DEAR SCDS FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, Photo credit: Libby Lewis
EDITOR Andrea Sanders DESIGN/PRODUCTION Christa Fleming Design CONTRIBUTORS Abigail Assadi, Brian Crawford, Sheena McFerran, Michael G. Murphy, Meredith Olson, Erin Perry, Andrea Sanders, Joseph Tchen, and Elena Weitz COVER The “Collaborative Cubist” cover art was part of a Picasso unit where 8th graders combined their facial features with those of their classmates. This issue’s featured oil pastel compilation was crafted by: Ari Rose-Marquez, Liya Miksovsky and Tomas Kisielius (“Woman in a French Café”); Joanna Biehl, Calista BurkeConte, and Zelia Egan (“Split Personality”); Ella Payne, Axel Andrews, Peter Osborne, and Anya Shukla (“The Specimen”). KINETICS is produced by the
SCDS Advancement Office for its current—and former—families and friends. Inquiries may be sent to: andreasanders@seattlecountryday.org
Kinetics is Digital! Read the latest issue of Kinetics on your phone, computer, or tablet: www.seattlecountryday.org/Kinetics
THE SCDS MISSION
A school’s culture can be a tricky characteristic to describe. To prospective students, families, and staff looking for the best “fit,” culture is often those unseen and unwritten nuances found beyond the school’s mission, website, or admissions materials.
Todd Rose’s recent book, The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World That Values Sameness, was a fascinating and compelling read for me. As I read, I kept applying some of Rose’s provocative insights toward the SCDS learning culture I know and cherish. Allow me to share four examples: 1). Instead of viewing talent as a scarce commodity, schools ought to nurture excellence in every student. One of SCDS’s core values is being child-centered. Yes, students need to be “highly capable” to gain admission, yet not every student is highly capable in every domain. At SCDS, we can teach to—and accentuate—a child’s strengths while also attending to skills that need shoring up. 2). Human potential is not nearly as limited as the systems we have put in place assume. SCDS does not adhere to traditional letter-grade report cards for a number of reasons. One is that teachers are allowed and encouraged to use multiple forms of evaluation when assessing student growth. Demonstration of knowledge and its creative application may be shown and judged in more than one way. 3). In our jobs, and in school, we are told there is one right way to get things done, and if we pursue an alternative course, we are often told that we are misguided, naïve, or just plain wrong. Excellence, too often, is not prioritized over conforming to the system. Here is where SCDS shines: With our pedagogical emphasis on inquiry, we ask and encourage students to revel in the problem-solving process where there may be multiple (or new!) ways to solve a problem. This habit of thinking and creative problem-solving, nurtured over time in challenging yet age-appropriate ways, provides joy and confidence for tackling the next challenge ahead! 4). Instead of trying to be like everyone else, only better, students should strive to be the very best version of themselves. Authenticity is another core value of SCDS. Our culture says: Be yourself, with your own interesting ideas, unique sense of humor, and individuality. When SCDS students see themselves accepted and valued for whom they truly are, a certain inner confidence always shines through.
Inspiring gifted children to reach their potential through inquiry, curiosity, and wonder.
Whether reading about pentagon-inspired tessellations, the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference (PoCC), or civil discourse, I hope this spring edition of Kinetics serves to shed further light on the creative problem-solving which shapes SCDS’s learning culture.
www.seattlecountryday.org
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Sincerely,
Michael G. Murphy