Faculty News

Jessica Chen Presents at Balanced Mind Conference

Music teacher and choral director Jessica Chen was a featured presenter at the Balanced Mind Curriculum Conference, an annual professional development opportunity for Nassau County arts educators. With a mission of advancing arts education, the conference promotes content knowledge, pedagogical skill and professional inquiry. She designed and presented a one-hour session entitled "Functional Piano Skills for General Music and Choral Educators in 5 Minutes a Day." The presentation was geared towards vocal/chorus educators looking to improve their piano skills for teaching purposes. Topics included: • performance skills vs. functional skills • choosing piano skills suited to your needs • building harmonic fluency • creating accompaniments for melodies • simplifying a complicated score Enough attendees pre-registered for Chen’s session that she was asked to present it three times in one day. “I was thrilled that there seemed to be such a need for this topic,” says Chen. In past years, Chen has presented "Teaching Boys to Sing Well: K-8" and "Taking Your Chorus Concert to the Next Level”.

U.S. Citizenship for Ben Toms

You knew him as Ben Brosseau, but that was before he became a United States citizen. Born in England, young Ben moved to Maryland at age five, living in this country with his stepfather’s surname until recently. As he clicked the final prompts on the computer administering the citizenship test, the screen presented one final question: do you want to change your name? In a matter of seconds, he decided to initiate a change back to “Toms”, his birth name which he shares with family in England. Now, when he teaches about immigration and the passage through Ellis Island, he is able to add a very personal perspective. He describes the diversity of people taking the oath, and their abundantly evident pride. Bill Hiss’ first Green Vale memory involves arriving in 1981, and being introduced to the students during outdoor assembly in the amphitheater which used to contain wooden benches. “I remember all those heads turning around to check out the new sports teacher.” He has coached boys soccer, basketball, and baseball teams ever since, along with P.E. classes for younger boys and girls. One of his favorite aspects of the job was the range of ages he taught. “You get to really see the kids grow up.” Prior to joining Green Vale, Hiss played major league baseball for the Cleveland Indians. He had been drafted as a junior at Queens College, the 50th overall draft pick. His proudest athletic accomplishment was his selection as the best college shortstop (All-American), news he learned from an opponent while on second base. Despite his own elite-level talent, Hiss is far more focused on the life lessons of sports, or what we would now call the social emotional learning opportunities that are wonderfully prevalent in sports. “Green Vale gives everybody the opportunity to play and be part of a team. The point is for everybody to learn teamwork and sportsmanship, and how to treat others. When a substitute-level player comes in late in the game and scores the winning goal, that’s what youth sports is all about. We can all recognize it.” Hiss watched his son Kevin go through Green Vale, winning an athletic award at graduation and going on to play Division I baseball in college. He made countless friends among the faculty, including Mike Mattia who played at Hiss’ wedding. “Mike was one of the quiet ones who just do the right things for the kids.” “I really just wanted to give back after all the great coaches I had,” says Hiss with characteristic humility. We predict countless former students will continue to pay Mr. Hiss’ gifts forward.

“You get more sentimental as you get older. It makes you amazed how great this place is.”

Global Competence Workshop for Teachers

For a March professional development day, Green Vale was fortunate to host Homa Sabet Tavangar, author of the acclaimed Growing Up Global: Raising Children to Be At Home in the World (Random House, 2009). Homa’s goal aligns with that of many parents and educators: help students thrive in a global context, and have fun along the way. Her expertise in translating culture, diversity and inclusion, and globalization trends and relating them to academic and social-emotional learning helped teachers gain confidence in leading deeper discourse in their classrooms. The four primary skills within the umbrella of global competence are: 1. Investigate the World

Students are interested in learning about the world and how it works. 2. Recognize Perspectives

Students recognize that they have a particular perspective, and that others may or may not share it. 3. Communicate Ideas

Students can effectively communicate with diverse audiences. 4. Take Action

Students have the skills and knowledge to make a difference in the world. “Children will need these skills to adapt to an interconnected world with increasingly complex problems,” she explained. A second visiting expert focused on a complementary set of skills: social emotional learning. Lindsay Weiner, founder of The EQ Child, specializes in implementing SEL in schools. For several years she has worked with GVS Early Childhood teachers and parents, however in these workshops, she extended the lens to include older grades.

In particular, she encouraged teachers to evaluate and consider their own social-emotional capacities as part of cultivating them in students. The benefits of this for overall school climate and culture were explored.

“Ask students not what they want to be when they grow up, but what problem do they want to solve.”

Lorraine Campbell Retires after 22 Years

Innumerable Green Vale graduates will remember 3rd Grade with Mrs. Campbell as a true learning adventure. Her belief in “whole brain learning” and prioritizing empathy has shaped her approach to teaching. In 2017, Campbell received the School’s highest honor for faculty, the Stephen H. Watters Medal, based on contributions to character education and global citizenship. Three summer service trips to Africa inspired initiatives that she brought back to Green Vale. From Skyping with classrooms in Tanzania to fundraising for school supplies and computer equipment for people she had met personally, there is always a complete authenticity to her work. She even led a project where 3rd and 6th Graders assembled working prosthetic hands for children in India.

Linda Gardiner, retired Lower School Director, praises Lorraine’s tireless work ethic, commitment to improvement, and ability to form genuine relationships. “She expects the best of herself and makes sure students learn to expect that of themselves. She kneels down, and face to face she listens to how children solve problems, where they are confused, where they've made mistakes.” Her work directing unforgettable 3rd Grade plays annually demonstrated talents well beyond creativity and theatrical skils. Her knowledge of American Sign Language originated the tradition of all Lower School students signing the daily grace at lunch. How fortunate we all were, including her beloved composting worms, to work and learn in her presence.