Highlander Magazine - Winter 2019

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Table of Contents CAO Nelson to Lead K-12 Academics.................................2 “MAP”-ing Your Child’s Learning..........................................3 Raising Kids in a Digital World.............................................4 Finding Inspiration in 8th Block............................................6 Journey into The PARK........................................................8 Actionable AIM Data.............................................................10 Strategic Plan 2018..............................................................10 We Are Scholars...................................................................12 We Are Artists.......................................................................14 We Are Athletes....................................................................20 We Are Servants...................................................................23 Alumni News........................................................................25 Spot Your Students Online...................................................37

On The Cover Top Photo: Second grade’s “Las Mariposas” performance of the classic Stone Soup tale. (Left to right, Back row: Paislie Dillawn, Iker Lopez, Emma Dial, Jax Cowden; Front row: Anita Vemulapalli, Adair Metschan, Logan Jenkyn).

Bottom Photo: The 2018 Homecoming Court (Left to right: Bering Edwards ‘22, Ben Ingram-Eiser ‘22, Christian Brown ‘21, Louise Lerner ‘21, Chelan Beavers ‘20, Kyla Thompson ‘20, Carson Kurad ‘19, Emma Tuhabonye ‘19)

Letter from the Head of School Dear St. Andrew’s Families and Friends, It has been a busy year for our school! As you’ll see in these pages of our digital magazine, our students have been successfully navigating our classrooms, courts, fields, and stages, showcasing a wide variety of academic, athletic, and artistic talent. They continue to serve in ways that enhance our school and the Austin community, and I look forward to sharing these wonderful stories with you.

As I write this, we are just finishing our annual Grandparents/ Special Friends Day, where we had more than 650 grandparents and special friends on both our campuses. It is a beautiful reminder of the strength and goodness of our community and the extended support we are all blessed to receive.

Please enjoy this winter edition of our Highlander Magazine!

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Sean Murphy Head of School

Sean Murphy Head of School

Letter from the Board Chair Dear St. Andrew’s Community, On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am pleased to share the progress on our 2018 Strategic Plan. Now in the implementation phase, we are working on the plan’s six main goals: 1.

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Ensuring Programmatic Excellence Enhancing Facilities Strengthening Financial Sustainability Investing in the Athletics Pillar Increasing Diversity and Inclusion Elevating the Way We Communicate

All of these goals are important priorities for our school. Head of School, Sean Murphy, has pushed forward with priority one by hiring a new Chief Academic Officer, who will also have two new Curriculum Instructors supporting that role as well as the implementation of the new Upper School block schedule.

Priority two, enhancing facilities, is in progress with development of an additional Master Plan alternative, schematic design planning for a new Upper School Gymnasium, and consideration of a Middle School relocation. Priority three, strengthening financial sustainability, is underway with forward-thinking investment plans, record fundraising, and wise management of our revenue and expenses.

Athletics, priority four, is being revitalized on both campuses with a revision of the K-12 P.E. program and introduction of additional team sports and classes at the Upper School; priority five is being supported by the newly instituted Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism Study under the guidance of Dr. Gene Batiste, and priority six – elevating the way we communicate – is in progress as we evaluate new communications platforms and amplify our digital channel communications.

I am honored that in January the Board named me as Chair following the resignation of Randy Erben, who recently stepped down after years of dedicated service to St. Andrew’s to spend more time on other activities. We have a great deal of good work to do and are grateful for the support of our parent and volunteer community.

Sincerely,

David M. Grimm Chair, St. Andrew’s Board of Trustees Parent of Alex ’10 and Andrew ‘12

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CAO Nelson to Lead K-12 Academics Coordinating a cohesive, engaging, and ageappropriate education for 950 students in 13 grades is no small feat, but Josh Nelson is up to the task as St. Andrew’s new Chief Academic Officer (CAO). Josh says: It’s a tremendous honor to lead our K-12 community in this new role in the forthcoming 2019-20 academic year. Having spent many years teaching and managing programs at St. Andrew’s, I have a great respect and understanding of the various opportunities and challenges our community is facing. I believe that St. Andrew’s has the potential to be a world-renowned school, and I am excited to do my part to realize this potential.

A pool of strong candidates from around the country participated in several days of classroom visits and faculty/staff interviews for the new position.

Serving St. Andrew’s since 2008, Josh began in the Middle School math department before rising to his most recent role as Director of Curriculum & Instruction.

Reflecting on Josh’s accomplishments, Head of School Sean Murphy says: Josh has worked diligently and purposefully to integrate innovative technology and progressive practices into learning for students and teachers. I anticipate great things from Josh in this new role.

This CAO role replaces and expands our Academic Dean position, which has been faithfully served by Tim McGhee since 2009. Tim announced his retirement in 2018 after 35 years of service to St. Andrew’s. Sean remarks: Tim will be deeply missed. He first served in our Middle School faculty, then as our Head of Middle School for 25 years, then as Interim Upper School Head, and finally Academic Dean for the past 10 years. I thank Tim for his leadership and servant’s heart.

More About Josh Nelson Josh is a native Texan and has called Austin home for 15 years. He and his wife Carrie are parents to Eliza, and together they enjoy spending time outside exploring the property around their house near Driftwood.

In addition to spending time with his family, Josh enjoys making things with his hands in his shop at home, and also in the MLab at the Upper School campus.

Josh received both his bachelor of arts and master of science degrees in mathematics from Texas Tech University, and a master of arts degree in mathematics education from the University of Texas at Austin He is currently a doctoral candidate in STEM education at the University of Texas at Austin, with an expected graduation this spring.

Prior to his teaching career at St. Andrew’s, Josh taught at St. Gabriel’s Catholic School and served as an adjunct math instructor at Austin Community College as well as an adjunct consultant for Independent School Management.

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Gifts to the St. Andrew’s Fund helped us set a record amount

raised this year: $1,032,497! Thank you for your support, and for all your generosity makes possible for all students and teachers. Liam Santa Cruz ‘19, writes of his experience at St. Andrew’s: "The faculty and staff are to thank for fostering an environment that promotes creative thought and a collaborative mindset. All teachers I have had throughout my three years at St. Andrew’s are passionate about the subjects they teach and invested in realizing the potential of every one of their students. Not only on an academic level, but on a personal level, the faculty care about maintaining a safe and positive community that prioritizes rigorous academics while minimizing the stressful effects that often come with them.

Through your donation, you are helping to preserve and benefit the environment that gives each and every St. Andrew's student the tools to develop a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for the power of a welcoming and supportive community."

“MAP”-ing Your Child’s Learning Do you remember taking state-administered tests in school, filling in bubbles to multiple choice questions? Were you frustrated that some questions covered material you hadn’t learned yet?

Enter the computer adaptive assessment test, which generates questions in real time in response to a student’s answers.

If a student demonstrates mastery of a skill, the computer will offer a harder question, even venture into advanced territory regardless of the student’s age or grade level.

At the end of the test, a student profile report is immediately generated for teachers to pinpoint areas of student growth.

This year, St. Andrew’s deployed a version of this test—the NWEA’s MAP Growth and MAP Reading Fluency tests—to first, fourth, and sixth grades. Next year, the second, fifth, and seventh grades will be added, followed by the third and eighth grades the third year.

Incorporating this test aligns with the school’s commitment to continual improvement, according to Head of Lower School Kama Bruce.

He said, “We pride ourselves on knowing each student. This type of test tells a story. Each

testing session generates a 29-page report for each student. This data remains in the system throughout their education here. Imagine the rich insights a teacher can get from years of testing data for each student.”

Ultimately, MAP tests are designed to help faculty focus on a student’s growth over time. “This test is not about getting 100 percent correct,” noted Kama, “It’s about continually setting higher goals for students in a meaningful, precise matter.”

For more information, read Answers to the Top 6 Questions Parents Ask About the MAP Tests.

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Raising Kids in a Digital World How do we keep up with all the emerging technology at our kids’ fingertips?

How do we navigate the murky waters of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ tech habits?

These are just a few questions St. Andrew’s continues to tackle in partnership with parents through its ongoing discussions, “Tech Talks,” hosted by SEL director Scott Zimmerman and educational technology specialist Dr. Alexandra Baird.

Scott says, “The coolest part is it’s parents supporting parents, talking about what’s on their minds. It’s our community coming together to support each other in raising our kids.”

What’s the right amount of tech access for my child?

“The way we tackle this issue is not so much from the tech side - finding the right apps or trackers to shut kids off - but rather on the student and parent side, finding ways to teach healthy habits early.” Alexandra adds, “We do provide resources and coaching to help them find reliable research and best practices.” (Click here to view Parent Resources for Digital Citizenship curated by Dr. Baird) Should I just set down some rules and enforce them?

Alexandra says, “Boundaries are important, but it’s also important for kids to understand why they have the boundaries you set for them, because those boundaries will likely change over time.” (See Dr. Mike Brooks’ authoritative versus authoritarian distinction in his book “Tech Generation.”)

How are you teaching kids about tech in the classroom?

“We as educators are helping kids learn to be self-regulators, to make healthy choices, and to build good habits sooner than later,” says Alexandra, noting, “We use SeeSaw in the classroom for creation, not consumption. Creation activates critical thinking and creativity. Plus, SeeSaw mimics a lot of social media platforms so it’s building that good behavior early.”

This topic is intimidating to me, where do I even begin?

Alexandra encourages parents who are intimidated by tech or social media to create accounts on those platforms, “If only to have some basic working knowledge of how things work so you can understand what your kid is doing.”

She adds that the key is to focus on parenting style, because keeping up with every technological platform is a daunting task, “I’ve heard Dr. Brooks say that there’s no magic pill for this, that it’s about parenting. We’re committed to keep the conversation going with parents to help them tackle these issues.”

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St. Andrew’s Talks “Tech Generation” with Dr. Mike Brooks St. Andrew’s was fortunate to have Dr. Brooks discuss his co-authored book Tech Generation on February 5. Read his book summary here, along with some general guidelines below: • Use one device at a time, one task at a time • Use one computer for productivity in a specific location • Go over in detail expectations & restrictions of school usage policy (SAS Responsible Use Policy) • Keep cell phone in another room while doing homework

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Finding Inspiration in 8th Block One of the exciting parts about launching the new block schedule at the Upper School this year is the creation of a block of time on alternating school days—a solid 80 minutes that students can use as they like, called “8th Block.”

“ISM, widely regarded as the expert in scheduling independent schools, recommends a minimum of 90 minutes a day of non-academic time for students,” notes Josh Nelson, Upper School Director of Curriculum & Instruction.

Each trimester students must commit to one of these 8th Block options: ● Self-directed project ● Stewardship ● Work period ● Fitness For Life ● Strength & Conditioning ● Extra class Last trimester, some students who selected stewardship became tutors and assistants, while others opted to become PARK Stewards, who already boast several successful projects you can see on campus (read about PARK Stewards on p.12).

Pursuing a self-directed project requires a proposal submission for faculty panel approval.

The student’s proposal includes measurable goals and a plan of action. Every three weeks, a faculty panel reviews student progress to offer guidance.

The goal of 8th Block is for students to pursue something they’re interested in without being worried about a grade on a transcript. Josh explains, “You don’t often get to fail at something at

school and not have it negatively impact you. If they’re struggling, we ask students: ‘Is it because you’ve lost interest, or are there other factors?’”

Beyond the value of exploring untapped interests, the 8th Block self-directed study option offers students the chance to better understand their intrinsic motivation, as Josh explains: It’s a way for students to understand what motivates them to pursue something and how to stay motivated. As a student, it’s better to discover your personal challenges now in order to know yourself better for the future.

And, I think it’s good to learn that there are some things in life you don’t like doing, but need to do if you want to be successful in that particular field.

Though the 8th Block is new this year, Director of College Counseling Elizabeth Guice already sees the potential benefits the 8th Block activities will yield: I imagine that [some students] will be able to speak to their inner drive in a different way or answer questions about how they responded to a challenge by reflecting on the time they spent in 8th block.

Two students involved in self-directed projects shared their 8th Block impressions with us: Camryn Evans ‘21, who is teaching herself Arabic, and Guy Crickmer ‘21, who is pursuing digital photography.

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Camryn: I was inspired to study Arabic after visiting Austin Peace Academy (an Islamic school in Austin) a few years ago. There, I realized how little I knew about the Arabic language and the significant ways in which it affects so much of the world around me.

Guy: This project is an attempt to have a dedicated time to do something I enjoy doing. I started photo editing in March, and saw 8th Block as a great way to keep up a hobby of mine.

Is there something difficult about your project you didn’t anticipate?

Camryn: Arabic is a very tough language to learn, and sometimes I feel like the information just keeps getting piled on. In those cases, I pause what I am learning so that I can take time to practice what I already know instead of trying to take on new information.

Guy: My biggest problem is finding photos to edit. I’ve learned to take photos outside of school and edit them during 8th block.

What do you envision as your ultimate achievement as a result of this project?

Camryn: I think that I will be able to hold substantial conversations in Arabic with the millions of people I may never have been able to speak with otherwise.

Guy: I feel that I have kept a creative part of me alive. I feel like if I hadn’t chosen this as my 8th block, I would’ve stopped doing photography a long time ago.

Camryn Evans ‘21 (third from left) with fellow SASers and Austin Peace Academy students.

What are your goals and how far have you gotten in achieving them?

Camryn: My goal for the end of the year is just to keep building on my foundation and practicing my Arabic both during and after the school day so that I can continue on to more difficult lessons later down the road. So far, thanks to interactive language learning websites, I’ve been able to keep up with some pretty fast-paced lessons that have been allowing me to really progress these past few months.

Guy: My goals are to do a photo every day, and I’ve been kind of successful. I started a website (another one of my goals) and am trying to post a new photo every day.

Digital artwork on pgs. 10-11 by Guy Crickmer ‘21

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Journey into The PARK With the launch of an 8th Block period at the Upper School this year, Director of Outdoor Engagement Greg Mele has benefitted from a group of committed students, called PARK Stewards, to help him with project collaborations across grade levels. He says, “My intention with the 8th Block student PARK Stewards is to create projects that the students and I work on which follow a framework for high-quality project based learning.” Greg instructs students on: ● application of design thinking, ● “safety first” protocols, ● best practices, and ● ergonomics and proper operation of equipment.

After proper preparation, Greg relies on his students to plan the project, troubleshoot challenges, assess progress, and reflect on methods. Here are a few project highlights:

5th Grade Archaeology Dig October 2018

4th Grade Trail Network November 2018

“An excellent example of inter-divisional collaboration. Teacher Heather Robinson and the fifth grade team created an engaging experiential learning project and brought in an archaeologist to work with the students.”

“The PARK Stewards began designing, tagging and cutting the new Woodland Trail Network.

The fourth grade joined the PARK Stewards to help cut and clear part of the trail and did an amazing job.

“The PARK Stewards and I were able to clear the site of summer growth and prep the Outdoor Archaeology Lab in a couple days. The PARK Stewards did a great job getting everything set up.”

“They accomplished much more than I thought was possible in an hour. I was impressed by many things I saw from this remarkable group of fourth-graders.”

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Upper School Chapel Beautification November 2018

Projectile Point Discovery!

January 2019

Watch this project video by Rommel Eclarinal, Upper School Film Teacher.

“We considered the flow of people in and out of the Chapel, looked at the bench locations from all sides and took into account conversational distance. I want to thank Nick Barron ‘20, Maddie BinfordWiggins ‘20, Rory Caskey ‘22, Gracie Moreland ‘20, and for the can-do attitudes and all the efforts they gave.”

Congratulations to Tara Ruiz ‘27 for being the first individual to discover a projectile point on The PARK! “She was part of the fourth grade group that was helping to clear a new trail when she used her keen observation skills to spot the ancient artifact.

Further analysis is needed, but it appears to be almost complete and pre-Colombian.”

“We are creating a K-12 experience for students at The PARK. They’ll have a portfolio of work that reflects a unique a set of skills they’ve acquired through a living laboratory. I’d love to see our alumni come back and reconnect through these projects too.

I think The PARK could be a wonderful symbol of our school community.”

- Greg Mele, Director of Outdoor Engagement

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Actionable AIM Data As an organization with the mission to help students reach their full potential, St. Andrew’s is embarking on a formal Assessment of Inclusivity & Multiculturalism (AIM) study. Why perform an AIM study? The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), a proponent of the study, explains: The data from AIM can convert thoughts, ideas, and assumed best practices into benchmarked numbers for real goal setting. Your evaluation will help shine a light on topics that include: ● Progress in meeting diversity, equity, and inclusion goals ● Success in existing diversity and multicultural programs and initiatives ● Your school’s current level of inclusivity as perceived by multiple constituencies ● Areas of need, whether in curriculum, infrastructure, governance, or services ● Engagement processes that illuminate patterns, multiple perspectives, and opportunities for improvement Our Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Kendall Evans, explains the process for St. Andrew’s: “Our goal is to do a full climate assessment survey using an online instrument for students in grades 5-12.

Parents and faculty/staff will also be invited to participate. We want to find out how well our current initiatives are meeting goals and where other areas need help.” The survey will launch this spring, with the help of a NAIS-assigned assessor, Mr. Gene Batiste, who will provide a final report later in the year.

Strategic Plan St. Andrew’s five-year Strategic Plan was formally adopted by the Board of Trustees in May 2018.

Outlined in this plan are the areas and goal statements that articulate the priorities of our school through 2023. They are based on significant input from a wide variety of parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and students.

The school is now engaged in the implementation phase of this plan, fulfilling the obligations set forth by our six strategic initiatives. Read the 2018 Strategic Plan here.

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We Are Scholars

Marketing America Head of Upper School Todd Stephenson hosted a group of 17 principals and superintendents from Beijing who spent a half day on campus in December learning about teacher recruitment, professional development, and principal/leadership development.

“One of the highlights of the visit was our impromptu stop in the AP Comparative Government class. They were concluding their unit on China with a project in which students had to make a marketing plan to sell an American product in China. Students spent 20 minutes pitching and receiving feedback,” said Todd, adding, “It doesn’t get much better than this.”

AP Comparative Government teacher Linh Tran explained, “For this project, students worked in pairs to pitch an ad campaign for a distinctly American product to the China market.” Students chose an American product to learn about its history in the U.S., then performed market research to understand cultural trends in order to create a final ad pitch.

In addition to their classroom visits, the visitors “loved their conversations with [St. Andrew’s Mandarin teacher] Caleb Williams and were amazed with how good his Mandarin was. They also enjoyed speaking with student Rachel Jiang ‘19 who is a native Mandarin speaker.

Then they had lunch with Mandarin teacher Weiwei Xie. Their translator told me that this was the most Mandarin they had run into at a Texas school,” said Todd.

This is not the first time St. Andrew’s has hosted Chinese educators. In 2016 the Upper School hosted a delegation of 19 educators from China, who spent half a day observing educational practices.

We Are Scholars

SAS Honors 5 National Merit Semifinalists

The Upper School recognized five members of the Class of 2019 as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists in a September chapel service. Congratulations to (left to right) Carson Kurad, Adrian Almy, Mikayla Hyde and Alex Swearingen! Not pictured is Andrew Hojel, who has already matriculated to college.

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We Are Artists Scholars

College Admissions for Fine Arts Student artists and their parents are invited to learn more about the college admissions process for art programs on Wednesday, April 10 at the Upper School. More details to come - contact Fine Arts Department Chair Dave Guidi (dguidi@sasaustin. org) with questions.

“Manly Tears” by Chris Zhao ‘19, who has been accepted into several fine arts programs.

Ing ‘23 Gold Key Winner Eighth-grader Fiona Ing won a Gold Key award at the regional Scholastic Art Competition in January.

Her work, made with ink, pencil and pen is named “Who Rules the Future?” She and Middle School art teacher Kate Torres attended a special exhibit and ceremony in honor of the winners at St. Stephen’s.

Kate says, “Fiona is an amazingly hard working student. I taught her and was her advisor last year, and we did lots of drawing practice. She is an oboe player and chose band for her fine arts this year, but she is on our Fine Arts Cabinet and continues to make visual art.”

Gold Key winners automatically advance to national judging by a panel of renowned creative professionals in New York City. They select work for national recognition based on originality, technical skill, and emergence of a personal vision or voice. National awards will be announced on March 12, 2019 at artandwriting. org.

“Who Rules the Future?” by Fiona Ing ‘23

Jacob Marcus ‘ 20 shares his “consider” questions before discussion in Socratic Seminar.

We We Are Are Scholars Artists

Art, Religion & Mindfulness “I love getting to do interdisciplinary work and co-teaching across grade levels,” says Grace Ortman, who teaches both Religious Studies and English at the Upper School. For a third year she’s been able to do just that, collaborating with Studio Art teacher Chris McCoy and Mindfulness director Adam Ortman for a special iconography artmaking session as part of her class “Religion, Art, & Technology.”

Adam led students in a guided meditation in the Studio Art room “to help them explore what an idealized version of certain qualities would look life if personified,” he said, adding, “So, if a student valued the quality of determination, we explored through mindfulness what an exemplar or icon of determination would look and feel and act like before they put anything on paper.”

Grace discussed religious and secular icons from different cultures with her students to add some context to their creative inspiration, and Chris demonstrated how to use pastels to create the icon in their mind’s eye and bring their vision to the page. The students listened to new music by Phillip Glass and Steve Reich to create their original pieces, which are now on display in the Upper School’s Chapel and hallways by the Library.

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We Are Artists Scholars

Barnstone ‘23 Makes First Chair

From left: Millie Barnstone ‘23, Fiona Ing ‘23, Jackson Harshbarger ‘23, Grayson Coffin ‘24, and TJ Jobe ‘23 performed at the Bastrop Wilhelm Performing Arts Center.

Eighth-grader Mille Barnstone has been taking saxophone lessons at St. Andrew’s for three years, and she is already a stand-out, earning a spot in the Association of Texas Small Schools Region Band as First Chair this year. Her teacher, Lower and Middle School Band Director Danny Schmidt, noted, “This is the seventh year in a row we’ve had students place in the ATSSB Region Band.” Millie shared with us:

I do, it is one of my region songs from last year.

It’s called “Spanish Rose,” composed by Josef Compello.

How did it feel to make First Chair and perform with such a large group?

Four other Middle Schoolers also made Region Band this year: Fiona Ing ‘23 (2nd chair out of 4 oboes), TJ Jobe ‘23 (25th chair out of 72 trumpets), Grayson Coffin ‘24 (11th chair out of 78 clarinets), and Jackson Harshbarger ‘23 (20th chair out of 78 clarinets). These students performed a concert with the other all-star musicians in December at the Bastrop Wilhelm Performing Arts Center.

Making First Chair in a band like that made me feel really proud of myself. Playing in such a large group is a pretty good feeling in general, as everyone is so talented, and you can make friends along the way.

Do you have a favorite piece of music you like to play currently?

What other school classes and activities do you enjoy?

I really enjoy making art, and I also like English and history class.

We We Are Are Scholars Artists

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Record Number of Vocalists Make Region, All-State Choirs “This year we had a record 29 students make the [TPSMEA] Region Choir and 16 students make All-State, which is amazing,” said Cate Gasco, St. Andrew’s Upper School Choir Director.

Sending 29 students to Region Choir means over 60 percent of St. Andrew’s Upper School vocalists received this honor. (See the complete list of St. Andrew’s selectees here.)

Top-ranking Region Choir students from every region in the state also compete for spots in AllState Choir.

This year 16 St. Andrew’s vocalists and one alternate were selected, which means “St. Andrew’s had the most All-Staters from a single private school or organization in the entire state, which is a huge deal,” remarked Cate.

Maria Tobias ‘21 was also selected as a featured soloist.

Cate elaborated, “To make All-State, students have to rank in the Top 25 singers in their section in the state. We actually have eight All-State students with Top 10 ranking this year, which is pretty cool!” These talented vocalists performed in their respective festivals in Houston and Dallas in January.

Congratulations to our All-State vocalists: Amelia Bast ‘20, Lindsay Borgerding ‘21, Olivia Bowness ‘19, Christian Brown ‘21, John Burrows ‘21, Eugenia De la Garza Montfort ‘21, Teddy Gilman ‘20, Sofia Gonzalez ‘21, Ethan Hanna ‘20, Kevin Keelan ‘19, Ella Knight ‘21, Emily Mulva ‘21, Sarah Payet ‘20, Shelby Pomeleo-Fowler ‘21, Will Snider ‘20, Sawyer Staloch ‘21, Maria Tobias ‘21.

Click here for a clip from the All-State Choir performance.

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We Are Artists Scholars

“Jesus Christ Superstar” Rocks

On Halloween our Upper Schoolers opened their fall musical “Jesus Christ Superstar,” a production unlike any seen before at the Dell Fine Arts Center.

Montfort ‘21, Emma Williams ‘19) were double cast, providing our many talented performers an opportunity to shine while easing the demands of a six-show schedule.

Director Rick Garcia’s interpretation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera had student performers and technicians executing incredibly creative and complicated feats of aerial dancing, flying, and body percussion.

Ethan Hanna ‘20 said he auditioned for this production because, “The musical is a great community of people that I wanted to be a part of.”

The lead roles of Jesus (Ethan Hanna ‘20, Will Snider ‘20) and Judas (Eugenia De La Garza

He added, “Ms. [Cate] Gasco did so much work with me behind the scenes on the very difficult music and she made the whole cast sound

We We Are We Are Are Athletes Scholars Artists

amazing.”

When asked to name an unsung hero from the production, Eugenia De La Garza Montfort ‘21 exclaimed, “Mrs. Peggy Keelan, Kevin Keelan’s mom, because she’s our rock. She’s basically Superwoman….We are all super thankful for her.”

Emma Williams ‘19 acknowledged her fellow seniors, saying, “Being in the ensemble of any musical is extremely hard, tedious work, and I

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have so much respect and admiration for the seniors that have been loyal to the musical program all four years of high school. I love them.”

Many thanks to our parent volunteer photographer (and Superwoman) Peggy Keelan!

Click here for more “Jesus Christ Superstar” photos

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We Are Athletes

Transforming the Student-Athlete Experience

By Nichole Adams, LS Physical Education Teacher and Josh Blumenthal, Associate Athletic Director Last year our Athletics and PE faculty identified a need for an increased exposure and alignment of our program. After a nine-month planning period, implementing our improvements have been both exciting and team-building as we work to vertically align all our programs.

Here’s a look into each of the schools’ three divisions to see how athletic movement both during and after school is helping to improve the student experience.

Lower School The Lower School’s Physical Education program has been robust since the school’s founding in 1952. Every day, each Lower School student attends a 30-minute PE class in which students rotate through a variety of units to work on individual skills and fitness, as well as cooperative games and both team and individual sports.

This year, the Lower School program welcomed two additional PE teachers as well as some new units focusing on speed, agility and coordination.

Improvements to the curriculum include additional after-school team practice days each week.

Middle School The Middle School student-athlete experience has undergone some major changes that include an additional team practice day, which allows teams to practice four times each week and better prepare for game-day competition.

To ease the strain on the athletic facilities, some teams now practice before school, thus giving our student-athletes more evening time to focus on their academic work.

“I liked how we had more team practices because we were able to get closer as a team and prepare for our games.”

- Margot Metschan ‘23

We Are Athletes

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“I thought the morning practices were helpful, and it was a great start to my day.”

- Ella Townsend ‘23

“I think morning practices help me get ready for the day and wake me up.”

- Caden Huston ‘24

“Practicing in the morning makes time for our academic homework in the afternoon and opens up a lot more time so I can do more things after school.” - Travis Josey ‘24 Upper School The transformation in the high school has been perhaps the most noticeable.

The Strength & Conditioning class moved from the wee hours of the morning into the school day, allowing for a more robust program with increased class attendance. For the first time in the school’s history, Upper School PE (called “Fitness For Life”) has been integrated into the school day as well.

In addition, a fully developed program on Health and Wellness is now offered.

Helping those students who aspire to play at the college level through an expanded prospective collegiate athletics night, live game film, and the rollout of the CaptainU recruiting software is giving SAS students all the recruiting tools and guidance they need to navigate that path.

“Moving the Strength & Conditioning class to the school day has allowed me to get the sleep I need to let my body heal and compete at the highest level, while also allowing me to get the workouts I need,” said junior Ethan Hanna. “In addition, the tools provided to help me in the college recruitment process have made it much easier than it was before and taken a lot of the stressful busy work out of the process.”

Never a dull day in the world of Highlander athletics as we continue to #ChargeForward

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We Are Athletes

Now Streaming: Your SAS Highlanders

By Josh Blumenthal, Associate Athletic Director

At the start of this school year, the Athletics department introduced its brand new live-streaming network to better showcase our varsity athletic teams on a digital platform, and to give kids more peer and community support in their athletic endeavors.

The initiative, which has been dubbed the SAS Athletics Network, is made possible through the school’s partnership with Stretch Internet. The company, which specializes in high-definition sports broadcasting and encompasses over 700 schools, welcomed St. Andrew’s as its 21st high school program to its portfolio.

SAS fans have been able to stream a “Game of the Week” through their preferred platforms. With a live scoreboard and sharp viewing angles, the network has been met with rave reviews.

Perhaps the biggest advantage is the ability for faculty, students, and fans to be able to keep up with the Highlanders even when they cannot physically make it to the contests.

“It means a great deal to the athletes playing that there are people watching their games,” said senior Michael Thomas, adding, “Since St. Andrews is a tight community, we all want our

friends to watch the games and this is a great way for us to see each other play if we can’t be there.”

The games are also available on an on-demand basis, allowing members of the school community to catch a replay of the film immediately following the conclusion of the events.

“I’m so glad that I can finally watch other sporting events on-demand and not miss out on a friend’s game,” senior Natalie Youngblood shared.

“Also, my grandparents who live out of town can watch me play real time! I think this is a great new addition, and it really opens up our athletic department to the whole community.”

“Among many great events already, for the first time in history we broadcasted our ever-popular cross country invitational from the finish line,” said Athletic Director Jeff McCrary. “We are beyond excited to offer this 21st century technology to our school community.”

So as the state of the Athletics department continues to grow and strengthen, it is now able to be seen by all!

We Are Servants

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Heifer Ranch Diaries Seventh-graders wrote about overnight camping at Heifer Ranch this winter; a significantly limited food and shelter experience intended to simulate real-world hardships faced by millions living in poverty around the world. Students Sofiya Herter ‘24 and Anna Wayne ‘24 shared with us their insights from the experience.

I was fine with sharing with the people close to me, who would feel my same struggle.

Whenever the boys pleaded for fire and to share I judged them.

I felt like a king with his greatest enemy pleading for help. Couldn’t we just let them prepare their own food later? Our teachers who served as our wise elders suggested that we bring all of our food together as we did with the rest of the “slums.” I argued that they could use our fire, but not our resources.

Through the Heifer Ranch experience the seventh-graders are more aware of poverty and what it can do to you physically and psychologically.

The main fear for us was the global village.

This is a temporary stay in the bitter cold which challenges you to eat, sleep, and work like a member of a developing country.

The other girls repeatedly justified the boys’ case. Why did they care? I hushed the anticipatory crowd and had to step down from my distorted ideas of what was fair to help benefit everyone.

I learned of my biases. The boys nearby didn’t have fire to cook. What to do? I was wielding all the power I had, giving directions, surveying food supplies, and checking the cooking. The final decision to give was completely mine. I stood there in front of a pack of boys like a deer in headlights. I heard squeals of the girls behind me and my teachers encouraging a gathering of all resources.

That is what I believe Heifer is about. The joining of people you wouldn’t consider to be close.

Because anyone can reach a common goal if you are open to the ideas of others. You have to be willing to sacrifice the pride you have and see another not as your prey, but a struggling friend who needs to be helped just as yourself.

~ by Anna Wayne

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We Are Servants

Heifer Ranch Diaries (cont’d) After our trip was over, I asked some people what they thought about Heifer Ranch. Here were some answers: “Hard.”

“It was not good.”

“It was pretty boring, there was nothing to do to entertain ourselves.”

“I didn’t like it very much.”

After interviewing my classmates, I saw that mostly all of the responses I received showed animosity towards the Heifer experience, that people didn’t like it.

But they weren’t supposed to.

The Heifer Ranch experience is supposed to teach you about poverty, and basically, have you live in it. It made us feel like some people do in those situations.

People who live in poverty are always hungry, cold, and tired. Sometimes they can’t start fires, they can’t get enough food and water, and even can’t take care of their children. Heifer was an experience that mirrors those situations.

Of course we hated it, those people who live it do, too.

So in conclusion, Heifer may have been a negative experience but now we know a little bit more. We are now more thankful, more openminded, and best of all, more empathetic for those in worse situations than us.

- by Sofiya Herter

Alumni News

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Elissa Alcala ‘08 Elissa is living and working in Los Angeles as a costumer for TV and films. She assists the designer by finding the looks and style for the actors. She also styles and designs for private celebrity clients.

Judith Allen ‘12 Judith dropped by campus during Reunion Weekend, and was happy to see her college ceiling tile still up in Mr. Latreille’s room!

Kathryn Miller Anderson ‘65 Kathryn, a member of the sixth grade class of 1965, sent this photo of four generations of her family in the St. Andrew’s community!

From left to right: Kathryn Pierce (assistant 1st grade teacher), Kathryn Miller Anderson (6th grade class of ’65 and former Trustee), Tatiana Barker-Meador ’31, Eugenia Miller (former Trustee), Bob Miller (photo, deceased, former Chair of the Board of Trustees), Emily Meador (8th grade class of ’96, Lower School Spanish teacher). Missing from photo - Margaret Miller Pierce (6th grade class of ’66), Tom Miller (6th grade class of ’71), Nancy Meador Grandgeorges ’04, Benjamin Meador ’07.

Hana Arriaga ‘17 & Olivia Smith ‘17 Hana and Olivia are sophomores at the University of Texas in the Liberal Arts Honors program.

While at UT, they have founded a nonprofit, Score Athletics, which provides and aids after school sports programs for kids in several East Austin schools. Score Athletics provides Title 1 elementary schools (schools with a high percentage of their student body from low-income families) with equipment, resources and coaching from college-aged volunteers from UT.

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Alumni News The first, Movement and Social Structure of African Forest Elephants in the Forests of Gabon, involves conducting the first ever analysis of African Forest Elephant movement and social structure in the forests of Gabon using camera trap videos from Loango National Park.

We are investigating questions pertaining to seasonal movement, mating patterns, juvenile dispersal, group interconnectivity and more. This cutting-edge work will inform conservation efforts in Gabon, the Central African Republic, Northern Congo and Ghana.

Read Barbee ‘16 Read is finishing his junior year at Cornell University, and was accepted this year into the Rawlings Cornell Presidential Research Scholars program. He was featured this fall on their Facebook page with the article below: “Read Barbee, a new junior in RCPRS, has a background in conservation biology, wildlife ecological field research, and the impact of human activity (noise, hunting, habitat fragmentation, etc.) on animal behavior.

‘I have a passion for bioacoustics, vocal signaling and social structures, particularly in songbirds and African Forest Elephants.

As a musician, I find bioacoustics to be a wonderful way of reconciling my interest in biology with my passion for sound.

Ultimately, I hope to conduct socially-minded research that can act as a touchstone between human society and the natural world, informing policy and public awareness.

I am working with David Winkler and Peter Wrege and others on two research projects, both having to do with acoustic and behavioral ecology for wildlife conservation.

The second, Social Function of Vocal Repertoire in a Tropical, Cooperatively Breeding Songbird, the Black-capped Donacobius, uses playback experiments, audio and video recordings, and behavioral observations to explore the role of song in social cohesion, group and individual recognition, territoriality, vocal learning and the cooperative lifestyle of the Black-capped Donacobius, a highly vocal songbird in lowland South America.”

Jessie Bearden ‘10 Jessie has had a big year! First, she was selected by ESPN to create the artwork for all of the promotions commemorating the US Open’s 50th anniversary. You can see Jessie in the ESPN commercial that began airing in August by clicking here, as she constructs the portraits of tennis legends Roger Federer and Serena Williams.

She was also featured in Tribeza, in which she attributes much of her love of art to her time in the studios at St. Andrew’s. Jessie has worked with many major companies in her career so far, including McDonald’s, American Express and Gap.

Alumni News

Jase Burner ‘09

Jase and his wife, Glynis, on their wedding day on November 10 in the Upper School Chapel.

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Catherine Chlebowski ‘10 Catherine married Greg Henson on April 21, 2018 at Laguna Gloria in Austin. Catherine attended the University of Texas and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She graduated in 2014 with highest honors in Government and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She attended SMU Dedman School of Law and graduated with honors. She and Greg are both corporate attorneys in Houston—she with Gray Reed & McGraw and he with Vincent & Elkins.

Billy Clark ‘18 Last fall, Billy started his freshman year at Rhodes College as an NCAA athlete, signing on to run track and field. In his first month of school, Billy ran for the single male position for honor council for the Class of 2022 at Rhodes and won the election.

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Alumni News

Lauren Dill ‘04 Upper School Latin Teacher Lauren Dill ‘04 managed the Reed Park water stop with some SAS students in November in support of the Gazelle Foundation’s (@gzlfoundation) annual Run for the Water. They made cups of Gatorade and water and cheered on the runners in support of our cross-country and track coach Gilbert Tuhabonye’s (@gtuhabonye) foundation that raises money for clean drinking water for Burundi.

Molly Fox ‘18 Molly Fox ‘18 has been enjoying her Global Gap Year, which includes travel through Guatemala, Thailand, Cambodia, Ghana, and Morocco. You can read about Molly’s adventures on her blog here.

Nancy Goree ‘95 Nancy and her husband Jon moved to Vail, Colorado in August 2018 so their son, Ehren (a former SAS student) could pursue ski racing.

Steven Garcia ‘02 & Lizzie Garcia ‘08 Steven received a special birthday surprise this fall on campus, when his sister Lizzy arranged for a mariachi band to serenade him after Chapel.

Conor Keelan ‘10 Lizzie Kohout ‘04 Lizzy married Robert Oxford on January 12 in Dripping Springs. Congratulations to the couple!

Conor is currently on the music team for a new production of a Stephen Sondheim show, “Merrily We Roll Along” at Roundabout Theatre in New York. The show opened February 12.

Alumni News

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Julia Magness ‘89 Julia is living in Memphis, TN and recently won the Memphis Battle of the Bands! She competed in the International Blues Challenge in January with her band Tlaxica and Pope. She also sings every first Sunday of the month at Stubbs with the Bells of Joy, with two shows for their Gospel Brunch.

pel would be built. Our first classes were in mobile homes/trailers, until the campus was open for use. I loved the campus, once we were there!

I loved the windows and open feel, especially. So much has changed. Yet, striving for greatness through community, spiritual foundation, high expectations as well as caring, celebration and humor remain the same.

I went out of state for college on a scholarship to attend a neuroscience program at the University of Minnesota. Oh my goodness is there a winter there! At the time, it was one of the only degreegranting neuroscience programs for undergraduates in the country. I later switched to genetics after being fascinated by the coursework and continued on to get a Ph.D. for a career in cancer research.

Bryana Marrero ‘08 Bryana, who is living in San Francisco, dropped by campus this fall to visit, pictured here with Director of College Counseling Elizabeth Guice and Alumni Relations Manager Julia Driscoll.

Rita-Marie McFadden ’02 Rita writes, “At the time I attended St. Andrew’s Upper School, a new grade was added each year, starting with only 9th grade. My classmates and I were in the unique position of always being upper classmen and starting traditions. Classes were capped at 50 students.

Our mascot was the Crusaders. We visited the school grounds and saw cows, where the cha-

Nowadays, while I still consult for cancer research projects and grant writing, I am beginning a second career focused on science education.

Scientific research has a lot of isolation. As you move up in the profession, it becomes more focused on gaining money for research and wasn’t as fulfilling as it was years ago when I started. I longed to be in a position where I more directly impacted society and was “giving back” of my education and skills to the next generation. One of my favorite parts of my career was working with students in my laboratories. So, I recently entered an Americorps program to teach science to inner city kiddos in Kansas City, where my husband grew up. It will be an adventure to experience where this journey and path leads! I have already met some amazing and inspirational educators and students. It’s certainly challenging and rewarding. Some days I feel like I have no idea how to reach students and other days I feel victorious. It is a very different experience from teaching graduate school classes at universities. Each day is different.

Each day is a new opportunity to do my best and to try to help the world, even if it is only one school in Kansas City (as a teacher), or one type of cancer (as a scientist). Living our dreams, while helping the world be just a bit better and kinder, is a humbling and worthy goal. Looking

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Alumni News

back, I see how much St. Andrew’s helped me reach for the stars, by developing me into being an adult and scholar who values service, intellectual pursuit, creativity and grit - not giving up when the going gets tough. Thank you and very best wishes, St. Andrew’s community!”

Molly Dyal Morton ‘07 Molly writes, “My husband (Joe Morton) and I were married with a small ceremony with family on my parent’s front porch (we were married by Father Lex Breckinridge, former SAS Upper School chaplain and dear family friend). The reception immediately following was with friends and family at Laguna Gloria. We enjoyed an adventurous honeymoon in Bhutan, Thailand and Hong Kong.”

Stone Mountain ‘18 In October, Stone Mountain ‘18 made his college theater debut at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in the school’s production of “Guys and Dolls.” Stone played Lieutenant Brannigan, and was the only freshman cast in a speaking role. The weekend also commemorated CCM’s 50th anniversary of its Musical Theatre program—the oldest and one of the most reputable in the United States.

Alumni News

Nick Osella ‘13 Nick moved to New York City this fall, and has been making headlines. Tribeza did a feature on Nick, detailing his creative process, his love of Austin, and more. You can read the article here.

Nick started his own Commercial Art and Graphic Design agency, StudioWOS, in 2015 and has since collaborated with many artists, including A$AP Rocky. In October, Nick came to campus to visit, and worked with current students in the Art Studio and gave an alumni offering in Chapel.

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Derry Jameson Razen ‘06 Derry writes, “In May of 2018 I married my husband, Jernej. In June, while on our honeymoon in Morocco we found out he had been accepted into an MBA program in Amsterdam starting in September. So, in a period of about 3 months we got married, sold our condo in Los Angeles and moved to Amsterdam! We love our new city and the opportunities it is giving us to learn and travel.” Here’s Derry and her husband, Jernej, just after a sunrise camel ride in Morocco on the day they decided to move to Amsterdam.

Sam Selman ‘09 Sam has signed a minor-league contract with the San Francisco Giants for the 2019 season. Sam will pitch for their Triple-A team, the Sacramento River Cats, after having played for the Royals Triple-A Omaha team.

Mai Schotz ‘14 Mai is a Digital Photo Editor at The New Yorker, and has recently written an article titled “A Photographer’s Loving Ode to Small-Town Texas” in which she covers photographer Keith Carter’s life’s work documenting small towns of Texas.

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Alumni News

Jaron Shrock ‘14 Jaron writes, “I graduated from Swarthmore College last spring with a degree in Physics and Mathematics, and now I’m working towards a PhD in Physics at the University of Maryland.

My group studies the interaction between ultrashort high intensity laser pulses and matter, and my current project is the development of novel plasma waveguides (like fiber optics, but made out of plasma) which will be used as channels for the acceleration of relativistic electron bunches.”

Richard ‘91 & Emily ‘95 Slaughter Richard and Emily welcomed a son, Dawson Clay, on December 22 early in the morning.

Dawson joins big brother Tres ’28 and big sister Margaret to round out their family of five.

Adair Townsend Taube ‘07 & Alex Taube ‘08 Adair and Alex welcomed new baby Jackson this December, pictured here with big brother Jay!

Will Weaver ‘02 Will was named head coach of the Long Island Nets in July, after spending two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets as a special assistant. This is Will’s first head coaching position, and he’s led the team to the top of the Eastern Conference standings for much of the season. You can read more about Will’s journey to his head coaching job here.

Erica Weisman ‘13 Erica writes, “Over a year ago I successfully began a small business- Seattle Cucina: a cooking school for kids and teens! Currently my co-founder and I teach in 40+ schools, community centers, and after-school programs with a talented staff of 15 teachers. We are so passionate about the work we do, as we witness each day the value of teaching hands on and practical cooking skills, nutritional eating habits, and sustainability concepts. I encourage anyone who is curious to reach out to me at erica@seattlecucina.com or to check out our website at seattlecucina.com!”

Alumni News

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Class of ‘65 Members from the sixth grade class of 1965 still love getting together! From left to right is Hallie Gammon Speranza, Beth Barclay Burton, Claire McKay Ewert, Ginny Volterra, Kathryn Miller Anderson, and Kathy Hartwell.

Greg Hutton ‘07 Greg welcomed a son, Cash Frederick Hutton, into the world on February 8 at 7lbs, 21in. He writes, “I am halfway through my 4th season with the Denver Nuggets and second season as Manager of Membership Services.”

UVA vs Duke Alumni and former faculty got together on February 9th for the UVA vs. Duke basketball game.

Front: Phillips Nazro ‘86, Jamie Ebersole, Katherine Baker ‘16, Caroline Crichlow Ball ‘11.

Back: Lucy Nazro, Mac Baskin ‘16, Cydnie Golson ‘17, Taylor Thompson ‘17, Mary Elizabeth Watson Luzar ‘94 and her daughter Adele.

Salt Lake City College counselors Elizabeth Guice, Dave Guidi, and John Fitzsimons traveled to Salt Lake City for the National Association of College Admission Coundseling conference this fall, and met up with some alumni in the area.

Guiliana Richetta ‘13 is currently working for Workday, and Alexis Lilley ‘18 is a freshman at the University of Utah.

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Alumni News

Reunion & Homecoming Weekend In October, St. Andrew’s welcomed Alumni back on campus to celebrate Homecoming and Reunion Weekend!

Last fall marked the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Upper School, and it was wonderful to see so many alumni, faculty, and former faculty get together to commemorate the last two decades.

On Friday, alumni got a special tour of the Upper School PARK from Greg Mele, and had a chance to see some familiar faculty faces under the Alumni Tent at Homecoming.

After catching a special sneak preview of the school musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” on Saturday, alumni, faculty, and Head of School Sean Murphy enjoyed a family-friendly evening picnic under the stars.

Click here for more

Reunion & Homecoming photos

Alumni News

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New York City Happy Hour Our NYC Alumni group got together in October at Ampersand in the Gramercy Park area. Thanks to all of our Alumni who came out to this annual event!

Alumni Holiday Party

This year’s Alumni Holiday Party was a huge success! A big thank you to the Burner family for hosting our alumni, faculty and Select Choir for a festive celebration. More photos and videos from the evening can be found here.

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Alumni News

Upcoming Events St. Andrew’s hosts Alumni events in around the country. Make sure you’re receiving invitations by updating your information here! For any questions, or to RSVP, email Julia Driscoll at alumni@sasaustin.org.

Feb. 27 LA Happy Hour

March 7 Dallas Happy Hour

May 2 Austin Happy Hour April 4 Houston Happy Hour June 2 Alumni Baseball Game @ Upper School

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Spot Your Students Online Visit our SmugMug gallery online (sasaustin.smugmug.com) to download your favorite photos or order prints!

More!

Homecoming

St. Andrew’s Day

Grandparents’ Day

www.sasaustin.org