MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
Making the leap As middle schoolers make the journey from the fifth grade to the Upper School, teachers and administrators come together to help them along their way.
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n the first day of fifth grade, brand-new middle schoolers realize they’re not in Lower School anymore. Teachers don’t walk them to classes, their grades matter moreand punishment for misbehavior means detention — not five minutes fewer of recess. But, in just four short years, these new fifth graders will have to be both mentally and behaviorally equipped to handle the rigors of an upper school known for its ability to prepare students academically — but what about ethically?
October 29, 2020
The ReMarker
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thing. In any given one, there’s a bill introduced in Middle School assembly, then class meeting, and then it’ll be talked about in advisory maybe twice. There might be [Upper School] Telos speakers who would come down and talk to present the materials.” Administrators and faculty members work together to select lessons and concepts for creating Leadership Loops and organizing the leadership curriculum. The school’s Character and Leadership Handbook plays a central Enter Middle School Character and Leadership. role in planning out the curriculum. Created to expand the range of topics that students “The scope and sequence of our learn about and to introduce important leadershipCharacter and Leadership program is related vocabulary, the program prepares students codified in our C&L Handbook, which for their high school curriculum, including the was created by the school a number of ethics-intensive English 10 course. years ago,” Clayman said. “Each year, But Middle School Character and Leadership the Middle School identifies certain wasn’t always as involved as it is now. For the last habits, skills, or concepts that we would few years, Head of Middle School Dean Clayman like to focus upon, and then we explore and Assistant Head of Middle School Jason Lange these ideas with the boys. The handbook have been evolving the program, incorporating identifies and defines core concepts and new techniques and strategies to increase the beliefs about our leadership program as emphasis on character development in the Middle well as introducing skills, structures and School. vocabulary.” Instrumental to this evolution is the work of Despite the teaching difficulties Malcolm K. and Minda Brachman Master Teaching created by COVID-19, teachers and Chair Martin Stegemoeller. An English teacher with administrators are still making sure to a PhD in philosophy, Stegemoeller incorporated teach middle schoolers key leadership ethics into his English classes — especially those concepts. One important focus for this in the English 10 course. Recently, however, he’s year is the concept of thriving. PATH TO MANHOOD The Path to Manhood statue in the quad showcases both been working on introducing more of these ideas to “This year, the focus for Middle middle schoolers. School loops is thriving,” Stegemoeller the overarching goal and the cyclical nature of the Character and Leadership program. “The idea was that English 10 is great, but said. “The boys are just education per year. it’s one class,” Stegemoeller said. “What about like, ‘Grades, grades, grades,’ and “Complementing the Leadership Loop Dean when you’re in the fifth grade? The idea is to we’re like, ‘Well, are you actually Clayman structure are individual lessons that are created by Head of keep adding to what the kids are getting so learning anything?’ Are you better humanities teachers,” Clayman said. “Typically, we Middle that, by the time they get to the tenth grade, at doing something at the end than School do three of them in a year, and they are common they’ve actually already digested a lot of you were at the beginning? Do you to each grade level. In addition, many teachers vocabulary and can hit the ground running.” actually enjoy doing what you’re discover or have a desire to create additional The core structure of the Middle School’s doing?” supporting instructional events that are also added Character and Leadership program is the to the Path to Manhood Portfolio.” Leadership Loop. Character and Leadership education in the The benefits of these programs are intended Leadership Loops Middle School encompasses much more than to transcend school life. Stegemoeller believes that 2019-2020 are taught primarily the Leadership Loops taught during meeting internalizing the concept of thriving and embracing during the students’ periods. Humanities teachers and their classes are character the leadership program in general can set a student meeting periods particularly important for teaching these subjects. education up for later life success. where the same “We see a very natural connection between all “If you have a life filled with competence, agenda topics are revisited academic departments and the work of Character relatedness and autonomy,” Stegemoeller said, • Goals & habits: Sep. 25 - 30 multiple times. and Leadership education,” Clayman said. “For “you’re likely to really enjoy your life, and you’re • Gratitude: Nov. 13 - 18 “It’s called example, humanities teachers create lessons that also going to ultimately be successful.” • Growth mindset: Jan. 8 - 13 a loop because connect concepts of character and leadership to • Conference Prep: Feb. 26 you circle back,” their curriculum.” March 2 STORY Will Spencer, Cristian Pereira Stegemoeller said. Humanities teachers in particular are asked • Timeline: April 29 - May 3 PHOTOS Patrick Flanagan “It’s not a one-time to engage in three activities related to character
Senior Klyde Warren meets with President Donald Trump by Will Spencer enior Klyde Warren met with President Donald Trump in late June at a fundraiser dinner held in Warren’s home for Trump’s campaign. The fundraiser was held at the Warren residence because of the political history of Warren’s father, Kelcy Warren. Kelcy, who donated $103,000 to Trump’s 2016 campaign and has since been supportive of his presidency. “[Kelcy] works in oil and gas,” Klyde said. “He owns a company called Energy Transfer Partners.” Klyde was amazed at the security precautions made to prepare for Trump’s arrival. “We had dinner on an outside patio that had been converted into a tent,” Klyde said. “There were Secret Service surrounding the area for a week prior to the event, and we were told that our phones would be monitored and to keep the information private. There were dogs walking down the street, sniffing underneath cars and searching for bombs. There were armored cars outside of our house, and the President came through in a bulletproof limousine. I was unable to tell even my closest friends and
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EATING OUT Senior Klyde Warren chats with United States President Donald Trump at Warren’s home. The family has close connections with the President.
family members until after it had taken place. It was pretty nerveracking.” To reduce the likelihood of the President contracting COVID-19, the attendants of the event, including Klyde and his family, were required to take tests for the virus beforehand. By Oct. 2 — more than three months after the event — Trump would be infected with the virus. “The one thing that was on my mind was whether or not I would be able to pass the COVID-19 test,” Klyde said. “They had my dad and
I lined up in our kitchen. We both got swabbed, and we were informed that if either of us tested positive, the whole dinner would be called off, and the President would have to fly back to DC.” Along with the other attendants of the fundraiser, Klyde got a chance to personally speak with Trump. “I remember just standing next to the President, and he eventually addressed me,” Klyde said. “He was super kind to me and made me feel really welcome. He started engaging me in conversation. He asked me
where I went to school and what I’d like to do in the future. It was a pretty surreal experience to talk to one of the most influential people in the world.” Upon arrival, the attendants of the event — including Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson — gathered on the patio. When Trump appeared, the event began. “The President arrived about an hour after we’d already congregated,” Klyde said. “He was escorted by Secret Service to the photo area, and people lined up and took photos with him. After the photos, we were escorted to the dinner table. He gave a speech and then sat down for dinner.” After arriving, Trump spoke with the attendants individually. Then, he addressed the attendants and gave a speech before sitting down for dinner. Klyde observed that the President was behaving differently than his impression of him from the news. “His speech definitely had a lot of humor to it,” Klyde said. “He was really engaging with the audience, and I think that, since he was able to have the cameras off, he was able to really unleash his true character and personality.”
