PTO News

“We are pleased to report another successful year and express our gratitude to everyone who donated their time, talents, and financial resources to support the PTO.”

We are so thankful to have been given the opportunity to lead the St. Martin’s PTO during the 2019-2020 school year. Having been a part of the St. Martin’s community for the past seven years, we have seen the important role the PTO plays in supporting and enriching St. Martin’s. The PTO organizes events to create fellowship among SMES families, raises money to donate to the school, and provides opportunities to show appreciation for our incredible faculty and staff. We are pleased to report another successful year and express our gratitude to everyone who donated their time, talents, and financial resources to support the PTO. We want to give special thanks to our PTO Executive Board: Erin Spink, Jennifer House, Lindy MacPhee, Marianne Zalenski, Julia Hubbard, Kelly Greene, and Kerri Levitt. In addition to meeting weekly to ensure all PTO events were run well and communicated about effectively, they all went above and beyond the requirements of their roles to help make this PTO year as successful as it was. A special thank you to all our event chairs who worked so hard organizing and planning our 40-plus PTO-sponsored programs and events and to the St. Martin’s Board of Trustees and school staff for their continued support of the PTO. The highlight of our fundraising efforts this year was the $135,000 raised through our Winter Social and Online Auction. The Barnyard Bash-themed event was a huge hit thanks to the energy, imagination, and dedication of our Winter Social co-chairs Alex Livingston and Richelle Terry. The online auction was so successful thanks in large part to the generous item donations from many St. Martin’s families and the many teacher treasures offered by our faculty and staff. The PTO had many other fundraising events throughout the year, which will be summarized in the St. Martin’s Annual Report.

While the 2019-2020 school year started rather routinely, we had no idea the year would end so differently than how it began. As the St. Martin’s community sheltered in place and acclimated to distance learning, the St. Martin’s PTO’s mission of “working together for our children” was never more evident. The parents and teachers worked together like they never had before. While we had to cancel some events and reimagine some others, the spirit of the PTO remained strong. Again, we are grateful for the support of each of you and the opportunity to lead the PTO this year. We wish our successors, Jennifer House and Erin Spink, all the best and know that they will welcome and appreciate the same support as they work to make the 2020-2021 school year an even bigger success.

Sincerely,

Carrie & Renee

Carrie Ackel and Renee Loope

Faculty News

UPDATES FROM OUR FACULTY

Madeline Lee Fencl

Julie Ann Stovall

Murray Family Sarah Taylor

CONGRATS!

Advancement Coordinator Jamie Fencl and husband Alex welcomed baby Madeline Lee Fencl on April 17, 2020. She weighed 6 lbs. and was 20.5 in. long. Kindergarten teacher Andie Murray and husband Justin welcomed their daughter, Bradlee Bea Murray, on Dec. 7, 2019. She was 9 lbs. and 2 oz., and 20.5 in. long. Fifth-grade teacher Julie Ann Ullmann married Richard Ullmann on Dec. 28, 2019, in Decatur, Ga. The newlyweds honeymooned at the beach. Communications Coordinator Sarah Taylor is engaged to Tyler Jones. The couple will marry in the summer of 2022 in Washington state. In the fall, Lynne Perry will serve as Interim

Lauren Sims Cheryl Doughty

Elementary School Principal, Julie Thomason will transition to the roll of Early Childhood administrative assistant, Brandi Tant will join the 4th-grade team as math teacher, Chinita Allen will be the new Elementary School science teacher, Katie Moussouri will join the Kairos Learning Center faculty team, Cody Ward will be the performing arts technical director and Kathryn Hechenbleikner will fill the new roll of Infant Program Coordinator.

WELCOME!

St. Martin’s welcomes Cheryl Doughty to the administrative leadership team as the new Director of Finance and Operations. Cheryl received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in

accounting from Georgia College and is a certified public accountant. She brings more than 12 years of experience in the accounting and finance field to St. Martin’s. Most recently, Cheryl worked as the Controller at Mt. Pisgah Christian School for five years, and before that, as an auditor for private schools. Welcome, Cheryl! In addition, St. Martin’s welcomes Lauren Sims to the advancement team as the new Director of Annual Fund. Lauren comes to SMES with 12 years of fundraising experience in the non-profit sector; most recently as the Director of Development for CURE Childhood Cancer. Welcome, Lauren!

FAREWELLS

St. Martin’s bids farewell to Elementary School Principal Dr. Mary McPherson, who has elected to pursue other interests after 22 years of service to the school. “Dr. Mac,” as she is affectionately known, began her career at SMES in the classroom teaching technology and later served as the Director of Academic Technology and Standardized Testing. In 2009, Mary became Principal for the Elementary School division, where she has led for the last ten years. During her time as Principal, she managed many important initiatives, including two SAIS accreditations and the evaluation and implementation of critical curriculum changes, particularly in math and language arts. Most importantly, though, Mary's kind heart and unwavering leadership could always be felt by her peers, school parents, and especially the students. St. Martin’s is incredibly grateful and appreciative of Mary’s tireless work and dedication to St. Martin’s over the years, and wishes her the best in the next chapter of her journey. Director of Finance and Operations John Cunningham, Jr. retired after six years at St. Martin’s. John first joined the SMES community as a parent in 1991 and served on the Board of Trustees from 1994 to 1997. His two daughters, Mary Boissoneault and Sarah Cunningham both attended St. Martin’s. John and his wife, Nancy, are building a home near Athens and are excited to begin this next phase of their lives. After six years at SMES, Kindergarten teaching assistant Cathie Kelly is retiring and shifting to a part-time substitute role for the Early Childhood program. Cathie is excited to travel with her husband, grow her involvement at her church and spend time with her young grandchildren. Performing Arts Technical Director & Fine Arts Assistant Spencer Stephens is leaving SMES after 15 years to pursue a new opportunity. In addition to his work supporting drama productions and the Middle School band, Spencer assisted with Warrior TV, coached Ultimate Frisbee, co-chaired the Multicultural Committee and more. We also bid farewell to Kindergarten lead teacher Courtney Hollis who will be staying home with her children, EC and ES Spanish teacher Jasmine Casilla who will be moving to North Carolina to be closer to family, Kairos Learning Center teacher Joanie Ehlers who is retiring and Early Childhood administrative assistant Julianna McHale and Toddler teaching assistant Vanessa Soto who will be pursuing new ventures.

IN MEMORIAM

Rebecca Williams SMES Trustee (1997 - 2003)

Former SMES trustee and parent Rebecca Williams passed away earlier this year after a long-fought battle with cancer. She was deeply devoted to St. Martin’s as a parent and a volunteer. During her family’s time at St. Martin’s, she volunteered in many capacities including serving as a Trustee from 1997 to 2003. Rebecca served on the St. Martin’s Board of Trustees for six years, from 1997 to 2003, and led multiple school committees. She was loved by her family, friends and co-workers for her optimism, tenacity and dedication to serving the public through her awardwinning journalism career and later as a local political figure. Her daughters, Clare William Stevens (‘07) and Chase Williams Cooper (‘04) both graduated from SMES. A small, private service was held for family members in mid-March.

Alumni Notes

UPDATES FROM OUR ALUMNI

Lauren Godshall, ’07 Lillian Haas, ’07

Kristi Oltman Bates, ‘06 and Amy Oltman Zimmerman, ‘04

’06

Sisters Kristi Oltman Bates (‘06) and Amy Oltman Zimmerman (‘04) both welcomed new babies on New Year's Day this year. Kristi (left) and her husband welcomed daughter Victoria and Amy (right) and her husband welcomed son John. Kristi lives in Athens, Ga. with her husband and their three children. Amy works as a food scientist for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture in Raleigh, N.C.

Amanda Klinger Grim

married Palmer Grim in November of 2018. Palmer’s mother, former St. Martin’s teacher Kelley Grim, was Amanda’s 3rdgrade teacher.

’07

Sarah Bonaparte works as an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Specifically, she coordinates the electronic data reporting of U.S. laboratories for the National Rabies Surveillance Program and works with international partners to implement, manage and evaluate incountry rabies surveillance programs and canine rabies vaccination programs. Sarah has worked for the CDC for

Amanda Klinger Grim, ’06

three years, received her master’s in public health degree in epidemiology from Emory University and her bachelor’s of science degree in biology from Belmont University. Lauren Godshall married Riley Snider on Aug. 1, 2020 at Christ the King Catholic Church in Atlanta. Riley and Lauren met at the University of Alabama and now live in Atlanta with their two dogs, Asher and Charlie. Lauren is a marketing data analyst for United Postal Service. Lillian Haas married Jeff Ballance on Dec. 27, 2019 at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church. Former SMES School Chaplain

Lauren Buss, ’08

Edith Woodling officiated the service, and Lillian’s sister, Oliva Haas (‘10), was her maid of honor. Lillian and Jeff live in Athens, Ga., where Lillian works as the annual giving and stewardship coordinator for University of Georgia.

’08

Lauren Buss works as a team leader and health policy analyst in the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Her office provides independent oversight over all HHS programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, Centers for

Sarah Johnson (center), ’08

Lindsey Southers, ’08

Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Administration for Children and Families, ensuring that these and other programs run efficiently and effectively. With the outbreak of COVID-19, her role has expanded to include monitoring the deployment of workers to areas impacted by the outbreak, focusing on the safety, health and operational protocols in place. Sarah Johnson is a program coordinator in the PRISM Health research department at the Emory Rollins School of Public Health. In response to COVID-19, Sarah and her team have been responsible for developing messaging on mask wearing, hand washing and social distancing to

Melissa Morris, ’08

educate communities impacted by the virus. Sarah has also participated in several COVID-19 testing events around Atlanta. Sarah and her fiancé David Rayment plan to marry on September 4, 2020 in Atlanta. Melissa Morris married Will Fuller on June 4, 2020 at the Inn at Serenbe in Chattahoochee Hills, Ga. The couple enjoyed an intimate ceremony with immediate family. Will and Melissa will take their honeymoon next year in Lake Como, Italy, where they originally planned to host the wedding ceremony pre-pandemic. Melissa works with her mother, Becky Morris, at Beacham & Company Realtors. They have been the top performing team within the company for two years.

Natalie Chu ’09

Lindsey Southers married Ray Brown on Sept. 21, 2019 in Atlanta. The ceremony was held at St. James Methodist Church and the reception celebration was held at The Estate. The couple lives in Huntsville, Ala. where Lindsey works as a marketing specialist for 3-GIS and Ray works in sales at a tech start-up.

’09

Natalie Chu is a project manager at NextEra Energy in Juno Beach, Fla., where she works on wind, solar, and battery energy storage projects. She traveled extensively in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in 2019.

’10

Maddie Barnett graduated from Kennesaw State University with a master’s degree in nursing and is working in the NICU unit alongside her sister, Alison Barnett (‘08), at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. Anna Johnson graduated from Louisiana State University with a master’s degree in speech language pathology. Madison Mischik is in law school at the University of Georgia.

’11 Trey Blasingame

graduated from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He works for Stream Real Estate Company in Austin, Texas.

Sally Smith ’12

Brittany Walsh, ’12

’12 Alexandria Cannon

graduated magna cum laude from George Washington University (GWU) with a bachelor’s degree in history. Her honors thesis, “The Washington Family and Native American Slavery,” was highlighted at GWU’s research showcase. Her work is also published on the GWU Mount Vernon website and on display at the GWU Textile Museum. Alexandria plans to pursue a master’s degree in public administration, public policy or law in the fall of 2021. Sally Smith graduated summa cum laude from University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in English, minor in history and certificate in Native

Ryan Connor ’13

Robin James, ’16

American studies. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in library science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also an intern with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Library in Research Triangle Park. Brittany Walsh graduated magna cum laude from Elon University with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and Spanish and a minor in religious studies. This summer, she began a master’s degree program in clinical mental health counseling at Georgia State University.

’13

Ryan Connor promotes and supports Atlanta artists with his company, Blu House Booking. He has worked as a tour manager, merchandise manager and DJ on tours across Europe and the U.S. Last summer, he planned, coordinated and hosted his first festival, the Peach Music Festival, in Atlanta. Ryan and his work was recently featured in an article by VoyageATL.

’15

Lindsey Smith is a rising sophomore at Georgia Institute of Technology. She is the online media director for her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, and interned with Pace Logistics this summer.

’16

Mollie Albert graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School and will attend the University of South Carolina in the fall.

Mallory Arrigo

graduated from Riverwood High School with an International Baccalaureate diploma and will attend Florida State University in the fall. Henry Bieze graduated from Marist School and will attend Wake Forest University in the fall.

Charlene Bohrer

graduated from The Westminster Schools and will attend Lehigh University in the fall. Ben Brown graduated from Marist School. He was in the Honor Society and won the Most Dedicated Player award for football. Ben will attend the University of Georgia in the fall.

Lucy Brumbaugh

graduated from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School and received the Diabetic Swimmer of the Year Award. She will attend Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall. Bradon Connor will attend Georgia State University’s business college in the fall. Grant Esler graduated from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (HIES). He was captain of the basketball team and won the award for Best Picture at the HIES 2019 Film Festival. Grant will attend Miami University in the fall.

Lee Fenstermacher

graduated from Marist School and will attend the University of Georgia in the fall. Jago Fleming received the St. Teresa of Calcutta Award during his senior year at Holy Spirit Catholic School. This award is given to students who are patient, kind and caring. Jago will attend Furman University in the Fall. Skeet Fortner graduated from Marist School. During high school, he won the 9th-grade Theology Award and the 10th-grade Spanish Award. Skeet will attend University of Georgia in the fall.

Virginia Gwin Fortner

graduated from Marist School. She served as a peer leader and retreat leader during high school. Virginia will take a gap year next year. Davis Futrell graduated from Pace Academy. He was a four-year football letterman, student body president and awarded Mr. Pace Academy. Davis will attend Auburn University in the fall. Abby Gillin graduated

from St. Pius X Catholic High School. She made the honor roll all four years, won the bronze medal for the National French Exam in the 9th and 11th grades and received honorable mention in 10th grade. Abby will attend the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the fall. Lauren Goines will attend Georgia Southern University in the fall. Kyra Graap graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School and will attend Kennesaw State University in the fall. Margot Haidet graduated from North Springs Charter School and will attend Savannah College of Art and Design in the fall. Emma Halaburt graduated from The Galloway School and will attend Colorado State University in the fall. Annette Hall graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School and will attend Georgia Southern University in the fall. Sara Hall graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School and will attend Auburn University in the fall. LJ Hamilton graduated from Marist School and will attend Indiana University in the fall. Reggie Harris graduated from Pace Academy and will attend the University of Alabama in Birmingham in the fall. Charlie Hawk graduated from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School and will attend Auburn University in the fall. Robin James graduated from The Paideia School and will attend Case Western University in the fall. In his senior year, he was named the Georgia winner of the National Federation of State High School Associations’ Heart of the Arts Award. The award recognizes individuals who exemplify the positive ideals of performing arts and who have overcome adversity or gone above and beyond their peers. Cale Lennon graduated from Marist School and will attend Virginia Tech in the fall. Elle Lewis graduated from Charlotte Country Day School and will attend Rhodes College in the fall.

Mitchell Maloney

graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School and will attend Sewanee: the University of the South in the fall. Izzy McNamara graduated from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School and will attend Auburn University in the fall. Andie Miles graduated from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School and will attend Clemson University in the fall. Megan Moffett graduated from Marist School. She was the junior varsity volleyball chaplain, a peer leader and a retreat leader. Megan will attend Georgia College and State University in the fall.

Shannon Murphy

graduated from Marist School where she was on Honor Roll and the Dean’s List and received the award for All Around Best Cheerleader. Shannon will

Alumni attending Pace Winter Showcase: (L-R): Win Scott (‘18) Ciara Wilmath (‘18), Austin Scott (‘19), Allie Campbell (‘18), SMES Performing Arts Technical Director Spencer Stephens, Ellen Claxton (‘18), Lindsey Bryson (‘17), Jack Carson (‘17), Jack Schmitt (‘19) and Nicholas Lennon (‘19) at the Pace Winter Showcase. Current Pace students Austin, Allie, Jack Carson, Jack Schmitt and Nicholas performed in the showcase.

attend the University of Tennessee in the fall. Taryn Murphy graduated from Marist School. She was on the Honor Roll and the Dean’s List. She will attend Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall.

Patrick Olmstead

graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School and will attend Auburn University in the fall. William Payne graduated from Marist School and will attend Georgetown University in the fall. Caroline Perry graduated from Dunwoody High School. She was in the National English Honor Society and the National Social Studies Honor Society and won the seal of biliteracy in Spanish. Caroline will attend the University of South Carolina in the fall. Ian Purrington graduated from the McCallie School and will attend Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall. Ali Rab graduated from Woodward Academy and will attend Clemson University in the fall. Taylor Rand graduated from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School and will attend Belmont University in the fall. Ruthie Roberts graduated from Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School. She earned the Spanish Honor Cord, won the Presidential Service Award and was on the Honor Roll for four years. Ruthie will attend Texas Christian University in the fall. Sydney Royal graduated from Pope High School. She was in the Spanish Honor Society, the

Arden Adams, ’17

Elizabeth Cannon, ’17

Globalization Academy and received an AP Capstone diploma. Sydney will attend Rhodes College in the fall. Caroline Seelke graduated from Dunwoody High School and will attend Auburn University in the fall. Connor Soscia graduated from Marist School and will attend the University of Georgia in the fall. Tiger Turner graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School. He was on Honor Roll for two years and the Dean’s List for two years. Tiger will attend Auburn University in the fall. Emily Wood graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School. She was class co-president her sophomore and junior years. She will attend Auburn University in the fall.

’17

Arden Adams is a rising senior at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School. She won the English

Alumni Attend High School Thespian Conference

St. Martin’s theatre-loving alumni currently attending Pace Academy, The Mt. Vernon School and Marist School reunited at the Georgia High School Thespian Conference in February. Alumni photographed include: (front row, l-r) Jack Carson (‘17), Allie Campbell (‘18), Arden Adams (‘17) and Jasmine George (‘17); (second row, l-r) Audrey Holton (‘17), Jack Schmitt (‘19), Nicholas Lennon (‘19), Austin Scott (‘19) and Thomas Kinser (‘19). Not pictured: Win Scott (‘18) and Marist School students.

Speaking Shakespeare Union Contest for the second consecutive year at the Atlanta Shakespeare Company. She later represented Georgia and finished as a semifinalist at the virtual National Shakespeare Competition. Sophia Costarides is a rising senior at St. Pius X Catholic High School. She runs cross country and track and received the award for Most Improved Runner. Grace Demba is a rising senior at Pace Academy. She is the vice president of the Isdell Center for Global Leadership Student Council, a member of the Student Advisory Board and recruitment chair of Miracle Knights. She is also a participant in the Beginners Environmental Leadership Program at the Georgia Aquarium. Grace planned to study painting and graphic design this summer at Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta and Parson School of Design in New York. May Harvey is a rising senior at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School. She is a varsity cheerleader and plays varsity soccer. Elisa Herrera is a rising senior at Marist School. She participates in horseback riding, dance and the National Honor Society. Charles Kyle is a rising senior at St. Pius X Catholic High School. He is on the golf team and also participates in a recreational basketball league. John Mason is a rising senior at Riverwood International Charter School. He is in the National Spanish Honor Society, Beta Club and Sandy Springs Youth Leadership group. Bridgett McCarthy is a rising senior at Marist School and manages the wrestling team. Mena Sarradet is a rising senior at Marist School. She is on the swim team, made the Dean’s List and is in the National Spanish Honor Society and National Honor Society.

Dunwoody HS rising juniors

’18

Dunwoody High School rising juniors Ross

Ackaway, Abby Hughes, Ansley Graves, Annie

Quinn and Charlie Seelke attended Dunwoody High School event together. Paris Adams is a rising junior at Marist and is on the golf team, and plays golf year round. Drew Chastain is a rising junior at Marist School and plays football and basketball. Ellen Claxton is a rising junior at St. Pius X Catholic High School. She is a cheerleader, plays lacrosse and dances. Lydia Davis is a rising junior at Riverwood Charter School. She made the Principal’s List for three semesters and was accepted into the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program for the 11th and 12th grades. Jack Fry is a rising junior at Marist School. He is on the tennis team, involved with Habitat for Humanity and a retreat leader. Grant Gaffney is a rising junior at the Marist School and runs cross country and track.

Ben Hamer is a rising junior at St. Pius X Catholic High School and is on the track team.

Amelia Harralson

is a rising junior at Westminster and is on the cross country, swimming and track teams, placed at STATE for the AAA high jump in track. Amelia has art on permanent display at Westminster and has shown at the High Museum.

Virginia Harralson

is a rising junior at Westminster and got a Varsity letter in swimming and track, and also runs cross country.

Katie Holmes, Grace

Caroline Linam and Ella Cannon teamed up to raise money for a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraising project on team Claws for a Cure, with a goal to raise $30,000. They surpassed their goal and raised $35,000 for the cause. Patton Jaynes is a rising sophomore at Marist School and runs on the cross country and track teams. Joseph McGhee is a rising junior at St. Pius X Catholic High School and is in the marching band. Addison Nichols is a rising junior at Greater Atlanta Christian School and was ranked top Offensive Lineman in the state and 6th in the country for class of 2022 by 24/7 sports. Addison is also in the Beta Club, and plays basketball. Quinn O’Connor is a rising junior at St. Pius X Catholic School. Quinn was the most valuable player on junior varsity soccer and now plays varsity soccer and is in the Spanish Club. Annie Quinn is a rising junior at Dunwoody High School. She is on the cross country and track teams, is an AP Ambassador and is involved with Young Life and student government. Devon Stewart is a rising junior at Marist School. She is a junior varsity football and basketball cheerleader and a retreat leader and was the vice president of service and spirituality sophomore year. Piper Stewart is a rising junior at Marist School. She plays varsity soccer, is a peer leader, volunteers at L’Amistad and is involved with Young Life. Will Tuggle is a rising junior at The Galloway School. He plays varsity baseball, is in the French Club, and is involved with the student exchange program with a school in France.

’19

Cele Camp is a rising sophomore at Pace Academy. She is a Pace Ambassador and is involved in softball, JV basketball and track. Devin Fisher is a rising sophomore at the Lovett School and is in the dance program. Savannah Fleming is a rising sophomore at the Marist School. She is a cheerleader, plays lacrosse and is involved with Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program. Simon Guterman is a rising sophomore at the Galloway School. He is involved with technical theater and plays basketball and golf. Connor Hawk is a rising sophomore at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School and plays JV soccer.

In February, Dunwoody High School rising junior Annie Quinn (‘18) met at the Georgia State Capitol with 200 other high school students from around the state to push lawmakers for uniform Advanced Placement (AP) credit policies and additional funding for AP exams.

Caroline Koziol is a rising sophomore at St. Pius X Catholic High School. She was on the Presidents List and Honor Roll and plays JV tennis. Nicholas Lennon is a rising sophomore at Pace Academy. As part of his involvement in theatre, he performed in the Georgia Thespian Conference, the Pace winter showcase and Pace Academy’s school musical. He is also in the pep band and a member of Boy Scouts. Bryant Lisenby is a rising sophomore at St. Pius X Catholic High School and plays football and basketball. Bryant was on Dean's list fall term freshman year. Ryan Lisowski is a rising sophomore at St. Pius X Catholic High School. He played freshman football, is on the JV soccer team and plays guitar. Liza Love is a rising sophomore at St. Pius X Catholic High School. She is in the dance program, runs track and is a cheerleader. Connor McCarthy is a rising sophomore at St. Pius X Catholic High School and is a competitive gymnast. Amber Royter is a rising sophomore at Riverwood Charter School. She is a cheerleader and runs cross country. Raven Royter is a rising sophomore at St. Pius X Catholic High School. She is a JV and competition cheerleader, is on the JV tennis team and was a freshman homecoming representative. Jules Schmidt is a rising sophomore at St. Pius X Catholic High School and is a cheerleader. Jack Schmitt is a rising sophomore at Pace Academy. He is very involved with the theater program and was cast as the lead in the Spring musical “The Music Man.”

Peter van der Mandele

is a rising sophomore at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School and is on the soccer team, in the Business Club and participates in Model UN. Lucas Voorhies is a rising sophomore at St. Pius X Catholic High School. He is a member of the symphonic and marching bands and is in the Movie Club. n

Voices

STORIES FROM FACULTY & STAFF LYNNE PERRY

ittle did I know walking into my L Introduction to Education class at Oglethorpe University would lead to a 20- plus year career at St. Martin’s Episcopal School. After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a degree in psychology, I decided to pursue my master’s degree in Early Childhood Education in hopes of teaching elementary school. Sue Astley was the professor of my first education class. She also happened to be the principal at St. Martin’s. After completing my master’s degree, Sue reached out to see if I would be interested in applying for an assistant teacher position at SMES. I was thrilled when I was offered the job. That assistant teacher position soon led to my dream job of being a first-grade teacher. Several years later, after my first daughter was born, I decided I wanted to work part-time, and over the next few years, I worked in the SMES public relations office and was later the first Reading Lab teacher. When daughter number three arrived, I made the tough decision to leave SMES to be a stay-at-home mom; however, I never lost touch with the friends I made while working. I reached back out to those same friends in 2012 when I felt the pull to return to SMES. In 2012, I returned to be a substitute teacher and was excited when I learned of an opening in Student Support Services (SSS). The SSS position allowed me to return to the classroom setting, create lesson plans, and work with students individually and in small groups. In 2016, I became the Director of Student Support Services, and when the Kairos Learning Center (KLC) debuted in 2019, my role and responsibilities expanded once more as I became the Director of the Kairos Learning Center & Student Support Services. As the Director of SSS, I worked with the principals and teachers in all three divisions of the school to help establish academic support plans for identified students. That support plan may have included matching a student with a tutor, creating a learning profile, or providing referrals to educational experts to undergo further testing.

Lynne Perry is the Interim Elementary School Principal for the 2020-21 school year

I was also able to fulfill my love of working with children by overseeing phonics testing with the Elementary students, screening applicants for the Kairos program, and administering informal reading assessments. When St. Martin’s opened the Kairos Learning Center for the 2019-20 school year, my role as the program’s Director allowed me to work even more closely with our amazing SMES teachers. The Elementary Kairos

program provides intensive instruction to students with dyslexia or language processing differences while allowing them an opportunity to be part of the broader SMES community and participate with their gradelevel peers in co-curricular classes. Students in the Kairos program transition between their general studies classroom and the KLC classroom. This hybrid model requires coordination and cooperation between the general studies teachers and the Kairos teachers. On a typical day, there is a steady stream of teachers coming and going through the Kairos office as they collaborate to support our students. This collaborative approach is also evident in the Middle School Kairos program, which offers small group executive function support for students. Based on teacher recommendations, students have an opportunity to take a study skills class instead of a foreign language. The Kairos teachers work closely with core academic teachers and attend weekly grade-level meetings to discuss their students’ progress. Over the summer, I was offered the opportunity to serve as Interim Elementary School Principal for the 2020-21 school year. I am excited to take on this new role and believe my experience in the classroom and daily collaboration with teachers have prepared me well for the position and the year ahead. As we continue to navigate these unprecedented times as a school and community, I look forward to working closely with our incredible Elementary faculty and families to ensure our students continue to receive the St. Martin’s education they know and love. Furthermore, I am grateful for the warm welcome I have received from parents and colleagues and I am thankful to have an amazing group of teachers to work with. While this year will look different in many ways, the values that guide St. Martin’s forward will not change. We are committed to providing a quality education of the whole person in a loving, Christian atmosphere, which fosters lifelong learning.

Igleheart Awards

Blythe Marsau Christopher Kartsonas

During the final virtual chapel service of the year, Dr. Ottley announced the 2019-20 staff and student Igleheart Award recipients. These awards were created in memory of long-time SMES teacher, Tricia Igleheart. The Patricia Ray Igleheart Memorial Fund was established by the Igleheart family to honor Tricia’s legacy as a teacher at St. Martin’s. The endowment funds a professional development award to a SMES faculty or staff member who embodies qualities that Tricia exuded such as warmth, inclusivity and love. Congratulations to Director of Enrollment Management Blythe Marsau, this year’s recipient of the staff award. The student award was established to honor a deserving student who is curious about the world around them and acts as a friend to all. Congratulations to rising 9th-grade student Christopher Kartsonas, this year’s student recipient.

UPCOMING KEY DATES

SEPTEMBER

7 Labor Day Holiday

OCTOBER

9-12 Fall Holiday 16 Parent-Teacher Conferences

NOVEMBER

1 Daylight Savings Time (Fall Back) 3 Election Day (School Closed) 8 Admission Open House 23-27 Thanksgiving Break

DECEMBER

14-17 Middle School Exams 18-Jan 4 Christmas Break