Winter 2021-22
IN THIS ISSUE Bringing Our Core Values to Life Alumni Profile: Mohamed Musa ’13 Wyvern Retreat Program Name Change Exploration Update
By Alexandra S. Thurstone G’80, ’84
Middle School Drama presents Zink
BRINGING OUR CORE VALUES TO LIFE As I write this article, another school year is halfway complete, and what an incredible year it has already been. While things have not fully returned to normal, our hallways and classrooms are once again alive with sights and sounds of joyful teaching and learning on both our vibrant campuses. We have spent a good deal of time in the first half of the 2021-22 school year rolling out our refreshed and newly defined Core Values. We bring these Values to life each day in our classrooms and with our students so that they are much more than just words on a page. Our Core Values are: Intellectual Curiosity and Critical Thinking, Equity and Cultural Competency, Individuality and Responsibility, Creativity and Expression, Kindness and Belonging. We have posted these Core Values around our campuses, but more importantly, we have worked collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students to explore what these values look like in action in our school community. I’d like to take a moment to expound on each pairing of values and how they all show up in daily life at SFS. Intellectual Curiosity and Critical Thinking are the academic tools that we strive to cultivate in our students in order to fuel their pursuit of knowledge and understanding. Children at every age, from preschoolers to adolescents, are innately curious. They have questions and they seek answers, and at St. Francis School, our goal is to guide them to personalize their learning. Students are taught to challenge what they read and hear in order to look beyond the surface and engage more deeply with the subjects they are learning. In doing so, they build a foundation for lifelong learning and thinking critically about the world around them. By letting students’ own passion and curiosity take the lead, students find greater purpose in their learning. Plus, it’s more fun! By fostering Intellectual Curiosity and Critical Thinking, our students become better decision makers and problem solvers. They develop a growth mindset that prepares them to face the challenges they will encounter in life beyond St. Francis School.
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At left and above: Students and teachers work together bringing core values to life
Equity and Cultural Competency (the latter, defined by Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, as “the attitude, knowledge, and skills to effectively interact with people from different cultures”) have long been integral parts of who we are at St. Francis School. But this is a journey and the work is never complete. This work has served as the bedrock for those hallmark traits of compassion, openmindedness, and inclusivity for which our graduates are known. It begins in the Preschool, where we talk about our similarities and differences and we celebrate all children and their unique families, with the goal being to support all our students in developing positive attitudes about race, diversity, and inclusion. This work is then woven throughout all our other divisions as well. From student-led Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) groups and the thoughtful programming they sponsor in the High School to the Pollyanna Racial Literacy Curriculum in the Lower and Middle School to the Compassionate Conversations program in Lower School to the diverse authors and protagonists represented in the Goshen Campus Library and in all course reading lists, Equity and Cultural Competency are living words that involve ongoing work throughout the School community. Individuality and Responsibility are a unique pairing at SFS and capture the dual respect we all hold for each individual, as well as our entire Wyvern community. Individuality and Responsibility help us build a School culture in which students learn, at developmentally appropriate levels, the
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nuance and complexity of balancing their individual needs, thoughts, and ideas with the collective good of the entire group. Wyverns are affirmed for who they are, and they also look out for each other. While we celebrate each individual, St. Francis School is ultimately a community, and we are all responsible for and to each other. This unique balance is part of the magic of SFS. As a Progressive school, Creativity and Expression are what we expect to see in every classroom, every day. St. Francis School classrooms exude joy and vibrance. Learning is messy and active — our students are engaged in what they are learning with each of their teachers as their guide. The process of creating, expressing, investigating, and refining to construct and share meaning becomes the learning process itself. St. Francis School students think in unique ways and they are able to articulate their ideas — orally and in writing — to others through our emphasis on Creativity and Expression in every class. In each of our divisions, Kindness and Belonging are intentionally woven throughout our curriculum and can be seen in our interactions and relationships with students and families. We think about Kindness and Belonging in terms of how to guide our students to treat each other in our everyday interactions. In essence, Kindness and Belonging are foundational to our hopes and dreams for each student who enters our School, and for all students in our community and across the world.
www.StFrancisSchool.org
By Bethany Heckel, Director of Advancement
The High School’s Wyvern Indoor Turf and Training Center RibbonCutting Ceremony
With the completion of newly renovated space on the Downtown Campus, Wyvern Pride expands! On October 4, 2021, a ribbon-cutting ceremony revealed and celebrated the official opening of the Wyvern Indoor Turf and Training Center at the High School. Head of School Alexandra Thurstone and Board of Trustees Chair James Melhuish welcomed students, trustees, parents, alumni, civic leaders, and media representatives to explore the newest addition in a series of projects outlined in the School’s Master Campus Plan. The Training Center is the first step in the final phase of the Master Campus Plan in which an Athletic Center adjacent to the High School will include regulation-size basketball and volleyball courts, locker rooms, and concessions. The Wyvern Indoor Turf and Training Center features a 2,500 square foot indoor turf space, a fully-equipped weight room with cardio equipment, offices for our athletic staff, and display spaces for our athletic record boards, trophies, and team photos. This stunning renovation provides students with onsite training facilities of which they can be proud and space in our urban environment to practice sports, exercise, or just play during free time. The addition of the Wyvern Indoor Turf and Training Center advances our ongoing quest to grow the athletic program and our effort to continue building outstanding athletic facilities for our students and teams. We encourage you to stop by and see this incredible transformation for yourself!
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why we give : the gilbert family
Justin, Kristin, Rose G’12, ‘16, and Lily G’18, ‘22 Gilbert
save the date! our good earth march 2022 Due to the local community statistics with regard to COVID-19 this fall, we moved Our Good Earth to the spring. The event will now be held on Saturday, March 19 at 6:00 p.m. We hope to see you there!
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We are closing out our 15th year of being St. Francis School parents. Our older daughter, Rose, began 5th grade in Goshen and graduated from the High School in 2016. She graduated from Princeton in 2020, has a master’s degree from the Columbia School of Journalism, and is now working at Nashville Public Radio. Our younger daughter, Lily, began in the Dancing Dolphins (then the 4s class of the Preschool) and will be graduating from the High School in May. We give because we have proudly watched our daughters thrive and grow in an empowering and rigorous academic environment that we know has fully prepared them for their next chapters in life. It is because of our family’s multiple decade-long partnership with St. Francis School that we are honored to chair this year’s Annual Fund campaign and to encourage other families to support the Annual Fund, as well. We give because giving back is part of what it means to be a Wyvern…please join us!
annual report Our 2020-21 Annual Report is available on our website at StFrancisSchool.org/Publications. If you would like a hard copy of the Annual Report, please contact Kenisha Kelsey, Director of Development, at KKelsey@StFrancisSchool.org.
www.StFrancisSchool.org
Mohame Mohamed Musa ’13, originally from Somalia, came to the United States from a refugee camp in Kenya when he was 11, after the death of his parents. He spoke no English and had not been in school while at the refugee camp. The Linkous family – parents of three SFS alumni, Sarah ’07, Rachel ’09, and Matthew ’13, who was still at the school – met him at a soccer tryout after he began high school. They began a family tutoring project, working with Musa and other Somali boys on math and English. Soon after, St. Francis School welcomed Musa as a student after the Linkouses introduced Musa to the School. He believes that being part of the SFS community changed his life, inspiring him to try to create a similar experience for children left behind in his former Kenyan refugee camp. Current Job Title/Educational Path/Location: I am a professional commercial truck driver based in Louisville, but I drive all across the country. I have also founded a national Somali soccer tournament that is now a three-day, multi-sport festival, as well as a school for children in the refugee camp I came from in Kenya.
Mohamed Musa getting his US Citizenship
Briefly describe your path after leaving St. Francis School. I attended Spalding University for two years and started on the Spalding soccer team. I am now a parent who works hard to provide for my child and give back to the community. What three words come to mind first to describe St. Francis School? Community, Caring, Inclusive.
Matthew Linkous ’13, Abas Isgowe ’14 and Musa in high school, visiting DC and going to a Premiere League game
Musa Senior Page
Wyvern Report
Looking back at your time at St. Francis School, how would you describe what makes a St. Francis School education unique? Small classes allow a lot of personal time with the teachers. The teachers pay attention to each individual student, and you feel included in the classroom. It makes a huge difference. The diversity at St. Francis School is unique in that people come from all backgrounds, countries, and experiences. Here, kids from different backgrounds are all interacting — and we were comfortable interacting with everyone. Even though I had the same background as my classmates Noor Ambure ’13 and Abas Isgowe ’14, there was no expectation that I would just hang out with them, because I was comfortable with everyone. Do you recall a specific teacher who influenced you or had a particular impact on you? Every teacher I had had some impact on me, including Ms. Morrison (volunteer tutor, substitute teacher, and parent of Kinsey ’14, Jillian G’13, ’17, and Teagan G’17, ’21) who worked with me after school because she knew that I needed extra help with ACT studies; Mr. Word and
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med Musa ’13 Dr. Johnson, who worked hard to make sure I understood the material in my science classes; and Dr. Marshall, who as a history teacher and someone who has lived and traveled in several different continents, really understood what it was like to be from somewhere else in the world. He spent a lot of time with me outside of class helping me become comfortable facing the challenges of another culture. He told a lot of stories about other countries. He opened my eyes to other cultures and how they impact your own culture. He was an important teacher and was the coach of the soccer team, so I got to spend a lot of time with him. How did your experience at St. Francis School impact your career path and/or life? St. Francis School helped me see how I can help my community. I started with my own community first. We started a Somali Bantu community soccer tournament that brought teams from across the country to compete in Louisville. We are having our fifth tournament this year, and we added an outdoor tournament and a recognition ceremony for those people who found jobs as teachers, finished college, joined law enforcement, and started other careers. We also had a music festival and a basketball tournament to help bring people together. We have also been teaching others how to run tournaments, and we added an under-16 age group to help keep youth engaged. In the past few years, more families are coming to Louisville to be part of the reunion, and so we are trying to provide more opportunities for our youth. In addition to cultivating a community in Louisville, I also wanted to create a school for kids left behind in refugee camps in Kenya. I wanted a school that feels like St. Francis School. I wanted a school that was available to any student who wants to attend. I wanted teachers who care about their students, and included things like my experience within the St. Francis School community and from SFS parents like Jamie and Scott Gregor who provided valuable job opportunities even though I had no experience. Also, having Laura and Dave Linkous as my host parents helped me and others in the community while giving us experiences we would not have had otherwise. I don’t think anyone had a better life than I did when I was at St. Francis
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School. And Matt (my classmate and host brother) went from having a house to himself to having all of us in his life. Matt had to share everything and be responsible for us, and I think that shaped him, too. I have few regrets in my life. I had a great start with St. Francis School and I couldn’t be any happier with how things are going. Because of all of these experiences and people in my life, I have been able to have an impact on my community and the broader world, and I’m particularly proud of the school we started in the refugee camp that I came from in Kenya. What are the highlights of your career thus far? Creating Mustaqbal Academy in Dagahaley Refugee Camp in Kenya this April is the highlight of my career. The teachers who are there were able to get an education and now have a job teaching over 200 students English and math. We do not charge for the school, so my close friend Abdul Abdulahi and four others pay each month to keep the school going. My work as a commercial driver, along with Meadowlark Enterprises, LLC (my newly launched trucking business co-founded with my former host mother Laura Linkous), helps me pay for the school. My dream of owning a business that can be used to help others find a path in the U.S. has now been realized. How do you define success? Do what you can and enjoy it while you are doing it. To me, that’s success more than anything else. It’s important to enjoy what you do, and do the best you can with what you have. What’s next for you? I really don’t know what’s next. We want to do more with the school. We would like to provide meals for the students, and possibly expand the school to add a play area. We understand what it means for the kids in the camp — in an environment where they have so little — and we want to keep working to make it better for them. If you would like to contribute to the financial success and sustainability of this mission, or to learn how you can help, please reach out to Bethany Heckel at BHeckel@StFrancisSchool.org.
www.StFrancisSchool.org
2021 reunion update On Saturday, September 11 we hosted our first-ever virtual reunion to celebrate the classes of 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2010, and 2011. A virtual format allowed for alums to join from all across the country – not just those in Louisville! We enjoyed catching up with SFS happenings, hearing life updates, and reminiscing about high school days! We look forward to hosting our next in-person reunion in 2022!
wyvern pop-up What’s a Wyvern Pop-Up? It’s an alumhosted, small, casual, in-person or virtual gathering of Wyverns somewhere outside of Louisville. You simply contact the Alumni Office and we’ll send a box of Wyvern swag (Baby Wyvern stuffed animals, bumper magnets, t-shirts, etc.) to the event, and once we get some great photos of this Wyvern Pop-Up, we’ll reimburse the host for the first round or two! (Of course there are a limited number of events per year and limits on reimbursements, but you get the idea.) Curious? Contact us at Alumni@ StFrancisSchool.org for more information.
Wyvern Report
Bill Schreiber G’84, ’88 recently launched an internet radio station called ElectroMagnetic Radio. With a goal of presenting an eclectic array of community-oriented content, music, Bill cultural arts, and progressive Schreiber G’84, ’88 programming from all over the globe, the station is currently on all day long with 20+ LIVE shows broadcasting from cities like Brooklyn, Berlin, Louisville, London, LA, Toronto, Pittsburgh, the Hudson Valley, New Orleans, and many more! They are working hard to build an audience and add new shows each week with a target of 24/7 live, hosted programming. Bill graciously extended to SFS the opportunity for teachers or students to create a radio show, and Wyvern Radio is coming into existence, with High School Spanish Teacher Angela Katz at the helm and a number of students involved! Check out the station’s website at EM-Radio.com where you can access the station’s audio stream, on-air calendar, bios for the family of DJs, and descriptions of all the shows. If you have any questions, including interest in starting a show on ElectroMagnetic Radio, feel free to contact Bill at info@ElectroMagnetic-Radio.com. Jerome Baker ’98 recently visited the School for the opening of the Wyvern Indoor Turf and Training Center. Jerome, who is an alumnus of the River City Drum Corps (RCDC), and who was introduced to St. Francis School by its founder Ed White, a St. Francis School Trustee in the 90’s, has now succeeded Ed as RCDC’s leader. We look forward to working with Jerome to rekindle the relationship between RCDC and St. Francis School! Sarah VanGaasbeek ’07 is finishing her family medicine residency in Fort Collins, CO before beginning a year-long fellowship in surgical obstetrics in Spokane, WA. She and husband Miles Slinde are expecting their first child, Julianna Ruth, in December 2021. Mara Bartlett Asenjo ’11 was recently promoted to Director of Chulitna Lodge Wilderness Retreat and Creative Residency Program, located at an off-grid bush property in Alaska (www.ChulitnaLodge.com). She lives there during the summer and spends the rest of her time, approximately nine months out of the year, in New Orleans, LA.
wyverns in new york 2021 Head of School Alexandra Thurstone G’80, ’84 and Director of Advancement Bethany Heckel traveled to NYC on December 9-12. Alum and long-time Wyverns in New York host Kareem Bunton ’90 hosted us at his bar in Brooklyn, Bunton’s World Famous, 1005 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY. If you live in NYC, but didn’t get info from us about this, that means we do not know you are there. Please email Bethany at BHeckel@StFrancisSchool.org so we can add you to the email list and invite you to future gatherings!
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engagements and marriages John Shumate ’00
Leslie Estill ’05
Mary Anne Masterson ’87 married Chris Klinger in July 2021.
Hillary Stotts Denham ’05 married Robert Gu on June 15, 2021.
John Shumate ’00 married Sarah Hammond on May 29, 2021.
Audrey Matthias ’05 married Pete Zafros on October 23, 2021.
Kristin Frederick G’98, ’02 married Michael York on November 6, 2021. Kristin is the stepmom of Liam and Madeline, and she, Michael, and their family now live in Cincinnati.
Leslie Estill ’05 married Kegan Van Skoik on September 11, 2021 in Folly Beach, SC (the Edge of America). Leslie and Kegan met in Charleston, SC where they now live in their new home in the West Ashley area and enjoy the Lowcountry lifestyle.
Miriam Roff ’09
Miriam Roff ’09 got engaged to fiancé Mike Palicz in January 2021. They currently reside in our nation’s capital with their beloved pandemic puppy, Burke, and are looking forward to getting married in Louisville on June 4, 2022.
in memoriam
John Wheaton
baby
John Wheaton passed away August 2, 2021. John was a teacher of a variety of subjects, mainly physics, as well as the IT Director and Chess Master, for over 20 years at St. Francis High School. After leaving St. Francis, John moved to China to teach there. Education was John’s biggest passion. He continued his own studies and supported those of others. Throughout his life, he sponsored multiple children’s education, both privately and through the nonprofit organization, Save the Children. He is survived by his former spouse, Bonnie Wheaton, son Jason Peacock (Lesa), son David Peacock (Mandi), daughter Darcy Dugan ’04 (Jacob), and son James Wheaton ’07 (Angel). John is also survived by his grandchildren, Taylor Hunt, Melina Hunt, Camille Dugan, and Elise Dugan, and by countless students who were encouraged and inspired by him during his life.
wyverns
Allison (Welsh) Martin ’99 and her husband Nick welcomed their third child, Nora Mae, on September 28, 2021. She joins big siblings Madeleine and Cooper. Emily Tate G’97 and her husband Ian welcomed their son, Baxter, on August 25, 2021.
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Nora Martin
www.StFrancisSchool.org
By The Name Change Exploration Task Force
Our goal is to be transparent about the process and to hear all voices. We also recognize the importance of honoring our School’s history. This is a very emotional issue, and we care very deeply about all of our alumni, as well as all our constituents, who feel a strong attachment to the name. One thing is for sure: while the name is up for consideration, the essence and Mission of St. Francis School (and the Wyvern!) will remain intact.
Is it Time to the School’s “You go to St. Francis School? That’s a Catholic school, right?” “We’ve been looking for a child-centered, Progressive school for a while, but we didn’t look at St. Francis School because we assumed it was a traditional, religious school.” Sound familiar? These are comments we have heard many times over the years from friends and prospective new families at St. Francis School, and we imagine you have as well. There is no doubt that the St. Francis name is confusing and does not accurately reflect who we are as a School, although St. Francis, the person, certainly shares some characteristics with our Mission. As an institution that strives to keep our Mission central to all we do, this confusion with our name is a particular challenge. A significant reason to explore this name change is to consider the dissonance between the Mission and the name. In terms of communicating who we are to prospective families, we have found that once we get the opportunity to dialogue with a family, this obstacle is easily overcome; and certainly once someone visits either campus, the confusion is quickly remedied. However, the real questions are: How many good-fit families never get that far and, therefore, never learn that we are the school for them? And does our name accurately proclaim who we are as a School to those unfamiliar with us who we are as a School? What we know about the admissions process is that families create a short list of schools they will consider, and then conduct research on those schools. The name “St. Francis” may be keeping us off too many people’s short lists because it implies something we are not. This is a hurdle that we have diligently worked to overcome through consistent marketing efforts for the last 20+ years. In order to ensure the long-term success and vitality of the School, we called in some outside experts — consultants from Independent School Management (ISM) — to examine the key factors and make some recommendations. ISM conducted interviews with various constituents in order to assess this challenge and make recommendations on how to ensure the future success of the School. The feedback from all key constituents — our admissions office, faculty/staff, parents, trustees, and students — was that they frequently hear confusion in the community around our name. A statistical survey completed by local experts just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic provided further evidence. Horizon Research of Louisville found that over 50% of parents with school-aged children who can afford private school education and were aware of the School thought St. Francis School was a faith-based, religious school.
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Change Name? As such, ISM’s number one recommendation, among several others — including that we should increase engagement with parents, clearly communicate superior outcomes for graduates, create an Enrollment Management Team at the School made up of administrators and faculty to lead and provide input on all our admissions efforts, hire a Director of Marketing and Communications (FYI, alumna and current parent Carolyn Gilles Hannan ’99 started in this role in August), and enhance and focus our digital marketing campaigns — was that we consider changing the religious-sounding name of our school. As we have shared in prior communications, the Board of Trustees unanimously decided to move forward with the formal exploration of a name change for the School by forming a task force to create and oversee the process of helping us to carefully consider how significantly our name impacts our future and if there is significant enough confusion around it to warrant changing it. This 30-person Name Exploration Task Force, which includes volunteers from all our major constituent groups, created a process to ask questions, listen, gather information, and ultimately make a recommendation to the Board by early 2022. The first step in the process was a survey, and we are thrilled that more than 1,400 people engaged with the survey, with almost 950 people completing it. The second step was to conduct ten Listening Sessions — some virtual and some in person. We were also pleased with the great turnout for these and the many people who were interested in sharing their thoughts and ideas. We have also conducted numerous one-on-one meetings and small group meetings. Additional steps the Task Force is undertaking include gathering data and seeking input from college admissions officers, faculty and staff recruiting firms, and other schools and nonprofits that have changed their names or at least considered the process, as well as exploring the potential costs of a name change. The Task Force plans to complete this work by January 2022 and present a recommendation to the Board later that month.
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Then, the Board will vote on whether to move forward with a name change. The Task Force is taking this process very seriously. It is very clear that despite the challenges the name presents, the name “St. Francis” means a great deal to all who love the School. Our goal is to be transparent about the process and to hear all voices. We also recognize the importance of honoring our School’s history. This is a very emotional issue, and we care very deeply about all of our alumni, as well as all our constituents, who feel a strong attachment to the name. One thing is for sure: while we are considering a change to the name of the school, our intent is to remain true to the unique Mission and philosophy of St. Francis School, which has remained fundamentally unchanged since our founding. And by the way, the Wyvern will definitely remain! Similarly, the Board of Trustees takes very seriously its role of promoting and preserving the Mission and providing for the financial health of the School so that we can continue educating bright and promising young people throughout Metro Louisville long into the future. It is with this in mind that we undertake this name change investigation, and we continue to welcome your input throughout the process. For information on survey results and a summary of feedback gathered in the listening sessions, please visit the Name Exploration page on our website at www.StFrancisSchool.org/NameChangeExploration. Additionally, please feel free to share comments, concerns, and questions at NameExploration@StFrancisSchool.org and a member of the Name Exploration Task Force will be in touch. Whether the end result is a School named St. Francis or a new name, we are committed to working together with those who know and love this School to ensure its vibrant future. This thriving, supportive community will continue to deliver an innovative education where students grow into engaged, mindful contributors to the world around them.
www.StFrancisSchool.org
The Program focuses on empowering students’ growth. Students venture off campus to meet new challenges in the natural world and to develop as adolescents and young adults The St. Francis School Wyvern Retreat Program, offered in 5th -12th grades, focuses on empowering students’ growth. Students venture off campus, together, to meet new challenges in the natural world and to develop as adolescents and young adults. In Middle School, the core purpose of Wyvern Retreats is to conduct a safe and structured educational experience designed to inspire self-esteem, self-reliance, concern for others, and care for the environment. The Program focuses on empowering students’ growth. Students venture off campus to meet new challenges in the natural world and to develop as adolescents and young adults.) Then at the High School, the overall goals of the program move to specifically building compassion, developing leadership skills, fostering a sense of community, and enhancing a sense of belonging. Particular goals include growth for each student personally in exploring aspects of their own roles as members of a class and stepping outside their comfort zones; growth for each class as a community – team-building, learning how to work together, exploring positive communication and conflict resolution techniques; and growth for our whole St. Francis School student community.
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6th Grade
5th Grade
5th Grade The 5th Grade Retreat is designed to be a positive introduction to camping overnight. Students’ experiences on this two-day, one-night trip allow them to develop independence, personal responsibility, and a greater appreciation of nature. They engage in team-building and bonding activities at YMCA Camp Piomingo in Brandenburg, Kentucky. Students also learn new skills like archery and fire building, and they have the opportunity to tackle a high ropes course under the guidance of the Camp Piomingo counseling staff. Students bunk together in rustic cabins, hike the trails of Otter Creek Park, and build a sense of both individuality and responsibility as they spend one night away from home together with their classmates and trip leaders. 6th Grade The 6th Grade Retreat is typically a full school week at Pine Mountain Settlement School in the Appalachian region of eastern Kentucky. Founded to serve the children of rural southeastern Kentucky in the early part of the 20th century, Pine Mountain Settlement School evolved in the 1970s as an experiential, environmental education site. In addition to spectacular natural beauty, Pine Mountain
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5th Grade
6th Grade
offers our students a unique exposure to the history, culture, and environmental issues that define Appalachia. For St. Francis School, it makes particular sense to partner with an institution that reinforces so much of what we stand for: hands-on learning, outdoor experience, and ecological awareness. Students hike and explore while they learn a great deal about geographical diversity and natural resources in the region. They study how the humans inhabiting the region have utilized these resources over thousands of years and also learn about the various effects of human activity on the landscape of the region. Students also benefit from the team-building and problem-solving experiences of living together in a rustic, dormitory-style setting. Cultural activities captivate the 6th graders each evening as they enjoy programming such as Appalachian storytelling and folk dancing with a live bluegrass band. Due to the pandemic, this trip has been interrupted the last two school years. The Middle School team eagerly anticipates the 6th graders’ return to Pine Mountain Settlement School in the fall of 2022. Since this group of students missed out on a Wyvern Retreat last year, they will also accompany the 5th graders to YMCA Camp Piomingo in the Spring of 2022.
www.StFrancisSchool.org
7th Grade
10th Grade
8th Grade
7th Grade The 7th Grade Retreat takes place at Brown County State Park and the Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana. The focus of the two-night, three-day 7th grade trip is twofold. First, the class is given a primer on how to camp safely while taking on greater personal responsibility for their experience. The students are given firsthand experience in setting up their camps, cooking, and traveling safely in a group on trails in the forest. Second, 7th grade students are given an opportunity (repeated in 11th grade) to think about where they fall on the leadership continuum. As part of this focus, students work through team-building exercises and a series of reflections that culminate each evening around our campfire discussions. This trip is considered a formative experience that will help to prepare students for their weeklong backpacking trip during the 8th grade. 8th Grade The 8th grade trip to Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area for five days of backpacking and four nights of tent camping is designed to give students an opportunity to further develop and improve their personal competence, self-awareness, judgment and decision-making, tolerance for adversity and uncertainty, and communication in a setting outside of the normal confines of the school day. This is a true in-the-field experience. The class travels on the
Wyvern Report
8th Grade
9th Grade
11th Grade
backcountry trails of the Big South Fork all week (and in all manner of weather). Given that this is a backpacking trip, there are a number of built-in hardships that students will experience. The range of challenges students face include being away from home in an unfamiliar environment; taking personal responsibility for food, water, and shelter; the physical hardship of hiking with a backpack; and making safe, responsible decisions within the framework of a larger group. The difficulties the students face are managed with preparation beforehand and the support of their faculty leaders on the trip. Through their successful accomplishments at Big South Fork, students gain confidence in themselves. The Big South Fork trip is one of the hallmark experiences of 8th grade. 9th Grade 9th graders spend one night at Bradford Woods in Indiana, focusing on inclusivity and compassion and continuing to come together as a class. Through teambuilding and debrief, they focus on questions like How can I be a positive member of the class community? How am I going to treat people? How are we as a class doing regarding the goals we set at orientation? As well, the idea of gratitude is introduced around the bonfire, with students considering ideas like In what ways do we each feel and express gratitude? How can the expression of gratitude impact each of us personally and our class as a whole?
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11th Grade
12th Grade
12th Grade
10th Grade The 10th grade four-day Outward Bound trip in the Pisgah National Forest of North Carolina is the cornerstone of the High School Wyvern Retreat experience. Two of Outward Bound’s four pillars are self-reliance and compassion, and it is the first and last of these that are our focus for the 10th grade. Students focus on the role they each play in their class and the larger school community, following from Outward Bound’s mantra: “We are crew, not passengers.” As they navigate, hike, set up camp, cook, purify water, and more, they understand more about themselves, what they are capable of, and the ways in which they function as part of their crew. The compass as a symbol of each student’s high school journey is also introduced. 11th Grade In their two-day, one-night experience at Camp Joy in Ohio, the 11th grade focuses on stepping up to a leadership role within the school community. This builds off the Outward Bound work around self-reliance and “we are crew, not passengers.” Students work on concepts of leadership such as building trust with others within a group and communication, followed by putting the concepts into action via tasks, and with debrief at the end to reflect on what they experienced, how it felt to lead or follow, and how these activities relate to real life. They will also explore their own core values and how those impact their lives, choices, and leadership abilities. (NOTE: This year, since the 11th graders missed Outward Bound during their 10th grade year due to COVID-19, they went on Outward Bound instead of doing the usual 11th grade retreat. The normal 11th grade retreat will resume for 2022-23.)
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12th Grade The 12th graders embark on a two-night whitewater rafting and zip-lining adventure at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina each August as a kickoff to senior year. At nightly bonfires, they reflect on where they’ve been and what comes next, and consider the legacy they leave for the rest of the SFS community. At the first night’s bonfire, students are introduced to the idea that the purpose of the trip is to have a time to be together as a class at the start of senior year, to reflect on their high school years together, and to look forward to what this year can hold for each of them personally and for them as a class. At the second night’s bonfire, the theme of legacy is introduced. What does legacy mean? How have you contributed to your class, and to the school? What more can you do this year to shape the school? If you were to leave today, what legacy would you individually and the class have left? What more do you want to do as a class or personally? At the end of the bonfire, students have the opportunity to express gratitude - to one another, to teachers, to the school, or in whatever way they feel. Wyvern Retreats are an integral piece of student growth at SFS. Through each experience, students learn more about themselves and the ways in which they belong to their class and the SFS community. The Outward Bound theme “We are crew, not passengers” is a thread that weaves through our entire Wyvern Retreat program. Students take responsibility for themselves and for each other, recognizing our interdependence; moreover, they develop the sense that the privilege of a St. Francis School education comes with a responsibility to serve the greater good.
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IN THIS ISSUE Bringing Our Core Values to Life Alumni Profile: Mohamed Musa ’13 Wyvern Retreat Program Name Change Exploration Update