i n t h i s i s s u e : B O O K F A I R I S C O M I N G S O O N •2 014 -15 I M P O R TA N T DAT E S • B E A R K A T S B A S K E T B A L L
The
VO LU M E X V I V, N U M B E R 10 A bi-weekly publication of The Post Oak School
POST Celebrating 50 years of The Post Oak School
J A N UA RY 31, 2 014 Available online at www.postoakschool.org
T H E F U T U R E OF E DUC AT ION by John Long, Head of School
“T
Spontaneous, curiosity-filled exploration happens at all levels of a Montessori education.
he next Steve Jobs” reads the cover of Wired magazine’s November issue beside a photo of Mexican student Paloma Noyola Bueno, a fifth grader who had the highest scores on a recent national exam. Her school “has captured the attention of the nation thanks to the remarkable, groundbreaking teaching methodology of Paloma’s
teacher Sergio Juarez Correa.” At the heart of his method is this idea: “ knowledge isn’t a commodity that’s delivered from teacher to student but something that emerges from the students’ own curiosity-fueled exploration.” Last week Forbes magazine picked up that story. In fact, both magazines also continued on page 2
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reference the extraordinary and interesting work of Sugata Mitra, professor of educational technology, who installed computers in the mud walls of rural Indian villages and left children to teach themselves how to use them. And they did. And he won a TED Prize for his revolutionary approach which emphasized independence, selfdirection, and intrinsic motivation.
new ideas. But the Forbes author, PascalEmmanuel Gobry, who writes about technology, markets, and global strategic issues, called this story frustrating. Why? Because there is nothing new in this method of education. The title of Gobry’s Forbes piece is “The Future Of Education Was Invented In 1906.”
We’re looking for educational innovation everywhere and giving high praise to
He credits Montessori with discovering all of the principles that undergird Correa’s heroic, individual effort to transform one
classroom’s approach, and Mitra’s intuitive experiment in auto-education. He names Montessori as the only scientific approach to education, based as it is on observation of what works and what doesn’t in classrooms around the world. Gobry’s conclusion? “The future of education is here. It’s got nothing to do with laptops. It was invented well over a century ago. What are we waiting for?” •
JAN UARY 31, 2014
my life. The space is optimized to the needs of a curious “older child,” whose world is expanding by leaps and bounds, to sit and explore, patiently and quietly, for hours and hours without boredom or complacency. Here we received higherlevel lessons in geometry, mathematics, and biology. Many of the materials we interacted with covered theories and ideas that I would love to re-learn in that environment, and it made me very excited for what is to come for my own child.
My Montessori Journey
by Elisa Schmidt, Communications Coordinator and Post Oak parent On January 25, myself and a group of about 40 other parents visited Post Oak to embark upon our Montessori Journey. We split into two groups and each headed off to the Infant Community, where we marvelled at the miniature sizes of the tables and chairs, and learned about the practical life exercises and foundational
education that starts there. We then moved on to Primary, where many parents reveled in the simplicity of being allowed to just “do” and “be,” there in the moment with the beautiful and carefully arranged materials, doing work that was specifically designed for them. Every piece of work that was placed out on the tables for us to interact with had an explanation as to what to do with it and what the educative purpose was for it. In Lower Elementary,
how the subject matter all ties together throughout the levels quickly became apparent to the group. The map work was similar, but more complex, and we could plainly see how the math materials and curriculum built upon what was learned in Primary and even Infant Community. The visit to Upper Elementary was my personal favorite. I felt it would have been the perfect place for me at that point in
We ended the Journey in Middle School, a light-filled, peaceful space, which features its own library, a large discussion area, a “middle room” with windows on all sides for smaller groups, and a science lab. We received a lesson in botany with Mrs. Madiman, at which point we were informed that the lesson had actually been simplified for us! We then moved into the larger discussion room and participated in a seminar with Mr. Tucker, where we discussed a simplified version of the tome “Peace and Education,” by Maria Montessori. The structure of the seminar was inspiring, as we were all instructed
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not to raise our hands but to let the discussion happen naturally, to look at each other and call each other by name, and to not look at Mr. Tucker for ideas and/or permission to move forward. We all decided on a central question raised by the text that our discussion would aim to answer, wrote it on a notecard, and discussed, using specific passages from the text as reference for the group to understand where our ideas were coming from. At the end of our time, we were asked to write down how our opinion of the subject had changed in light of the ideas that were presented by others. The two groups that had been on the Journey finally reconvened in the middle school to discuss how the day had impacted us. All of the parents had similar sentiments of amazement and delight, one even expressed mock jealousy of her children for having the opportunity to learn in such an environment as this. Another parent echoed that he trusted that his children were getting a great education at Post Oak, but now he feels he no longer has to trust blindly, as he knows first-hand what goes on inside the classrooms. Additionally, there was the overwhelming feeling that we had not had enough time to spend in each
classroom (although we had been at the school for 6 hours). We all lamented the fact that we did not get to spend more time on specific tasks that we had been drawn to. Through this lamentation we realized, gratefully, that our children have as much time as they would like to spend exploring these environments that were created with only them in mind, and we were happy. It is my hope to be able to attend the Journey again next year and experience the joy all over again! I hope you will join me there. •
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5 0 t h a n n i v e r s a ry s p o t l i g h t Although Post Oak has undoubtedly changed over the decades, some things have remained constant. Since our doors first opened as the Little School House in 1963, we have continued to uphold Montessori principles under the direction of AMI. In this excerpt from the closing of a 1992 “Weekly Wednesday” letter, Suzanne Pugin, former Head of School, describes her observations of a young child engaged in their work. This passage, although simple, is a prominent reminder that providing children with a superior Montessori environment and dynamic learning experiences is Post Oak’s longest standing tradition. “Recently I observed a small child, around five, embroidering a geometric shape on a square piece of burlap. She had obviously been given several lessons prior to this experience as her stitches were careful and precise. She completed the shape with small stitches, tied the knot and turned the fabric to examine all sides. At this point I expected to see her place the finished product in her cubby or at least show it to a friend or an adult. She remained in her chair, took the ripper and removed the stitches and started the process again. This is a child with self-discipline. This is a child on her way to self-formation in a very positive and purposeful way. This is a Montessori child.”
The Post Oak School then: 1992
and
Middle School had 12 students
Quilt Auction and Casino Night Event
N OW: 2 0 1 4 Middle School has 30 students
Biennial Gala
JAN UARY 31, 2014
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Gala Chairs for 2014–2015 Announced Unlike the typical schedule of a yearly gala fundraiser, Post Oak’s big shindig is held every other year. Our last gala in February of 2013 was a disco-dancing success with Post Oak parents burning up the dance floor until late in the night! It was also a recordbreaking fundraiser for the school: good times with great results! Pulling off a grand event takes talented and dedicated leadership. As we dip our toe into the planning waters of the spring 2015 Gala, it is with great pleasure that I announce our event chairs: Laura Citardi and Whitney Walsh. This dynamic duo has worked together in the past as POPA Chairs and each has logged countless volunteer hours on a variety of school events. Laura and Whitney also have hands-on experience with galas: Laura as the Auction Display Chair in the 2011 Post Oak Gala, and Whitney as this year’s Junior League Gala chair. Their creative and vibrant spirit is sure to make the 2015 Gala a night to remember! Planning for 2015 begins now and you’ll start to hear from Laura and Whitney as they look for talented volunteers to fill the committees: Auction, Underwriting, Advertising, Decorations,
Suzanne Pugin, Head of School
John Long, Head of School
Halloween Carnival
Field Day
6 ASEP classes
14 ASEP classes
Playground then:
Playground now:
2014–2015 Gala Chairs Laura Citardi and Whitney Walsh
Acknowledgements, Class Projects, Done-In-A-Day, Invitations/ Graphics. Please extend your thanks to these two Post Oak parents who have taken on this big role for the school. ~ Christina Kopanidis-Cantu, Development Director
JACKSON & RYAN ARCHITECTS
CURRENT
“Weekly Wednesday” Letter
The Post
This year we will present a series of informational sessions that will talk about all things related to the Big Work campaign, including the fundraising and construction plans. These sessions will be beneficial for all parents and community members to attend. Join us to learn how Big Work will impact your family and how you can lend your support to this growth and enhancement of The Post Oak School.
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Where in the World Do Our 50th Anniversary Shirts Go?
ADMISSION OPEN HOUSE
2014–15 Important Dates
PO
Aug. 25-29
First week for all students
Sept. 1
Labor Day (school closed)
Oct. 13
Columbus Day (school closed)
Nov. 26–28
Thanksgiving Break (school closed)
Dec. 22–Jan. 5
Winter Break (school closed)
Jan. 19
Martin Luther King, Jr. (school closed)
Feb. 16
Presidents Day (school closed)
Mar. 16–20
Spring Break—only students with expanded-year contracts attend
April 3
Good Friday (school closed)
May 25
Memorial Day
May 29
Last day of school
Two Opportunities Remaining!
NK THI IN. AGA
Wednesday, February 12th – 7 p.m.
ST OAK
Tuesday, April 8th – 7 p.m.
e
L O O
Join us this Spring Break as we gather images of Post Oak families and friends sporting their 50th gear (or any POS gear) all over the world! We will be capturing all of the fun on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Upload your pics in real time from wherever your travels take you (even if it’s right here in Houston!) and show the world your Post Oak spirit! •
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Watch The Post and our website for more information about next year’s academic calendar. Here are a few dates we have already determined:
T
To Jamaica, of course — Where else??
in the Mu seum D istr ict
JAN UARY 31, 2014
HIG
H S
CH
1102 Autrey Street, Houston TX 77006 www.postoakhighschool.org
My Backpack Maintenance There will be scheduled maintenance performed on our systems Friday, January 31, 2014 from 9:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. All cloud services (Advantage, My BackPack, Web Services, Dashboard, etc.) will be unavailable during this time. If you have any questions, please contact Technology Director Mirna Andrade-Salgado at 713.661.6688 or technology@postoakschool.org
Bearkats Basketball 2014 GAMES REMAINING
FEBRUARY 5 vs. St. Stephen’s 4:30 11 @ School of the Woods 4:00 12 vs. St. Stephen’s 4:30
Show your school pride with spirit wear from Lands’ End. Visit www.postoakschool.org/ postoak/Spirit_Sale.asp and click on the Lands’ End logo.
SAVE THE DATE! THE POST OAK SCHOOL’S
THURSDAY, MARCH 6
9 A.M.–9 P.M.
Celebrating Heroes Throughout History Barnes & Noble
3003 W. Holcombe Blvd.
Book Fair Chairs: Jennifer Brenckmann and Vareen Cunningham
Post Oak’s Book Fair festivities will celebrate Heroes Throughout History. Students of all grade levels are involved in making this event special. Activities will include cape and mask-making, robotics, readings by our own Post Oak Primary and Infant Community teachers, performances by the ASEP choir, a poetry jam, face painting, creating your own characters with illustrator Bill Megenhardt, and a storyboard activity station. The Book Fair begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 6, and will end at 9 p.m. Feel free to come shop earlier in the day—and then return for the festivities with your children again later. Volunteers will be on hand to assist you throughout the day. Grandparents, relatives, parents, and friends can shop all week at the store beginning on March 6 (through March 9), and the proceeds will go to the school—just as they will for any purchases you make throughout the week. Just tell the cashier, “I’m with the Post Oak Book Fair.”
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In addition, if families want to shop online at www.bn.com, they can use an online code (watch for it in upcoming issues of The Post) until March 14.
Volunteers are
Bring the whole family and let the Book Fair take you from the Heroes of History into the exciting future of Post Oak!
If you’d like to help, please contact Jessica Jackson at jessicajackson@postoakschool.org.
always welcome— no experience necessary!
Friends OF THE Library UNDERWRITING FOR THE POST OAK LIBRARY
U
HANK YO ·T U
Name(s)
Address City/State/Zip Phone
Donation Amount $
Date
Make checks payable to “The Post Oak School” and write “Friend of the Library” in memo. FOR CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS:
☐ Visa ☐ Mastercard ☐ American Express ☐ Discover Card #
·
Thank you for your supp ort of the Post O ak Library
K YOU · AN TH TH
2014 BOOK FAIR
JAN UARY 31, 2014
U · THANK Y YO O
JA N UA RY 31, 2014
OU · THA KY NK AN
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Expiration Date
Name (as appears on card) Signature CSV #
Please turn in this form to the Development Office.
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JAN UARY 31, 2014
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Pa r e n t E d u c at i o n O p p o r t u n i t i e s
The Importance of Sleep in Children: A Primary Parent Education Event Recap
AMI Refresher Course: Parents’ Workshop
by Elisa Schmidt, Communications Coordinator and Post Oak parent Post Oak parent Dr. Aparajitha (Appu) Verma very graciously and directly spoke with us about her findings on the importance of sleep in children on January 16 in the Post Oak gym. Dr. Verma is the director of the Comprehensive Sleep Disorders Program and the San Jacinto Sleep Lab at Methodist, and shared a wealth of information with us. She began by helping us define what sleep actually does for our bodies and brains: • Restoration and recovery • Tissue repair • Energy Conservation • Consolidation of memory and daily experiences • Strengthen immune defenses Dr. Verma shared research that shows how the brain is cleared of toxins during sleep, and showed how sleep needs gradually lessen over time, as this need parallels brain development. Therefore, sleep is most critical in childhood, and lessens into adulthood. Here is the breakdown from the National Sleep Foundation: • 0-2 months = ~18 hrs • 2-12 months = 14-15 hrs; 2.5-5 hrs nap • 1-3 years • 3-5 years
= 12-14 hrs;1.5-3.5 hrs nap = 11-13 hrs; 0.5-1 hrs nap
• 5-12 years = 10-11 hrs; no nap • 12-18 years = 9-10 hrs
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15 AT THE WESTIN GALLERIA Presented by Debra Riordan
Montessori Promotes Disruptive Innovation Wednesday, March 5 12:00 - 1:00PM Dr. Verma described how adolescents are the most sleep-deprived of the group because of factors such as early school start times, hormones and mood, stress, technology, caffeine consumption, and sleep apnea. She shared that the #1 reason that kids don’t get enough sleep today is because of technology: television, video games, social media, and texting all lure our children to stay up past bedtime. She also addressed behavioral problems that can get in the way of sleep in childhood that we are all too familiar with, such as bedtime refusals, stalling and repeated demands. The treatment she prescribes in these instances is to emphasize the importance of limit-setting, creating consistent guidelines for both yourself and the child, and using positive reinforcement. We then discussed sleep apnea, a disorder that is under-diagnosed in children, with nocturnal symptoms such as loud snoring and observed apneic pauses after which the child may snort, gasp, or choke as air
floods back into the system. Daytime symptoms include excessive sleepiness and behavior akin to ADHD such as inability to concentrate and/or sit still. Dr. Verma cautioned parents to be on the lookout for these symptoms, as a major side effects can be impaired growth, brain cell death, and cardiovascular consequences such as pulmonary hypertension. Regarding sleep disturbances such as night terrors, sleepwalking and nightmares, Dr. Verma advises to let the episodes run their course, secure the bedroom to prevent injury, and to emphasize “sleep hygeine,” which refers to a regular, appropriate sleep schedule, a bedtime routine “sleep ritual,” using the bedroom only for sleep (no electronics allowed!), ensuring the environment is sufficiently dark and cool enough, and no caffeine after lunch. This is advice we can all live by and we are grateful to Dr. Verma for sharing her expertise with our community!
Austin Convention Center Post Oak High School Director James Moudry will serve on a panel of speakers to present the innovation that exists within the framework of Montessori: “As traditional education fails students, educators are questioning the purpose/ delivery method of education. Professionals have developed learning styles to address this problem resulting in “flipped” classrooms, peer instruction and hands-on learning. However, outcomes these methods aim to produce – critical thinking, problem solving, entrepreneurship and creativity – are already available with Montessori.”
#disruptedu For more information, visit http://schedule.sxswedu.com/events/ event_EDUP21309
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Welcome & Opening Panel 8:30 – 10:00 p.m. Fruit and Cheese Reception SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15 9:00 am – 12:00 pm | Lecture Session “I Feel a Change Comin’ On: Understanding Developmental Stages and Their Reflection in Montessori Classrooms” 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Lunch 1:30 – 4:30 pm | Lecture Session “Help Me to Help Myself : How to Support Your Child’s Development Through the Integration of Montessori Principles at Home” 5:00 – 6:00 pm | Open Meeting with the AMI/USA Board 6:00 pm | School Tours – sign up onsite COST: Half-Day: $50 | Full-Day: $125 | Full-Day & Opening Panel: $130 Register online at AMIUSA.org
Coffee with the Elementary Director February 12, 9:00 a.m. Join Elementary Director Jeff Schneider for a discussion all about student travel and class trips at the Post Oak School. All parents welcome regardless of the age of your child(ren).
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Encourage Your Teens to Attend the Houston National College Fair! The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) will hold the Houston National College Fair at the Reliant Center on Thursday, February 13 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Attending a college fair is the best way to gather information, first hand, about colleges and universities, especially those in distant cities. Participants will learn about admission requirements, financial aid, course offerings, and campus environment, as well as other information pertinent to the The fair is free and open to the public and offers high college selection process. At the fair’s counseling center, school students and their families the opportunity to meet students and parents can discuss their individual needs with face to face with college representatives from throughout college experts. Students and parents are encouraged to the country. www.ncanet.org prior to attending. • th eregister p o stonline oak at scho ol Now in its 42nd year, the National College Fair program annually helps more than 675,000 students and families explore their options for higher education, making it one of the most visible college recruitment tools in the United States. NACAC hosts 79 college fairs each year.
Group 1: 5–6 p.m. Group 2: 6:15–7:15 p.m. This is an evening when children bring their parents to school and demonstrate to them the work they do during the day. Childcare for siblings is available; please call the front desk to make a reservation.
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Bearkats Basketball 2013-14 After Monday’s game at Emery/Weiner the Bearkats basketball team has a record of six wins against seven losses with four games left on our schedule. The Bearkats won against Emery/Weiner by the score of 46-22. Scoring was led by with 17 points, followed by with 12 points. The Bearkats have been led by the four eighth graders on this year’s roster and The Bearkats have enjoyed playing an upgraded schedule this year against many very polished teams. We hope to finish the year strong and have many positive memories of our season. •
Houston National College Fair Thursday, February 13 at the Reliant Center 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Primary Parent/ Child Night Thursday, February 6
JAN UARY 31, 2014
Physical Fitness (PF) Update t h e p o s t oa k s c h o o l
Please join us for the upcoming Green Team meeting Friday, Feb. 7 at 8:45 a.m.
We have been practicing football skills in our elementary and middle school PF classes this January and are finishing up this Super Bowl week with some flag football games. We have learned how to carry a football, how to throw and catch, and also how to dodge and break away from the defenders. Next month will move into soccer, teaching dribbling skills, shotmaking and defensive moves. In Primary PF the students have been running, jumping hurdles and helping build an agility course with new foam blocks the school has purchased. The students have also been working on the Patch equipment we received last year. •
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SCENES
from The Post Oak School
1. Middle school students enjoying their botany studies. 2. A child in Infant Community concentrates on the work of window washing. 3. Exploring fractions in Primary.
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1
4. Lower Elementary students work on handwriting as a group.
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5. Working with the test tube material in Upper Elementary to solve math word problems. 6. Primary students engage in a Spanish lesson through building a house with felt shapes. 7. Lower Elementary classmates ponder the destruction an earthquake can bring. 8. A 3 year-old works on plant care in Primary. 9. Working through zoology nomenclature in Upper Elementary. 10. Lower Elementary students sport their hairnets upon returning from a field trip to an industrial gelato kitchen. 11. An Upper Elementary student gets a little help from a friend.
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4
3
5
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C A L E N DA R F E B RUA RY 2-8
POPA Coffee/Work Day 8:45 a.m. - Noon
Wed 2/5
Primary Parent/Child Night Group 1: 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Group 2: 6:15 – 7:00 p.m.
Thu 2/6
F E B R U A R Y 9 -15
Coffee w/ Elementary Director 9:00 a.m.
Wed 2/12
High School Admission Open House
N OT I C E B OA R D
Nanny Needed
Nanny Available
Part or full-time nanny sought for Galleria-area household with two young children; 2.5 years and a newborn. The ideal candidate is bilingual and English fluency is a must. Experience working with Montessori families is a plus. References required. Please contact Nicole at
Wonderful full time nanny who works with family of three children, has references available for over 13 years of long-term employment, 23 years at her church as a youth counselor and in nursery. Impeccable work ethic, extremely trustworthy, reliable, and hardworking. Please call Shanell Moody regarding details at
7:00 p.m.
Teacher In-Service Classes not in session: only students with expanded year contracts attend
Fri 2/14
EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR RE-REGISTRATION Fri - Mon 2/14-17
AMI-USA Refresher Course in Houston
Check out our calendar online or download a copy at www.postoakschool.org
Let’s Go Bearkats!
POPA Coffee/ Work Day Wednesday, Feb. 5 8:45 a.m.–noon ABOU T TH E POST The Post is distributed via email every other Friday of the regular school year. You can receive a printed copy from your oldest child, or view the PDF version online. Submit letters, articles, or photos in electronic form by 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before publication to Communications Coordinator Elisa Schmidt (elisaschmidt@postoakschool.org). If publication is on a Thursday due to school closure on Friday, then the deadline is 5:00 p.m. on the preceding Monday. THE POST OAK SCHOOL was founded in 1963 and accredited by both the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) 4600 Bissonnet, Bellaire, Texas 77401 • Telephone: 713-661-6688 • Fax: 713-661-4959 • www.postoakschool.org