Goals for St. Mark's Feature – Winter 2017

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Winter 2017 Volume 22, Issue 1 St. Mark’s School of Texas Alumni Magazine

A Marksman at the

White House Gopal Raman ’17 honored as a National Student Poet

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(opposite) Middle School students gather on the Perot Quadrangle

A Vision of the Future: Goals for St. Mark’s IV Update

St. Mark’s never stands still. A community-

President Jon Mosle ’79. “I’m confident that the final document will be one we refer to frequently—

wide endeavor is underway to define the School’s future.

one that helps motivate and shape the School’s

Excitement is building as plans for the Science Center

actions over the coming years.”

Project approach reality. The Upper and Lower Schools The Planning Committee, alongside the Board of

have appointed new Division Heads and, soon, so will

Trustees and administration, has worked closely

Middle School.Department Chairs are collaborating in new

with members across the St. Mark’s community to

ways to ensure students receive the best education possible.

identify six strategic areas of focus:

As the next few months and years prove to be instrumental •

Students and Learning

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Faculty and Teaching

•

Enrollment, Access, and Affordability

•

Campus Resources

“The strength of community that we enjoy today indeed did not happen

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Civic Responsibility

by accident. It happened because people who cared deeply about your

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Institutional Stewardship

in shaping St. Mark’s future, this is the perfect time to form a new strategic plan, Goals for St. Mark’s IV.

experiences devoted themselves to cultivating an environment where boys could develop into good men,” Eugene McDermott Headmaster David W. Dini

Together, these six areas reflect the priorities

told Upper Schoolers during a recent chapel talk.

St. Mark’s will continue to address as it moves forward: building upon its strong leadership

Goals IV will be the guiding document of the School for the next five to

while attracting and retaining world-class faculty;

10 years and will ensure St. Mark’s maintains its long-standing tradition

providing those faculty with exceptional facilities

of excellence.

and resources; teaching each student how to become a man of character; and sending students out to make a positive impact on their community.

“In the course of defining and drafting Goals IV, we have had great discussions involving parents, alumni, faculty and students about what makes St. Mark’s special and where we should focus our resources,” said Board of Trustees

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Investing in Faculty If a Marksman’s journey is The Path to Manhood, then

rewarded professionally as well as financially. Both

St. Mark’s teachers are their guides. In the classroom, on

in and out of the classroom, the School offers a

the playing field, and in the art studio, the faculty and staff are key components to the success of St. Mark’s. Ask any

level of faculty support and resources that even led one Upper School teacher to refer to St. Mark’s as “edu-topia.”

alumnus what shaped his St. Mark’s journey and the answer will almost always include a beloved teacher or mentor.

“This School is and always will be about the people,” Senior Class President Philip Montgomery ’16 said during his Commencement address last May. “If I mentioned every teacher who sacrificed their time because they love their students and this School, we’d be here all night. It is a commitment we will never forget.”

As part of Goals IV, every effort is being made to ensure the School attracts and retains top-rate faculty. While St. Mark’s is proud to remain a national leader in faculty and staff salaries among independent day schools, teaching is more of a passion than a job. To this end, the School seeks to ensure its educators are

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Through collaboration among teachers, divisions, and departments, and providing resources for faculty and staff to grow in their fields, Goals IV aims to ensure that St. Mark’s attracts and retains the most qualified, talented, and effective faculty and professional staff.

Collaboration At St. Mark’s, teaching is a team sport. Regardless of their role, every St. Mark’s employee is an educator. From the classroom to the lunchroom, Marksmen interact with dozens of professionals across campus, so it is crucial that everyone at

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St. Mark’s is consistent when it comes to the Marksman experience. With some of the best teachers in the nation gathered on a single campus, the administration has been working to foster collaboration within this diverse pool of talent.

Just before the start of the 2016–2017 school year, the entire faculty and staff returned to campus for their regular pre-sessional meetings. This year, faculty had several unique opportunities to gather and collaborate with colleagues from all grades and divisions. A handful of faculty presented on a range of topics, including “Differentiated Instruction,” “The Flipped Classroom,” and “How to Develop Empathy in Adolescents.” At a seminar highlighting the Character and Leadership Education Program,

presenting at conferences, and exploring the world.

teachers learned the framework and vocabulary to

From Vancouver to Rome, they furthered their own

create a consistent message and experience for

education and brought valuable experiences back

the boys.

to campus.

With the school year underway, department and

Last June, 16 St. Mark’s faculty and administrators

division heads meet regularly to share success

traveled north to attend and present sessions at

stories and best practices. At one recent meeting,

the annual International Boys Schools’ Coalition

division heads shared tips and suggestions for

summer conference at St. George’s School in

conducting classroom visits. This type of group

Vancouver, British Columbia. They worked with

collaboration ensures that the St. Mark’s experience

more than 600 other educators from around the

is consistent for teachers as well as students.

world to discuss how best to teach and nurture the

(opposite top) Like many faculty members, Coach Dwight Phillips is both a teacher and a mentor to his boys (above) Department Chairs sit down to share advice and discuss best practices

development of boys.

Professional Development One lesson that is constantly reinforced to all

“We were all focused on the common goal of

Marksmen is that education should be a lifelong

providing the best educational experiences to boys,”

endeavor. Learning does not end after graduation.

said Amy Stanbury, Middle School math teacher

As boys mature into men, they should be constantly

and Assistant Director of the Leadership and Ethics

challenging their minds. There is no better example

Program, who presented at the conference.

of lifelong learners than with the St. Mark’s faculty and staff. To this end, the School approves

“It’s good for the boys to see teachers from different disciplines working so closely together.”

nearly a quarter-million dollars in professional development grants each year, all supported by the

At the conference, St. Mark’s faculty and

philanthropy of the St. Mark’s community.

administrators shared their work with other educators during four presentations discussing

Over the summer of 2016, more than 70 faculty and

character education, global citizenship, student

staff members traveled to every corner of the globe,

research projects, and the St. Mark’s Visiting

attending workshops, pursuing advanced degrees,

Scholars Program.

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“Having the generous resources to send 16

the rich historic landscape of Italy. While touring

teachers and administrators to this conference

the ancient ruins of the Roman Empire, their Lower

provides us with uninterrupted time, formally and

School lessons on government and infrastructure

socially, to talk about our work and to broaden

came to life and enriched their classrooms.

our relationships,” said Associate Headmaster John Ashton, who attended and presented at the conference.

“By experiencing a variety of cultures and people, I will be better able to convey to my students the need to understand and respect all people in our

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, three

world,” said Kay Carrio, Ackerman Family Master

Lower School teachers spent the summer exploring

Teaching Chair in Lower School.

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Professional development grants also afford teachers the opportunity to further their educations and add to the already impressive number of faculty with advanced degrees. In addition to teaching Middle School science and codirecting the Wilderness Program, Lukas Rahlson earned his Master’s of Education from Vanderbilt University. Lukas’s dedication to his graduate work and St. Mark’s was evident during last

“Having the generous resources to send 16 teachers and

summer’s Pecos Wilderness Trip. Each night, after

administrators to this conference provides us with

coordinating efforts at base camp, Lukas stayed up

uninterrupted time, formally and socially, to talk about our

in his tent typing out his final 20-page assignment.

work and to broaden our relationships.”

—Associate Headmaster John Ashton

“For a young teacher just getting started in my career, St. Mark’s professional development has been an amazing opportunity,” Lukas said. “The

preparing healthy meals, 11 members of the

administration has been incredibly supportive

cafeteria staff attended the National School

of my research, whether it was assisting me in

Nutrition Association Conference this summer.

implementing a faculty-wide survey or helping me

During the three-day conference, they met with

understand the complexities of the School’s budget

new vendors and sources for local and organic food,

and financial aid. David Dini and John Ashton

learned new recipes, and attended sessions on how

always made time to talk through how the research

to incorporate more vegetarian menu options.

was beneficial not only to my own growth but also the School’s.”

At St. Mark’s, the School’s mission can succeed only if every faculty and staff member is performing at

To ensure that St. Mark’s is at its best, every

their very best. As the School continues to plan for

member of the team is encouraged to seek

the future, attracting and retaining quality faculty

professional development. Anyone who has

and staff will remain a priority.

(opposite) Associate Headmaster John Ashton speaks with students (above left) Middle School teacher Lukas Rahlson completes his final graduate school assignment at base camp (above right) St. Mark’s faculty at the International Boys Schools’ Coalition summer conference

been in the Great Hall around noon knows the importance of a hearty lunch to the success of every Marksman. To further their mission of

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Computer Science As Goals IV examines the St. Mark’s curriculum, one area of focus is computer science education. The world is becoming more connected, mobile, and technologically advanced, propelling computer science into a required skill. In the professional world, Marksmen are pioneers and innovators, with alumni taking on important roles at groundbreaking companies like Microsoft, SpaceX, Google, and many others. As technology becomes a necessity in every field and industry, even the youngest Lower Schoolers are learning the basics.

With this in mind, St. Mark’s computer science instructors Kurt Tholking and Kendall Murphy have begun introducing fundamentals like coding and problem solving to their Lower and Middle School classes.

“We want the boys to be able to envision how they can change the world with a new digital idea and then to feel like they are capable of implementing

Investing in Students

such a task,” Kendall Murphy said.

Within the School’s Statement of Purpose is a principle that

Computer science is a vital skill for any student,

resonates with the overall mission of Goals for St. Mark’s IV:

regardless of his future career. Similar to math and

“St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men to assume leadership

English, learning to code requires problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate one’s needs

and responsibility in a competitive and changing world.”

and ideas.

The core values of St. Mark’s have stayed true since 1906, and St. Mark’s motto,

With a strong Lower School foundation, students

“Courage and Honor,” builds upon the proud legacy of the Terrill School’s

are ready to move on to more advanced subjects

motto, Literrae et Mores (“Content and Character”). At its core, St. Mark’s will

in Middle and Upper School, including the new

always be focused on transforming boys into good men and leaders who have

AP Computer Science Principles class. Advanced

the capacity to influence the world in positive ways.

students are required to code and publish smartphone apps and create programs that range

Goals IV acknowledges that a world-class education requires first-rate

from card games to graphics editors.

programs and gifted educators both in and out of the classroom. A Marksman

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is more than just a scholar — he is also a man of strong character who can

“Computer science allows us to be creative, think

handle complex and challenging circumstances. The St. Mark’s academic

critically, have the opportunity to address real-

and co-curricular programs must constantly be assessed and enhanced when

world problems, and build relevant solutions,” Kurt

necessary to ensure that the boys are well-rounded and ready for lives

Tholking said. “Students are designing their own

of leadership.

websites, publishing smartphone apps and games,

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and building programs to enhance their other

students later in life, whether or not they go into

studies. These skills will help them succeed in jobs

the tech industry.

that don’t exist yet.”

“Programming skills are necessary to become In computer science, as in all subjects at St. Mark’s,

creators, and not just consumers, of new

character education is an ever-present lesson

technologies in this century,” said Doug Rummel,

woven into the curriculum. Boys are taught to be

Founders’ Master Teaching Chair and the Robotics

aware of their digital footprint and to make ethical

Team Coach.

(opposite) An eighth grade student works on a coding assignment (above) Kendall Murphy introduces Lower Schoolers to Chromebooks

decisions when interacting on social media and engaging with online content.

While the Robotics Team is a co-curricular club, Doug’s Information Engineering class is a

Like many subjects at St. Mark’s, the lessons

college-level course where students combine their

taught in computer science find application in

knowledge of computer programming with hands-

other classes and activities. In the middle of the

on electrical engineering experience. Class projects

McDermott-Green Science Building, an obstacle

result in robots and devices that do everything from

course of PVC pipe and wooden boards serves

performing complex analysis of large data sets to

as the testing ground for the Robotics Club.

tracking real-world objects to creating motion-

Students on this nationally ranked team spend

controlled video games.

their nights and weekends coding the machines for competition. These skills prove invaluable to

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Health and Wellness St. Mark’s is renowned for challenging its students intellectually and producing young men who thrive at the most competitive universities and job markets in the world. Going into this environment, St. Mark’s seeks to instill a sense of balance and discipline in the lives of its Marksmen. Developing a more comprehensive health education program has emerged as a key component of the plan’s broader focus on students and learning. But health is about more than exercise and eating right.

St. Mark’s aims to produce men who are healthy and balanced in every facet of their being:

“Computer science allows us to be creative, think critically,

recent years, several programs have already added

have the opportunity to address real-world problems, and

to the students’ health education and serve as

build relevant solutions,”

perfect examples for how the School can continue

—Kurt Tholking, Computer Science Instructor (above) Kurt Tholking teaches his eighth grade class about coding (opposite) Lower Schoolers learn the basics of computer science

In a few years, the Winn Science Center will open with dedicated computer science spaces that will further enhance the incredible work being done by Marksmen. Doug and other science faculty members have worked closely with the Board of Trustees’ Architectural and Construction Committee to ensure the new building will meet programmatic needs.

“Without a doubt, the new Science Center will bolster computer science education,” Doug said.

“More advanced robots and artificial intelligence are on the horizon. Machine learning implemented by neural networks and cloud-based systems will process large amounts of data and learn to become more efficient at their tasks. I fully expect us to have courses dedicated to these topics in the 2020s in the new building.”

Just as the new Science Center will provide the facilities for the next generation of science education, Goals IV will create a framework for defining the next generation’s curriculum.

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physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. In

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pushing the St. Mark’s experience forward.

One of the most stressful times in the life of a Marksman is the transition between grades. Boys are given more independence as well as more responsibilities. To help them find balance in their school work and personal lives, Dr. Gabby Reed, Lower Grades Counselor, has been teaching a Life Skills class to fifth- and sixth- graders.

“The Life Skills curriculum aims to give our boys the tools they will need to be successful as adults in the 21st century,” Dr. Reed said. “The class is about setting solid goals, problem-solving, making strong decisions, recognizing and managing emotions, and having empathy for those around us. We believe that these skills are paramount to success in the classroom and beyond.”

The curriculum in Life Skills dovetails with the School’s wider Character and Leadership Education Program and introduces students to a range of topics and skills that maturing boys need to address. Beyond the universal lessons of time management and decision-making, boys learn about issues that are relatively new to this

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In Upper School, where many Marksmen compete in two or three sports, the need for healthy balance becomes increasingly important. Athletes are constantly pushing themselves to become faster and stronger, and coaches are always looking for smarter ways to train their athletes. To help with this, the Athletic Department recently brought on Kevin Dilworth as the School’s full-time Strength and Conditioning coach. Coach Dilworth is now a staple in the weight room and on the sidelines, teaching boys the best and healthiest way to get fit and stay strong.

“Coach Dilworth constantly challenged me to lift more and become faster every single time I trained,” (above) Coach Kevin Dilworth works with a Marksman athlete

Nehemiah McGowan ’17 told The ReMarker last fall. Nehemiah, who has already committed to play lacrosse at Amherst College, said, “His guidance and words of wisdom have made me and will

(right) Dr. Gabby Reed teaching Life Skills

continue to make me be the best student-athlete that I can be.”

The Strength and Conditioning program goes beyond weights and push-ups. Coach Dilworth’s main focus is on building up the team and ensuring that every link in the chain is as strong as possible.

As he puts it, “Training and changing your body builds character.”

An athletic mindset of constant improvement is generation: balancing a healthy level of “screen time,” addressing the use of alcohol and

reflected in Goals IV. The strategic plan is, in effect, a strength and conditioning plan for the School; a

drugs, and understanding the messaging

way for St. Mark’s to identify its defining traits and

within advertisements.

make them even better.

“In Dr. Reed’s class, I learned how to balance out

As St. Mark’s enters its second century, Goals for St.

all of my academic and extracurricular activities,

Mark’s IV will provide a guiding document for the

how to engage and interact with others, and how

School’s future. Never content with maintaining

to make the right decisions,” said Collin Katz ’21.

the status quo, Goals IV identifies the School’s

“She also taught me how to not get as worried over things like tests, speeches, and performances. All of

priorities for the years ahead and sets the pace for the next generation of Marksmen.

these lessons helped me to manage my time, have fun, and accomplish great things.”

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Thanks to the vision of its founders, the generosity of its community, and the guidance of its leadership, St. Mark’s is poised for a bright future.

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