Skip to main content

Pantherbeat - Summer 2021

Page 1

PARISH EPISCOPAL SCHOOL NEWS

SUMMER 2021

REFLECT, RECONNECT, REJOICE! Celebrating 50 Years of Parish It is impossible to fully appreciate where Parish is today as a school community without understanding how far we’ve come in such a short period of time.

https://vimeo.com/534842902

www.parish.org/parish50

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PAGE 2 | SUMMER 2021

PARISH PANTHERBEAT

Parish Online

parish.org The Show Must Go On! The Parish Rosettes' annual spring review was as entertaining and creative as ever with Rosettes on the Runway. https://vimeo.com/522364767/a154cab19e

Dude, Where's My Mouse Trap? Grandfriends From Far and Wide Grandfriends Day was virtual this year but allowed us to host visitors from all over Texas, the United States and Canada! https://www.vimeo.com/ 540673215

8th grade science students studied velocity and acceleration as they worked on their mouse trap car projects with former science teacher Mrs. McEwen. https://www.facebook.com/parishepiscopalschool/posts/10161320962816151 Parish Facebook

Bottom of the 9th Heroics Senior Carter Perry hits a bottom of the 9th walk-off single to lead Parish to a 6-5 victory over a district rival! https://twitter.com/ParishSports/status/1380901130058731521

Blessing of the Animals for the Oldest Students Parish Twitter

Headed to Midway! Our students could not wait to be back on the Hillcrest and Midway Campuses. https://www.instagram.com/p/ CPWxDuUnAkH/

The Class of 2021 had the chance to participate in one of the most cherished traditions at Parish one last time at the Midway Campus. https://www.instagram.com/p/CNXdKAHH9IO/

Last Day of School.....Finally! Our campus celebrations were filled with an outdoor Hillcrest Chapel; parties & petting zoos; Potter, projects & finals; and visits to the next grade & new buildings.

Parish Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPY-ik1HI03/

New Addition:

6th Grade Banner Competition This spring, in honor of Parish’s 50th anniversary, we brought back a beloved Parish Day School tradition, the 6th Grade Banner Competition. Established by former PDS teacher, Carle Greenwood, the competition challenged 6th grade students – considered the School’s “Seniors” at the time – to come up with a banner theme and design that represented the spirit of Parish. Congratulations to Mary Evelyn Holt’s Advisory, the winners of the 2021 6th Grade Banner competition! Mrs. Holt’s advisory chose the theme Stronger Together and described their banner saying, “The pandemic forced us to be apart, and we realized how much we needed each other. We got through it together.” We are proud to include Lamplighter art teacher and Parish Alumna Lizzie Weeks Bumpas '07 in this special project. Lizzie will be making two copies of the winning felt banner for us over the summer. During the 2021-2022 school year we will have one banner on display at the Hillcrest campus and the other on display at the Midway campus. Thank you to Lizzie and our Parish 6th grade advisors and students for helping us bring back this wonderful Parish tradition.

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PARISH PANTHERBEAT

SUMMER 2021 | PAGE 3

Pantherbeat Feature:

Reflect, Reconnect, Rejoice! Celebrating 50 Years of Parish

By Kristen Twomey, Parish Parent and 50th Anniversary Chair It is impossible to fully appreciate where Parish is today as a school community without understanding how far we’ve come in such a short period of time. To appropriately honor a milestone as special as a 50th anniversary, one needs to reflect on where it all began. The people, the timing, the circumstances, the obstacles. If you have ever built something from scratch – a house, a business…a NASA rover – then you understand what it feels like to start a project, experience the journey and celebrate the end result.

A focus on meeting students where they were, helping them thrive and reach their potential in a loving, supportive and collaborative environment. I have always admired Gloria’s tenacity, decisiveness and confidence. She knew she had the winning ticket. She knew Parish needed to serve more students, and see them through high school. And she set out to make that happen. Not a small task. From 1980 to 2009, Gloria Snyder gave 110 percent of herself to Parish. Passionate about the future of Parish, and surrounded by devoted friends, teachers, parents and students, she forged ahead expanding the School and it’s programs, grade by grade until 2007 when Parish graduated its first Senior Class – still affectionately known today as the “Pioneer Class” of Parish Episcopal School. In addition to exceptional academic programs, Gloria’s time at Parish introduced special traditions that we still cherish today, such as Blessing of the Animals, Blue Shirt Chapel and Grandparents' Day.

Parish Day School came from humble beginnings. In 1972, Mary Loving Blair picked up the pieces of a small, practically non-existent, church pre-school and over a short seven-year period, and with very little money and few resources, she turned Parish Day School into a functioning PreK through 4th grade program. In 1980, the baton was handed to new Head of School, Gloria H. Snyder. What was most endearing about Gloria is that she knew in her heart that Parish was special and different. That the School was offering something to children that other schools were not. A focus on the whole student. Upon Gloria’s retirement in 2009, Dave Monaco was selected as Parish’s third Head of School. He clearly had big shoes to fill. If you have ever been to a 3rd grade rocket launch on the football field, you will understand the analogy I am about to use. When I look at Parish’s recent history – the past 10 years – I think of those soda bottles shooting up into the air, the kids delighted by each successful launch. Under Dave’s leadership, Parish’s trajectory was much like those soda bottles. The School was headed in one direction – and one direction fast – and that was UP! In the last 10 years, Parish has introduced its Signature Programs including ParishLeads, ParishSTEM, ParishExtend and the Academy of Global Studies. The addition of a 4000+ square foot Design Den and other new spaces like the Nauslar Family Garden, Fleeger Family Kitchen and Gene E. Phillips Activity Center further added to the richness of the education offered at Parish. A strategic partnership with Grant Halliburton Foundation to establish Parish's centerED programming ensured that students’ social and emotional needs were being cared for as well. And finally, we celebrate the addition of our beautiful Noble Family Performing Arts Center and its nearly 55,000 square feet of practice and performance space that nurtures creativity in the arts and beyond. A space the entire Parish community will utilize and benefit from for years to come. We look forward to its special grand opening event in the fall of 2021. (Continues on page 4)

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PAGE 4 | SUMMER 2021

PARISH PANTHERBEAT

Parish Feature Story (continued from page 3)

Weaving throughout these 50 years of rapid and impressive growth, one finds a common thread. At the heart of Parish is a community that consists of deeply loyal parents, grandparents, students, faculty, staff and alumni. At the heart of Parish is a sincere desire to care for and support one another. The Parish community has celebrated the highest highs, and grieved the lowest lows. Our students, faculty and coaches have won awards, scholarships, grants and championships. However, throughout the past five decades, one thing remains the same. When people ask what it is that makes Parish special, the answer is always community.

And so, as Dave mentioned in his final Town Hall of the 2020-21 school year, our next step as a Parish community is to RECONNECT. We learned this past year that we, as humans, are simply meant to be together, not apart. We are meant to load kids and friends into our cars during carpool; we are meant to cheer together on the sidelines; we are meant to sing Day by Day and celebrate birthdays during chapel. Meeting our kids’ coaches and teachers, and volunteering to help them feels good. Face painters at Spooky Saturday bring us joy, as does the sound of the Parish drumline. And we need to bring our badly-behaved pets to campus to be blessed just one more time… because maybe this year the blessing will actually work. It is time to come back to campus and be together. Our anniversary celebration could not come at a better time – it affords us the opportunity to reflect on Parish’s history, reconnect as a community and rejoice in our many blessings and the hope for a bright future at Parish.

Our 50th Anniversary celebration kicks off on Friday, August 27 at Panther Nation Block Party. It’s going to be a PARTY and you won’t want to miss it! Visit www.parish.org/parish50 to find a list of all anniversary events and dates.

NEW DATE: Friday, August 27, 2021 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Parish Athletic Fields

SAVE THE DATE:

Bounce Houses, Hamburger Man, Photo Buttons & DJ

2022 Parish Gala - Celebrating 50 Years of Parish

Learn About Parish Clubs and Order Your Yearbook

Saturday, March 5, 2022

Student Pep Rally! Show your School Spirit!

Ford Center at The Star

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PARISH PANTHERBEAT

SUMMER 2021 | PAGE 5

Gala: Disco Party Style – We will take you there! 2021 Parish Gala was one we will all remember. While we weren't able to all be together, we sure did have a groovy time with our crews. Thank you to our Gala Chairs Kari Grzych and Amanda Inabnett for your great leadership and working with your committees to ensure we raise important funds for Parish. It was truly an out of sight year!

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PAGE 6 | SUMMER 2021

PARISH PANTHERBEAT

Parish Episcopal School Founders’ Day This year’s Founders’ Day started during the school day with chapel homilies about Parish Founders and concluded with a Founders’ Dinner at Prestonwood Country Club. The evening event included service awards, recognition of retirees and more. COVID-19 prevented a Founders’ Day celebration in 2020. Combining last year’s program with this year’s program created many standing ovations, laughter and happy tears, plus surprises for honorees. Retirees 2020 Tom Dewell

Retirees 2021 Dr. Leigh Ann Jones

Gretchen Peterson

Becky Crawford - Announcement of re-named:

Margaret McEwen

“Eastland-Crawford Community Service Award” for Middle School

Dr. Karl Reiss

Faculty & Staff – Recognition of New Members of The Wall of Service: Recognition of 20 years of Service - Darlene Jennings & Laurel Ash Recognition of 25 years of Service - Melissa Grabske Recognition of 35 years of Service - Sandy Brickert (from 2020) Recognition of 35 years of Service - Diane Webber (from 2021)

Dr. Frederick Hotz Community Awards Recognition: Distinguished Alumni Award 2020 - Quincy Powell '07 Outstanding Service Award 2020 and football gate naming “Susan Salley Panther Path” - Susan Salley LGMR to be named “Kathy Pershern Fellowship Hall” Bart Freeman named Alumni Board Emeritus

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PARISH PANTHERBEAT

SUMMER 2021 | PAGE 7

Ask Pete – What is that spinning thingy overhead in the Kleinert Commons? As our students and faculty know, minor repairs were made this spring to the beautiful mobile that spins in Kleinert Commons, the Parish atrium that also serves as our Midway cafeteria. This unique architectural piece has become a beloved and recognizable symbol for Parish, with its spinning red cups on the roof of the tower, and mesmerizing white sails overhead in the atrium. But what is it and where did it come from? This piece of “moving art” is called Windspace. It was designed by Japanese artist Susumu Shingu for installation in the Mobil E&P Research Laboratory – now our Parish Midway campus – in 1982. Shingu’s moving art pieces can be found around the world, and are naturally powered by either wind or water. Windspace is an especially unique Shingu piece because it has both interior and exterior components, meant to bring the power and beauty of wind and nature indoors. In fact, the piece was selected and installed in the atrium specifically so that when Mobil’s engineers became stumped during their complex work, they could look out their office windows and watch the moving art, calm their minds and start thinking creatively again. DID YOU KNOW…The red cups on the roof of the Parish tower tip and adjust based on the speed of the wind. There is a clutch and break system built into the art piece that assures the red cups outside and the white sails inside do not spin at a 1:1 ratio. Instead, the clutch system allows the cups to spin with the wind, while the sails move more slowly within the building. We are fortunate to have such a beautiful piece of Japanese moving art here on our Parish Midway campus. If you would like more information on Susumu Shingu and his art pieces, books for reference may be found in the Parish Archive.

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PAGE 8 | SUMMER 2021

PARISH PANTHERBEAT

Faculty and Staff recognized for incredible fortitude and resilience during celebrations 2020-21 Nauslar Distinguished Service In 2018, Terri & Dennis Nauslar established the Nauslar Distinguished Service Award to recognize faculty and staff who go above and beyond to care for their students and the Parish community. Terri and Dennis have been deeply engaged and generous supporters of the Parish community. Their daughters, Megan and Linsey, both attended Parish Day and five of Terri & Dennis’ grandchildren attend Parish: Michael ’25, George ’27, Brooke ’29, Allie ’34 and Pierce ‘35 – and Liv, now just a few months old, we expect to be a future Panther. Recipients of the Nauslar Distinguished Service Award are full-time faculty and staff members who have "demonstrated a commitment to excellence characterized by a nurturing spirit and evident care for students and the Parish community, and an alignment with our established criterion for professional excellence." The Nauslar Distinguished Service Awards for the 2020-21 academic year were given to four faculty and staff members: Laurie Goldberg, RN – Director of Student Health Services, Neil Matz – Head Athletic Trainer, Melissa Polk – Middle School English & 5th and 6th Subject Area Coordinator, and Eliseo Vallejo – Upper School Spanish.

Laurie Goldberg, RN – Director of Student Health Services • Rising to the demands of the moment and stepping forward to lead • Procuring and freely sharing new information about COVID-19 to help school leaders make decisions and to assuage the anxieties of our community members

• Capturing Parish’s tenet of service in the care he extends to the hurting and the time he offers to community service events we sponsor • Being almost as good of a photographer as he is a Head Athletic Trainer

• Serving as the School’s liaison to local public health officials and managing an unending trove of COVID-19 regulations, protocols and reporting requirements • Being a “hero” to so many in our community who have benefitted from her wisdom, compassion and stamina

“[She] truly is the hero of Parish, especially this year. Her role shifted dramatically with the pandemic, and she pivoted with grace and grit and committed herself to serving our community and keeping us safe. [She] worked tirelessly, even as the rest of us got "breaks" over Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break, to maintain detailed logs pertaining to the health of every member of our community: teachers, staff, students and parents.” – Jenny Hood, Associate Director of Admission, Hillcrest Campus

Neil Matz – Head Athletic Trainer • Treating everyone with whom he comes in contact with kindness and care • Going above and beyond, attending school functions of all types to support students and colleagues, even as his role requires many, many early mornings and late nights

WISDOM

|

“I feel he goes above and beyond the call of duty as his position would require. His personal concern, and the devotion and time he takes to be an exemplary human and adult role model are very rare indeed. He has written personal notes to the Rosettes to encourage them in their sports aspirations as well as generally in life. He is a faithful supporter of all of his sports' team members and I think he deserves this honor because Parish is very focused on academics but sometimes the kids need to feel honored outside the academics of their educational career. In short, [he] makes every single child feel special and respected.” – Cheri Martin, Parish Parent

Melissa Polk – Middle School English & 5th and 6th Subject Area Coordinator • Setting high expectations for her students, but holding them to those standards “in such an appropriate, nurturing and loving manner" • Modeling positivity as a teacher and a leader, dispersing light with her radiant smile • Earning broad-ranging respect as a teacher and Subject Area Coordinator for her consistency and dependability • Creating a safe space in her Humanities classroom for her Middle School students to feel connected and share their thinking on challenging concepts

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PARISH PANTHERBEAT

SUMMER 2021 | PAGE 9

Inaugural Excellence in Leadership Award

Thanks to a generous family who has chosen to remain anonymous, we now have a second endowed award to honor our faculty and staff. It will be known as the Excellence in Leadership Award. Inspired by the senior leadership at Parish, the donor wanted to recognize our faculty and staff for their commitment to the community as well as their ability to persevere as a leader through even the most challenging of times. The Excellence in Leadership Award, therefore, will recognize full-time faculty and staff members who consistently demonstrate Parish’s core values of Wisdom, Honor and Service, as well as display exceptional leadership skills in the following areas: a deep connection to the community; the propensity for integrity, courage, humility and fortitude as a leader; risk taking and tenacity; and the ability to think outside the box and go the extra mile. The inaugural Excellence in Leadership Award was given to Chris Anderson (Assistant Head of Middle School for Student Life). “We obviously knew how loving and nurturing [she] was from our previous experience with her, but we never knew ...could be so impacted by her teaching this year. She created a safe space each morning for the kids to check in while they were all learning from a distance. I loved hearing her check in with each student to make sure they were not just present but feeling connected to the class. In Humanities this year, they have covered some difficult topics to study, and [she] has taught with sensitivity and respect.” – Jody Swartzwelder, Parish Parent

Eliseo Vallejo – Upper School Spanish

Chris Anderson – Assistant Head of Middle School for Student Life • Exhibiting a servant’s heart by treating each student, colleague and parent with dignity and integrity • Building a robust Middle School advisory program that successfully interweaves the ParishLeads and IMPACT frameworks in fun and engaging ways • Providing unwavering leadership and unbridled creativity to keep the Middle School community joyfully connected in a year marked by physical disconnection

• Making learning both interesting and fun • Connecting with students on an individual level, offering them generous amounts of time outside of class, and extending them multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery of the subject • Mentoring his advisees and students with advice that is consistent, actionable and challenging

• Modeling an unassailable character, which he directs to help students reflect on their missteps and grow into people of impact, and makes those of us who know him proud to call him our colleague and friend

• Being the beloved “Maestro” whose wide smile and bright countenance spreads joy

“During your time in school you have those very special teachers you remember forever because they were the ones who brought out more in you than you thought possible, not because of what they did but how they did it. [He] is one of those teachers. He takes a genuine interest in the individual and finds things unique to them to help challenge, push and encourage them to be their best.” – Darla Whitaker, Parish Parent

"[He] is absolutely the kind of man you want as a role model for your children. He is hard working and kind, and has great moral values. He is always the first one to step up and volunteer to help out a colleague. Parish is so lucky to have [him] as part of our community. He's the best!” – Vicki Koch, Assistant to the Assistant Head of School & Head of Middle School

This year’s awards were presented by Dave Monaco, Allen Meyer Family Head of School, at the all faculty and staff closing chapel on June 3. The Nauslars as well as many of this year’s recipients’ families and nominators were able to join for the surprise. (image on the right)

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PARISH PANTHERBEAT

SUMMER 2021 | PAGE 10

➊

➐

➋

➑

➌

➒

➓

Parish Alumni Board 2021-2022 Introduction

➎

••

➏

••

••

Brookie Hewes ’13

➐ Brookie earned her B.S. in Psychology from Yale University in 2017. Upon

The Parish Episcopal School Alumni Association supports the mission of Parish Episcopal School, acts as a liaison between the School and its former students, offers beneficial and stimulating activities for alumni, and maintains and promotes alumni participation in the development of the School. The Parish Alumni Board is made up of 13 alumni representing diverse backgrounds, graduation decades and professions. They meet on campus 10 times per year and are the voice of our Parish alumni. Our 2021-22 Parish Alumni Board members encourage any alumni to reach out to any Alumni Board member directly with any thoughts, concerns or questions. Welcome to our four newest Board members for the 2021-22 term: Brookie Hewes ‘13, Taylor Mosley ‘11, Andrew Mowrey ‘11 and Michael Murph ‘13. Krissy Daniel ’08, President

➊ Krissy earned her B.B.A in Marketing from Baylor University in 2013. Upon

completion of her undergraduate studies, Krissy returned to Dallas to begin her career in marketing. She is the Regional Marketing Consultant with PrimeLending. krissy.daniel@gmail.com

Eric Humphrey, Jr. ’10, Vice President

➋ Eric played college football for the University of Oklahoma before

transferring and finishing out his career at Sam Houston State University in 2015. Eric currently works for Amazon AWS as an Enterprise Account Executive in D.C. where he manages the implementation of complex cloud infrastructure strategies and solutions for large enterprises. Eric hopes to get his MBA but with his transition into this new job, he won’t start school until at least 2022. eric.humphrey1@outlook.com

Tanner Wells '11, Treasurer

➌ Tanner was a student athlete at Lake Erie College, where he earned his

degree in finance and was captain of the football team for two years. Tanner returned to Dallas in 2015 where he began his career in finance. He is currently a team lead with IHS Markit and is continuing to work toward the completion of the CFA Charter. wellsjtanner@gmail.com

Amshi (Stephenson) Humphrey ‘11, Secretary

completion of her undergraduate studies in New Haven, Brookie returned to Dallas as a Teach For America corps member teaching mathematics in Pleasant Grove at Spruce High School. She earned her M.Ed. from SMU in 2019. She is now pursuing her doctorate through Baylor’s online program and teaching Upper School Mathematics at Parish as well as serves as the Assistant Girls Soccer Coach. bhewes@parish.org

Meredith McLean PDS ’95

➑ Meredith graduated Vanderbilt in December 2004 with a B.S. in Child

Development, and in 2006 with a M.S. in Nursing. Since October 2006, she has been a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Parkland Hospital’s Newborn Nursery. meremclean@gmail.com

Taylor Mosley ’11

➒ Taylor earned her bachelor's in International Studies and Arabic from Vassar in 2015. Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, Taylor returned to Dallas to work for a family law firm. Currently, she is attending Penn State Dickison Law and will graduate in 2023. Additionally, she runs a travel website. tamosley@psu.edu

Andrew Mowrey ’11

•• Andrew graduated with a B.A. in Business and Political Science at Rhodes

College. During his college career, he was presented with a merit-based scholarship award allowing him to intern with a Chinese-based financial consulting firm in Shanghai. After graduation, Andrew furthered his education by attending the College of Financial Planning where he earned his Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS®) designation. amowrey@gmail.com

Michael Murph ’13

•• Michael is a Parish Episcopal School alumnus and Lifer. He received his

bachelor's from The University of Texas at Austin in economics with a minor in accounting. Michael lives in Dallas and has worked in the management consulting industry for more than four years. He currently works as a management consultant for Jabian Consulting. In his spare time, Michael enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants and going to concerts with his wife Sara - a fellow Parish alum. He also loves golfing, playing basketball and attending Texas Longhorn sporting events. michaelmurph25@gmail.com

Chris Rivas ’08

⓬ Chris earned his B.B.A. in Information Systems Management from St.

➍ Amshi played D1 volleyball at Texas Tech University and transferred

to Sam Houston State University where she earned her B.A. in Mass Communications in May 2015. Amshi currently works as a social media freelancer and has her own business as a brow artist at Aphrodite Brow Studio. She's also very passionate about raising awareness for Type 1 diabetes. She is the founder of LivingDiabetter, a diabetes-focused lifestyle and wellness blog that candidly chronicles the highs and lows of her every day journey with Type 1 diabetes. amshi.stephenson@yahoo.com

Bart Freeman PDS ’80, Alumni Board Emeritus

➎ Bart attended Duke University for undergrad and SMU Law School. His

daughter Abby has attended Parish Episcopal since kindergarten and is now a sophomore. Bart has been on the Parish Alumni Board since its inception in 2011. bartonfreeman2@gmail.com

Gracie Geymüller '14

➏ Gracie graduated from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor with a degree in business management in May 2019. Since then she has worked in contractor management and commercial and residential real estate. She is currently using her real estate license to flip houses in the DFW area. gmgeymuller@gmail.com

WISDOM

➍

|

Mary's University in 2012. He is currently pursuing his M.S. in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance from WGU Texas. Chris is an I.T. Analyst for local government. He enjoys hanging out with his wife and Rottweiler pup. christopher.rivas4@hotmail.com

Kevin Williamson ’10

•• Kevin was born and mostly raised in Chicago, IL. He is a Clemson University graduate where he played football and graduated with a B.S. in Health Science with an emphasis in Health Education and Health Promotion. After playing football, Kevin served on multiple collegiate and professional strength and conditioning staffs including Clemson University, SMU and the New York Knicks. Kevin is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and holds other industry-recognized credentials. Kevin is the Founder and Head Sports Performance Coach for PWR Performance LLC, a company that he started in 2019, where his mission is to provide youth student-athletes with an evidence-based approach to high level physical and mental performance through his personal and professional experience. k.williamsonperformance@gmail.com

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PARISH PANTHERBEAT

SUMMER 2021 | PAGE 11

➊

➋

➌

➍

➎

➏

➐

➑

Parish Alumni: Look Who’s Back on Campus! Parish Episcopal School: Class of 2009

home! Working at Parish didn’t even feel like work, I enjoyed working with the 3rd graders as a ParishExtend helper. As an alum it brought back many beautiful memories from when I was a young student at Parish.” Jenny’s favorite memory while working at Parish was when the kids created go carts and had a competition on who had the fastest cart. They were able to use their imaginations to make the best go-kart out of miscellaneous supplies. "We had a blast!"

➏ Steven Hendricks - Steven has been at Parish serving as an extra

➊ Sara Scully - While balancing her time as an SMU Law student, Sara

made time to visit the Hillcrest campus working in the ParishExtend program. She loved spending time with the students and loved to see how they handled the changes to their school environment with great attitudes. While on campus, Sara and her students spent a lot of time outside, created new games that they could play socially distanced, and came up with all sorts of creative ways to work within the safety protocols. Her standout memory was a rainy day, when they all grabbed umbrellas, and went on an adventure, singing and playing follow the leader.

Class of 2015

➋ Mollie Toubin - Mollie graduated from Tulane University in 2019 and has

really enjoyed being back in the Parish community this year serving as a long-term sub and Kindergarten Assistant. Mollie said when she stepped back onto campus on her first day, she could not stop smiling. “I’m reminded every day what a nurturing and happy environment Parish is. I loved being here then, and I love being here now.” Mollie’s favorite memory this year was bonding with the students and learning all their unique personalities. “Learning about them each and every day through different activities, such as writing or planting seeds, has been a source of joy.”

Class of 2016

➌ Annie Corley - Annie went back to where itrd all started for her as a

student at Parish in Mrs. Diane Webber’s 3 grade science classroom. This past year, Annie stepped up and was hired as a 3rd grade STEM teacher. She has loved seeing many of her teachers in the hallway and running into other alumni that are also working at Parish. What she’s loved the most is seeing how much the School has grown and changed since she left Parish in 2016. Lastly, she loves walking into the Lower School office and sneaking a peek at all of the old yearbooks. A favorite memory of hers is introducing her 3rd graders to the song “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley. She loves seeing the look in their eyes when she plays that song for them. “They immediately start dancing all over the room in fast footed movements. It is quite the show.”

➍ Hannah Dorward - A recent Baylor University graduate, Hannah took

➎ Jenny Gonzalez - “I most enjoyed being able to give back to my second

this year to work at Parish's Hillcrest campus as a guest teacher, Extend teacher and Extend basketball coach. Hannah mentions “as an alum, it is so fun to see familiar faces on campus who have known me since I started Parish in 5th grade. The community at Parish is great and I love being able to work at the Hillcrest campus and see the students starting their journey at Parish.” One of Hannah’s favorite memories at Parish is when she returned to school after she was out sick with a fever for a few days. Upon her return, the PreK 3 kids all surprised her with cards they had made while she was gone.

hand since day one of stepping foot back on campus in the fall. He has served as the Midway Campus Assistant. He enjoyed getting to see the work his teachers had been putting in from their end of the process. A favorite memory of Steven’s is when a 3rd grader was turned away from her desk, too frustrated to keep working, he was able to talk with her and watched her slowly start to feel more confident in her work as a student. Afterward, she gave him a thank you drawing that he’s kept safe in his bag ever since.

➐ Gabe Isbell - Gabe, a recent Washington and Lee University graduate

took this past year working in several different roles at Parish. Initially, Gabe was brought on to assist the Middle School math department with their self-paced curriculum in a hybrid learning environment. Because the curriculum in Middle School culminates in Algebra I in 9th grade, he was able to easily transition into an assistant role in Upper School mathematics as well. When the school day was over, Gabe stayed to help with the ParishExtend aftercare program, supervising and entertaining our 3rd and 4th grade students. Gabe says, “because I have the added benefit of being an alum, the most enjoyable aspect of working at Parish is being available as a source of information or advice for students beyond the classroom. It has also been exciting to witness the pace at which Parish continues to expand its opportunities and offerings for its students. Even with its immense and positive growth, Parish still feels like the school I left in 2016, and for all the right reasons.” Looking back on this year, Gabe mentions that his favorite memory is of “one particular student in Ms. Barbosa’s 5th grade class who, when it is time to pack up and stop for the day, cannot be bothered to stop working! When other students raise their hands with questions on their work, the same student also often asks if he can go over and help them rather than me! Seeing such a passionate spirit for both learning and helping others is very encouraging and I think it would make any teacher smile.”

Class of 2017

➑ Hadi Iqbal - A 2021 graduate of Trinity University. Hadi worked with

Coach Kimberly Self as an Assistant Coach for the Varsity and Junior Varsity golf teams. Hadi was a former Parish golfer and has enjoyed seeing the new faces on the team making his time back here enjoyable. Hadi says that “this team reminds me of the team we had my senior year of high school in 2017. Getting to coach alongside Coach Self is wild because she was my coach from 5th grade all the way through 12th grade. The fact that the guys can ask me anytime for advice about their game or just advice about school is special to me.” Hadi mentions his favorite memory was watching the guys play the first tournament of the season. They played in maxwell format which meant that they were all playing in the same group for the tournament. He says he “loved how they would always look back at me after they hit each shot just to see my reaction as their coach.”

(Continues on page 12)

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PAGE 12 | SUMMER 2021

PARISH PANTHERBEAT

➒

••

Class of 2019

➒ Riley Coleman - Riley balanced her college life and was lucky to spend her time this year away from college to hang with the 3rd, 4th and 6th graders every day serving as a Substitute Teacher and working in ParishExtend.

Class of 2020

•• Josephine Zucker - Josephine’s freshman year in college was one to

remember, a virtual year as an American University student all while balancing her time working at Parish as an assistant to the Algebra 1 teachers for both Middle and Upper School. Due to the hybrid model of the school year for Trimesters 1 and 2, she helped contribute in online and in-person format. Josephine says her favorite part about this year was working alongside some of her favorite teachers and mentors again. “When I finished classes in May 2020, I did not expect to ever come back to campus. I am so thankful that I took a gap year and got to be back here for a little while. I am so proud of the students that I was able to help! Every time that I saw their improvement and progress because of advice I gave them or questions I was able to answer, I felt very gratified.”

Panther Proud Alumni Week of Giving: Exceeded Goal! The Alumni Office hosted their second Panther Proud Alumni Week of Giving in May. Alumni were invited during a week-long giving initiative that fell during the same time as National Teacher Appreciation Week asking to make their gift in support of Parish, the perfect opportunity for our alumni to show how much they appreciate their former teachers! The event kicked off on May 3 and wrapped up on May 7. Mid-week of Panther Proud Week, we were so excited to announce that Parish alumni Blaine Staton ’14 generously agreed to match every gift – dollar for dollar, up to $3000 – that was given from the time the announcement was made until the end of the giving week. Other exciting news that week were our class giving rivalries! The Classes of 2011 and 2019 showed up with the most class member participation that week, way to go! Alumni, who had a choice of giving back to either the Parish Fund or the Gloria H. Snyder Fund, helped us surpass our goal of $10,000! We are beyond grateful to our alumni and parents of alumni who showed how proud of Parish they are by making a gift. These Panther Proud gifts truly will make a difference for all of our Panthers – current, past and future! Thank you for showing your pride in Parish – together we are #PantherProud!

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PARISH PANTHERBEAT

SUMMER 2021 | PAGE 13

World Champs: NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge

Team Video Submissions Team 1:

• 1st Place Overall High School Division

Team 2:

• 1st Place High School Project Review Award • 1st Place High School Social Media Award

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


PAGE 14 | SUMMER 2021

PARISH PANTHERBEAT

Distinguished Alumni Award 2020: Quincy Powell '07 Quincy Powell is one of our Pioneer members of the Parish Class of 2007 and has remained a loyal alumnus since graduation! He is a Parish Lifer, beginning his time on the Hillcrest campus in the PreK program; a former Leadership Institute mentor and a previous member of the Parish Alumni Board. He's what we call a “model” alumni! Quincy somehow finds time to balance his career as a manager of Delivery Partner Strategy and Planning for 7-Eleven Corporate on top of supporting alumni efforts at Parish Episcopal School. Upon Parish graduation, Quincy made his way to the University of Texas, Austin to begin his college career. He was a Government and Political Science student with a minor in Business. He states that Dr. Hotz had an impact on him and how he viewed the world from courses that Hotz taught, such as AP History, World Religion and the Introduction to History. Hotz’ classes sparked his passion for history and the global economic environment. While balancing his academic load at UT, Quincy also worked a heavy schedule – between 20-40 hours a week at the University Rec center. He’s got a knack for balancing work and fun, and knows how to devote his time to things he’s passionate about, and luckily, he’s still passionate about Parish 13 years post-graduation! Quincy has worked hard to stand out amongst our alumni and is well known amongst his peers. He has displayed constant dedication to his school, his peers and his career. This year the Alumni Team along with our Alumni Board are proud to spotlight Quincy Powell as our alumni “volunteer.” His consistent presence at Parish alumni gatherings shows it all. Every year Quincy partakes in fundraising efforts such as participating in our Alumni text-a-thon and has contributed annually since graduating from Parish to the Parish Fund, the School’s annual fund. Quincy has been willing to prepare chapel homilies (on multiple occasions), the most recent homily given to Upper School students on Gloria Snyder’s birthday celebration to keep her spirit alive and known! He returned to the Parish campus for the annual African American Senior Reception as an alumni guest speaker. On top of all of that, Quincy has devoted time coaching the Middle School basketball team, and of course he returns every year to join former classmates in the annual Men’s Alumni Basketball Game. Outside of work and volunteering his time as a Parish alumnus, Quincy is a volunteer for the Texas Exes Dallas Chapter. You can see him sporting his burnt orange around town, and of course blue and red whenever he’s at a Parish event. We are excited to present the honor of Quincy receiving the Distinguished Alumni award at our Founders’ Dinner celebration this year and loved seeing his ’07 classmates show up to celebrate alongside him. We are proud to call Quincy one of our own Panthers who is truly living out one of our favorite sayings, “Once A Panther, Always A Panther.”

PARISH EPISCOPAL SCHOOL NEWS

SUMMER 2021

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Mills Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . Bianca Araujo Alumni . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Henderson '07 Digital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Courtney Joyner Photographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wiley Williams Contributor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristen Twomey Contributor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diane Webber Contributor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diana Hamilton

What’s inside: Pantherbeat Feature: REFLECT, RECONNECT, REJOICE! Celebrating 50 Years of Parish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 Parish Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 New Addition: 6th Grade Banner Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Gala: Disco Party Parish Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Parish Episcopal School Founders' Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Ask Pete: What is that spinning thingy overhead in the Kleinert Commons? 7 Faculty and Staff recognized for incredible fortitude and resilience during celebrations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Parish Alumni Board 2021-2022 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Parish Alumni: Look Who's Back on Campus! . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12 World Champs: NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. . 13 Distinguished Alumni Award 2020. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Pantherbeat is the magazine of Parish Episcopal School | 4101 Sigma Road | Dallas, Texas 75244 | parish.org

WISDOM

|

HONOR

|

SERVICE


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Pantherbeat - Summer 2021 by Parish Episcopal School - Issuu