The Langley School Experience Magazine - Winter 2024

experience

is published twice a year for alumni, families, and friends of The Langley School

Head of School

Michele Claeys

Editor & Designer

Sharon Vipperman, Director of Publications

Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications

Brittany Westbrook

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

Head of School’s Message

Feature Story: Our People, Our Program, Our World Campus Happenings

Feature Story: Building a Connected Parent Community

Meet Langley’s New Head of Lower School

Feature Story: Leaving a Lasting Legacy Class Notes

Alumni Profiles: From Students to Teachers Development Update

The Last Word: The Power of Volunteering

Head of School’s Message

Dear Langley friends...

It’s been an exciting fall and winter at Langley full of joyous learning in the classrooms, confidence-building performances on stage, leadership opportunities on the field, and memorable events like the Fall Fair and Grandparents & Special Friends Day that brought our community together.

Speaking of community gatherings, we were thrilled to open our newest outdoor gathering space – the green –this fall. Located in the center of campus surrounded by our academic buildings, the green features a large open area complete with native plantings, pathways, and a new amphitheater. We look forward to using this wonderful new space to its fullest during the warmer spring months.

This fall and early winter also saw the completion of Langley’s 10-year accreditation process in partnership with the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS). After a year of preparation, we welcomed the VAIS visiting team to campus in February. It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the school, and the visiting team remarked on the joy of our students, the skill of our faculty, the magic happening in our classrooms, and the palpable sense of community and belonging they felt.

During the accreditation process, we highlighted our three strategic priorities – our people, our program, and our world. These priorities, and our 10 strategic goals, serve as Langley’s guide for the future and inform our goals for each school year. On page 2, you can read about the nine goals we set for 2023-2024 and the progress we’ve made on each one to date. Whether finding ways to measure student belonging, doing a deep dive into our tuition model, or developing a more robust service learning program, we’re committed to ensuring our people and our program continue to thrive.

Last school year we marked Langley’s 80th birthday, and this year we have another significant milestone to celebrate: PALS, our beloved parent association, turns 25 this year! A quarter-century ago in 1999, two Langley moms, Nancy Catron and Jennifer Sherman, launched the school’s first official parent association in an effort to provide a more structured and welcoming way for parents to get involved. While it wasn’t easy to get the fledgling organiza-

tion off the ground, the strong framework they developed has stood the test of time. Today, PALS oversees nearly 20 committees, countless events, and hundreds of volunteers – and in the process helps maintain the strong sense of community for which Langley is known. Read about the early days of PALS and how far it’s come on page 10.

Now that Langley has completed our campus master plan, we boast a wonderful array of age-appropriate facilities that greatly enhance the learning experience. You’ve probably noticed that most of our buildings bear the name of a past member of our community. But who are these people, and what impact did they have on the school during their time here? See page 16 for a fascinating look at the Langley legends for whom our facilities are named.

This issue also features perspectives from some of our community members, including our new head of Lower School, Jessica Robinson, two of our teachers who are also Langley graduates themselves – Kathleen Jennings ’00 and Nina Chadab ’10 – and current parent, I-Min Chao, who shares what volunteering at Langley has meant to her.

It’s an honor to be part of this wonderful community and to partner with all of you as we work together to make Langley the best it can be now and in the future.

Warmly,

Michele Claeys Head of School

Our People, Our Program, Our World

Bringing Langley’s Strategic Priorities to Life

For decades, independent schools have followed a similar strategic planning process: survey the community, identify goals, and set a time frame (typically five years) for completing those goals. But Langley’s latest strategic plan is different. Rather than developing fixed goals and a defined end date, with input from academic leaders, faculty, students, the Board of Trustees, parents, and alumni, the school has identified three evergreen strategic priorities –our people, our program, and our world – that now serve as an ongoing guide for Langley’s continued success.

“This strategic planning model allows us to respond to changing needs on an annual basis within the larger goals of investing in our people, enhancing our program, and

serving our world,” says Head of School Michele Claeys. “It aligns our efforts across the school with regular data review and goal-setting, and helps us capitalize on existing governance and administrative teams.”

With these three priorities and community survey data as their roadmap, the administration and Board of Trustees embarked on the exciting process last spring and summer of determining goals for the 2023-2024 school year – a task they will undertake each year going forward. So what are this year’s goals and what steps has the school already taken to achieve them?

OUR PEOPLE

Invest in our people to maximize the power of community

1

Identifying how we measure student belonging and socialemotional well-being

Just as we use standardized tools to help us assess and improve our academic program, we want to find a nationally standardized tool to help us measure the effectiveness of our social-emotional learning (SEL) program to ensure we are providing our students with the skills and knowledge to help them make healthy choices and develop resilience.

Langley has identified two tools which we will be piloting this spring. A tool called Authentic Connections – which involves a survey given to grades 6-8 in one of their REACH classes – will help us measure student well-being, school climate, and belonging, and will allow us to benchmark our program against other independent schools. We’ll also be using ERB SEL Insights, a brand new data collection tool that measures the five SEL competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making, with one Lower and one Middle School grade during ERB testing this spring.

“In our last strategic plan, we focused on developing our signature SEL curriculum, REACH,” says Dr. Sarah Sumwalt, Langley’s director of student support and social-emotional learning. “Now, we are excited to gather the data to both inform next steps in our SEL and DEIB work, and demonstrate the efficacy of our program.”

2 Doing a deep dive into our tuition model

Like most independent schools, tuition is Langley’s primary source of revenue. At the same time, our ongoing goal is to make Langley accessible to as many families as possible. This year, we are devoting time to reviewing local and national school data on tuition modeling, reviewing best practices and our approach to tuition assistance, and connecting with other schools as we review affordability in the DMV market.

Ms. Claeys, Chief Financial Officer Greg Bokman, and Director of Admission & Financial Aid Debbie Don have attended a number of workshops, seminars, and meetings where they are taking a deep dive into how to manage tuition, tuition increases, and tuition assistance, while making the system work for as many families as possible. We’re also looking at how growing Langley’s endowment can help reduce our reliance on tuition long-term.

3 Increasing our faculty salaries

Just as tuition is Langley’s primary source of revenue, our exceptional faculty and staff are our primary expense. “While our teacher salaries are competitive, we want to reward these dedicated professionals as much as we can financially,” says Ms. Claeys. “We want them to feel motivated, appreciated, and fulfilled, and we want to maintain our already high faculty retention rate.”

To that end, Langley is aligning our teachers’ salaries with the 75th percentile of average independent school teacher salaries in our region over the next few years.

Pictured: New members of Langley’s faculty gather during their orientation last fall.

OUR PROGRAM

Enhance our signature inquiry-based and social-emotional learning model to inspire and showcase innovative problem solvers

4 Enhancing our curriculum documentation process and reviewing our world language program

Moving on to our program, one of our priorities is to enhance our curriculum documentation systems in specific subject areas, making them as useful and user-friendly for teachers as possible. This year, along with this overall process review and aligned with parent, student, and alumni feedback, we are also completing a curricular review of the world language program. Over the summer, we began a world language course review and re-established common standards and benchmarks using the Association of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) as a guide.

We’re also looking at which world language resources will best support our students and teachers, and plan to meet with world language department chairs at area high schools to create our own “portrait of a Langley world language graduate,” ensuring our students will be successful in high school no matter what language they study.

5 Completing the 10-year VAIS accreditation

In mid-February, Langley completed our 10-year Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) accreditation review. While this process was a huge undertaking over the past year, it also offered a wonderful opportunity to

celebrate the school and our accomplishments. Our final accreditation report – developed in conjunction with our strategic priorities – offers a comprehensive snapshot of our program and our goals for the future.

6 Enhancing the ways parents engage with the curriculum

Our students and teachers regularly experience the magic that happens in our classrooms, but parents often have minimal opportunities to see our curriculum in action. So one of our priorities this year – based on parent feedback –is to invite parents to campus for additional opportunities to experience student learning. When developing this year’s calendar, we evaluated existing performances and events and looked at what sharing activities we could add that would be meaningful for both parents and students.

“The result has been wonderful so far!” says Head of Lower School Jessica Robinson. “Compared to last year, we have doubled the opportunities parents have to be here at school in-person to see our program firsthand. This includes everything from math fairs and publishing parties to cultural luncheons and parent coffees. And our students have loved the chance to show off their learning as well.”

7 Strengthening oversight in technology and curriculum and instruction

In order to strengthen oversight of the key areas of technology and curriculum and instruction, our goal this year was to identify and hire two new members of Langley’s senior leadership team. While we planned to hire these leaders in time for a July 2024 start, we’re happy to say that both positions have been filled, with Langley technology veteran Brad Lands already serving as our new chief technology officer and Jenny Murray scheduled to start as director of curriculum and instruction/assistant head for programs this April. Both of these education professionals bring unique expertise and strong leadership skills to their roles, and we’re excited to have them guiding these important initiatives.

Third-graders shared their personal narrative stories with family and friends at a publishing party in November.

8 Improving the spaces where our community gathers

Belonging, community, and connection are important components of Langley’s program, so enhancing and adding gathering spaces on campus is a key priority for the school this year. This past fall, we completed construction of our beautiful new campus green which includes a large open space surrounded by pathways, plantings, and an outdoor amphitheater. We’ve already used the space during this year’s Fall Fair, and our students and teachers can’t wait to gather on the green for outdoor lessons and activities this spring as the weather warms up.

Indoors, we replaced all of the audiovisual equipment in the Sherman Arts Center auditorium with new state-of-the-art sound and lighting. In addition to enhancing the quality of our performances, the new equipment gives our students the opportunity to build their tech crew skills by operating the sound and light boards themselves. And in the Solomon Athletic Center, we installed a new projection system and audio equipment, making the space more usable for large gatherings, including all-school assemblies, graduation, faculty and staff professional development meetings, and a Leopardy Quiz Night this spring with capacity for more parents to attend.

OUR WORLD

Serve our world to deepen learning and connection

9 Initiating a robust, mission-aligned service learning program

To support our priority to serve our world, we wanted to kick off Langley’s service learning program this year by piloting at least one project in each division. After identifying best practices in service learning using the National Youth Leadership Council guidelines, faculty looked at ways to build service learning experiences into our existing curriculum. “We’re in the early stages of this exciting initiative and we can’t wait to explore additional ideas across every grade level next year,” says Ms. Claeys. Here are the projects that are already underway this year:

Preschool: Preschoolers are learning about community helpers like firefighters and others who serve and assist people. After a visit to the Lewinsville Retirement Home to talk to the manager about how it serves the community, students have been making cards for the residents there.

Grade 5: In fifth grade, students are looking at needs such as food insecurity, homelessness, disaster relief, health care, veterans, or the environment. They choose a need to research, interview people working in the community, write persuasive essays, and choose organizations where they can volunteer their own time.

Grade 6: Sixth-graders are learning about water conservation and habitat restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in their science class, and they are working with Fairfax County to study and restore watershed habitats in our community, including the stream that runs through Langley’s campus.

Grade 7: Seventh-graders are partnering with the Kilmer Center, a Fairfax County Public School for students with severe disabilities. Our students hear from a variety of Kilmer Center staff involved in educating and supporting its students, then design adaptive student life experiences like a carnival dance and a field day.

With a clear focus on these three key priorities – our people, our program, and our world – the future looks bright for The Langley School. With strong leadership, supportive families, dedicated teachers, and a growth mindset, Langley is uniquely positioned to successfully carry out our mission to build curious, confident, and resilient leaders, thinkers, and creators.

Sixth-graders are helping restore watershed habitats in our community.

Building Community & Spirit

1. More than 1,000 people attended the school’s annual Fall Fair and enjoyed an afternoon of fun and community. The campus was transformed with colorful decorations, new rides, games, inflatables, a beer garden, food trucks, and more.

2. Students and teachers celebrated and embodied Langley’s theme for this school year – Leaders, Thinkers, Creators –during one of many all-school spirit days.

3. Langley’s fall sports teams enjoyed success on the field, with four of our teams winning Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) championships and another team winning their annual post-season tournament.

4. On November 21, approximately 400 grandparents and special friends from around the world came to campus for a wonderful morning of student performances and classroom visits.

Campus Happenings

Exploring & Growing Through Inquiry

5. Third-grade students used their addition and subtraction skills in dollars and cents to plan a Thanksgiving meal within a specific budget. This fun project also allowed them to practice communicating, compromising, and making decisions.

6. Preschoolers kicked off their thematic unit on the farm by painting and transforming boxes and other materials into a barn and tractor. Throughout the unit, they enhanced their vocabulary and practiced STEAM skills as they read farmthemed books and investigated pumpkins.

7. After studying the pattern of the sun in the daytime sky in STEAM class, first-graders created stop-motion animation videos showing sunrise, afternoon, and sunset. They planned a story, cut out backgrounds and characters, and took pictures using iPads that became the animation.

8. Eighth-graders honed their critical and creative problem-solving, leadership, decision-making, and negotiation skills while taking part in a week-long geo-political simulation called the World Peace Game.

6

Campus Happenings

Cultivating Creativity & Self-Expression

1. Student musicians in grades 3-8 shared their musical talents with the community during the Lower and Middle School winter concerts which featured vocal, band, and strings selections.

2. As part of their study of geography, culture, and heritage in social studies, second-graders shared fun facts about each continent and songs celebrating the many cultures in our world during a special performance.

3. The Impressionist sunflower artwork of 26 Langley third-graders was on display at MPAartfest, an outdoor arts festival in McLean. Their work was chosen based on originality, technique, composition, risk-taking, and creativity.

4. Middle Schoolers presented a modern twist on a Shakespeare classic during their fall production of “Hashtag Romeo.” The show included a cast, crew, and pit of 30 students in grades 6-8.

Learning & Bonding Through Off-Campus Experiences

5. In September, sixth-graders joined the staff from Calleva for two days of off-campus team-building activities on a low ropes course and testing of the water quality of the Potomac River watershed.

6. During a visit to the Maryland Science Center, fourth-graders explored the center’s many unique exhibits and took part in several hands-on activities that brought science to life.

7. Kindergarten classes enjoyed some fall fun and explored the outdoors during their annual trip to Butler’s Orchard, where they took a hayride, picked pumpkins, met farm animals, and played in the corn pit, hay maze, and giant slides.

8. Eighth-graders bonded during a three-day overnight adventure to Wisp Resort in Deep Creek, MD, where they enjoyed activities at Wisp Mountain Park and Deep Creek State Park and had fun whitewater rafting.

Building a Connected Parent Community

PALS Celebrates Its 25th Year

One of the cherished hallmarks of The Langley School is the palpable sense of community that’s found here – a deep feeling of camaraderie, belonging, and partnership that touches students, faculty, staff, and parents alike. While students and teachers build community in many unique ways in the classroom, it is thanks in large part to the Parent Association of The Langley School – known affectionately as PALS – that both veteran and new parents feel involved and connected to the school and each other.

This year, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of PALS and the vital role this parent-led organization continues to play in ensuring all parents have opportunities to be part of life at Langley. Parental involvement has

JASMIN BROADY

Langley parent since 2017

Children who attend: Gabby (grade 4)

What motivated you to begin volunteering?

We joined Langley because of the parent involvement and how hands-on the community is. I enjoy getting to know the teachers and families that influence my child daily. Having the ability to give back while participating in making the school better for staff and students is why I continue to volunteer.

What volunteer activities have you been involved in? Highlights include chairing the Fall Fair, Primary School aides, faculty/staff appreciation luncheon, and on-call volunteers. I’ve also been a member of the

been at the core of Langley’s mission since our founding as a co-op school more than 80 years ago, but it wasn’t until the formation of PALS in 1999 that Langley’s volunteer program began to take shape as the well-organized and inclusive organization it is today.

In the early co-op days, parent volunteers kept the school running with tasks like painting walls, pulling weeds, or building playground equipment. Then as Langley transitioned away from the co-op model, parents put their volunteer hours toward organizing campus events or helping with class trips or parties. While there were plenty of volunteer opportunities in those days, each event or committee lacked consistency and structure because there wasn’t a central body to oversee volunteer efforts. Too often, the same handful of parents organized school events, making it difficult for new members of the community to become involved.

PALS Executive Committee and a room rep, and helped with Grandparents & Special Friends Day, teacher appreciation gifts, field trips, the welcome committee for black families, and the Day of Giving.

What has been your favorite volunteer experience?

The Fall Fair. I’m a planner and loved leading the whole day of fun. It is my favorite event every year.

How have your volunteer experiences impacted you? Volunteering at Langley has allowed me to get to know other parents and staff, and make lasting friendships. It’s also given me a closer look into my daughter’s school experience and a stronger relationship with her teachers.

The Formation of PALS

In the 1990s, it became clear to Nancy Catron and Jennifer Sherman – two visionary Langley moms – that the school needed a more inclusive, structured umbrella organization that would coordinate all of Langley’s volunteer opportunities and simplify the volunteer process.

“Parents couldn’t figure out how to get involved and many were feeling alienated,” says Nancy, whose four children attended Langley. “I remember one particular class night where parents were literally pushing and shoving to sign up to volunteer for class trips and parties because there wasn’t a standard process in place. That was a breaking point when Jennifer and I knew we needed PALS.”

So the dynamic duo spent an entire year brainstorming and meeting with members of the administration, the Board of Trustees, faculty, and fellow parents to build a brand new parent association from the ground up. Initially, the biggest

obstacle was developing trust between the administration and this new volunteer group, as some were concerned PALS might infringe on Board or administrative functions. To ensure PALS had a clearly defined mission to support Langley and build a sense of community, Nancy and Jennifer formed a dedicated committee of parents who worked tirelessly to research similar organizations at other schools and draft a comprehensive set of bylaws which were eventually approved by Langley’s Board. The strong framework they developed made every Langley parent an automatic member of PALS, widening the circle of volunteers and making it easier for everyone to access volunteer opportunities.

The carefully crafted bylaws stipulated that PALS would be governed democratically by a 10-member Executive Committee – led by a chair and chosen each year by a selection committee made up of members of the administration, the outgoing PALS chair, and two parents elected by the school community. To help future PALS chairs benefit from the wisdom and experience of their predecessors, Nancy and Jennifer ensured that past chairs and chairs-elect were part of the Executive Committee.

With the groundwork in place, PALS was officially launched during the 1999-2000 school year, with Nancy serving as its very first chair. In order to offer the parent body a simplified list of volunteer options that first year, PALS began with a few core committees to be led by

SUSAN MILLER

Langley parent since 2012

Children who attend(ed): Flynn ’22, Scarlett (grade 8), Sloane (grade 6), Rowan (grade 3)

What motivated you to begin volunteering?

When Flynn was in kindergarten, I began volunteering as a way to connect with the community, to make mom friends, and to show gratitude for our amazing Primary School experience.

What volunteer activities have you been involved in? I think the better question might be what haven’t I done! Highlights include packing care packages for alumni, handwriting birthday cards for faculty/staff, greeting at Grandparents & Special Friends

Day, soliciting acquisitions for the auction, serving as a Primary School aide, room rep, and admissions ambassador, and working at the Book Fair.

What has been your favorite volunteer experience?

I enjoyed being an admissions ambassador for the Arlington area as I wanted to bring in more families from Arlington to expand the school’s footprint – and in the process add more neighborhood friends for playdates with my kids.

How have your volunteer experiences impacted you?

As a full-time working mom, I appreciate the flexibility of so many different ways to volunteer throughout the school year and even over the summer. I found several of my very best friends through Langley volunteer experiences; those friendships continue even when your children are alumni!

Pictured: PALS co-founders Nancy Catron (left) and Jennifer Sherman (right) at a gathering of former PALS chairs in 2007.

different chairs or co-chairs each year, including room representatives and trip liaisons for each grade, teacher appreciation luncheons, the Fall Fair, and library aides. Getting PALS up and running was truly a full-time job, as Nancy and Jennifer devoted more than 40 hours each week throughout that first year to building and growing the fledgling organization.

“I treasure my time with those remarkable, dedicated, and extraordinary parents who helped us lay the foundation for PALS,” Jennifer adds. “It was clear that our voices mattered and that the school valued this partnership. I’m proud that through PALS Langley was able to offer a unique experience for parents to feel heard, valued, and respected as an integral part of the school.”

JEFF TAYLOR

Langley parent since 2020

Children who attend: Nathan (grade 2), Maddie (kindergarten), Charlotte (preschool)

What motivated you to begin volunteering? My wife and I both began volunteering as a way to get to know the school better and to connect with the other families in our children’s classes.

What volunteer activities have you been involved in?

I’m a member of the PALS Executive Committee and a co-chair for Field Day. I’ve also

“We had such a committed and talented group of parents who brought PALS to life,” Nancy says, noting that she made lifelong friendships with her fellow volunteers in the process. “We wanted so badly for PALS to succeed, so it’s extremely rewarding to see how far it’s come and the impact it still has on the Langley community today.”

PALS 25 Years Later

Strong visionary leadership and a well-crafted structure have allowed PALS to continue growing and evolving over the past 25 years. The principles on which PALS was founded a quarter-century ago have stood the test of time, and today PALS is interwoven into every parent’s experience at Langley.

been working with a great group of Langley dads to get a new PALS committee, the Langley Association of Dads (LADS), up and running!

What has been your favorite volunteer experience? My most enjoyable volunteer experience so far has been working on LADS. It’s been tremendous fun hanging out with awesome dads across all school grades spanning from Langley newcomers to long-timers.

How have your volunteer experiences impacted you?

Volunteering has deepened my connections with Langley staff, faculty, and families and has allowed me to further support those unique qualities that make Langley a special place where our children learn and thrive.

Pictured: Parent volunteers sell spirit wear, work a shift at the Fall Fair, and organize the PALS Speaker Series with author Julie Lythcott-Haims.

Today, PALS successfully supports, promotes, and coordinates volunteer efforts and leadership, as well as encourages school spirit, family participation, and an inclusive community. Hundreds of parent volunteers plan and support dozens of events and programs through nearly 20 committees.

Cherished community building events like the Fall Fair, Grandparents & Special Friends Day, the Book Fair, Leopardy Quiz Night, the spring auction, and Field Day wouldn’t be possible without the coordination and structure PALS provides. PALS also supports our students and teachers by enlisting volunteers to work as Primary School aides, assist in the library, plan appreciation events for faculty and staff, and welcome new students.

Thanks to PALS, parents enjoy countless opportunities to share their talents, make new friends, and participate in the life of the school. Whether serving cotton candy at the Fall Fair, soliciting acquisitions for the spring auction, planning an appreciation breakfast for faculty and staff, or helping students check out a library book, there are large and small volunteer roles available of varying time commitments to accommodate the increasing number of working parents. And new committees are continually forming as the need arises. Just this year, PALS created an Alumni Committee to help connect Langley grads to the school and a Spirit Wear Committee to assist in promoting and selling Langley gear.

CAROLINE KRUEGER

Langley parent since 2021

Children who attend: Clementine (grade 3) and Clark (grade 1)

What motivated you to begin volunteering?

I am not currently working, so I have the time and am glad to share my talents with the Langley community. Joining the school during COVID, I jumped at the chance to be around other people and have opportunities to be on campus. I wanted to invest immediately to deepen our family’s connection to the school.

What volunteer activities have you been involved in?

I’ve been a parent ambassador, room rep, library aide,

Since its founding, PALS has also grown to include a parent education component to help promote a partnership between parents and the school. The PALS Speaker Series was introduced a number of years ago to bring experts to campus to discuss timely parenting issues pertaining to children and adolescents. This year’s lineup includes “How to Raise an Adult” with author Julie Lythcott-Haims and “Raising a Kid Who Can” with three mental health professionals and authors.

“The PALS mission to build community, partner with faculty and staff, and support parent education is only achievable through the incredible generosity of our parent community,” adds Stephanie Whitaker, this year’s PALS chair. “Our talented, intelligent, and extremely capable parent volunteers are integral to the warm, welcoming, and supportive culture at The Langley School. And there’s a bonus – volunteering is a great way to meet other parents and make new friends!”

“It’s hard to imagine Langley without PALS,” says Head of School Michele Claeys. “PALS not only helps connect our parents to the magic that’s happening here each day, but it also provides an inclusive and structured way for parents to contribute to that magic by sharing their time and talents.”

Primary School aide, co-chair of the Fall Fair Bake Sale, co-chair of auction Great Gatherings, and co-chair of the faculty/staff appreciation luncheon.

What has been your favorite volunteer experience?

Co-chairing the Bake Sale at the Fall Fair. With prior experience as a pastry chef, it has been a joy to bake on a large scale for this annual event. Last year we sold more than 1,500 baked goods! As we plan for our third year as a team, my co-chair and I are now running a well-oiled machine.

How have your volunteer experiences impacted you?

It is a blessing to be able to volunteer at Langley. I have been deeply impacted by the friendships I have formed with parents outside of my children’s grades and benefited greatly from their wisdom. I have received far more out of my volunteer experience than I have given.

Meet Langley’s New Head of Lower School: JESSICA ROBINSON

This fall, Langley appointed Jessica Robinson as head of Lower School, Langley’s largest division encompassing approximately 250 students in grades 1-5. After serving in a variety of roles in our Lower School over the past 10 years – and as a current Langley parent of three – Jessica brings a unique, in-depth knowledge of and passion for the school’s mission, culture, and curriculum.

Jessica earned her B.A. in philosophy and M.Ed. in social foundations of education from the University of Virginia. She taught preschool and third grade before joining Langley as a third-grade teacher in 2013. Over the past decade here at Langley, she has served as a beloved homeroom teacher, fifth-grade reading teacher, chair of the Language Arts Department, Lower School academic dean, associate head of Lower School, and most recently, interim head of Lower School.

Jessica has been a major contributor to many Langley initiatives through the years, including instructional coaching, multiple curricular reviews, assembly programs, data-informed teaching, and faculty professional development. She is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including the prestigious Banks Family Faculty Chair Award here at Langley and Washington Family Magazine’s Teacher of the Year Award. With three girls enrolled at the school in grades 2, 5, and 7, Jessica is also a proud Langley mom.

QWhat first attracted you to Langley 10 years ago?

The community. I was not just looking for any school, but a school where I wanted to raise my children – a place where I believed in the mission and where I felt that both my children and I could learn, grow, and flourish. On my first visit to campus, I was greeted by the Lower School head at that time and the members of the third-grade team. After speaking with them about the school, touring campus, and meeting students, I knew that Langley was the perfect match. The amazing community continues to be one of my favorite aspects of Langley.

QWhy is your new role as head of Lower School a good fit for you?

I am so excited about the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of the Lower School community. I love getting to know students of varying ages and seeing them grow year after year, and this position allows me to connect with students across grade levels each day.

Furthermore, as a leader, I am committed to embodying our mission and ensuring that it permeates every aspect of the Lower School experience. This commitment extends to fostering an environment where each student is not only educated, but also seen, cherished, and given the opportunity to thrive. I also find building relationships particularly fulfilling, and take great joy in partnering with our Lower School students, teachers, and families to ensure that each child’s unique needs are met.

QHow has your experience as a teacher eased your transition into your new role?

My firsthand experience as a classroom teacher provides a unique and valuable perspective for my current role supporting teachers and making curriculum decisions. I understand the day-to-day workings of teachers and recognize the value of feeling supported and appreciated. Drawing from my background, I can tailor support to meet specific needs, whether it’s professional development, resources, or emotional support. I also bring insights into effective leadership in education, aiming to create a positive and

Jessica Robinson with daughters Liliana, Adaline, and Ava.

collaborative work environment for teachers. My goal is to leverage my experience to enhance the overall educational experience for both teachers and students. I have also had firsthand experience connecting and building relationships with students and families. This is imperative to building partnerships, which is the most effective way to support students.

QWhat are the strengths of our Lower School?

The biggest strength of our program is our teachers. We are so fortunate to have teachers who care deeply not only about their students, but about all of our students. We really are a hard-working, creative community that supports each other, seeks feedback, and is constantly learning and striving to improve the educational experience of our students.

QWhat are your top priorities going forward?

My main focus is on fortifying our community by fostering shared learning experiences and providing opportunities for collaboration among teachers. Additionally, I aim to expand opportunities for students, ensuring a well-rounded educational experience. Equally important is the development of robust partnerships with the parent community, recognizing their vital role in the educational journey. Together, these priorities aim to create a supportive and enriching environment for everyone involved in our educational community.

Growing Through Professional Development

Always looking to grow as educators and bring the latest teaching practices to the classroom, Langley’s talented faculty members attend numerous conferences and workshops each year. In October, four of our math teachers attended the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual meeting in Washington, DC, where they connected with and learned from math teachers and experts from around the world. Here are some highlights of their experiences and what they learned:

THIDA LIM, Grade 4 Teacher

Seeing so many educators gathering to improve their craft, increase their pedagogical knowledge, learn the latest brain research and its implications in the mathematical classroom, and share ideas was inspiring. The biggest takeaway I got from the conference was that Langley’s math program is in line with current research about how students learn math. The conference allowed me to affirm what I am doing in the classroom, obtain more ideas about ways of questioning, refine my strength-spotting skills, and remind myself of the importance of closure at the end of a lesson.

HALLY BREWSTER, Grade 5 Teacher

I attended a session called “Flexibility Through Facts” that emphasized the significance of developing flexibility and strategic thinking within numerical fluency. One standout strategy discussed was the ability to halve and double mentally. Inspired by this concept, I designed a fraction project centered around halving and doubling recipes. I also attended a presentation on math therapy and the redefinition of being “good at math.” I was thrilled to hear the presenter’s insights on fostering a growth mindset, celebrating failures, and building thinking classrooms – principles we actively incorporate into our daily practices here at Langley.

NANCY TALBOT, Grade 3 Teacher

I was excited to see that a teacher whose materials I have used was presenting. It was incredibly helpful to hear him describe step-by-step the most effective ways to implement and utilize his simple but effective math questions. Participating in the session allowed me to better understand how the problems are designed, what makes them so valuable, and simple ways to incorporate them into our daily routines. I also found his call to action to witness joy in the math classroom and to instill a love of mathematics in our students inspiring.

TAYLOR RENAUD, Middle School Math Teacher

The conference provided me with the chance to connect with other educators and find creative inspiration for the start of a new school year. It was also a chance to hear from the most forward-thinking researchers in mathematics education. Personally, this conference provided opportunities for me to learn the best practices for implementing our new Middle School curriculum documents from Illustrative Mathematics. I also attended sessions on using interactive and inquiry-based learning activities from the web-based platform, Desmos. Since attending the conference, my students have loved engaging in new interactive online activities on scale, geometric transformations, and slope.

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

The People Behind the Names of Langley’s Campus Facilities

With the completion of Langley’s campus master plan last year, our campus boasts state-ofthe-art facilities that meet the age-appropriate needs of our students and our program. While some of the buildings like the Claire Maxted Administration Building have been a beloved and historical part of our campus for decades, others like the Doris Earl Cottam Middle School are newer additions. But who are the people behind the names of these buildings? What contributions did these past members of our community make to Langley to earn this lasting legacy?

BETTY BROWN LOWER SCHOOL

Dedicated September 1997 / Named in Honor of Head of School Betty Brown

Betty Brown began her long and impactful career at Langley in 1967 as a kindergarten teacher, and except for a short leave of absence to raise her children, served the school until her retirement 32 years later in June 1999. After 13 years as teacher and administrator, Betty was appointed by the Board of Directors to become head of Langley, a position she held for 19 years from 1980 to 1999. While respecting Langley’s roots, she masterfully balanced the school’s cooperative nature with the changing parent-membership body.

Betty ushered Langley through a period of significant growth and success. During her tenure, she opened three buildings –including the Lower School building that bears her name – and increased student enrollment from 387 in 1981 to 475 in 1999, making Langley the largest independent elementary school in the state at that time. Under her leadership, the school became recognized for the strength of its academic and creative arts curriculum and for the emphasis on building character.

DORIS EARL COTTAM MIDDLE SCHOOL

Dedicated September 2014 / Named in Honor of Head of School Doris Cottam

During her 13 years as head of school from 2000 to 2013, Doris Cottam transformed Langley financially, strategically, programmatically, and culturally into a professional, sustainable model for the 21st century – all while embracing and maintaining the school’s community-based roots. Under Doris’ leadership, Langley completed two strategic plans; developed the Community Contract; reached the largest enrollment in school history at that time; secured solid financial footing; dramatically improved campus facilities by opening three new buildings and a turf field; and developed an innovative, global curriculum. But her true legacy is the inclusive, welcoming, and child-centered environment she fostered at Langley.

The Board of Trustees chose to recognize Doris’ many contributions to Langley and to the independent school world over the course of her 30-year career in education by naming the Middle School in her honor – a building that was made possible thanks to her vision and leadership.

JEFFREY J. SHERMAN ARTS CENTER

Dedicated September 2008 / Named in Honor of Board Chair Jeff Sherman

As a Langley parent from 1995-2005, Jeff Sherman was at the heart of the school community in a variety of roles as parent, volunteer, and leader. He and his wife, Jennifer, epitomized Langley values, deeply involving themselves in the life of the school and working tirelessly to make Langley a better place.

Jeff joined Langley’s Board of Trustees in 2002. Whether devoting himself to the planning of Langley’s Solomon Athletic Center or negotiating land acquisition possibilities, he was a man with remarkable talents. As chair of the Board from 2003 until his sudden death in October 2005, he led the Board in thinking strategically, developing sound fiscal policies, articulating a vision for building Langley’s new arts center, and working with faculty, staff, and architects on the inspirational redesign of the arts center into a more flexible, multipurpose building. Although Jeff passed away before the completion of the arts center, the Board voted to name the building in his honor because of the key role he played in making it a reality.

SOLOMON ATHLETIC CENTER

Dedicated September 2001 / Named in Honor of Parent Beano Solomon

Beano Solomon came to Langley in 1985 when she enrolled her child, Virginia, in junior kindergarten. During her 10 years as a Langley parent, she volunteered in a number of different capacities which included serving on the Board of Trustees and co-chairing two auction fundraisers, including the Gold Ball which celebrated the school’s 50th anniversary in 1992.

Beano’s gift to Langley for a new athletic center – at the time, the largest gift received by the school – was made in part because she felt it was important to have an outstanding athletic facility for students. With land disappearing in the DC area, she hoped that building great facilities for student athletes would contribute to creating stronger athletic programs.

Beano’s recent support of our Crossroads Campaign led to an enhanced school library, which continues to honor long-time librarian Pat Bush.

BETTY PIRRO STUDIOS

Rededicated in Fall 2022 / Named in Honor of Teacher & Administrator Betty Pirro

From 1965 to 1979, Betty Pirro impacted the lives of Langley’s youngest students, both as a junior kindergarten teacher and as the preschool director. In the classroom, no one was more organized or beloved by both the students and the parents. As director of the preschool, Betty built an outstanding preschool, junior kindergarten, and kindergarten program that helped define Langley as a leader in early childhood education and laid the foundation for today’s Primary School. Her contributions also played a significant role in the school’s overall growth and success, as Langley’s reputation as a top school for very young children propelled the older grades forward as well.

The building that today houses Langley’s visual art studios, STEAM studio, and fabrication lab once served as our Primary School building. Built in 1966, it was named in honor of Betty to recognize her dedication and outstanding leadership. Today, it still bears testament to her contributions, but is now known as Pirro Studios. Betty passed away in 1999.

GLEASON ATHLETIC FIELD

Dedicated May 2009 / Named in Honor of Athletic Director Jim Gleason

During the course of his 37-year career at Langley from 1979 to 2016, Athletic Director Jim Gleason impacted thousands of students, teaching them the value of fitness, teamwork, leadership, and good sportsmanship.

When Coach Gleason first arrived on Langley’s campus in 1979, the school’s athletic program looked very different than it does today. With a minimal physical education curriculum, no athletic teams, and modest facilities, the school was in need of athletic leadership. Realizing his students would benefit from team competition, he helped form the Capital Athletic Conference with several other local schools in 1980. Under Coach Gleason’s nearly four decades of leadership, Langley’s athletic program grew dramatically to include boys’ and girls’ JV and varsity teams in nine different sports, a more robust physical education curriculum led by four full-time teachers, and state-of-the art athletic facilities such as the Solomon Athletic Center and an outdoor turf field which bears his name.

CLAIRE MAXTED ADMINISTRATION BUILDING (CMAB)

Dedicated June 1995 / Named in Honor of Staff Member Claire Maxted

Claire Maxted arrived at Langley when she enrolled her oldest son in junior kindergarten in 1971, and soon personified the active parent involvement for which the school was known. She became so proficient in admissions that when Betty Brown was named head in 1980, she asked Claire to join Langley’s staff full time.

Officially, Claire wore two hats: director of admissions and preschool administrative assistant. But her previous nursing experience also made her Langley’s “unofficial” school nurse. Whether leading tours, maintaining academic files, preparing school mailings, or putting together the school directory, Claire’s influence was felt by the thousands of children and parents with whom she interacted. Her office was always located in the administration building, originally nicknamed “The Roost.” Now known as “CMAB,” it was dedicated in memory of Claire who passed away in 1995.

Class Notes

2005

Connect with former classmates and families by updating your news and contact information at langleyschool.org/community-life/alumni/alumni-update-form.

Mandy Coston will be starting as an assistant professor in the Statistics Department at the University of California, Berkeley, this year. She is excited about the big move with her husband, Sid, and their dog, Tiggy.

2008

Chrisie Appleby graduated from Kenyon College and received her master’s degree in special education from Lords University in Toledo, OH. She is now an intervention specialist at an inner-city public charter school in Toledo and loves her work. Chrisie was married this past summer and lives in southern Michigan with her husband, three cats, and two hedgehogs.

2009

Nicole Johnson and her husband, Kyle Shoebotham, welcomed a baby girl, Abigail Ruth Shoebotham, on January 8, 2024. Nicole is an associate at the law firm of Hunton Andrews Kurth in Washington, DC.

2012

Scott Murphy recently earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Melbourne Law School.

2013

Hudson Merrick earned his M.B.A. in aviation business administration in May 2023 and private pilot certifications in 2022. He currently lives in Atlanta and is working as an analyst at the United States Aircraft Insurance Group. Hudson is planning a 2025 wedding with his fiancée, Phoebe.

2015

Neil Coakley graduated in December 2023 from Clemson University with a degree in construction science management. In January, he began working as a project engineer in Kansas City, KS, for E&K, a large nationwide interior construction company.

Amanda Manoogian graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in earth and climate sciences. She is currently interning at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History before beginning work on a graduate degree in the fall.

Isabel Mejia is in the process of earning a master’s degree in public anthropology at American University.

ALUMNI CARE PACKAGES: To brighten the day for our alumni, the school mailed care packages filled with treats, school supplies, and stress balls this fall to 125 Langley grads away from home in college, graduate school, or the military. Special thanks to the alumni parents and teachers and the PALS Alumni Committee who packed and sent these care packages to alumni as far away as California and Scotland.

Evelyn ’19, Neil ’15, and Lauren ’17 Coakley

Pictured at top of page: Young alumni returned to campus to reconnect at this year’s Fall Fair.

2016

Jacob Trent graduated in December 2023 from the University of Michigan with a degree in mechanical engineering, a minor in computer science, and a concentration in robotics. He began a new job in February at DYZYNE in Irvine, CA, designing drones.

Jackson Merrick plans to graduate in May 2024 with a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Southern Methodist University where he was inducted in the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. Jackson interned as a mechanical engineer at Torc Robotics in Blacksburg, VA, last summer.

2017

Lauren Coakley is in her third year at Oklahoma State University where she is following her lifelong passion of studying entomology and doing research. She presented her own research project at an international entomology conference in Spain in 2022, has co-published as an undergraduate, and is working to copyright several of the insect images she created. Lauren is thankful to her Langley science teachers for encouraging her and helping spark her passion for science.

Will Denton is currently attending Duke University where he is majoring in electrical and computer engineering and computer science. He plans to pursue a combined degree program and will graduate with his master’s degree in 2025.

Will is currently the captain of Duke’s Robosub Club, which competes in an international competition every summer in San Diego.

Karsen Lineberger will be joining Deloitte’s Government & Public Services Risk & Financial Advisory Group in the Arlington office for their 2024 summer internship program. She attends Southern Methodist University.

2019

Evelyn Coakley attends Savannah College of Art and Design where she is focusing on painting as her major. She loves Savannah and is growing her artistic skills through new techniques and mediums. Evelyn credits Langley’s art program and teachers (especially Jamie Rodriguez) for helping ignite her love of art.

2020

Nathan Denton, a senior at St. Albans School, is captain of the Robotics Club and is currently competing in the VEX robotics season. He has also played on the varsity football team as right guard for the last two seasons. Nathan will be attending Northeastern University in the fall where he plans to study mechanical and biomedical engineering.

2022

Andrew Denton is a sophomore at St. Albans School where he is on the rock climbing team. He is also competing in the VEX robotics winter season.

LITERARY SPOTLIGHT: Alumni Authors

Peter Elliott ’08 released his debut novel, Blue Ridge, in January 2024. The book is a psychological thriller told in dueling points of view from twin brothers. Peter was also the screenwriter and co-producer for his debut feature film, “Wired Shut,” earning him a nomination for “Best Screenwriting, Motion Picture” at the 2022 Leo Awards.

Bret Peters ’79 recently released his new children’s book, Humanitarian, which is a story about four friends who weather a storm and help rebuild their community by working together with families, friends, and volunteers. The story provides positive and uplifting messages of courage, friendship, gratitude, and the power of a can-do attitude. When not writing, Bret serves as CEO of ADF Solutions, a cyber/digital forensics software company.

Kristin Carlucci ’94 Weed released her first book, Get Me Carlucci: A Daughter Recalls Her Father’s Legacy of Service, in January 2024. The book provides a unique look at the wide-ranging career of former secretary of defense, the late Frank Carlucci III, who was Kristin’s father. Kristin uses her father’s unfinished memoir, along with interviews from his contemporaries, to craft a fascinating look at his life.

ALUMNI PROFILES:

From Students to Teachers

These Two Alumni Are Back in the Langley Classroom in a New Role

KATHLEEN JENNINGS ’00, Reading Specialist

How long were you a Langley student and when did you begin teaching here?

I was a Langley lifer from preschool to eighth grade! This is my 16th year teaching at Langley. I started as an assistant teacher for first and second grade, then taught second grade for six years and first grade for one year. I’m now in my eighth year as a reading specialist.

What Langley activities were you involved in as a student?

There weren’t nearly as many activities available for Langley students as there are now, but I was very involved, especially in Middle School. I wrote and edited for the Middle School newspaper, Knapsack Notes, played basketball and lacrosse, and was the student director of the play. I was also the SCA secretary when I was in eighth grade, and I played the clarinet in the band in fourth and fifth grades.

What are some of your fondest Langley memories as a student?

I loved the overnight trips. They were such great bonding experiences for my class and a chance to experience something new. I especially loved whitewater rafting in sixth grade and the Assateague trip in eighth grade. Ultimately, some of my fondest Langley memories are the times I spent here on campus with my friends. Whether playing four square at recess or hanging out behind the old Middle School building, we always had fun.

What impact did attending Langley have on you personally and professionally?

As a student at Langley, I learned the true value of being part of a community. Professionally, Langley has shaped who I am as a teacher. Starting as an assistant teacher was an amazing gift. I got to learn teaching methods, strategies,

and curriculum from incredible teachers. These learning experiences allowed me to feel confident and comfortable when I moved into a homeroom position. Langley also let me grow and transition into new positions in order to fulfill my professional goals.

What brought you back to Langley as a teacher?

Since graduating from Langley, I’ve sought experiences that create Langley’s community feel. It’s not easily replicated, and that feeling of community and belonging is one of the reasons I applied to work at Langley after college. It’s also one of the big reasons I’ve stayed at Langley for so many years. I truly love the people I work with and the students and families I’ve had the privilege to get to know.

How has being an alumna impacted your teaching?

I want Langley’s current and future students to recognize what a special place this is, so I suppose I always keep that in the back of my mind as I approach my work.

How has the school changed since you were a student here? What hasn’t changed?

So much at Langley has changed since I was a student here! Most notably, the campus has changed. Pirro Studios, the Betty Brown Lower School, and the Claire Maxted Administration Building are the only buildings still on campus that were there when I was young. However, I was never a student in the Lower School building as it opened when I was in sixth grade. The school is also a lot bigger! When I was a student, we had two classes in each grade, all the way up to eighth grade. What hasn’t changed is the community feel and the strong commitment to academics. And, of course, Mr. Schmidt is still here!

What do you like most about teaching at Langley?

I love that Langley teachers are so passionate about their jobs and their students. Langley isn’t a place that’s content to do things a certain way just because it’s always been done that way. We are continually learning and growing, modeling being leaders, thinkers, and creators for our students. It’s so fun to work with people who are just as dedicated to Langley’s values and mission as I am!

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Kathleen with a friend on Langley’s Primary School playground in 1990.

NINA CHADAB ’10, Lower School Assistant Teacher

How long were you a Langley student and when did you begin teaching here?

I attended Langley from the age of 3 to 14, from 1998 to 2010. I have been a teacher here for the past two years, serving as an assistant teacher for the first grade.

What Langley activities were you involved in as a student?

As a student, I was heavily involved in Langley’s theater program and the school plays.

What are some of your fondest Langley memories?

I have so many, but I will always remember the ski trip some of us eighth-graders took to Copper Mountain and the Living Langley auction trip I took to Baltimore in second grade where I stayed overnight with my friends and teachers.

What impact did attending Langley have on you personally and professionally?

Being a Langley student has definitely impacted my life. The core values that we learned as students continue to guide my daily life.

What brought you back to Langley as a teacher?

Once I realized that I loved teaching, I knew that I had to teach at Langley.

How has being an alumna impacted your teaching?

I still remember what it felt like to be a student at Langley, and this definitely influences my perspective. I had wonderful teachers at Langley, and I aspire to leave my students with wonderful memories as well.

How has the school changed since you were a student here? What hasn’t changed?

A lot has changed at Langley since my time as a student, namely some of the buildings and teachers. However, I feel the most significant thing that has not changed is the importance we place on our core values for everyone.

What do you like most about teaching at Langley?

There are so many things to mention, but if I had to choose just one it would be the collaboration and teamwork we practice at Langley.

IN MEMORIAM:

Remembering Billie Close

Marcia “Billie” Close – who capably served Langley as both a teacher and an administrator for nearly 20 years –passed away on September 30, 2023. Billie taught third grade at Langley from 1976 to 1982 and then served as head of the Lower School from 1982 until her retirement in 1995. Known for her disciplined, practical leadership style, she helped shape a more comprehensive, integrated, creative, and stimulating Lower School curriculum.

She had a deep respect for the faculty and children she oversaw, and empowered them to be their best. “Children will always rise to the expectations you have for them if they feel encouraged, not pressured,” Billie once said. “Children want to learn. They are naturally curious. We try to provide the programs, opportunities, and most importantly, the faculty, for that learning to happen.”

Before joining Langley’s staff in 1976, Billie was an involved Langley parent who volunteered and served on the Board of Trustees. Her two sons – Tom and Stephen –both attended the school.

Fountain on Langley’s campus dedicated in honor of Billie Close.

Billie’s lasting impact was recognized at the time of her retirement with the dedication of a charming fountain featuring three children. Now located in front of the Solomon Athletic Center, this fountain still serves as a memorial to Billie’s many contributions to the school.

Bruce Rinker, an educator, ecologist, and explorer who taught science and math at Langley in the 1980s, passed away on January 7, 2024.

Nina (right) as a seventh-grader with Langley friends in 2009.

The Langley Fund Helps Expand the Student Experience

Thanks to the hundreds of annual Langley Fund gifts from both current and alumni families, Langley is able to continue elevating our programs and provide our students and teachers with the resources they need to excel. This fall, we completed two large projects to enhance the technology equipment in both the Sherman Arts Center auditorium and the Solomon Athletic Center.

In the auditorium, Langley installed new state-of-the-art sound and lighting capabilities. “This new technology allows us to do so much more with special effects in our drama productions,” says Drama Teacher Joanna Edie. “Now, we can create effects more on par with a high school or college theater.”

Eighth-graders Gavin Barber, the tech director for Langley’s fall play, and Henry Friedman, who was on the tech crew, used the new system for the fall production of “Hashtag Romeo” and were thrilled with the amazing results. Both students are now programming sound and light cues for the upcoming spring musical, “Rock of Ages,” and hope to continue with technical theater in high school.

“We can change the color of the stage lighting with the touch of a button rather than manually setting each color with a gel like we used to,” says Gavin, noting that he was able to create a special rainbow effect for the concert scenes in “Rock of Ages.”

“The sound quality is 10 times better now,” adds Henry, who is managing 75 sound cues in the spring show. “It’s easier to adjust the sound levels and the new equipment creates a better experience for the audience.”

In the Solomon Athletic Center, a new projector and sound system are enhancing the assembly experience for both students and faculty. The equipment has already positively impacted many events, including Halloween and holiday sing-alongs and faculty/staff professional development days. These new capabilities will also allow the school to host an expanded Leopardy event in March and enhance our graduation ceremony in June.

New equipment in the auditorium gives eighth-graders Henry Friedman and Gavin Barber more creative options for Langley productions.

“Community and connection are essential to our program here at Langley, so improving these gathering spaces was a priority,” says Head of School Michele Claeys. “Our hope was to optimize the experience for our learners, performers, technical crew, and audience members, and that is exactly what has happened.”

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The Langley Fund: Program Impact

The Langley Fund generates funds to support annual operations across the school. This year’s $680,000 Langley Fund will meaningfully contribute to the programs and initiatives that teachers, students, and families rely on every day, including:

Tuition Assistance & Hardship Fund: 37%

Campus Facility Enhancements: 29%

Experiential Field Trips: 8%

Program Enhancements: 7%

Technology: 7%

Guest Speakers: 4%

Instrument Rentals: 3%

Teacher Appreciation: 3%

Athletic Travel & Uniforms: 2%

Where do Langley Fund dollars go?

The Last Word: The Power of Volunteering

By I-Min Chao, Parent of Lynetta ’20 and Hannah ’24

Volunteering at my children’s school was a foreign concept to me. I grew up in Taiwan, where my schools ran their events (once in a blue moon) without the help of parent volunteers. So when Russ and I enrolled our daughter, Lynetta, in preschool at Langley in 2009, I saw it only as a place for her to learn – not a place where I would be involved or have my own Langley friends. Wow, was I wrong!

Now 15 years later, as our family prepares for our final months at Langley (our second daughter, Hannah, graduates this spring), I’m thinking about not only the impact the school has had on my children, but also the impact it’s had on me. Thanks to the strong partnership Langley has with the parent community and the many volunteer opportunities the Parent Association of The Langley School (PALS) offers, I’ve been able to connect with the school in ways I never imagined.

As a new parent, I remember carefully studying the list of PALS volunteer opportunities Langley sent out during the summer. I signed up to be a Primary School aide and a library aide because the description of these two jobs promised flexibility and seemed easy and low-key. I had fun laminating student artwork and using die-cut machines as I helped Primary School teachers. However, shelving library books wasn’t as Zen as I imagined. Perhaps because English is a second language to me, I had to constantly run through ABCs in my head to ensure the books were in the correct order!

The structure PALS provided made volunteering so simple and allowed me to choose opportunities that I found interesting and that fit into my schedule. Before I knew it, I started signing up for shifts for events like the Fall Fair and Book Fair. The more my girls grew to love Langley, the more I found I wanted to help in any way I could. Each volunteer opportunity, regardless of my role, has been rewarding and fulfilling. I cherish every experience I’ve had to work with Langley faculty and staff and other parent volunteers.

Volunteering in many different capacities has allowed me to step behind the scenes to discover how special this

community is. I’ve made many wonderful friends that will last long after my time at Langley is over, I’ve grown my own leadership skills, I’ve been able to contribute to a place that I believe deeply in, and I’ve had a lot of fun in the process.

My positive experience with PALS is about more than just the number of activities and events for which I volunteered – it’s also about the many events I attended. I bonded with other parents through events like gradelevel parent socials, Leopardy, and the spring auction. I gained valuable parenting advice through the PALS Speaker Series. And I learned about the school’s current status and strategic direction through each State of the School address.

Langley’s Climbing the Arc podcast has an episode focused on PALS then and now. I had great appreciation after listening to Nancy Catron share how she and Jennifer Sherman recognized the need for change, led the efforts with other parents, and co-founded PALS in 1999 after several years of planning. As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of PALS, I’d like to thank the organization and its many leaders for creating an atmosphere in which parents feel like they are truly part of the community and able to partner with the school to make their child’s experience better.

I’ll truly miss the Langley community next year. As I attend or volunteer for my final activities as a Langley parent this spring, I want to encourage every parent to find ways to get involved. There are many opportunities available to you no matter how much time you have or what your interests are. And if you aren’t able to volunteer, then just come to an event to see what it’s all about. You’ll be glad you did!

I-Min with daughters Hannah ’24 and Lynetta ’20 and husband Russ Frey.

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

As The Langley School’s premier fundraising event of the year, the annual spring auction is a party with a purpose – funds raised support faculty excellence. Our 2024 auction, “Enchanted Langley: A Masquerade Soirée and Auction,” will take place on SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024, FROM 6:00-11:00 P.M. at the Conrad Hotel in Washington, DC.

JOIN US for online and live auctions, a cocktail reception, raffles and games, a seated dinner, live entertainment, and an after-party!

Visit https://langleyschool.ejoinme.org/2024auction to purchase sponsorships and tickets.