CONNECTIONS
Pulaski Academy’s Family Magazine Fall 2019
CONNECTIONS Pulaski Academy’s Family Magazine
CONTENTS Welcome Letter from Matt Walsh....................................3 From Here to Anywhere: Class of 2019...................... 4–7 New PA Community Members................................. 8–15 Our Mission.......................................................... 16–17
EXPLORE RULER Program..................................................... 18-20 Open Mornings & Visit Days................................... 21-22 Uniting our PA Community with Digital Stories........ 23-25
CREATE From the Script to the Set...................................... 26-29
Fall 2019 Connections is a bi-annual magazine published in the fall and spring by Pulaski Academy. Information in this publication is primarily about the PA Community. We encourage alumni, students, faculty and staff to submit articles and photography for consideration to: communications@pulaskiacademy.org. All submissions will be edited for style, length, and tone.
Hitting All the Right Notes...................................... 30-32 Art Through the Digital Ages.................................. 33-35
Contributors
CONTRIBUTE A Word from Advancement.................................... 36-37 Enhancements Throughout Our Campus.........................38-41 Connections Across Campus.................................. 42-45
ACHIEVE 2020 National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Scholar....................................... 46-47 AP Scholars........................................................... 48-49 5th and 6th Grade New Football Teams.................. 50-51 Wrestling Program Expansion...................................... 51 Athletic Team Updates........................................... 52-59
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Alecia Castleberry Ashley Cope Britynn Davis Bruce Dickey Katie Dudley Sarah Gorman Erica Gregory CJ Jacoby Tiffany Knight Diane Lafferty Layne Martens Heather McDaniel Drew Posey Sheridan Posey Matt Pulley
Katie Short Don Swanson Madison Taylor Michelle Tinker Leanna Wall Matt Walsh Michelle Ward Cheryl Watts
Photographers Erica Gregory Sheldon Smith Faculty Contributors
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear PA Community, The theme of this edition of Connections is “From Here to Anywhere!” As you may know, “From Here to Anywhere” is our new tag line and is featured on our website, social media channels, and other promotional materials. The energetic pursuit of PA’s Mission takes our students “From Here to Anywhere” as they explore, create, contribute and achieve in every area of school life. In the pages that follow, you will: • Hear from Mrs. and Mr. Posey about how our play productions evolve from “script to set.” • Encounter an outstanding jazz musician and an exceptional member of our PA Sounds Choir. • Witness “art through the digital ages” as PA engages artists of every age from Early Childhood to Upper School while incorporating digital media and portfolios. • Meet our 2020 National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Scholar as well as this year’s AP Scholars. • Receive an update on our athletic teams and learn about the continued growth of our wrestling program. The “From Here to Anywhere” tagline also aptly captures the forward-leaning, future-oriented posture and work of our Board of Trustees, Administration, Faculty and Staff. In that vein, this edition of Connections covers: • The beautiful Schueck McCarty Student Commons. • Our new RULER Social-Emotional Learning program. • One-to-one device expansion in Middle School. • Our incredible new STEAM room in Early Childhood. • The pursuit of our “storytelling” initiative through social media and our new web site. You will also meet our new families, trustees, and faculty in this edition! We are excited to welcome all of them as they join us on our journey “From Here to Anywhere.” Happy travels, everyone!
Sincerely yours, Matt Walsh President and Head of School
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By Alecia Castleberry
The Class of 2019 was comprised of 88 students and in total, the class was accepted to 97 colleges in 26 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 foreign countries. Beyond the numbers, we are proud of these alumni for continuing their education, making new friends, and pursuing their interests as they enter college. Here is a glimpse of what a few 2019 Alumni have been up to since graduating this past May.
Tyranni Hubbard is studying Choral Music Education at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia. Between her busy college life schedule, Tyranni still enjoys making time to reconnect and support her friends at PA as she did when she attended our fall play, The Curious Savage.
Bennett Perkins was recently initiated into Sigma Alpha Epsilon at the University of Arkansas. Bennett’s twin brother, Brandon Perkins, and his older sister are also in Fayetteville and enjoying life as college students.
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Jack Thomas Polk also joined SAE at the University of Arkansas. While Jack enjoys attending Razorback football games and catching up with his PA alumni classmates, he is prioritizing his college coursework majoring in finance.
Caroline Korita is attending the University of Central Arkansas. While she is still deciding whether to become an elementary or preschool teacher, she is loving life in Conway as well as the new friends she has made.
Kacyn Hartley is a freshman at Ouachita Baptist University. Kacyn feels at home and loves the size of OBU and the new connections she has made. Because of her love of teaching, Kacyn has declared her major to be in elementary education. Cameron Demott is attending the University of Arkansas. She is enjoying living in Fayetteville, cheering the Hogs, and pledged Tri Delta at the beginning of the semester.
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FROM HERE TO ANYWHERE See what our recent alumni have been up to!
Jon Parr (on left) has pledged SAE at the University of Arkansas. He is an economics major with a concentration in international business and is loving being back together with his brother and PA alumnus, Connor Parr. Jake Terry is also attending the University of Arkansas. He is enjoying his first semester as a biology major and was recently initiated into Sigma Chi.
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Waleed Masood is at George Washington University in the DC area. Waleed’s favorite part of college education is exploring discussions about global themes in his seminar classes. PA Salutatorian Nistha Lohani is attending Barnard College in New York, NY. Nistha is loving the bustle of New York City and the new friends she has made as well as her studies in economics and human rights.
Luke Haws is at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. When he’s not studying for his double major in electrical engineering and physics, this PA alumnus loves playing football and exploring the city with his new connections.
Even after graduation, we consider alumni Bruins for life! Follow our alumni stories on Twitter @PA_SchoolAlumni, and if you are an alumn with a story you would like to share to the PA community, visit our Alumni Community page here.
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NEW TO THE PA FAMILY New Faculty Pulaski Academy is an enriching environment because of the faculty, staff, and board members who are dedicated to the care and instruction of our students. We would like to welcome these new community members to Pulaski Academy and look forward to their contributions to our Mission.
BRANNON BLUNK: US English
Hometown: Little Rock, AR
Something you may not know: I did not intend on becoming a teacher when I started college, but I was fortunate to have people in my life who saw something in me I didn’t realize about myself. First impressions: The PA community goes the extra mile to help students be successful! There are so many things the teachers and administrators and staff do that most people never see or hear about. As a PA graduate myself, I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to return and teach!
LYDIA BUSH: MS Foreign Language, ESL Hometown: Little Rock, AR Something you may not know: I am a published poet in both English and Spanish and I love to write. First impressions: The PA experience is truly unique. I am overjoyed to be a part of this excellent community. Middle schoolers rock!
JOSHUA CARROLL: PALIVE Director & US Online Instructor Hometown: Little Rock, AR Something you may not know: I am a ham radio operator and volunteer on the local news during severe weather to relay reports from storm chasers. First impressions: The PA staff and faculty are such a supportive community, and are very welcoming.
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NEW TO THE PA FAMILY New Faculty LAUREN DAUGHERTY: US English
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Something you may not know: I originally went into education to teach math but quickly found myself teaching English, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. First impressions: I have enjoyed the strong sense of community and BRUIN pride that is exuded in all levels and all ages. My family has felt extremely welcomed not only in my classroom but also in all facets of the PA Community.
BRITTYN DAVIS: US Visual Art
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Something you may not know: I was awarded a research grant this past winter to study textiles and wool production in Iceland. I was able to visit several sheep farms and the national washing facility where all the wool produced in Iceland is washed! I even brought back an entire sheep fleece on my flight home. First impressions: I love it! I am so happy with my decision to join the Pulaski Academy team and really enjoy working with my amazing students every day. My co-workers have been so helpful and kind, and even shown me the ropes on traffic duty! I am excited and grateful to teach at PA!
MIKE DAVIS: Transportation Director
Hometown: Jacksonville, AR
Something you may not know: I am a Disney fanatic. I enjoy planning Disney vacations not only for my family but friends as well. First impressions: PA is like one big family. Everyone has been helpful and friendly. There is no shortage of smiles from staff or students when you walk around the campus. It has been said that you will never work a day in your life if you do something you love. I can truly say I have not had one single regret of transitioning from law enforcement to Pulaski Academy. It doesn’t feel much like work so far. I hope this ride lasts for a long time.
CHRISTINE EZZI: 7th Grade Science
Hometown: North Little Rock, AR
Something you may not know: I worked as an athletic trainer for the Razorback Football team during college at the University of Arkansas. First impressions: I’ve always enjoyed teaching and am so thrilled to be apart of PA. This school has surpassed all expectations. Everyone we have come in contact with has gone above and beyond to make us feel welcome and help in any way they could. Talk about “go big, or go home!” I have been floored by the school community support for everything PA does for the students. From the football games to the Halloween Parade, the excitement and fun are positively the best I’ve seen. The academics are top-notch and that can be attributed to the phenomenal leadership of the school. My family and I feel truly blessed to be apart of the PA family. CONNECTIONS
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NEW TO THE PA FAMILY New Faculty POLLY GLASS: 5th Grade Technology
Hometown: Little Rock, AR
Something you may not know: I have been blessed to be on the teacher’s edition of Oprah’s Favorite Things. I also enjoy painting. First impressions: The feeling of family you get as a faculty member at PA is allencompassing. I have been welcomed with enthusiasm and open arms. Everyone goes above and beyond to make you feel at home, and help you with anything you need. I am very excited to be a part of the PA family. I know only great things are to come!
ERICA GREGORY: Digital Storyteller
Hometown: Cabot, AR
Something you may not know: One of the forms of storytelling that I love is photography. I use photography to capture events at PA as well as moments with my family and anyone that chooses me as their storyteller with my photography business, Old Soul Photography. First impressions: As a staff member, there are a lot of “first impressions” to take in between the connections of students, faculty, staff members, and parents. Above all though, I felt like I was joining an already established community. As a mid-April hire, I was in the thick of spring events but I’ve come to realize the entire school year is bustling with exciting events! I still feel fortunate to help be the voice of PA and to help share these stories throughout our campus.
JOANNA HARRISON: LS Learning Services
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Something you may not know: I have been to Africa three times and have traveled to almost every country in Europe! First impressions: I was immediately overwhelmed with how genuinely warm and welcoming everyone was to me on my very first day! Starting a new job can be challenging and I was very grateful to have so many coworkers to turn to for answers. I love the tightknit community and consider myself blessed to be a part of it. As the new Lower School Learning Services teacher, I hope to provide a positive and safe educational atmosphere in order to maximize learning, both academically and emotionally.
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NEW TO THE PA FAMILY New Faculty KORBIN KUHN: 5th Grade Science
Hometown: Little Rock, AR
Something you may not know: On February 29, 2020, I will turn 7 years old! My birthday is on leap year! First impressions: How welcoming and helpful people are at PA. As a Bruin alumnus, I have always been biased, but this just proved everything I have thinking. It has been SO helpful and comforting knowing I have support from so many different people.
JIMMIE KAY RIGGS: US Social Science
Hometown: Shirley, AR
Something you may not know: I enjoy hula hoop dance. I can fire hoop! First impressions: This school is amazing. I cannot even express how exceptional each and every staff member is. Not only is the staff impeccable, but my students continue to “wow” me with their abilities, manners, and overall positive demeanor! Go BRUINS!
WENDY SATTERFIELD: LS 2nd Grade
Hometown: Magnolia, AR
Something you may not know: On my first day of kindergarten, my teacher informed my mother that I would also be a teacher one day because I apparently tried to take over teaching her class! She was right, and many years later I had the opportunity to teach at the same school as my kindergarten teacher. We are still friends to this day! First impressions: My son and I have both felt so welcomed and supported since joining the PA family. I am so very thankful for the opportunity to work at this amazing school and for my son to be taught by such an extraordinary group of educators.
JOSHUA SPILLYARDS: IT Support
Hometown: North Little Rock, AR
Something you may not know: Professional Musician. Toured the US from 2006-2017. I have been featured in Rolling Stone Magazine and PASTE Magazine as well as played festivals such as Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Newport Folk Festival, and Willie Nelson’s LUCK Festival. I have also toured with and opened for Third Eye Blind, Lee Fields, Dawes, Alabama Shakes, Erykah Badu, Violent Femmes, and Modest Mouse. First impressions: I love my IT team! They are extremely knowledgeable and have been very welcoming and patient with me coming in as the new guy. That being said, all faculty and staff have been very nice and welcoming and have been a pleasure to work with.
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NEW TO THE PA FAMILY New Faculty PAIGE TAYLOR: LS 3rd Grade
Hometown: Benton, KY
Something you may not know: Our whole family is on the same campus all day, all school year. Because Madison is so strongly connected to the athletics department we find ourselves on campus a lot more often than Monday-Friday from 8–3. First impressions: When we were outsiders to PA, I knew the reputation that the school had for academic excellence. Then, when Madison started working here, I got to see excellence, respect, integrity, and responsibility put into practice through his work responsibilities. Next, I became a PA parent, sending Rosemary to kindergarten. During that stage, I was able to see the immense love and care that is shown to the students. Finally, as I personally entered the school buildings as an employee I was immediately overwhelmed by the credentials our faculty possesses. So not only is PA a community of excellence, love, and care, we are a people that have all of that PLUS we are also equipped through training, experience, knowledge, and wisdom to guide our students’ learning. Our family has found a community at PA, people who love us and help us grow.
SARPER TURKER: US Math/Science, ACT Hometown: Ankara, Turkey Something you may not know: I was an All-American swimmer at Henderson State University. First impressions: The PA faculty has been very friendly, helpful and supportive since my first day at school.
COLLEEN VOLK: ECS Assistant
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Something you may not know: I have lived in many places, including Anchorage, Alaska. First impressions: I absolutely adore the people I work with! We have such a fun time and everyone is so friendly and supportive. I love PA and am so excited to work here!
SHEA WILLIAMSON: ECS/LS Music
Hometown: Brinkley, AR
Something you may not know: I have sung in 11 different countries! First impressions: The faculty was incredibly kind and genuinely excited to meet me! Currently, I am playing the role of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz at Wildwood Park for the Arts. And my dog is playing Toto!
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NEW TO THE PA FAMILY New Families We would like to thank each of these families for choosing Pulaski Academy as your school community and trusting us to help guide your child from here to anywhere. Abbasi Family Adebayo Family Ahmad Family Akram Family Ali Family Almefty-Hernandez Family Alsayed Hussain Family Alvarado Family Bachu Family Banks Family Bell Family Bell-Wilson Family Bhama Family Bone Family Burke Family Butler Family Cammack Family Cantrell Family Cardwell Family Chabenat Family Choudhary Family Clark Family Connell Family Craft Family Dass Family Dearnley Family Dedman Family Dees Family Donagher Family Donahue Family Dupin Family Emamzadeh Family English Family Enkhchimeg Davaadorj Family Ezzi Family Fitzpatrick Family
Foley Family George Family Ghosheh Family Gilbert Family Gruber Family Guerard Family Hall Family Han Family Harrell Family Harris Family Harrison Family Heshmat Family Hopkins Family Hudda Family Humphrey Family Jefferson Family Jenkins Family Johnson Family Jones Family Keller Family Lalani Family Le Sellier De Chezelles Family Leding Family Li Family Lin Family Liu Family Logan Family Makan Family Maraboyina Family Maris Family Mason Family Mathew Family McAdams Family McEntire Family McKinney Family Mendelsohn Family
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Mian Family Miller Family Moreland Family Morris Family Mu Family Oakley Family Owen Family Petrov Family Richard Family Roberts Family Robinson Family Rodgers Family Ross Family Rucker/Moreland Family Rutherford Family Satterfield Family Schneider Family Singleton Family Slobig Family Smith Family Smith Families Sosnoff Family St. Amour Family Stewart Family Stoll Family Stroud Family Stuckey Family Sullivan Family ten Bensel Family Tetnowski Family Turker Family Turner Family Walls Family Wiedekind Family
NEW TO THE PA FAMILY New Board of Trustees Members DR. GREG KRULIN Dr. Greg Krulin is the parent of three alumni: Kimberly Reynolds (1999), Geoffrey Krulin (2001) and Michael Krulin (2001). He is the grandparent of two PA students: Olivia Reynolds (Pre-K4) and Liam Reynolds (Cub). Dr. Krulin graduated from UAMS in 1974 and completed his residency in psychiatry at UAMS. He served as an emergency room physician, a psychiatric consultant and a staff psychiatrist. After that he was in private practice in psychiatry and later sleep medicine. In 1983, he joined the UAMS College of Medicine serving as an instructor and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry before becoming associate professor in April 2012. He is a member of the American Sleep Disorders Society, the Arkansas Medical Society and the Pulaski County Medical Society. From 1990 to 1991, Dr. Krulin served as president of the Arkansas Psychiatric Society.
SAIMA MAJID Saima is the mother of three PA students Rayyaan (10th grade), Fatima (8th grade) and Muhammad (6th grade). Saima received a Bachelors of Dental Surgery from De ‘Montmorency College of Dentistry in Pakistan and obtained her Masters of Public Health from Boozman College. She is the co-owner and business director of BodySculpture, a Med Spa and is the business and practice management analyst for Advanced Spine & Pain Centers in Little Rock.
ERIN MARCUSSEN Erin is a 1997 graduate of PA and is now a parent to PA student, Cora Marcussen (Kindergarten). Erin graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2004. She was an attorney with Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP where she focused on municipal bonds and public finance. She joined Southwest Power Pool, Inc. in July 2010. Since June 2016, she has served as the Manager of Compliance with the responsibility for managing SPP’s compliance program with the federal North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) regulations applicable to electric utilities, including standards on cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, real-time operations, and long-term planning.
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NEW TO THE PA FAMILY New Board of Trustees Members MICKEY MCFARLIN Mickey is the father of three children at PA: Henry (6th grade), Bennett (4th grade), and Ruby Louise (Kindergarten). He graduated from Hendrix College in 1998 with a Bachelors in Economics and a Masters in Accounting in 1999. He was employed by Stephens Inc. in 1999 and works in the Investment Banking department. Mickey started as an Analyst and is currently a Managing Director with his primary focus on mergers and acquisitions and capital raising. Mickey has advised clients on 70+ transactions with over $10 billion in aggregate value over the last 20 years.
JOSH SHEMPER Josh is the father of two PA students, Sydney (10th grade) and Alexa (8th grade). He received a Bachelors of Science in Finance from the University of Alabama and now serves as Vice President for the Tenenbaum Recycling Group, an Alter Trading company.
BRYAN TURRIFF Bryan is the father or two PA students, Jackson (12th grade) and Theo (9th grade). He received a Master’s of Business Administration in Marketing and Finance from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. He was employed by Andersen Consulting, now Accenture, in Chicago where his clients included Principal Financial, Anheuser Busch and Northern Trust Bank. Later he joined Deloitte and Touche, LLP as a Senior Financial Consultant advising clients on raising capital for new ventures and start-ups across a variety of industries.
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THE PULASKI ACADEMY
MISSION By Michelle Ward
The Mission of Pulaski Academy is alive on our campus. Our faculty and staff
personify our Mission as they make the student experience unique and special for each child. Telling our story and sharing the successes that we witness each day on campus are just two wonderful ways for others to share in the day to day experience of being a Bruin. Follow @PulaskiAcademy to see how we are:
Exploring by providing our students the opportunity to deep dive into their interests while expanding their knowledge of new concepts and ideas.
Creating by providing our students with a learning environment that is enriching through
creative problem solving and artistic expression that is integrated throughout the curriculum.
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EXPLORE • CREATE • CONTRIBUTE • ACHIEVE Contributing by providing our students the opportunity to expand learning beyond the
classroom by partnering across our campus, within the city and state, as well as across the world. These opportunities have helped us build a unique community and an understanding of the importance of service to others.
Achieving by providing our student’s opportunity to pursue their passions while holding
them to a high standard of excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts. The core value of excellence is partnered with educational and personal standards for integrity, respect, and responsibility in all aspects of their education.
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THE RULER
PROGRAM
Contributors: Sarah Gorman and Alecia Castleberry
Over the Summer, our faculty and staff were introduced to the RULER program. This program supports the emotional development of our school community by giving staff, faculty, and students the tools to enhance their self-knowledge, improve their relationships, and to successfully manage challenges. Director of Student Life, Alecia Castleberry, and Upper School Counselor, Sarah Gorman, helped us learn more about this program and the importance of emotional wellness. Can you tell me about the RULER program and why PA adopted this approach? RULER is a social emotional learning program from YALE Center for Emotional Intelligence. RULER is an acronym for Recognizing emotions, Understanding the emotion, Labeling the emotion, Expressing appropriately and Regulating one’s self. During our accreditation process, we studied several social emotional learning programs. We chose RULER because of the intensive and focused training of the RULER implementation team and it involves everyone in our community from parents, to teachers to all students at all grade levels. Why is PA prioritizing emotional wellness this year? Part of our self study from last year demonstrated that our community felt that social emotional
learning was extremely important. As a community, we wanted to focus on the emotional wellness of our staff, faculty and students. It will always be a work in progress, but one’s emotions can influence teaching, learning, and relationships. We need to learn that emotions are not bad — we just need to develop the tools necessary so that we can effectively recognize and regulate them. What was the first step in getting this program started? The first step was finding an Implementation Team to train. We needed a great group that would work well together and could inspire others as we came back to train and implement. Thirteen of us, representing all school divisions, traveled to Yale over the summer to embark on the RULER journey.
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Why is the RULER program important from a professional development point of view? None of us - students, teachers, or adults - can be our best selves academically or professionally until our emotional wellbeing is addressed. The RULER program helps all of us attain the emotional balance and security we need in order to achieve our full potential.
How can the RULER program be used at home? RULER is not just an academic program - it’s a helpful tool for all aspects of one’s life. The emotional awareness concepts taught by RULER can - and should - be used outside of school for one’s personal and professional success. Students, faculty members, and parents can all benefit from identifying their emotions using the mood meter, taking a meta moment during highlycharged situations, and having the appropriate language to share their feelings with others. What has the feedback been like from the students?
What is this program like across each Division? RULER has a curriculum for every grade level, but first have to bring your staff and faculty through, then your students. Our faculty has embarked on a social emotional learning journey by completing the online modules and reading the Permission to Feel book by Marc Brackett. Small steps are being made at each grade level to help them master each letter of the RULER program. We will continue to move through this together. In the ECS and LS, it’s being introduced through classroom activities, reading and modeling. In the MS, RULER skills are being introduced in X-period and then modeled in classrooms. In US, RULER skills are being introduced in advisory and then reinforced and modeled in classrooms.
It’s interesting to hear them use their emotion words to talk about how they are feeling. The Mood Meter is the most recognized tool we have introduced. It’s displayed all over campus. So hearing students say, “I am in the red,” or, “Feeling blue,” demonstrates they are learning to recognize how they feel. We are all still working on the ‘why we feel’ and how to shift to the “yellow” or “green.”
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What has the experience been like for you personally? Mrs. Castleberry: My sons listen to music in the morning to help them wake up and be in the yellow zone. This became a routine after we did an entire lesson on music and moods and I have noticed this helps jumpstart everyone’s morning. As a mom, it’s great to see them being proactive about how to start their day. Mrs. Gorman: After attending the RULER Institute, I am definitely more in-tune with how my personal emotions can impact my interactions with others if I do not identify my feelings and their causes. My son and I have discussed situations in which we both reacted poorly to each other, simply because we were struggling with unresolved emotions from previous events. This dialogue and understanding has definitely improved the way we are able to communicate with each other and has strengthened our bond as a family.
What are the next steps for the RULER approach and PA? The big goals this year are the Mood Meter and the Meta Moment. After we have successfully moved through these, then as a community will work on other RULER tools in year two. Ideally, what will this program look like one year from now? The RULER program will give the Pulaski Academy family a shared vocabulary and a common approach to discussing emotional health. In the future, teachers and students will be empowered to identify, express, and regulate their personal emotions, resulting in improved individual wellbeing and a more empathetic, cohesive school community.
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Introducing
OPEN MORNINGS + VISIT DAYS By Matt Pulley
Whether you are interested in your child joining our 2.5-year old Cub Academy or our Upper School Division, we want to make sure PA is your family’s chosen school community. Our Assistant Head of Enrollment, Matt Pulley, helps answer a few common questions about our new Early Childhood School and Lower School Open Mornings, as well as our Middle School and Upper School Visit Days. What makes Open Mornings a unique experience for prospective parents? Open Mornings give families a unique perspective of the campus and school community. Parents have the opportunity to hear from current families, faculty, staff, and students. In addition, we step into classrooms to observe students and teachers. Parents also have the opportunity to visit more with faculty during this time. For this initial visit, we encourage families to not bring a child with them, if possible. What makes the MS/US Visit Days a unique experience for a parent and their child? Visit Days, like Open Mornings, allow families to interact and hear the stories of current parents, faculty, staff, and students. For students, they have the option of shadowing a current PA Ambassador attending classes, lunch, and group meetings.
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Can you tell me more about the student ambassadors for the Visit Days?
What is the best way to sign up for an Open Morning or Visit Day?
We look for students who will represent the school with excellence and who we know will provide a positive experience for each prospective student. Parents and students are encouraged to ask these students any question about their experience at PA.
Parents can either register online at www.pa360.org or contact Janie Shirey in the Admissions Office at 501-604-1923.
How many families are typically included for an Open Morning? Visit Day? We usually have 5-6 families for each Open Morning and Visit Day. We prefer to keep our families grouped like this because it allows parents to have an open conversation about our school and what their child’s interests are.
Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about Open Mornings or Visit Days? We know there are a lot of great school options in Central Arkansas. We invite families to spend a morning with us during an Open Morning or Visit Day. This is a place where you are welcome. Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy your campus visit!
Are there any tips/words of advice you can give to families before an Open Morning or Visit Day? We encourage families to view the campus map before arriving and arrive about 10 minutes early. We also advise parents to prepare some questions because our goal is to help families find the right school and leave confident in their decision. What if a parent or student has a question after the Open Morning or Visit Day session is over? We know that this decision process is not a “one stop shop” and that some families will need to visit several times and do significant research online. We invite families to contact, call or email anytime with questions.
To learn more about upcoming Open Mornings, Visit Days, webinars, and other exciting events for new families visit our Admission team on Twitter @PA_Admission.
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UNITING OUR
PA COMMUNITY
WITH
DIGITAL STORIES By Erica Gregory
W
hen you ask any Bruin–from alumni to faculty and staff, parents, and students– one characteristic about PA you’ll hear time and time again is their love of the school community. At PA, we know that our community is shaped by stories–from athletic achievements to the #PAProud moments in the classroom. As Little Rock’s only 2.5-year-old to twelfth grade independent school, the biggest challenge became how to tell and share these stories to our school community and beyond. How could we digitally showcase our school stories, communicate to our school community, and invite prospective families to visit our campus? The answer: Interactive Schools. CONNECTIONS
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help of Interactive Schools’ Art Director and Lead Photographer, we were able to continue this theme when they crossed over the pond and visited our campus this past April. By the end of their three-dayimmersion into PA, the Interactive Schools crew was able to capture stylized photos for the website and candid classroom photos. Now that we had vibrant photos to share, our next goal was to publish the website. Throughout the remainder of the summer, more collaboration between our team and Interactive Schools ensued before the website was officially launched The path to transforming our digital mid-July. While the website was an spaces equaled months of collaboration, upgrade from our previous website in strategizing, and checking off project needs style and navigation, we still needed the between our staff leads and Interactive component that drew us to Interactive Schools. Through this process though, the Schools to begin with: the school stories. PA tagline, “From Here to Anywhere,” In August, Founder and CEO of was revealed. This tagline became the Interactive Schools, Simon Noakes, visited north star to guide our creative and PA to inspire, train, and motivate our strategic decisions as we put our students’ faculty and staff about the importance limitless possibilities post-graduation at and ease of sharing our school stories via the forefront of our thoughts. With the Interactive Schools is a global creative marketing and communications agency located in the UK that delivers measurable engagement and brand stories for the world’s leading independent schools. Their philosophy is that every school is unique with stories that can connect to a vast school community. PA’s Vision to be the leader in innovative education aligned with Interactive Schools and their immersive websites, engaging social media, and effective communication to school communities.
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our PA-branded accounts on Twitter. One of the messages that Simon spoke of is how all of us are storytellers but we need quick and effective ways to share our school stories online. Simon shared more about Interactive Schools’ solution by utilizing Twitter to share stories, while also categorizing these stories through the use of school-branded hashtags. This creates a rich library of school stories that can then be connected across our website and digital communication. Additionally, our PA Twitter accounts empower each faculty and staff contributor to share stories beyond our school community to connect
with local, national, and global institutions and influencers. Since Simon’s visit to PA, we have been utilizing his tips and united together to help share the stories in the classroom, athletic field, class trips and more. We invite our school community to visit and engage with these Twitter accounts for daily school stories. Thanks to everyone’s contribution, we know this is just the beginning of what our school community has always known all along: once you’re a Bruin, you’re a Bruin for life!
To view our website, visit https://www.pulaskiacademy.org. To visit daily stories across the divisions and departments of PA, click on any of the accounts below. Admissions
Mathematics
Advancement
Middle School
Alumni
Music
Art
PAPA
Athletics
PE
Band
President and Head of School
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Upper School CONNECTIONS
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FROM THE TO THE
SCRIPT
Before the seats are filled for opening night at Murphy Theatre, our theatre and stagecraft students spend weeks collaborating, rehearsing, and setting the stage with the guidance of Theatre teacher, Sheridan Posey, and Technical Theatre teacher, Drew Posey. Read our interview below to take a peek behind the curtain and learn how this drama duo work together with our students to create theatre magic each year.
SET
Can you tell me a little about how long you have been at PA as an instructor and what the experience has been like for you? What are the rewards of seeing a play come to life?
years is one of my favorite things about teaching theatre. Every year they have a new layer of experience and emotional maturity to bring to their acting and directing roles.
Mrs. Posey: I am in my fifth year teaching theatre at PA. I absolutely love teaching and working with our students. Theatre is a collaborative art form, which requires teamwork and dedication from all involved. Our cast and crew members love the process and watching them come together to make the play a success is extremely rewarding. I also have the honor of teaching students 6-12th grade, so watching their growth throughout the
Mr. Posey: This is my second year teaching Technical Theatre classes. I have been very impressed with the students’ interest in theatre and have a great time seeing them grow as artists and craftsmen. I have been very proud of the productions my students have built, and having them has allowed me to create larger and more complicated designs for the stage.
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What is the timeline for a play production? Mrs. Posey: The rehearsal timeline depends on the length and style of the show. For our fall play, which is a straight play (no music), we rehearse 4-5 weeks. For our spring musical, we rehearse 6-7 weeks, as we need additional rehearsal time for music and choreography rehearsal. But, the creation of a play begins long before the rehearsal process. Mr. Posey and I discuss design elements months in advance. Once I have the set design, I work on pre-blocking, choreography, and the creation of the rehearsal schedule to determine what areas of the show need the most time. Mr. Posey: As a designer, I need time to design, and create technical drawings and set models. The design must be completed before rehearsals begin and the set must be fully installed at least one week before opening. My stagecraft classes start building the set several weeks before rehearsals begin.
class in which skills they’ve learned in Acting and Directing classes culminate in their vision and creation of the middle school musical. They take the reigns in play selection, auditions, direction, music direction, choreography, design, stage management, and production. Mr. Posey: Mrs. Posey and I set up production meetings with our lighting and sound designers to discuss the vision of the play. I usually have set renderings when the meetings begin. Mrs. Posey and I discuss costumes and props and share the duties of creating and accumulating those items. During the building of the set, I will often offer opportunities for students to make design suggestions that are aligned with the overall vision. The Middle School Musical is all studentproduced.
Can you tell me about the art direction of a play and how students contribute? Mrs. Posey: I direct our fall play, Frosty Follies short play, and the spring musical. Many times, I will have a student interested in serving as Assistant Director on these productions. The Assistant Director is present at every rehearsal with me. I include them in my vision for the show and incorporate their ideas. They are typically assigned specific scenes, choreography, or moments in which they direct and provide notes to the actors. The middle school musical is directed by our Scene Study senior theatre students, under my guidance. Scene Study is a studio style
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Can you tell me more about how each group works together? Mrs. Posey: The cast and crew work together under the guidance of the director in rehearsal. However, once the show opens, I am no longer calling the shots from the house or checking on crew backstage. They work together in rehearsal towards the common goal of making the show a success, because once the show opens, it is in their hands! My stage manager, who is also present at every rehearsal, assigns crew members to specific duties backstage and calls light and sound cues from the booth in production. Everyone must be focused, connected, and working together for the show to succeed. How many students are involved behind the scenes of a play? Mrs. Posey: The amount of backstage crew members needed for a show depends entirely on the complexity of the set and costume changes in a show. We typically have 5-10 crew members on a show. Mr. Posey: This year, I have 39 students that help create the sets.
How does working on a theatre production (either behind the scenes or as an actor) help students beyond PA? Mrs. Posey: Being involved in a production and studying theatre builds social skills and teaches empathy, which results in a more compassionate, socially aware adult. Working on a production requires teamwork and creates connections that last a lifetime. In addition to learning life skills, we prepare our students for the rigor of collegiate and professional productions. Mr. Posey and I both have years of professional theatre experience and we strive for the same level of professionalism in our school productions. We want our students to feel confident walking into any audition or production outside of our school and know that they are prepared. What happens after the play is done? To the set? Costumes? Etc. Mrs. Posey: We save everything we can to repurpose or reinvent for future productions. We maintain a small set and costume stock on campus. Mr. Posey: Once a play is finished, we disassemble the set carefully so we can save
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as much material and stock as possible. We try to reuse as much as we can, including hardware and fasteners. We have a small stock, so we are still adding to the collection. Keeping as much material as possible allows us to save money and time. Are there any state or national competitions that you can enter for a theatre production? Mrs. Posey: The PA Theatre department is a proud member of the Educational Theatre Association. Through EdTA, we have an active upper school theatre troupe that competes at the Arkansas Thespian Festival. Each February, we attend the festival and compete in solo, duet, group acting and group musical theatre, as well as solo design competition areas, such as scenic, costume, and makeup design. We have received all superior and excellent ratings at the Thespian festival and several of our competition pieces have been awarded the highest honor at the state level, Best in Show. Is there a way for other students and/or volunteers to get involved in a play if you’re not a part of the class? Mrs. Posey: Yes! All of our productions are audition-based, which means they are
open to anyone and everyone interested in auditioning. Students do not have to be enrolled in a theatre class to participate in a production. However, taking a theatre class offers great training to prepare for auditions, rehearsal, and crew work. To learn the proper safety procedures, students do need to be enrolled in a Stagecraft class to help build and install the set. Is there anything else you would like our readers to understand about the work that goes behind each play? Mrs. Posey: We have a wonderful time with every production! The cast and crew form a bond that feels like family. You always remember your show family. We love providing our students the opportunity to grow and learn through this amazing art form! Mr. Posey: The skills my students learn are easily applied outside the world of theatre. I have students tell me all the time about things that are able to do because of what they have learned in Stagecraft. They help family members, neighbors, clubs, and themselves with the confidence of being able to use their hands and the proper tools.
The Curious Savage: Behind the Scenes
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HITTING THE RIGHT NOTES Contributors: Layne Martens and Katie Dudley
DANIEL McGRATH Junior trumpeter, Daniel McGrath, who has been in band since sixth grade, has distinguished himself as an outstanding leader and musician at Pulaski Academy and beyond. In the Pulaski Academy band program, Daniel has been a section leader for the trumpet section for both the Upper School Band and the Jazz Band since his sophomore year. In spring of 2019, Daniel was selected by his peers in the Jazz Band to win the Woody Herman Jazz Award. Daniel has been featured in the Jazz Band on two separate occasions, performing The Christmas Song on trumpet during last year’s Frosty Follies as well as Feels so CONNECTIONS 30
Good on flugelhorn during the 2019 Fall Jazz Concert, not to mention countless solos with both ensembles at football games and concerts alike. In spring 2019, Daniel expanded his efforts outside of the trumpet arena when he joined the Pulaski Academy percussion ensemble, and he now performs on the snare drum with the drumline, PA Pulse, in addition to playing his trumpet at football games. Daniel’s talents on trumpet have also been utilized by the PA theatre department, as he has performed in pit ensembles of both The Addam’s Family and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and plans to perform in the pit of Into the Woods this spring.
year since the eighth grade, the All-Region jazz band each year since ninth grade, played lead trumpet for the Hendrix honor band last year, regularly receives top ratings at Region Solo & Ensemble competitions, and for the past two summers he has performed in the pit ensemble at the Argenta Community Theatre for their performances of Big River and A Chorus Line. Pulaski Academy is excited to have outstanding students like Daniel, whose work-ethic, leadership, and musical talents are certain to take him from here to anywhere.
Outside of school performances, Daniel has made the All-Region honor band each
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ALEX HOLDER PA Sounds member, and sophomore soprano, Alex Holder has been a highly active member of the choral department since she was in the seventh grade. She consistently contributes leadership, excellence, and musicianship to our rehearsals and performances. In addition to her time in the choir room, Alex contributes her time and talents to our community in countless ways. She is a member of Una Voce, a youth community choral ensemble for ages 14-19. This group rehearses and hosts choral events at Wildwood Park for the Arts. Alex recently founded her own nonprofit organization titled, “Arts Take Action.” Arts Take Action is a student-led fundraising performance benefitting young adults in Central Arkansas. The competitive event format will feature a variety of mediums including acting/musical theatre, vocal, art, dance and instrument. All proceeds of the event will support an organization near to her heart called “Immerse.” Immerse, based in Little Rock, provides transitional living for teenagers who have aged out of foster care. Immerse also provides for other teens living on the street to help them transition out of high school and into adulthood.
2nd Presbyterian Church’s production of Cinderella. Alex is currently rehearsing for the performance of Handel’s The Messiah at 2nd Presbyterian Church. During her summers, Alex enjoys volunteering and assisting with the children’s music programs at Wildwood and 2nd Presbyterian Church. We are so proud of Alex and all the ways she creates, contributes, explores, and achieves in both our PA community and our greater Little Rock area. Bravo, Alex!
Alex will soon begin rehearsing Verdi’s La Traviata with Opera in the Rock. The performance will take place at the Rep in May of 2020. Alex is an active member of our musical theater community with recent performances including PA’s production of The Theory of Relativity, Wildwood’s Park for the Arts’ performance of Seussical, and
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ART THROUGH THE DIGITAL AGES Contributors: Katie Short and Britynn Davis
PA’s Visual Art teachers support a variety of media for students to create and express themselves while also incorporating digital media into class lessons, student portfolios, and galleries. Learn more about how our art teachers and students embrace traditional art and technology throughout each division.
Starting in PK4, students begin attending class in the Art Studio. Our Early Childhood art classes focus on the exploration of different media and artistic experiences while working within thematic units. While the students are in PK4 and Kindergarten, they study themes like architecture, Van Gogh, butterflies, portraiture, weather, and insects. As they examine these topics in
depth, they are also able to make beautiful artwork inspired by each theme. One of the best ways to keep up with what our ECS and Lower School students are learning in art is through the website www.artsonia.com. Artsonia is a wonderful tool that creates digital galleries for all of our four year olds through fourth graders.
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Technology is making it easier than ever to connect to artists and information. Our art teachers are able to explore the work of many different artists and can connect with them through social media. There are numerous museums that have digital programming available to schools, which can provide valuable learning experiences to our students without ever leaving our campus. Our art teachers are also able to provide instruction in creative digital skills like graphic design and photography, which are becoming increasingly important skills in 21st Century workplaces.
This provides an easy to use, easy to access site to view a student’s work over time. Parents can add to the galleries by uploading art that has been created at home. The galleries will stay online even after the student is no longer a student in the Lower School, allowing families to enjoy their student’s artwork for many years to come. Additionally, as the students become older, it is a wonderful resource for teaching students how to share and promote their own artworks.
This semester, Lower School students have received several new devices to enhance their fourth grade graphic design unit. Our first, second, and third grade students have also had the opportunity to experiment with creating artwork digitally. Technology is also embraced by our Upper School art students. Earlier this semester, students in Ms. Davis’s Graphic Design class completed a project where they used product design software to design a lifestyle brand, from start to finish. Students researched their target market, appropriate price-point, and ideal customer. They even had the opportunity to order their designed pieces after they completed the project. Ms. Davis noted that “the sense of
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accomplishment and pride in their work was very satisfying to witness.” Students in Ms. Davis’s Art Through the Ages class are in the process of working on an Art History Music Video Project and experimenting with video editing software. For this project, students work in teams to research the history of an impactful work of art, and then present that research in the form of a music video, using their favorite songs. The project encourages them to think critically about ways to concisely synthesize their research and is also a way
for them to experiment with set design, making artwork, and performing. This crosscurricular, higher-order thinking activity reveals so much more about the students’ personalities and makes art history memorable and a part of their present lives. Our Upper School students also place a high value on online digital galleries, not only to participate in our visual culture but also to source inspiration from other students in a more specific and personalized way. The feedback that students receive from their peers on their process and final work also motivates them to continue making art.
Parents and community members are invited to follow our student artists’ journeys, community art events and more @PA_VisualArt. You can also visit us on Pinterest to view artwork highlights from our students.
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A THANK YOU FROM
A Word from Advancement By Leanna Wall Thank you PA community for helping us reach a total of $280,000 in donations and pledges including 66% parent participation! We are so grateful to the families who support advanced technology, enhanced course offerings and professional development opportunities. Together we can make a huge imPAct!
There is still time to give! Please visit www.pulaskiacademy.org/giveonline to make your gift today.
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Mark Your Calendars for Bruin Bash! The 2020 Bruin Bash Casino Night is going to be unforgettable! PA is thrilled to bring this Vegas-inspired night to you on March 6, 2020 in support of our Endowment. Arkansas Casino Events offers friendly dealers that will help guests learn any game. Guests will be greeted by professional entertainers from Arkansas Circus Arts. Silent and Live Auctions will occur throughout the evening and guests will enjoy a variety of culinary nibbles and libations. As the night concludes, the dealers will exchange chips for raffle tickets. Guests will then place their raffle tickets in baskets for prizes! Please make plans to attend and support your school. To view sponsorship opportunities or purchase your ticket, please visit www.pulaskiacademy.org/bruinbash. For more information, contact Leanna Wall at leanna.wall@pulaskiacademy.org.
Mobile Food Packing Event Sponsored by Tacos4Life benefitting Feed My Starving Children, December 11th-13th Approximately 202,000 meals were packaged over two days by PA students, parents, faculty, staff and community members in April of 2019. These meals were sent to Guatemala and Haiti to a variety of orphanages and shelters who partner with Feed My Starving Children. PA has another opportunity to showcase our global citizenship by participating in our next food packing event in December. We welcome families to volunteer with their students and will also offer two community opportunities open to the public. Please visit www.pulaskiacademy.org/fmsc to view the volunteer dates and times. Teachers will be communicating specific grade level information. We hope you will join us in this community-building event in support of Feed My Starving Children.
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PA Progress:
Enhancements Throughout Our Campus Contributors: Don Swanson and Diane Lafferty
As always, there has been a lot happening on our campus this school year. We would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the Pulaski Academy Team who have worked so diligently to make these enhancements a reality. Here are a few project completions we would like to share from this school year, thanks to your continuous support of our campus.
STEAM Room The new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) room is in the former motor room in the Early Childhood Building. Our students have loved exploring in this new area with the guidance of our STEAM teacher, Mrs. Juli Paddie.
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The Schueck McCarty Student Commons The Schueck McCarty Student Commons was diligently crafted and implemented over the summer and fall of 2019. The renovated space was planned with the intent to enhance Upper School student life by allowing students to have a communal space for connection and collaboration. The physical structure, as well as the interior finishes, unite the past and present of PA in a variety of ways. One feature wall includes a piece of the school’s original gym floor that was saved by our own James Squires eighteen years ago when the current Hugg Gymnasium was constructed. Another benefit of the renovated space is the expansion of the Peeples Gallery which affords the art faculty new opportunities to feature emerging PA artists. Further, the Upper School lecture hall space has been opened to the Student Commons with glass walls that allow it to no longer be limited to a meeting space but rather aiding the expanded art gallery displays. The Student Commons officially opened in November during Homecoming week for both current students to use as a gathering space and as a reception hall for alumni. As a community, the opportunities this space affords are endless and exciting! BEFORE
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Lower School Playground The playground has received significant improvements over the past couple of summers. A poured-in-place surface in the lower portion of the playground provides a soft and attractive play area and now completes the project. This was funded by private donors, 2018’s Readathon and 2019’s Boosterthon proceeds.
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One-to-One Technology for Our Students One way we work to achieve our mission of inspiring students to explore, create, contribute, and achieve is by investing in technology as a tool to improve student learning. Our goal is to provide educational opportunities for every student that will make his/her experience engaging and positively transform the way teaching and learning take place. We can clearly see the great potential in a long-range investment into educational technology in terms of fostering a culture of student engagement, research, writing, presentation, and collaboration. A commitment to these additional resources as well will benefit the overall experience of our students, quality of communication, and deepen our instructional opportunities. This past August, students in grades 3–8 received school-issued Chromebooks and PCs and each 9th grader began bringing a device of choice with them each day. Recognizing that students do not learn the same material at the same pace and in the same way, 1:1 technology makes it possible for teachers to differentiate content delivery and student assignments by using a variety of teaching methods and tools. Further, in a 1:1 environment, the learning shifts from the more traditional instructor-led model to an environment with a more student-centered focus–enhancing student engagement, motivation, and ownership.
Additionally, devices offer enhanced opportunities for group and project-based learning. In a 1:1 model, the ease of quality collaboration is enhanced when students work in groups, gather and synthesize information, think critically, and apply their knowledge using the technology available to them as a critical tool. Our teachers are working skillfully to incorporate educational technology resources in a way that offers more instructional choices and improves outcomes for our students. Thank you for your continued support as we strive for excellence.
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CONNECTIONS ACROSS
CAMPUS
Contributors: Tiffany Knight, Ashley Cope, Heather McDaniel, and Alecia Castleberry
We believe in making connections across our campus so that every student–from our Cubs to Seniors–feels engaged with our school community. From our Senior Brothers and Sisters tradition to newly formed collaborations, here’s how our students love to contribute their time to our school, charities, and each other.
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CRAYON SALE Each year, the kindergarten students break crayons into small pieces and place them in molds to melt as paw prints. These paw print crayons were sold for 25 cents each in carpool two mornings this semester. Middle school and upper school students also purchased crayons to support this fundraiser. The proceeds will be donated to Feed My Starving Children when we serve school-wide in December. This has been an outstanding lesson on economics, serving others, and how to work as a team towards a common goal!
4X4 The fourth grade and four year old students meet once a month, which is known as 4x4. This partnership was formed several years ago to provide our fourth grade students with leadership skills and our four-year-old students with a role model. The monthly activities vary but may include reading, crafts, and more.
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MONSTER BOOK PROJECT with PK3 and Eighth Grade Art Students For this creative collaboration, our eighth grade art students first get to know their PK3 “customer” (with play), then interview them with some leading questions about what would their monster look like and how would your monster act, and does your monster have friends, etc. Next, the students head back to the studio and begin sketches of all the monsters and friends, backgrounds, etc. As they begin to formulate a story, the students are asked to include a moral lesson or learning activity for the PK3 students. Once it’s reviewed, they begin the production by hand drawing and painting, ending with binding the book. Finally, the middle school art students present the books to the “clients” and read it to them before the PK3 students pack their new book into their backpack. This collaborative project gives our art students a chance to experience a “real world” artist job by tapping into their creativity and illustrating the story as their “client” described.
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PATV RECENT INTERVIEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS
Some of the highlights of our PATV reports and interviews this year have been:
PATV students have been enjoying the new PATV studio this year. The studio was relocated to the Lower School Lobby for a more collaborative, innovative, and immersive experience in broadcasting and communications for our students and families. The PATV curriculum provides a unique opportunity for our students to explore the world of broadcast journalism and report on stories and events across our campus.
• Crayon Sales with Kindergarten • Caves (STEM) with 4th Grade • Citizenship (Humanities) with 1st Grade • Coqui Frogs (Spanish) with 4th Grade • All About Arkansas (Humanities) with 3rd Grade • Architecture (Art) with 4th Grade • Tall Tales, Fables and Fairy Tales with 2nd Grade • Monster Book Project (Art) with 3 Year Olds and 8th Grade
Our PATV cast and crew have been very busy learning the basics of news reporting and broadcasting, interviewing in the studio and around campus, and even doing some writing for the show! They have learned that good news reports are clear, concise, and correct. The PATV studio is such a fun and interactive place for our students to learn great public speaking, technology, and literacy skills. Our students become reporters, producers, directors, technicians, castmates, editors, and writers when they are a part of the PATV team.
SENIOR BROTHERS & SISTERS Each year, small groups of three or four seniors “adopt” an ECS/LS class for the year. The seniors meet with their class at least once a month and read books, play games and usually have some type of art activity. For the first time ever, the Seniors also dressed for Halloween and walked with their adopted classes in the Halloween parade. Our Forever Club members have fond memories of their Seniors when they were little. It’s a precious tradition cherished by all involved. CONNECTIONS
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2020 National Merit Scholars By Cheryl Watts In 2018, approximately 1.6 million Juniors entered the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT. From these program entrants, over 16,000 semifinalists nationwide were recognized as high-scorers. The number of high-scorers in each state represents less than one percent of high school seniors. We would like to congratulate these National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Scholar: Harper Chambers, Habiba Heshmat, Courtney Robinson, Wilson Waugh, and Merritt Jones.
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National Merit Semifinalists HARPER CHAMBERS Harper has attended PA since entering the three-year-old program, and he is a member of the Forever Club. He is the Captain of the swim team and a member of the tennis team. Throughout Upper School, Harper has been involved in multiple theatrical productions at PA. During the summers, he volunteers at Camp Aldersgate, is the program coordinator for ACE tennis, and is an assistant swim coach at Hillsborough pool. This past summer, Harper attended Arkansas Boys State and Arkansas Governor’s School.
HABIBA HESHMAT This year, Habiba transferred from Fargo, North Dakota to Pulaski Academy as a senior. She has expressed an interest in studying astronomy and theoretical astrophysics in college with the intent of becoming an astronaut. Naturally, Habiba has chosen some of the most demanding math and science electives this year including AP Physics C, AP Calculus BC, and AP Statistics. Habiba is also a member of the tennis team.
COURTNEY ROBINSON Courtney has attended PA since she entered the three-year-old program and is a member of the Forever Club. She is a member of the lacrosse, soccer and volleyball teams. She has also been a vital member of PA’s choral department since she was in sixth grade. Since math is Courtney’s favorite subject, she is considering a major in engineering with a possible goal of attending medical school.
WILSON WAUGH Wilson transferred to Pulaski Academy in the sixth grade. This year, he is captain of the cross country team and a member of PA’s Honor Council. Although he does not have a specific career goal in mind, he is considering a degree in accounting. Not surprisingly, Wilson admits math is his favorite subject. Despite his academic and extracurricular commitments, Wilson also has a part-time job after school and on the weekends. He is also a member of PA’s Second Generation Club. Wilson’s mother, Michelle, was a graduate of the Class of 1990.
Commended Scholar MERRITT JONES Merritt enrolled in PA with the three-year-old program and is a member of the Forever Club. He is a member of both the football and basketball teams and this year is the captain of the football team. Merritt is also a member of the Honor Council. His favorite class is math, so it is not surprising that Merritt is considering engineering as a possible college major. A member of the PA’s Second Generation Club, Merritt’s mother, Marley, was a graduate of the Class of 1987.
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Pulaski Academy’s Advanced Placement Program & Scholars By Cheryl Watts
Advanced Placement (AP) is a program created by The College Board which offers college-level curricula to high school students. American colleges and universities may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain high scores on the end of year examinations. AP scores range from 1–5 with a score of 3 or higher considered good, a 4 considered very good, and 5 especially impressive. Advanced Placement has been a part of the PA curriculum since 1976. Since then the AP course offerings have expanded from three courses, (Biology, Calculus, English Literature) now to twenty-four. An AP Scholar is a designation given to a student who receives an award from The College Board for outstanding performance on multiple AP exams. There are several award levels according to how many exams the student scored highly on, as well as their average AP score. CONNECTIONS 48
AP National Scholar: Granted to students who receive an average grade of 4 or higher on all AP exams, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more AP Exams. AP Scholar with Distinction: Granted to students who receive an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. AP Scholar with Honor: Granted to students who receive an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. AP Scholar: Granted to students who receive grades of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.
2019 AP Scholars National AP Scholars Mohammed Abuelem – ‘19 Harvard University AP Scholars with Distinction Mohammed Abuelem - ‘19 Harvard University Daniel Ahmadi – ‘20 Tyler Angtuaco - ‘19 University of California, Los Angeles Harrison Aufiero-Wong – ‘19 University of Michigan Batchimeg Bat Ulzii – ‘19 University of Colorado Laurel Black – ‘19 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Genrietta Churbanova - ‘19 – Princeton University Jacquelynn Horsey – ‘20 Ben Hughes – ‘19 - Tulane University Nistha Lohani - ‘19 Barnard College Waleed Masood – ‘19 George Washington University
Ahad Nadeem - ‘19 University of Arkansas, Little Rock Bennett Perkins - ‘19 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Jackson Polk – ‘19 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Ayesha Yousaf – ‘19 University of Texas, Dallas AP Scholars with Honor Matthew Apuya - ‘19 New York University Jackson Engstrom - ‘19 University of Richmond Paris Joslin – ’19 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Sydney Skrivanos – ‘19 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
AP Scholars Zuhair Almahayni – ‘19 Southern Methodist University Harper Champers – ‘20 Om Desai - ‘19 University of Colorado Elizabeth Ford – ‘19 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Jenni-Grace Girouard – ‘19 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Humza Hashmi – ‘19 – University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Luke Haws – ‘19 Washington & Lee University Darby Heffer – ‘20 Ozan Paydak – ‘20 Lauren Grace Perry – ‘20 Linh Phung – ‘19 – Hendrix College Charlotte Powers – ‘19 – University of Mississippi Alex Shahegh - ‘19 - Hendrix College Ryota Shinkawa - ‘19 Rhodes College Celeste Smedley – ‘19 University of Central Arkansas Jamie Smith– ‘19 - Baylor University Jackson Turriff – ‘20
View our 2019 College Admissions Profile for more details about PA and our Graduates. To view more stories from our College Counseling Department, visit PA_Counsel. CONNECTIONS
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5th & 6th Grade Football By CJ Jacoby The middle school league was established at Pulaski Academy to develop an interest and love for the sport. New this year, Coach Kelley designated a coach to aid in running the program. The goal was to give these young athletes a great experience but to also begin to lay the foundation of what they will experience in Junior High football all the way through varsity. The high school’s route tree and the basic plays and formation are included. Additionally, blocking assignments and basic tackling techniques are instructed. This will help them have a smooth transition into our seventh grade program. CONNECTIONS 50
This year, there were 33 student-athletes in our program who worked extremely hard. Through this season, I have learned more from these athletes than they have learned from me. They have been a huge blessing in my life and have helped me grow as a coach and as an individual. I can’t wait to watch these students grow up to be great athletes and ambassadors for the PA community. As the 5th and 6th grade football coach, my ultimate goal is to continue to develop our program and instill a love for the sport in each player!
Wrestling Program Expansion By Bruce Dickey For the past eight years, PA has given all young men grades 9–12 the opportunity to wrestle. We are excited that with some implemented changes this year, this same opportunity has been expanded to boys and girls in grades 5–12. Since the beginning of the PA Wrestling Program, we have had great success with two State Championships and two second-place finishes. We are very proud of the success of this young program. New this year, Arkansas Athletic Association has sanctioned girls wrestling. More than half of all the Arkansas schools that have wrestling programs have registered to have girls compete. This is exciting news and we are looking forward to expanding our program and having PA athletes compete in both the Girls and Boys State Wrestling Tournaments.
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Athletic Updates By Madison Taylor
• The Bruins won the 5A state championship in a dominating 63-21 victory vs Little Rock Christian in the finals on December 7, 2019. This is the eighth state championship for the Football Varsity Bruins.
PA finishes the season nationally ranked in these categories:
- #1 in passing yards (6,137)
- #1 in total yards (9,065)
- #1 in average passing yards per game (438.8)
- #1 in average yards per game (647.5) - #3 in total touchdowns (112)
5A State Champions
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• Quarterback Braden Bratcher is #1 in the nation in passing yards (5.196), #2 in total yards (6,032), and #2 in average yards per game (464). • Mason Kolb has over 1,000 yards receiving and is #8 in the state of Arkansas.
• Joe Himon is 2nd in the state in kick-off return yards and has over 2,000 all-purpose yards. • Clay James is #1 in the state in interceptions. • Futa Shinkawa has 140 tackles this season.
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7th–9th Grade Football The seventh grade football team finished the regular season undefeated and were conference champions. The eighth grade football team finished the season 6-3-1. The ninth grade football team’s record going into the playoff week was 7-2. The eighth and ninth grade Bruins won
exciting non-conference games against Benton and Little Rock Christian Academy. The junior varsity football team finished the season undefeated beating Joe T. Robinson and Benton along the way.
The 2019 golf season was a great success! Both the boys and the girls won their conference tournaments in Wynne before heading to their state tournaments. The girls finished 7th place in the state tournament in Harrison with Alex Barnwell coming in 4th place overall and being named all-state. The boys were the runners-up in their state tournament at Heber Springs with Jackson May coming in 2nd place overall, being named all-state, and qualifying for the boys’ overall tournament at Pleasant Valley CC. Jackson finished 4th place out of 18 golfers at overalls to cap off his high school career.
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The senior high girls were conference runner up with Emma Hancock finishing second in the conference race and Maylee Rollins, Maya Uwaydat and Abby Henry also earning all-conference honors. The junior high team members are Kate Patterson, Jasmine Burns, Audrey Troutman, Iman Ahmer, Victoria Walker, Zoe Hu, William Carlton, Galen Jauss, Eli Simril, Eita Shinkawa, Savin Yoon, and Tyler Brown. Kate Patterson has led the junior high girls’ team and William Carlton has led the junior high boys’ team.
Cross Country Team captains are Wilson Waugh, Akhil Thadur, Alison Chacko and Abby Henry. Senior high team members are Wilson Waugh, Akhil Thadur, Seth Odum, Sam Conine, Samuel Moutos, Wes Thompson, Hassan Sardar, Caleb Green, Robert Bennett, Landon Billera, Sebastion Atilano, Logan Pittman, Grant Swindle, Kaustav Sarkar, Zoya Ahmer, Abby Patterson, Heba Ahmed, Kara Hoover, Emma Hancock, Maylee Rollins, and Maya Uwaydat. Hassan Sardar has led the senior high boys’ team and Abby Henry and Emma Hancock have led the senior high girls’ team. The senior high boys won the conference championship on October 29. Hassan Sardar won the conference race with Wes Thompson, Samuel Moutos, Logan Pittman and Seth Odum also earning all-conference honors.
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Senior High Volleyball The Lady Bruin Senior High volleyball team finished 18-11 in regular season play, and 11-2 in conference play, earning runner-up in the 4A Central conference. The Lady Bruins were Bronze Champions at the Spikefest tournament back in September. The team is headed into the State tournament as the 2 seed, matching up with Brookland for the first round.
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7th–9th Grade Volleyball The Lady Bruin seventh grade volleyball team finished with a conference record of 7-5. They attended the LRCA tournament during the season and finished in the semi-finals. Our eighth grade volleyball team finished with a conference record of 8-4. At the River City conference tournament, they lost a tough match in the semi-finals to Maumelle, finishing 3rd in the tournament. Our ninth grade volleyball team finished with a conference record of 11-1. They were runner-up in the Silver Bracket at the Conway Invitational and had a great finish to their season becoming River City Conference Champions.
6th Grade Volleyball The sixth grade volleyball team won the private school league championship this season.
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The Pulaski Academy tennis teams ended one of the most successful runs in school history capturing both the boys and girls conference and state championships for the 2019-2020 season. The boys singles final ended with Foster Rogers defeating teammate Anthony Tran 6-0, 6-0 in the finals.
Overall State Singles Champion Foster Rogers
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During the overall championships held at Burns Park on October 2122, Foster Rogers won his third consecutive singles title, winning all three matches in convincing fashion. Foster has also been a three time state champion in singles in addition to winning the overall titles. His remarkable run included an undefeated 44 match streak win during his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He is a three time “Arkansas All Prep Player of the Year.” In addition, he is both the “Wendy’s Player of the Year” and the “Leslie McIntyre SIngles Champion Player of the Year” for consecutive seasons. Foster’s leadership and accomplishments on the court are very impressive. He will continue to play tennis next year at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
4A State Champions
4A State Champions
Congratulations to the Bruin program for winning both state championships in a truly record setting season! All 12 Bruin Players earned All-State designation for the 2019 season. (Foster Rogers, Anthony Tran, Connor Elliott, Jack Lewis, Nate Byrd, Jake Rogers, Julienne Angtuaco, Joiner Love, Habiba Heshmat, Bella Tan, Lilly Hawkins, Caroline Chambers)
The Bruin and Lady Bruin Middle School Tennis teams each ended with a 4-0 record on the season with wins over Episcopal Collegiate, Pinnacle View, and The Anthony School. The Bruins were led by eighth graders Brandon Nguyen, Nicco Duina, and Jackson Varela, while eighth graders Jaymie Angtuaco, Allie Thomas, and Allie Nicholas and seventh grader Danna Homsi led the charge for the Lady Bruins.
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