Christian Education

from The 1600 Magazine - Winter 2020

by St. Philip's School & Community Center

Event Recap

AT A GLANCE: CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Our school currently serves 200 students in grades PreK2-6th (ages 2-12) who benefit from St. Philip’s rigorous, nurturing, and dynamic Christian-based education. Processing the Pivot

A change has come to St. Philip’s and every school across the country and the world. We have all had to pivot in the provision of an education during these unprecedented times – faculty, staff, students, and parents. This has been a lesson in patience, planning, and daily processing of the new way of teaching and learning. Below, are a few testimonials from faculty and parents sharing their thoughts about how they and St. Philip’s have faced extraordinary change. "I miss having my classroom filled with the energy of the students. I miss seeing everybody in Chapel. I miss Friday's Saint of the Week and I miss Saints´ Time. I do not like the coldness of remote education and, although I am amazed at the things that computers can do, I know they will never replace face-toface interaction.

Amidst all this, I am grateful to see how St. Philip’s is handling all the curve balls thrown at us by the pandemic and for the efforts to create a safe place for all who are part of this community. I am also amazed at the way leadership has stepped up to the challenge and at the speed of the whole process. I am thankful for the opportunity to continue doing what is in my power to make this the best situation possible for students, parents, teachers, staff, and community members. I believe that it is only through these examples of resilience and compassion that we will emerge victorious from this crisis. St. Philip’s continues to lead the way through the practice of its values.” Jorge Perez, 1st – 6th Grade Spanish Instructor

“With all of the uncertainty of COVID-19, we are eternally grateful that we chose St. Philip's. We hear horror stories of packet learning, parental teaching, and disengagement. In contrast, the St. Philip's administration, faculty, and staff saw a challenge and rose to meet it. Virtual learning offered us the opportunity to hear the type of instruction our student received regularly and is influencing our expectations for instruction after we leave. Additionally, the communication throughout the pandemic has been transparent and timely. We truly feel that the school is taking all of the necessary precautions to ensure student safety. Thank you, St. Philip's for all that you do!” - The Flanders Family “The St. Philips Fine Arts Department is adjusting, adapting, and innovating our way through this 2020 school year. The staff and students both long to return to a space of high-level engagement with one another, however virtual-learning has afforded us the opportunity to connect through laughter, movement, voice, and... technology. We do have a few surprises up our sleeve that will debut in the Spring, so be on the look out!” - Alicia

“IV” Holmes, Fine and Performing Arts Director

“We are new this year to the St. Philip's family, and we feel truly blessed that God's path for us led us to St. Philip's in this unprecedented time. Josephine is a very social child and needs inperson instruction, so we opted for in-person in Mrs. Morrison's PK3 class. The first few weeks of virtual learning were challenging for all of us, but it gave us the unique opportunity to view Josephine's classroom activity firsthand. We were simply blown away by every aspect of the content and planning that went into the virtual experience. Since transitioning to in-person learning, Josephine has really started to thrive at her new school. We will continue to take this year day-by-day and understand that continued prayer, patience, vigilance, and resilience will be necessary to get through it. We are so thankful to be here with the St. Philip's community where safety is prioritized, science matters, and our children collectively continue to thrive spiritually, educationally, and socially through all of this.” - The Spaniol Family

Young Minds Venture Into Design!

The 6th grade students are partnering with Good Shepherd Episcopal School in a learning/design challenge. Students began with a " getting to know you" session where they made individual FlipGrid videos describing their likes and dislikes. In this session, students were able to see that though their backgrounds are diverse, they have some of the same likes and dislikes. Their first mini-challenge was to build the "best tower" possible using 5-10 index cards. The goal of their main challenge will hopefully help to build student confidence in their abilities to make a change in the world around them through design. Students will participate in this design challenge that will help to impact the community in a positive way.

On what would have been her 62nd birthday, St. Philip’s celebrated the life, impact, and legacy of former Principal and Master Science teacher and Gardener, Gwendolyn Satterfield Barjon, with the official renaming of the community garden in her name, and the unveiling of a lovely mural painted by alumnus, Juan Hernandez, Jr. Students and faculty members shared remembrances through poetry, song, and stories. Gwen’s Garden will undergo an expansion and renovation over the coming months, thus increasing its role as both a vital educational tool for our students and reliable resource for fresh produce for the community. A fitting legacy to a woman who one faculty member proclaimed, “the earth, the dirt, the plants, listened to her hands.”

Gwen’s Garden Unveiling Honors Beloved Faculty Member

St. Philip’s Welcomes New Faculty and Staff

Bridgett Craft Custodial Staff Ayesha Craig 3rd Grade ELAR/Social Studies Instructor Gustavo Gallegos Maintenance Staff Leonard Harding Custodial Staff