MARRIAGE OF PROJECT ZERO AND ORTONGILLINGHAM
LEGACY OF SUTTON
WHAT’S YOUR IQ?
PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION
JOSHUA KEILTY
DOUGLAS AWARD
SCREAMIN’ EAGLE RADIO
RETIREMENTS
THINKING ROUTINES
SUMMIT NEWS ISSUE 8
WINTER 2016
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 4 LEGACY OF SUTTON 10 W ELCOME JOSHUA KEILTY 12 A PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION 14 THINKING ROUTINES 16 MARRIAGE OF PROJECT ZERO
AND ORTON-GILLINGHAM 17 B ETSY M CNEER WINNER
OF THE DOUGLAS ’69 AWARD 18 WHAT’S YOUR IQ? 20 S CREAMIN’ EAGLE RADIO
SPECIAL FOUNDERS DAY EDITION 24 RETIREMENTS 26 P ARENTS’ ASSOCIATION
GALA COLORING CONTEST SUMMIT NEWS ISSUE 8 WINTER 2016 SUMMIT SCHOOL 2100 Reynolda Road Winston-Salem, NC 27106 | 336.722.2777 | summitschool.com photography: Martin Tucker | writing: Robin Pfefferkorn | design: One Hero Creative, Inc. | editor: Nancy Tuohy Summit School admits students of any race, religion, color, and national or ethnic origin.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
The Summit experience is both timely and timeless. That is the nature of Inspiring Learning. And it is reflected in each of these quotes, taken from the pages of this issue of Summit News:
“Through our Co-Curricular classes and camps, Summit is developing a unique curriculum design model that is agile and adventurous, that allows us to try new things without the constraints of the school day and the academic curriculum.” Jeff Turner, Director of Co-Curricular Programs
“I just do have one little word of wisdom for everybody. . .It’s something I have preached all along. I have to tell myself that I must have a good attitude now for what lies ahead, because attitude is everything.”
“I like that Summit is a school in motion—not complacent and self-satisfied, but alive and always seeking ways to improve and deepen its impact. . .There are amazing things happening in this area, and Summit is right in the center of it all..”
Betty Sutton, Summit Educator 1963 - 2016
“The adults [in the Innovation Quarter] have been really impressed with [Summit students] coming to see their businesses. They think it’s really cool that kids would want to see what they do. It’s given me a lot of jobs to think about--especially in terms of science. The different design firms have made me think about what I could design and create.”
Joshua Keilty, Director of Upper School
Isaac Merkel, 5th grade
These insights give voice to Summit’s past, present and future--to our roots and reach. Such is the brilliance of Summit’s founding head of school Louise Futrell and such is the genius of Dewey’s Progressive Education Tradition, both of which have shaped, and continue to shape, Summit’s vision:
“The thing that makes Summit so special is what’s happening right here today. To see what happens in this radio studio with young people doing what it takes to put on a program like this is just one example of what’s going to keep this school alive and well.”
“I believe that education. . .is a process of living and not a preparation for future living. I believe that the school must represent present life--life as real and vital to the child as that which he carries on in the home, in the neighborhood or on the playground.”
Sandra Adams, Head of Summit School 1990-2008
John Dewey
“In our classrooms, we are constantly creating ways to make learning hands-on and experiential for the students; using thinking routines from Harvard’s Project Zero has provided us a structured way to do this.”
Onward and Upward, Michael Ebeling Head of Summit School
Parker Kelly Tegeler ’02, 4th grade teacher
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LEGACY of SUTTON Interview Recorded May 31, 2016 4
HENRY HEIDTMANN: Hello, and welcome to this special edition of Summit Spotlight. I have in the studio today longtime Summit supporter, staff member, teacher, the list goes on and on... Ms. Betty Sutton, who has announced her retirement from Summit School. Thank you for being with me, Betty.
BETTY SUTTON: Thank you, Henry. HEIDTMANN: I have been working at Summit for about 3ı years, and I am 52 years old, and the interesting part about that is Betty Sutton has been working here at Summit for 52 years. That is just an amazing thing to think that I was just born and you were already getting it done here, Betty.
SUTTON: *laughs* HEIDTMANN: Let’s start with a fun quick list of some of the things you’ve done here, before we go back to the beginning. What are some of the jobs that you’ve had here, Betty?
SUTTON: Oh golly, Henry, my first introduction to Summit was, as you said, in ı963, 52 years ago—no, 53 years ago, then—because I was employed as a substitute teacher that fall. The following spring or summer, Mr. Lewis—Doug Lewis—headmaster at the time, called and offered me a job as a teacher’s assistant in grades four, five, and six. So, as it turned out, when I came to school in the fall, the sixth grade was overcrowded. Jerry Johnson was the teacher, and Mr. Lewis decided to divide the class in half and gave me one half of the class, and Jerry Johnson took the other half. And that was my first year at Summit.
HEIDTMANN: Were you teaching in the area? How did he find you?
SUTTON: Well honestly, he probably found me through Loma Hopkins, because she and I had taught in the public schools here together and had happened to have lived in the same house for a year. And when she returned to WinstonSalem, she came to work for Summit. And while we never talked about this, I feel sure she is the one who told Mr. Lewis about me. But the regular job started in the fall of ı964.
HEIDTMANN: And that job, back in that era, was what? As a teaching assistant, was just, everything, right?
SUTTON: Oh gosh, it was everything. It was absolutely everything. In other words, I wasn’t in the classroom as a regular teacher anymore, but there were so many things
kindergarten and this would really go on and on until the ninth grade. And it was a fun thing to do.
HEIDTMANN: And then it was given to the family. SUTTON: And it was given to the child when they graduated in the ninth grade.
HEIDTMANN: And I remember that because when I was coming into the system, things were moving from audio to video so we transferred that to video. And then it finally just went away as more and more people were able to do that stuff on their own. But it was such a great thing—I was literally watching William’s just yesterday—my son who graduated in 2009—and it was just an amazing thing to see. And of course, he didn’t want to watch it. But it was just amazing. to do for the teachers. Most of them didn’t type; they needed their tests typed up. The mimeograph, or whatever you want to call it, was very primitive back in those days.
HEIDTMANN: It was, it was. It wasn’t as easy as a copy machine.
SUTTON: Oh, no. Once you got the test made, got the
HEIDTMANN: And the way they speak, though. You can just tell what they picked up in the classroom. What they learned from the teachers. And the teacher’s questions were great, too. It was really fun. Alright, so you were involved with that. You did a lot of those.
SUTTON: Oh, I did all of those. I did them all throughout
test typed, you had to mimeograph it, so that was really very time-consuming.
HEIDTMANN: Wow. So that went on for…? SUTTON: Forever! Well, forever until, you might say, well I wound this job up in the office really. But still, I’m still, even this year, doing things for the teachers. I’ll tell you what, let me give you a kind of a rundown of some of the things I do. One of the most fun things I did for years, and this went away a long time ago, but we used to tape the children’s voices. We would give a little four-year-old kindergartener a tape, and I would tape that child, just like you’re doing with me today. And I would ask the child what he or she liked best about kindergarten. And that sort of thing. And then we would keep the tapes. And I would go back when that child was in senior
1968
SUTTON: It’s priceless.
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the years. And truly it was so enjoyable. Another enjoyable aspect of my work was starting the keyboarding. And I’ll tell you how this came about. Ms. Futrell went away to a conference—
HEIDTMANN: When was this, by the way? Roughly? Well it had to be mid-seventies or so.
SUTTON: I would have to look it up, I guess, by the children who were in that grade. I remember Walter Beroth ’79 was in that first class. Now, if I’m not mistaken, Walter Beroth has a son who is graduating this year. Or he’s already had one that’s graduated. Reynolds Lassiter ’78 was in there. Anyway, Ms. Futrell came back all fired up about children with learning disabilities and handwriting problems that
1980
1983
could learn to type and do their work more efficiently that way. So, I don’t know where she found four old, I think they were Royal, typewriters. They certainly were antiques. Anyway, she put them in this little room next to hers, and she informed me that I would teach these boys to type. So I said to Ms. Futrell I can’t do that. I’m an English teacher. “Oh no, it won’t be a problem. I’m sure you can.” And the reason Ms. Futrell asked me to do this was because, it sounds crazy, at that time not many of the teachers really did do typing. So, whenever Ms. Futrell wanted a letter typed, like a letter of recommendation for a young man to Davidson or one thing or another, she would come to me and ask me to do her personal typing.
said, “meet me at Kelly Office Machines, we are going to pick out a room full of electric typewriters.” And that was absolutely wonderful.
HEIDTMANN: Where
SUTTON: Ms. Futrell was an amazing lady. She was
HEIDTMANN: I bet. Where did that go? SUTTON: Second floor of the TLC. And from those four typewriters, the program grew—I taught fourth, fifth, and sixth graders keyboarding for years. That was probably one of the most rewarding jobs that I did.
HEIDTMANN: Oh, of course. I just love the connection between Ms. Futrell seeing that there was another way for students to learn and doing it with the typewriter. amazing. I think that one of the things that means the most to me today is kids that I hadn’t seen in years coming up to me and saying, “Oh gosh, Ms. Sutton, you saved my life in college.” Particularly the boys. It’s just very rewarding.
was this typing room? Where was this first typing room on campus? Do you recall? Was it near her office?
SUTTON: Oh, yes, it was next door to her office. And that was kind of at the end of this building. Well, the building has changed.
HEIDTMANN: Oh yes, several times. And you had four typewriters.
“THERE ARE THREE THINGS IN LIFE THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR HAPPINESS, AND THAT IS: SOMETHING TO DO, SOMEONE TO LOVE, AND SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. AND EVEN WITH THIS TRANSITION, I FEEL THAT I HAVE ALL THREE OF THOSE IN ABUNDANCE.”
HEIDTMANN: Absolutely. SUTTON: Okay, another thing that I’ve enjoyed doing throughout the years is to handle the Duke TIP program in the fourth and fifth grades.
SUTTON: Yes, we had four typewriters. She had found a
HEIDTMANN: Tell us a little bit about that. How do we do something with TIP.
book that turned out to be just a godsend. A wonderful book for a child to learn to type. So we ordered those books, and that went well with those boys.
SUTTON: Well, to qualify to enroll in the Duke TIP
And one thing led to another. And that led to a typing room, with regular typewriters. Someone was gracious enough and generous enough to give us the money for electric typewriters. Mr. Lewis called me one of those summers, and
1985
1989
program, you have to score 95 or above on selected items on [a standardized test]—for us it’s the ERB test—and so what I do is the test scores come in at the end of every year, and I take the roll and make a list of the children that score 95 or
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1991
1992
SUTTON: I do want to say, that with all the happy moments here, there have been some sad times along the way. We have lost a couple of children, and that’s always brought us together as a Summit family. And also we lost a very good teacher, Neil Wilcox.
HEIDTMANN: It was a very, very emotional day. He was just a wonderful, wonderful fellow.
SUTTON: Wonderful fellow. Wonderful teacher. Riding his bicycle to school, was hit by a car. So, I was asked to go in and take that class until they could find a permanent teacher. And that made the transition pretty easy. The children were just so used to me. I know it was a help to everybody, and I was glad that I was able to do it. And then, of course, during my career here, my husband, Jack Sutton died. A little bit of the background about Jack...
HEIDTMANN: Please. Because I was the baseball coach for twenty years. Tell the story. I don’t want to get anything wrong. He was a baseball player; he was a great teacher of baseball, and he loved the game. But tell me about him, share a little bit about Jack. above on, say, verbal reasoning, for instance. In fact, I just sent blue ribbons to the children that elected to join Duke TIP. Another thing I have enjoyed is working with Martin Tucker on the pictures, and that’s been an enormous task. And the picture boards, which I have usually, well Martha Thompson and I now, together, have made those for the middle grades. And I do a special project for Dr. Ebeling. I call it the ‘grandparent project.’ A Christmas card is sent from Dr. Ebeling with the picture of the grandchild.
SUTTON: Well, Jack—well as far as the baseball career is concerned—Jack pitched for Dartmouth, of course. And then he was on the farm team for the Dodgers, for a period of time. But when he graduated from Dartmouth, he went directly into the Army, into the counterintelligence corps. And actually was stationed here in Winston-Salem, and while I was teaching at Wiley school, that’s where we met. And were married. And Jack was very typical of the men of his generation. His job was his work. You know. His job was on the road—he was travelling. And it was my job to run the house, get the children to school, make sure they got their work done, and he made a living. And was gone from Monday until Friday. But as the children grew older, he was able to cut down on the travelling a little bit and could participate more in their activities here at school and got more involved. Even after he retired, you were nice enough to let him come out and help a little bit with the baseball team at Summit.
HEIDTMANN: As we look at your whole career, was there one thing, whether it was a change or an event, good or bad, sad or happy, that stands out? Something that you will just never forget? Is there something like that?
SUTTON: Well let me say. When I brought my children here, I thought I would possibly stay just as long as they do and then I’ll leave. And then, lo and behold, I started having grandchildren that came here.
HEIDTMANN: He would just light up with the kids when
HEIDTMANN: So how many children came here?
he told them he played for the Dodgers. Didn’t matter where it was—whether it was the Brooklyn Dodgers or the LA Dodgers—it was, the kids just loved hearing his stories.
SUTTON: Three children came here, and, I’m trying to think, I guess it’s five grandchildren.
He even worked with some of our pitchers, which was fun
HEIDTMANN: *laughs*
for [all] of them.
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SUTTON: It was, it was quite a thrill for him to have our son, Jack, pitch for Summit, and our grandson Jackson. So. Now as to my plans for the future.
HEIDTMANN: So what’s the first thing you’re going to do? Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t?
SUTTON: I want to reconnect with friends. I want to volunteer more, participate more in my church, and with two grandchildren and one great-grandchild in Texas, I hope to visit them often. And actually, my son-in-law’s family has a ranch in Texas, and he is forever inviting me to go visit the ranch.
HEIDTMANN: Excellent. Well, as you look ahead, you’ve got so many things to do and all that special time with family, could you give our Summit community some words of wisdom; anything that we need to consider looking ahead, from someone who’s been here over half of Summit’s history?
SUTTON: Well, let’s just say that I hope that Summit continues to be the great school that it’s always been. And I am sure that it will be. I just do have one little word of wisdom for everybody, because my children laugh about this, so it’s something that I have preached all along. I have to tell myself that I must have a good attitude now for what lies ahead, because attitude is everything. And I hope that the children, it’s something I hope that the children can keep in mind. And if they have a little memory of me, I hope that they keep that saying in mind. Attitude is everything.
HEIDTMANN: That’s great. SUTTON: Have a good attitude toward Summit School, and it’s really been my second home so needless to say, I will miss it. I’ve been reading this book called Tuesdays with Morrie, and he says that there are three things in life that are necessary for happiness, and that is: something to do, someone to love, and something to look forward to. And even with this transition, I feel that I have all three of those in abundance.
If you would like to recognize Betty Sutton for her years of service to Summit School, please consider a gift to the Jack and Betty Sutton Family Fund that will support Summit School’s general endowment. Please contact Jeanne Sayers, Director of Development, at 336-724-58ıı or jsayers@summitmail.org.
HEIDTMANN: Betty, I thank you. Summit thanks you for all you’ve done for the community. I’ve been speaking with Betty Sutton, 52 years here at Summit School. Betty, thanks for joining us and enjoy, enjoy what’s to come.
SUTTON: Thank you, Henry.
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Welcome New Summit Head of Upper School
JOSH UA KEILT Y 10
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fter only six months on the job, Joshua Keilty, Summit’s new Head of Upper School, has all the hallmarks of a seasoned and steadfast Summit community member. He is at once passionate and mindful, inspired and inspiring. Like any true Progressive educator, he has jumped squarely into the thick of the action, opening his mind and office to students and colleagues alike. He has already overhauled his workspace decor into a sort of director’s gallery where students are encouraged to exhibit their artworks and drop in to view the artwork of others. The space is inviting, with window shades pulled up wide for a perfect view of the courtyard, a standup computer desk, and new pieces of student art work arriving almost daily. “Was there ever a better view? And, look, this ceramic piece just came in today. I want this to be a place students can display their creations and celebrate their works,” he beams.
it is a school in motion—not complacent and self-satisfied, but alive and always seeking ways to improve and deepen its impact,” he says. “I am invested in this notion that we have learned a lot about the brain and how it functions in relation to education since John Dewey. Coming upon a place that concurs in this idea is exciting. Many schools, particularly on the west coast, do this, but very few in a setting like this. Very few have a courtyard this beautiful, and chickens in back, and a thriving pond as an extended science classroom. This place is special.” Of the greater community, he says, “It is truly extraordinary to have a little school here with such a strong studio arts program bringing in local artists from all of the local galleries amidst all of these museums, in the ‘City of Arts and Innovation.’ And all of this is taking place right next door to a top tier university in a city that is reinventing itself. There are amazing things happening in this little area, and Summit is right in the center of it all.”
Joshua is an immersion guy who believes that learning is doing. He traces the roots of this belief back to his youth, when he spent his summers living at summer camps his Joshua’s entire family has taken swimmingly to Summit parents ran. “They worked as camp directors every summer, and the Winston-Salem community, as well. Of his wife’s which meant they did everything first visit, he says, “A nutritionist and from plumbing and cooking to refugee from suburban sprawl for program design and hiring. SUMMIT’S EXPERIENTIAL years, Kirstin knew exactly what she I realized that in planning food wanted in a city. After a night at the BENT DREW JOSHUA IN for eight people on a ten-day trip, and building a ropes course, I was FROM THE START, BUT ADD Kimpton Cardinal Hotel, a good cup of coffee from Krankies, and a drive learning more about math and TO THAT WHAT JOSHUA past grazing cows at the Children’s physics than I would in school.” Home on Reynolda Road, she was CALL ITS “PROGRESSIVISM It was during this time, says Joshua, that he developed his passion for IN MOTION,” AND HE WAS sold on this town.” Add to that a warm meeting with the advancement and immersive, experiential learning. POSITIVELY SOLD. front office staffs, and she let Joshua So, after college, when the Horace know he better hit a homerun with his Mann School offered him a job at interview. Their son Liam is in eighth grade at Summit. Upon their John Dorr Nature Laboratory in Connecticut, things visiting for the first time, he was struck by the friendliness clicked, and the experiential learning component and inviting nature of the faculty, students, and campus as of education became his specialty. a whole, and he was amazed at the trees over the roads and Summit’s experiential bent drew Joshua in from the start, the endless green. Their older son, Finnegan, is a junior at but add to that what Joshua calls its “Progressivism in The Thacher School in Ojai, California. He jumped right motion,” and he was positively sold. “In addition to its in as a campus fixture and spent his summer working commitment to John Dewey’s ideals, Summit’s work with with both the maintenance staff and the Summit Summer Project Zero, brain research, and dyslexia studies struck a program. The family, avid mountain bikers all, is getting to chord with me. Thankfully, it was not a place where I had know the surrounding areas gradually—making weekend to come and start the conversation. This school is already visits to Charlotte (where Joshua has a brother and sisterhaving the conversation—it is already on the same journey in-law), Pilot Mountain, and Hanging Rock; with Asheville, I am on, so that frees me up to figure out where I can apply Nantahala, and Pisgah on the tick list. my energy to push this place where it wants to go. I like that
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Summit School’s Progressive tradition extends as far back as its inception. One summer in the early ı920s, Louise Futrell studied under John Dewey at Teachers College of Columbia University. The impact of her training during this period can be seen years later in her establishment of Summit. Some of Summit’s most notable and enduring Progressive traditions—immersive, experiential traditions, such as Pioneer Day and Native Americans Day—are rooted in that early Progressive influence. Teaching to the individual child, one of Summit’s founding principles, is indeed a mainstay of the Progressive movement. Progressive ideals continue to be reflected throughout the entire Summit experience today, as well. Classrooms display, as Dewey noted, a life more like that to which the child is accustomed outside of school. Windows are abundant everywhere on this campus, inviting the inside community out and welcoming the outside community in. We have striven to build a community of learners within these walls, as well as connecting to the larger community outside of these walls with endeavors like field trips, museum learning, service learning, and various partnerships throughout the city. Students are actively engaged in museum learning projects along the Reynolda Road corridor at Wake Forest’s Museum of Anthropology, The Reynolda House Museum of American Art, SECCA, and Old Salem Museum and Gardens. Local artists visit campus to provide students with hands-on experience in the arts.
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round here you likely catch the term “Progressive education” quite a bit. What exactly does the phrase mean in general, and what does it mean relative to Summit School, you may wonder. Progressive education is a movement that began in the late nineteenth century, hit its apex in the early 1900s, and continues to flourish today. It sought to reform education, make the classroom student-centered and make learning experience-based, while bringing to bear a strong emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking, as well as engendering lifelong learning and social skills in students. Unlike in traditional educational models, the Progressive model attached equal significance to child members of the community, and thus espoused taking children seriously, and seeing them as important partners in their own learning. The movement is heavily invested in building community within schools—a community buttressed by mutual respect, and in which children can learn with and from one another. Said John Dewey, father of the movement, in his Pedagogic Creed (ı897), “I believe that education… is a process of living and not a preparation for future living. I believe that the school must represent present life—life as real and vital to the child as that which he carries on in the home, in the neighborhood, or on the playground.”
Summit has long nourished a tradition of service learning and citizenship as part of its commitment to Progressive ideals. In educating the whole child, Summit seeks to produce lifelong learners who are good people by inspiring and empowering students to be impactful citizens in their community and beyond; service learning does just that. And we continue to seek out avenues for deepening those roots and making service more visible and more intentional. It is through service that students become fully engaged, conscientious contributors to their communities. This fall, fifth-graders are teaming up with their kindergarten “little friends” to collect toiletries and make holiday cards for Senior Services. Kindergartners, surprised by a visit from Dr. Sandra Adams, former Summit Head of School and spearheader of the Summit/Senior Services partnership, were excited to get started. Says kindergartner Lindy Cannon ’26, “I’m excited to visit seniors. If they can’t read the cards we make them, we will just read to them!”
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Amidst Summit’s Progressive traditions, the parent partnership is paramount. “We believe the parent is the first teacher,” says Julie Smith, director of lower school. “You rarely get, ‘come hear about our exciting math curriculum.’ What you do get is, ‘come hear about Inspiring Learning,’ or, ‘come hear about Mindful Parenting.’ The parent learning that we do is unique and really does flesh out Dewey’s belief that parents are the first and most important teacher. At Summit we help parents learn about the child’s journey during the school day. We also seek, in a unique and in-depth way, to allow parents to learn from educators and from each other about how to create strong nurturing homes.” Today, Summit continues the Progressive tradition with a growing relationship with researchers and educators at Harvard University’s Project Zero. Project Zero (PZ) was founded by the philosopher Nelson Goodman at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in ı967 to study and improve education in the arts. Goodman believed that arts learning should be studied as a serious cognitive activity, but that “zero” had yet been firmly established about the field; hence, the project was given its name. Over the years, Project Zero has maintained a strong research agenda in the arts while gradually expanding to include investigations into the nature of intelligence, understanding, thinking, creativity, cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural thinking, and ethics.
among others, including Maria Montessori, influenced this approach. Though John Dewey suggested the major tenets of Progressive education and the beliefs about the nature of the child, he did not suggest a set of curricula (what to teach) or a pedagogical approach (how to teach it). Bennett adds, “Teachers come to us having been trained in a variety of philosophies and pedagogical approaches. Project Zero’s investigations into the nature of intelligence, understanding, thinking, creativity, cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural thinking, and ethics align with Summit’s mission and Progressive education roots. By engaging our faculty with PZ researchers, authors, and institutes, we provide a common experience with a shared lexicon and set of practical and aligned teaching strategies.”
Kristin Reddington Bennett, director of curriculum and pedagogy, says, “Summit is committed to delivering the type of education that Dewey envisioned—Project Zero researchers have developed strategies for practically putting Dewey’s ideas into action in a real classroom with real children.” The work of the PZ researchers has its roots in the constructivist approach to learning—Dewey,
Summit’s Progressive tradition is rooted in its history, yet soaring to new heights with today’s engagement with the PZ practices and teaching behaviors. Summit stays rooted in its mission while constantly reaching for the best for our students.
A PROGRESSIVE
EDUCATION 13
YOU ARE INVITED TO USE THIS SPACE TO PRACTICE QUESTIONS TO THINK MORE DEEPLY ABOUT WHAT YOU
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YOUR OWN THINKING ROUTINE. AS YOU READ THESE ARTICLES, HOW CAN YOU ASK READ? JUST LIKE SUMMIT STUDENTS, YOU TOO CAN EXPERIENCE INSPIRING LEARNING.
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the product, that matters. At the end of the day, with the technology our students have available to them, the ‘right answer’ is only a Google search away. Project Zero suggests that meaningful 21st Century learning is learning that teaches students to problem-solve, reason, and develop creative solutions,” she asserts.
THE MARRIAGE OF
PROJECT ZERO and ORTON-GILLINGHAM
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Parker Kelly Tegeler ’02, fourth grade teacher, says, “Infusing s Summit School continues to delve into Harvard frameworks and methodologies we have learned from our University’s Project Zero (PZ), the tenets of that studies through Project Zero and Making Thinking Visible program’s mission resonate all over campus. In has been a very natural process as we think of meeting the the Triad Division, “We are seeing that Orton-Gillingham unique needs of children with dyslexia. In our classrooms, and Project Zero share pedagogical perspectives, both of we are constantly creating ways to make learning hands-on which work favorably for the dyslexic learner,” says Triad and experiential for the students; using thinking routines division director Carrie Malloy. Some principles the two from Project Zero has provided us a structured way to do hold in common include: privileging depth of thinking over this. Our students are very deep thinkers, and they are excited breadth; utilizing a cognitive approach to develop students’ by ways we pull out their thinking by using PZ strategies. metacognitive skills (versus rote The more I learn through our learning); and utilizing learning professional development focused frameworks to circumvent “SINCE PROJECT ZERO AND around Project Zero, the more I processing weaknesses often THINKING ROUTINES ARE see the benefits for my students!” seen in dyslexic learners. Carrie CODIFIED HERE, WHEN OUR Because the influence of continues, “Difficulties with working memory and processing STUDENTS LEAVE TRIAD AND Project Zero is becoming speed can be helped greatly MOVE TO OTHER DIVISIONS, IT visible throughout campus, through a process which teaches and across divisions and WILL BE THAT MUCH EASIER curriculums, it offers its own students to ‘overlearn’ systems and processes. Project Zero’s Thinking FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY WILL consistency across the board. Routines are perfect examples RECOGNIZE THE ROUTINES, When students move from Triad of this. Orton-Gillingham, alike, to other divisions within Summit, AND CONTINUE TO BENEFIT they have an added degree of provides dyslexic students a fluency that comes with FROM USING THEM.” familiarity and comfort with structure and repetition.” Thinking Routines. Orton-Gillingham offers a highly prescribed, multisensory framework whereby dyslexic learners are able to break down language acquisition into smaller, more manageable pieces. Says Carrie, “Our students often have great ideas and are able to think deeply and at a high level; it is just the low-level processing that slows them down. So it’s hard for them to get tasks done quickly or get what they need to down on paper.” Breaking tasks into smaller steps and using repetition to ameliorate processing difficulties frees students up to move on to high-level learning. “These OrtonGillingham frameworks are like the Thinking Routines of Project Zero, but Thinking Routines tap into the creative strengths of our students, and they do tend to be very creative. At its core, Project Zero pedagogy asks children to think, not just to ‘get the right answer.’ It is the process, not
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CONGRATULATIONS
BETSY M C NEER Winner of the Douglas ’69 Award
T
he Marian Millaway ’69 Douglas Award for Faculty Excellence was established in December 2000 with generous funding from Sandra Adams, Ann and Borden ’60 Hanes and Marian Millaway ’69 and Jim Douglas in response to the Great Expectations II Capital Campaign for faculty excellence. Any teacher who has taught at Summit for five or more years is eligible for this award. Recipients must demonstrate the following:
Commitment to the teaching profession High expectations for students An ability to connect with students Involvement in the total school program Energy, excitement and passion for teaching anecdotes from a student letter and administrators’ notes about me was an incredibly joyful and humbling experience! I am so fortunate to be part of Summit’s supportive and cooperative community, a community that fosters development in all its members, that encourages us to be our best selves, and that recognizes our efforts on behalf of others.
Willingness to work with colleagues Loyalty to the school A desire to go beyond what is expected Eighth Grade English teacher Betsy McNeer, the 20ı5-ı6 recipient, is widely considered a teacher’s teacher. Her seemingly unlimited patience, keen mind, calm creativity, and loving encouragement offer just the right context for her inspiring teaching. She understands excellence. Day-in and day-out she does the work that excellence demands; constantly seeking to grow professionally and to help those around her—students and teachers alike—to do the same.
“Only at Summit could I begin an exciting career shift to the library after twenty-five years in the English classroom. With mentorship from Kathy Pounds last year and continuing through Jane Jester, I’m learning from the finest; and with Summit’s generous Professional Development fund, I’m completing a Masters in Library and Information Studies so that I can offer patrons inspiring programming in the Upper Library. I miss being with my English students, but I love the opportunity to work with students and colleagues across many grades and divisions.”
Betsy reflects on her award, “Last spring I was overwhelmed to receive the Marian Millaway Douglas ’69 Excellence in Teaching Award. During my previous eleven years at Summit, I had watched gifted colleagues receive this honor at our endof-year gatherings, and we celebrated their accomplishments in collegial spirit. That I would one day be deserving of consideration for such an award was certainly an aspiration but one I thought not in reach. So to hear Marian read
Summit is so grateful to Betsy. She invests herself in each child, each lesson, each moment of the day. She is known for her commitment, passion, collaborative spirit, quiet leadership, perseverance, wisdom, deep thinking—and her capacity never to underestimate a student. Congratulations, Betsy!
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W
IQ
hat if you were ıı years old and had the chance to walk side-by-side once a week with WinstonSalem’s top entrepreneurs and designers? How might that inform and grow (develop) your thinking and learning? For one group of Summit students, it is already happening in an Afternoon Academy class called “IQ.” Winston-Salem’s “IQ” is also known as the Innovation Quarter. It is a “mixed-use, high-tech community that serves business, academic, and societal needs. The Innovation Quarter is a 21st century model of diversity, collaboration, innovation and creativity—a place to Work, Live, Learn and Play.” ı
What’s Your
Hired in ı989 as a kindergarten assistant, Jeff Turner has always promoted a spirit of diversity, collaboration, innovation, and creativity at Summit. Today, Jeff’s role is Director of Co-Curricular Programs, where he continues to inspire students both in and out of the classroom. Co-Curricular Programs include Afternoon Academy and Summit Summer and are a powerful expression of Progressive education. Jeff watched the Innovation Quarter grow into the community it is today and, when the time was right, drew Summit School into the mix. He says, “through our Co-Curricular classes and camps, Summit is developing a unique curriculum design model that is agile and adventurous, that allows us to try new things without the constraints of the school day and the academic curriculum.” His newest Afternoon Academy class is called “IQ” and meets one afternoon a week. Each session, fourth- and fifthgraders travel by bus to downtown Winston-Salem to meet entrepreneurs, scientists, and designers. With Turner as their teacher, they visit businesses and creative spaces. In other words, their classroom is the Winston-Salem community. John Dewey, of the Progressive education movement, said, “The teacher is not in the school to impose certain ideas or to form certain habits in the child, but is there as a member of the community to select the influences which shall affect the child and to assist him in properly responding to these influences.”2 The “IQ” class allows children to learn from outside experiences and take an active part in being a community citizen. This is nothing new for Summit School. Like the Innovation Quarter, Summit has always been a model of diversity, collaboration, innovation, and creativity. As part of Summit’s strategic plan, the school is now a member of Flywheel, a co-working innovation space that brings the
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national trend of co-working to Winston-Salem. Turner says, “What is happening in Winston-Salem is something our students should be exposed to. It makes their learning more real and makes school more fun. It makes Summit a good community partner. When you bring curious, engaged kids to a place, that place is going to benefit.” Fifth-grader Isaac Merkel ’2ı is one of the students in Mr. Turner’s fledgling IQ class. Merkel’s energy and curiosity are contagious. He says, “When I was really little, I would always wonder what’s behind the stage, behind the curtain, making something move. When I used to think of downtown Winston-Salem, I thought it was kind of broken down. But now I think of it as a place where all kinds of people come to eat, walk, work, see concerts. It’s changing, and new stuff is coming into downtown. In five years I think everything is going to have changed.” Merkel and his fellow IQ classmates use Project Zero Thinking Routines for discussion and written reflection. He says, “We have these personal thinking routines. ‘What do you see, notice? What questions do you have? What do you dream about?’ So when we went to Wake Forest Biotech Place, I noticed this smell. Something like a sanitary smell. It caught my attention, so I wrote about that. When we went to Stitch, I noticed the floors were curved. It turns out it used to be a slaughter house, yuck! It’s unexpected but super interesting and a unique architectural feature of an old building. I use all of my senses when I go to these new places. “The adults have been really impressed with us coming to see their businesses. They think it’s really cool that kids would want to come see what they do. It’s given me a lot of jobs to think about—especially in terms of science. But the different design firms have made me think about what I could design and create.” Merkel’s group has visited: The Wake Forest Biotech Place, Flywheel, The Variable, The Center for Design Innovation, Stitch Design Shop, Carolina Liquid Chemistries and Inmar. He says, “I could see myself working in a bunch of the places we’ve been to. I would love to continue seeing how the IQ grows and changes. I am ıı years old and in 5th grade. What’s it going to be like when I’m in 9th grade? I can’t wait to see it.” Sounds like someone who is thinking like an innovator. Summit and Winston-Salem are in the midst of an exciting time for experiential learning—not surprising for Summit, a school with deep roots in its community and in inspiring learning.
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ı
“History of Innovation Quarter.” Wake Forest Innovation Quarter website. Accessed November ıı, 20ı6. http://www. innovationquarter.com/about/history/.
2
Dewey, John. My Pedagogic Creed.” School Journal vol. 54 (January ı897), pp. 77-80. Accessed November ıı, 20ı6. http://dewey.pragmatism.org/creed.htm.
SCREAMIN’ EAGLE RADIO Special Founders Day Edition
Recorded September 25, 2015
S
ummit School’s Founders Day is celebrated annually, honoring the first day we opened our doors on Summit Street on September 25, ı933. Since then, the school has had only four heads of school, Ms. Louise Futrell, Mr. Doug Lewis, Dr. Sandra Adams, and Dr. Michael Ebeling. On our 20ı5 Founders Day, students Andrew Bowman ’ı7 and Dean Toole ’ı7, both children of Summit alumni (Beth
BOWMAN: Mr. Lewis, we’d love to hear about your journey that led you to Summit. Did you grow up here in North Carolina? And what inspired you to become an educator?
MR. LEWIS: I grew up around Buffalo, New York in cold, Yankee country. The schools I attended and the teachers there were the center of my life when I was a child. I actually returned to the high school where I had gone in Buffalo and taught there for 3 years. Then I married and went to Europe to study for a year. When I came back, I returned to teaching school in Pittsburgh.
Vann Bowman ’88 and Jim Toole ’78) had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Lewis and Dr. Adams on their roots at Summit and their perspectives on its reach.
BOWMAN: I’m Andrew Bowman, and you’re listening to
BOWMAN: How did you become the Head at Summit?
a special edition of Screamin’ Eagle Radio. Today is Founders Day here at Summit, and we’re celebrating 82 years of inspiring learning. I have in the studio with me two very special guests, Mr. Doug Lewis, Head of School at Summit from ı957 until ı990, and Dr. Sandra Adams, who took the reins from Mr. Lewis in ı990 and retired in 2008. Thank you for joining us, and welcome back to Summit.
MR. LEWIS: I was teaching high school English and chemistry in Pittsburgh. I was coaching sports. I was directing the school’s plays and a friend from Buffalo who was living and working in Winston-Salem, said there was a school down here that was looking for a new principal and I ought to come down and look. So I did.
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BOWMAN: I’m glad you made it down here! There’s
DR. ADAMS: That was a major thing that I loved. I loved
a picture in the hallway of you with a squirrel on your shoulder. What’s the story behind that?
being the counselor and then helping other people become counselors, too. That was absolutely important.
MR. LEWIS: I had squirrels on and off for several years
BOWMAN: What drove you to consider being
and baby raccoons, which I raised and would release into the wild. My first squirrels came to me; they might have been Abercrombie and Fitch. I was cutting down a dead tree nearby and when the tree fell, two baby squirrels appeared and one ran up each leg. My legs were the closest thing to a tree, and they instinctively were going to climb up something. I paused, I looked around, and there was no adult squirrel around, and I felt bad about leaving them — they had obviously been knocked out of the tree, so I brought them home and made friends with them.
Head of School?
BOWMAN: Dr. Adams, would you share your journey
MR. LEWIS: Mrs. Futrell was about 40 years old, she was
to Summit?
principal of a high school of a very big school, much bigger than Summit. Parents in Winston-Salem were looking to start a school, and they knew of her. She had a strong reputation here, and her sister lived here. To our great surprise, or everybody’s great surprise, and our everlasting gratitude, she decided to come here and start a school in a house. And that has now grown to be Summit School. She was a remarkable lady, and when I arrived she had been running the school for 25 years, so she was 65 or so when I came; she was ready to retire.
DR. ADAMS: This man sitting right next to me is the thing that drove me to it. Absolutely, as I watched him as a leader I knew that he was the best thing that ever happened to Summit. I decided I should do it because I have such admiration and respect for him.
BOWMAN: Mr. Lewis, would you tell us a bit about Louise Futrell and the early days of the school. How did one woman create what we have today?
DR. ADAMS: I was raised in Greensboro, not that far away, and then came to Wake Forest University to go to college. The one thing I knew I did not want to be was a teacher. I absolutely refused to even think about being a teacher. I wanted to be a doctor. But I started going to labs in college, and I didn’t love those labs. I was majoring in Latin, which I loved, but then what can you do with it if you don’t teach? So I decided I would at least student teach before I went to medical school.
DEAN TOOLE: We have talked about your paths to
That year of student teaching I fell in love with teaching and just thought it was the most wonderful thing I’d ever done. And very soon after I started teaching at Reynolds High School. That very next year I met with Mr. Lewis and the rest is history. I didn’t want to go anywhere else, so I stayed for 4ı years here at Summit.
Summit, if both of you would share with us some of your highlights of your leadership roles here at Summit.
BOWMAN: Your path to Summit was a bit different as you were hired as a teacher first. Tell us about that.
DR. ADAMS: Well I’ve always felt lucky, Andrew, that I was able to be a teacher first because I think I felt that I did the most important thing there was to do and that was to get to know students well. Mr. Lewis was always wonderful about giving people a chance to try new things and, as I tried new things, I liked those, too. So I was able to do some administrative things and some teaching all along, and that’s what made it worth it for me.
MR. LEWIS: And I’d add counseling, too.
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TOOLE: Dr. Adams, what were some things that changed during your years as Head?
DR. ADAMS: The things that probably changed the most were the facilities, because we did a lot of building while I was Head of School. To see the library come along and the dining room and then this building [Arts & Technology building] were all things we couldn’t have even dreamed about years ago. But I think it was the things that didn’t change that were more important, and that is the caliber of teachers we have, the students’ enthusiasm for learning and curiosity about things — that never changed, and I am so glad it didn’t.
TOOLE: Mr. Lewis, how about some highlights from your
MR. LEWIS: In my case the leadership opportunities were
years at Summit?
granted by the parents and the board of trustees. They seem to trust us working everyday at school to make decisions about what we wanted to do and how we wanted to teach. So I have to credit the parents of the children who liked what we were doing and encouraged us to keep exploring and keep trying to find new ways to educate kids.
MR. LEWIS: Well in 33 years there are more highlights than you want to listen to, but the school was just a fundamental group. Well it was really one building with maybe ı5 classrooms, a cafeteria, no gym, no library to speak of, no labs, no science labs or art studios, no playing fields even. So what I was able to enjoy was the growth of the school to serve the students needs and the teachers’ desires. But one highlight was starting a student exchange program for 5th and 6th graders. Taking students from other schools into our homes and school for weeks at a time and similarly sending kids off. I think that changed a lot of lives.
DR. ADAMS: Opportunities for me, I think, came particularly because we have such a wonderful school and it meant that Summit became known not just in our region but beyond. Because of that I was asked to serve on regional boards and national boards — partly because I’m a woman and back then not many women were involved, so they needed to have women in those areas. But a big part of why I was asked is because of what Summit does for children and students everyday, and I will forever be grateful for that.
TOOLE: We’d love to give you both the last word. Dr. Adams do you have any final comments about Summit on this special day?
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DR. ADAMS: The thing that makes Summit so special is what’s happening right here today. To see what happens in this radio studio with young people doing what it takes to put on a program like this is just one example of what’s going to keep this school alive and well.
TOOLE: Mr. Lewis, your final thoughts? MR. LEWIS: Too many to express. I just am grateful for having been invited back in to chat with students and staff. This program has especially been an eye opener. Mr. Heidtmann did not have these facilities when I was at Summit. It’s all come to him thanks to Dr. Adams and others. And I just hope you enjoy and realize what a privilege it is, and you’ll take care of what you’ve been given to work with and you’ll take lessons from Summit that will, be valuable to you for the rest of your lives.
TOOLE: Today is Founders Day here at Summit, and we have been celebrating 82 years of inspiring learning by speaking with Mr. Doug Lewis, Head of Summit from ı957 until ı990 and Dr. Sandra Adams, Head of School from ı990 until her retirement in 2008. Thank you so much for being here.
DR. ADAMS: Thank you! MR. LEWIS: It’s been a pleasure. TOOLE: I’m Dean Toole, and you’re listening to this special edition of Screamin’ Eagle Radio.
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RETIREMENTS
At the end of the 20ı5-ı6 school year, the Summit community said farewell to three exceptional educators: Mrs. Kathy Pounds, Mrs. Luanne Rejeski and Mrs. Lynne Roosa. In total, their years of service to Summit exceed 90—and the lives they have touched and transformed number in the thousands. The debt of gratitude Summit owes these extraordinary colleagues is impossible to measure.
KATHY POUNDS Librarian Since ı977, Kathy has been known and appreciated for her keen mind, quick wit, seemingly limitless knowledge of fiction and nonfiction. We will miss her extraordinary capacity to help students and teachers alike in locating the print and digital resources they need! In reflecting upon her career at Summit, which began in 1977, Kathy writes, “How lucky I’ve been to have had work I’ve loved all these years!… I feel good when I think about my fellow teachers… I’ve seen HUNDREDS of examples of hard work. I’d have to say that the job I took in 1977 isn’t the job I’m leaving in 2016. I started in sixth grade language arts and science, moved to 7th and 8th grade English, and am finishing as librarian for grades 4-9. I’ve taught reading to small groups and regular classes; “lectured” classes of sixty-plus; and conducted workshops for parents and faculty. I’ve had opportunities to change and grow, both personally and professionally. I wouldn’t have lasted thirty-nine years without them.”
LUANNE REJESKI 3rd Grade Teacher The 20ı5 recipient of the Marian Millaway ’69 Douglas Award for Excellence in Teaching, Luanne first joined the Summit faculty in ı979, serving in a variety of roles--currently as a third grade teacher and grade level coordinator. In describing Luanne, Director of Lower School Julie Smith writes, “In a single moment, [Luanne] can be calm and spirited. She balances a zest for new ideas with a high regard for the school’s traditions. Her classroom seems like ‘magic,’ and students thrive and are truly transformed in it. She handles all students—in their wonderful variety—with grace and ease. Children and adults are able to become better versions of themselves in her care.”
LYNNE ROOSA Physical Education Teacher and Coach Lynne’s excellence as a coach and physical education teacher is legendary. Beginning her career at Summit in ı987, Lynne—an accomplished athlete in her own right—has invested herself in each child, in each class, and on each team, every day since ı987. Director of Athletics Ken Shaw captures this beautifully when he writes, “Lynne has a contagious energy that she pours into every class and team.”
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•M
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Honor Your Special Person
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DU AT
I R E M E N TS
ES
ES
GR A
IO
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ET R •
Honor your graduate, student, or special teacher. Be serious, poetic, sentimental or clever! Create a permanent honorarium by dedicating one or more seats in the Loma Hopkins Theatre. A brass plate with engraved copy will be placed on a chair armrest. A donation of $250 secures your seat. Contact Jeanne Sayers, Director of Development at 336-724-5811 or jsayers@summitmail.org to place your order.
THE OFFICIAL SUMMIT SCHOOL ALUMNI APP Securely network and connect with Summit School Alumni around the world. Connect with classmates, network towards a new job, and get Summit news, all on your Apple or Android smartphone. Search for “Summit School Alumni Connect” in the Apple App Store, Google Play or go to http://bit.ly/1itnpp8. • Discover Alumni living in your area with an interactive map • Access the most current Alumni directory and update your own contact information • Network with classmates through a built-in LinkedIn integration • Get the most up to date Summit news and social media posts DOWNLOAD IT TODAY!
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Enter the Parents’ Association Gala Coloring Contest! Submit your design by February 1st to the Summit School Main Office or via email to gala@summitmail.org. Prizes offered for winning designs!
SAVE THE DATE
BOW
SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2017
and
TIES
BLI NG
registration opens
february 2017 Fun day camps for three-year-olds to rising 10th graders
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NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Winston-Salem, N.C. Permit No. 89
2100 Reynolda Road Winston-Salem, NC 27106-5115 summitschool.com
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at Its Best
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