TARTAN SNAPSHOTS

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Girls in STEAM Symposium Welcomes Students and Professionals for Exciting Day

A talented and enthusiastic community of female professionals and students came together in March for the sixth annual Girls in STEAM Symposium. Sponsored and hosted by St. Margaret’s, Girls in STEAM exposes students who are traditionally underrepresented in these fields to the endless possibilities of STEAM—science, technology, engineering, arts and math—while celebrating the accomplishments, voices, experiences and power of girls and women.

Each year, the symposium provides unique opportunities for girls and young women to connect with peers and role models in STEAM fields of interest to them, learn about academic coursework and professional paths, and experience fun, hands-on activities.

Lower School Team Performs Perfectly at Battle of the Books Tournament

St. Margaret’s teams of grade 4 and grade 5 students had an extraordinary showing at the sixth annual South Orange County Battle of the Books Tournament. Battle of the Books, or BOB, is a competition featuring head-to-head matchups with teams answering questions regarding details from books on a 20-title reading list. The seven-student St. Margaret’s team dubbed “Becoming B-O-B” answered every question correctly throughout the entire tournament to take first place.

“A perfect day is a very hard achievement. They did an amazing job,” said Library teacher and BOB coach Darla Magana. “All of our teams had a great showing, and we are so proud of them and all the work they did in preparation for this tournament.”

26 Inducted Into International Cum Laude Society

St. Margaret’s inducted 13 seniors, 12 juniors and one professional community member into the Cum Laude Society, an international organization which recognizes and celebrates academic achievement. The inductees join 13 members of the Class of 2022 who were inducted in 2021 as juniors.

St. Margaret’s is one of just 382 chapters of the Cum Laude Society around the world and the only one in Orange County.

Native American Artifacts Exhibits Brings New Learning Opportunities to Tartans

A collection of Native American artifacts was on display in the Performing Arts Center this spring, with the Upper School Tartan Inclusivity and Diversity Education (TIDE) leadership group leading tours of the exhibit with younger students.

The Native American Artifacts Exhibit is an effort to celebrate and honor Native American people and community. It is a joint collaboration between TIDE and the Windes family.

Early Childhood School Students Enjoy Hatching of Chicks in Classrooms

St. Margaret’s Early Childhood School learners, with wonder and awe, watched as 17 eggs completed the 21-day incubation period and hatched as baby chicks in division classrooms.

The Early School partners with a farm annually to incubate eggs in the classroom, which opens a world of learning opportunities during the three weeks students eagerly anticipate the hatching. Students learn about the life cycle of the chicks and how they develop inside the egg, take on a responsibility to maintain the incubator, and learn what chicks need for healthy development once they’ve hatched.

Lower School Students Use 3D-Modeling Program to Design Sustainable Housing

Using the popular 3D-modeling program Tinkercad, students in grade 4 and grade 5 applied their creativity in an exciting, innovative way—designing a sustainable living space inspired by two of the United Nations Sustainable Goals for creating a better world.

The students learned about and designed numerous sustainable housing options, including prefabricated homes, dome houses, storage unit homes, earth-covered homes, bamboo homes and rammed-earth homes.

Tartans Take On Challenge of Growing Crops Away From Earth

A team of Middle School students and a team of Upper School students took part in a worldwide challenge to simulate the growing of crops away from Earth, and both teams received Best in Show recognition for their work.

The Upper School all-girls team for the “Plant Mars” challenge won Most Innovative Experiment for their work. The team conducted experiments in the student-run Upper School science club, combining Earth along with simulated Mars regolith. In addition, a Middle School team won Best Experimental Design for its work in testing different soil mixtures and watering amounts as part of the “Plant the Moon” challenge.

Middle School Students Engage in Art Project Exploring World Religions

Grade 6 students let out their creativity in their most recent world history unit, applying their knowledge of the five major world religions toward an art project of their choosing. Students were encouraged to think outside the box with their art, which showcased something meaningful about Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam or Judaism.

“Our goal with this project was to learn the role religion plays in the lives of its followers and to expand our understanding of the similarities and differences in the five major world religions,” Middle School history teacher Rian Otto said.

Tartan Snapshots

St. Margaret’s Well-Represented at Spring CUE Conference

St. Margaret’s had 10 members of its professional community at the Spring CUE Conference in Palm Springs, where they pursued professionaldevelopment opportunities targeted to their division in subject areas like STEAM, history, and information and media literacy.

The Spring CUE Conference is an annual gathering of educators with the goal of inspiring innovative learners in all disciplines through fostering community, personalizing learning, infusing technology, developing leadership and advocating educational opportunities for all.

Grade 3 Students Put Entrepreneurial Skills to Work for Business Day

St. Margaret’s grade 3 students had an exciting introduction to entrepreneurship, as the annual Business Day brought out student creativity and showcased clever ideas and individual talents. Business Day happens twice a year in grade 3, a way for students to express their creativity and build skills in problem-solving, interpersonal communications, math and more.

The business ideas were plentiful—paper airplanes, used books, homemade collars for stuffed animals, bracelets, school supplies, a raffle and more.

Senior ISPs Provide Capstone Experience for Senior Class

Members of the Class of 2022 spent much of their last weeks at St. Margaret’s engaged in their Independent Senior Project, a capstone experience for Upper School seniors that creates a meaningful transition from the structure of high school to the independence of college.

The traditional goal of the program is for students to apply their St. Margaret’s education to the real world. In 2022, seniors were able to choose ISPs that fit into one of five categories: internship or apprenticeship, service learning, creative project, academic inquiry or a part-time job.

Early Childhood School Celebrates Student Work at WOW Night

A showcase of student work, the Early Childhood School celebrated WOW, or Works of Wonder, at the school in April, showcasing student projects big and small and inviting families to campus.

“We showcase the children’s works of wonder to make visible the children’s learning and thinking, and to highlight what they are capable of doing if we give them the chance to show what they know and trust in their figuring out how the world works,” Early Childhood School Director Cris Lozon said. “The work in the Early School honors a young child’s independence and growth in learning."

THE ARTS

Students Recognized for Work in Upper School Productions

Spring Film Festival Showcases Student Work in Cinematic Arts

St. Margaret’s performing arts students were recognized for their work in the Upper School play Our Town and the Upper School musical Mamma Mia in the local awards circuit this spring, as both the Orange County Cappies and The Spirit of the MACY Awards announced Tartans among their nominations.

A total of 10 St. Margaret’s students were nominated and/or commended as part of the Orange County Cappies awards. In addition, Maddie Bendzick was named a finalist in the annual Spirit of the MACY Awards for Best Performance by an Actor or Actress.

Attendees at the annual Spring Film Festival watched more than 30 short films from all genres that were written, directed and edited by Upper School and Middle School cinematic arts students. Films ranged from less than a minute to more than five minutes in length.

The festival also featured an Audience Choice Awards, won by Eva Dandel (Upper School) and Ani Alyanakian (Middle School).

Athletics

Student-Athletes Sign With Colleges

St. Margaret’s had 19 student-athletes from the Class of 2022 commit to play intercollegiate athletics this fall, in sports like soccer, lacrosse, basketball, volleyball, tennis and rowing.

To see the full list, visit www.smes.org/athletic-commitments.

Boys Volleyball Wins CIF-SS Crown

St. Margaret’s boys volleyball team was crowned CIF-SS Division IV champion in May after topping a tenacious Capistrano Valley Christian squad in a 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-18) victory in Pasternack Field House. It was the program’s first CIF-SS title in 10 years, and third in program history.

Reed Wainwright picked up CIF-SS Div. IV Player of the Year honors after a tremendous season with 376 kills, 147 digs and 19 aces. Shane Aitken and Russell Frye were named All-CIF, and coach Bob Yoder was named the Div. IV Coach of the Year.

Building Tomorrow's LEADERS

Leadership is carefully developed and encouraged in a variety of ways at St. Margaret’s. Across all divisions, students embrace the many ways they can develop into active and responsible citizens interested in leading communities and an ever-changing world, now and into the future.

BY RYAN WOOD

Kate Cruse, last year’s Associated Student Body president, made her way to the lectern, brushed her hair back and smiled at her audience. “Good morning!” she said. “My name is Kate, I am a senior, and I am honored to be this year’s ASB president.”

She seemed confident, ready for her moment at the All-School Opening Ceremony. Perhaps it’s because she was. Kate joined St. Margaret’s as a toddler in the Early Childhood School, growing academically, socially and emotionally through a long journey that culminated in throwing her cap in the air as part of the Class of 2022’s Commencement Ceremonies in June.

Through it all—initiatives and programs that started in the Early School, built through the Lower School and Middle School and reached their apex her final year as an Upper School student—Kate began to hone a valuable skill that will serve her well for the rest her life: leadership. In her Opening Ceremony speech, she applied that skill as she spoke of building a community at St. Margaret’s one scholar at a time, urging the student body to take a step back and reflect on how self-improvement can create a ripple effect that improves the greater school community.

After the pandemic postponed, delayed and canceled many school community touchpoints for more than a year, Kate’s words resonated deeply.

"Imagine what the ocean looks like each time a new wave forms. Water pulls back, and as energy passes through it, a wave is created and crashes into the shore. The further the water pulls back, the bigger and stronger the next wave becomes," Kate said. "Now picture this process in terms of our greater school community. We experienced a great pullback and have had time to reflect and grow as individuals. Now it’s time to come back as a collective whole and create a stronger wave of a community."

"Taking on a leadership role is a big responsibility ... To lead well, hearts and minds need to be fully invested.”

St. Margaret’s prioritizes an atmosphere where students in all aspects of their school life are provided leadership opportunities and are able to initiate, explore and practice leadership skills. Kate is just one of many St. Margaret’s students stepping up and demonstrating leadership skills in front of the school community in a typical year. Students as young as grade 3 deliver readings and updates to their peers. Other ASB students organize and lead high-energy events like the Homecoming Pep Rally. As young as grade 6, Tartans take on leadership roles on athletic teams and in the arts.

“Encouraging and developing tomorrow’s leaders is a prominent part of St. Margaret’s Mission statement and an important educational priority here at the school,” Head of School Will Moseley said. “There are countless ways we encourage students to lead in a safe and encouraging environment. Through these efforts, students find their voice, discover their passions, and ultimately, work toward making the world a better place for everyone.”

Leadership education has long fascinated researchers. While some studies suggest that a percentage of leadership qualities may be inherent, there is even more evidence suggesting that leadership is a continuous process that can be learned through formal and informal experiences. Leaders are made, not born.

At St. Margaret’s, leadership is not a class with a textbook and a syllabus. Rather, the concept of building tomorrow’s leaders is baked into all aspects of student life. St. Margaret’s professional community opens doors for students to take on responsibility, communicate effectively, develop a vision, collaborate as a team, coordinate a positive work environment, show grit when things don’t go right, and reflect on experiences to learn and improve.

“Great leaders are resilient and stable, traits we work to cultivate in our social-emotional learning programming,” Upper School Principal Jeneen Graham said. “Great leaders recognize they can't go it alone and by definition need people who are inclined to support and follow. Taking on a leadership role is a big responsibility, and this is important to navigate as students determine what truly matters to them and why. To lead well, hearts and minds need to be fully invested.”

LEADERSHIP GROUPS

Kate and her student-government peers were part of the formal ASB leadership group, which meets regularly as part of the students’ block schedule. ASB plays a prominent role at the school, as one of seven formal Upper School student leadership groups.

Leadership groups are available to Upper School students at various grade levels and serve as an important opportunity for students to improve their school community, work collaboratively with peers and teachers, and hone their own leadership skills. A few of the groups have a long history at St. Margaret’s, while others are relatively new. The list includes:

• Admission Ambassadors: a full-year leadership role in which students lead tours, host prospective students and participate in admission events.

• Associated Student Body (ASB): The Upper

School’s student government discusses school issues, formulates recommendations to administration, and plans student activities. • Honor Committee: Students assist the principals in assessing responsibility and consequences for policy and rules violations. • Peer Counselors: Students who partner with younger Tartans to offer mentorship and support. • Tartan Tutors: Students in grades 11-12 who offer no-cost tutoring services to students of all ages. • Tartan Inclusivity and Diversity Education (TIDE): A group committed to diversity, equity and inclusion at St. Margaret’s, educating themselves on social justice topics and positively impacting the school community. • Yearbook: A student-led project to create a yearbook that embodies the spirit of the school. All told, nearly one-third of all Upper School students are involved in these groups, typically beginning in grade 10. The groups bring immeasurable academic, service learning and community benefits to students of all ages.

One example from last school year took place in the Middle School. During the end of a writing unit exploring personal narrative, English teacher Owen Beitner wanted to make sure his grade 6 students felt confident in the writing they were doing. He thought Upper School students could help.

Mr. Beitner tapped into the Tartan Tutors leadership group to find older student tutors specializing in writing and editing.

It was a win-win situation. Upper School students in the Tartan Tutor student leadership group were able to review student work, offer feedback and give encouragement. The grade 6 students were emboldened by the connection as well.

“By collaborating with Tartan Tutors and using our rubric as a metric, I found that my students gained the confidence they had in them all along,” Mr. Beitner said. “The fresh perspective of a new reader, especially an older Tartan, is both educational and special.”

CROSS-DIVISIONAL LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Perhaps not coincidentally, those same grade 6 students just a few months later confidently shared their projects from a different class with younger students in the Lower School. In their health and well-being enrichment course, the students wrote and illustrated eBooks on a subject they learned about in class, with topics like empathy, kindness, staying safe online and managing stress. Once the books were done, they read them aloud to grade 4 students and answered questions about their health and wellbeing topic. Some even had related activities ready, with one grade 6 student sharing a stress-reducing breathing exercise with Lower School students after reading aloud an eBook about mindfulness.

Cross-grade connections are everywhere at St. Margaret’s, and it’s a differentiator of the Tartan student experience made possible by the school’s vibrant early childhood through grade 12 program. The positives of such touchpoints are endless—student connections, growing a sense of community, enhancing academic development and serving others.

But one of the most important benefits is the intentional opportunity for students to build leadership qualities—among them communication skills, active listening, vision, innovation and flexibility. As leadership expert John C. Maxwell says: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”

In the Upper School, more than 75 students annually sign up to be part of the Peer Counselor program, one of the school’s most cherished community connectors. The program, led by St. Margaret’s all-school counselors, involves the careful selection of Upper School students to serve as mentors in the Early Childhood School, Lower School and Middle School. The Upper School students are trained by the school counselors and outside experts to serve as active listeners capable of navigating different topics their younger pals may be interested in sharing when they meet once a week.

“For the older students, I think they truly are grateful for having the responsibility and rewards of caring for someone younger,” All-School Counselor Janice Avalone said. “It’s incredibly rewarding and fulfilling to both the younger and older students.”

The Peer Counselors program has expanded to include other initiatives. In 2021, about 10 Upper School students helped launch the “digital mentors” program, meeting with students grades 4-8 to help students learn more about responsible use of technology and navigating their digital lives online in positive ways.

St. Margaret’s professional community also takes the initiative to save classroom time for students to visit other divisions and share what they are learning to the younger students—a way for the older students to retain what they learned, lead younger students and help them academically. In the past school year alone, Upper School astronomy students collaborated with grade 6 earth science students, pre-algebra students played fun math games with Early Childhood School students, and TIDE students guided younger Tartans through a Native American Artifacts Exhibit set up in the Performing Arts Center, among many examples.

Older students have the opportunity to contribute heavily to Lower School and Middle School performing arts productions, and Upper School student-athletes have been involved in Middle School athletics teams, even serving as assistant coaches. Feedback from student surveys shows that students of all ages cherish, appreciate and learn from crossdivisional interactions, prompting St. Margaret’s professional community to continue expanding such opportunities and all the benefits they bring.

Cross-divisional connections include (from top), Tartan Tutors in the Middle School, Peer Counselors serving as digital mentors, visits from Middle School classrooms to teach math concepts, and TIDE students guiding younger Tartans in the Native American Artifacts Exhibit.

Leading and Serving :

St. Margaret’s Students Serve at Special Camp for 31st Year

Now in its 31st year serving the local community, Special Camp once again brought summertime joy to campers who attended one of three one-week sessions in July and August.

Special Camp is a St. Margaret’s summer camp program for children, teens and young adults with disabilities. It is a cherished part of the St. Margaret’s community, and volunteering with the organization is an important component to the Tartan experience for many Upper School students.

Each camper has a personal counselor for a 1-to-1 camper-to-counselor ratio which ensures undivided attention and a lasting bond. This year’s counselors include 55 St. Margaret’s students, and six more Tartans are serving as staff or support staff. Special Camp offers a chance for St. Margaret’s students to serve in a nurturing environment that explores the intricacies and needs of the disabled community through patience, maturity and empathy.

It is also a chance for students to build leadership skills, as they exhibit flexibility and problem-solving as authority figures working together to deliver an unforgettable camp experience for special-needs children and young adults from across Southern California.

More than anything, though, campers and counselors alike cherish the bonds that are formed from the intimate, personal, one-on-one relationships imperative to the Special Camp experience. Counselors often call their week at Special Camp the highlight of their summer, and campers offer similar feedback.

Among the many activities that Special Camp participants have enjoyed include bowling, trips to the beach, the zoo, Adventure City and Knott’s Berry Farm.

The St. Margaret’s Reverend Mike Wallens began Special Camp for Special Kids in 1992 with 15 campers and 20 counselors. Today, more than 200 campers and 200 counselors participate in the summer camp. Special Camp is led by executive director Lindsay Eres ’00, Nursing Director, Katie Rommelfanger RN BSN, and Camp Nurse Yamili Burgos RN BSN ’14.

To learn more about Special Camp and its work serving the local community, visit www.specialcamp.org. STUDENT-LED AND STUDENT-RUN

In the Upper School, students are encouraged to seek leadership opportunities throughout the school day, whether on the athletic field as team captain, on stage, in service or to better the culture and climate of the school community.

And if the leadership opportunity hasn’t been carved out yet, many students will take the initiative to do the carving themselves. In recent years, Upper School students have set up voter-registration drives for 18-year-old Tartans, organized and run unique STEAM events like an all-girls math tournament, and taken leadership of optional affinity groups alongside other students with a shared, common identity.

Those groups meet informally during the Upper School’s clubs and activities block built into the school schedule—a block of activities and meetups dominated by student leadership.

More than 40 clubs meet during the activities block as well as during lunch. The Upper School clubs are 100 percent student-led and initiated and are divided into academic, advocacy and activity along with the affinity groups. Students apply to start a club, articulating both the club’s purpose and the intended activities. Club officers must also seek out a faculty member to serve as a sponsor, which can be anything from hands-off supervision to lending an area of expertise and guidance to the student-led club.

Student leadership opportunities include Upper School clubs (left), grade 5 students leading a Veterans Day ceremony (above) and students sharing details of the all-school service learning project (right).

Clubs really introduce self-motivation and responsibility among students...If it happens, it’s because they made it happen.”

Some clubs are established and passed down over the years, while others are new and reflect the leader’s passion and vision.

“Clubs provide a safe place to be led, and ultimately, to lead,” said Upper School Director of Community Life Lora Allison. “Most clubs in the Upper School are led by juniors and seniors, after they participate in clubs as freshmen and sophomores.

“Clubs really introduce self-motivation and responsibility among students. It’s not anyone saying, ‘This is what you should do.’ Clubs can be as big or as little as the leaders work to make them. If it happens, it’s because they made it happen.”

The approved clubs are showcased during an Upper School Clubs Fair in the fall, and students move about, exploring different tables, listening to presentations and asking questions.

Some of the student-led Upper School clubs last year included the Environmental Club, STEAM Club, Finance and Investing Club, Prose and Poetry Society, LGBTQ+ Club, and the Indigenous Peoples Club.

St. Margaret’s Middle School also has a robust, student-driven clubs program. Middle School students must find a faculty sponsor willing to provide supervision and a classroom for the club to meet. The students express the merits of their idea, and Middle School administrators, led by Director of Community Life Kylie Middlebrook, review and approve each application. Middle School clubs last year ranged from academic in nature (Math Club and Greek Mythology Club) to artistic (Guitar Club and Creative Architects Club) to clubs dedicated to learning new activities (Speed Cubing Club, Chess Club).

Clubs are a cherished part of the Tartan experience for Upper and Middle School students, and an important way to begin building a life of leadership.

“We see the leadership qualities developed by clubs carry over into other school initiatives,” Mrs. Allison said. “Students embrace their role as leaders in clubs and go on to join more formal leadership groups, such as ASB, Honor Committee, Peer Counselors or to seek out other opportunities. It really is the basis of how many of our students first experience authentic leadership at St. Margaret’s.”

PLANTING THE SEEDS OF LEADERSHIP

Go through a typical week in St. Margaret’s Lower School, and you will see videos in Chapel on Mondays, homilies with thought-provoking lessons, a highlighted division rule of the week, a robust system of rewards for good behavior in the classroom, and a variety of programs that promote positive contributions to the environment and service to others. Behind them all is a group of grade 5 students working hard to make those initiatives a reality, demonstrating leadership and contributing to a positive school culture.

In 2020, the three traditional leadership groups in grade 5—Core Council, Green Team and PAWSITIVE Character Committee—were reimagined, as many students pursuing leadership roles often didn’t want to focus on just one area. Led by Lower School Director of Community Life Tupper Spring, the leadership committees were instead divided by homeroom, tasked with a broader set of responsibilities.

“Students had expressed their excitement to take on leadership roles in multiple areas,” Ms. Spring said. “The feedback has been very positive.”

The committees’ work reaches every corner of the Lower School. During the all-school service learning project this spring—a partnership with the Infant Pantry Project of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church (see page 16)—grade 5 students took on a sizeable role. In addition to student leaders announcing their division’s goal in front of the entire student body at the all-school spring service, the leadership committees oversaw the division’s efforts to collect Enfamil formula for distribution to families in need, created video updates of the drive that were played in Chapel as a way to increase support, and presented an additional Chapel homily about the importance and broader impact of engaging in service learning.

For many of the students, it was far from the first chance to demonstrate leadership skills.

Through official programs such as the Lower School Buddy program, students as young as grade 3 are paired with younger Tartans in a program that promotes community, mentorship and responsibility. The program matches grade 3 students with kindergarten students, grade 4 students with grade 1 students and grade 5 students with grade 2 students for a year full of activities and partnership including Chapels, lunches, classroom activities and more.

In addition, students grades 3-5 are selected to be acolytes for Lower School Chapels and all-school services. They volunteer to raise the American flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance each morning, represent St. Margaret’s to the greater San Juan Capistrano community at the Swallows Day Parade, serve as captains for the house league competition as part of the personal fitness and wellness curriculum, and mentor younger students in academic opportunities throughout the year. There is also an abundance of leadership opportunities in individual homerooms, and students are tasked with responsibilities through classroom jobs.

At St. Margaret’s, the seeds of leadership are planted even in the Early Childhood School. There, the youngest Tartans learn citizenship and understand the importance of helping a friend or being fair. Through the division’s play-based curriculum, students are often given the agency of their own learning, which can lead to projects big and small that are led by students.

In one recent example, the building of a tricycle ramp in the division (as requested by 4- and 5-year-old students) consisted of young Tartans drawing sketches of their vision, polling fellow students on whether they would like a tricycle ramp, and even writing letters to Early Childhood School Director Cris Lozon and Buildings and Grounds Manager Edgar Barriga. The project was such a compelling demonstration of teaching leadership, teamwork and problem-solving at a young age that Dr. Lozon and other Early Childhood School teachers have been asked to present on the project at national conferences. LOOKING FORWARD

School leaders continue to explore ways to introduce or build leadership skills among students of all ages—including new programming at school, partnerships with outside organizations, and other possibilities.

In a constantly changing world with new and old challenges to conquer, the need for strong leadership in all aspects of life is as high as ever. And while an early school – grade 12 education is only the start of a lifetime of leadership and learning, one look at St. Margaret’s recent graduates shows that the roots of leadership in students are healthy and strong—and promising for the future.

During the Class of 2022’s final days of school, St. Margaret’s intentional program of building the next generation of leaders revealed its fruits one final time on campus. Several graduating seniors were tasked with wrapping up the 20212022 school year, including the presentation of the class gift (an ASB initiative), reflective speeches by valedictorian Aiden Momtaz (also a cross country team captain) and salutatorian Trey Kingsley (also a football team captain) and remarks by Leah Weiss, Sasha Kuljis and other students who have experienced the totality of a St. Margaret’s education.

Also giving a speech at Commencement Ceremonies was Kate Cruse, who brought to the podium a copy of Dr. Seuss’s magical book Oh, the Places You'll Go! In her final act as ASB president, Kate sent the 124-student Class of 2022 off to the world ready with a message of inspiration—as leaders often do.

“Our success should be measured in how we impact each and every person we cross paths with, whether for four minutes or four years,” Kate said. “Do your best to treat people with kindness and an open heart, and I am certain you will succeed anywhere.

“Wherever you go, may your next journey be filled with imperfections, failures and adversity. May you find excitement in the uncertainty and thrive through whatever change tomorrow may bring. Congratulations to all my classmates on your many great accomplishments to date. I am so excited to see where this next journey will take you all, and I have no doubt Dr. Seuss was talking about our class when he said, 'Kid, you’ll move mountains!'”

The Parent Teacher Fellowship

Leading St. Margaret’s Community

Leadership does not have one agreed-upon definition, but one common description is simply “influencing a group of people toward a common goal.”

At St. Margaret’s, leadership is perhaps best embodied within the school’s Parent Teacher Fellowship.

The PTF is an organization providing support and fundraising to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. Membership consists of each parent of a child currently enrolled in the school, and every professional community member involved in the educational process of the school. Its mission is to offer cultural, physical, spiritual and educational enrichment to the students, teachers and families of St. Margaret’s Episcopal School through communitybuilding and fundraising.

The PTF is an all-volunteer organization full of community members supporting the school and its students by donating their time and talents. Its engine is the PTF board, made up of more than 50 parent volunteers with specific roles ranging from grade-level representatives to event chairs to Hot Lunch coordinators.

In short, the PTF is perhaps the most important connector of the Tartan community, and its leaders work tirelessly to bring parents, professional community and students together to support the Mission of St. Margaret’s.

“When we think about preparing our students for a life of leadership, we need to look no further than the PTF to see how it is done,” Head of School Will Moseley said. “The PTF never stops working to bring together the Tartan community. The dedicated volunteers welcome in new families each year, rally around families facing a crisis through the Tartan Angels program, and introduce new events that bring parents together and create lifelong bonds and friendships. Our school would not be where it is today without their leadership and dedication.”

The PTF has put together an ambitious calendar of events this school year. Many are traditional favorites, like grade-level parent coffee meetups in September, the PTF Forever Plaid all-school fundraiser in October, and the PTF Parent Up Speaker Series with a focus this year on “helping kids thrive.”

There are also new and reimagined events, including the PTF Tartan Fun Zone in September, a service project in November and a Parent Winter Coffee event in January to preview springtime events.

“’The Power of Connection’ is a theme that we have woven throughout our PTF programming this year,” PTF President Jessica Klausner said. “We know that our community is stronger when we come together in support of our school and one another.”

Beyond a calendar of community-building events, however, the PTF listens to parent needs and implements programming accordingly. In recent years, the PTF hosted informational meetings for parents who primarily speak Mandarin or Spanish. In response to Parent Up speakers suggesting outdoor activities for a mental-health boost, the PTF started educational workshops at The Ecology Center that proved popular and will continue this school year.

To learn more about the Parent Teacher Fellowship and its role in supporting the school community, visit www.smes.org/ptf.