19 minute read
In the News
in the news 2010-2011
This school year has been filled with countless student accomplishments, coummunity-wide celebrations, and monumental achievements in and out of the classroom.
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From the second-ever Middle School Musical, to noted success in Latin and Literature competitions, to victory on the athletic fields and courts, our community experienced a fall and winter of notable success.
Fall Outing Each September, Archer students participate in an overnight trip with their respective grades to build bonds while also engaging in various outdoor activities, from rappelling to rock wall climbing. Student Club Fair Girls had the chance to learn about Archer’s more than 30 studentrun clubs including Anime Club, Junior Statesmen of America, Diversity Committee, Community Service Board, Classics Club, and Photography Club. With so many choices, there was something for everyone.
Community Service Fair
Service is a central component of the Archer curriculum and culture. To help students find community service projects that are meaningful to them,
student representatives, along with professional service organizations, assist girls with enrolling in projects and learning more about local opportunities during the annual Community Service Fair. The event also drew students from Brentwood School, Lighthouse Christian Academy, and Vistamar School to help build the broader community’s
engagement in service.
Grandparents’ & Special
Friends’ Day Middle Schoolers had the chance to share their Archer experience with their grandparents and special friends during the beloved annual event. Guests were treated to performances by the orchestra and choir and also had the chance to participate in a special class session with their Archer girl.
Celebrating Hispanic
Heritage Students celebrated Hispanic heritage with a lunchtime event sponsored by the Modern & Classical Languages Department and the Student Diversity Committee. The festivities included music, dancing, a piñata, ofrenda making and, of course, food, most of which was homemade by our students! Additionally, during a morning assembly, members of the Student Diversity Committee presented on the history of Latino activism in Los Angeles for education equity and reform.
Halloween Archer girls revel in the opportunity to share their creative genius. Halloween is the perfect occasion for such endeavors. Students and faculty alike donned their Halloween best during a costume fashion show, enjoyed a ride down an inflatable slide, and participated in a pumpkin carving contest.
Lit Magazines Given
Top Honors Archer literary magazines continue a legacy of excellence, earning recognition from the National Council of Teachers of English. Write in the Middle (the Middle School magazine) and the Upper School’s Pillars of Salt were bestowed the recognitions of “Superior - Nominated Highest Award” and “Excellent,” respectively.
Laddie John Dill at
The Gallery “Light Traps and Aerial Perspectives” by L.A. artist Laddie John Dill featured powerful and abstract work at The Gallery’s first exhibit of the year. Simultaneously direct and complex, the exhibit viscerally engaged the viewer and explored the interaction of light, movement, and color. This was the 14th exhibit at The Gallery which first opened in 2006.
Latin Award Winners
In November, 19 Archer students attended the first Latin convention of the year. Despite rain that lasted the whole day and caused the cancellation of many events and the over-booking of others, Archer girls maintained their good humor and prevailed in a wide variety of academic tests, Latin prose and poetry performances, as well as classical artistic endeavors. Archer had a very strong showing in the team competitions (both the 6
Middle School and Upper School made it to the semifinals in team events) and took home 20 individual honors with 14 of the 19 participants finishing in the top three in their field.
Author Gloria Whelan
Visits Archer In the fall, National Book Award-winning author Gloria Whelan visited The
Archer School for Girls. She spoke with Middle School students about her many works, several of which are part of the Middle School English curriculum including Homeless Bird, Listening for Lions, Chu Ju’s House, and Angel on the Square. According to English teacher Tracy Ganzer, Ms. Whelan’s work is cherished amongst Archer Middle School students. “Homeless Bird has been a core book in our 7th grade curriculum for seven years.” Ms. Ganzer says, “Students seem to really connect to it. Even in 8th grade, students routinely bring it up to me.”
Winter Concert From timehonored favorites like “Frosty the Snowman” to pop standard “All I Want for Christmas is You,” Archer musicians and singers filled the Dining Hall with holiday cheer during the annual Winter Concert. This event also marked the first appearance of the Middle School Glee Club in a holiday performance. Robotics At the MadTown ThrowDown robotics competition in November, Archer placed 8th out of 23 teams and advanced to the quarterfinals with their trusty robot, Thalia. Archer was the only all-girls team at the competition.
Adopt-a-Family The holidays at Archer are not just a time for celebration. It is a season that has been traditionally exemplified by the outpouring of support from the Archer Community for the Adopt-A-Family program, an annual tradition that makes a difference in the lives of deserving families. Run by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the program helps provide critical items of need to families around the city. This was Archer’s seventh year participating in the program. On delivery day, dozens of Archer students and their families spent the day bringing these gifts to the Archer “adopted” families and sharing in the holiday spirit with others.
Debate Wins at Cal
Lutheran Archer represented well at the Cal Lutheran Championships by winning two of the debate divisions. Jenna Speiser ’13 won the LincolnDouglas debate division while Sarah Wishingrad ’14 with Maya Escobar ’14 took the Public Forum debate division.
research for better teaching: what, how, and why
What is Research for Better Teaching?
Research for Better Teaching (RBT) is organized around the essential belief that great teaching equals great learning. Like a teacher’s toolbox, RBT offers teachers specific strategies they can use to match their instruction to the needs of the students in their
classrooms. These tools empower teachers to enhance clarity, plan meaningful learning experiences, check for understanding, and reflect on students’ progress to make learning really stick.
How is Archer using RBT?
Archer is the first independent school on the West Coast to implement school-wide research-based teaching practices. All Archer faculty have taken graduate-level coursework on RBT to build learning objectives, sculpt lessons, and design effective assessments based on how students learn best. As a collegial community, teachers use the principles of RBT to reflect on their practice and plan together for their students’ success.
How is an RBT lesson different than a traditional lesson?
RBT classrooms are “no-secrets” learning environments, where students know in advance what they are going to learn and how they will know they are successful. Rather than just covering content, RBT lessons focus on overarching skills for enduring understanding. In traditional classrooms, the teacher is often the center of the lesson. However, in RBT lessons the focus is on the student because the research shows that the person doing the talking is the person doing the learning. RBT lessons also reserve time for processing information, making purposeful connections, and engaging actively in the learning process.
Theresa Dahlin Middle School History
Alumnae Art Exhibit In January, The Gallery at The Archer School for Girls featured the firstever alumnae art show. Highlighting the works of more than ten alumnae in a variety of mediums, the exhibit opened in conjunction with Archer’s annual Alumnae Social. Fifty alumnae returned to campus to visit with their longtime friends and enjoy the art of their peers.
Race to Nowhere In early November, Archer was pleased to host a screening of the acclaimed documentary “Race to Nowhere.” Filmmaker Vicki H. Abeles attended the sold-out showing on campus and hosted a Q & A session with the parent audience. Issues concerning the challenges within our education system were discussed in an effort to combat current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing, and leading citizens.
Student Activist
Recognized Chelsea Montgomery-Duban ’11 was named by Frontiers Magazine as one of the most influential activists in the Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community.
Chelsea’s activism began with what she saw as a small act—posting a video of a speech she gave at her fathers’ wedding on YouTube. Incited by the responses to her video, Chelsea embarked on a mission to fight for gay marriage rights by engaging in dialogue with various organizations and groups. As Chelsea told Frontiers Magazine, “Being an activist means fighting through the nos, the criticism and the ignorance and standing up for your cause ... I have two gay dads that have been together for almost 29 years. They are the people that gave me life, unconditional love and help me follow my passions every day. I fight to defy a society that believes they are unfit parents and that they have somehow managed to raise me incorrectly. My dad and daddy inspire me to be a better person and I fight for them and for all gay families and couples.” In November, Chelsea spoke to more than 3,000 guests at the 14th Annual Human Rights Campaign Dinner in Washington, DC.
Honor Code Instituted
at Archer This fall, Archer instituted a community-wide honor code. Created by students, this convention is the core of our community interactions. Archer’s honor code states: As members of the Archer community we agree to uphold Archer’s core values of honesty, respect, and responsibility. Because our individual actions impact the community, we also share a set of collective responsibilities: With respect, we are considerate in our words and daily actions. With empathy, we honor the individuality of those around us. With integrity, we are honest, trustworthy, and fair in both academic and personal interactions.
archer enters adidas sponsorship
The Archer Athletics Department has entered into a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Adidas and Westside Team Sports (WTS), the official handler between Adidas and Archer. “All three of these entities are the best in their respective fields,” says Chris Martin, President and CEO of WTS.
As exemplified by their impressive performance in the fall and winter seasons, Archer Athletics has become a highly successful program and gained unprecedented attention. “It is rare for a CIF Division V school, like Archer, to be considered for this type of sponsorship, so we are thankful for the opportunity and look forward to succeeding on the fields and courts wearing the Adidas brand,” says Athletic Director Denny Lennon.
native american artists share gift of storytelling
In October, Archer’s art students enjoyed a visit from two Native American artists from New Mexico. Mary and Leonard Trujillo of the Cochiti Pueblo showed our students the process of creating clay “storyteller” figures. These figures represent the Pueblo oral tradition of passing on their history and culture through storytelling by grandmothers and grandfathers.
In November, the Trujillos returned to Archer to create a sculpture that will reside permanently on our campus. Mary brought a large storyteller figure and our students created the “little people” to sit on its lap and surround it as the figure “tells the story.” This piece, the combined effort of the Trujillos and the art students from 6th through 12th grade, will be featured in The Archer Gallery in September 2011. This unique creative opportunity for our students was made possible by the generosity of Cindy Harrell Horn, a former Archer Board member and continued supporter, and a collector of the Trujillo’s work.
what is integrated math? 4v2-4v-8
Traditionally, mathematics instruction in secondary schools has been delivered in separate courses, with algebra and geometry taught in isolation from each other. The National Education Association established this sequence in 1894, when many students only completed two years of high school. Although our society has changed significantly, with the majority of young people graduating high school, Geometry is still sandwiched in between Algebra I and Algebra II. As a result, many students do not retain concepts taught in Algebra I through their year studying Geometry, and teachers must re-teach Algebra I concepts before proceeding to the required topics of Algebra II.
Research shows that United States secondary schools have consistently scored well below those in many other countries on international assessments in mathematics. The countries that excel have an integrated structure in mathematics.
Archer’s integrated math program is set apart from conventional curricula in that each course advances a student’s understanding of mathematics along interwoven strands of algebra, statistics and probability, geometry and trigonometry, and discrete mathematics. In Archer math classrooms, work is problem-centered and applicationbased while emphasizing the relationships among topics within mathematics as well as between mathematics and other disciplines.
When we think about real-life applications of math, the topics of algebra, geometry and statistics are not presented in isolation. Most of the time, a variety of mathematical topics are embedded in real world problems. Integrated math fosters the notion that all strands of mathematics are related and with this new program, our girls develop into more successful, open-minded problem solvers in the math classroom and beyond.
student spotlight zola berger-schmitz
Regular volunteer service is just one way that Archer encourages young women to become active citizens and lifelong contributors to their communities. And for many girls at Archer, involvement in the Community Service program is the catalyst for something bigger: an opportunity for exploration and a deeper connection to issues of personal import. When a summer day at the beach inspired Zola Berger-Schmitz ’15 to help conserve California’s coastlines, she had little idea that this initial interest would not only spark a newfound passion for public advocacy, but would also lead her to galvanize the support of the entire Archer community around a critical local issue. Zola kicked off her involvement with current issues in oceanic ecology by reading up on marine biology, attending oceanography camp, and volunteering her time with conservation organization Heal the Bay. She soon learned about a controversial but historic legislative proposal to create the equivalent of underwater “state parks” by establishing Marine Protection Areas or MPAs. With guidance from Heal the Bay, Zola made her voice heard and encouraged others to write letters to state agencies in support of establishing protective MPAs on Southern California coasts. She spoke out at ongoing public hearings in forums for discussion most often dominated by adults. Advocates for both sides of the issue were clearly impressed by Zola’s impassioned and articulate contributions to the conversation. Her enthusiasm for the cause was infectious, and her passion soon extended to raising awareness about the MPA process within the Archer community. She spoke to Archer’s Community Service Board, the Upper School Marine Ecology class, and at several school assemblies, all of which encouraged her classmates to help solicit signatures for multiple petitions. In addition, with no prior experience in digital editing, Zola teamed up with classmates to create a video that powerfully posed the rhetorical question “What if there were no more fish left in the ocean?” According to Zola, “The film is meant to inspire youth to think about how they want the oceans to look when they grow up, and also encourages kids to make a difference in advocating for a healthier world.”
With signed petitions, an impactful video, and vociferous advocacy, Zola – and her classmates at Archer – rallied around the cause of the MPAs. Over 400 members of the Archer community responded to the petitions, which were then presented, along with the video, at public hearings. Only a handful of other area schools were involved and Archer’s significant presence was enough to garner special thanks from environmental advocates. According to staff scientist Charlotte Stevenson of Heal the Bay, “We could not have reached this point without the support of groups like Archer. The decision makers actually really listen to the public, especially to the younger generation, and it made a huge difference for them to see through petitions, letters, and public testimony that the kids of Southern California cared about the future of the coastal ocean.” In April 2010, the Fish and Game Commission voted to recommend for environmental review a map for South Coast MPAs that protects most of Southern California’s critical habitats. Zola plans to continue to speak out and follow the status of MPA and related issues “to help ensure the best possible protection for our coast.” Ever humble about her efforts, Zola is committed to pursuing the cause and inspring others – especially Archer students and adults alike – to have their voices heard.
celebrating 15 years (continued from pg. 1)
ago in another land, young girls dedicated themselves to learning. Protected by a sacred order, they built their own shelters, composed poetry and dance…When they completed their time of learning, they returned to society to assume roles of responsibility. Their protector was known as The Archer. Thus does the Archer School get its name.”
Today, a decade and a half later, the School continues to embrace the founding ideals that call for girlcentered learning in a culture best suited for girls. Archer has grown to 450 students, moved into an historic building in Brentwood, and received full accreditation, all the while holding true to its mission.
Being an educational institution with a shorter history can, at times, be seen as a negative. After all, some of the best schools in the country have deep-rooted traditions and oftentimes 100-year-old histories. Those same institutions can also be slow to change and slow to grow. At 15 years old, Archer is solidifying but still adapting. Intentional reflection, thoughtful innovation, and a commitment to 21st century brain-based research sets Archer apart as an institution that is not afraid to change.
While not overburdened by heritage, Archer understands the value of creating and sustaining school-wide traditions as a way to keep the community connected, foster pride, and solidify identity. Annual traditions such as Founders’ Day, Spirit Week, Holiday Adopt-A-Family Drive, Moving Up Day, and the beloved Maypole Dance are only a few of the many ways the community celebrates its uniqueness.
The meaningful relationships that are forged among students and between students and faculty are at the heart of the School’s mission. Alumnae return to campus and often
remark on how well Archer prepared them for college and beyond, but they are equally quick to mention the joyful, close-knit community that they experienced during their time at Archer. With almost 500 alumnae, Archer’s supportive sisterhood continues to grow with each graduating class.
The School was founded with a purpose, and like the story of our naming, we continue to graduate girls who are poised to not only assume roles of responsibility but have the drive to lead with strength of character, a creative and entrepreneurial spirit, and a powerful voice.
Archer’s relatively short, yet colorful, history is told through the eyes of one of the Founders, Dr. Diana Meehan, in her book, “Learning Like a Girl.” The pages tell an almost unbelievable story of the monumental battle to establish The Archer School for Girls at 11725 Sunset Boulevard. Filled with fantastic characters and dubious scenarios, the book illustrates the power of conviction and the resolute belief in single-sex education.
Fifteen years ago, Archer’s Founders knew they were embarking on an adventure that would impact the lives of countless deserving girls. Not surprisingly, that will be true for decades to come.
In this, Archer’s 15th school year, we “ celebrate our founding ideals while continuing our commitment to innovate, adapt, and take risks. ” 11
the heidi chronicles In November, Upper Schoolers performed Wendy Wasserstein’s The Heidi Chronicles, a play about one woman’s journey placed against the backdrop of the women’s movement. The play traced Heidi’s world, her relationships and the choices she made from the time she was a teenager in 1965 until the late 1980s. A show about the women’s movement and the implications for the characters seems perfect for an all-girls’ school. However, this piece is not often performed by secondary school students because of the challenging nature of the scene work and the emotional insight needed by the characters. Once again, Archer students rose to the challenge and gave a moving performance about the choices we make and how all people deserve to fulfill their potential. Student Director Sarah Loughman ’11 shared, “The show itself was inspiring, teaching us all about the complex effects of the women’s movement.”
the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe In December, Archer Middle Schoolers brought C.S. Lewis’ famed novel to life in an imaginative production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. As Assistant Director Alexandra Jacobson ’12 explained, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe gave the cast and audience an opportunity to take a creative journey to a land full of fantasy. It provided many chances for students to shine and gave our girls the opportunity to learn sword fighting and puppetry skills. The cast lost themselves in the imaginative set design, the elaborate costumes and the exquisitely painted faces.”
Faculty achievements
publications Shelby Brown, Ph.D. (Latin Teacher): Dr. Brown has been asked to contribute a chapter to the Oxford Handbook of Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World, to be published in 2012.
Joe Busch, Ph.D. (Math Teacher): Dr. Busch’s article, “Lower bounds for decision problems in imaginary, norm-Euclidean quadratic integer rings” was included in the Journal of Symbolic Computation.
Sheila Morrisey (Science Teacher): Ms. Morissey was the lead author on a paper titled “Groundwater reorganization in the Floridan aquifer following Holocene sea-level rise.” It was published in Nature Geoscience last fall.
conference presentations Theresa Wu (Language Teacher): Ms. Wu will present at the Computer-Using Educators (CUE) conference on the work she has conducted at Archer on technology integration and foreign language learning. other Reed Farley (Theatre Teacher) received his Master of Education degree from UCLA in May 2010. His research focused on collaborative learning and standardized test preparation with an emphasis on ESL students.
Pam Horrocks (Director of Technology) was one of only 50 administrators nationwide to attend the Google Teacher Academy for Administrators, an experience designed to help K-12 educational leaders get the most from innovative technologies.
