L E A R N E R S

Gender Spectrum Workshop Encourages Genderaffirming Classrooms

By Chéleah Googe, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Beauvoir’s faculty and staff engaged in two professional development workshops with Carla Peña from Gender Spectrum on the importance of creating gender-inclusive and gender-affirming schools. Gender-inclusive school communities are committed to exploring portrayals of gender in our daily experiences. In this workshop, faculty and staff discussed the impact of gender on students and thought intentionally about ways that we as early childhood experts can support the identity development of all of our students. We brainstormed ways to create a more genderinclusive and affirming community rooted in compassion for one another and it led to our first Mosaic Meetup of the year, “Curating Children’s Literature Through the Lens of Gender”.

GENDER

Smithsonian Offers New Knowledge For Beauvoir Scientists

By Laura Voelker and Tricia Fort, Science Teachers

As Beauvoir’s science teachers, we attended a training course entitled “Science: A Work in Progress” offered through the Smithsonian Science Education Center over the summer. Although the understanding that science is a process that can take many pathways has been part of the science standards in the past, the rigid steps of the scientific method have persisted in science teaching at all levels. This course revisited the idea of consistently using a linear “scientific method” approach as a systematic step of procedures to conduct science experiments with students. By revising this linear process, it encouraged science teachers to create more authentic experiences for students through the application of an interconnected set of practices being used in multiple ways. The resulting picture of scientific reasoning is richer, more complex, and more diverse than the image of a linear and unitary scientific method would suggest.

We hope to instill this idea within even our youngest scientists by teaching the scientific skills needed to conduct experiments while allowing our students the opportunity to be flexible with their process to discovery.

Literacy Coaches Continue Their Learning With Letrs

By Anne Mackay and Allyson Eno, Literacy Coaches

This year, the literacy coaches have been completing coursework in LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling). This ongoing course incorporates reading research conducted in neuroscience, cognitive development, and linguistics, and provides teachers with solid, evidence-based instructional practices to benefit all students. Using Dr. Hollis Scarborough’s Reading Rope model as the backbone, LETRS guides teachers to use structured literacy practices to teach skills in the areas of word recognition and language comprehension, resulting in reading comprehension. This course is a blended model with online content, textbook research, progress checks, and practicum. We have enjoyed diving deep into the science of reading and are excited to be trained as LETRS facilitators after the course is completed. LETRS has been transformative to our teaching practices and has both helped inform our work with Beauvoir teachers and refine the work we do with their students.

Note: Dr. Holis Scarborough, an American psychologist and literary expert, created her Reading Rope concept in the early 1990s to help parents understand the skills needed for children to become proficient readers.

In the last year alone, our faculty and staff have participated in dozens of professional development opportunities, furthering Beauvoir’s goal of curating lifelong learners. Below are just a few of the educational experiences our colleagues enjoyed this year!

Enhancing Your Work as a DEI Leader, Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW)

Emerging Leaders Institute, AISGW

Fall Women’s Leadership Seminar, The Heads Network

My Students Don’t Look Like Me: Cultural Relevant P.E., P.E. Central

People of Color Conference, National Association of Independent Schools

Engagement Alleviating Bias in the Admissions Process, Association of Independent School Admission Professionals

Reimagining Admissions: Important Lessons from the Pandemic, Association of Independent School Admission Professionals

Centering Queer Voices, Network for Good

Teaching Kindergarten Conference, Bank Street College of Education

National Presbyterian School’s 5th Annual Diversity Institute, National Presbyterian School

Science: A Work in Progress, Smithsonian Science Education Center

Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS)

Milestones

In 2021 and 2022, more than thirty of Beauvoir’s Faculty and Staff celebrated milestones of 5 years or more of collective service. Beauvoir’s entire community is grateful to have spent so many years working alongside these amazing colleagues, and we can’t wait to see what they will do in the years to come!

40 Years

Margaret Hartigan, 2022

30 Years

Ashley Ball Simpson '58, 2022

25 Years

Holly Joyner, 2021

20 Years

Jose Hernandez, 2022

Debra Suzich, 2022

15 Years

Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn, 2020

Dawne Miner, 2021

Lisette Osorio-Bladuell, 2021

Daniel Thorner, 2021

10 Years

Melissa Campbell, 2021

Rosaleen Doerfler-King, 2021

Brian Roche, 2021

Carolyn Hammonds, 2021

Kaitlyn Hay, 2022

Twanda Johnson, 2022

5 Years

Louis Berman, 2021

Catie Bliss, 2021

Allyson Eno, 2021

Maddie Fromell, 2021

Chanelle Peters, 2021

Sandy Revelo, 2021

Sara Alipanah, 2022

Kate Davis, 2022

Tamira Guevara, 2022

Anne Mackay, 2022

Drew Mackay, 2022

Neil McClay, 2022

Amalia Mendoza, 2022

Mary Scott Rawlins, 2022

Margot Roux, 2022

Angela Sapp, 2022

Rachel Tanner, 2022

Victoria Thomas, 2022

Master’s Degrees

Two members of Beauvoir’s faculty graduated with master’s degrees in 2021. Congratulations to these colleagues on continuing their education and modeling Beauvoir’s spirit of lifelong learning!

Catie Bliss , M.S. in Educational Studies with a concentration in mind, brain and teaching and educational leadership for independent schools from Johns Hopkins University.

Marcus Sesin , Master’s in Administration and Supervision, The University of Virginia School of Education.

Adjusting the UV ligature

Beauvoir, The National Cathedral Elementary School

Adjusting the UV ligature and type

Strategic Plan 2025

The National Cathedral

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.

FORMER PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY

Over the past 87 years, Beauvoir has led the way in early childhood education through its rich and researchbacked programs taught by committed experts in the field. Our countless successes have been fueled by the compassionate efforts of community members over the decades, as well as the bold and fearless actions of mission-driven community members, past and present.

If we consider the words of former President John F. Kennedy, we know that dedicated action and determination alone will not lead to success. It also requires thoughtful purpose and guided direction. This newly published, strategic-planning document speaks to the specific purpose and direction that Beauvoir plans to take as we head into a new year replete with opportunity and promise. One of the hallmarks of Beauvoir is our ability to rely on members of the community during both seasons of celebration and moments of challenge. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beauvoir community was a shining example of perseverance and innovation as we came together to lift up our teachers, students, staff, administrators, and families.

There have been many Beauvoir leaders and representatives working together on the school's next key project: Beauvoir's Strategic Plan 2025. The former Strategic Plan (2016-2020) was coming to an end, Beauvoir had recently completed a Head of School transition, teachers and staff were preparing to wind down another solid year, and then the world shifted abruptly. We were forced to imagine not what schools "could be," but what they needed to be in order to sustain learning for children at any given point or place in time. What environmental spaces were best suited for young children? What made Beauvoir unique from other schools? How might we continue to attract and retain the top echelon of educators in the competitive world of independent schools? What is Beauvoir's vision for the future?

This strategic-planning document was born out of those important conversations, which began upon my arrival in 2018. I will be eternally grateful for the many people who lent their time, energies, ideas, and suggestions as we sought to determine where we are headed next. May our mission statement, our core values, and this guide remain our North Star as we sail onward with new priorities. I am ardently committed to the journey ahead!

With deepest gratitude,

Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn, Head of School