loving, Christian atmosphere, which fosters lifelong learning.

contents

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departments

2 3 6 13 16 8

letters

From the Headmaster and the Editor seen & heard

News and happenings in the school community in class

More than play time

class notes

News from SMES alumni

voices

Embrace change

features f e at u r e

Teaching the digital generation

On the cover: Students are hard at work with various technology in classes. View this magazine on your tablet at issuu.com.

letters from the headmaster It has become a trite truism that technology has revolutionized the way we live. It certainly has impacted how our students learn and interact with the larger world. They are the “digital natives” who have never known life without Smartphones, personal computers, or the endlessly growing number of communication devices. As with all such developments, there is much good and much that is not good. What is critically important is the responsible and thoughtful use of such tools and instruments. We use technology in our classrooms to enhance and deepen learning. We want our students to be conversant with the technologies which they will use in high school, yet we also know that what is new today may well look ancient in a few years’ time. I think I am one of the very few who were taught how to use the slide rule, at the time the cutting edge of technology. For us at St. Martin’s, the use of technology is one of many tools and methods used

by our teachers. While the use of tablets and the Internet expands exponentially access to knowledge, nothing substitutes for the vital role of face to face, personal interaction between student and teacher. What is equally important is the appropriate use of technology. As we know, technology can be used for a number of pernicious purposes. Cyberbullying, the expansion of violent and sexualized video “games,” Web sites and chat rooms, are but a few of the negative and hurtful aspects of technology that our children are exposed to. We teach “digital citizenship” to our students to help them navigate these waters and to utilize the amazing abilities of technology in good, appropriate ways. In this edition of Patterns, you will learn about the myriad ways technology is used and taught in our school. If you ever have any questions, please contact our principals and technology team. As our next edition of Patterns will come to you in February, I wish you and your families an advanced Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas.

from the editor In talking with teachers and administrators to write the feature on technology in this issue of our magazine (page 8), the word that recurred often was “balance.” How do we balance use of devices with traditional instruction? How do we balance exposure to technology with age-appropriate lessons? Finding that balance is not an easy task and we are fortunate at St. Martin’s to have a great technology team to support our teachers. Somewhat to my surprise, the technology administrators and instructors were the first ones to say that technology is not everything, and not every day even needs to include technology. Of course, if you walk into one of their offices, typically every plug is charging some type of device, and they rarely even go to lunch without a phone or iPad in hand.

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But they know as well as any teacher that students can’t wholly depend on an iPad or laptop all the time — they still need to be able to write with a pencil or pen, and otherwise function in a traditional learning environment. So if the kids might be disappointed that they are not using their iPad or Chromebook for a particular lesson, it’s okay. They can still count on a great class from their teachers, and they are still going to learn valuable information. In my job, I am now at the point where I usually carry a device at all times, too. You’ve probably seen me at a school event Tweeting and posting photos to Instagram. But I, too, seek the balance and enjoy the times to watch events with my own eyes and not just through a screen on a device.

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seen&heard

Devotionals start the day off right

Daily prayer permeates throughout St. Martin’s campus each day. Homeroom devotionals provide the perfect opportunity for students to center themselves and allow God to be present in their lives at the start of each day.

Lewis named 6th grade academic dean

Teachers enjoy a lot of flexibility with their devotional. Some read from the Bible while others select from a journal or other age-appropriate book. Kindergarten teacher Maggie Yancey and 3rd grade teacher Julie Ann Stovall both use versions of “Jesus Calling,” a devotional book. Each page contains a scripture and a short story or lesson which “we try to apply to our lives,” Yancey said. Her students enjoy the illustrations in the book as well. Fifth grade teacher Charlotte O’Keefe’s choice is “Lessons from the Proverbs,” which offers 1-page stories on different lessons. She often reads from the Book of Common Prayer and allows students to lead the devotional sometimes. “Fifth graders like to participate and not just listen,” O’Keefe explained. That is the case in Middle School as well. Susan Potenza’s 6th graders each take charge of the devotional for a week. She keeps a variety of books that students may choose from, or they may bring a reading or lesson from home. Her students also lead their prayer before lunchtime each day. “I think it’s important for 8th graders to take ownership of our devotional time,” said Middle School English teacher and 8th grade advisor Kim Murphy, whose students take turns each day with the devotional. Her students often read a passage or show an inspirational video they found on Youtube. “Morning devotions are the way that we start our day here at St. Martin’s School,” said the Rev. Stefanie Taylor, chaplain. “The very first thing we do is say our prayers and in doing so, we set the tone of love and holiness so that our education is grounded in safety and purpose.”

Stovall lends talents to tennis at BB&T Open SMES 8th grader Gracie Stovall was selected to sing the National Anthem on center court at the BB&T Open tennis tournament finals on July 27, held at Atlantic Station in Atlanta. She had the pleasure to meet tennis pro John Isner (photo at left) at the event. Gracie was also invited to sing at a press conference for the event on June 9. She sang for the media, BB&T tennis officials and Gracie Stovall with U.S. tennis player John Isner City of Atlanta officials. and at Media Day for the BB&T Open in Atlanta.

The first few weeks of 6th grade sometimes surprise students. The school they have known since Early Childhood days suddenly can seem a lot different — new uniform, new building, new schedule, many teachers new to them and some more advanced expectations. To guide them through their first year in Middle School, 6th grade math teacher Laura Lewis now is serving as 6th grade Academic Dean. She works as a liaison between 6th grade families and administration and is the “go-to” person for 6th grade issues. “If students have a positive start to Middle School, it could change their whole experience,” Lewis said. Lewis met with students and parents during Orientation and on Back to School Night and will meet with them again during the school year. She meets with any individual students and parents as needed. In the first three weeks of school, Lewis organized the “Springboard to Middle School” a thrice-weekly after-school program for 6th graders (photo above). During that time, she helped students to review, organize and prioritize their homework. “The kids love it,” Lewis said. “They get a majority of their written work done and they feel a real sense of accomplishment.”

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Middle School students earn top awards at International ThesCon Ten students traveled to the International Thespian Festival, held in Lincoln, Neb., at the University of Nebraska this summer. The students qualified for the festival by scoring Superior rankings at the state festival held in the spring.

• Sophie Beck in Costume Design: her design was for “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” (photo below left) • Jordan Ricketts in Stage Management for “Seussical Jr.” • Gracie Stovall also attended.

The 10 Middle Schoolers attended seminars and performed with 3,000 high school and middle school students from around the world, representing St. Martin’s with outstanding results.

Design and management students worked on their projects throughout the school year.

Emily Schmitt, Abby Ray, Caswell King and Victoria Gronczewski attended in

Group Acting, from the play “On the Verge or the Geography of Yearning” and scored straight Superiors (photo right). Paige Demba (above) scored the highest of any student in the Theater Marketing category for her “Seussical Jr.” project. She was the only middle school student in the entire festival to be on stage for the final showcase.

Students participated in first-class workshops from theatrical experts throughout the week and attended 15 state shows at the festival main stage.

These students participated in the following categories: • Caroline Brown in Sound Design for “The Good Times Are Killing Me.” • Robin James in Lighting Design for “Everyman.”

Zoo-rrific times in Early Childhood Beginners and Pre-K This year St. Martin’s launched the Zoo Phonics curriculum in Pre-Kindergarten and Beginners classes. This curriculum is a multi-sensory language arts program that uses movement and sounds associated with letters to create phonemic awareness. The program incorporates animals to teach the sounds of each letter of the alphabet. Zoo Phonics introduces the lower case letters first; however, in Pre-K, students will be exposed to both the lower case and the upper case letters.

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During the first two weeks of school, students were introduced to all of the zoo friends in the Zoo Phonics curriculum and then began studying a “Letter of the Week.” Each week, they focus on one zoo friend, its sound and hand signal, and the letter that goes with it. Each classroom has small stuffed animals or picture cards representing each animal. Students are enjoying making sounds and hand gestures to accompany each letter and each animal.

seen & heard

Teachers go back to the classrooms The term “lifelong learner” applies to teachers as well as students at St. Martin’s, and many teachers take advantage of the summer — and funds provided by the school for professional development — to go back to the classroom and learn new skills themselves. First grade teacher Katie Grice took a week-long Orton-Gillingham course at the Institute for Multisensory Education in Atlanta. The Orton-Gillingham methodology uses multi-sensory techniques to teach the structure of the English language and the five components of effective reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, fluency and comprehension strategies. Technology instructors Chris Nama, Kathy Koporec and Kinshasa Msola (photo at left) descended, along with 13,000 other attendees, on the Georgia World Congress Center for the annual conference of the International Society for Technology in Education. They attended workshops about apps for education, visual storytelling, visual literacy, Google for education and more. They also visited the massive exhibit hall to see the latest tools for education. Claire Conarro (3rd grade), Kathleen Pease (5th grade) and Jennifer Lennon (Pre-K), traveled to Pineville, La., for the Whole Brain Teaching Conference. These methods for classroom management are already utilized by many at SMES and call for movement, basic rules that students memorize and “lots of energy!” according to Conarro. She and others are implementing the management skills in their classrooms this year. Beginners assistant Linda Weber attended a conference entitled “What Your Brain Needs.” She learned facts about the brain, classroom strategies, facts about memory and social concepts. For example, lower school students who act out stories as they are read have greater comprehension of what they read. Middle School Social Studies teacher Jennie Paulsen participated in the Government, Politics and Media Institute held at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School. Instructors included college professors and media professionals who discussed the First Amendment and rights, roles and responsibilities of the media, among other subjects. Middle School science and religion teacher Brandon Collins explored “Science in the Rockies,” a Steve Spangler seminar. Teachers from around the world came together for the three-day conference. Collins returned with materials for his 6th grade physical science classes and has incorporated many of the same hands-on lessons that he learned. For example, he sends his students a video to watch the night before a class. The video demonstrates an activity they will be doing in class so the students are ready to get to work as soon as they walk in the door. “The demo videos get the kids asking questions and the hands-on activities show them different concepts,” Collins said. First grade teacher Cynthia Burnett and 2nd grade teacher Rhasheda Williams both attended the Kingswood Oxford Leadership Institute for Educators of Color, a four-day conference held in June in Hartford, Conn. Burnett described it as “empowering, enlightening and affirming.” The program leaders, who included John Chubb, president of the National Association of Independent Schools (in photo, with Williams); and Caroline Blackwell, NAIS head of diversity, discussed a variety of topics related to diversity in independent schools, such as mentoring, leadership skills, financial planning, mission statements and collaboration. “Overall, it was a very rewarding institute for me and I was able to create a wonderful professional network,” Burnett said. “Professional development is an integral part of education,” said Dr. Mary McPherson, elementary school principal. “For schools to meet the needs of its students, the faculty and administration must stay current with educational research and best practices. An engaged and informed faculty and administration leads to engaged and informed students and parents.”

SMES faculty celebrations First grade teacher Libby Tyler and her husband Kenny joyfully welcomed Miles Maxwell Tyler on May 11, 2014 at 5:35 p.m. He weighed 7 lbs, 10 oz.

Second grade teacher Kaitlin Duffy married Blake Snodgrass on July 26 at Northside United Methodist Church. She wore her grandmother’s wedding dress. A reception was held at the St. Regis Hotel.

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in class More than play time By Mimi Deupree, Music and Movement teacher

Music and Movement class builds foundation for all aspects of education. Music and Movement sounds like such a simple thing, but it is a unique program at St. Martin’s that combines instruction in both music and physical education for Beginners through Pre-1st students. In Music and Movement, the children are introduced to skills and vocabulary in both curricular areas. These early experiences provide the foundation for success in their future music classes and sports programs. In practice, though, the class is so much more. While the children are singing, dancing, clapping, jumping, throwing and spinning, they are actually becoming better learners. Research shows that children in Music and Movement activities are increasing their brain capacity and their learning potential, and building the foundation for strong academic success. Learning through play is the goal in Music and Movement. In Music, the children clap, march, play rhythm instruments, dance with scarves and move their bodies in response to song directions. These cross lateral activities, also known as crossing the mid-line, ready the brain for reading. Music and rhythm stimulate the frontal lobes of the brain that are important in language development. The children also sing songs that are specifically selected to support important areas of learning. For example, songs that emphasize phonemic awareness, rhyming and vocabulary development support the language arts curriculum. Mary Ann Harman, a Music and Early Childhood Specialist involved in brain-based music education for more than 30 years says, “Music activities prepare the brain for more

difficult tasks needed by preparing the brain to work from both hemispheres.” Beginning in Kindergarten, children are introduced to a composer-of-the-month, who takes us through history and around the world. John Phillip Sousa introduces students to the violin, piccolo, trombone, tuba, sousaphone and bass drum, and helps them learn about keeping a steady beat. That helps children feel a cadence, which has a direct correlation to the rhythm of reading. Other monthly composers include Tchaikovsky, Gian Carlo Menotti, Camille Saint Saens and John Williams. The Movement portion of Music and Movement is intended to provide students with the lead-up skills for future athletic programs. A checklist is maintained for each child to confirm that large motor skills are on target. Children play non-competitive games with kicking, throwing overhand and underhand, bouncing or dribbling a ball, and more. According to Play Specialist and Psychologist O. Fred Donaldson, “Children learn as they play. Most importantly, they learn how to learn.” Dr. Donaldson has authored books and articles affirming the educational correlation between children playing and children learning. At St. Martin’s, we see that correlation every day. St. Martin’s parents often tell me about their child sharing the fun things they did in Music and Movement that day, such as the composer they met or the game they played. That is the most affirming statement one can make about the success of any school program. The children are having so much fun that they don’t realize how much learning is going on!

Top: Kindergarten students work with small rhythm instruments. Bottom: Mrs. Deupree plays guitar while students sing. At left, students practice sign language to accompany a song.

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Teaching the digital generation By Christina Mimms, Editor

Fall 2014

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The day that Middle School students received their new Chromebooks was filled with excitement and anticipation. As students filed through to pick up a bag, headphones and their device, they could hardly wait to open them and get to work. But the real question remained: Why Chromebooks and for what, how and when will they be used?

t. Martin’s has long held the philosophy that students use technology to learn, not just to learn technology, meaning that devices and software are tools for learning, not just fun and games. “We use technology to support the teachers and help them communicate their lessons more effectively,” said Chris Nama, director of technology. “It is a tool that helps the teachers and students accomplish what they need to.”

“Why Chromebooks?”

The Chromebook is a workhorse of a computer — a real “productivity tool,” according to Kinshasa Msola, director of academic technology. With a full-size keyboard and easy portability, students use them throughout the school day in their classrooms and take them home each day for homework. Students use them to write papers and work on team projects. The Chromebooks also provide an easy method for students to connect to Google Classroom, which teachers have set in place this year. The Google Classroom is a sharing environment in which a teacher creates an assignment and shares it with students. When the students complete an assignment, they click “turn it in” and it goes back to the teacher. “It provides a seamless way to collaborate,” said Msola, who is a true advocate of the connected classroom. As a former Atlanta Public Schools instructor and SMART Technologies trainer, she has seen a full range of ways that technology can enhance academics. Middle School science teacher Alan

Shafir uses Google Classroom quite often. “It tracks who has done what, and I can grade and give feedback almost immediately,” he said. “And there is no more lost homework. I don’t have to give them paper and they don’t have paper to lose.” He also uses Google Forms to give quizzes, which students take on their Chromebooks in class. Tests typically are still administered with paper and pencil, however. Organization is a key benefit of the Chromebook, according to Middle School students. They are able to take notes with ease. “It makes typing easier and it’s faster than writing,” said 8th grader Maddy Houk. “I feel like now we’re a lot more organized and we never miss homework because it’s right there,” said 8th grader Emma Sloan. Students also enjoy fast and easy access to their Gmail accounts and to the school Web site to get their homework assignments in the recently upgraded Assignment Center online. In addition to its producing ability, the Chromebook, like the iPad and MacBook, does have the “cool factor.” Teachers have employed a wide variety of apps and programs to help with their lessons. Students might feel like they are playing but they are learning, just in a fun, new way. Middle School students often work on iPads for particular apps. Shafir uses Chemistry apps, including one with a 3D solar system and another that allowed students to play with an interactive atom. In Heidi Cline McKerley’s speech and drama classes, her students work in

Sound Studio, iMovie, iTunes, iPhoto and on various web sites to research information for their speeches and for digital storytelling. They sometimes watch a video for a homework assignment and then discuss the video in class. In Kathy Kelly-George’s music class, students try out the Notion app and GarageBand for composing music. She sometimes asks students to record themselves singing and then send the audio file to her to critique. With band classes, Allen Barbee has sent his students videos of performances as well as demo video instructions for putting an instrument together.

Tech at SMES • iPads for every 4th and 5th grader • Chromebooks for every 6th, 7th and 8th grader • Two tech labs with 32 desktop computers total • SmartBoards in every classroom • One mobile laptop carts with 24 PCs • Two mobile laptop carts with 15 Apple laptops each • Five iPads in every 1st-3rd grade classroom • Three iPad carts with 24 iPads each

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Above: Fifth grade assistant Thaddeus Tousana helps Lila Markham with a question on her iPad. Seventh graders work on Chromebooks in Spanish class.

Middle School Spanish teacher Thais Diaz incorporates technology in her classes, which students enjoy. She often assigns Quizlet, in which students make notecards for vocabulary and verbs. In Kahoot, students create their own test games with questions of their own design. Students play each other’s Kahoot games in small groups to test their knowledge. “They are great for review and for students to help each other,” Diaz said. “They basically make their own study guide.” For each unit, she also creates a Blendspace, in which she parks videos, Web sites and Google Docs related to that unit. This year in Middle School English and Language Arts classes, teachers adopted the Membean program, which is a webbased vocabulary program that allows students to learn new words in different ways. A single word will be explained through context, examples in sentences, a short video, related words, a “memory constellation” and a “memory hook.” Students are more likely to acquire and retain a new word with such multimodal learning. “The program works well with the different learning styles of our students,” said Middle School English teacher Kim Murphy. “It individualizes their vocabulary and they work at their own pace.” The reinforcement that teachers can provide their students through digital tools truly aids their learning process as well as their success in mastery.

iPads, apps and more

The use of tech is not lost on Early Childhood or Elementary School students at SMES. After a successful test program with 5th graders and iPads last school year, this year all 4th and 5th graders received their own iPads to use in classes, while 1st through 3rd grades house five iPads in each classroom fulltime, with additional rotating access to the iPad cart, which has devices for each student.

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In science classes, 3rd through 5th graders research on iPads, while 4th and 5th graders create movies, videos and slideshows on iPads. The 4th and 5th grades also are in Google Classrooms and frequently turn in assignments through the same system as Middle School. “Google Classroom has been a great tool to lessen the load of physical papers and a great way to send immediate feedback to students,” said ES science teacher Wade Hanse. Elementary teachers also take advantage of available apps in their classes. Art classes are trying out SketchBook Express, a drawing app. P.E. classes have tried Adventures in Fitness, a virtual reality cartoon. In Music and Movement classes, students sometimes play “Music Jeopardy” or participate in interactive games about music theory. Elementary foreign language teachers Nathalie Brown and Liza Suarez also show their students videos with songs in French and Spanish or short movies. Social Studies teacher Lucy Coverstone’s 4th graders depended heavily on their iPads for a recent study of the Maya, Aztec and Inca. Using Web sites Coverstone provided, students researched facts to create brochures. They completed assignments in Google Classroom by journaling responses to questions she posed. They created Aztec masks, then recorded an explanation of their masks using the Explain Everything app and took photos, both on their iPads. “I think the students are really interested because they are using iPads,” Covertsone said. “It makes it more exciting for them.” Teachers have embraced a number of iPad apps that engage their students and reinforce the lessons at hand. They include: • Raz Kids e-books • Gro Garden • The Human Body • Handwriting Without Tears • AlphaTots

• Backyard Phonics Adventure Kathy Koporec, EC reading and computer teacher, keeps a long list of apps on her classroom web page. She has found the apps to help her students be successful in what they are learning. “iPads are great for independent learning,” she said. “Often students get to self-select and work at their own pace on different activities, but the apps really work because students are being exposed to more lessons.” Raz Kids, for example, places Kindergarten and Pre-1st students at their own reading level and allows them to progress at a pace suitable for them. They also can record their own voices reading a book on the app, which is helpful for their pronunciation skills. Even if the students aren’t using technology, the teachers always are. SmartBoards in every classroom are used all day every day, where teachers post assignments, diagrams, artwork, presentations, math problems to be worked, grammar and spelling lessons, foreign language lessons, lyrics to songs and much more. They still have whiteboards, but the SmartBoard applications allow them to move faster through lessons rather than having to write everything by hand. Teachers also use their document cameras to project pages onto their SmartBoards. Teachers’ iPads and computers aid them in classroom management as well. McKerley likes an app called ClassDojo, which allows her to reward students as well as to note any negative issues. P.E. teachers Ellen Kufel and Amanda Walker recorded students in their recent jump rope unit and reviewed the videos later to grade them. In art class, Suzanne Ford plans to record her students talking about their artwork and then display a QR code next to the actual artwork display. People who scan the QR code can view the short video of students discussing their work. In Early Childhood, teachers use their SmartBoards and the SmartTable, which

is a hands-on, interactive device for students. Teachers also reserve the iPad cart (which contains 24 iPads) for their classrooms on a rotating basis.

Internet safety expert advocates ‘digital consciousness’

Where do they learn this stuff?

While Smart devices, iPads and Chromebooks support the learning of subjects such as math, foreign language, English and more, at St. Martin’s, students do also learn technology itself — an essential skill in a digital classroom. Starting in Early Childhood, students sit down at a desktop computer in classes with Koporec. They learn mouse skills, keyboarding and touch-screen skills. And students are always “wowed” by the oversize keyboard display on Koporec’s bulletin board. In lower Elementary School, students continue their technology skills and expand their keyboarding abilities while completing assignments in their technology classes. They commonly use learning. com to work on typing skills. Students continue with a required technology course through 6th grade, which then becomes Computer Science, a nine-week course taught by Nama. Students learn the history of computers and computer terminology (i.e., what is a motherboard?). They take apart an old computer to see the inner workings. The lessons and assignments serve as an introduction to programming, which some students choose to continue in 7th and 8th grade Computer Science, a semesterlong course taught by Mike Morris, assistant director of technology. The students delve into graphically based programming language, learn animation and eventually create a simple video game of their own design. “They walk away with an understanding of the work that goes into the apps, software and games that they use,” Morris explained. The 8th grade Computer Science course covers robotics. Using Lego

The adjectives “public” and “permanent” took on new meaning after Richard Guerry, founder of Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication, visited St. Martin’s on Sept. 18. Speaking separately to parents and to Middle School students, Guerry encouraged everyone to adopt “digital consciousness,” meaning to be fully aware of one’s interactions online. He discussed popular apps that claim to be anonymous (but are not, in reality) and the ways that young people have hurt each other and themselves with postings. Serious crimes have even been caused or committed. “People who think they are anonymous are operating under a guise,” he said. “Once you put something into the digital world, there are a million ways it can become public and permanent.” Comments can come back to harm people later on, photos can be “un-deleted” and dangerous people can gain access to personal information. Guidelines and monitoring are extremely important for young people, Guerry said. “Technology is an awesome tool but it’s how we use the tool that determines the outcome,” he explained.

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Above left, 5th graders Grant Gaffney and Ryan Pennington work on desktops during Technology class in the Computer Lab. Above right, Pre-K student Ryan Madden practices on an app on an iPad. There are 24 iPads on a mobile cart that teachers can reserve for their classrooms.

Mindstorm kits and text language programming software, students build and program their own robots. Morris gives them a challenge, such as setting a robot to move forward for 3 seconds, turn and progress through a maze without touching the sides of the maze. They spend several weeks assembling and programming their robots before testing them, at which point students often jump back and forth between their desktop programming and the floor to see if their robot is performing as expected. While the class offers its exciting moments, students are learning valuable programming techniques and St. Martin’s perhaps is igniting an enthusiasm for students to continue their education and perhaps start a career in technology. “Technology class gives students a glimpse into that world and makes them better prepared for high school and beyond,” Nama said. “We really have to make sure we are training students for the future and even for jobs that haven’t been created yet,” Msola added. Along with that, however, every technology instructor at St. Martin’s agreed that appropriate use of technology is the priority.

Digital citizenship

From the moment students sit down at a computer at St. Martin’s, teachers instruct them about proper use, care of equipment, and how to listen and follow directions.

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That theme repeats throughout Early Childhood and Elementary School. Before 4th and 5th graders received their iPads, Msola conducted “boot camp” with them to teach them how to handle their equipment as well as appropriate use online. “We’re giving kids access to the world and I want to make sure they know how to be safe,” she said. Parents attended meetings regarding the iPad rollout along with an Internet safety seminar (see sidebar page 11). In Middle School, digital citizenship takes a larger role because students are more active on social media and exploring even more Internet sites in their personal time. Their Chromebooks are equipped with monitoring software and teachers do not hesitate to take away a device if they suspect inappropriate use. It is easy for the school to block access to certain sites and monitor usage, but parents also are encouraged to monitor their child’s use of all their devices, as well as their social media habits. Of course, devices are necessary for some classwork and some homework, but they also tempt students to use them for other activities, such as watching videos, for hours on end. The school has long advocated outdoor time and provides recess time from Early Childhood through Middle School. That speaks to the balance that St. Martin’s teachers want to achieve with their technology usage. Msola recommends designating “technology time,” both in the

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classroom and at home. Koporec cited the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media as a resource, which recommended 15 minutes of screen time per day for 3-year-olds. In addition to educating students and parents about time spent on devices and appropriate use, the school has learned that sometimes the technology just won’t work for students. For example, for her class’s research projects, Coverstone searched for an app or program that students could use to create their brochures and came up empty with something ageappropriate for 4th grade. Everything she found was really too advanced for them. “I didn’t want to spend two weeks teaching them the design program,” she said. “I want technology to be helpful but if it’s not appropriate for 4th grade then I won’t use it.” “Everything doesn’t have to involve technology,” Nama said. “There are plenty of old-school methods that work just as well.” Striking the balance between engaging students with technology but also teaching traditional curriculum is an ongoing challenge for any educator, but St. Martin’s has taken a thoughtful, wellresearched approach to its technology integration, with outstanding results so far. Students enjoy frequent work in a “digital classroom” without feeling overwhelmed by their assignments, and teachers have enlisted effective ways to teach the digital generation.

class notes 1995 Britt Olwine married Rob

Friedman on Sept. 6. She is an attorney with Hunton & Williams in Richmond, Va., and is a graduate of the College of William & Mary.

1997 Mary Sessions is the assistant

President as part of the White House press.

2002 Will DuPree and his wife

Becca happily welcomed their baby boy Wesley James at 2:54 a.m. on July 16. He weighed 8 lbs, 5 oz, and was 21 in. long. (photo below)

director of boarding admission at Darlington School.

Sarah Cunningham is a CPA with Ernst & Young in Atlanta. She graduated from Westminster and from Furman University. She also has a Master’s degree in accountancy from Wake Forest University.

2005 Brian Hults graduated from

Rev. Taylor Driskill is pastor of children’s ministries at Northside Church. She married John Pafford in late October.

Georgia Tech in May with a mechanical engineering degree. He accepted a position as a systems process engineer with the Georgia Tech Nanotechnology Research Center in June. He has an apartment in midtown Atlanta and is enjoying working on campus.

2001 Kelly Steed married Ash Pait

on June 21 at the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in Highlands, N.C. (photo below). A reception was held at the Farm at Old Edwards Inn. Kelly graduated from Marist and Auburn University and now works for KPMG. Ash graduated from University of Georgia and works for Deloitte.

ing center and was invited to present her research at the Institute of Food Technologists Convention in New Orleans in June.

Mary Cunningham is a CPA and works at SunTrust Bank in Atlanta as a financial analyst in the SEC filings section. She graduated from Westminster and from Furman University. In 2012, she earned a Master’s degree in accountancy from Wake Forest University.

Elizabeth Gallo graduated from the University of Alabama in May with a degree in Geology and Geography with a concentration in Environment and Natural Resourc-

es. In 2013, Elizabeth earned the award for Outstanding Undergraduate in Geography from the University. She was also awarded the Jen Ho Fang Scholarship from the Geology department. Elizabeth was a starter on the Alabama club lacrosse team all four years. The team went to the quarterfinals of the SWLL championship their senior year. She plans to work for a year and then attend graduate school. Sean Arnold graduated from Georgia Tech with “Highest Honor” with a degree in Civil Engineering. He is currently working as a project engineer for JE Dunn Construction in Savannah. Charlie Hollman graduated with honors in December 2013 from Georgia Tech’s Scheller Business School with a degree in Business Administration as a finance major. He started Tech as part of the football team and was recognized as a student athlete upon graduation.

2003 Angela Walls graduated from Marist in 2007 and graduated from University of Georgia in 2011. She completed her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from West Georgia in July 2014. She is a speech therapist with Gwinnett County schools. Emmarie Huetteman works for the New York Times Washington, D.C., Bureau and is currently assigned to travel on Air Force One with the

2004 Amy Oltman is at North

Carolina State University in Raleigh working on her Master’s Degree in food science. She works at the sensory process-

Preschool alumna Caroline Hurlburt married Chip Grigsby at Naylor Hall in Historic Roswell on July 19. Above, the Hurlburt family: Margaret Graft, Janet Hurlburt, Caroline and Chip Grigsby, Steve Hurlburt, and Elizabeth and Eric Beckwith. Caroline teaches 5th grade at The Swift School. patterns

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class notes Three alumni take summer mission trip with St. Martin’s

Charlie has begun his work career with Siemens USA in their Financial Leadership Development Program. He interned for the company this past year in Portland, Ore. Caryn Hamner is legislative director for U.S. Congressman Phil Gingrey in Washington, D.C.

Caroline Hamner ’11, Emma Smith and Sally Smith, both ’12, participated in the Towel Ministry week-long mission trip in Swansboro, N.C., this past July. Along with St. Martin in the Fields Youth Minister Taylor Parks, the students joined 30 other youth from Leesburg, Va., Wilmington, N.C.; Swansboro, N.C.; Jacksonville, N.C.; and Morganton, N.C., and divided into five worksite teams to complete jobs at five different homes. Some of the jobs included tearing down an old fence and replacing it, building wheelchair ramps, pressure washing homes and some yard maintenance. They also participated in morning and evening prayer led by the different groups, community meetings, beach time, a pool party, healing services and bowling. They each received a spiritual journal for daily reflection that included a Bible verse and a word of the day, as well as a space to journal. “The youth were determined and dedicated, willing to stay and work through anything,” Parks said. “Not only did everyone work hard to get everything done, but they also took the time to get to know the home owner and to hear their story. It was truly touching to see how appreciative the homeowners were for all of our hard work.”

Fall 2014

2006 Kristi Oltman graduated

Summa Cum Laude from the University of Georgia in December 2013, with degrees in Psychology and French. Caroline Roberts graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South with a B.S. in Physics, where she also ran cross country and track and field and was the president of the gay-straight alliance. At Sewanee she was named a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Order of Omega and the Who’s Who listing. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in Astronomy at Georgia State University.

They work to prevent children from being trafficked into exploitative working conditions. Channing is leading workshops and developing programs for the children. As a cultural anthropology major, she has also worked in Italian high schools in Rome and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Sarah Belisle and Caroline HamMuseum in Honolulu, Hawaii. While at the Bishop ner, both ’11, are seniors at Holy Museum, she was able to Innocents’ Episcopal School. gain hands-on experience Haley Barnes will gradumounting an exhibit of preate from Auburn University historic artifacts. Channing in December with a B.S. also spent time abroad at degree in early childhood the University of Sydney, education. She is student Australia. teaching 3rd grade in Auburn and would like to Chaz Duffy played the role return to Atlanta to teach. of Mitch in a September production of “A Streetcar Named Desire” at the DancCasey Arnold is in her ing Goat Theatre in Johns senior year at Georgia Tech, Creek. majoring in operations and Hillary Hollman graduated supply chain management. She plays on the Georgia in May 2014 from the UniTech club soccer team and versity of Georgia Magna is on the executive board of Cum Laude from the Grady her sorority, Phi Mu. School of Journalism and also received a degree in Anthropology/Archaeology. Justine Huetteman is a senior at George Washington She currently works as a creative assistant for the PR University. She did research work for the 2012 election firm of Fleishman Hillard in book, “The Gamble” by Lynn Atlanta. Vavreck and John Sides and Ransom Mowris is an auto- received an acknowledgement in the book. mation software engineer with Highres Biosolutions in Cambridge, Mass. He works with robotics and cancer Rebecca Hollman attends research. Georgia Tech, where she is double majoring in business Jackie Florence graduated administration/marketing from Georgia Southern Uni- as well as Biology. She plans versity with a B.S. in interior to go to veterinary school design. She is a junior inteand/or work on a Ph.D. in rior designer at Lord Aeck Biology, focusing on animal Sargent in Atlanta. neurology. Rebecca continues to train and compete

2007

2008

Channing Stephens (photo above) is entering her fifth year at Northeastern University and is in Thailand volunteering for Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Communities Centre in the Mekong Sub-region.

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summer circuit and coached youth players at the DeKalb Tennis Center. Jack Suddes graduated from Marist, where he received the 11th-12th grade physical education award. He attends University of Alabama. Victoria Patronis and Madison Mischik both graduated Tara Thomas’07, Tyler Walker, Darby Thomas ’10 and Danny Holmes from St. Pius and are attending University of Georgia worked at The Camp at St. Martin’s. (photo below). Victoria recently pledged Gamma Phi on the United States hunter/ Beta sorority. jumper circuit.

2009 Kate Hults attends Texas

Christian University, where she is a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority. Last year, she was a freshman hall crew leader and worked in TCU Donor Relations as an office assistant. This year she is a member of the TCU Rangers, a co-ed spirit club. She spent this past summer as a senior counselor at Camp Cheerio, a YMCA camp in North Carolina.

2010 Jack Larkin helped Marist to

earn a third consecutive Class AAAA golf championship in late May. He shot a 69 and had five birdies. He graduated from Marist and is now on the golf team at the University of Georgia. Blaine Boaz graduated from St. Pius and is on the tennis team at University of North Carolina-Greensboro, majoring in elementary education. Her St. Pius tennis team was runner-up in the Class AAA title game this past spring. Blaine played on the UTA

St. Thomas Aquinas Award and is now at Georgia Tech.

2011 Lili Byce

participated Class of 2013 alumni and former SMES baseball playin a 10-day ers Joe Regas (above, far left) and Nathan Little (above, summer far right) worked with Coach Michael Albanese (above, program at Stanford center) at the Warrior Jr. Baseball Camp this summer. They had a record turnout of young baseball players for University Law School the camp. called this past winter. Erin received “Intensive Law & Trial” that provided an overview of many the Grand Concours Award in French in May for being aspects of a 21st Century career in law. She attends Marist. nationally ranked after taking the National French Test.

2013 Matt Haidet and Jake

Trey Blasingame recently was selected to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s All-South Region team. Following Westminster’s runner-up placement in the state championship last spring, he also was selected for All-Region 6AA honors. Emily Britt received the AP Literature award at Marist’s spring academic awards program. She attends Georgia Tech. Elizabeth Kelly received the 9th-12th Grade Drama Award from Marist. She started at University of Southern California this fall. Mary Helen Kelly was awarded the Guidon Award for serving as yearbook editor at Marist. She attends Furman University. In his senior year at Marist, Brendan Phillips was named a STAR student and a National Merit Scholar. He received the

Erin and Caroline Barnes are juniors at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School. They were both inducted into the National Honor Society in March and both play varsity volleyball. Caroline also played for North Atlanta Volleyball Club

Montgomery performed in Marist’s spring production of “Bugsy Malone.” Matt played the role of Bugsy. Ken Roberts ’13 and Dr. Mary McPherson (in photo below) attended the show.

Ethan Reback made Honor Roll twice last year at Marist. He was promoted from the JV lacrosse team to varsity during his freshman year. Clementine McCard sang the National Anthem at the BB&T National tennis tournaMount Vernon volleyball players Erin ment, held in Atlanta this Barnes, Caroline Barnes and Ming Byce, summer. She attends all Class of 2011. Saint Mary’s School. patterns

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voices

NEIL CONRAD, MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER

Embrace change. This is not a statement that rolls off my tongue easily, but it is one that I have grown to respect. In a nutshell, I am not good with change of any sort. If things are working, why mess anything up, right? Those people who know me quickly notice my routine nature. I tend to have the same habits and the same routines for better or for worse. Many of us are creatures of habit and we feel better around situations, places and people that are most familiar. But as Confucius said, “Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.” Maybe we should all take a closer look at ourselves to see if growth is a part of change. Being born and raised in Atlanta, the familiar surroundings helped set my routine early in life. Other than college, I have lived within the same five square miles my whole life. In fact, my current house is less than a mile from the first house I lived in. Country music and barbecue have always been my favorite. I root for the Falcons in the fall and the Braves in the spring. I love taking trips to the Georgia coast in the summer and to the mountains in the winter. However, Confucius set me straight, and I have learned some new tricks. The music today’s kids listen to isn’t so bad, and fruits and vegetables are tasty. There are many exciting places to see in the world and more people to meet. But, there is one change that has had the most profound impact on my life. Around 10 years ago, I was welcomed into the St. Martin’s family after a decade and a half in corporate sales. I greatly enjoyed what I was doing, but it was time for a change. My new career in education brought some of the most meaningful experiences and exciting times. I have embraced working with the students at St. Martin’s. As a Social Studies teacher, I have the privilege of learning everyday alongside my students as they reflect on our society’s relationship with our past in order to succeed in the future. Over the years, I have had some of my most fulfilling experiences coaching great athletes in volleyball, basketball, soccer and golf. As I move into my second decade as an educator, I am looking forward to helping St. Martin’s 8th graders explore one of their biggest life changes — the move into high school. As many of you may know, I will become the school’s Director of High School Placement starting next school year. In this new role, I will be challenged with a completely new set of experiences. Change brings growth — intellectual growth, spiritual growth and physical growth. Growth empowers humans to develop into their fullest potential.

Fall 2014

= st. martin’s episcopal school

Direct your 2015 Georgia Income Taxes to St. Martin’s Episcopal School Each year, the state of Georgia sets aside $58 million for taxpayers to redirect a portion of their state tax liability to provide financial aid to students matriculating into independent schools from the public school system. St. Martin’s partners with Apogee Scholarship Fund to administer this opportunity for members of our community who reside in Georgia. Participants in the program receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit.* You can redirect some of your income tax liability to St. Martin’s, increasing financial aid opportunities. Apogee is accepting pre-registration for 2015 until December 15, 2014. Prioritize your application by pre-registering today. Applications will be submitted on January 1st to the Department of Revenue in the in the order in which they were received by Apogee. With the great momentum and popularity the program has seen over the past several years, the cap of $58 million is anticipated to be met January 1. Individuals: A single individual or a head of household will receive a credit against their Georgia income tax liability in an amount equal to the actual amount expended or $1,000 per tax year, whichever is less. Married Filing Jointly: The amount of the tax credit is equal to the actual amount expended or $2,500 per tax year. Corporate Donor: State income tax credit limit up to 75% of the corporation’s income tax liability or the actual amount donated, whichever is less. S-Corps, LLC’s, and Partnerships are eligible to contribute up to $10,000 for each shareholder/member/partner of an entity. For more information, please contact John Panessa, Apogee Executive Director, at (404) 419-7123 or Tina Haas in the Advancement Office at (404) 228-0711. *Please note that the tax credit program is not a substitute for Annual Fund contributions, but rather an opportunity to support the school’s financial aid program through a dollar-for-dollar tax credit.

Click here to pre-register by December 15, 2014.

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