St. John's Episcopal School The Messenger Summer 2017 by St. John's Episcopal School

The Messenger Summer 2017

OUR MISSION

St. John’s Episcopal School is dedicated to a program of academic excellence designed to train the mind, strengthen the character, and enrich the spirit of each student in a Christian environment.

OUR EPISCOPAL TENETS We are committed to the five tenets of an Episcopal education: • Academic excellence • Corporate worship • Religious studies based on basic biblical content • Meaningful and integrated community service and service learning projects • An inclusive community where the dignity of every human being is respected

OUR GRADUATES

The ideal St. John’s Episcopal School graduate embodies a passion for learning and for life. This quality fuels his or her scholarship, character and connections.

SCHOLARSHIP A St. John’s graduate... • loves to learn, motivated by genuine curiosity. • brings optimism, confidence and discipline to solving problems through the use of critical thinking skills.

CHARACTER A St. John’s graduate... • strives to live with integrity. • shows tenacity and resiliency. • practices compassion, respectfulness and altruism.

CONNECTIONS A St. John’s graduate… • collaborates in a supportive, helpful fashion. • communicates clearly, correctly and gracefully. • is community- and globally-conscious.

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Inside the Head’s Head

FEATURES 6 INFORMED DECISION MAKERS AFTER HOURS WHAT’S UP ON WEDNESDAYS?

SCHOOL LIFE

THINKING ABOUT RELIGION STUDENT NEWS ENGAGED LEARNING IN THE ARTS SPORTS FACULTY RECOGNITION BOARD RECOGNITION ENGAGED COMMUNITY

ALUMNI NEWS

CLASS OF 2017 IN THE SPOTLIGHT CLASS NOTES IN MEMORIAM CLASS OF 2013

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Inside the Head’s Head When librarian and National Junior Honor Society sponsor Jennifer Powers told me this year’s NJHS candidates had submitted particularly strong application essays, I asked to read them. I sat down intending to read just a few at a time. But once I started, I couldn’t stop. Along with being quite well written, the essays revealed profundity beyond the authors’ years. They already are starting to understand a truth many people never really grasp. It’s an idea captured in a quotation we love in my home. It’s from the writer Walter Percy: “You can make straight A’s and flunk life.” Several students explained how they don’t let grades define them. Yes, grades are important; but not in and of themselves. Grades are primarily symbols of other things such as effort and curiosity and a genuine love of learning. Applicants clearly articulated why grades are not enough

At St. John’s we talk extensively about our Picture of the Graduate. It serves as a North Star as we strive to fulfill our mission. In doing so, we care about much more than excellent academic preparation. We aspire to help our students develop strong character while discerning a sense of meaning and purpose. That’s why we emphasize qualities such as curiosity, discipline, confidence, compassion, tenacity and altruism to name a few.

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when it comes to meaningful, long-term success. So if you’re making straight A’s, when do you flunk life? I think it happens mainly when we make things too much about ourselves in the wrong ways. When we base our sense of self-worth on ultimately unimportant things. If we do that often enough, we fail to develop an inner core—the true essence of a person based on what really matters. How do you keep that sort of failure from happening? How do you make straight A’s in life? No one has all the answers; I certainly don’t. Figuring out life is a never-ending process. I think three key qualities—

all of which must work together—give someone the best chance. They filled the NJHS essays and complement St. John’s Picture of a Graduate. The first is reflection. I have a friend who is the admissions director at a top liberal arts college. I once asked her, “You’ve read thousands of application essays. What makes one stand out for you?” Without hesitating, she responded, “Reflection.” She added, “More specifically, reflection that shows true self-awareness leading to growth.” Growth demands ongoing examination of both successes and setbacks. It enables a person to learn deeply and broadly and to grow into his or her potential. That potential keeps increasing the more someone does this. The second is humility. Students pulled off something very difficult in these essays. They had to sell themselves in writing, but didn’t lapse into pure braggadocio. Instead, they risked vulnerability, including giving many examples of when they didn’t succeed. Their real character showed in how they responded to those challenges, when they displayed resilience and determination. Life’s harder lessons are learned only when accepted with humility. The third is empathy. Life is about relationships, and those strengthen when they involve empathy. Many talked about helping others. Yes, many cited big service projects. But many recalled supporting a friend in distress. Large or small, every gesture matters because it’s simply the right thing to do. The essays reminded me how all these qualities must tie together. The notion of integrity. We usually think of integrity as being about character and ethics. That’s just one definition. Another key one is the idea of being whole, entire—like an integer is a whole number. In thinking of our integrity, we should ask ourselves: What is my wholeness as a person? And how does it drive my actions? One student wrote, “While I don’t know what I’m going to be when I grow up, I do know that I will have an impact on the world.” Because of our focus on St. John’s Picture of a Graduate, I have no doubt our graduates make the world a better place.

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INFORMED DECISION MAKERS Independent. Republican. Democrat. Libertarian. We all make choices about which political party best represents our current thinking. But how do we reach these decisions? Developing critical thinking abilities is an important facet of education at St. John’s, so important that it is clearly delineated in St. John’s Picture of a Graduate. Curiosity and decision-making skills are necessary aptitudes for success in the classroom and in life. Bringing these capacities to the

unique project launched at the beginning of the school year with an in-depth study of the U.S. Constitution and concluded with a mock election mirroring the presidential election in early November. Given the close proximity of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, St. John’s students were able to take a field trip to the library and visit the special exhibition, “The Path to the Presidency.” An interactive display that included prior elections, it gave students a glimpse at the experience of running for the highest office in our country.

forefront of students’ proficiencies helps ensure they are

Mrs. Wyatt and Ms. Carona adapted Mike Kaechele’s high

equipped to evaluate complexities and reach independent

school curriculum from the Buck Institute of Education.

conclusions. Here are two examples of ways these skills are

Kaechele’s curriculum was followed by high schools

deliberately explored in Middle School.

across the nation, with St. John’s being the only middle

The American Political Process The November 2016 election cycle provided a distinct opportunity for eighth grade students to explore the U.S. political process through a “hands on” approach designed specifically for them by history teacher LeAnne Wyatt and Technology Integration Specialist Debbie Carona. Last summer, the dynamic pair collaborated to create a project-based learning experience (PBL) to fit St. John’s needs. Their efforts were funded with a Parents Association disbursement for summer curriculum development. This

school to take on this ambitious exploration. Building the project around the driving question, “How can we create a new political party?” first steps in addressing this included consideration of what it means to have moderate, conservative or liberal views. Students were tasked with the responsibility of researching and presenting these differing stances on three important issues: gun control, immigration and energy. Expanding upon this work, these perspectives were put into the context of political party platforms, which included consideration of third parties. Students examined several third party platforms including Libertarian, Reform, Constitution and Green and shared with classmates. This base of knowledge gave students the needed tools to begin to consider the political spectrum, from far left to far right, in terms of their own beliefs and the ability to place themselves on that spectrum.

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The natural progression of this PBL next took students

campaign manager, advertisement producer, print advertising

to respond to two online quizzes that, based on their

manager and webmaster. This application process was

answers to questions about political issues, told them

important, not only in students’ study of the American

which candidate they would be most likely to support.

political process, but also aligned with speech class activities

After reviewing these results alongside where they placed

critical to their high school application process.

themselves on the political spectrum, Mrs. Wyatt and Ms. Carona placed students into homogeneous groups. These groups became responsible for developing their political platforms based on their joint beliefs and promoting their perspective and plans. The first group priority was development of a class civility rubric to which each group, and all of their work, was held accountable throughout the project.

With roles filled, students got to work on a myriad of projects that supported their group’s platform including 30-second filmed campaign advertisements, campaign posters, presidential stump speeches and a compelling webpage. Students learned about persuasive techniques in advertising and were required to include some of these techniques in their own advertising campaigns. Eleven parties were born: Aequitarian, Amity, Equalists, Federation,

Students in each group completed an application for the

Light, Modern, Monumental, Our Generation, People’s,

position they wished to hold within the group – candidate,

Reestablishment and Serene.

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Individual elections were held in each of Mrs. Wyatt’s three

end of the world and you may have to find another party

history sections. Presidential candidates gave their stump

to represent your beliefs.” Colton Speer, representing the

speeches and students voted based on that speech. One or

Federation Party agreed saying, “This project helped me

two groups won in each section to advance to the primary

become more aware of the issues America is facing now.

election. The primary election gave students the opportunity

It also helped me be better at coming up with solutions to

to narrow down the candidates to two parties for the final

the problems. It made me think of what we could do to

election. The final election took place October 19 with

fix them.”

each candidate giving their stump speeches to the entire Middle School student body which filled Parish Hall for the event. During the presidential election, Will McVicker represented the Federation Party (teammates Gabby Juett, Colton Speer and Anna Shirey) and Matthew Schopmeyer represented the Our Generation Party (teammates Eva Roumaya, Isala Kice, Kathleen Armstrong and Cooper Moseley). Both gave inspiring speeches supported with commercials to accentuate their platform. Students were captivated by the presentations and voting was held immediately following. The winner, Our Generation Party, submitted their filmed advertisement and website to a national competition sponsored by Mike Kaechele, the original creator of the project. Our Generation’s project was selected as a finalist, an amazing accomplishment given the fact that their work was in competition against high schoolers’. St. John’s students had the opportunity to see the work of others from all over the U.S. and to vote for the group that had the best platform, but were not allowed to vote for themselves. Although Our Generation did not win the national election, students learned a great deal from the project. Nick Heatly, a member of the People’s Party shared, “This project has helped me become a better citizen by teaching me to understand our government and how it works…it has taught me the lesson that if you lose, it is not the

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Many cross-curricular elements were incorporated in My Party Election 2016 including persuasive speech, art, debate, writing, research, graphing, current events and research. The project was entirely a student-driven, collaborative effort. Mrs. Wyatt was most proud of the students and their efforts sharing, “Students were able to challenge themselves in areas of strength and to grow as they pushed themselves beyond their comfort zones.” Teachers modeled

this collaborative effort as well. Each worked with students

sources, with Mr. Buckley giving careful attention to provide

on areas of their own expertise. Mrs. Wyatt worked with

both conservative and liberal points of view. Students view

presidential candidates as they wrote stump speeches and

a daily summary news broadcast from Channel One News,

honed public speaking skills. Ms. Carona worked with

designed for students in grades six through 12 balanced

campaign managers helping them to facilitate and organize

with five-minute video clips from Prager University on the

the assignments of the other students in the group.

same topics. “We all have biases. Every single one of us. It

Technology Support Specialist Josh Del Regno trained

is important to realize that and to be able to make decisions

the webmasters on the app they used. Integrated Drama

based on facts, rather than feelings.”

Specialist Tom Parr worked with students who were writing and filming advertisements and Integrated Art Specialist Donna Knox aided students who were designing logos and campaign posters. The great success of this PBL has led to a decision to continue to offer this learning experience, even in non-election years.

The work Mr. Buckley does with students has a direct benefit to their study of world history. Students can more easily see through the eyes of historical figures to gain a deeper appreciation of their worldview. They can also discern fact from fiction. An example of this is the sixth grade study of Greek historian Herodotus. Known as

Fake News?

the Father of History, Herodotus also wove storytelling

Students today are bombarded with information due in part

into factual accounts. Students can sort out the fantastical

to the seemingly endless ways in which technology makes

elements that include involvement of gods such as Aries

communication possible. With this persistent influx, the

assisting in battle from the factual aspects. Opening

ability to separate fact from fiction is a challenge.

students’ eyes to applying discernment in their studies is an

Sixth grade world history teacher Clay Buckley weaves an invaluable element of contemporary history into his

important skill that helps them become inquisitive seekers rather than rote memorizers of data.

classroom. The proliferation of today’s technology and

Graduating eighth grader Maya Sanchez summed up

access to media outlets provide an opportunity for him

St. John’s goals for students’ experiences when she said,

to teach students the importance of making informed

“I enjoyed sharing my opinions with classmates, because

opinions, ones based on fact rather than feelings. Mr.

everyone was very respectful about my views, despite our

Buckley reminds students, “It isn’t my role to tell you what

differences. I would like to think that I left them with

to think, but to help you figure out what you think.” This

something to think about, because after hearing others

valuable skill is one students develop through a variety of

perspectives, I was left thinking.”

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AFTER HOURS Ever wonder if St. John’s teachers have any free time? Or consider what they might do in those precious hours?

An avid hiker and explorer, he has started a hiking club to

St. John’s is blessed with a dedicated faculty whose

that has initiated a deeply personal and rewarding journey

selflessness doesn’t end with the devotion they give to

for himself and for sixth grade community service.

our students.

encourage students to put down their electronics and get outdoors to explore the beauty that surrounds us at every turn. His interest in hiking literally took him down a path

While exploring South Dallas on one of his many hikes, Mr.

Tony Adler is just one example among many faculty

Adler noticed a small, flourishing farm in an uncharacteristic

members who share the rich experiences of their lives. In

neighborhood. Tucked away within a background of deep

addition to teaching sixth grade English, Mr. Adler has

poverty and barren isolation, the active farm captured his

brought two of his passions into everyday life at St. John’s.

curiosity and led to his discovery of its purpose. Named for

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the area in which it is located, Bonton Farms is just south of C. F. Hawn Freeway and east of I-45 and neighbors the Texas Buckeye Trail close to the Trinity River bottoms. It is a harsh neighborhood facing harsh realities. A staggering 85% of its male residents have served time in prison. Drugs and gangs can quickly become a way of life. Job opportunities are extremely limited. This area of Dallas is classified by the USDA as a food desert – an area in which residents do not have grocery stores or restaurants within a reasonable proximity. Faced with a long journey, usually by bus, to reach adequate grocers, most residents live with the reality of shopping at the local package stores offering limited inventories of food, most of which has no nutritional value. Occurrence of diseases caused by, or exacerbated by, poor nutrition are far above the city average. With these odds, there seemed little hope for the community, but Bonton Farms saw an opportunity for rebirth. Bonton Farms is breathing fresh life into this blighted unlikely area. Its mission as an “agricultural intervention to restore lives, create jobs and ignite hope in the most forgotten and neglected neighborhoods for the most marginalized and vulnerable people” is working. It is creating job opportunities and new hope, as well as reliable food sources to serve its community. Talking with staff and volunteers, Mr. Adler learned the story of Bonton Farms and knew he would like to serve. After volunteering, he realized this would be a wonderful opportunity for St. John’s students to get involved, too. “I felt there was an opportunity to puncture the bubble that our children live in and show them, in a real and meaningful way, the struggle that many people face for something as basic as food. Students learn the solutions that Bonton Farms is offering through hard work and camaraderie.” Accompanied by Mr. Adler and parent volunteers, St. John’s sixth graders visited the farm, not as children on a field trip, but as workers engaged in the life of the farm. Responsibilities ranged from gathering fresh eggs from the farm’s flock of chickens to feeding animals and weeding and planting crops.

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The positive response received from students and parents alike led to the consideration of broader involvement. St. John’s sixth graders completed their school year with a second trip to the farm, and next year’s sixth graders will have a larger responsibility in the school’s growing relationship with Bonton Farms. A project that clearly touches his heart, the emotion is apparent when you speak with Mr. Adler about the people he has met and the role all are playing in Bonton’s revitalization. “At Bonton Farms, there is a sense of common purpose and happiness that suffuses everything with joy. Anything else is suffocated by love.” St. John’s sixth graders are learning so many things. The reality that the eggs they had for breakfast are a luxury to someone living in a food desert. The reality that eggs have a source other than the grocery store. The reality of responsibility for the chicken which produces the eggs. The joy that comes from nurturing one of God’s creatures. The joy that comes with making a difference in someone else’s life. Mr. Adler rejoices in opportunities to help others and the spirit with which his ideas are embraced at St. John’s. “Pam Jordan is incredibly supportive and encouraging,” he shares. “She is always open to teachers bringing outside interests into school and this is one that means a great deal to me.”

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WHAT’S UP ON WEDNESDAYS? Ask members of our community what happens at St. John’s after early release on Wednesdays and one is likely to get as many responses as the number of people asked. Our youngest students envision their teachers taking a nap or getting to play on the playground. Older students consider the possibility that teachers are grading papers and talking to parents. Parents believe the time is committed to school meetings. While napping and playing are reserved for weekends, and teachers do a lot of grading and communicating, Wednesdays afternoons are special, creative times for faculty. Wednesday professional development is a weekly rotation of carefully planned team discussions that bring the entire staff together for updates, support for specific work at the Lower or Middle School division level, emphasize departmental work across both divisions, and provide time for grade level collaboration, all of which is a normal part of school administrative life. St. John’s takes its commitment to continued improvement to a higher level with a fourth layer of professional development: learning groups. Every member of the St. John’s faculty and staff has the opportunity annually to submit topics for consideration. Once reviewed by Head of School Mark Crotty and the

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administrative team, these ideas are honed to a short list of six to 10, which will form the basis for learning groups for the upcoming school year. Every learning group has a leader and every employee participates in a group. Exploring a wide range of issues directly related to teaching and learning at St. John’s, groups meet every fifth Wednesday as well as other times during the year. In prior years, learning groups have taken on challenges that have resulted in improvements to school life such as the development of a new Middle School schedule,

procurement of school furniture more suited to an

Library Design: The library design group, like the cafeteria

active classroom, and the revitalization of the rooftop

design group, is working within a challenging set of physical

garden. Academic enhancements born through learning

restraints. Librarian Jennifer Powers shares, “Our objective

groups include the 1:1 iPad program, electronic portfolio

is to create a technologically current, flexible, warm yet

system, and a richer utilization of project-based learning.

modern library hub that inspires collaboration, teaching and

Philosophical exploration of topics such as diversity,

independent exploration.” Students are looking forward

communication and customer service have also been

to updates to brighten the space with adjustments to

undertaken.

furnishings to make this center of the school even more

This year’s investigations have been particularly strong and

appealing.

will have a direct impact on school life that will be visible

SCHOOL LIFE

to all when students return for the 2017-18 school year.

Do the Right Thing: Character development is an essential

Through their ongoing efforts, the Parents Association will

part of St. John’s Picture of a Graduate, so we are always

supply funding for many of these new projects.

considering ways we can make this aspect of student life

PHYSICAL CHANGES Cafeteria Design: Look for a refreshed cafeteria setting in August that includes new furniture, better lighting and brighter, more contemporary touches. Students will enjoy dining with an expanded menu while seated at well-lit round tables, booths and counter-style seating areas.

most meaningful. Consistent standards for discipline and clear reasoning for behavior ensure an understanding of values. In 2017-18, St. John’s is committed to making better use of student exemplars. Our Middle School students can model and teach Lower School students. Student Council and National Junior Honor Society members will have a more public role as leaders. Student awards will celebrate positive choices.

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A and B Learn Differently: Hand-in-hand with character

grandparents and friends bring a wealth of experiences and

development is respect for the learning process. Self-

talents that can be shared with students through chapel

awareness of how one’s actions can impact others is a

talks, demonstrations and guest lectures. Personal family

significant realization for students. Teachers model and

history, careers and hobbies are just a few things that come

guide this consideration. Mindfulness, taking a moment

alive for all ages. Everyone in the St. John’s community

to pause and refocus, is a way in which all can begin class

will have an opportunity to submit their passions that will

together in unity. A deliberate attentiveness to this effort can

be catalogued in an internal database for faculty to consult

also restore harmony in chaotic situations.

when they need a hand.

Scheduling: In the second year for this learning group,

Enchanting Relationships: Informed communication is

members were accountable for evaluating the successfulness

not “one size fits all.” In its first year, this learning group

of the new flexible Middle School schedule. Across the

explored the varying information needs of St. John’s

board, the ribbon schedule is praised for optimizing

families and the differences that exist between grade levels.

advisories and learning experiences. Students adapted easily

Under consideration is the creation of a single printed FAQ

to the change and have embraced it wholeheartedly.

publication geared to each grade that conveys important

BUILDING ON IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS

facts with infographics and easy to digest answers. This group will continue its exploration next year.

Beyond the Classroom Walls: This group has worked to

Little Big Things: First impressions of St. John’s should

establish an organized means to take greater advantage of

convey the same spirit and dedication our families come to

opportunities within the St. John’s community. Our parents,

expect and enjoy. Look for enhancements in the lobby that

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will bring more warmth and stronger roles for the NJHS as

impressed with the richness of experience that came from

school ambassadors.

this year’s groups, “There was a tangible contribution

Learning groups are an important way in which every member of the St. John’s team can have a voice in an area that captures their interest. The range of topics shows the breadth of involvement shared by all. Mr. Crotty was

from every group this year. The level of engagement and commitment to this process gives everyone ownership in the outcomes which will provide much benefit to our students.”

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THINKING ABOUT RELIGION By The Reverend John A. Thorpe, Chaplain

St. John’s is a remarkable school for many reasons, not the least of which is our unique blend of religious and academic life. The school forms students whose love of knowledge and courage to use it are self-directed; students who can use their minds to think critically and draw their own conclusions. St. John’s is not a force-feeding school: students are expected to think.

hear the firm voice of God, when we need clear direction

It may seem strange to talk about religious education in an

to approach religion thoughtfully, respectfully, and with a

article that praises self-directed learning. After all, religions of all kinds are famous for being didactic: when we hold specific, absolute beliefs, it is natural to want others to share those specific beliefs. Jesus himself defined Christianity as following: “Come, follow me.” Religious education from a worshiping community, such as Sunday school or a confirmation class, can be more concerned about passing on the beliefs and values of that community than empowering student discovery. Moreover, this is part of what human beings like about their religion, if the truth be told. There are times and situations in life when we want to

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and simple divine truth. The challenge of teaching religion at St. John’s, then, is to be sure that both eternal truth and student discovery can grow together. Students take religion in the seventh grade when they are beginning to be developmentally able to wrestle with complex questions and abstract ideas. Parents of teens know that their ability to make religious choices for their students is rapidly coming to an end: many religious traditions expect teens to make and claim their religious decisions for their own at this age. Students are encouraged

mature knowledge of what their commitments entail. Very

take stands and make truth claims; but they learn how to

soon, these students’ religious paths will be and must be

honor others’ religious commitments while not needing to

their own.

surrender their own.

Religion class therefore aims to equip students for robust

In his Reduction of the Arts to Theology, St. Bonaventure

religious commitment and responsible religious citizenship.

writes, “It is evident how the manifold Wisdom of God,

That means using rigorous thought while also staying

which is clearly revealed in Sacred Scripture, lies hidden in

sensible of the beauty and power of a religious worldview.

all knowledge…and how in everything which is perceived or

Students are pushed past easy answers and must support

known God Himself lies hidden within.” St. John’s stands

their conclusions with solid evidence from good sources.

firmly in this Anglican tradition of education, confident that

Instruction comes from a Christian perspective, but no one

all truth is God’s truth. Sincere seeking will lead inevitably

is required to be a Christian or is treated differently because

to the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

of a different commitment. Students have permission to

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Student News SPELLING BEE WINNER Out of 23 competing Middle School students, eighth grader Eva Roumaya prevailed at the St. John’s Episcopal School Spelling Bee in December. Eva won in the 11th round by spelling the word “Victrola.” Seventh grader Camden Reeves was the runner-up. Eva competed in the Dallas County Private School Spelling Bee in February.

THIRD GRADE PHILANTHROPY At the second annual Water Museum, third grade students curated exhibits that highlighted their learning about water investigating questions like, “What happens when water falls on different surfaces?” Or, “What happens to water molecules when they are heated or chilled?” Students demonstrated their understanding with hands-on explanations shared with students and parents. Harnessing the global awareness tenet that embodies the portrait of a St. John’s graduate, students’ compassion for people living without access to clean water in developing countries led them to set up a collection for charity:water which raised more than $500.

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GEOGRAPHY BEE WINNERS This year’s winner of the St. John’s edition of the National Geographic Geography Bee was seventh grader Zack Brown. The runner-up was eighth grader Carter Bakewell. There was a field of 28 middle school students who were grade level representatives because of their scores on a preliminary test.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS HONORED WITH PENGUIN AWARD

does it necessarily receive a grade of “A.” Growth is often

At St. John’s, we guide

To recognize these traits in our Middle School students,

students to discover a

we have adopted the Penguin Award. The recipients have

passion for learning and for

shown they are willing to plunge into a new project, topic,

life, teaching compassion,

subject, assignment or area of study. Through their actions,

the result of trying something new, giving extraordinary effort, and acting with an attitude of discovery.

creativity, exploration and collaboration. We are dedicated

they have been an inspiration to others, and they have

to supporting the growth of our students throughout

demonstrated qualities we value in our graduates, such as

their time with us. But growth is not necessarily linear,

tenacity, resiliency, optimism and genuine curiosity.

predictable or pretty; it includes challenge and struggle; nor

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Our first Penguin Award honorees

2016-17 PENGUIN AWARD WINNERS

Jude Terrell (sixth grade)

Trimester 1

Toby Barrett (seventh grade)

Sawyer Beck (fifth grade)

Claire Jordan (seventh grade)

Hayden Elliott (fifth grade)

Sophia Roper (eighth grade)

Max Blumenthal (sixth grade)

Anna Shirey (eighth grade)

Samantha Smith (sixth grade) Elisa Carroll (seventh grade) Carter Trupiano (seventh grade) Reese Duncan (eighth grade) Stella Foreman (eighth grade)

Trimester 3 Caitlin Gillespie (fifth grade) Owen Shiels (fifth grade) Oliver Brown (sixth grade) Claire Chesnut (sixth grade)

Trimester 2

William Langdoc (seventh grade)

Alex Barrett (fifth grade)

Giselle Sethi (seventh grade)

Charlotte Robinson (fifth grade)

Abigail Sarpong (eighth grade)

Sarah Katherine Lowe (sixth grade)

Rob Williamson (eighth grade)

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MATHCOUNTS COMPETITION Under the guidance of sixth grade math teacher David Laffiteau, St. John’s sent 10 Middle School students to MATHCOUNTS at SMU. The MATHCOUNTS Competition Series is a national program that provides students the opportunity to compete in live, in-person contests against and alongside their peers. There were three rounds of competition focusing on speed, accuracy, problem-solving, mathematical reasoning and collaboration. We commend these boys for their time, energy and enthusiasm: Carter Bakewell, Toby Barrett, Max Blumenthal, Oliver Brown, Andrew Herring, Jon Carlos Jones, Camden Reeves, Aidan Stubbings, Jude Terrell and Carter Trupiano.

raised at $146. Nearly 50 students entered the Jump Rope for Heart poster contest. Congratulations to the overall winners: first place: London Hicks (fourth grade), second place: Caroline Ellis (fourth grade), third place: Aidan Moran (fourth grade), and fourth place: Elliot Evans (second grade). Great job, Heart Heroes!

CUB SCOUT NEWS JUMP ROPE FOR HEART With 151 students participating this year,

Congratulations to our Cub Scout Pack 55 for achieving Scouting’s Gold Level of Excellence for the third year in a row! Many thanks to Hillary and John DeGroote for guiding our pack for the past four years.

St. John’s raised $17,719

20 YEARS OF RED HOT PEPPERS

for American Heart

The Red Hot Peppers jump rope team traveled to The

Association. Wilson

Children’s Center to perform for their students in March.

Watkins was our highest fundraiser with $1,155, and Elliot

The Peppers celebrated “20 Years of Red Hot Peppers” at

Evans was our second highest at $965. All students who

their final performance of the year in April. This awesome

raised $50 or more were named to the Banner Club and

program is the result of Coach Janet Kelly’s stalwart

signed the JRFH banner. Popsicle parties were awarded

devotion and will be lead next year by one of St. John’s

to Ms. Specht’s first grade class for having the highest

original Red Hot Peppers, Ms. Katie Specht.

percentage of participants at 73%, and Mrs. Booth’s first grade class for the highest average of dollars per student

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DUKE UNIVERSITY TALENT IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) identifies high-ability students and invites them to take college entrance exams during seventh grade. Earlier this year, 28 seventh graders qualified to take the ACT or SAT as part of Duke TIP. Of those, 19 students participated, and the following six students received state-level recognition based on their test scores: Paisley Brown, Nate Carley, Andrew Herring, Camden Reeves, Giselle Sethi and Carter Trupiano. Receiving Duke TIP state-level recognition as a seventh grader means that on at least one of the sub-tests, a student ranked in approximately the 50th percentile or better when compared to the national percentile rankings for high school juniors and seniors taking the ACT and SAT. Congratulations to all of our seventh graders who were invited, chose to participate or received recognition!

NJHS INDUCTION Thirty-two students were inducted into the St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chapter of the National Junior Honor Society in May. Coordinated by Jennifer Powers, NJHS recognizes outstanding seventh and eighth grade students. More than just an honor roll, NJHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship.

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Congratulations to Toby Barrett, Jet Beck, Paisley Brown,

guidance of parent volunteers, students wrote resolutions

Nate Carley, Elisa Carroll, Ava Christensen, Abby

and then debated them at the conference. The following

Claybrook, Emilye Dullye, Emma Fitzgerald, Claudia

students received recognition:

Hamilton, Andrew Herring, Walker Houdek, Alexis

•T he fourth grade had seven out of nine resolutions

Ikemba, Claire Jordan, William Kulas, Tate Laczkowski,

pass, and Will Moore received an honorable mention

William Langdoc, Mason Lee, Hagen Lowe, Pace

for his work in United Nations Environmental

Maxwell, Mary Lou McMillan, Matthew Muscato, Ellie

Programme (UNEP).

Phillips, Sarah Phillips, Quinn Pizza, Camden Reeves, Leslie Schopmeyer, Giselle Sethi, Emma Slusher, Emma Sochia, Dylan Stalcup and Katy Timmins.

•E leven out of 12 resolutions were passed by the fifth grade, and the following delegates received honorable mention during the closing ceremonies: Serena

MODEL UNITED NATIONS

Trupiano in Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),

Fifty-one students from fourth through eighth grades

India; Charlotte Robinson in UNEP, Cuba; and

participated in the 2017 Model United Nations conference

Hayden Elliott in General Assembly (GA), India.

at Brookhaven College. These students spent the year

•T he sixth grade delegates passed seven of their 11

learning about other countries, cultures and international

resolutions. Sixth grader Jude Terrell from Iraq won the

relationships. They developed a global perspective on

HRC award for outstanding debate and diplomacy.

real issues facing the world community today. Under the

• S eventh graders Isabella Watters and Toby Barrett received honorable mention recognition, and their grade passed 12 of the 15 resolutions. •E ighth grade passed five of seven resolutions and two students attained high honors. Grant Gilker won the GEMUN Peace Prize, which is the most distinguished award given at the conference. Grant also won the GA award for outstanding achievement in Role Play, Peacekeeping and Diplomacy. Eva Roumaya won the UNICEF award for Outstanding Achievement in Cooperation and Diplomacy.

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ENGAGED LEARNING What’s a typical day at St. John’s? Well, you can always count on students having an active part in their education and being immersed in limitless hands-on experiences. Here are a few highlights of the fun ways students applied their learning this school year.

FOURTH GRADE SPANISH MARKET This year, fourth graders have worked on basic Spanish language acquisition while studying various elements of Hispanic culture. As part of each lesson, students created pinch pots, Aztec magnets, and paintings of the Colombian coffee region. These crafts were displayed to “sell” at the Spanish Market, and fourth grade parents were invited to shop. Preparing for the market exposed students to different cultures and allowed them to create folk art tied to something culturally significant. The market itself provided students a stage to use basic conversational

SIXTH GRADE EGYPTIAN PROJECT

Spanish with their parents in a meaningful setting.

While studying Ancient Egypt, sixth graders had the

Special thanks to Senor Barajas and Ms. Hardegree

opportunity to visit the Dallas Museum of Art to view

for their leadership, and congratulations, fourth grade,

the Divine Felines special exhibit. Building on this

for a successful market!

experience and their classroom studies, they worked in small groups to create a three- to five-minute pilot TV show. The shows were hosted on the “Egyptian Broadcasting Company” to entertain and educate viewers about Egypt. The premier of their pilot episodes received outstanding acclaim.

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BOW TO YOUR PARTNER Kindergarten through third grade students performed in a folk dance festival in May. Parents in attendance enjoyed the performances with many smiles and camera flashes. The different grades performed lively, traditional folk dances from various cultures. (Shown is a French dance called Chimes of Dunkirk.) Enthusiastic students had fun learning and sharing.

INSPIRING MUSIC IN LOWER SCHOOL Third and fourth graders enjoyed a special visit from members of the Dallas String Quintet. Their presentation covered string technique and various musical styles. This program is an outreach of Dallas Symphony Orchestra. As part of the Fort Worth Opera Company’s Apprentice Program, first and second grade students saw “Little Red’s Most Unusual Day,” a children’s operetta. These short performances are based on story books and introduce opera at a young age. The students were captivated.

SECOND GRADE TULIP PROJECT For the tenth consecutive year, St. John’s second graders participated in a tulip planting project in conjunction with Journey North. Over 465 schools from around the world plant the same tulips. Students follow up by posting information about when the bulbs were planted, when the tulips emerge and when they bloom. By studying the world map of gardens, the children learn about weather. These industrious students and their parents made the beautiful Emperor Red tulips we enjoyed last spring possible!

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WASHINGTON, D.C. TRIP The week before spring break, eighth graders and their teachers enjoyed a five-day, jam-packed trip to Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. The trip tied to the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; study of American history. Throughout the week, they walked more than 30 miles while visiting notable sites like Mount Vernon, touring extraordinary museums, attending an evening prayer service at the National Cathedral, and laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Students used prior research to act as tour guides for their classmates at the memorials.

FOURTH GRADE BIZWORLD BizWorld is a project-based learning unit focusing on the basics of entrepreneurship, business and finance. This project allows students to experience the process of starting and operating their own business. The students worked in teams, or companies, and ran their own friendship bracelet company. Each company made its own decisions: determining a name for their company, style, quantity and price. The project finished with the Sales Bazaar, during which all eight companies sold their friendship bracelets to their customers (students in pre-k through third grade), using BizBucks as their currency. To help make the project come to life, students had several special visitors. Parents Sam Loughlin and Ben Eakes, along with their colleague Leigh Rea, came as investors to which students made their pitch. Marketing expert Donna Aldridge with RBMM addressed the whole grade about branding. She described how logos and slogans are developed, and how much of an impact a simple image can have for one company.

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PRE-K TAKES WINGS While studying butterflies to learn about symmetry, one of Mrs. Benton’s pre-k students commented that it would be a wonderful idea to make butterfly wings so they could pretend to fly. After cutting out wings, students painted each side then added embellishments. What began as a child’s wishful thinking blossomed into a magical class project.

SIXTH GRADE SCIENCE Sixth grade students designed and built devices for an egg drop as a culminating activity for their unit on force and motion. Students tried to maximize the surface area of their devices in order to reduce terminal velocity. They also faced rigid restrictions on the materials and volume of the device - most used great creativity in upcycling materials from around the house. After researching, designing and building the devices, they were dropped from the roof top garden. Students filmed the drop and used their videos to determine speed, acceleration, and force - and had a great time in the process.

NUMBER THE STARS The fourth grade completed its months-long reflection on Lois Lowry’s Newbery Medal winning book Number the Stars, a beautiful story of friendship, courage, and heroism, told from the point of view of a 10 year old girl. This powerful, cross-curricular project combines reading, creative writing, history and artistic interpretation. The unit culminates with a student-written and performed musical production and individual monologues that examine the experience of Jewish children living under the Nazi regime.

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IMMIGRATION PBL Third grade participated in a five-week PBL on Immigration. “How can we, as historians, recreate the journey of European immigrants as they travel through Ellis Island?” To answer this driving question, students learned what an immigrant is and the reasons Europeans immigrated to America in the late 1800s through 1924. Third graders enjoyed a special presentation by John Christensen (grandfather of Ava & Axel Christensen). He shared his experiences of coming to America with his family and passing through Ellis Island. Students ended their study in late May by recreating a day in the life of an immigrant passing through Ellis Island and taking the oath of an American citizen.

FIRST GRADE TRAVEL AGENTS Eighth grade U.S. History teacher LeAnne Wyatt presented a challenge to first grade students: How do we best plan next year’s eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C.? What are the three most important U.S. symbols for the eighth graders to see? This began a collaborative projectbased learning unit on American symbols. First graders got busy learning by working in “Discovery Tub” centers, studying books, videos and artifacts. They recorded their findings and created travel brochures. The project concluded with the first graders presenting to the eighth graders the destinations they deemed as the three most important in hopes that they will be considered for next year’s eighth grade trip. In turn, the eighth graders shared videos from this year’s trip. Even for first graders, project-based units yield deep learning.

FIFTH GRADE WITCH TRIALS As a capstone project to conclude a joint unit on Colonial America from English and social studies, fifth grade students participated in mock witch trials consisting of historically accurate cases with a mix of English common law and modern legal procedures. Given certain rules and stipulations, the overall conviction rate was very similar to that of the victims of the hysteria in 1692-93 Salem.

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GOING BEYOND THE HOUR OF CODE First grade students worked in small groups with Mrs. Chestnut to code a non-fiction book report using the app, Scratch Jr. Integrating their understanding of non-fiction literature and coding skills, students created their own characters and a three-scene program to highlight facts from a book they have read. In addition, first and second graders have put their coding skills to practice programming Blue-Bots robots. Reinforcing the concepts of sequencing and directions, students worked together to program their robot to navigate to specific places on the challenge mats or in the accompanying apps, Blue-Bot or Bee-Bot. They met the challenge of debugging code!

SEVENTH GRADE RENAISSANCE UNIT Seventh grade students capped off their survey of Renaissance history with a lab experience combining art and science in the style of Leonardo and Michelangelo. While role-playing and blogging as a famous artist or artistic patron (or Machiavellian hero), students learned how the art of the Renaissance is a visual representation of the human spirit. They also learned about the science behind how difficult it was to create masterworks such as da Vinci’s Last Supper and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Ceiling. Father Thorpe’s religion class fleshed out the counterpoint to the Renaissance in exploring how the ideas of the Protestant Reformation began to take hold in Europe by giving students a wide array of choices in order to demonstrate their learning.

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In the Arts EIGHTH GRADE MUSICAL In December, students, parents and families were treated to the eighth grade performance of Xanadu JR at four sold-out shows. Under the expert direction of Tom Parr, music direction of Jean Haynes, set design of Donna Knox and costume design of Kristin Parr, Clements Hall was transformed into a roller disco with in-the-round seating for the production of this musical comedy featuring 38 students, 75% of the class!

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SEVENTH GRADERS PRESENT ALADDIN Forty seventh grade students performed Aladdin the musical to sold out crowds. The show was so popular an additional Sunday matinee was added, bringing the total performances of this delightful production to five. Under the direction of Tom Parr, music direction of Jean Haynes, set design of Donna Knox and costume design of Kristin Parr, Clements Hall became the colorful and adventuresome city of Agrabahwith. It was truly a spectacular run!

INTEGRATING ART AND HISTORY Art Integration Specialist Donna Knox worked with fourth

7th graders celebrate their opening night.

grade students to integrate art into their Texas history lessons. Students studied and discussed the history of bluebonnets and how they became the state flower. Classes were introduced to the paintings of Julian Onderdonk, a Texan Impressionist painter, often called “the father of Texas painting.” Using the famous artist as inspiration, each fourth grader contributed to the collaborative, three-panel canvas installed in the hallway across from Mrs. Field’s room.

Mrs. Caruth offered, “listen and use your own imagination.” The children thoroughly enjoyed having the Caruths back at St. John’s and look forward to next year’s visual adventures.

PRE-K MONET UNIT Pre-k art students discussed the life and work of French

CARUTH EXHIBITION

Impressionist Claude Monet. They learned about Monet’s

Each spring, Dallas philanthropist W. W. (“Bill”) Caruth,

love for painting outdoors where he could capture the light

III visits St. John’s, bringing photographs and tales of

reflecting off water and trees. Students visited the Dallas

his extensive travels. He charms students with his stories,

Museum of Art and viewed some of Monet’s paintings in

pictures and presence. This year’s exhibition took us to

person. Students then painted

the windmills and tulips of Holland. Mr. and Mrs. Caruth

individual works, which

shared photographs and stories about the tulips in Holland

contributed to a large mural

to tie into the second graders’ tulip-planting curriculum.

in the style of the famous

They met with our curious and welcoming second graders,

Water Lilies. Students painted

who presented their learnings from the tulip project and

on the mural to “paint the

concluded with a question and answer session about

light” much like Monet did in

Holland. When asked if they could offer one piece of

his own paintings, as show in

advice to our students, Mr. Caruth replied with, “enjoy

the photograph.

God’s work.”

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Sports The majority of St. John’s Middle School students participate in athletics. Fall, winter, and spring, students have a wide range of opportunities to enjoy team and individual competition. A number of our athletes use their St. John’s experiences as a springboard for high school athletic involvement. None of this would be possible without the cadre of dedicated coaches who give freely of their time, sharing their love of sport to help students’ development. Here are some highlights from the 2016-17 sports year: CROSS COUNTRY Coach Kevin Jennings The St. John’s cross country team grew in numbers and enjoyed a successful fall season. The team participated in the Jesuit XC Classic held at Norbuck Park and the Hockaday School’s Daisy Dash series. The races presented not only strong competition but also challenging courses for the Crusaders. Eighth graders Braydon Gianguilio and Jake Darlak provided admirable leadership on and off the course, both improving their times as the season progressed. Seventh grade standout Emma Fitzgerald brought much attention to the St. John’s team, finishing in the top ten of the team’s three races and medaling for her efforts. Additionally, runners Pace Maxwell, Mary Grace Martin, and Carter Trupiano all beat their personal times throughout the season and delivered a promising indicator of the team’s future potential. The cross country team looks

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to build upon its

FLAG FOOTBALL

accomplishments

Coach Devin Darnell

this fall and

St. John’s flag football team had a very successful season.

anticipates another

Following their 6-2 regular season, the Crusaders went on

great season in

to the playoffs and landed a 9-2 record when they won the

2017.

championship game against Alcuin 24-0.

IAA SOCCER Coach Austin Nevitt This season the athletes had a great time. They played well each week, and showed improvement throughout the season. After two losses at the beginning of the season, the team rebounded with big wins making the playoffs, but losing the first game 5-1 to Fairhill. The true highlight of the season was how well players worked together at the end of the season and the growth they showed from the first practice to the last game.

TAPS SOCCER

IAA VOLLEYBALL

Coach John Walker

Coach Rebecca Hardegree

The TAPS coed soccer team finished the season with nine

The IAA volleyball team performed well together as a team

wins, zero losses and one tie. The team won the regular

during the 2016-17 season. Their love of the game was

season and playoff championships. Along the way, the team

apparent in their work ethic. Because of their dedication,

scored 38 goals and gave up only three goals all season.

all of the players became stronger and sharpened many of their skills, which they will put to good use next year.

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MAL VOLLEYBALL

FIFTH GRADE BOYS MAL BASKETBALL

Coach David Laffiteau

Coach John Walker

MAL volleyball had a very good season! The athletes

The fifth grade boys worked hard all season with

compiled a winning record this year and were the semi-

great success. They advanced to the semifinals of the

finalists in the playoffs. They improved throughout the year,

championships where they lost to an older, all sixth grade

making progress with their serves, as well as returning the

team. The boys developed strong skills that they will

ball. They also made good progress against teams that they

continue to develop next year.

played a second time. Great effort was given throughout the year and this season was a great success.

FIFTH GRADE GIRLS MAL BASKETBALL Coach Thor Herrin Consisting of fifth grade girls, this was a developmental team. As their first time playing the sport, the athletes spent the season learning the game, skills and rules. They dealt with setbacks as well as victories. Returning athletes will compete in the IAA league next season.

SIXTH GRADE BOYS MAL BASKETBALL Coach Devin Darnell Sixth grade boys basketball played in the Metro Athletic League (MAL) and finished with a regular season record of 8-2. In the playoff tournament, they were 1-1, advancing to

TAPS VOLLEYBALL

the semi-finals, but losing to a very good team that actually

Coach Thor Herrin

lost in the finals.

TAPS volleyball had a successful season, finishing tied for 3rd in the TAPS championship. The girls worked incredibly hard, coming in five to six days a week for games and practice and continuing the run of winning seasons for St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Volleyball.

SIXTH GRADE GIRLS MAL BASKETBALL Coach Austin Nevitt The MAL sixth grade girls had a Cinderella 2016-17 season. They finished the year with a perfect 9-0 regular season record, and an eventual MAL championship. The road to the championship was paved with hard work and positivity,

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and we used those two fundamentals to guide us all season.

second shot and it set the tone for the year. They won

The championship game came down to pivotal fourth

several one point games throughout the season. Along

quarter defensive possessions, and our defensive stands are

the way they won the Providence Winter tournament and

what led us to our 23-22 win. Having an undefeated season

finished second place in league play. They reached the finals

is a very difficult task to accomplish! The girls were model

of the postseason tournament before eventually losing a

ambassadors for St. John’s athletics, and it was definitely a

close game to the undefeated tournament champions.

memorable season.

IAA BASKETBALL Coach Austin Nevitt The IAA Basketball Team had a very successful 2016-2017 season, finishing the regular season with a 6-4 record, which qualified the team for the #3 seed going in to playoffs. The boys fought hard in the first round playoff game, but in the end were not able to advance. Overall, the coach was very proud of the way the boys competed the entire season. They did a lot of learning in games, which is a difficult task to undertake. They improved each week, and played great team basketball toward the end of the season. They should be proud of themselves, the way they represented their school, and the work they did this season.

TAPS BLUE BASKETBALL Coach John Walker The TAPS boys blue team had an excellent season. They finished the season with a record of 9 – 3, beginning the year with only one returning player from last year’s team. The boys won their first game of the season on a last

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TAPS GOLD BASKETBALL Coach Devin Darnell TAPS gold boys basketball finished the season with a 3-10 record. Even though the team did not have a winning record, the boys all individually and as a team got better throughout the season, and missed the playoffs by only one game. Elijah Baker and Camden Reeves were both selected to represent the team in the league all-star game.

TAPS girls BASKETBALL Coach Thor Herrin The TAPS girls team had a good season, tying for third place. With a core group of strong, veteran players, the team members had played together for several years. They continued to learn from each other while completing a successful season â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and having fun while doing so.

BASEBALL Coaches John Walker, Kevin Simler and Mark Newman After a three-year absence, baseball returned to SJES this spring. The team consisted of 13 seventh grade boys. Despite not having a field to practice or play games, on the boys represented themselves and their school very well. The coaches focused on skill development and game situations throughout the season. The boys played well and showed great promise for the future.

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GOLF

MAL SOCCER

Coach Janet Kelly

Coach Austin Nevitt

Eight Middle School golfers competed in the Shelton Open

The MAL soccer team had an outstanding season playing

Golf Tournament at Brookhaven Country Club, along with

the majority of the season a player or two down, which

86 golfers from five other schools. The St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golfers

was difficult. Athletes took on the challenge and performed

made an outstanding showing as the results reflect. First

with tenacity each game. At times of fatigue, injury and

place girls front 9: Mary Lou McMillan (37); 7th place front

illness, they kept pushing on. They had great successes both

9: Rob Williamson (41); 11th place front 9: Aidan Stubbings

individually and as a team. Their hard work and enthusiasm

(44); 18th place front 9: Nick Heatly (51); 19th place front 9:

showed each day, and they represented themselves, their

Will McVicker and William Leake (52); 1st place back 9: Jack

families, and their school with true sportsmanship.

DeGroote (46); 16th place back 9: Ben Cooper (63). The golf team completed its season with two team tournaments. Ten team members competed against each other in the end-of-the-season intra-squad tournament. Winners were Mary Lou McMillan-1st, Rob Williamson2nd, and Jack DeGroote-3rd. Later that week, golfers teamed up with a parent and played nine holes at Town East Golf Center using an alternating shot format. Winners were Rob and Steve Williamson-1st, Mary Lou and Morgan McMillan-2nd, and Will and Dan McVicker-3rd.

TENNIS Coach Thor Herrin Tennis was very productive this year. With more than 20 players, there were full courts every practice, and plenty of play during matches. Players came in second at the IAA tournament and finished the season by winning the TAPS championship at the annual invitational team tournament. Congratulations are in order for the individuals involved in both tournaments and the team as a whole for a fantastic season.

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TRACK Coaches Cindy Isbell and Jordan Torrey Thirty-one runners participated in track this year, the largest St. John’s track team yet. The season began with the seventh and eighth grade athletes participating in the Middle School Warriors Relays in Argyle. This was a competitive meet, which tested the endurance and determination of our athletes. The sixth, seventh and eighth grade athletes used that determination to compete in the IAA track championship and come home as runner-up. The fifth and sixth grade competed in the MAL championship in early May and walked away with the overall championship. The girls’ team brought the MAL track championship trophy to St. John’s. The fifth and sixth grade athletes ended the season strong by participating in the JIAA track championship and walked away with 29 first-place finishes at this meet.

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Faculty News FR. THORPE TAPPED FOR SPECIAL TRIP

ARTIST AS TEACHER, TEACHER AS ARTIST

At the request of the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of

Lower School art teacher Denise Brown will represent

Dallas, Fr. Thorpe journeyed to Rome in September and

St. John’s in an invitational exhibition at Parish Episcopal

participated in a symposium at the Pontifical Gregorian

School this summer, consisting of private school art

University, ARCIC & IARCCUM: 50 years of walking

teachers who are also practicing artists. Started in 2009, the

together in faith. In addition to very meaningful dialogue

exhibition “reflects the understanding about how artists,

about Anglican-Catholic relations, Fr. Thorpe had many

working with children, can best teach how art relates to

adventures that he shared with Mrs. Carroll’s history class,

the rest of their school curriculum.” Mrs. Brown is a

which was studying Rome at the same time.

professional artist represented by Craighead Green Gallery. Her works are in the permanent collections of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Museum of Biblical Art and several museums throughout Texas.

ST. JOHN’S TEACHER HONORED ON VETERANS DAY Seventh grade social studies teacher Kathy Carroll has spent the past year participating in National History Day’s Understanding Sacrifice grant. She identified a fallen hero, First Lt. John Boronko, researched his role in World War II, visited related sites in Europe, collaborated with fellow participants nationwide, and created a lesson plan that is now posted on ABMCeducation.org. The goal is to help teachers around the world generate excitement for history through project-based learning. Congratulations, Mrs. Carroll, for being selected for this prestigious honor!

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Belief and Change – 86” x 75- carved wood/ carved tarpaper on stretched canvas

KUDOS TO MRS. TORREY Jordan Torrey authored a great article about the St. John’s faculty wellness program. Designing a Wellness Program: A St. John’s Episcopal School of Dallas Perspective was published in the spring issue of NAIS’ Independent Teacher magazine. It captures the superb work she and her team have done in building our program. You can read the article here: https://www.nais.org/magazine/ independent-teacher/spring-2017/designing-a-wellness-program-a-st-john’s-episcopal-school-of-dallas-perspective/

OUR GROWING ST. JOHN’S FAMILY

SHARING GREAT WORK

It has been an exciting year with new babies for both the

Seventh grade social studies teacher Kathy Carroll and

Herrin and Watterson families and FIVE weddings in July

drama integration specialist Tom Parr will present a

for Ms. Berrera, Ms. Clowe, Ms. Cowan, Ms. Hardegree, and

workshop titled, The Next Ken Burns: Hooking Students by

Ms. Zarrella. Congratulations to all!

Personalizing History, at the November 2018 National Social Studies Convention in San Francisco. For several years, the two have collaborated to refine an oral history project for our seventh graders. The project spans a good part of the school year; reinforces skills such as interviewing, research, organization, writing, scriptwriting, video creation and editing, and narration; and culminates with a documentary film festival featuring students’ personal oral histories. Congratulations to Mrs. Carroll and Mr. Parr on this recognition of their creative approach and on their willingness to put forth the extra work necessary to share their experience with other educators.

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ALPHA AND OMEGA HONOREES

in 1998 the Lower School Head. Under her direction, the

In a special chapel service on May 9, the school presented

Lower School has gained a reputation as a warm, nurturing

eight faculty members with an Alpha and Omega award.

environment for young children. Upon retirement, Mrs.

Alpha and Omega awards recognize employment milestones

Binford plans to travel, knit, read, and celebrate the love of

of 10- and 25-years. Congratulations to Chad Bridges,

learning with the Binford grandchildren.

Debbie Carona, Jean Haynes, Pam Jordan, Kathryn Potter, Jennifer Powers, Juan Rodriguez and Aaron Wallace, all of whom have been at St. John’s for 10 years.

GODSPEED TO OUR RETIRING FACULTY Retiring faculty members Ann Binford, Patty Booth, Janet Kelly, and Donna Sands were honored at a special reception on May 24. Collectively, they gave more than 85 years of service to St. John’s Episcopal School! We will miss them all.

Ann Binford Ann Binford began her career in education in 1970 at Carver Elementary in West Dallas, but for the past 30 years she has been a fixture at St. John’s Episcopal School. Since her first days as a second/third grade teacher, Mrs. Binford has sought to instill in students an eagerness to learn and discover. Championing a holistic approach in her classroom, she was named Early Childhood Coordinator in 1994, and

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Patty Booth

Donna Sands

Patty Booth’s first job in 1989 was as the librarian at

Donna Sands arrived at St. John’s in 1994 by way of

Highlander School. Six years later, she moved into the

New York, where she had taught in public and private

classroom to teach kindergarten, but she brought literature

schools in Manhattan. Prior to her move to Dallas, she

with her to incorporate into her curriculum and to develop

began interviewing with numerous schools, but as she

a love of reading in young students. By the time she joined

wrote in her employment application at the time, “St. John’s

St. John’s in 2006 as a kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Booth had

feels like a ‘match’ – philosophically and educationally.”

also worked in second and third grade, where she perfected

Countless St. John’s families and students would agree.

individualized instruction for diverse abilities. Always

During her 18 years at the school, Mrs. Sands gained a

looking for a new way to engage her students, Mrs. Booth

reputation as the “child whisperer” who could engage any

was one of the first teachers at St. John’s to try project-

kind of learner. A lifelong learner herself, she modeled

based learning. As she wraps up her 11th year at St. John’s

wonder and cultivated curiosity in each of her students. In

and her 28th of teaching, Mrs. Booth looks forward to

doing so, she became a strong parent ally. Mrs. Sands and

traveling, including her upcoming trip to Italy.

her husband will retire to the countryside near Mineral Wells

Janet Kelly

where new adventures await.

Janet Kelly has been teaching children the importance of fitness and health since 1974 when she took her first teaching assignment at Plummer Elementary in Cedar Hill, Texas. From 1986 to 1995, she raised her two children and substituted at St. John’s and other schools in the Dallas area. She admits the substitute positions were really a way to find the best school for Keegan and Shannon. St. John’s became a clear-cut favorite, so once the children were enrolled in 1995, Mrs. Kelly accepted a full-time position in the P.E. department where she began the Red Hot Peppers Jump Rope team and coached every sport at least once. In her retirement, Mrs. Kelly looks forward to travel, golf, and walking at White Rock Lake.

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES RECOGNITION At St. John’s, we are fortunate to have exceptional volunteer leadership in virtually every aspect of school life. Our Board of Trustees guides the school as it grows. We extend our gratitude to these retiring board members who have worked tirelessly for the benefit of St. John’s. Laura Braasch began her involvement with the Board of Trustees in 2013 when she was invited to serve as a non-trustee member of the Security Task Force. Shortly after completing that role, she was nominated as a trustee and began her board service in 2014. During her three-year tenure, Laura was a member of the Governance Committee, co-chairing it one year and then assuming the chair position in 2015. Melissa Eakes served on the 2016-17 board as an ex-officio member in her capacity as President of the Parents Association. Melissa was also a member of the Advancement Committee. Melissa’s first PA leadership role was as a New Parent Coordinator in 2014. Since then, she has maintained her connection with and support for the Admission Office while serving first as Presidentelect in 2015, and then PA President this past year. Bob Foster was invited to join the board in 2011 and became a member of both the Finance Committee and Advancement Committee. In 2012, he was asked to chair the Finance Committee and became board Treasurer as well as a member of the Executive Committee. In 2013, Bob was named President of the Board, a position he held until 2017.

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Elizabeth Trupiano became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2011 and immediately jumped into a leadership role as chair of the Facilities Use Audit Task Force. In 2012, she was selected as the at-large member of the Executive Committee. In 2013, Elizabeth chaired the Property and Insurance Committee and in 2014 was tapped as Secretary of the Board. Since then, she has held both positions.

TRUSTEES AS LEARNING LEADERS Bob Foster and Mark Crotty co-authored Trustees as the Learning Leaders, an article published in Educational Direction’s May/ June 2017 edition of The Trustee’s Letter. Their article explored the move St. John’s Board made in its approach from a traditional strategic planning mode to one of more strategic thinking. As they shared in the article, the change has made a significant difference, “…this transformation has heightened our sense of possibility – and isn’t that what meaningful education should be about?”

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ENGAGED COMMUNITY St. John’s is more than a school – it is a close-knit community blessed with energetic, talented parents devoted to assisting the school in countless ways. Through the Parents Association, Crusader Club and individual efforts, parents contribute so much to everyday life. Executing fun, highly-anticipated events for children and adults alike helps build our community and raise money to support continuing growth and development of the school. Activities such as Crusader Club Cares Day and the Crusader Club coat drive give children a chance to experience good citizenship alongside their parents. Celebrations like Culture Fest provide a fun and festive way to learn more about the world in which we live. Thank you parents, for being such an integral part of the school!

Thanks to the Parents Association and the Crusader Club, our youngest students have a playground full of brand-new equipment to enjoy!

STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM SPEAKER SERIES Thanks to disbursements from the Parents Association, a number of educational opportunities are available to St. John’s parents. The Student Support Team develops and shares a valuable and interesting Speaker Series at no charge to St. John’s families. During the 2016-17 school year, we had the opportunity to learn from these experts: Dr. Michael Lane, Forgetful, Disorganized, and Late: Improve Your Child’s Executive Functioning Skills Dr. Deanna Liss-Clarke, The Goodness of Fit: Identifying the Parenting Style that Fits Your Child’s Needs Dr. Samuel Ehrenreich, More than Meets the Eye: Relational Aggression Among Kids and Teens Kathleen Fischer, Does Our Doing Un-do Them? Transitioning to High School

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Parents were also able to attend a special screening of

COMMON GROUND SPEAKER SERIES

Screenagers: Growing up in the Digital Age to learn about

This year, parents also had the opportunity to hear award-

the impact of

winning, Harvard-trained physician and best-selling author

technology

Dr. Shimi Kang, the featured speaker of the Common

time on kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Ground Speaker Series April 6 and 7 at The Hockaday

development and

School. Dr. Kang provided a guide to the art and science of

explore solutions

inspiring children to develop their own internal drive and

to help children

lifelong personal aspirations. The Common Ground series

navigate the

is a collaborative effort between Dallas-area private schools

digital world and

offering event tickets free to member schools.

find balance.

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COMMUNITY PARTNERS We are so grateful to our Community Partners for their commitment to our school through the Parents Association and Crusader Club. Because of these supporters, we are able to fund programs and initiatives that are key to our mission including training and professional development for faculty, enhanced learning experiences for students, and important improvements to learning spaces within the school.

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Class of 2017 We are extremely proud of the 50 members of the Class of 2017. Our graduates embody a passion for learning and life and are well prepared to succeed academically and socially in their high school careers.

(Photo by Kate Mackley) Henry Garrett Adams, Sophie Elise Andersson, Rebecca Kathleen

Kastanek, Isala Bennett Kice, William Skillern Leake, William

Armstrong, Diego Avila, Claire Elizabeth Bailey, Thomas Carter

Robert McVicker, Cooper William Moseley, Emma Grace

Bakewell, Hayden Grace Barnett, John Michael Birdwell, Claire

Ortman, Sarah Ellenwyn Phillips, Donovan Luke Potter, Judah

Marie Borman, Caitlin Anne Breedlove, Davis Elliot Chen,

Beckett Powell, Cameron Michael Prawdzik, Sophia Marie

Isabella Morgann Collins, Benjamin Gabriel Cooper, Jake

Pumpelly, Phoebe Penelope Racz, Sophia Holland Roper, Eva

Michael Darlak, Anastasia Kostas Defterios, Margaret Elizabeth

McNeill Roumaya, Maya Sofia Sanchez, Abigail Akua Sarpong,

Dillon, Reese Patrick Duncan, Stella Caroline Foreman,

Matthew Brucks Schopmeyer, Anna Elisabeth Shirey, Colton

Braydon Ji Keping Giangiulio, Henry Spence Gilker, Grant

Leon Speer, Sophia Adeline Speer, Alexandra Housley Stalcup,

Evans Gilker, Jordan Renee Gillette, Nicholas Denis Heatly,

Samuel Brandt Teachout, Mackenzie Rae Tyler, Steven Robert

Jon-Carlos North Jones, Gabrielle Jordan Juett, Stella Tate

Williamson, Tessa May Wilson

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Collectively, our eighth graders received 116 acceptances

Rockwall High School

St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School of Texas

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Bishop Lynch High School, Booker T. Washington High

The Hockaday School

School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Greenhill

Ursuline Academy

Lakehill School, Parish Episcopal School, The Law and

The International Baccalaureate Program

Science Magnet at Richardson High School, St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

at Woodrow Wilson High School

from 14 of the best high schools in Dallas; were offered more than $150,000 in scholarship awards; and accepted offers at 10 schools. The Class of 2017 received admission offers from: Alcuin School, Bishop Dunn High School,

School, Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas,

School of Texas, The Episcopal School of Dallas, The Hockaday School, Ursuline Academy, and The International Baccalaureate Program at Woodrow Wilson High School. Our most recent alumni will attend: Bishop Lynch High School

Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas

Lakehill School

Parish Episcopal School

The Law and Science Magnet at

Richardson High School

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EIGHTH GRADE GIFT OF GRATITUDE As part of their end-of-school activities, the eighth grade class, along with Fr. Thorpe, Mrs. Jordan and many parents, dedicated a new set of bleachers for the athletic fields as their Gift of Gratitude to St. John’s. They raised the funds for this addition by providing babysitting services to the St. John’s community at a special December event and hosting a car wash. We greatly appreciate the teamwork and dedication this terrific class exhibited in providing such a meaningful and useful gift to the school, which will be enjoyed by St. John’s students for many years to come.

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In the Spotlight Julian Tilleman ’97 We caught up with Julian Tilleman when he attended a reunion for the Class of 1997 in May. Recently, Julian returned to St. John’s for a tour and interview, during which he praised the foundation he received during his 10 developmental years at the school. After graduating from St. John’s, Julian attended Bishop Lynch High School then studied biology at the University of Texas at Arlington. After his time at UTA he became a registered neuro technologist in anticipation of taking over his father’s company, Omni EEG Lab, Inc., where he has served as president since the year 2004. Established in 1972, Omni EEG provides mobile electroencephalogram services for hospitals. Using electrodes, EEG tests detect electrical activity in the brain to help diagnose conditions such as seizures, epilepsy, head injuries, dizziness, headaches, brain tumors and sleeping problems. Admittedly a “Type A” personality, under Julian’s leadership Omni EEG has experienced a five to 10 percent annual growth rate over the past 10 years. The company has contracts with more than 100 hospitals in Texas, including recent expansion into San Antonio, Austin and Houston. Julian’s wife, Kendra, is also an entrepreneur. She is the owner of Skinfinity, a skincare and laser treatment center in Oak Lawn. Together they have a son, Harrison, who is almost two years old. Jokingly, Julian said his wife didn’t have high expectations for the St. John’s reunion. Nevertheless, despite not knowing anyone in attendance, she had a great time getting to know former classmates who have known her husband for three decades. Lifelong friends. When asked about his experience at St. John’s, Julian acknowledged the school’s “culture of morality,” which he feels derived from the teachers. He noted the discipline of morning worship, the tradition of chapel procession, and the loving faculty that provided important lessons about “how the students fit into the greater picture of the world.” With a wink, Mr. Delabano describes Julian as a student who was always “working the angle,” but he believes that tenacity and the ability to negotiate have led to his success in business. Julian maintains the gentle life lessons, confidence and self-restraint he learned at St. John’s contributed to accomplishments far beyond his profession.

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class notes 1996 Marcus Segui resides in Austin but he is an extensive traveler with experience in international business. He worked in finance before backpacking through Latin America and launching a business in Bogota, Colombia. Through his travels, he realized a need for simpler, sturdier, more affordable luggage. So he designed it. Through a Kickstarter campaign raising more than

Gene (Chris) Gallerano’s film Occupy, Texas was nominated for the Best Debut Feature in the prestigious Raindance Film Festival in London in 2016. Occupy, Texas was written and directed by Gene, and a great deal of the movie was shot at St. John’s and employed several St. John’s students and alums as extras and as part of the crew. Search “OccupyTexasFilm” on Facebook to see movie trailers and get a glimpse of St. John’s.

$100,000, he has launched the Tintico Carry-on. Learn more at www.tintico.shop.

1997

Gene and his wife Christina Lind welcomed their first child, a daughter named Ruby on May 26, 2017. Occupy, Texas movie poster

1999 Ben Burgess is a working musician in Nashville. Look him up on iTunes.

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Adrienne Lichliter led a successful workshop on printmaking at the Nasher Art Museum. Taylor Slovak had her first art show and artist’s reception in May, entitled “Impasto Syndrome.” Her paintings were exhibited at Cultivar in North Oak Cliff.

Mr. D and Ben Burgess catch up over lunch recently

2001 Mickey Ashmmore, founder of Sabah Shoes, has opened Sabah House Dallas. The State-Thomas footwear boutique sells handmade Turkish slippers and serves up hospitality in a unique shopping experience.

“I have let things slip: a thirty-year old cargo boat” acrylic on canvas (photo provided by Taylor Slovak)

After eight years teaching math at Lake Highlands High School, Katie Williams will join the math department of Bishop Lynch. She credits former St. John’s teacher Christine Wrenn as her inspiration to become a math teacher.

2003 Music Is Our Weapon, co-founded by JP Maloney, has teamed up with Pandora Radio’s Austin employees to serve the local Alzheimer’s, dementia and cognitive impaired population to create personalized music lists. Learn more about the nonprofit’s great work at musicisourweapon.org. Abigail Lichliter lives in Great Falls, Montana. She is a registered nurse and SNAP-Ed (formerly food stamps program) program manager for Montana State University’s Cascade County Extension campus. She works with lowincome families to promote healthy lifestyles by facilitating nutrition and cooking classes.

Mickey Ashmore juggling shoes at the newly-opened Sabah House Dallas (photo by Allison V. Smith)

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2005

2010 Mark Burton is a junior at Baylor studying accounting, finance and Chinese. Upon graduation, he hopes to get a job at an accounting firm in Dallas. Vaughan Williams is a senior at the University of Oklahoma, majoring in public relations and minoring in Spanish. Her dream is to get a job where she can plan and be in charge of events at a large organization or foundation. This was Vaughan’s second year working in the Summer at St. John’s program. She enjoys seeing the students grow up and is happy to be involved with the school that meant so much to her and reuniting with some of her previous teachers.

Travis Upham and his new bride Claire (photo provided by Claire Upham)

Travis Upham and Claire Friedman were married in February at the Crystal Ballroom at the Rice Hotel in Houston. Travis’ brother, Brent Upham (’99), served as best man. The couple currently reside in Houston where

2011 Patty Wasilewski is a junior at the University of Arkansas and has been accepted into the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. She will start her clinicals in the fall and plans to complete the course in May of 2019.

Travis is a senior consultant at Protiviti and Claire is

Anna Williams is a junior at the University of Oklahoma

software support engineer at National Oilwell Varco.

majoring in nursing. She will start nursing school in the fall.

2007

Jake Turner has spent six months studying abroad at the

Kaitlyn Maloney is working as a furniture designer with Meyer Wells in Seattle.

University of Oxford.

2012

Frank Vecella recently moved from a position at Ericsson to serve as a principal at the law firm of McKool Smith based in Dallas.

2008 Hank Swanson was featured in Paris-based OhNO Apparel Magasine and recently exhibited his work at the Zhen Music and Arts Institute in Dallas.

2009 Zac Cooner will be a senior at UTD in the fall. He has developed a social networking and marketplace app called Cosmunity, which is geared towards frequent convention attendees and has been featured in Forbes.

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Matthew Bradley standing in front of his sculpture at his senior show at Booker T. Washington (photo provided by Denise Brown)

Frances Burton will be a sophomore at Vanderbilt

the boys began their scouting journeys at St. John’s as Cub

University as a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar.

Scouts in Pack 55. Congratulations to (pictured left to right)

Libby Kraemer is a sophomore at Baylor University majoring in mechanical engineering. Libby returned as a staff member in the Summer at St. John’s program for

Clay Walters, David Boruff, Cameron Potter, Robert Jones, Will Breidenbach, William Name and Andrew Tunell.

her second year. She likes the program and remembers participating in the school’s summer camps as a child. Max Patterson is working his third year as a staff member in the Summer at St. John’s program. He will be a sophomore in the fall at the University of Texas in Austin. He completed his freshman year at Austin Community College. He is majoring in education and considering teaching math in middle school. Jonah Smith and Julian Smith have moved to Brooklyn and formed the band, Pueblo. Their debut album, Boring the Camera, was released in March and the duo just competed a

Members of the Class of 2013 earn their Eagle Scout rank (photo provided by Kate Mackley Media)

tour from Texas to the West Coast. Jonah and Julian met at

Cameron Potter and Griffith Samore enjoyed the Booker

St. John’s and have played in bands together ever since.

T. Washington performance of Oklahoma, in which classmate Carlos Joglar had the lead role of Curly. Gray Breidenbach (’15) was part of the set construction and backstage crew.

Song image from Pueblo’s “Drive Safe” on their debut album

2013

Gray Breidenbach (’15), Carlos Joglar (’13), Cameron Potter (’13) and Griffith Samore (’13) at Booker T. Washington spring musical (photo provided by Susan Samore)

Seven alumni from St. John’s Class of 2013 returned to the school in January to participate in a joint Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Eagle is the highest rank in Boy Scouts. All of

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James Vroom, William Name and Miles Okamoto (photo provided by Jack Vroom)

William Name, Miles Okamoto and James Vroom each received special recognition from the National Merit Program for their academic prowess at Jesuit. James and Miles placed in the top 1% of all students taking the PSAT test last year. William was recognized as one of the top 5,000 Hispanic/Latino U.S. high school juniors taking the test.

Taylor Berry, Ainsley Slusher, Eva Kadane, Bella Weiss, Lily Dales, Sophia Hartin and Sara Kathryn Hatcher at their graduation from Ursuline (photo provided by Kathy Hatcher)

Celebratory high fives among Jesuit varsity soccer team; picture featuring Will Kennard and Mateo Means with teammates (photo by Lisa Means)

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Will Kennard led the Jesuit Rangers to the UIL State

them to the superintendent and trustees. Alex also won

Championship semi-final game by scoring the winning goal

second place in a film contest for the North Texas Alliance

in the regional finals. He has received an athletic scholarship

to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy in Teens. Her film was

and will attend Rhodes University.

screened at the Angelika Theater, along with the other

After much success on the Jesuit varsity soccer team, Mateo

finalistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Means will attend St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University in San Antonio on

Defender Dixon Smith played with incredible tenacity and

an athletic scholarship.

heart against Highland Park and ESD to help the Jesuit Rangers take state in lacrosse. This fall, Dixon will attend Jacksonville College in Jacksonville, Texas on an athletic scholarship.

2015 Lily Houdek received an academic award at Ursuline Academy for outstanding achievement in English II, Spanish III honors and algebra I/geometry (year 2) honors.

Miles Okamoto pitches a no hitter (Photo by Sandy Palisch)

Miles Okamoto pitched his first career no-hitter for Jesuit College Preparatory School. Miles threw five innings, bringing the Jesuit Rangers to a 10-0 victory

2016 Ethan Barhydt won two awards in a Cistercian ceremony. He received a silver medal for the National French exam and a bronze medal for his contribution to the school yearbook.

over MacArthur. Miles was also recognized as salutatorian at Jesuit.

Alex Poscente with fellow officers of the Dallas ISD Teem School Board (photo courtesy of Dallas ISD)

In October, Alex Poscente was nominated president of the Dallas ISD Teen School Board. She attended Booker

Eagle Scout Jack Blacker pictured with his family (photo provided by Monica Blacker)

Jack Blacker earned rank of Eagle Scout in February.

T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual

Madeline Claybrook received an academic award at

Arts, where she was named salutatorian, and will head to

Ursuline Academy in historical geography. She was also

the University of Pennsylvania in the fall. The Teen Board

named to the TAPPS 1-6A varsity softball 1st team all

is a student advisory group that meets monthly to discuss

district.

the issues and concerns of their schoolmates and present

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IN MEMORIAM St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retired middle school English teacher Ruth Cheatham passed away after a 10-year battle with cancer. Not only was Ruth a superb teacher, she was a lovely person. She fought a courageous battle and did it with such grace. In her words: Among the many blessings of being terminally ill comes the conviction not to waste time. Evil has always been with us and always will. How we choose to respond to it defines us, collectively and individually. When we live in the awareness of our expiration date, we discover the true power of love--to heal, to reconcile, to face the unknown with peace and confidence. May that love transform and guide us all. May that love allow us to transcend casting blame into the recognition that we can only move forward together. May God bless us all.

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Reunions

Washington, D.C. Reunion St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s held its second annual alumni reunion in Washington, D.C. Eight alumni reconnected at Gordon Biersch with Mr. Delabano and enjoyed a wonderful evening reminiscing.

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New York Reunion New York-area alums met with Mr. D at Avenida in Manhattan for the first-ever New York reunion in March.

Multi-year Class Reunion Texas alums from the classes of 1967 (50th reunion), 1992 (25th reunion) and 1997 (20th reunion) joined current and past faculty at The LOT for a multi-year reunion in May.

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1992 graduates had a wonderful time reconnecting

Members of the Class of 1997

If you are interested in organizing a reunion in your area, contact Carol Graham at cgraham@stjohnschool.org.

L-R front row: Suzette Odom (’14), Patty Wasilewski (’11), Vaughan Williams (’10); second row: Robert Burns (’15), Caitlin Breedlove (’17), Truman Litle (’15), Libby Kraemer (’12), Anna Williams (’11); third row: Max Patterson (’12), Kate Agostini (’15), David Boruff (’13) Summer at St. John’s staff. We love having our young alums here as role models for our campers!

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St. John’s Class of 2013 St. John’s congratulates its Class of 2013 on their high school graduation and college acceptances. We enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect with most of these alumni at their May reunion at St. John’s.

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Alumni

Attending

Area of Study/Honors

Katie Abughazaleh Parker Allen Taylor Berry Drew Billings David Boruff Marley Boyea Matthew Bradley Will Breidenbach Croft Chestnut Grace Conley Kyle Crain Lily Dales Lake Domstead Ryan Ferguson Julia Fleckenstein Isabella Gleason Sophia Hartin

George Washington University University of Georgia Rochester Institute of Technology Texas A & M University Southern Methodist University University of South Carolina Michigan State University The University of Oklahoma, Helmerich School of Drama University of Arkansas University of Missouri Texas A & M University Boston University Rochester Institute of Technology University of Mississippi Roosevelt University, Chicago College of Performing Arts University of North Texas The University of Oklahoma

International Affairs/Media and Public Affairs Business Finance Computer Science Marketing Business Advertising/Business Technical Theatre Business Journalism Engineering English Computer Science Business Musical Theatre, dance emphasis Journalism, minors in English/Psychology Business

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Sara Kathryn Hatcher Southern Methodist University Emily Henderson California Polytechnic State University Morgan Henley University of Texas at Austin Helena Hind The University of Oklahoma Annie Houk St. Vincent’s College Parker Jesberg University of Colorado Denver Carlos Joglar New York University, Tisch School of the Arts Robert Jones University of Cincinnati Eva Kadane Southern Methodist University Will Kennard Rhodes College Jordan Kindig Richland College Sean Kraus University of Illinois Tate Leonard Texas Tech University Cecilia Manganello Bucknell University Melanie McVicker Texas Tech University Mateo Means Saint Mary’s University Sarah Miller Loyola University Chicago William Name University of Cincinnati Miles Okamoto University of Texas at Austin, Honors Engineering Program Chambliss Pierson University of Southern California Alex Poscente University of Pennsylvania Cameron Potter University of Texas at Austin Steele Rouble Texas A & M University, College of Engineering Alixandria Simenc Tulane University Ainsley Slusher Villanova University Dixon Smith Jacksonville University Andrew Tunell University of Texas at Austin, College of Engineering Sophia Twining Texas A & M University James Vroom University of Denver Clay Walters Fordham University Bella Weis The University of Oklahoma Dylan Welch Texas A & M University Duncan West DePauw University

Pre-Health, Theatre and Religion Chemistry Internal Relations and Global Studies English and Visual Art Education Pre-Med/Biomedical Engineering Recorded Music, Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music Architecture Psychology Business Computer Science Undecided Pre-Med Pre-Med Pre-Nursing/Pre-Law Business Marketing and Management/Sports Management Bioinformatics Mechanical Engineering/Business Administration Biomedical Engineering

Business Radio-Television-Film Computer Science Undecided Pre-Med Business Engineering Animal Science/Biochemistry Psychology International Relations/Pre-Law Nursing Business Economics

FORMER ST. JOHN’S STUDENTS Piper France Rebecca Hodge Will Kresl Griffith Samore Jacob Schmieder

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New Hampshire Institute of Art University of Missouri Oklahoma State University Hendrix College The University of Colorado, Boulder

Creative Writing Engineering Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Interdisciplinary Studies Broadcast Journalism

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REACH US stjohnsschool.org

facebook.com/sjesdallas youtube.com/stjohnsdallas tokeepthingswhole.blogspot.com

The Messenger is published annually by St. John’s Episcopal School for the parents, alumni and friends of St. John’s Episcopal School. Editors Jennifer Barrow, Mark Crotty, Liz Hamilton, Karla K. Wigley Contributors Tony Adler, Clay Buckley, Jessie Barajas, Jennifer Barrow, Debbie Carona, Mark Crotty, Devin Darnell, Martin Delabano, Carol Graham, Liz Hamilton, Rebecca Hardegree, Ron Henderson, Thor Herrin, Cindy Isbell, Kevin Jennings, Pam Jordan, Janet Kelly, Kate Mackley, Austin Nevitt, Chris Patterson, Marty Polk, Jennifer Powers, The Reverend John Thorpe, John Walker, Karla K. Wigley, LeAnne Wyatt Produced by CTL Marketing Address change? Alumni no longer maintaining permanent residence at your home? Please send corrected information to atierney@stjohnsschool.org. Thank you!

St. John’s Episcopal School admits qualified students of any race, color, religion, gender, and national or ethnic origin. St. John’s Episcopal School is accredited by the Texas Education Agency, the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools, and the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest. The school is a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools, National Association of Independent Schools, Texas Association of Non-Public Schools, Independent School Management, Elementary School Heads Association and Education Record Bureau.

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