The Post, January 2018

VO LU M E X X I I I , N U M B E R 5 | JA N UA RY 2018 A monthly publication of The Post Oak School P O S T OA K S I N G S ! P H O T O S • G A L A C H A I R S

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THE POST

I N M E MOR I A M

Charles Ziegler HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER Charles Ziegler was a beloved and respected member of the Post Oak community. He came to us from a career in engineering and was an instant hit with students. His dry wit, big heart, and genuine demeanor won over students, parents, and staff. He loved sports, especially college football, and would drop everything to talk with anyone about last weekend’s game results. He brought that passion to every Bearkat football practice and game. His enthusiasm was contagious.

Students knew Mr. Ziegler as a connected and caring mentor. As one parent remarked, “Mr. Ziegler was like a big brother and a father to my son.” His advisees knew how much he truly cared about their well-being and how much he invested in their success.

A tribute to Mr. Ziegler was started in front of the High School.

Photo by Jadyn Cleary, Class of ‘20

Mr. Ziegler’s loss leaves a hole in our community. We are hurting and we miss him dearly. We aim to carry on his spirit in our interactions with each other. To be, as he was, caring deeply, unfailingly compassionate, and authentic with each other. •

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The Way the Brain Has Always Learned Best

A

by Maura Joyce, Head of School

their many senses, allowing the brain to s we head back to many millennia, our brains are not create connections and reinforce neural school after a lovely much different than they were pathways. winter break (and 400,000 years ago. Paleolithic a shorter, icy one), humans had to access a broad 2. We are meant to move. …navigating a I am feeling the excitement of range of their brains’ abilities for moving, changing, three-dimensional world… There is a direct connection the students as they “get back to survival. These humans lived “… between movement, physical fitness, their work.” This phrase is one in a highly physical, fairly hostile and our thinking. The “lecture and that teachers at Post Oak hear a world that forced us to shift listen” class format is not the norm at lot—the desire from children and rapidly and creatively and to adapt Post Oak or any authentic Montessori young adults to do their work. It to conditions as they came at us environment. Students in the youngest is not a magic spell we cast over in fast-moving, three-dimensional classes are moving about all the time, them; rather it is a drive that space.” Below are the six points with a purpose, from one activity to the comes from their own brains, the article makes about learning next. As they get older and gain more skills, they are given maximum freedom which are responding to the and the brain, which just so as their level of responsibility allows way a Montessori environment happen to be consistent with Dr. to be moving from the classroom to is designed. I was reminded of Maria Montessori’s observations the library, to the gym for physical how well we cater to the way the and discoveries over 100 years ago. fitness, to the art or music room for brain learns best when I read this Tips for the classroom, offered open studio time, or outside to find article in NAIS’s Independent to teachers by the author, are leaf samples or work in the garden. Our Teacher magazine. Allen Broyles strategies that have been in use at Middle and High School students take and Scott Hamilton summarize a Post Oak for years and continue this to another level as they move from campus to our partner organizations mountain of studies and research today. in the Museum District and beyond to about brain function and learning 1. Our brains are powerful multisensory further their learning. There has never and prioritize a list of actions that processors, connected to multiple been any evidence that sitting in a chair can create a better classroom sensors in the form of our eyes, ears, for hours is the best way to learn. experience for all learners (brains) hands, tongue, nose, vestibular 3. Our paleo brains are wired to create. in the room. What the article system, proprioceptive system, and The arts are integrated into the work many others… And our brains are suggests is familiar to those of us of the classroom from the earliest made to use them all in concert with our children in a Montessori stages of development. Students are to make sense of our world. This school.

The authors’ main premise is that although humans have created and possess advanced technology and our society has evolved over

approach is found at all levels at Post Oak—from the dressing frames in YCC to the tinker labs in Middle and High School. Students use hands-on materials as part of their learning. Their brains are taking in content through

encouraged to sing and draw, dance and paint. The article emphasizes the arts, which our Post Oak students enjoy both with specialists and integrated into the classroom work. But students

continued on page 8

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Post Oak Sings!

Photos Online Last December was our first ever Post Oak Sings. Be sure to visit the online gallery for photos from the night. • View the gallery online. (https://photos. app.goo.gl/oNGiLtjJw0pPNcpf1) Watch the video on YouTube! (https:// youtu.be/97ZBPp3UMEE)

THE POST

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THE POST

Announcing Post Oak’s 10th Biennial Gala Chairs The Post Oak Parent Association is pleased to announce the chairs for our 10th Biennial Gala: Jessica Gregg and Jordan Seff.

Fund class captain. The Seff’s will also host this year’s Leadership Circle reception in April.

Held every two years, this glam gala and fundraiser sees Post Oak parents get a little wild, dance the night away, and participate in the live and raucous(!) auction for serious works of art.

Post Oak’s Biennial Gala is one event you don’t want to miss. The last two galas sold out quickly, and each event was the talk of the town. It takes an army of volunteers to put on an event this big, so when Jessica and Jordan ask you to get involved, please say yes! •

Preparations start now for the 2019 spring event. The two Post Oak parent volunteers running this show, Jessica and Jordan, are well prepared to take on this monumental task. Jessica Gregg’s family has been at the school since 2005. She and husband Vean have two daughters, one in Middle School and one in High School. Over the years, Jessica has chaired multiple school-wide events, served as POPA co-chair, and volunteered in countless ways for past Post Oak galas. Jordan Seff’s family has been at Post Oak since 2015. She and husband Dylan have two daughters in Primary and their youngest will soon start in YCC. Jordan was a major volunteer in the 2017 Gala and has worked as an Annual

Gala Co-Chairs Jessica Gregg and Jordan Seff

Class of 2018 College Acceptances Bard College Baylor University Chapman University Clark University Colorado College* Colorado State University Colorado School of Mines Mary Baldwin University Mississippi State University Pace University

Rice University* Sam Houston State University Santa Clara University Southern Methodist University St. Edward’s University, Honors College St. Louis University St. John’s College Stephen F. Austin State University Texas A&M University Trinity University

Tulane University Tulane University, Honors Program University of Alabama University of Denver University of North Texas University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Honors College University of Texas at Austin University of Texas at San Antonio Xavier University

*Denotes one or more students attending.

Congratulations to Caleb H. and Garrett S. who were accepted through early decision and committed to attend Colorado College and Rice University.

The Class of 2018 have been offered $1,145,000 in scholarships to date. Way to go!

Look for more updates in the months ahead.

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Post Oak Board Brief N E WS F R O M O U R B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S

by Vean Gregg, Post Oak Parent, Chair of the Finance Committee HARVEY PROOF: WHAT DOES FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP MEAN AT THE POST OAK SCHOOL? About a year ago when I first addressed the topic of financial stewardship in The Post, I didn’t think to address the scenario of a catastrophic 500+ year flood devastating the Houston region including Post Oak’s lower school campus. Harvey proved to be a classic blindside event that even the most well-prepared institutions never expected could be that bad. Fortunately, Post Oak’s disaster response was impressive and reflected the hearty character of the school community with many reports about the prompt leadership and tireless dedication demonstrated by faculty, staff, parents, volunteers, and contractors rallying together to expeditiously conquer an overwhelming situation.

But through all of this chaos, Post Oak’s financial capacity to deal with this disaster was never in question, and in fact, our financial strength enabled our ability to move quickly to retain reputable remediation/contractor services and get a jump on the massive rehab project (and we were all very thankful for how quickly the school was able to get our students back into their permanent classrooms). Despite some significant out-of-pocket costs, which are nearly complete at this stage, Post Oak demonstrated financial strength and resiliency capable of withstanding much bigger financial storms than Harvey.

Financial stewardship is among the many important responsibilities of The Post Oak School’s board of trustees.

World-class, AMI-trained faculty and staff; long-established programmatic vision and excellence; highly adapted classrooms and facilities; and innovative, Montessori-community proven leadership—just a short list of the many essential attributes of Post Oak that we provide for each year. The board of trustees maintains a healthy, deeply ingrained routine of continuously monitoring the school’s financial condition and outlook. Some aspect of the school’s financials is addressed at every board

meeting and often accompanied by vigorous discussion. This volunteer board is fortunate to have many individuals who bring relevant skills and experience in many important disciplines including finance. Importantly, most trustees are also parents and therefore have a firsthand sensitivity to potential community impact when making financial decisions. Long-term sustainability is a key focus and responsibility of the board and therefore a key duty of each trustee.

Financial planning is a year-round continuous process that is led by the head of school, CFO, and Finance Committee; and then approved by the board of trustees. Every August (early in the fiscal year), the board conducts an in-depth review of Post Oak’s five-year strategic plan that analyzes and aligns the school’s financial outlook against key strategic goals for the next several years. Annually, these goals are translated into the budget, which is the basis for tuition setting. For many years, the Post Oak Board has successfully followed the guidance of the Independent School Management’s stability model, which specifies that tuition should seek to cover all program costs. Additional income, through very generous giving from our school community, alumni, and foundations, is used for longer-term programmatic goals, investments in facilities, building up operating reserve, and steadily growing Post Oak’s Endowment Fund.

Your family should have recently received the 2017 Annual Report which reviews many of the school’s accomplishments last school year and provides year-end financial information. In 2018–2019, we’re projecting more than 525 students with both campuses effectively at full occupancy. Overall, Post Oak’s long history of responsible financial stewardship is a core value, and the institution is well positioned to continue its mission of educating future leaders.

Please feel free to contact me directly at vjgregg@swbell.net if you wish to discuss anything to do with the school’s financial condition in more detail. •

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The Way the Brain Has Always Learned Best continued from page 3

in Montessori classrooms are asked to create work that demonstrates mastery of a concept and the doors are wide open as to how to do that.

Post Oak students present work in creative ways including poetry and prose, writing plays and skits, dramatis personae, PowerPoint presentations, blogs, and through debate and seminar. Our Montessori adolescents experience the J-Term and A-Term two-week intensive courses that are designed by students.

4. Through and through, we are social creatures. The best schools promote mastery in both the academic and the social domain.

All classrooms are communities at Post Oak. This is not an “addon” but rather integrated into the fabric of everyday life at Post Oak. Social relationships are necessary for collaborative work, keeping the environment organized, and enjoying time on the playground. Elementary through High School, classes have a weekly community meeting in which they discuss the needs of the community, problem solve the challenges they have, and plan for events. All community meetings begin or end with appreciations—the practice of expressing gratitude to your fellow students and teachers.

Social interaction is constantly happening in YCC through High School, not just during lunch or on the playground.

THE POST

5. The unfolding of brain development is just as uneven as physical development… There is, in fact, little support from the neurodevelopmental literature that defends using age as the primary sorting metric for learning. Maria Montessori stressed the importance of the mixed-aged group to create a more dynamic learning environment. Post Oak students get to experience novice and leadership roles as they progress through the two- to three-year cycle.

They have opportunities to teach and learn from their peers. We recognize that each student will have his/her developmental path—and will grow at his/her own pace. The mixed-age group guarantees work partners for all and refocuses learning groups on ability, not birth date.

6. We use executive function skills all the time to adapt to our environment. Executive functioning has been discussed at length for years now in educational circles. Many have been identified by psychologists and educators alike. These include behaviors such as focusing attention; organization of materials and personal space; inhibiting action, planning, time management; self-correcting, as well as others. Post Oak classrooms are designed and structured to engage these executive functions throughout the day. Students choose a material, organize their space, and engage in independent work. Setting goals in an Elementary learning journal, planning a group project, trying, failing, and course-correcting—are all part of what

happens in the class on a daily, ongoing basis. Executive functions are engaged throughout a student’s years at Post Oak. The article concludes that what we want is for our students’ brains to be flexible.

We do this well at Post Oak, and it is important that we do, as the future our students face is going to be full of artificial intelligence and a changing landscape of work options. (See this article from EdWeek.) Classrooms designed this way will help the student be prepared to reinvent themselves when needed. As technology continues to change our world, our students need to be adaptable—physically, socially, cognitively.

Adaptation was a word that Montessori used in 1906. She stressed that one of the goals of education was to help the child adapt to the world they live in—learning how to learn and being ready (with all those executive functions) to plan and organize, monitor and course correct, in order to adapt to the next change coming their way. Our students may not be thinking about all this now. All they know is that when they walk into school each day at Post Oak, their brains are engaged in a way they were designed to be. • www.nais.org/magazine/independentteacher/fall-2017/teaching-to-all-the(paleo)-brains-in-the-room/ www.edweek.org/ew/ articles/2017/12/13/students-must-beprepared-to-reinvent-themselves.html

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Book Bash During the Winter Break, Middle School student Brooke L. ’23 hosted “Brooke’s Book Bash” for children affected by Harvey. After receiving a grant and donations, she gathered 1,500 books and planned a fun day of activities and crafts.

Read more online at the Houston Chronicle (check our Facebook page for the link).

Great work, Brooke! •

S T O R Y T I M E

with Cory For parents & their children in

YCC & Half-Day Primary

. .m p 0 :3 2 t a 1 2 . b Wed., Fe Bissonnet Campus ol

o at The Post Oak Sch

Note from the Nurse We know how important work is to all of us as adults, and we know how much our children love to come to school to participate in their communities. We also know that children do not perform their best and put their entire community at risk when they come to school sick. Please refer to our Family Handbook or contact me if you ever have questions about whether your child should attend school. If they have experienced any fever in the previous 24 hours, please do not bring them to school. Finally, Texas is having a particularly bad year for flu already, and flu peaks between January and March. Post Oak has already seen reported cases of flu.

While the flu shots are not mandatory or 100 percent effective, studies show that the vaccine may decrease the severity of symptoms and/or the length of the illness.

Please consider whether getting one for yourself and your family might be in your best interest this year.

Respectfully, Kate Lagus, BSN, RN

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THE POST

Thank you, Post Oak! Dear Parents and Staff, Thank you so much for your participation and support for our Braes Interfaith Ministries annual food drive at the Bissonnet Campus. Your generosity never ceases to amaze me, especially after an autumn of great need and great giving. This year beat our record of number of boxes!

As the boxes were piling up before delivery, I could hear the excitement and pride of the children passing by, telling each other what they gave. What a wonderful lesson of sharing what we have with someone who is in need.

Sincerely, Beth Olitzki

POST OA K PAR E N T E D UC AT IO N E VE N T S

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Redirecting Children’s Behavior with Deborah Fry, Ph.D., C.P.E.

Tuesdays, Jan. 30, Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27, & Mar. 6 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Post Oak $245 for one; $345 per couple Register online at www.deborah-fry.com

Parenting the Love & Logic WayÂŽ

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presented by

Phylis R. Tomlinson, LPC, LMFT, ATR-BC

Thursdays, Jan. 25, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, March 1 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Post Oak

$130 individual, $240 per couple Workbook (optional) $15 To register, send payment & email address to: Phylis R. Tomlinson, 4010 Blue Bonnet #109, Houston, TX 77025 phylistomlinson@gmail.com or 713.668.6558

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POS T OA K PA R E N T E D UC AT IO N E VE N T S

YCC

Spring Conference Registration Spring Parent-Teacher Conference registration is available on our website.

Sign up at www.postoakschool. org ▶ For Parents ▶ Schedule/ View a Parent-Teacher Conference and use your My BackPack login information.

PRI

FISH Meeting Thurs., Jan. 25 at 6 p.m. and/or Fri., Jan. 26 at 9 a.m.

The Journey of Communication from Birth to Six Families Integrating School and Home (FISH) is a parent group guided by Early Childhood Director Mirani Smith. These meetings focus on helping to support Montessori principles at home with the guidance of experts and ideas generated by parents.

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YCC

OPEN HOUSES FOR HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSION 2018 Share with a friend!

Tues., Feb. 6, 7 p.m.

Tues., April 3, 7 p.m.

Museum District Campus 1010 Autrey Street

YCC ParentChild Events Fri., Feb. 2 YCC Parents, join your child in the classroom to get a glimpse into their experience at school.

HDYCC: 10:30–11:30 a.m.

FDYCC: 3:45–4:45 p.m.

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THE POST

N OT I C E B OA R D Annual Fund Update

85% PARENT PARTICIPATION

$312K

RAISED TO DATE TOWARD OUR $330K GOAL!

Book Fair Order Form is in the Works Book Fair is Sunday, April 15.

Pre-order books from a curated list of recommendations by Post Oak faculty. This year’s Book Fair Order Form will be coming out at the end of January. Look for more details in upcoming Post Highlights emails.

Expanded-year contract day for Primary students Friday, February 2 is an expandedyear contract day for Primary students. Only Primary classes are not in session—all other levels (YCC, EL, MS, & HS) are in session.

Upcoming Holidays & Conference Days February 16: Teacher in-service February 19: Presidents’ Day, school closed March 2: Conference day—classes are not in session: only students with expanded year contracts attend March 12–16: Spring Break— only students with expanded year contracts attend March 30: Good Friday, school closed

To avoid the school’s email communications arriving in your junk mail folder, please add info@postoakschool.org to your safe sender list or address book/contacts.

2018–2019 Academic Calendar available on our website Next year’s academic calendar is available online in a handy one-page PDF. Visit www.postoakschool. org/postoak/School_Calendar.asp.

A BOU T TH E POST The Post appears every first Monday of the month during the regular school year.

You can receive a printed copy from your oldest child, or a PDF version online.

Submit letters, articles, or photos in electronic form to Communications Coordinator Elaine Schweizer (elaineschweizer@postoakschool.org) by 5:00 p.m. on the Monday one week prior to publication. Please direct all requests for permission to reprint articles to the communications coordinator.

The Post Oak School was founded in 1963 and accredited by both the International Baccalaureate® Programme (IBO) and the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) Bissonnet Campus: 4600 Bissonnet St., Bellaire, TX 77401 ■ Tel.: 713-661-6688 ■ Fax: 713-661-4959 Museum District Campus: 1010 Autrey St., Houston, TX 77006 ■ Tel.: 832-538-1988 ■ Fax: 832-538-1926 www.postoakschool.org | facebook.com/thepostoakschool