GRACE-ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL | SPRING 2021
Second grader Dylan Johnston and her classmates made paper airplanes and tested them in flight as part of their study of aerodynamics for Air & Space Week this year.
IN THIS ISSUE
GRACE-ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL | SPRING 2021
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LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT CAMPUS LIFE 2020-2021 FUN FACTS WORKING THE FORMATIVE FIVE LEGACY LUKERS SAINTS SUPERLATIVES CLASS OF 2021 ALUMNI NEWS GIVING WITH GRACE ANNUAL FUND
About the Cover The Formative Five is the theme of this issue, and we decided to illustrate its importance by showing the group of people who feel its impact the most every day – our students. The Saints pictured here, from top to bottom and left to right, are: Julia Laizure (3), Vernon Fan (3), Caroline Bridge (1), Will Riederer (JK), Gavin Jellow (8), Peter Beasley (1), Sidd Nayyar (PK), Violet Fisher (PK), Catherine Carney (7), Austin Williams (2), John Wilson Owen (LL), Beklin Johnson (4), Londyn Funzie (JK), Will Hagerman (4), Beatrix Jackson (5), Millie Malone (8), Blythe Bartosch (LL), Caroline Byrnes (6), William Musick (SK), Aiden Orr (7), Kate Pishko (SK), Bo Nanney (6), Christopher Price (5), and Notley Maddox (2). Photos by Holland Studio
Head of School Thor A. Kvande Editor Brenda Berry Managing Editor Marci Woodmansee Copy Editors Sherry Emerson Kate Shelton Photography Wendy Adams Liz Awsumb Kelsey Beagle Brenda Berry Kendall Franklin Kirsten Horton Hayley Howard Katie Longoria Piper Martin Kate Shelton Jeff White Marci Woodmansee The Anchor is a biannual publication of Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School. Articles are published at the discretion of the school. Comments and questions should be directed to Marci Woodmansee, Managing Editor and Associate Director of Communications, at mwoodmansee@gslschool.org.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2020 -21 Liz Keough, President Paul Morris, Vice-President Scott Crosby, Secretary Lauren Taylor, Assistant Secretary Sharon Shipley, Treasurer Ryan Gibbs, Assistant Treasurer Ben Barksdale
Lauri Prather
Emily Callahan
Katrina Sanford
Margaret McLean
Paula Sappington
Luis Orbegoso
Anneliese Watts
Ruth Patton
Ken Woodmansee
Thor A. Kvande, Head of School The Reverend Ollie V. Rencher, Rector Charlie Pazar, Senior Warden Mary Evelyn Fore, Parents’ Association President SPRING 2021
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Thor Kvande stops for an impromptu meeting with senior kindergartners Jane Gwin, Zoe Wood, Ruby Fisher, and Elizabeth Snow.
LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Thor A. Kvande Dear GSL Families, Grace-St. Luke’s has a long tradition of graduating students who are academically well prepared for the rigors of high school. This is borne out through acceptances to competitive schools and scholarly success once enrolled there. We are also known for graduating “good kids,” students who are known for their caring and thoughtfulness, as well as their leadership and academic success. This is an enduring strength of GSL, and it was amplified in 2017 when we adopted the Formative Five as our character education program. The Formative Five program is infused throughout GSL on a daily basis. The key traits of empathy, self-control, integrity, embracing diversity, and grit are more relevant than ever in the COVID world. I see each student, teacher, and staff member drawing on these skills as we navigate the COVID pandemic! Self-control has been a daily practice in new ways for each of us, with continued requirements about masking and distancing. The realities of the pandemic have touched us all, and I’ve seen so many examples of community members listening to and caring for others in their hour of need — showing true empathy for another’s circumstances. Certainly it has taken everyone’s grit to persevere through these new and challenging circumstances, and our Saints have demonstrated that in spades. We have all had to practice integrity in new ways as the health
of our community is intertwined with the health of any one community member. And this year, the necessity of embracing diversity has become increasingly important, both here at GSL and in our nation and the world. I see that practice alive and well at our school as we seek to “respect the dignity of every human being”— words from the Baptismal Covenant in The Book of Common Prayer of The Episcopal Church. It is daily, ongoing work, and it is part of the fabric of GSL. As you will see throughout this issue, students learn about the Formative Five skills both directly and indirectly, whether it is through hearing an eighth grade speech about a particular skill, receiving a reminder about integrity before exams, or having a quiet conversation with a teacher about the importance of self-control and how to put it into practice. As we educate our students to be thinkers and leaders, preparing them to think critically and be responsible citizens, the Formative Five skills play a significant role in preparing our students for the road ahead. They perfectly align with our mission and help us fulfill one of the three “deliverables” in our mission statement, which is the development of responsible citizens in their communities and the world. I would be hard pressed to imagine anything more relevant for our students as they prepare for their journey through high school, college, and beyond.
Thor A. Kvande, Head of School 2
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT
Liz Keough Dear GSL Families, We live in a time when computers can store, process, and analyze information to do all sorts of things without ongoing human intervention. They can even “think” for themselves, in the sense that they can learn from their mistakes — but it takes a human to take the quotations off of the “think.” A computer only identifies a mistake when it doesn’t achieve its prescribed goal. It takes a human to identify a mistake even when a goal is achieved. A computer can run scenarios in a test environment thousands of times before going live. We humans have to learn in real time, and each of our actions has consequences. And the final thing? Computers don’t get their feelings hurt, but humans certainly do. Building emotional intelligence is not just how we distinguish ourselves from computers. It is how we live happy and fulfilling lives. At GSL, the Formative Five skills are ingrained in all facets of the educational experience. These traits — empathy, integrity, self-control, embracing diversity, and grit — are known as “success skills” not only because they help us achieve success, but because they allow us to recognize true success. It’s not enough to win the race, get the A, or be invited to the party. It matters how you get there and how you treat people along the way. Our kids do have one thing in common with computers — like Siri, they hear everything. When they are at GSL, I’m glad they are listening.
Liz Keough, Board President
Thor Kvande and Liz Keough chat before a board meeting. SPRING 2021
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PRESCHOOL
CAMPUS LIFE AT THE PRESCHOOL
All Will Be Well Father Ollie helps junior kindergartners grasp the concept of Resurrection during a Preschool chapel visit the week before Easter. Creative Spacing Pre-Kindergartner Arya Bhakta works independently at her individual lap desk in the Marvelous Mudpuppies room. It’s the Simple Things Old school toys may be best for setting the imagination free and letting creativity flourish! Little Luker (and possible future architect) Anderson Murphy builds an impressive structure with blocks in the Jolly Giraffes classroom.
Literacy Learning Junior kindergartners work on literacy and phonetics throughout the year to prepare for the move to senior kindergarten. Lucky Llama John Gilless (far left) enjoys a quiet moment in the reading corner at the beginning of the day, while Creative Caterpillar Lewis Jones creates a story comparing the 100th day with the first day of school.
100 Days and Counting Pre-Kindergarten Daring Dinosaurs Kyser Adams and Raphael Brunotte celebrate the 100th day of school! 4
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LOWER SCHOOL LOWER SCHOOL 3…2…1… Launch! Guided by Lower School Science and Technology Teacher Amie Plumley, senior kindergartners made parachutes as part of our Air & Space-themed activities throughout the school this spring. These Funky Foxes were excited to drop their parachutes from the top level of the Lower School playground equipment! Other Lower School grades made paper airplanes, slingshots, and stomp rockets, while Preschoolers tried different STEM-related activities in the classroom, and Middle Schoolers built model rockets and hot air balloons to launch at Overton Park, per longtime tradition! 2 Cool 4 School With the help of longtime ACE: After School Care Teacher (and M-Town Image Dance Troupe Founder) Robert Ward, first graders practiced their dance moves for weeks for the annual Hip Hop Celebration.
Brain Workouts Second graders celebrated the 100th day of school this year with fun STEM learning activities, rotating through different stations to tackle timed challenges that required both focus and creativity. Isabel Schrank and Elliot Bagwell work carefully to build their pyramid of cups.
Ba Dum Tss Fourth graders Foster Gettys, Sam Shipley, and Anna Dugan deliver their punch line — as Ronan Keough prepares to zing them with a comic rimshot — at their “Comedy Hour” Celebration hosted by Teacher Amanda Meyer.
Emphasis on Empathy Third graders in Jenny Evanko’s classroom listen as Head of Lower School Marti McCloud talks to them about filling buckets for each other — a character lesson in empathy that reinforces one of GSL’s Formative Five traits. SPRING 2021
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MIDDLE SCHOOL
MIDDLE SCHOOL Game On Fifth graders enjoy a game of four square on the newly refurbished Lemaster Playground. Having wide open spaces turned out to be vitally important to campus life this year, as we used outdoor areas not just for recess but to stay physically distanced during breaks, lunch periods, and other special activities. Saturnalia Rules Seventh graders (pictured here) and eighth graders in Latin I and II celebrated Saturnalia, an ancient Roman festival held in December to honor the agricultural god Saturn. Togas were worn, kings and queens were crowned, and many snacks were consumed. Happy in Hoodies Sixth graders weren’t expecting an outdoor hoodie party the day they were called to Anchor Hill for a “class photo,” but that’s what they got, complete with cookies and a confetti blaster salute. Reed Hoffman and classmates put their sweatshirts on ASAP! This is a favorite GSL tradition that we had to reinvent this year, pandemic-style.
Pandemic Pivot Many spaces were repurposed this year to allow for physical distancing, including McClure Hall, which was transformed into a temporary Middle School classroom. Eighth grader Sam Gary reviews important plot points of a reading assignment as Gavin Jellow and Jack Hagerman stand by for support in Kimberly White’s Latin II class.
Together Again It was Father Ollie Rencher’s birthday in mid-March when Middle School students (5th, 6th, and 7th graders pictured here) got to go back into Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church for the relaunch of our weekly chapel services. It had been a year since they’d been together in the space!
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Loving Life at GSL Eighth grader Ella Lambert gets ready to deliver her Chapel Talk, a capstone experience for our oldest students at GSL. Launched 14 years ago, the Chapel Talks program gives eighth graders an opportunity to reflect on their time at GSL and speak in front of peers and younger students. This year, these talks are livestreamed to classrooms.
8TH GRADE
EIGHTH GRADERS CONTINUE 14-YEAR TRADITION WITH sleet nor snow — nor COVID-19! — ANNUAL INTERNSHIPS Neither could stop this determined group of students. Lily Beagle interned for veterinarian (and GSL alumni parent) Dr. Rusty Bell at Animal Health Center in Marion, Ark.
At right, Cailan Jackson worked with Fitness Coordinator Jacob Mann during his internship at the Kroc Center Memphis.
Conservation and environmental practices were among the topics Violet Renken studied during her work at Ouachita National Forest in Hot Springs, Ark.
Hannah Dunlap shadowed Lower School Art Teacher Carol Buchman, working with classes at school and also in Buchman's art studio.
Gregory New prepped customer plates during the lunch rush as part of his restaurant internship at the Rendezvous.
Henry Bush learned about the world of higher education during his internship at Rhodes College.
Luke Barron learned some of the secrets of great marketing during his work at Red Deluxe.
Brooke Routen explored building design during her internship at Archimania.
Jack Hagerman hit the road to Florida for his internship exploring the hospitality industry at Henderson Park Inn in Destin.
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ED
WE ARE
A
CO
2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR FUN FACTS L HOO C S COED
FEMALE MALE
IN ADDITION TO ENGLISH, OUR FAMILIES SPEAK 14 LANGUAGES IN THEIR HOMES
100% 49% 51%
MANDARIN PUNJABI
KANNADA SPANISH VIETNAMESE
SWEDISH SLOVAK GERMAN
TELUGU
OUR FAMILIES IDENTIFY WITH THE FOLLOWING ETHNICITIES:
FARSI ARABIC
EUROPEAN AMERICAN MULTI-RACIAL AFRICAN AMERICAN MIDDLE EASTERN ASIAN AMERICAN NATIVE AMERICAN LATINO/HISPANIC
OUR FAMILIES REPRESENT A WIDE RANGE OF FAITH TRADITIONS
EPISCOPAL
URDU
CATHOLIC
GREEK ORTHODOX
HINDU 8
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TURKISH
HINDI
PRESBYTERIAN
JEWISH
SIKHI
METHODIST
UNITARIAN
BUDDHISM
BAPTIST
PENTECOSTAL
CHURCH OF CHRIST
CHRISTIAN
non-denominational
ISLAM
CHRISTIAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL
In our bookmaking literacy program, senior kindergartners create their own books — learning what it takes to make a storyline, writing words using phonetic spelling, and drawing detailed illustrations that can help readers go on a picture walk. Anna Sweeney Hannock works on her book on a beautiful day on Anchor Hill.
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Pre-Kindergartners Cannon Myers and Henry Vander Linde plant seeds together during the Preschool’s Gardening Day.
WORKING THE FORMATIVE FIVE How GSL has intentionally and thoughtfully woven the traits for success into school culture and curriculum By Marci Woodmansee ’83 “How do you know when your school is successful?” This was the simple question that changed everything for New City School Principal Thomas Hoerr. Around 2007, while attending a conference for principals led by James Honan from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Hoerr and his fellow conference attendees enthusiastically offered a variety of responses to the speaker’s question. High test scores. Students engaged in learning. Successful high school placements. Involved parents. Winning sports teams.
“One of our distinguishing characteristics has long been our ability to provide an excellent academic foundation complemented by a focus on social-emotional development,” says Head of School Thor Kvande. “These are essential components of our identity as an Episcopal school. In fact, there’s a sign in the hallway between the Administrative Office and McClure that bears a quote from one of our former Headmasters, Father John Merchant: ‘Remember who you are.’ His favorite admonition to students gets at exactly what Hoerr came to realize in his educational practice.”
Professor Honan acknowledged the importance of these achievements, but then told the principals they had missed something very important. “You should be asking yourselves whether your students are going to be productive and happy citizens at age 25, 45, and 65…”
After years of additional research and work with colleagues at New City, Hoerr eventually published his book, The Formative Five, outlining what he believes to be the five formative skills necessary for success in both the work world and relationships of all kinds: empathy, self-control, integrity, embracing diversity, and grit.
Hoerr realized the truth in that premise. He subsequently began to reframe his thinking about education with a new phrase in mind: Who you are is more important than what you know.
To maximize the impact of the message we were delivering to students, with a common language across all divisions, GSL adopted the Formative Five in 2017 as its socialemotional program to be used schoolwide. Now almost four years later, we wanted to offer you a look at the ways these traits have become an indelible part of GSL — embraced and modeled in the classroom by faculty, staff, and students alike.
That philosophy is remarkably familiar to the community at GSL. 10
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PRESCHOOL: AN EARLY EMPHASIS ON EMPATHY AND MORE
“Remember who you are.” Father Merchant
In a chapel get-together with junior kindergartners on a Thursday morning in early spring, Head of Preschool Cynthia Burnett talks with students about helping someone when they’re hurt, and then asks them if they know what empathy means. They do! Hands are raised and enthusiastic four-year-olds offer examples in their own words, as you can see in the photo below.
“Having the opportunity to put the Formative Five traits out there so that everyone hears them at the same time and everyone is talking about them at the same time, is invaluable,” Burnett explains. “We make a big deal out of the word or phrase, like ‘empathy’ or ‘self-control,’ so it resonates with the children and they repeat the traits and talk about them at home.”
This familiarity with a very grown-up concept happens because the Formative Five traits are part and parcel of daily life in the Preschool. Burnett has continued to emphasize them in Preschool chapels throughout the year, and since weekly visits from The Rev. Ollie V. Rencher, Rector at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, resumed, he has helped in reinforcing these lessons as well.
For this issue of The Anchor, Burnett tapped longtime Junior Kindergarten Teacher Liz Awsumb to share her thoughts about how the Formative Five traits come to life in a Preschool classroom. Her take follows on pages 12-13.
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HOW A PRESCHOOLER LEARNS THE FORMATIVE FIVE By Liz Awsumb, Junior Kindergarten Teacher We believe in educating the whole child here at GSL. By helping students strengthen their social and emotional skills (specifically how they see themselves in relation to others and how they manage their own thoughts and actions), we strengthen the skill set that may matter most for their future success. As a teacher at the Preschool, I rely on observation when it comes to assessing different skills in early childhood development. Observations can be as clear-cut as noting what hand a child uses to write, or as nuanced as evaluating a child’s ability to create or extend a pattern with blocks. But what about observing and assessing "non-academic” skills, such as social-emotional growth and character development? We believe that those skills are as or more important than everything else we do at GSL, especially in early childhood. That’s where the Formative Five comes in! Here’s what we focus on: • Empathy: Learning to see the world through others' perspectives • Self-control: Cultivating the abilities to focus and delay self-gratification • Integrity: Recognizing right from wrong and practicing ethical behavior • Embracing diversity: Recognizing and appreciating human differences • Grit: Persevering in the face of challenge
These skills are incorporated into our weekly chapel services. Cynthia Burnett introduces one success skill each month through videos, books, or stories. The Formative Five skills are then reinforced in each classroom in a variety of ageappropriate and entertaining ways. What’s really exciting is when the Formative Five is made visible in the classroom. Here are some real-world examples from this year:
EMPATHY
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Empathy occurs as a daily part of our activities, in ways both large and small. In the photo here, Londyn Funzie and Katherine Robinson help each other with a scavenger hunt. On another day, one of our preschoolers saw a friend who was angry. The other child was kicking and screaming and threw herself onto the ground. Trying to be a good friend, he approached the other child to ask what was wrong, but the other child was too upset to answer. What did the first child do? He stopped playing and sat beside his friend who was upset until she had calmed down enough to talk. SPRING 2021
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SELF-CONTROL
Special class projects and activities are great opportunities to practice taking turns and being patient. Junior kindergartners James Michael Silk and Blair Bagwell did that very well while putting in new plants on Preschool Gardening Day.
INTEGRITY
It takes a lot to develop an understanding of right and wrong. For a preschool child, integrity means not just following the rules, but doing the right thing even if no one is looking. Above, Victoria Stranch and Teddy Segars practice playing games fairly.
EMBRACING DIVERSITY
In order to understand other people and other cultures, our class reads, sings, watches videos, and takes part in many hands-on activities. We welcome special guests who can share their cultures with us. As an example, one of our teachers, Khamilla Johnson, helped introduce the history and meaning of Kwanzaa in December (see photo at left). We especially love celebrating holidays at the Preschool!
Londyn and Katherine help each other during a scavenger hunt.
GRIT
For young children, grit is something that they have not yet acquired; however, they can start to develop it just by playing! Open-ended, child-directed, cooperative play gives children chances to test limits and to fail, in addition to giving them the chance to try again and again. Above, junior kindergartners Clayton Roen, Hunt Durbin, and John King experiment with chutes and ramps in the outdoor classroom. SPRING 2021
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Hot air balloons are tricky to launch! Eighth graders Cailan Jackson, Lucia Cochrane, Anna Haley, and classmates used grit and collaboration skills to set their creations afloat during Air & Space Day this spring at Overton Park.
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LIVING INTO THE FORMATIVE FIVE IN LOWER SCHOOL Talking daily with students about why these important traits matter It’s a wintry day near the end of the second trimester, and Head of Lower School Marti McCloud has asked for a particular student to be sent to her office. You might think that means that someone is in a little bit of trouble. Quite the opposite, in fact. McCloud regularly calls in students for praise and affirmation when they’ve done an outstanding job exemplifying one or more of the Formative Five traits. That kind of positive reinforcement is one of the best parts of her routine in Lower School. “We work hard to weave the traits into the tapestry of everything we do!” she explains. McCloud also regularly visits rooms to read to students and take a deeper dive into the traits, and encourages teachers to explore the traits with students during their class meetings every morning.
Kid's-Eye View of the Formative Five “Class meetings are a time for teachers and students to just gather and talk informally before we start the academic day,” McCloud explains. “It’s when a teacher and his or her students may talk about a current event, or just talk about how we’re all doing. We really want students to look at their classrooms as a family circle, and we talk a lot about inside-the-circle behavior — the things that help us be strong, and outside-the-circle behavior — the things that hurt us or make us feel weak.” As McCloud describes, the class meetings are not only a place to give different conversations a space, they serve as a place to bring the Formative Five to life. “Children need us to be leaders, and if the Formative Five is our filter, we’re never going to go wrong. It helps us center the conversation.” With an eye-catching — and eye-level — graphic display of the Formative Five traits for students posted outside McCloud’s office, there’s no mistaking their importance in the day-to-day routine. The display’s five traits are attached by Velcro — thus easily removed and reapplied — allowing for kinesthetic reinforcement when reflecting on what trait was used well in dealing with a particular challenge. McCloud readily reinforces and discusses the traits with students, and to sit in on such conversations is to get a glimpse of important developing thought processes for this age group. (See photos above and conversation at right.) Small daily lessons, with a big long-term impact.
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“Self-control is controlling your body,” says first grader Rowan Halpern, reviewing traits one morning with McCloud. “And embracing diversity means everybody is different.” “Ok, good!” McCloud responds. After a pause, he adds, “Integrity holds all four of these together.” “Oh really?” McCloud asks. “Then why don’t you put that one on top. I like what you just said there.” “Grit,” he says, pausing to think. “That’s starting over even when something’s hard. And empathy means caring for others.” “Yes!” McCloud responds, then pauses, before digging a little deeper: “So tell me more about how integrity holds them all together,” she asks. “When do you do this?” “Even when… it’s hard,” Rowan says. “I can see the letters for GRIT in the word INTEGRITY.” “That’s true!” McCloud exclaims. “Integrity has GRIT inside of it. Wow! I didn’t see that!" “G-R-I-T,” he spells out with his finger, pointing to grit, then to integrity. “That’s great! So integrity means we’re doing all of these things, even when it’s hard, even when no one’s watching?” “Right.” “Excellent!”
MIDDLE SCHOOL: MODELING GRIT AND MORE EVERY DAY With 8th graders leading the way, GSL’s oldest students prove their resilience Perhaps not surprisingly, some of the heaviest lifting in terms of adapting to the pandemic fell to the Middle Schoolers at GSL — those old enough to realize the constantly evolving changes and regret the activities that were lost. Such as a slew of special eighth grade privileges. Class trips. Lunches together. Familiar classrooms. But if you look at the flip side of all those changes and acknowledge the adaptation skills that they required, the level of accomplishments by these students — and their teachers — becomes extraordinary. “Well, for one thing, there’s all the livestreaming we did every week this year to bring special school day experiences, like Chapel Talks, Celebrations, and the 8th grade Homecoming presentation to all students on campus — and those learning remotey from home — and to families who couldn’t be there in person,” says Head of Middle School Ellen Hendry. “Remember, we’d never done ANY of that before last spring!” There was also the creative reconstruction of new classroom spaces. And the finalization of a new playground as a more
open space that would also allow for outdoor lunches, meetings, the Father-Daughter dance and, with good weather, perhaps even Honors Chapel and Graduation. There was the hard work involved in scheduling 59 internships during a pandemic — in trying first choices, second choices, and sometimes third choices, before finding a match. In rescheduling. In dealing with unusual amounts of snow and school closures. In reimagining group work in the classroom, in the art studio, in the science labs. In figuring out how to hold our first LIVE theatrical performance, for a real in-person audience, in almost a year and a half. “All of this took a tremendous amount of grit!” Hendry says with a smile. As a school, we couldn’t be prouder.
Middle Schoolers (and fourth grade ensemble members) showed enormous amounts of grit as they rehearsed in masks for weeks in preparation for the spring production of MishMash Medley — A Musical Revue. SPRING 2020 The Anchor 17
FORMATIVE FIVE RAP SAYS IT ALL In 2017, when the Class of 2021 — our current eighth grade — started fifth grade and the Formative Five was first introduced as part of our curriculum, Middle School Performing Arts Teacher Leslie Reddick wrote a Formative Five Rap that the fifth graders performed at a Celebration as part of their work in Performing Arts class. The lyrics are below. Unfortunately the original video recording can’t be found, but you can click the QR code below to listen to Reddick’s demo.
The Formative Five it ain’t no jive You gotta have these Five in order to thrive They’re skills for success Don’t gimme no mess You gotta have these skills to be your best. Empathy means you look beyond The outer shell to a life hard run Discovering how you can help Those around you live their own life well. Self-control won’t lead you astray It helps you manage everyday. Careful though to use with tact So self-control won’t hold you back. With Integrity you can know the right thing But without your action it means nothing. Different approaches, ethnicity and race To be united we must embrace Cause if we don’t it’s for sure For hatred and enmity there’s no other cure. It takes grit to accomplish all these goals To stay on track and have some soul Persisting in all that you say and do Working hard to make your dreams come true. The Formative Five it ain’t no jive You gotta have these Five in order to thrive They’re skills for success Don’t gimme no mess You gotta have these skills to be your best.
Point your cell phone camera here to access our Formative Five webpage and this audio file!
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THE MOST IMPORTANT FORMATIVE FIVE TRAIT IN A PANDEMIC By Ella Riley ’21 Editor’s Note: Ella Riley, pictured above, is an eighth grader at GSL who did her internship this spring in our Advancement Office. As one of her assignments, we asked her to share her thoughts on the Formative Five for this issue. Here at Grace-St. Luke’s, I have noticed the pride every student and faculty member has about this school, and how they uphold the Formative Five and apply it to their everyday routine. This year, as a part of the eighth grade during a pandemic, I have seen all of the Formative Five traits revealed in my fellow classmates. One we have shown particularly well this year is grit. We all have different perceptions of grit, but it is clear that we each have a distinct understanding of how to show it, and when we notice it around us. This year has
One of Ella’s many tasks during her internship was to take photographs and capture video footage around campus for use on social media. In this photo she is on the job covering an afternoon in the iLab, as Lower School Science and Technology Teacher Amie Plumley works with Amanda Meyer’s fourth grade class.
been challenging, but my class developed into strong leaders for the Grace-St. Luke’s community. We faced the pandemic and worked around it, with some slight adjustments. For example, my class was not able to use the eighth grade stairs, enjoy lunch all together, have a traditional Italian Dinner, and so much more. Although these things could not be the same as in previous years, we adapted easily and replaced as much as we could. With grit, we continued to work hard in our classes, deliver our Chapel Talks, stay active in sports, and sustain our confidence in every aspect of our day. One tradition we continued this year was the popular 8th grade internships. On top of the obstacle of the pandemic, we also had a snowstorm the same week the internships were taking place. But of course, as every Luker does, we found our courage and overcame this obstacle.
The trait of grit is so important to me. I look up to people who are strong in grit and can persevere through the challenge that lies in front of them. That principle trait is why my classmates are such strong examples around me daily. One of the best things about Grace-St. Luke’s is that it prepares every child with a strong education, but also instills good fundamental character traits through the Formative Five that will stick with us the rest of our lives. This is why Grace-St. Luke’s is so special to me, because of the time and energy teachers spend helping young children learn from their peers and have good examples around them always. This ultimately molds all of us, helping us become good individuals in our communities. The eighth grade has overcome many challenges this year, but it taught us a multitude of good lessons — to be diligent, flexible, and most importantly, have grit always.
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CONTINUING THE SAINTS TRADITION LEGACY LUKERS Congratulations to these nine legacy members of the Class of 2021, and a special thank you to their alumni parents for continuing the Saints tradition by sending them to GSL! We asked these students and their parents to reflect back on their time here and share some memories for this annual legacy feature.
NATALIE BRUNSON ’21 Favorite class: 7th grade art Favorite extracurricular: Basketball Favorite GSL memory: Hanging out on Mrs. Buckner’s couch
JENNIFER PALAZZOLO BRUNSON ’88 Favorite teacher or class: Wow! That's hard to say. I loved Mr. Scully for his fun history reenactments, and Mr. Ellis for all of the languages he taught (I took Latin, Spanish, and Greek), but mostly Mrs. Dickson and Ms. Glenn for making my GSL introduction so fun and nurturing and welcoming. Favorite extracurricular: Volleyball was so much fun, and Coach Callahan made us better players.
What you’ll miss most: Class trips with my friends
Favorite GSL memory: I loved walking to Seessel's (later Schnucks, and now Kroger) to get snacks before games and practices. And sometimes Angela Grice ’88 and I walked to the library to see her grandmother (who became my other grandmother). Good times!
HENRY BUSH ’21
JOHN BUSH ’21
Favorite class: 7th grade history
Favorite class: History
Favorite extracurricular: Piano Favorite GSL memory: That time I won a debate in history class by referencing dung beetles What you’ll miss most: Do I have to pick just one thing?
Favorite extracurricular: Soccer Favorite GSL memory: The New Orleans class trip What you’ll miss most: My friends
KATHERINE MCQUISTON BUSH ’90 (Attended GSL through 2nd grade, 1983)
Favorite teachers: My senior kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Prince and Mrs. Moore Favorite extracurriculars: Pixies and Brownies Favorite GSL memories: Recess, trading stickers, drawing, reading corner ... and I still sing the tooth-brushing song I learned in kindergarten!
LUCIA COCHRANE ’21 Favorite class: Science Favorite extracurricular: Dance Funniest GSL memory: When Maggie and I burnt a cookie in the microwave in the cafeteria and caused a bunch of smoke What you’ll miss most: My friends and teachers
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HERB COCHRANE ’81 Favorite teacher/class: 1) Coach Scully’s history was like no other class I’ve ever experienced at any level of education. He’s the only teacher I ever had that would leap onto tables and desks, in a mode of reenactment, to guarantee our attention; 2) Reverend Gamble for English; he really took time to boost my confidence in writing; and 3) I probably owe my science teacher Mrs. Griggs an apology for being a class clown at times. Favorite extracurriculars: Class trips, hands down. The Ozarks and Chicago. Great times, with a fun educational element blended into both trips. Funniest/favorite GSL memories: 1) Homecoming at Snowden Field (which was actually at Snowden School) escorting Holly Flagler '81; 2) Sneaking out of a cabin on the Ozarks trip in a rainstorm and perching beneath a table to talk sweet nothings with a classmate. Little did we know we were just outside of Mr. Perdue’s cabin, and he heard every word. 3) DONKEY BASKETBALL!
EVIE FORE ’21 Favorite class: 6th and 7th grade history
MARY EVELYN STEVENS FORE ’91
Favorite extracurriculars: Purple Rain soccer and GSL basketball
Favorite teacher/class: Betsy Gafford (art) and Sarah Black (English)
Favorite GSL memories: 6th grade New Orleans class trip and the 2018 Splash Field Day
Favorite extracurriculars: Volleyball, cheerleading, and basketball
What you’ll miss most: The friends that I have now when we go off to different high schools
SAM GARY ’21
Favorite GSL memories: The 8th grade Nantahala trip, basketball trips, pep rallies, and GSL dances in Trezevant Hall
JOHN GARY ’79
(Attended GSL through 9th grade, 1977)
Favorite class: History Favorite extracurricular: Model United Nations Favorite GSL memory: The squid dissection in 7th grade What you’ll miss most: The campus I grew up on
Favorite teacher/class: Nick Scully for American history Favorite extracurricular: After-school dodgeball games Favorite GSL memory: The class trip to St. Louis
FOSTER HOUSEAL ’21
(Attended GSL through 6th grade, 1988)
Favorite class: 8th grade Latin
Favorite class/teacher: PE with Coach Lass. We were not allowed to touch the wrestling mats or the ancient “squat” weight machine in the gym. So of course we did.
Favorite extracurricular: Baseball Favorite GSL memory: Louisiana trip in 6th grade What you’ll miss the most: GSL football
JOHN HOUSEAL ’91
Favorite extracurricular: In fifth grade we learned that music teacher Wesley Emerson wanted to form a bell choir. My group of friends all signed up to get out of regular class, so Mr. Emerson’s bell choir contained all the jokers. We ended up being pretty good but still acted up. Mr. Emerson handled it with patience and grace. Funniest GSL memory: In fifth grade, Mr. Schrupp taught science, and that included sex ed. Being wise guys, the boys in the class would purposely ask him the most embarrassing questions. He tried to answer all of them with a straight face.
LANIE SCHAFFLER ’21 Favorite classes: Science and Spanish
BRIAN SCHAFFLER ’84
(Attended GSL through 8th grade, 1983)
Favorite extracurricular: Tennis
Favorite teacher/class: Coach Scully’s American history class
Favorite GSL memory: The 6th grade New Orleans class trip
Favorite extracurricular: Football
What you’ll miss most: Cheering for basketball and football games with all of my friends!
LANGSTON SCRUGHAM ’21 Favorite class: Either science or English
Funniest/favorite GSL memory: This has to be donkey basketball since it seems implausible that it actually happened — donkeys in the Saints Gym? That, or the entire football team push-starting the Bullet after football practice at Overton Park!
LAUREN LANGSTON SCRUGHAM ’92
Favorite GSL memory: My 6th grade New Orleans class trip hotel room
Favorite teachers: Oh, this is tough: Mrs. Rice, Coach Cangelosi, Mrs. Dickson, Coach Callahan, Mrs. Hawkins, Father Chapman, Mrs. Gafford ... I loved them all!
What you'll miss most: Getting to see my friends everyday
Favorite extracurriculars: Cheerleading, basketball, running through the halls
Favorite extracurricular: Dance
Funniest GSL memories: The Nantahala debacle, GSL dances, basketball trips, Mrs. Gault and math class ... it's all memorable!
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SAINTS SUPERLATIVES We are excited to bring back this feature, in which we celebrate special accomplishments by our students, faculty, and staff.
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SUPERSTAR STUDENTS Hoop Dreams B The 5/6 Cannon boys team and 5/6 Combs girls team both made it to the Shelby League tournament finals this season! The Cannon boys won the championship, while the Combs girls earned a runner-up finish in their bracket. Andrew Strickland ’24, above center, was named Shelby League Tournament MVP. Campbell McLean ’24 and Levi Johnson ’24, also above, and Emerson Callahan ’24 and Bella McAdams ’24 made the AllTournament Team.
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Smart Saints C Fifth grader Elizabeth Thompson '24, our school Spelling Bee champ, also won the 2021 Shelby County Spelling Bee online test sponsored by the University of Memphis in March. Pictured above with Middle School English Teacher Felicity Letsou, Elizabeth bested 35 other school champions to take the top prize and will represent Shelby County and the UofM in the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer.
Stars of the Stage
D Seventh grader Henry Thompson '22 won the Middle School Geography Bee.
Middle School students E Ruby Brunson '23, F Aiden Orr '22, and G Jack Hagerman '21 — cast and crew members for our fall production, Testament 2020 — were honored in October with Thespian Awards.
See our Facebook page for photos from our Honor Society and Thespian Society induction ceremonies!
In April, theater cast and crew members H Brooke Routen ’21, I Sam Mascolino ’22, J Wren McCloud ’23, and K Katie Young ’23 were honored with Thespian Awards for MishMash Medley — A Musical Review.
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FANTASTIC FACULTY Tying the Knot L Athletics Director Rick Kohlhof married Andrea Erwin on July 25, 2020. M Middle School Math and Science Teacher Russ Thompson married Raven Wilson on October 24, 2020.
Writer-in-Residence Also in October, Russ Thompson’s first book, a comingof-age story titled The Loop Breaker: A Beacon and the Darkness, was published by Winterwolf Press.
Top of the Class ACE Office Assistant Sydney Prather ’13 graduated in December from the University of Memphis College of Arts & Sciences with a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude. N Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Ariel Laws ’03 is pursuing her doctoral degree in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership with a concentration in Early Childhood Education at the University of Memphis. Laws collaborated last year on a research paper titled, “Toddlers Can Enjoy Food Preparation and Cooking: Connecting Food Activities with Reading Children’s Books,” that was published in the International Association of Laboratory Schools Journal.
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O Middle School Dean/Latin & 8th Grade English Teacher Kimberly White has been accepted into the graduate program in Educational Leadership and Policy at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development. This is an online program she will tackle over the next two summers and school year to earn her master’s degree in education. P Fourth Grade Teacher Juan Roncal has been accepted into the graduate program in Independent School Leadership at Vanderbilt University, as part of a cohort of some 20 independent and international school leaders from around the world. He will take classes in Nashville over the next two summers and complete independent projects during the school year to earn his master’s degree in independent school leadership. In October, Performing Arts Teacher Leslie Reddick moderated a discussion of the play Saturday Night/ Sunday Morning by Memphis playwright Katori Hall as part of Read to Relate: a Theatre Memphis online reading and discussion group examining works by American playwrights of color and/or who are differently abled.
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NEW BABY SAINTS! Q Little Lukers Assistant Teacher Kendall Franklin ’04 and husband William welcomed a baby girl, Alice, on September 13. R Middle School Science Teacher Morgan Slatery and husband Wil welcomed a son, Bayne, on October 5. S Lower School Instructional Support Specialist Mary Margaret Snow and husband Donnie welcomed a son, Charles, on December 7.
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T Middle School English Teacher Collin Buckner and husband Sam welcomed a daughter, Bailey, on February 8. U Third Grade Teacher Jenny Evanko and husband Jimmy welcomed a son, Landon, on March 17.
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GSL'S CLASS OF 2021
Caleb Atkinson Luke Barron Benjamin Berntson George Brewer Will Dunlap Gavin Jellow Charlie Kofahl Jude Maurette Christopher Morice Gregory New
Congratulations to the Class of 2021! We wish you the best of luck as you begin your high school journey in August. You will be greatly missed!
Ava Saenz
Lily Beagle
Simone Guyton Aniaya Perkins HOME SCHOOL Mariah Hall-Johnson
Sam Dyer Sam Gary Jack Hagerman Cailan Jackson Alex Lachica Liam Martin Ruby Martin
Thomas Davis Palmer Halliday Foster Houseal Townes Jones Owens Unglesby Samuel West
Tessa Gilbertson
Paige Fernandez
Izzie Cochran Lucia Cochrane Lydia Ford Evie Fore Maggie Linkous Virginia McLean Violet Renken Ella Riley Langston Scrugham Mary Clara Smith TBD (Texas) Kayliah Frazier
Cate Bechtel Natalie Brunson Henry Bush John Bush Alyssa Flowers Jonas Guibao Brooke Routen 24
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Hannah Dunlap Haley Floyd Anna Haley Ella Lambert Millie Malone Sara Kate Ratton Virginia Unglesby Chloe Warner
Lanie Schaffler Maren Turns Elaine Vining
Lydia Ford and Virginia Unglesby
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Class of
Samuel West, Cailan Jackson, Evie Fore, Elaine Vining, Langston Scrugham, and Virginia McLean
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Charlie Kofahl and Will Dunlap
DINNER DRIVE-THRU EVENT March 18, 2021 Liam Martin, Alex Lachica, Sam Dyer, and Charlie Kofahl
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LUKERS FOR LIFE ALUMNI NEWS ’82 Maura Black Sullivan, the chief operating officer for the City of Chattanooga, was selected as a member of the inaugural International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Leadership Institute on Race, Equity, and Inclusion for 2021. The group of 22 city leaders selected from across the country will study and create improved race, equity, and inclusion strategies for cities.
’07 Cecelia Ralston married Jonathan Thomason on October 24; they are currently living in Memphis.
’85 Mike Parker is engaged to Lauren Ferrera and will marry on September 25 in New Orleans.
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Peria Gober married Barton Williams on December 19, 2020 at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Friend and GSL classmate Jenna Wood Poppe was a member of the wedding party.
Webb Emerson, a project manager at Montgomery Martin Contractors, has been selected as a committee member of the Overton Park Golf Course renovation. The public ninehole course is estimated to reopen in the fall of 2021.
Jenny Lassandrello is engaged to Jesse Valentine and will marry on June 25 in Memphis.
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’00 Gordon Conaway is a property manager with Metropolitan Properties, a growing firm managing HOAs and condo associations around Nashville. Will Haltom is covering the maternity leave for Middle School English Teacher Collin Buckner through the end of the 2020-21 school year.
’01 Patrick Sala joined Renasant Bank as vice president of private client services in Memphis. He and wife Abby are expecting a baby boy in May.
’06 May Todd is working as a production coordinator for Kapital Productions LLC & CBS. She is currently on location in Mississippi producing an anthology series called Women of the Movement. Season 1’s six episodes tell the story of Mamie Till Mobley, a civil rights activist who devoted her life to seeking justice for her son, Emmett Till, following his 1955 lynching.
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In December, Francie Saunders graduated at the top of her class from the internationally recognized graduate program at Colorado State University with an MBA in global social and sustainable enterprise. During her studies, she focused her research on social impact initiatives in Memphis, helped run a nonprofit started in Fort Collins, Colo., to alleviate the challenges of COVID, and contracted her work as an artist and academic coach. Voted class speaker for their graduation ceremonies, Francie encouraged her classmates to be proud of their accomplishments, stay passionate, and keep working hard to create a better and brighter future for all. She lives in northern Colorado with her dog Rafiki who loves to romp around in the snow and sunshine.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
’10 Sophie Starks graduated from the University of Chicago with a master’s degree in social work. She is working as a virtual counselor at Turning Point in Skokie, Ill. John McBride is back in Memphis after graduating magna cum laude from Virginia Tech in the fall of 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in communication and public relations. He is currently a content producer at Memphis University School. Photo courtesy of Grant Burke/MUS.
’17 Sam Lakey, Reese McMullen, and Colin Scifres were members of CBHS’s 21-1 varsity basketball team that won this year’s regional championship title, held the #1 ranking in the city and state all year, attained a #17 national ranking, and made it all the way to the state tournament’s Final Four. Hutchison senior Frances Cates was awarded the University of Texas-Austin’s Forty Acres Scholarship, a highly competitive full-ride, merit-based scholarship. She will enroll there this fall in the Plan II Honors Program, an interdisciplinary arts and science honors major.
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Six members of GSL’s Class of 2017 have become Eagle Scouts — the highest advancement rank in the Boy Scouts of America, and an incredible accomplishment!
Jake Epperson* is in his second year of the doctor of physical therapy program at UTHSC. He was elected president of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Class of 2022 and president of the College of Health Professions. He graduated magna cum laude from the College of Charleston in 2019. *Jake attended GSL through 5th grade, 2008.
’12 Reed Barnes graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in computer engineering and is a software developer with Workday in Pleasanton, Calif.
Joseph Barnes, Troop 34
Griffin Hood, Troop 34
Paul Jones, Troop 34
Emilio Lachica, Troop 34
George Sentilles, Troop 55
Dempsey Terhune, Troop 34
’13 Audrey Garrett was the assistant coach for one of GSL’s 7/8 girls basketball teams this winter.
’14 Mackenzie Taylor Barnes lives in Brooklyn and attends New York University, where she is double-majoring in political science and English.
’15 New Ballet Ensemble apprentice trainee Jeremy Bowers helped lead an enrichment dance class for first and second graders at GSL this spring.
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LUKERS FOR LIFE ALUMNI NEWS ’18 Jack Sullivan was selected as captain of the McCallie School’s cross country team, which won a second straight state championship this year. Carter Strickland was awarded the Social Studies and Fine Arts awards at CBHS for his sophomore year studies. He is serving as secretary for the Thespian Society this year and is in his third consecutive year as captain of his advisory.
Logan Taylor ’95 served as a basketball coach for GSL’s 7/8 boys and assisted with the 5/6 boys this winter. This was his 15th consecutive season coaching at GSL! He’s pictured here with former GSL players he coached, Reese McMullen ’17 and Thomas Walk ’16; Thomas also helped coach the 5/6 boys at GSL this year. Alumni helped coach our basketball teams this year! From left are Margo Huber ’13 (7/8 girls), Mark Hampton ’07 (7/8 boys), Andrew Sichting ’15 (5/6 boys), and Ariel Laws ’03 (5/6 girls).
From left, Hutchison Sting varsity basketball players Berklee Scifres ’19, Maxine Engel ’17, and Rebecca Burnett ’20 celebrate the team’s championship win in the state tournament. On the Jumbotron is Sara Kate Burnett ’18, National Anthem soloist for the championship game.
WE WANT TO CELEBRATE YOU! Please share your latest news - accomplishments, marriages, new jobs, births of children, and more! Email your information and photos to Advancement Associate Kate Shelton at kshelton@gslschool.org or email lukerforlife@gslschool.org.
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THE TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ BUT THERE IS STILL TIME FOR GIVING WITH GRACE By Brenda Berry
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he timeless song written in 1964 by Bob Dylan was, as he described in an interview with Rolling Stone writer Cameron Crowe in 1985, “a deliberate attempt to create an anthem of change for the moment.” And his words still ring true today. Just in a different context. Times certainly are changing, and perhaps more in the last 14 months than many of us have experienced in a lifetime. Yet it is through this change that we’ve seen the steadfast strength of GSL’s community. Namely, the incredible support of GSL families, faculty and staff, alumni, grandparents, and friends. In a time when Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School demonstrated its need for the support of its community like never before, Lukers and Saints throughout the land chose to heed the call and selflessly give with grace to support our beloved school. In a time when children are told to mask up, keep 6-feet apart, and to not share, they rose to the occasion with grit and self-control, supported by their families at home with gentle reminders about the importance of these new safety measures. In a time when community is more important than ever before, people have creatively found ways to keep connections strong, through virtual gatherings, distanced picnics, elbow bumps, and air hugs. In a time when expenses increased to cover things like masks, plexiglass, physical distancing signage, a school nurse, and sanitizing supplies, the GSL community didn’t change. It stepped up in true Saints fashion and selflessly gave to the Giving with Grace Annual Fund. Times, they are a-changin’. But the heart of GSL’s community? Never. It will always be here, a strong Anchor for Life today and in the years to come. To give to GSL, visit gslschool.org and click “Give.” Gifts received by July 31, 2021 will be acknowledged in the 2020-21 school year giving report, which will be published in the fall of 2021. Gifts received after that time will be acknowledged in the following school year’s giving report. Thank you to Kathleen and Schorr Behnke for chairing this year's annual fund. Thank you to everyone who has stepped forward to lend a hand. And thank you to everyone who still wants to support our beloved GSL. We are deeply grateful for our incredible community.
2020-21 GIVING WITH GRACE ANNUAL FUND GOAL:
$255,000 Last day to give to this year’s fund: July 31, 2021 To donate stock, or to discuss any giving-related questions, call or email Director of Advancement Brenda Berry at 901-278-0200 or bberry@gslschool.org.
Thank you, once again, for Giving with Grace. SPRING 2021
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Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal School 246 S. Belvedere Blvd. Memphis, TN 38104 gslschool.org
Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 927 Memphis, TN
Jolly Giraffes Wynn Weissinger and Camilla Romero enjoy a beautiful day learning about rainwater and spring weather with their Little Luker classmates in the outdoor classroom at the Preschool.