SUMMER
2020
experience
Designing Distance Learning Reimagining How to Learn & Connect from Home
Students came up with creative ways to express what they missed about not being on campus during distance learning. These fourth-graders made a number of realistic sidewalk chalk drawings depicting a variety of activities they were unable to do during the stay-at-home order.
In this issue
experience is published twice a year for alumni, families, and friends of The Langley School Head of School Dr. Elinor Scully Editor & Designer Sharon Vipperman, Director of Marketing & Communications Where vital academics meet a deep respect for childhood Preschool through grade 8 in Northern Virginia
1411 Balls Hill Road, McLean, Virginia 22101 (703) 356-1920 www.langleyschool.org
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Head of School’s Message
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Feature Story: Designing Distance Learning
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Campus Happenings
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Michele Claeys to Serve as Next Head of School
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Congratulations to Langley’s Class of 2020
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Farewell to Long-time Faculty & Staff
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Development Update
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Class Notes
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Alumni Profile: Chris Foley ’12
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The Last Word
Head of School’s Message
Dear Langley friends... This magazine marks an unprecedented time in our history both as a school and as a global community as we face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pandemic paused life as we know it at Langley starting this past March, it also allowed our community to shine in some remarkable ways. As we quickly pivoted to a distance learning model following spring break, our faculty creatively embraced a whole new way to teach remotely, our students adapted to new technologies and learning methods, and our parents supported their children in their new at-home classrooms. #LangleyStrong authentically emerged as our community rallied to a new way of living Langley at home, while preserving the key tenants of our program and mission. See page 2 for a look at how our community adapted to distance learning. Through it all, students, parents, and faculty found ways to connect and collaborate with each other, maintaining our relationships virtually and our commitment to social-emotional well-being. As you’ll see in the Campus Happenings section on page 6, we worked to keep Langley traditions and connections alive by reimagining events like Field Day, BookFest, the art show, the spring auction, and graduation into virtual formats. I am so proud of and inspired by the resilience, creativity, and genuine care for one another that the Langley community has demonstrated over the past few months. As we look to the upcoming school year and the complexities it will bring, each decision will be guided by our mission and philosophy, fact-based research, and the ongoing input of our community. The safety of our students, teachers, and families is our top priority as we work to reopen our campus and prepare for the year ahead. Whether we are learning on campus or at home, Langley is committed to
offering the high level of quality instruction for which we are known. In addition to health and safety, our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion will be another important priority for the upcoming year. The events that have unfolded this summer surrounding issues of race and equality make this work even more essential as we prepare our students to be tomorrow’s leaders. As you’ll see on page 8, the Board of Trustees selected Michele Claeys as Langley’s next head of school, finishing the final round of interviews virtually after the pandemic hit. I thank the Board and the Head of School Search Committee for their hard work, and I am pleased they selected someone who so closely aligns with our mission. I will spend much of my final year at Langley helping to prepare the school for this leadership transition next summer. While the last few months have been challenging, I feel extremely lucky to lead an institution that is supported by such an incredibly strong community of past and present members. It is our foundation of trust, support, and shared values that will allow us to remain #LangleyStrong throughout the coming year and beyond. I hope you stay safe and are able to enjoy moments of renewal and rest this summer. Warmly,
Dr. Elinor Scully Head of School
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FEATURE STORY:
Designing Distance Learning By Sarah Beck, Director of Curriculum & Instruction
Navigating Uncharted Territory The experiences of this past spring thrust us all into uncharted territory. In a matter of days, we were reinventing the way we learn and connect at Langley. Despite the challenges, images like those included in this article remind us that Langley students continued to engage in rigorous, joyful learning in the midst of a global pandemic. Reflecting back on our transition into distance learning, it is clear that our ongoing commitment to Langley’s mission and philosophy was a “North Star” as we charted our path forward. Values matter, especially during a crisis. They allow individuals and institutions to orient themselves and set priorities quickly. They permit us to navigate confusion, turmoil, and emotion. They compel us to reflect on our relationships with, and obligations to, others. Most importantly, they inform our decisions and actions.
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It was challenging, at times, to resist reactionary and shortterm thinking. It would be tempting to implement everything on day one, for example, but we were committed to quality and to being responsive to feedback along the way. We relied on experts and networks, including schools that had been in distance learning for longer than we had and organizations that specialize in online learning partnership. Our goal was to be purposeful and avoid whiplash or false starts. Our philosophy, mission, and core values served as our strong, grounding foundation as we re-envisioned the way we live Langley at home.
Commitment to Our Mission Langley’s mission states our belief that “each child’s potential is boundless and every child can act with integrity, generosity, and consideration for others. We reach across multiple disciplines to discover, amplify, and embrace the talents of every child, every day. By nurturing, supporting,
and academically challenging our students, our inclusive community builds quietly confident, independent thinkers who flourish as learners and individuals.”
Our Philosophy: Inquiry-Based, Balanced, Student-Centered
At Langley, we think of our work as educators through the lens of Alison Gopnik’s research on child development. In her book, The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship
Langley’s instructional philosophy reflects our mission. We chose a balanced, inquiry-based, student-centered approach to instruction because it fosters independence, joy, and confidence in learning.
Inquiry-Based Instruction “Play, imagination, exploration, choice, autonomy, challenge, unstructured time, quiet, purposeful work, meaningful relationships, honest conversations – these are the things that a child needs to grow well. In looking to the future of learning, the call to action is…to figure out how to structure our lives and our schools in ways that honor the natural growth and development of young people.” -Lauren Quinn, In Praise of Authentic Learning
Between Parents and Children (2012), she describes one way to approach parenting and schooling is like carpentry, in which the adults act as carpenters who must work diligently to shape and build something according to set rules and specific outcomes. By contrast, Langley believes that students grow best when we embrace the role of a gardener, creating optimal conditions for children to develop, and then stand by to support them as they grow. At Langley, we know that students thrive when they are given the support, guidance, and opportunities they need to be successful as learners. We have intentionally developed an instructional program that is inquiry-based, balanced, and student-centered because we know it allows our students to thrive. Our mission guided our approach to instruction in the classroom and in distance learning. We believe students blossom in a safe, structured, and academically rigorous community that enables intellectual risk-taking while promoting positive social and personal development. To do this, we provide learning tasks that develop independent and critical thinkers who are poised and knowledgeable about themselves and possess a strong sense of responsibility to the larger community. Perhaps now more than ever, we know our students need to be preparing for a life of intellectual engagement and responsible citizenship.
Inquiry-based instruction focuses on creation over consumption, is driven by curiosity, and leads to deeper engagement and retention of learning. Inquiry has been the core of Langley’s instructional philosophy since our founding, and our faculty has spent the past year developing clarity and common language around our approach to inquiry. At Langley, inquiry instruction means community building, investigation, modeling, practice, and feedback to drive learning. We call these five our “Inquiry Essential Practices” and our faculty finds ways to incorporate them into the learning students do on a daily basis.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
create or enhance connections between people
INVESTIGATION
provide opportunities to discover, examine, and explore
INQUIRY ESSENTIAL PRACTICES MODELING
FEEDBACK
share information as a basis for improvement
give an example of process or product
PRACTICE
offer opportunities to improve or maintain proficiency through repetition
Perhaps most importantly, we know that inquiry develops critical-thinking skills. A global pandemic is a sobering reminder that simply recreating or remembering information is no longer sufficient to navigate a rapidly changing world. As we planned distance learning, we recognized that our Langley students have been taught this way since they started with us. As unfamiliar as inquiry-based instruction may be to many adults, Langley students know how to learn in this model, and we saw the ways they continued to create, explore, and apply concepts in distance learning.
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For example, third-grade students used a reading unit on “The Power of Stories” to explore how memories and experiences shape who we are, and how authors tell stories through different lenses to develop empathy in their readers. Students brainstormed memories on an interactive chat board and asked questions to help each other add detail. After reading more examples of authors using memory to tell stories, students wrote their own. Many of their stories captured their experiences with the transition to distance learning and their feelings about the coronavirus. Junior kindergarten students practiced their inquiry skills in a lesson about light, shadows, observation, and prediction. Teachers recorded a video that showed several different shadows and asked students to share their observations with an adult and predict what object made the shadow.
They made their own simple shadow boxes and practiced making different shapes and patterns with light and objects. They became keen observers and practiced sharing their thinking along the way.
Balanced Instruction Balanced instruction means students are exposed to a range of skills and content across a comprehensive curriculum. It also means we are committed to an age-appropriate blend of learning through large-group, small-group, one-onone conferencing, and independent work in the classroom. This blended approach applied to our transition to live and self-paced learning in distance learning.Specifically, we knew from Global Online Academy (2020) that different types of learning experiences worked best in synchronous (live) formats, while others worked best in asynchronous (self-paced) formats. We committed to leveraging each format for the type of learning it best facilitates. For example, synchronous instruction works best for discussion, conferencing, feedback, exhibitions of learning,
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and connection. Students in Ms. Yates’ Spanish classes used breakout synchronous sessions to collaboratively build creative stories using vocabulary. Asynchronous instruction works best for absorbing content, deep work, reflection, and practice. Students in Ms. Meyer’s sixthgrade social studies course designed artwork to reflect a metaphor for the Renaissance based on themes they had learned about in their reading. Blended instruction, when done purposefully, maximizes student learning in each format. Similarly, it supports student-centered inquiry by giving students the time they need to explore and apply concepts, while also providing the support they need to construct understanding and address misconceptions. By using both live and self-paced instruction in distance learning, students were able to
pursue the clearly articulated outcomes for each lesson in a way that met their needs while staying connected to a community of learners. Fourth-grade students engaged in a blend of live and selfpaced learning to explore the concept of diagram patterns in Ms. Cook’s math class this spring. Before class, Ms. Cook shared the learning target for the lesson and gave students a lesson to read and practice in the textbook. During the live class, students met in small groups to work collaboratively on a more challenging problem than they had previously practiced. When they came back together, representatives from each group summarized their learning and other students were able to ask questions while Ms. Cook supported their understanding and addressed misconceptions. In this blended approach, students had the opportunity to think deeply about the concept, then collaborate with classmates and check their understanding with their teacher before moving on to the next lesson.
“Teaching students by example to be self-starters and to continuously evaluate how they might improve their education helps them learn how to effectively learn. When we stop simply telling students how to learn and, rather, act as a ‘guide on the side,’ we can support them in a way that encourages them to find their own solutions.” -George Couros, The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity (2015)
Student-Centered Instruction Finally, student-centered instruction means that we intentionally develop student efficacy, ownership, and independence, even for our youngest learners. We use modeling, practice, and reflection to support students’ ability to drive their learning in a supported partnership with peers and teachers. Student-centered instruction means that school is not a place where students show up to watch teachers work. Instead, teachers are purposefully designing supported learning experiences that allow students to drive their own learning throughout the lesson. Using reflection questions, rubrics, and models, teachers carefully develop students’ meta-cognition, their ability to think about their own thinking, so they are able to transfer their skills to novel situations. Students need ample opportunity to apply, reflect, and synthesize in our lessons so they can do that in the real world. In our conversations with Langley families during distance learning, one of the “silver linings” mentioned most often was that distance learning was providing students an authentic opportunity to apply the skills we cultivate in the classroom – regulation, motivation, problem-solving, and self-advocacy – still in a structured and supported way.
Our Progress We had much to celebrate as we concluded the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Each family had the opportunity to conference with their child’s teachers. We shared the learning outcomes for each grade level, how students progressed, and what support will be most important in the fall. From the beginning of our program, we committed to being adaptive, responsive, and dedicated to quality. These principles guided decisions like surveying parents from the very first day of our program and making adjustments based on what we heard. Our parent satisfaction survey reflected these strengths, with 90 percent of parents reporting overall satisfaction with Langley’s distance learning program. We are also able to reflect on areas that need improvement and support as we transition into another unusual academic year, such as finding additional ways to foster student connections and deepening our school-wide focus on social-emotional learning.
Staying Grounded
Students in kindergarten, for example, used images from the Math in Focus curriculum to practice “counting on and counting back” to make 10. Using SeeSaw, students were able to “draw” their answers directly on their iPads and submit to their teachers. Teachers recorded voice messages back to students, giving feedback on their work. By intentionally designing a way for students to engage directly, teachers helped some of our youngest learners practice a level of independence and reflection in their distance learning.
Langley’s mission and philosophy should and will continue to orient us during these unprecedented times. They allow us to cut through competing priorities and make difficult decisions. They remind us that we are all connected by the reasons we chose Langley as our learning community, either as a family or as an educator. We are dedicated to our mission of ensuring all students become engaged, joyful, confident learners, and our inquiry-based, balanced, student-centered instruction is what brings this mission to life each and every day.
Students in Ms. Musgrove’s math classes worked in groups to solve algebra problem sets and recorded videos for each other, explaining how they solved the problem and making their thinking visible to their classmates. By working through their problems with an authentic audience of their peers, students were able to practice applying not only their understanding, but also their ability to explain it to others as well.
As we carefully plan, innovate, and refine our approach to reopening in the fall, we will continue to find confidence in these commitments. Undoubtedly there are many more moments to come filled with the creative, thoughtful, and inspiring learning that we have come to expect from our Langley students, whether they are learning from home or a classroom.
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Building Community on Campus (January to March) 1. Congratulations to Langley’s basketball teams for successful winter seasons that included a CAC title for girls’ varsity and a third-place CAC finish for boys’ varsity. 2. In early March, Primary School students showcased their spiral unit study of the Polar regions during a performance of Polar-themed songs and poems. 3. Before we moved to distance learning, Middle Schoolers presented their wonderful musical production of “Mary Poppins” to the community via live stream.
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4. During their January performance of the musical, “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.,” fifth-graders entertained audience members with a high-energy show based on the popular 1970s educational cartoon series. 5. On February 29, our community came together for the third annual Day of Giving, packing 65,000 meals for families affected by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. 6. Hundreds of students and parents took part in STEAMbased challenges and activities during Langley’s annual STEAM Fair on February 8.
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Campus Happenings
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Building Community from Home (April to June) 7. On June 5, Langley held our first-ever virtual graduation ceremony, celebrating our graduates with live remarks and a website featuring pre-recorded student speeches.
10. Langley’s annual BookFest continued this year from home, as students and teachers shared photos of themselves dressed as their favorite literary characters.
8. Students and families joined together for a virtual Field Day in May as they participated in athletic challenges from home and reported their scores.
11. Students and parents found creative ways to virtually honor Langley’s hard-working teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, using photos and videos to say a heartfelt thank you.
9. A virtual art show in June celebrated students’ creativity as they posted their artwork online and browsed each other’s masterpieces through an online gallery.
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Michele Claeys to Serve as Langley’s Next Head of School After a thorough search process that began last October and engaged more than 100 qualified candidates worldwide, The Langley School is pleased to announce that Michele Claeys will be our next head of school beginning July 1, 2021. Ms. Claeys will assume this role following the departure of Dr. Elinor Scully who will be leaving Langley in June 2021 to become the new head of school at National Cathedral School in Washington, DC, after completing an eight-year tenure. Throughout the interview process, Ms. Claeys’ deep commitment to early childhood and student-centered learning, along with her passion and respect for a preschool through eighth grade model, was very evident and was a key factor in her selection. Her innovative academic leadership experience and her deep understanding of inquiry-based learning will enable her to continue to move Langley forward both academically and in our competitive market.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining and leading The Langley School and honored to be following Dr. Scully. Langley is an exceptional school, and I feel a strong affinity with its child-centered mission and outstanding curricular program.” -Michele Claeys With a thorough knowledge of the complex, and sometimes difficult, decision-making that comes with a head of school role, Ms. Claeys clearly demonstrated how her experience in various educational settings will position her as an inclusive, yet decisive, leader. She brings a breadth of important leadership skills to Langley – from understanding the needs of young learners as a third-grade teacher at Columbia Grammar and Prep in Manhattan, to growing enrollment to 500+ students as a strategic, innovative, and growth-minded head of school at the Ross School in New York, to developing curriculum and successfully running a middle school division with 240 students as associate head of school and head of middle school at the Norwood
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School in Bethesda. In her various roles, Ms. Claeys has overseen the hiring, development, and management of faculty and staff, managed large operating budgets, led the high school placement process for eighth-graders, advanced curriculum and teaching with notable results, led diversity and equity initiatives, and built deep partnerships with a variety of constituencies, including trustees, parents, faculty, staff, and students. Ms. Claeys moved from New York to the DC area when she assumed her current role at Norwood in 2012. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in education from Bank Street College of Education in New York. She comes from a family of educators, including her husband, Hugh, who is a science teacher at Maret School. “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining and leading The Langley School and honored to be following Dr. Scully,” Ms. Claeys says. “Langley is an exceptional school, and I feel a strong affinity with its child-centered mission and outstanding curricular program. I am eager to serve Langley's students, families, faculty, and staff while guiding the school's progress in the coming years and promoting it with enthusiasm.” Head of School Dr. Scully adds, “I am delighted Michele has been hired as Langley's next leader to carry forth our mission. She cares deeply about elementary and middle school education, and I am confident this passion will guide her in a way that supports our community, both today and into the future. Special thanks to Denise Haselhorst, Zac Merriman, and the Head of School Search Committee for the time and effort they put into making this search so successful.” While we look forward to beginning a new chapter with Ms. Claeys next summer, Langley still has much to accomplish in the coming year with Dr. Scully as she continues to effectively navigate the complexities of the 2020-2021 school year and prepare for a smooth transition to a new leader over the next 12 months.
Congratulations to Langley's Class of 2020 Congratulations to members of the Class of 2020 who graduated from Langley on June 5 during the school’s first-ever virtual commencement ceremony. To honor our eighth-graders during this unusual year, the school also delivered diplomas, yard signs, and special boxes filled with celebratory items to eighth-grade families. In addition, Langley arranged an opportunity for students to take individual graduation photos on campus. We are so proud of our graduates for the growth and maturity they displayed as they adjusted to the changes COVID-19 brought to their last few months as Langley students. We wish them a fond farewell as they move on to high school in the fall. Below is a list of the high schools to which the Class of 2020 was accepted (asterisks indicate the schools our students will attend). See page 17 for a parent’s perspective on the high school placement process. Bishop O’Connell High School* Bullis School* Connelly School of the Holy Child Edmund Burke School Episcopal High School* The Field School Flint Hill School* George C. Marshall High School* Georgetown Day School* Georgetown Preparatory School Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School* Gonzaga College High School* Holton-Arms School* Landon School* Langley High School* The Madeira School* Maret School* Mayfield Senior School, California
McLean High School* National Cathedral School* Paul VI Catholic High School Phillips Academy Andover* The Potomac School* Sidwell Friends School* St. Albans School* St. Andrew’s Episcopal School* St. Anselm’s Abbey School St. Paul’s School* St. John’s College High School* St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School* Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart Washington-Liberty High School* Whittle School & Studio, D.C. *indicates schools Langley graduates will attend
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L to R: Jan Silvano; Mary Klinedinst (left) with preschool teacher Lynna Young; and Peggy Laurent.
FACULTY NOTES:
Farewell to Long-time Faculty & Staff Jan Silvano, Head Librarian Among Langley’s current faculty members, Head Librarian Jan Silvano has served the school the longest with a tenure of 28 years – and she may also hold the record for having served in the largest number of different roles at Langley. This spring, we said a fond farewell to Ms. Silvano as she transitioned to a new role: retirement. The Silvano family first arrived at Langley in 1988 when Jan’s husband, Louis, began teaching social studies in the Upper School. Soon Ms. Silvano found herself helping out around campus by typing up reports, assisting with the summer program, and purchasing items for the after-school program. In 1993, she became a part-time assistant band teacher and a part-time French teacher for grades K-1, roles she held for the next five years. She then worked as a Primary and Lower School administrative assistant until 2002 when she joined Langley’s library staff. “I have come to Langley’s campus nearly every day since 1988 in one capacity or another,” says Ms. Silvano, whose children, Carl and Lucie, attended the school as students. “I am grateful to the heads of school I worked for – Betty Brown, Doris Cottam, and Elinor Scully – for giving me the opportunity to try so many different things. Their leadership and support kept me here all these years.” With a lifelong love of literature, Ms. Silvano found her niche in Langley’s Pat Bush Library, helping hundreds of students discover the joy of reading and creating a vital, inviting space for our entire community during her 18 years
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as librarian. Under her leadership, the library began hosting Book Fest, a child-centered celebration of reading in which students dress as their favorite book character; Langley transitioned from required summer reading to a choicebased model; the library offered increased access by opening its doors before and after school; the visiting authors program expanded to include hands-on writing workshops for students of all ages; and the library forged strong partnerships with parents through volunteer opportunities. “Jan was always my ‘go-to’ person for literature,” says Debi Gustin, language arts teacher. “I knew I could send any student to Jan and she would be able to find something that the student could, and would, want to read. A number of my reluctant readers this year alone blossomed because of her.” While Ms. Silvano will miss interacting with students and colleagues and the excitement of unpacking a new delivery of library books, she is optimistic about the future of Langley’s library program. “I see the value of stories and reading and the search for reliable, evidence-based information as more important than ever,” she adds. “I’m pleased that Langley is committed to maintaining the library as a physical place of discovery.” In her much-deserved retirement, Ms. Silvano hopes to spend her time teaching and practicing Yoga, volunteering at her church, walking, swimming, visiting with family and friends, volunteering with literacy initiatives, and of course, reading!
Mary Klinedinst,
Peggy Laurent, Head of Lower School
“I feel like I grew up at Langley,” says Mary Klinedinst, a beloved preschool assistant teacher who retired this spring after 17 years of employment in various roles. “So much of my adult life has been spent there, both as a parent and a teacher. From day one, I’ve loved Langley and believed deeply in its philosophy.”
Since arriving at Langley in 2007, Head of Lower School Peggy Laurent has enriched our inquiry-based pedagogy, enlivened our commitment to social-emotional learning, and hired remarkable teachers to bring Langley’s Lower School to life. Her empathy, warmth, and expert knowledge of curriculum and child development have powerfully impacted hundreds of students, parents, and faculty as she capably led our largest division for the past 13 years.
Preschool Assistant Teacher
Ms. Klinedinst and her family first came to Langley 23 years ago when she enrolled her daughter, Catherine, in the JK class. Her second daughter, Caroline, soon followed as a preschooler. With roots as a special education teacher, Ms. Klinedinst found she missed being in the classroom and soon began substituting in every division at Langley one or two days a week, along with several long-term substitute roles in the Primary School. She joined Langley’s staff full-time in 2013 as part of our Leopard Cubs program where she nurtured the children of faculty and staff. In 2015, “Ms. K,” as she was known by her students, transitioned to Langley’s Primary School, teaming with Lynna Young to lead the preschool lions class – a role that truly brought out her energy, creativity, and passion for early childhood education. Whether dressing up for a class celebration or captivating a room full of three-yearolds with a story, Ms. K’s enthusiasm was infectious. The class’ mantra – “Lions Forever” – rang true as former students and families frequently offered her hugs at carpool. “Ms. K’s love for nature and the outdoors allowed our preschoolers to see so many unique and amazing creatures over the years,” adds Ms. Young. “She brought such joy to our classroom each and every day.”
Although she deeply treasures her Langley family, Ms. Laurent is ready to begin a new chapter of her life on the West Coast as head of Lower School at the Town School for Boys in San Francisco this summer. The move will allow her to be closer to her two sons, who both live in California, following the passing of her husband in 2018. “Langley has meant the world to me,” says Ms. Laurent. “Not only did the school give me the opportunity to keep learning and growing as a professional, but the people here have supported me and taken care of me in my greatest hour of need when I lost my husband. I will truly miss this special community.” Langley’s Lower School is in a place of great strength thanks to Ms. Laurent’s vision, leadership, and dedication. During her tenure, the division has adopted the Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop and Math in Focus programs; faculty have deepened their use of assessments to inform instruction and better meet students’ needs; teachers have built stronger partnerships with families and each other as they reimagined new ways to work together; our fifth-grade program has blossomed into a Lower School capstone that elevates fifth-graders into leadership roles; and the Lower School has become an increasingly welcoming, safe, and inclusive place to learn. “Peggy’s passion, ability to really listen, professionalism, thoughtfulness, and leadership were a constant presence in the lives of both teachers and students,” says Jessica Robinson, third-grade teacher. “It has been a privilege to work with Peggy and witness her dedication to the teachers and families at Langley.”
Ms. K is most proud of the relationships she’s built with Langley families and colleagues through the years. “I looked forward to coming to work every day,” she says. “I have been privileged to work with amazing colleagues who have a real passion for what they do and with curious, joyful preschoolers who made me want to learn and grow right along with them.”
While her accomplishments are many, Ms. Laurent is most proud of how the Lower School culture has grown, how teachers have found new ways to collaborate, and how the faculty have increasingly empowered students to take ownership of their own learning. As to how she would like to be remembered by the Langley community, Ms. Laurent notes, “I hope people know how much I cared and that I always tried to keep the children at the center of every decision.”
Although she will miss the laughter of her students, Ms. K is excited about the next chapter of her life which will include gardening, reading, spending time with family and friends, and possibly becoming involved in the Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity. When it is safe to do so, she looks forward to traveling the globe with her husband, including a much-anticipated cruise to Alaska.
“We have watched Peggy lead our Lower School with such passion, commitment, and skill,” adds Head of School Elinor Scully. “We have watched her triumph in the face of loss and transition. Her move to California is the embodiment of her brave, optimistic, and evolving commitment to learning and growth, and we wish her all the best.”
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DEVELOPMENT UPDATE:
What Does The Langley Fund Support? The Langley Fund provides critical funds that support a variety of school priorities: programmatic innovation, teacher excellence, tuition assistance, and, in the coming academic year, expanded health and safety measures. Contributions to The Langley Fund support the gap between tuition and our operating budget, and allow Langley to maintain and enhance our role as a leader in preschool through eighth grade education. Programmatic Innovation The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the value of socialemotional learning (SEL) and the need to feel safe and secure in order to succeed academically. Langley’s long-standing commitment to SEL curriculum and resources has positioned our school well to meet the needs of students and families. Teacher Excellence Our team is made up of a diverse group of experts who are committed to helping young people grow academically, socially, and emotionally, while nurturing and supporting every child. Langley is committed to ongoing professional development for faculty, including new training our teachers may need as they balance on-campus and distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tuition Assistance At Langley, we welcome students from all backgrounds because we know a diverse environment reflects the heterogeneous world in which our students are growing up, and greatly enriches and deepens learning. To ensure that a Langley education is accessible to qualified students, we awarded nearly $1.9 million in tuition assistance during 2019-2020. Health & Safety In the 2020-2021 academic year, many new measures will be employed to ensure the safety of students, faculty, and staff that will result in an increased cost. This includes adding additional staff, including a second nurse, equipment, and infrastructure (masks, thermometers, hand sanitizing stations, and classroom technology to support socially distanced learning). To support The Langley Fund, visit www.langleyschool.org/ support-langley or use the enclosed envelope.
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Langley’s Auction Goes Virtual This spring, Langley’s “Watch Us Grow” auction team pivoted quickly to a virtual model, holding a successful online auction with more than 300 registered bidders and a live virtual event on May 9 that included “Raise the Paddle” and brought together more than 100 households for a special moment of virtual connection. In total, the 2020 auction grossed over $292,000, with more than $123,000 of that raised in the #LangleyStrong “Raise the Paddle.” Thanks to the efforts of our auction team, led by Co-Chairs Elizabeth Crocker ’89 and Heidi Narang, we were able to retain our event sponsors, shift our contract with the Conrad Hilton to 2021, work with auction item donors who generously agreed to date extensions, and reimagine the “Raise the Paddle” moment as #LangleyStrong. During the virtual May 9 live event, there was a drawing for a faculty/staff raffle, courtesy of Brian Greenberg and Elizabeth Crocker, as well as a Big Green Egg prize, courtesy of the Board of Trustees and The Organic Butcher of McLean, along with a $1,000 Apple gift card donated by Devon McFadden and Ronya Corey.
watch us
GROW
The Langley School Spring Auction
By taking this event online, we were able to include groups who haven’t traditionally attended the auction – alumni, past parents, and grandparents – and even had people tune in from across the country to cheer on our donors and support Langley.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this very unique auction to support Langley’s operating budget!
What’s Next with The Next Generation Campaign? COVID-19 has presented challenges that we never could have imagined as we entered 2020. However, our commitment to ensuring that Langley has the resources and facilities to endure, and thrive, well into the future has never been stronger. The Next Generation Campaign will accomplish two institutional priorities: • A new facility to enhance the learning experience for Primary School students, as well as our pivotal fifthgrade year, and a new technologically advanced library • A stronger endowment Pre-pandemic, we knew that we needed to build a new Primary School to realize 21st century standards. Our new reality has emphasized even more why having facilities that meet the modern needs of our youngest students is so vital. Likewise, the financial impact of the pandemic has underscored the need for Langley to grow its endowment. Endowments serve as the financial bedrock of an institution, providing funds in perpetuity that will allow Langley to achieve our mission. Langley’s endowment also provides funds to support scholarships and faculty development, both of which are vital to our core principles.
The pandemic has amplified that these priorities remain vital for Langley’s continued success. However, given the uncertainty of these times, the Board revisited its recent decision to break ground on the new building in June 2020, and instead decided to return to the original plan of starting construction in the spring of 2021. Setting the date back to the spring of 2021 not only alleviates the unknowns in the nearterm, but also allows us to focus on our most pressing concern – keeping our students and their families safe and healthy and planning for a successful school opening this fall. That said, please know that we recognize the potential financial and health impact of the pandemic on our community and will continue to gauge each family’s readiness as we move forward with the campaign. To learn more, contact the Development Office at thenextgeneration@langleyschool.org.
A Langley Legacy “The Langley School has been an integral part of our family for the past eight years. We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this amazing community of dedicated teachers, administrators, and families. The Langley community has always made our family feel welcomed, valued, and supported. The impact this community has had on our son, Jack ’22, is priceless. It was only fitting to include Langley in our estate planning as the school is like family. We want to see Langley thrive not just while we are here, but for generations to come.” -Jack and Debbie Ballinghoff Over Langley’s 78-year history, countless students and families have left a lasting legacy through their many contributions to the school. In our earliest days as a cooperative, parents maintained the buildings and tended the gardens on our campus. Over the years, as the school has progressed and professionalized, we have never lost sight of our sense of shared responsibility and commitment to community. Many individuals have been so inspired by the role that Langley has played in their lives and in the lives of the
thousands of children the school has served that they have chosen to include Langley in their estate plans – our Langley Legacy Society. This summer, we launched a planned giving site that provides a wealth of information for families. Visit the Support Langley tab of www.langleyschool.org or contact the Development Office at thenextgeneration@langleyschool.org for additional information.
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Alumni volunteer at Langley’s Day of Giving in February.
Alumni News Connect with former classmates and families by updating your news and contact information at www.langleyschool.org/community/alumni.
1987
Mara Giattina lives in Menlo Park, CA, with her husband and three children (ages 5, 5, and 8) where she practices clinical cardiology at Stanford.
2008
McKenzie Klein graduated Summa Cum Laude from Cornell University with a B.A. in English in 2016. After college, she moved to Austin, TX, where she served with AmeriCorps for a year before starting medical school at the University of Virginia. While pursuing her M.D., McKenzie has lobbied for and helped pilot a partnership program between UVA Children’s Hospital and the Emily Couric Cancer Center to benefit teens and young adults battling cancer. She has also conducted clinical research on eating disorders for the UVA Teen Health Clinic and is developing resources to grow the university’s inpatient and outpatient treatment programs. One of her most recent accomplishments includes designing a prototype to help the UVA Emergency Department better care for patients during the COVID-19 crisis. She will continue her graduate studies at the UVA Darden School of Business this fall and graduate with her M.D./M.B.A. in the spring of 2022.
2010
Anna Laws is doing her part during the COVID-19 pandemic by helping to launch The FarmLink Project (https:// thefarmlinkproject.org), a nonprofit grassroots movement that transports surplus produce from farms to food banks in need while restoring the jobs of farmers and truckers. Since the end of April, FarmLink has transported more than
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4 million pounds of produce to those who need it most. Prior to the pandemic, Anna was serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru.
2011
Theo Chambers graduated from the College of William & Mary this spring. He led the W&M men’s track and field team with three school-record performances during the indoor season this year. Asia Martin graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. John’s University with a B.S. in economics in 2019 and earned an M.B.A. from St. John’s University in 2020, also graduating Magna Cum Laude. She plans to attend the University of Miami School of Law in the fall. Hanna Powers is a reporter at WCBD-TV in Charleston, SC. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina with a degree in broadcast journalism.
2012
Bryan Calhoun graduated with honors from the University of Miami with a bachelor’s degree in international relations. He will be attending The George Washington University Elliot School of International Relations to study international security. Cailin Frankland graduated from Brown University with a Sc.B. in neuroscience in May. She has accepted a position in the fall at Harvard Chan School of Public Health for a master’s in epidemiology.
Nathan Johnson graduated from the University of Chicago with honors in the public policy studies program. This coming fall, he is off to Tufts University to pursue a master’s degree in biological sciences. In his senior year at the University of Chicago, Nate was the captain of the men’s varsity soccer team. Over his four-year career, he played 81 games, starting 67, which included four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (two of which ended in the final four).
2014
Zachary Johnson currently attends the University of Michigan on a lacrosse scholarship. He and his brother, Nathan ’12, and sister, Nicole ’09, credit Coach Jim Gleason for fostering their love of athletic competition.
2015
Ellie Cook, who just completed her first year at the University of Pittsburgh Honors College, was inducted into the freshman honor society, Phi Eta Sigma, and Lambda Sigma where she was elected fundraising chair. Collin Dent completed his freshman year at Williams College and is majoring in economics.
2016
Charlie Arase will be attending New York University in the fall. He was planning to spend his first year abroad at NYU’s Florence, Italy, campus, but may not be able to due to COVID-19. Emily Bratti plans to major in physics at the University of Maryland. Katherine Colaianni will be attending Virginia Tech this fall and plans to major in business. Nikki Debayo-Doherty will be continuing her academic and athletic career at Yale University in the fall where she hopes to study economics, psychology, or political science and will play women’s soccer. Kiera Dent, who graduated from Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School this spring, was awarded the National Merit Raytheon Scholarship, sponsored by Raytheon Company, which supports educational initiatives that inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and business professionals. Kiera was among approximately 1,000 high school seniors nationwide to receive corporate-sponsored
National Merit Scholarship awards for their distinguished academic performance, extracurricular accomplishments, and “potential for success in rigorous college studies,” as defined by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. She plans to study physics and astronomy at Bowdoin College in the fall. Olivia Franke graduated from Langley High School this spring. As a four-year starting varsity volleyball player, she made the JVA All-National Team for volleyball her freshman and sophomore years and was named an AVCA Second-Team All-American her senior year. Olivia has committed to play volleyball at Wake Forest University. Gigi Jacobsen plans to study cinema at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts this fall. Helena Lessne will attend Davidson College this fall. Iain MacKeith will attend Georgia Tech this fall to study mechanical engineering, but also looks forward to exploring aerospace and biomechanical engineering as well. He notes that his interest in aerospace engineering began with his science fair projects in sixth and seventh grades at Langley. Iain has also continued his competitive cycling and had the opportunity to race with Ryan McKinney, Langley science teacher, and his cycling team. Arthur Nichols plans to attend Montana State University this fall to study fish and wildlife conservation and aviation. Mark O’Shea graduated from Sidwell Friends School in June and will be attending the University of Chicago this fall. Morgan Pence will be studying biomedical engineering and playing lacrosse at the University of Colorado. Tyler Swain will be attending Virginia Tech this fall.
Connect with Us!
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ALUMNI PROFILE:
Chris Foley ’12 Building a Future for Autonomous Vehicles Chris Foley ’12 first discovered his passion for writing code in high school when a friend sent him a link to a coding website. He knew he wanted to pursue a career that involved coding moving objects, but had no idea what specific field would lead him down that path until he began Googling job titles and found computer engineering was the answer. While studying computer engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, Chris took part in an internship at a robotics company that focused on warehouse automation and
“I’ve found that immersing yourself in multiple disciplines makes it easier to learn highlevel concepts, and Langley provided me with a solid foundation in many different areas.”
discovered how much he loved the challenge of robotics. He soon applied to UPenn’s master’s program in robotics engineering and concurrently earned a bachelor’s in computer engineering and a master’s in robotics engineering during his four years there. Chris’ ability to write generic code along with his understanding of robotics principles made him extremely marketable, and he was recruited by tech companies around the country. After seven rounds of interviews, he accepted a job as an infrastructure software engineer at Nuro, a start-up in Mountain View, CA, that makes fully autonomous, on-road vehicles designed to deliver everything from dinner to dry cleaning. “I chose Nuro because it’s a relatively small company and my position there will allow me to interact with people across disciplines as we work to use autonomous vehicle
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technology to solve new problems,” says Chris, who will begin his job in July. Nuro’s autonomous delivery vehicles are currently deployed in strictly suburban areas of Houston and in parts of California, and Chris will help refine the technology to ensure the vehicles operate safely as the company expands to other geographic areas. “Autonomous vehicles will be the future,” he says. “While some people assume self-driving cars are dangerous, we have the technology for them to run safely. The real problem arises when these vehicles encounter aggressive drivers of non-autonomous cars. The social impacts of this scenario will have to be addressed before we can begin to put self-driving cars on our highways.” Before he discovered computer engineering, Chris was a student at Langley for 10 years beginning in junior kindergarten. His favorite memories center around playing clarinet in the band, taking part in dramatic productions both as an actor and on the tech crew, learning Minecraft coding with Langley friends during breaks, and doing exciting chemistry experiments in Mr. Musgrove’s science classes that helped develop his interest in science. Chris credits his sixth-grade study skills class with helping him learn valuable organizational skills he still uses to this day, and he notes that the well-rounded education he received at Langley has paid off in unexpected ways. “I’ve found that immersing yourself in multiple disciplines makes it easier to learn high-level concepts, and Langley provided me with a solid foundation in many different areas,” he adds. “For example, having the music education Langley offered really helped me understand high-level electrical engineering concepts.” Throughout his educational career, Chris has always enjoyed taking on a new challenge and solving a new problem. His professional career will likely be no different as he embarks on this new adventure in California. Already looking to the future, he hopes to one day take on a research and development role in the robotics field, perhaps working on drones or robots with legs because of the unique challenges those projects would present.
The Last Word By Rob Pinkerton, Langley Parent
I’m a Langley dad with two Langley lifers, Jack ’20 and Wade ’22. This past year was our family’s first experience with the high school application process. Jack applied to seven schools and was accepted to five. He’s attending the Maret School in the fall. We were stressed at points along the way and quite pleased with the process overall. Here are 10 things I learned:
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I was delighted by how much my son matured throughout the process and how much I learned about him.
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Staying positive and resisting frustration and angst is very important. My mood amplified on Jack. The Langley team is experienced and has great insights and ideas. Listen to their counsel carefully; they know your child and the schools. Time management is critical and a sign of respect. There is a lot of writing, administration, planning, touring, make-ups, and discussions for you and your child. I recommend you project plan early and often. There is exponentially more work for Langley staff and for your target high school admission staff. Make it easy on them. Lengthy essays, empty recommendations, and pedantic requests may not show the kind of commitment you are hoping to signal. It’s all about student “fit.” I didn’t know what that term meant a year ago, but I sure do now. As we visited schools, answered essays, conducted interviews, and read about values, it was like trying on clothes – they fit differently and my wife, Kate, and I saw our child react differently than we did. What mattered most in the admission process was outside parental influence. Teacher recommendations, essays, interviews, and interactions all tell the story of student fit. Parental intermediation produces an allergic reaction. Trust your child and teachers.
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Grades and scores matter, but not the way I thought. Every student applying to independent private schools has good grades and good SSAT scores. We encouraged Jack to take the SSAT multiple times starting in June and that was a waste of valuable time. The SSAT is just an indicator and not as meaningful as the SAT that we are familiar with from college admissions. On grades, high schools know that kids mature at different rates and they look for patterns and passions through report cards rather than perfection. Don’t be afraid to go for it if the “fit” is right. High schools want to admit Langley students. If you have a first choice, let that school and Langley know it. Be pragmatic about your preferences and the finite availability of slots. Make a plan with your child for how to decide which school to accept and do this before acceptances arrive in March. The decision-making process is short and intense. Your child may surprise you and you may not agree with each other. Your child may be influenced by other kids. Be prepared. It is a family decision. The kids support each other. The week acceptances arrive is exciting and emotional. Langley provides guidance to avoid awkward moments and hurt feelings. The kids follow that guidance precisely and it is impressive.
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Where vital academics meet a deep respect for childhood Preschool through grade 8 in Northern Virginia 1411 Balls Hill Road, McLean, Virginia 22101-3415 www.langleyschool.org (703) 356-1920
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McLean, VA 22101 Permit No. 48
Summer Studio 2020 Reimagined! We’ve reimagined Langley’s 2020 Summer Studio program for campers to enjoy at home! We’re offering a subscription of over 45 on-demand classes and activities for students in preschool through eighth grade, allowing children to Mix+Match their online summer camp at a pace that fits the family schedule. • Classes available online through August 31, 2020 • Created by our expert Langley teachers and educators • Two categories of pre-prepared content: academic classes and enrichment activities • Each class is broken up into parts, providing flexibility on pacing and time spent • Classes include instructional tools such as pre-recorded video messages, hands-on activities, and a wrap-up • Cost is $250 per household for an unlimited subscription to all classes (Langley families have complimentary access to all classes via MyLangley)
Get started at www.langleyschool.org/summer-studio
