The Miami Valley School’s new building brings many opportunities for advanced learning.
Emergence Alumni Magazine
BOARD OF TRUSTEES EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President Diane Hirakawa, Ph.D. Vice President Kristen Brown Treasurer Douglas S. Jenks ‘87 Secretary Priya Jain, M.D. Member-at-Large Mary Rita Weissman Past President Sandy McConnel (Ex-officio)
MEMBERS
Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch, Ed.D. Cathy Lane Aimee Maruyama Mindy McNutt, Ph.D. Kelly Meyer Nash Patel Carol Logan Patitu, Ph.D. Mimi Rose Jeff Samuelson ‘79 Bihu Sandhir, M.D. Patti Schear
Melissa Soin Margaret Treese Kristy Zechiel, M.D. Pete Zorniger ‘77
EX OFFICIO
Melissa Imbody, MVS Parent Association
President
T.J. Mitchell, Alumni Council President Jay S. Scheurle, Head of School Chris Wydman
TRUSTEE EMERITI Bruce P. Bedford Annabelle H. Cummings Matthew O. Diggs, Jr. Julia D. Hobart Elsie Mead Kenneth E. Nutter Jonathan G. Verity
Head of School from the
Building on solid foundations By Jay Scheurle
The Miami Valley School has been an innovator for decades. It’s true. I don’t know any other school in the U.S. that has allowed students, for the last thirty years, to spend an entire month through the Immersion Program being able to study one subject in depth. That’s unheard of anywhere else. This happened at MVS because teachers like Bryan Czarnota, Ashwi Birdi, Peter Camm, Barb Cleary, Fran Inbody, Jon Graetz, Linda Kretzler, Glenn Squiers, and many others created immersive programs that propelled students into unimagined realms of self-discovery and real world connections. Three years ago, teachers at MVS wondered, “what if we could take the concept of Immersion and translate it into a philosophy of teaching and learning that guided what we do every day, from early childhood through twelfth grade?” Teachers got busy on that challenge and created what we now call the “Immersion Method.” Here’s the essence of what it means: • Students learn best by doing, by becoming fully immersed in an area of study and exploring outside the typical classroom • Students dig deep, have ownership over their own learning, and are provided with the tools to successfully navigate their own futures in a time of rapid global change • Education develops in students a sense of self as the foundation to build a life of meaning and purpose • Students develop a deep knowledge of the language and methodology of the disciplines, not as end goals but as essential tools in raising questions, solving problems, and addressing the challenges they will face in their lifetimes • Units of study include an interdisciplinary approach to the arts, humanities, science, technology, ethics, and service--an approach that is more aligned with professional practice • Students are encouraged to face challenges, understand positive risk-taking, manage ambiguity, and develop the tools of personal resilience to deal with both success and failure If you haven’t been back to campus recently, please stop by to see what’s happening for yourself. The campus may have a new look (highlighted in this issue!), but when you sit in on any classroom discussion, you’ll find the same spirit of curiosity, discovery, and innovation alive and well here today, continuing to launch students on the profound journey of lifelong learning.
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In This Issue Photos by Danielle Naples
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Becoming MVS
The Miami Valley School’s new building brings many opportunities for advanced learning
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25
That’s So SEL
Bye Bye Bill
Saying goodbye to a teacher, coach and friend
How MVS has embraced Social Emotional Learning
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Homecoming 2016
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Around the Tree
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From Dayton to Mars Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Dr. Kenneth Williford
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Finding the Right Fit Interview with Director of College Counseling, Blair Munhofen
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Alumni Awards
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Alumni Notes
A
s you walk into MVS, look to your right and notice a small protruding glass enclosure. It’s small. You might miss it if you don’t pay attention. The space is tucked away and provides a unique opportunity for the EC children to watch the world around them from the safety of this space. The children call it “the cave” and it is exactly the height/size of our children. They love being in the cave to look at books, watch the wind blow or rain come down. They notice the cars pull up and older students coming and going. It is their window to the world. Coleman would have loved the cave. He adored snuggling up and being read to. He would have loved the feeling of being cocooned - warm and safe, as he watched the world.
In Memoriam
Coleman by Julie Patel
Director of the Soin Early Childhood School
The Wright family in conjunction with the EC teachers want to honor Coleman and his memory by calling it “Coleman’s Cave.” Coleman will always be in our heart and will always be part of the Early Childhood School. Last year, I had the honor and privilege of being one of Coleman’s teachers. Everything Coleman did in his short life, he did with intensity. He loved hard and he played hard. He adored being outside where he could climb, swing and run. Chase and tag were often the game of choice outside, and Coleman kept up with boys twice his size, as they darted from one end of the playground to the other. It is, therefore, fitting that the MVS Fun Run should be renamed to bear his name, The Coleman Lynn Wright Fun Run. Coleman Wright paints a snowflake in art class.
At the start of the run, balloons were released in Coleman’s memory.
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HOMECOMING 2016
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Highlights from Miami Valley School 2016 Homecoming. Photos by Danielle Naples
Head of School Jay Scheurle welcomes the MVS runners.
Right: The lower school tug of war was a lively event at
Homecoming 2016.
Below: Father Alec Rasmussen and daughter Sydney ‘27, take a
break after the big run.
Above: Austin Cheek runs in the Coleman
Lynn Wright Fun Run.
Right: Head of School Jay Scheurle poses
with lower school students and Marti the Ram before the run.
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Around the
Tree
Dayton Literacy Peace Prize Author visits MVS On Friday, September 16, 2016 Bob Shacochis, the 2014 recipient of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Award for Fiction (The Woman Who Lost Her Soul) visited The Miami Valley School campus as part of his efforts to promote the Dayton Literary Peace Prize organization. “I am so grateful to have had the chance to listen to Bob Shaccochis and to speak to him afterwards. He sparked a different kind of critical thinking in me and encouraged me to continue to serve the world good-- or at least not make it worse, as he said. “ Peter Kuo, Upper School student explained following the talk.
Author Bob Shacochis speaks to MVS students in the new Stuart and Mimi Rose Theater.
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Convocation 2016 The tradition of first graders presenting flowers to graduating seniors, who in turn receive a book, is cherished at The Miami Valley School. It is a celebration that allows our oldest students to welcome some of our youngest students to the MVS family.
“You haven’t really learned
The graduating class of 2017.
“I have become a
completely unique version of myself, and one that could not have grown anywhere else.
anything until you can teach it, ask questions, make connections and find relevancy that makes it personal.
In AP biology, Dr.Birdi planted seeds on the first day of class and said she could teach the whole class using those seeds. I didn’t believe her. Until she did it.
”
-Nathan Mitchell, ‘17
Because nowhere else in the world has a Dr. Birdi, and a Mr.Squiers and a Mr. Graetz.
”
-Sam Jenks, ‘17
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Diversity Task Force Retreat In Spring of 2016, the Miami Valley School’s Board of Trustees voted to create a diversity task force to build on the strength of The Miami Valley School’s diversity, a pivotal piece of our school’s culture. The task force is made up of Board members, parents, teachers, and upper school students. In Fall of 2016, the task force met for a full day retreat, facilitated by diversity consultant Dr. Karen Townsend, CEO of KTownsend Consulting.
“Diversity at MVS is not
merely a destination; it is an ongoing process that makes this community special.
The committee deepens our understandings of diversity and discusses how we can work together to make MVS more inclusive and truly diverse.
”
-Yifan Ping, ‘17
“I also believe students are
provided with a competitive advantage in the world today when they have the opportunity to develop genuine friendships and team collaborations with students who bring family and personal backgrounds and perspectives that are different from their own.” -Jay Schuerle
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The Diversity Task Force includes:
Board Members Diane Hirakawa, board president and MVS parent Priya Jain, board secretary and MVS parent (task force co-chair) Sandy McConnel, past board president (task force co-chair) Teachers/staff members: Dan Cummings, US director Jon Graetz, US math faculty Tekeia Howard, director of community purpose Janice Krochmal, 1st grade faculty Jacob McGlaun, performing arts faculty Jay Scheurle, head of school Susan Strong, director of enrollment Parents Kim Jarvis Yasmeen Soin Students Alex Misick (9th grade) Yifan Ping (12th grade) Avery Woodruff (11th grade)
Hip Hop Class The upper school offered a number of new electives this year, one of the most popular of which was Hip Hop Studies. Taught by Upper School Director Dan Cummings, the course explored hip hop as a political, historical, social and artistic movement, starting with its cultural cornerstones and tracing its growth and redefinition through the modern day. Cultural pillars included dj’ing, mc’ing, breaking and graf writing, and were set against the backdrop of post WWII America, introducing issues of race, class, corporatization of media and civil protest. Students read lyrics as literature and considered counterculture as an often misunderstood alternative.
Top:
Nae Sosebee, ‘17, singing with upper school A cappella Ars Nova. Right:
Students visit a local graffiti wall as part of their Hip Hop Studies course.
“I’m so excited for this class. “I don’t think many schools
People just think of hip hop as a “thug life” culture and associate it with terrible people and terrible things - but it’s so enlightening to study a cultural movement and see the workings behind it.
”
-Amin Ahmed, ‘19
have a class like this.
I’m excited for it because I love the genre of music - especially the older stuff - and I want to learn about the social and political movements that drove the music.
-Alyssa Clements, ‘17
”
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From Reggio Emilia, Italy to the John C. Campbell Folk School
Julie Patel, Director of the Early Childhood School, & Kathleen Bechert, Lead Teacher, Early Childhood School.
The Cleary Endowment gives selected teachers the opportunity to enhance their professional growth through research programs. In April 2016, early childhood faculty attended a week long International Study Group on the Reggio Approach to Education. 400 teachers and administrators from over 41 countries were represented at the conference. Countries represented included Ghana, South Korea and Israel. The Reggio approach is one pedagogy the school uses and includes a focus on the hundred languages, children as researchers and the physical environment as third teacher.
“Children possess a hundred
languages, a hundred ways of thinking, of expressing themselves, of understanding, and of encountering others, with a way of thinking.
The hundred languages are a metaphor for the extraordinary potentials of children and their creative processes.
”
-100 Languages of Children
The Bravery of International Students by Susan Strong
Imagine leaving your parents and country at 14 years old and moving in with an unknown American family to attend MVS. This is what over 50 international students have done at MVS since 2007. The culture shock can be overwhelming. And the courage it takes is something to celebrate. That is why MVS has established the International Program, designed to help our incoming students acclimate and adapt to their new life. This year, MVS has 16 international students, all from China, who are eager to learn, engage, and as we say, become.
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“The best part for us is meeting the students first via Skype interview, getting to know them through the
initial three week orientation program, and then watching the students embracing all aspects of MVS, while they become fluent in English,” says International Program Director, Ting Li. Like all students who go through the admission process, international admissions looks for special qualities in students who want to be active leaders in their education. The program has been a success with constant evaluation of how to incorporate Chinese and American cultures. One aspect that really helps this integration is Immersion. Current sophomore, Leo Zhou, explains it like a chemistry experiment. “Immersion is like a chemical reaction. American and Chinese students are like two different elements and we try and mix them together like a compound. Immersion is the heat that mixes the two cultures together. The final result is all of us getting to know and understand each other better.”
Peaceful Warrior & Jacob’s Silent Retreat
Jacob McGlaun, Performing Arts Coordinator of Bands & Performing Arts Faculty.
Mindfulness is a hot topic in education, but for many educators at The Miami Valley School, it has been a life journey. For Jacob McGlaun, Performing Arts Coordinator of Bands and Performing Arts Faculty, it started when he went to a yard sale in Ann Arbor to buy a couch. The sale was at a Zen Buddhist temple where he started his first Intro to Meditation course. “I was attracted to the simplicity and warmth,” McGlaun explains. That intro course at the tender age of 21 led to him sitting with the Village Zendo in SoHo and a year’s residence at the Zen Center of NYC, located in Brooklyn. He continued his theatre practice during this time, while also keeping a day job at Trader Joe’s in Union Square-all around the strict and rigorous schedule at the temple. Every year, Jacob returns to his monastery three times to reinvigorate his practice. When asked how it guides his work, McGlaun finds instant parallels: “The chaos of the classroom is no different from the chaos of the mind. The practice involves learning to treat it with the same patience and gentleness as I would treat my own mind.”
And while all the international students are excited about this year’s immersion, the three current seniors are also heavily ensconced in the college admission process. Over the years, international students have matriculated to Washington University in St. Louis, Miami University, Pepperdine, and School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Becoming compassionate global citizens is what it is all about for both American and international students.
Glenn Squiers, Upper School Social Science Faculty. For Glenn Squiers, his path to The Blazing Mountain Retreat began when he had the opportunity to study under the University of Chicago teacher that wrote the book he teaches from at The Miami Valley School. He has traveled to the retreat three separate times for three weeks each and brings the work back to the campus community in myriad ways, including by teaching a Meditation Immersion which pairs meditation and martial arts Tao Shen Do. Squiers teaches the Peaceful Warrior immersion in the upper school, where he imparts the knowledge he gained under the tutelage of MVS parent Stephen Hayes. Squiers began his work with Hayes in 1998. For Squiers, the marriage of meditation and curriculum is inseparable. As he explains, somatic meditation is all about “cultivating your right brain experience”. “Your left brain conceptualizes everything. Only your right brain can truly do the immersive learning that benchmarks our educational experience at MVS,” Squiers adds. And the practice of somatic meditation can be taken right into the classroom. “I ask students to report on and analyze their experience of learning, rather than what they learn. By the end of the exam, the students want to keep taking the exam. They aren’t ready to be done.”
11 Yifan Ping, ‘17
TedX Youth Dayton
Squiers then launched his first TED elective in 2008. Inspired by Squiers’ class, alumnus Jeremy Klaben, ‘09, continued his TED pursuits in college, coordinating the University of Michigan’s TEDx event. Jeremy’s excitement was contagious and influenced parents Larry and Marilyn Klaben after they attended a TEDxUofM event in Ann Arbor. It was obvious to the Klabens that Dayton, the home of innovation, would be a perfect place for a TEDx event.
What’s a TED talk?
TEDx is an independently organized event, deriving from the non-profit TED, which presents conferences featuring short talks—no more than 18 minutes—on the topics of Technology, Entertainment and Design. These talks are innovative, inspiring, funny, and ultimately what TED calls “ideas worth spreading.”
Carrying on the TED Tradition
Friday October 16, 2015 Arman Ahmed was the only student/ under 18-year-old to be invited to speak at the Victoria Theatre TED talk. Ahmed was one of three MVS students to speak at the qualifying Tedx event at Wright State University on September 25. He spoke on his hobby of street art photography, for which he has won numerous national awards. His art can be found in the new gallery space.
At MVS, It’s nothing new
In 2008, Upper School teacher Glenn Squiers developed a TED elective, still offered today. Students in the course research and analyze TED talks, and write and record their own TED-style talks.
How did it get to Dayton?
The TED class concept started at MVS when Director of Technology and Innovation, Bryan Lakatos, introduced TED talks to Upper School social science teacher Glenn Squiers. Together, they thought TED Talks would be the perfect platform to inspire and educate students. MVS student Armaan Ahmed talking about his hobby of street art photography at the Victoria Theatre TED talk on October 16, 2016.
“In many ways, MVS – as a community – embodies the ideals of TED.
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Just like TED, MVS celebrates the individual spirit of each student, challenging them to think deeper, inspire and encourage others, and to become thought leaders.
”
-Susan Strong, Director of Enrollment
ALUMNI
Dayton to Mars from
An interview with 2016 Distinguished Alumni Service Award Winner Dr. Kenneth Williford
#1 Tell us about what you do. I work as a scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a NASA center in Pasadena, California known primarily for its achievements related to robotic exploration of the solar system. I run a lab called the Astrobiogeochemistry Laboratory, and I am the Deputy Project Scientist for the next Mars rover mission called Mars 2020. Research in my lab focuses on understanding how signs of life and environment might be preserved in rocks on Earth and other planets. The Mars 2020 mission will land somewhere on Mars, explore the geology, determine whether the environment could have supported life in the distant past, look for signs of past life, and collect samples that could one day be returned to Earth to be analyzed in laboratories similar to mine.
#2 How did your time at MVS influence your career?
In some very important ways I became the person I am today during my time at MVS. While I was at MVS I learned how to do research, how to write clearly and persuasively, how to express myself creatively, and how to use my mind and body together athletically. Most importantly, I learned how to live and work together with people in a community.
#3 Tell us about one of your most memorable experiences at MVS.
There were so many, but certainly one of my most memorable experiences at MVS was my Marine Ecology immersion. Focusing on the science of marine ecology for a month on campus with Brian
Czarnota, training in the swimming pool with Tom Brereton, the first breath I took underwater on SCUBA, the first open water dive off of Andros Island in the Bahamas, cold showers and fish head stew at Forfar Field Station, Smokey the barracuda, fish identification slide shows. This experience shaped the rest of my life in powerful ways.
#4 Was there a particular
faculty member at MVS who pushed and encouraged you? It is so hard to choose one person, but since the question said “pushed and encouraged,” I will mention Brian Czarnota. Czar was especially influential as a taskmaster on the soccer field — “If you’re walkin’ you’re wrong!” — and a fantastic science teacher with a true “discovery based” approach.
#5 Your history of service is
inspiring. How did your time at MVS influence your commitment to helping others? First, I feel so fortunate to have had the learning and growth opportunities that were available to me during my time at MVS, and I want to do the best I can to help others have similar opportunities. Second, MVS combined a natural and open environment for experiential learning and extraordinary teaching. I think this combination generated in me a motivation and learned capacity for educational communication.
#6 What advice would you give
to a graduating MVS senior? Be kind, and pay attention.
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That’s So
. . . S E L
What is SEL?
“Youth is a time to grow our roots, our sense of self, a foundation upon which to build a happy and healthy approach to life. By forming strong personal relationships and creating opportunities for students to become active participants and leaders in their school community, students at The Miami Valley School learn to celebrate both their own individuality and the culture of something larger than themselves.
”
-The Miami Valley School Vision Statement
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MVS...That’s So SEL Early Childhood School
Using books in the Early Childhood School teaches our youngest learners to recognize facial expressions and learn how to appropriately respond to others.
“Schools who treat Social Emotional Learning
the same as Math and Science and English, create students that can be the most successful they can be. They have the interpersonal and intrapersonal skills to succeed at all levels throughout life and tackle any obstacle that comes their way.
”
-Christie Kemper, Director of Student Success
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Lower School
Social emotional learning at the lower school involves giving students opportunity to work autonomously and in leadership roles to foster strong self management interpersonal skills. Kindergarten restaurant promotes responsible decision making and social awareness. Christy Kemper teaches a lower school lesson on bucket filling, which promotes friendship and kindness.
Middle School
Every year our Middle School students head to Camp Joy, where team building and personal challenges encourage self awareness and management. The end of the year finds middle school students learning to handle emotions in relationships effectively, through cooperative activities that challenge students to be self aware and navigate conflict resolution. And in advisory, middle school students have the opportunity to build community while strengthening faculty-student connection. Topics at advisory include managing emotions, interpersonal skills, and time and stress management.
Upper School
Community service in the upper school is a hallmark of the curriculum and gives our oldest learners the opportunity for self exploration and to put their empathy skills to action by giving back. At MVS, we take educating compassionate global citizens seriously. Upper school advisory gives students a chance to strengthen their interpersonal skills and self awareness so they enter the world with the tools to behave ethically and responsibly.
Athletics
“Athletics at MVS encourages students to make more responsible decisions on and off the field.
�
The students see that their decisions and actions affect so much more than themselves.
-Eric Kissinger, Boys’ Varsity Soccer Coach
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Becoming MVS
The Miami Valley School’s new building brings many opportunities for advanced learning. 14
The Miami Valley School
has transformed the physical campus through the largest capital campaign in the history of the school. The new state-of-the-art buildings visually communicate the differentiated educational opportunity provided at MVS. But don’t just take our word for it. See for yourself how teacher-guided architecture rooted in pedagogy allows for challenging, immersive experiences in a student-centered space.
Take a sneak peek at our new facility!
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Cleary Gallery An anonymous donor dedicated the new gallery space in the name of The Cleary Family. The Cleary Gallery honors the ongoing legacy of Dr. Barb Cleary, English teacher since 1972, her beloved late husband Dr. Michael Cleary and their alumnus sons Sean, Timothy, Matthew, and Dennis Cleary.
Courtyard view of the Stuart and Mimi Rose Theater and the renovated and expanded Patti and Lee Schear Library.
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The Light As Teacher The light acts as a teacher in Reggio pedagogy. Architects invited it in through strategic windows and spaces that create shadows and allow children to explore and move through light and a dark spaces.
An artist in residence is a cornerstone of Reggio education.
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The Patti and Lee Schear Library The renovated library features state-of-the-art technology including sound-proof study rooms with video-production equipment and 8 different types of seating to accommodate MVS learners from 3-years-old to Seniors in upper school. Three conference rooms just for students ensure this central hub of campus can be used by students in as many ways as they learn: offering spaces for solitude and collaboration alike.
The newly renovated Patti and Lee Schear Library as you enter from the Cleary Gallery doors.
There are 13,819 items in the MVS library catalog
Upper School faculty member Dr. Ashwi Birdi reads to lower school students in an all-campus read in of Llama Llama Red Pajama.
320 boxes of books packed and moved in 2015. 13,819 items in the library catalog. 6,376 average number of library checkouts per year. 22 8 different types of seating found throughout the library.
Soin Early Childhood School The initial driver of the building renovation was the need for the Early Childhood Center to move on campus from its home a mile away. The creation of the new state-of-the-art center brought our youngest learners to the everyday experience of the campus and the faculty of the center played an integral role in the architectural planning of the space so that it was built with a child’s experience in mind. The design of the space is leading in the concept of design acting as a teacher. Inspired by the numerous pedagogies incorporated at the center, the Soin Early Childhood Center building is an extension of the child’s home environment offering welcoming and cozy spaces with the opportunity to explore and discover. The specially designed windows are built at the children’s level and invite the world in to their learning space at their perspective. One window offers a view of clouds and sky, while another peeks to the movement of students and parents entering and leaving the building.
Windows are set at the level of a 4-year-old.
Get messy, climb through a wall!
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2016
class of
The Class of 2016 are National Merit scholarship recipients,
black-belt martial artists, nationally recognized gymnasts, & math competition champions. We have:
1 Licensed Pilot
1 Award-Winning 1 State Champion Artist
Sprinter & Long-Jumper 1 Concert Pianist 1 Professional Disc Jockey These graduates matriculated to the nation’s best colleges. were admitted to universities In fact, and liberal arts colleges ranked in the top 100 by US News and World Report.
69%
The universities include: Harvard University University of Pennsylvania The Ohio State University Villanova University New York University Centre College Columbia University Boston College Santa Clara University Georgetown University Miami University, Oxford
As college students, they plan to study aeronautical engineering, visual art,
biomedical engineering, creative writing, environmental sciences, finance, music technology, neuroscience, paleontology, religious studies, & philosophy.
Bye Bye,
BILL
Saying goodbye to a teacher, coach, and friend
From left to right: Bill takes a pie to the face as part of a fundraiser in middle school, holding a panda during a visit to China, and coaching basketball.
I
f Bill Glisson’s career was a movie, it would be Meatballs meets Stand and Deliver: a comedy romp about family, adventure, and a man who has made an impact on thousands of young people. And Bill Glisson, MVS faculty member and administrator boasting a 43 year tenure, would be the starring lead-- equal parts charming goofball and fearless hero. Bill has been explained as the perfect camp director-- at times he can scare you to death with his bellowing voice and in the next moment you are comforted by his ability to see your struggle and offer teachable moments to guide you through. In the summer of 1974, twenty-three-year-old Bill
Glisson came to interview at The Miami Valley School after teaching in Jefferson Township, a public school then predominately populated by families at or below the poverty line. “I thought I’d make it big - I was making over $8,000 a year.” Bill says, remembering when he was a budding teacher “flying by the seat of my pants” and trying to earn the respect of the parents who set high expectations for him.
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Despite feeling like “just some rum-dum from Philadelphia,” Glisson made fast friends with these parents, who cared about the school. In no time, Glisson was a pillar of the MVS community, coaching and teaching fifth grade while raising his young children who came to school with him each day. “The relationships I had with parents made me a better teacher and that support was a constant throughout my career.” Glisson explains. “We’re a family - we expect a lot of each other, and we show up every day and get it done.”
Washington D.C. to Ghana
Long before Immersion was a staple experience at MVS, and well before schools nationally orchestrated 8th grade trips to the nation’s capitol, Glisson decided he was going to take a group of 5th grade students to Washington, D.C. Anyone who knows Bill knows he doesn’t plan just a boring, run-of-the-mill Halloween costume. And true to fashion, Bill applied the same zest and commitment to his capitol trips. He met Sandra Day O’connor and had lunch at the vice president’s house with Barbara Bush. He utilized his networks to get evening tours of the White House and a group of students to send off Ronald Reagan, waving from the White House lawn. Het met Bill Verity, Secretary of Commerce under Nixon, who gave him a pair of cufflinks he still keeps in his office. And arguably more impressive, Glisson organized these unprecedented trips solo, borrowing vans from parents and orchestrating the entire experience with the goal of “broadening [the students’] horizons and bringing those experiences back to the classroom.” The success of the D.C. trip, still active today as the Williamsburg trip, led to more global connections. Glisson won a grant for a walkabout in Africa, spending three weeks in Ghana and making lifetime friendships.
Coaching
Raising three children and teaching full time kept Glisson plenty busy, but he still found time to coach Division I women’s soccer at the University of Dayton for twelve years. He was the head coach for three of those years, bringing the team to victory and setting records. Glisson also coached high school girls soccer at MVS for seven years and varsity girls basketball for 16 years.
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“He not only taught me to be the best
athlete I could be, but through sports, he also guided me in substantial life lessons such as: perceptions matter a great deal, trust with caution and true friends have your back. Coach made high school
sports serious, competitive and mostly fun. His involvement [in my life] is still strong to this day!
”
-Debbie Liebowitz, ‘82
Family
Bill Glisson has taught, coached, and become family to thousands of students over his forty three years, and of those thousands three children were his biologically. Billy, Corey and Amy Glisson all grew up watching their father teach and coach, often working 12 hour days with them in tow. “I’m still taking Amy to school!” Glisson jokes of his commute, which he often shares with his daughter Amy, lower school administrative assistant. Each day Glisson parks by the middle school entrance, next to Billy Glisson Field, renamed in honor of his late son who died of cancer in 1990. Billy was a 1989 graduate of MVS. The school closed for his funeral, the first and last time in the history, and the community rallied around the Glisson family throughout Billy’s illness and the loss. “The very best part of my career has been bringing my kids to school.” Glisson says, remembering the long seasons when morning drives and quick hellos at lunch were opportune times for him to see his family around a hectic professional life.
“
The relationships I had with parents made me a better teacher and that support was a constant throughout my career. We’re a family - we expect a lot of each other, and we show up every day and get it done.
”
-Bill Glisson
The
Jenks Family:
two generations reflect on Bill Glisson
Susan Strong, Director of Enrollment, sat down with the Jenks family to get the scoop from those who know him best.
Susan Strong: Sum up Bill in one word. Doug: Dedicated Sam: charismatic Henry: Present Sam: Loud All: {Laughing} Henry: Force to be reckoned with Susan: What comes to mind when you think of Bill? Doug: I think of him as the first male teacher I ever had. I remember walking into the 5th grade and hearing his bellowing voice and thinking, “well, this is new.” Sam: He was my introduction in 7th grade to MVS. he played a very large role in me transitioning and enjoying middle school and finding a home at MVS. Henry: I think of him as being a great leader and really nice but not afraid to yell at you if you need it. Very level headed. If you needed to talk to Mr. Glisson, you knew not to be afraid, he would make it a discussion. He’s rational and he cares. Sam: Yeah, a fine line - you respect him but know not to mess with him. Doug: He introduced me to really great books. I wasn’t a reader before his class. I read Watership Down and the Narnia series. I never loved books until he introduced them to me. Susan: There is something to be said for his stamina and his understanding of the roots of the school and the history. Was his being part of the school a deciding factor for you to have your sons here, Doug? D: I knew what MVS was all about and the fact that Bill Glisson was still here told me it was still the same place I loved. I knew it would be a challenging and safe learning environment. No question that this remains the best school in town and the fact that Bill Glisson is still here is a testament to this special place. Susan: How is Bill different from other teachers? S: He can joke around with the students and immediately bring it back to topic. Not many teachers can do that. H: It was more fun because of that. S: He taught me how to do the staple academic skills I used through high school and will use in
college. Things like note taking. And my first major paper was in his class. H: The famous term paper. S: You spend months on that paper. Susan: Any life lessons from Bill? S: Don’t take yourself too seriously. D: That’s good. Absolutely. S: It’s a lesson I learned. D: He always dresses up at Halloween. That speaks to his willingness to enjoy himself. S: And he’s a great example of being so respected that he can dress up funny on Halloween and still be revered. D: He is a perfect example of being able to reinvent yourself. He’s been here long enough so that he could reinvent himself over time - from girls soccer here to girls soccer at UD and then basketball. As well as a school teacher and administrator and world traveler. He’s done so many things and brings it back to the school. It’s remarkable that this man has been a friend to three generations of my family. I had him almost forty years ago and now my son has him as a teacher now. My mother used to socialize with him and has great stories of him. Susan: Ok, let’s end on a funny note. What can you tell me about The Return Policy? H: Oh yeah, if you don’t have a calculator? S: Oh yeah! And he just does it automatically. Kids just line up and hand him their shoe and he hands them a calculator. No talking needed. Susan: I tell that story on tours often. It highlights his relationship with his students - he’ll always provide for them, but his expectations are high.
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It’s All About
THE FIT An interview with Director of College Counseling Blair
What’s your best memory from last year’s college trip?
Last year Director of Upper School Dan Cummings and I took a group of sophomores and juniors to colleges in Indiana and around Chicago. Toward the end of the trip, we were driving from Lake Forest, a small liberal arts school, down to Northwestern and everyone was exhausted. It was our second to last school to visit out of seven. I could tell the group needed a pick me up, so I called Dan, and we did a quick stop and ran down to the beach. The scenery was just gorgeous - the sun on the water and stately homes dotting the lake - and we took a moment all together to just take a break. Trips like these bring students together that have different friend groups and play different sports and give them a reason to bond together. They have different reasons for visiting the schools and they each get different experiences, but the defined moment we all leave with is one of us being together.
What’s different about our college applicants?
Our students do so much writing throughout their tenure at MVS that their essays are strong. Their ideas have been shaped by real, lived experiences. Not many high school students can discuss their language Immersion home-stay experience or what is was like to earn their advanced open water
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Munhofen
scuba diving certification. Our students can. The Immersion Method requires them to do a great deal of reflection through writing, which means the college essay experience isn’t foreign to them. Writing contemplatively isn’t new to them - they are put into situations day in and day out that ask them to experience and reflect on their growth. Sometimes it may seem to some students that the notorious “college essay” is especially difficult. I think that’s the result of them having honed this practice and developed correspondingly high standards for what makes this type of essay truly excellent.
How has admissions changed - how are we adeptly prepared for it?
College admissions is getting more competitive and selective. We are prepared for this because we prepare students holistically. It’s almost as if the new emphasis on “holistic review” is made for our graduates. As colleges begin to look at applicants as more than just GPAs and test scores, they see how different our students are. Our students’ academic credentials are consistently strong, but what really makes them stand out from the crowd are their manifold experiences. From Immersion to our clubs and athletics, our students are not information-acquiring robots. We have an applicant this year who lived on her own in
China for three weeks while studying Traditional Chinese Medicine alongside much older medical students. We have another senior who watched a trans-catheter aortic valve replacement during immersion.
Applying to college is a stressful process. How do you support so many students at once?
I always ask “Do you feel supported right now?” As long as they feel supported, it will be fine. See page 24 for a by the numbers of our 2016 graduation class!
“clubsImmersion athletics From
to our and , our students are not information-acquiring robots .
”
-Blair Munhofen
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The Miami Valley School
Alumni
Awards
Jeff Samuelson ‘79
Alumni Service Award As an alumnus, architect, CEO, member of The Miami Valley School Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, and Facilities Committee, Jeff’s contributions to The Miami Valley School are irreplaceable. Jeff has spent the last 18 months serving as the liaison and advisor between MVS and our construction contractors. He has played an active role in renovation and construction at MVS when we built the Lofino Athletic Center and currently for the Tell The World construction project. As the class agent for 1979, Jeff communicates with alumni to keep them up-to-date on school events and works to increase alumni engagement with the school both from a relational and philanthropic perspective. Jeff advocates and promotes MVS ideas, philosophies, and projects. In his professional life, Jeff is the Managing Member and CEO for Kettering-based JZ Companies. Jeff is the Vice Chairman of the Ohio Board of Building Standards, Code Sub-Committee (appointed by the Governor). Thank you, Jeff, for your service and dedication to The Miami Valley School.
David Sayler ‘87
Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee During his years as a student-athlete at The Miami Valley School, David held the record for most goals scored in soccer (35) and was named the 1987 Male Athlete of the Year. David was named Miami University’s Director of Athletics in 2012. Thanks to David, Miami University student-athletes have made major progress, both on and off the field. Since David’s arrival at Miami University in 2012, Miami has won 17 conference championships, as well as earned the MAC Academic Achievement Award in 2013-2014, finishing the school year with a 3.2 GPA. David also has boosted staff and student-athlete participation in Miami University’s Red & White Club to 100%, providing many scholarships to student-athletes. Congratulations, David!
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Patti Schear
Headmaster’s Award Jay Scheurle is pleased to announce Patti Schear as the recipient of the 2016 Headmaster’s Award. Our gratitude for Patti is myriad— she serves in multiple roles at The Miami Valley School. Patti is an alumni parent, a member of the MVS Board of Trustees, a philanthropist, and has been invaluable in her role as chair-person of the Tell the World Campaign for nearly two years. For the last 22 months, Patti has maintained oversight and worked hard as “team-builder-in-chief,” bringing committees and donors together to ensure the success of our $9.4M campaign, resulting in the construction and renovation of the new main entrance gallery, the Lee and Patti Schear Library, the Stuart and Mimi Rose Theater, and the addition of the Soin Early Childhood School. In addition to this undertaking, Patti and her husband, Lee, also founded Sinai Scholars (est. 2009), a program that provides scholarships to mission appropriate Jewish students who are a great fit for The Miami Valley School. Thank you, Patti, for your generosity, your service, and your commitment to safeguarding MVS as the best educational experience in the Dayton region.
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The Miami Valley School
Alumni
Notes
Robert Tate ‘12
Robert graduated with departmental honors with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a minor in philosophy from Denison University in May 2015. He began his professional career as a Fellow with the Ohio Legislature in Columbus, OH in September 2016.
Robert Edwards ‘10
Robert graduated from the University of Dayton with a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in May 2016.
Emily Graetz ‘09
Emily showcased overtone singing in her televised audition for America’s Got Talent in July 2016.
Laura Brewer ‘07
Laura married Isaac DeFrain in a beautiful ceremony in Ft. Lauderdale Florida on June 11, 2016. The couple live in Akron, Ohio.
Dan Gorsky ‘05
Dan and his wife Danielle Gadd Gorsky welcomed their daughter Olivia Gorsky in May 2016.
Lauren Gorsky ‘03
Lauren and Trevor Yount welcomed Ruby Raia November 14. She weighed 6 lbs 10 oz.
Mandy Gutmann ‘03
Mandy and her husband Josh Arcus welcomed their son, Caleb Jackson, on June 25, 2016.
Carrie (Weprin) Hecht ‘03
Carrie and her husband Jared had a baby boy, Elijah Sonny Hecht, born October 28, 2016.
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Ankush Kalra ‘03
Ankush and Tasha Vardya Kalra were married Saturday October 8, 2016 and reside in Philadelphia, PA.
Caitlin Powell Lewis ‘03
Caitlin and her husband Andy welcomed their first child, Isla, on December 1, 2015. Caitlin is the Admission Coordinator at MVS. She and her husband reside in Mason, OH.
David Percy ‘03
David and his wife Jenelle welcomed their daughter, Penelope Jane in August 2016.
Adonya Jackson Thompson ‘03
Adonya and Chris Thompson were married April 3, 2016 in a small wedding in Winter Park, FL.
David Pullins ‘01
David graduated from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Arts & Sciences with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in the History of Art & Architecture.
Todd Lang ‘84
Todd was appointed to the Maricopa County Superior Court. Previously, Todd was the Assistant US Attorney for the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Phoenix, AZ. Todd has also served as the Executive Director of the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission, as well as the Chief Counsel for the AZ Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Litigation Unit.
Samuel Staley ‘80
Samuel Staley, Ph.D., is a full-time faculty member of the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy at Florida State University and released his newest book, Unsafe On Any Campus?, at a public forum with an expert panel on campus sexual assault in Tallahassee, FL in July 2015.
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Emergence Alumni Magazine
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