14 minute read
Students Thrive in Outdoor Learning Spaces
The catalyst for Tatnall’s Experiential Education Committee (EEC) was twofold: Students needed to be outside during the pandemic for health reasons, and, more importantly, the school wanted to make the best possible use of its amazing campus resources. Since coming together, the EEC has developed five outdoor classrooms—complete with stump seating and dry erase boards—plus three tented spaces, portable classrooms, a balance beam and giant swing, a bird blind, and an eight-element low ropes course.
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Getting Started
The teamwork across the committee was phenomenal. Teachers came to campus during the summer to help mulch. The Operations team, as well as members of Technical Director Rick Neidig’s Foundations of Technical Theater class, helped build equipment for the outdoor classrooms.
“The committee had an amazing vision, and the community absolutely helped make it a reality,” says Evans. “Everyone on campus is really enthusiastic about the classrooms, and preparing the classrooms for the school year built a lot of excitement and energy.” “It’s been really gratifying to see the results of our work with the committee and the effort we’ve all put into making things safe,” adds Cantu-Hertzler.
LIVING OUR MISSION The Tatnall Experiential Education Committee (EEC) worked diligently throughout the summer to plan and execute a spectacular outdoor learning space on our campus. The Tatnall experience has always included outdoor learning, encouraging our students to love and respect nature through observation, exploration, and adventure.
FOUNDATIONS OF TECHNICAL THEATER CONTRIBUTIONS
Normally, the students in Technical Director Rick Neidig’s class are hard at work building set pieces for the annual Playbill production. This year, Playbill was canceled because of COVID-19, but that hasn’t stopped Neidig and his students from building permanent structures that the Tatnall community will use for years to come. Since the start of the school year, the class has built a compost shed for Upper School Environmental Science classes to use, standing-height picnic tables for the Early Childhood division, and a bird blind that has been used for bird identification across divisions. The class also built boardwalk sections to help classes navigate soggier paths in the woods and a kiln shed that will store Tatnall’s recently purchased raku kiln.
Putting the Classrooms into Action Tatnall’s outdoor spaces have been an everyday part of the learning experience since the start of the school year. Teachers and students are creatively using the spaces for activities that would normally take place in a traditional classroom setting.
“As a science teacher, I often lead labs or activities that involve collecting materials outside,” says Cantu-Hertzler. “What has impressed me is how other classes—world languages, music, history, and art—have used the spaces to keep students safely distanced while also providing them a unique learning opportunity.”
Our teachers and students have shown their enthusiasm for the outdoor experience in a variety of ways. Early Childhood music students have been dancing and making beats, while 2nd-graders participated in a PE scavenger hunt across the campus. Middle School history students have discussed the presidential debates, and Upper School students have conducted non-Newtonian fluid experiments outside. These are just a few examples of how they’ve adapted to experiential learning.
Outdoor Learning Benefits “As a committee, we wanted our students to explore our campus spaces in new ways,” says Evans, “but we also wanted to provide value beyond the health and happiness benefits that come with being outdoors.”
To support this goal, the committee installed outdoor equipment, including a rock wall, a giant swing, and low ropes courses, to support team-building and leadership skills. The equipment also allows students to replace some of the off-campus activities and trips they participated in before the pandemic.
“At all levels, we’ve seen our students use the outdoor equipment and spaces to improve their listening, collaboration, and relationship-building skills,” Evans says. “I’ve led my Diversity, Equity, and Community discussions outdoors, and I’ve found that students are much more willing to talk about difficult subject matters together in a less constrained environment.”
“There’s a lot of happiness that comes along with being in nature, particularly for classes where learning outside isn’t very typical,” adds Cantu-Hertzler. “When we first assembled the committee, we were working toward building a better relationship with the outdoors and with each other. We’re thrilled that our students are able to get outside and experience school life in a new way.”
What Do Our Students Think?
—REMY DRUMMOND ’34
—ISAIAH BAILEY ’29
—TESSA COLASANTE ‘25
“The outdoor classrooms provide variation in the monotony of a masked-up school day. Not only are the outdoor classrooms habitats for the countless species that call the remarkable Tatnall campus home, but they are also habitats for learning and growth.”—BEBE CARTER ’22
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM USAGE
Our students and teachers have used our outdoor spaces more than 700 times since the start of the school year. Did you know? Tatnall’s Early Childhood students use their outdoor spaces three times each day—rain or shine!—for 30 minutes each!
The Sky’s the Limit: Andy Martire Sees Bright Future for Tatnall
It’s an exciting time for the Tatnall community. Our school is celebrating its 90th anniversary. Our students are thriving— academically, artistically, and athletically—despite the pandemic. And, thanks to the creation of outdoor learning spaces, we’re making better use of our campus assets.
During the shutdown, Tatnall’s faculty and staff spent thousands of hours preparing for the school’s reopening. They hung signage, cleared outdoor space, and reorganized classrooms to allow for a safe and comfortable learning experience. We also have a new leader in Andrew D. Martire, Ed.D. “The faculty and staff have done—and continue to do—a Andy is Tatnall’s 12th Head of School and, under his phenomenal job,” Andy says. “They’ve practically redesigned leadership, Tatnall is poised for success in its next 90 years. the entire campus to meet current needs. They’re teaching with masks on, while monitoring social distancing and hand Putting Health and sanitizing. Their dedication to maintaining Safety First The Best Tatnall’s standards of excellence in spite of the pandemic has been inspirational.” “I’m feeling very good about where we are as a school and as a school community,” says Andy. Faced with a formidable challenge with the pandemic at the onset of his tenure in June 2020, the new Head was undeterred. “I knew we would emerge from the COVID-19 Is Yet to Come Andy is confident that Tatnall’s best years are ahead. “Believing that the best years have passed us by is a pretty limiting attitude,” he explains. “In 2020 we should “We’re by no means done dealing with COVID-19, and we’ll remain vigilant,” Andy adds. “But I’m proud of how much in-person schooling we’ve been able to provide. It’s a testament to the can-do spirit of this community.” situation as a stronger, more cohesive school community. With the hard work be saying our best years are ahead, but we should also be Diversity, Equity, and dedication of the Tatnall faculty and saying that same thing in 2030 and Community staff, we’re on track to achieve that.” and 2040. We need to share a With a clear and effective strategy in Under Andy’s leadership, the school commitment to continual place for ensuring health and safety, welcomed students back to campus growth and improvement.” Andy is turning his focus to community this fall after a six-month campus initiatives. shutdown. And, while the day-to-day “We’ve made some very important, Tatnall experience looks quite different than it has in years very tangible progress in the realm of Diversity, past, students, faculty, and staff have handily adapted to Equity, and Community,” Andy explains. “We did some the new normal. Masks, social distancing, hand sanitizing, significant introspection during the summer. We had many and outdoor classrooms ensure the health and safety of conversations within our different constituencies. And, as a everyone in the community. result, we’ll be taking meaningful actions to make Tatnall a more diverse, equitable, and community-minded school.”
Looking to the Future
While keeping track of the many initiatives already underway, Andy is always thinking ahead to ensure long-term success. “The sky is the limit—anything can happen over the next three to five years,” he says. “Our biggest assets are our vibrant and dynamic community, our administration’s competency and stability, our tremendous faculty and staff, and our incredible campus.” Managing Tatnall’s strengths and opportunities, says Andy, is like baking a cake. “We have all the right ingredients. When we blend them all together, we’re going to create something pretty amazing over the next several years.” And he’s mindful of the other ingredients that contribute to a school’s success. “A school is successful when it is living up to its Mission, meeting strategic goals, cultivating a high sense of morale and satisfaction among faculty and staff, and providing an environment in which students are challenged and nurtured,” Andy explains. “A school is also successful when it is meeting and exceeding its fundraising, enrollment, and retention targets. I feel lucky to have outstanding professionals in Pat Manahan ’03, Director of Development, and Talia Busby Titus, Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid, who will help us thrive.” It’s clear that Tatnall’s success requires a collaborative effort. “Tatnall is not my community or your community, it is our community,” Andy says. “The school is composed of many different constituencies, and each constituency and each person plays an important role. I believe so strongly in the idea of shared endeavor for the future.” Building on the bedrock of the school’s trademark values, Andy is committed to continuously improving the Tatnall community. “Avoiding complacency is a challenge for any independent school,” he explains. “To think, ‘Well, we’ve done something well for 90 years, so we should continue doing it the exact same way’—that’s a trap. We absolutely have core values, a Mission statement, and an educational philosophy that will not change. But how a school operates and delivers on its Mission can and should change over time.”
Being Present
A recognizable figure on campus, Andy makes it a point to integrate himself into the daily life of the school. He can be found passing out ice cream sandwiches to Middle and Upper School students, helping Lower School students with the “Wednesday Word” in Opening Exercises, or reading aloud to our Early Childhood students. “The best part of my job is walking around,” he says. “Meetings in my office are necessary, but the real payoff for me every day is when I can see the students in action. I’m a big believer in the power of positivity, so I try to inject some fun into the school day.” Andy also understands the importance of leading Tatnall into the future while maintaining the hallmark of the Tatnall experience—close-knit relationships. “During its first 90 years, Tatnall really focused on relationship building,” he says. “In many ways, I feel like we’ve really doubled down on making those relationships even more meaningful now that we’re wearing masks and social distancing. It all comes down to caring for and listening to each other.” “I firmly believe that people—working together to achieve shared goals—make a school special,” he concludes. “My time at Tatnall has proven this to be true.”
LEARN MORE
To learn more about how to get involved, contact Page McConnel at communications@tatnall.org.
Through time, talent, or treasure, Tatnall’s dedicated supporters enrich our students’ experience and support the mission of The Tatnall School. Interested in becoming more involved? Please consider sharing your skills and ideas through one of the opportunities listed below.
Parents
ENCOURAGE GIVING
This year—and every year—Tatnall asks parents to support The Fund for Tatnall. Help Tatnall reach its annual fundraising goal by contacting other parents and asking them to join in supporting the school. To help, call the Development Office at (302) 892-4333.
SPREAD THE WORD
Word of mouth is our strongest marketing tool, so please encourage your friends and family members who are not already part of the Tatnall community to schedule a visit. To learn more about how you can help drive admissions, call the Office of Enrollment at (302) 892-4285.
JOIN A PARENT VOLUNTEER GROUP
Whether it’s through the Black & Gold Club or the Home & School Association, there are several opportunities for parents to get involved. Tatnall’s events and programs depend on volunteer support, and all of the proceeds benefit Tatnall’s students. To get involved, email blackandgold@tatnall.org or homeandschool@tatnall.org.
PHOTOGRAPH AN EVENT
If you regularly attend Tatnall events and take photographs, please consider sharing the images with the Communications Office for use in publications or on the website. Call the Communications Office at (302) 892-4338.
Alumni
ENCOURAGE ALUMNI GIVING
As you reflect on your time at Tatnall, what stands out the most? As a Tatnall graduate, you play an important role in carrying on our school’s legacy. In addition to supporting The Fund for Tatnall, please encourage your classmates to give and help carry on Tatnall’s tradition of excellence. To get started, call the Development Office at (302) 892-4333.
HOST A RECEPTION
Do you enjoy entertaining? If so, please consider becoming an event host for the Tatnall alumni community. If interested, please call the Development Office at (302) 892-4333.
UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION
Keep up with Tatnall! If you’re interested in learning more about alumni news and events, please be sure Tatnall has your most up-to-date contact information. If you need to make an update, please call the Development Office at (302) 892-4333.
FALL SPORTS ACCOLADES
FOOTBALL
Although Tatnall did not have a 2020 football season, the school would like to recognize all of our players, especially seniors Bryce Scott ’21, John Tigani ’21, and Jack Wilkinson ’21. These senior boys demonstrated positivity and commitment, helping set the tone for the football program.
VOLLEYBALL All Conference
Emma Donovan ’21—1st Team Nancy Evans ’23—2nd Team Niyah Kellman ’23—Honorable Mention Jane Penn ’21—Honorable Mention
BOYS SOCCER All Conference
Evan Cox ’22—1st Team Gabe Dobrzelewski ’21—2nd Team Javier Cruz-Mendoza ’22—2nd Team Gabe Stryker ’24—2nd Team Fletcher Jones ’25—2nd Team Luca Micolucci ’21—Honorable Mention
FIELD HOCKEY All Conference
Rachael Whitehead ’23—1st Team Ashley Marvel ’21—1st Team Holly Brennan ’21—1st Team Carlie McKenry ’21—1st Team Kali Clayton ’23—2nd Team Katrina Cattermole ’22—2nd Team Sophia Mitchell ’21—Honorable Mention
CROSS-COUNTRY
BOYS All-State Honors
Declan McDonnell ’21—Medalist Andre Latina ’22—2nd Nicolas Pizarro ’22—5th Brett Balthis ’21—6th Sebastian Pizarro ’22—11th Michael McGinley ’24—12th
GIRLS All-State Honors
Lydia Colasante ’23—2nd Carlita Kaliher ’24—18th
