Happenings at the Bryan Innovation Lab

Parents Association

Bringing Spartans together

Creative. High-energy. Non-stop-spirited. Parents Association (PA) volunteers, guided by PA President Kristen McGregor, (mother of Oliver ’26), are all this and more. A dedicated group of community builders, they plan and coordinate events that bring together Spartan students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff, and friends. During the 2022-23 academic year — and after a pause due to the pandemic — the PA brought back popular events such as the Fall Social, SpartaFest, and Sparticipation Fair, adding a 50thanniversary touch to all three. The excitement on campus at the return of these events was astounding. To wit: A record number of people (500) attended SpartaFest! A special thank you to the Fall Social Chairs (Gabby Bradford, mother of Max ’34; Nicky Naz, mother of Noah ’34 and Nuri ’34; and Stephanie Maddox, mother of Oliver ’34), and SpartaFest Chair Alden Rice (mother of Braylan ’25) for orchestrating these large-scale events.

The PA also puts a joyful blue-and-gold spin on School happenings such as the Auction at the Gala, Ice Cream Socials, Bingo, Faculty and Staff Appreciation events, and the Parent Speaker Series.

Last year, the PA’s annual fundraising reached a record-high of nearly $100,000, which funded community needs from Lower School playground equipment to Middle/Upper School science labs. This hardworking group also makes a yearly leadership gift to the School’s Annual Fund. The next time you see PA volunteers, remember: They put the “PA” in

“The Steward experience is about so much more than academic skills,” shared Head of School Dan Frank. “Care is also central to our mission: care for the individual, care for our fellow Spartans, care for oneself, and care for the greater Richmond community.”

These topics were highlighted in the Compass 2022 strategic plan and are also top of mind for administrators and faculty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That focus is why the School brought together four important functions in the 2021-22 school year: Health and Wellness; Community Life; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and School Counseling.

The Center for Engagement’s mission is to positively impact both the individual and community through intentional experiences and practices that increase empathy, responsibility, and purpose.

It includes the work of Tiffany Goodman, diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator; Rashad Lowery, campus life and community stewardship coordinator; Kris Marchant, health and wellness coordinator; and Jentae Scott-Mayo, school counselor. These four spent the 2021-22 school year building a collaborative program. This school year, several important new initiatives have progressed.

Focus On The Numbers

A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study published in the American Medical Association’s journal JAMA Pediatrics in March 2022 reports significant increases in the number of children diagnosed with mental health conditions. The study, conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration, finds that between 2016 and 2020, the number of children ages 3-17 years diagnosed with anxiety grew by 29 percent and those with depression by 27 percent.

Providing school-based wellness programs is an important tool in supporting student mental health.

Character Education In The Lower School

In past school years, Ms. Marchant has taught Lower School character education alone. This year, in keeping with the Center’s collaborative approach, the team has expanded to include Mr. Lowery and Ms. Scott-Mayo.

Each teacher focuses on the area for which they have the most expertise: Ms. Marchant connects the honor code (kindness, trustworthiness) to everyday experiences, including conflict resolution and appreciating each other’s similarities and differences. Mr. Lowery teaches service learning, empathy, and gratitude in a unit he calls “What it means to be a steward.” And Ms. Scott-Mayo focuses on organizational skills, time management, stress management, emotional regulation, and confidence building. The group brings Ms. Goodman in as needed for relevant lessons.

The group based their curricular plans on the feedback they received in a needs-assessment survey (completed by teachers) at the end of last school year, as well as CASEL, a nationally recognized framework for social-emotional learning.

“While we all have a common mindset and passion for this work, each of us has a distinct set of experiences,” Ms. Marchant said. “The students are enriched by our different perspectives, experiences, demeanors, and personalities. It's a deeper experience because we are teaching together.”

Health And Wellness Across The Divisions

The Center’s team-teaching approach extends into Middle and Upper School as well. In the Middle School, Ms. Marchant and Ms. Scott-Mayo co-lead but also include Ms. Goodman and Mr. Lowery in certain lessons.

Mr. Lowery explained how he focuses on stewardship and empathy with lessons outside of the classroom environment: “Students look forward to making a contribution to the community outside of Steward, which reinforces positive connections with each other,” Mr. Lowery shared. Each week he organizes rotating opportunities for advisory groups to serve guests at the Reinhart Guest House by making breakfast.

Like in the Lower School, the curriculum for older students is based on evidence-based practices and national standards as well as Steward-specific inputs from a spring 2022 needs assessment of students.

“The most important thing is that we consider student needs as they are evolving,” Ms. ScottMayo said. “Students today are not the same as they were yesterday or will be in years to come. Our curriculum is informed by research and data as well as global and local trends and needs.”

The Center team worked with the Middle School leadership in the summer of 2022 to restructure the schedule, allowing for Health and Wellness to be

Steward News

taught at every grade level on a more continuous basis throughout the year.

“The new schedule has opened up opportunities for innovative curricula, such as the Middle School’s partnership with the Bryan Innovation Lab for outdoor mindfulness-based health and wellness lessons and art-based activities in which students explore their own characteristics, roles, and interests,” Ms. Marchant shared.

In the Upper School, the Center team partners with Upper School Dean Livia McCoy to team teach the freshman and sophomore seminars.

“This year, I am team teaching the freshman seminar with Ms. McCoy, which is designed to allow students to think critically about themselves as individual learners and as community members,” Mr. Lowery said. “Ms. McCoy emphasizes the importance of utilizing your learning strengths to your advantage academically, and I emphasize strategies to improve relationship-building skills and conflict resolution. I work with students to explore important questions such as ‘How can I use my learning strengths to be better at school and in life? What is the best way to solve a conflict with a friend? Do I have a social responsibility to help others when people are not treating them well?’”

The sophomore seminar helps students develop skills and find information on topics including mental health, substances, personal identity, and reproductive health, and is led by Ms. Marchant with support from Ms. Goodman on certain lessons.

Restorative Practices Training And Implementation Advance

In the fall of 2021, the School began faculty and staff training in Restorative Practices for Education, an initiative spearheaded by Ms. Goodman.

The program’s goal is to strengthen relationships between individual students and social connections within the student body. An expected outcome is that our community will be enhanced through the shared experience and built trust.

Restorative Practices teaches individual skills to use daily, such as active listening and conflict resolution, as well as specific actions like faculty-facilitated listening circles and restorative conferencing. At Steward, it also highlights the principles of the honor code, including honesty and integrity.

Some Restorative Practices techniques were implemented last school year, which will become more widespread as trainings continue. In August 2022, faculty learned about the importance of doing things “with” students (instead of for, to, or not at all), which represents the balance between high accountability and high support, and the beginning stages of facilitating listening circles. And, in November, all faculty participated in a session about using affective questions to address behavior that has harmed or helped the community, focusing on who was impacted and how to make things right (or restored).

Steward is using a “train the trainer” approach to roll out the program. Ms. Goodman, Mr. Lowery, and Ms. Marchant are all fully trained and share their expertise with their colleagues, along with Yaa Akinfolajimi, the director for the Center for the Advancement of Learning. Ms. Scott-Mayo’s role is a bit different as school counselor, as explained by this example:

“In response to conflict within a grade level, the Center team took a multi-faceted approach,” Ms. Goodman said. “First, I facilitated a restorative conference between two students and their families. Then, Ms. Marchant and Ms. Scott-Mayo integrated relevant social-emotional skills in that grade level’s character education classes, and I joined Ms. ScottMayo to facilitate a friendship group among the students. Concurrently, Ms. Scott-Mayo is doing school counseling work with individuals in that grade on topics like friendship, communication, and conflict resolution. That’s the magic of how we can all work together using Restorative Practices.”

Ms. Goodman continued: “With this approach, the Center team hopes to help our students see the community, interpersonal, and personal impacts of healthy friendships through many avenues of learning. This can extend to many other topics as well, all resulting in increased community health and personal growth.”

Ray Tate Spartan Golf Classic

Teeing up for the athletics program

At the Ray Tate Spartan Golf Classic, held at Independence Golf Club, participants enjoyed lunch, lots of blue-and-gold swag, and some great golf. Named in memory of Ray Tate, a big-hearted man devoted to athletics at Steward, this annual fundraiser brings hundreds of golf enthusiasts together and benefits the School’s athletics program. This year’s Classic raised over $65,000!

Each year, a portion of the proceeds from the Golf Classic supports two Ray Tate Student-Athlete Scholarships, which are awarded to seniors who are top athletes and exemplary community members. Congratulations to Gates Fox ’23 and Sam Roberson ’23, who are this year’s recipients.

Thank you to Golf Committee Chairs Bobbie Fass (mother of Grace '21 and Isaac '23), Kelli Fox (mother of Victor '22 and Gates '23), and Lariza Rife (mother of Ainsley '23 and Sydney '24), who worked hard to ensure a fun day for golfers. And thank you to the many generous companies and individuals who sponsored the Classic!

The Spartan Club

Spirited fun with a purpose

What’s even more fun than watching Steward athletes compete? Helping them succeed by joining the Spartan Club! Membership in the Spartan Club is a great way for families, alumni, faculty, staff, and students to show their blue-andgold spirit by supporting coaches and enhancing our athletes’ experiences. Club President Chuck Wingfield (father of Mason ’31, Spencer ’25, and Chase ’23) is dedicated to bolstering the athletic program at Steward.

The 2022-23 season members will help fund a new scoreboard for field 2, two volleyball “CatchIt” machines, new weight room equipment, scholarships, and more through membership dues, the concession stand, and the annual Spartan Golf Classic. Plus, each membership level (Sparty Fan, Blue and Gold Club, and Champions Club) comes with special benefits (including free popcorn at home games!).

To join the Spartan Club, visit the Athletics section of our website, or contact Amy Sherman at amy.sherman@ stewardschool.org.

ATHLETICS AT A GLANCE: FALL 2022

Our athletes’ dedication and hard work are really something to cheer about! Over the course of the fall, the Steward community was filled with pride as athletes improved their skills, exhibited blue-and-gold teamwork, and showed tremendous Spartan spirit.

Visaa State Tournaments

Boys and Girls Cross Country

• Nathan Gu ’25 finished 17th overall, earning All-State

• Girls finished 9th of 18 DII teams

• Boys finished 9th of 18 DII teams

Boys Soccer

• Seeded #2

• Defeated #7 Norfolk Collegiate 1-0 in the quarterfinals

• Lost to #3 North Cross 1-0 in the semifinals

• Finished the season 14-5-2

Girls Volleyball

• Seeded #5

• Defeated #4 Atlantic Shores 3-2 in the quarterfinals

• Lost to #1 Peninsula Catholic 0-3 in the semifinals

• Finished the season 14-11

Girls Field Hockey

• Did not qualify

• Finished 4-15 on the season

Girls Tennis

• Did not qualify

• Finished 3-8 on the season

VISAA ALL-STATE AWARDS

Boys Soccer: Henry Bearden ’23, First Team All-State

Boys Soccer: Sam Roberson ’23, First Team All-State

Cross Country: Nathan Gu ’25, All-State

Volleyball: Kyla Johnson ’23, First Team All-State

TCIS ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS

Boys Soccer: Henry Bearden ’23, First Team AllConference

Boys Soccer: Sam Roberson ’23, First Team AllConference, Player of the Year

Cross Country: Nathan Gu ’25, All-Conference

Field Hockey: Anza Fierro ’23, Second Team AllConference

Girls Volleyball: Kyla Johnson ’23, First Team AllConference, All-Tournament Team

Girls Volleyball: Mikal Banks ’23, Second Team AllConference

Congratulations to Sam Roberson ’23,

Steward’s all-time leading scorer in soccer. In the fall, Sam broke the School’s record with his 105th goal, which was previously held by Corey Turnage ’88 for 35 years. Mr. Turnage (pictured above) was at the game when Sam made his history-making goal against Catholic High School.