Patterns Winter 2020

THE MAGAZINE OF ST. MARTIN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

WINTER 2020

S T. M A R T I N ’ S C E L E B R AT E S

years

ADVANCING OUR MISSION THROUGH PHILANTHROPY

THE KAIROS LEARNING CENTER

TH E

Investing in St. Martin’s for 60 years

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W

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RONGER TOG T S E E

The St. Martin’s Fund supports the school’s highest priorities: our students and faculty. The school relies on charitable gifts to The St. Martin’s Fund to sustain our strong curriculum, unique learning opportunities, innovative technology, passionate and skilled teachers, service learning experiences and robust arts and athletics programs.

Gifts to The St. Martin’s Fund help to fulfill our mission of quality education which fosters lifelong learning.

>> For more information, please contact Tina Haas, Director of Advancement thaas@stmartinschool.org | 404-228-0711 | stmartinschool.org/support

CONTENTS

THE MAGAZINE OF ST. MARTIN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL WINTER 2020

EVERY ISSUE 3

Letter

4

Seen & Heard

From the Head of School

News and happenings in the school community

22

Student Reporters

26

Volunteer Spotlight

34

Sports Wrap-Up

36

Did You Know

40

Portrait of a Graduate

Stories around campus

Ed Zunzunegui, St. Martin’s Fund Chair

Sports teams complete seasons

16 60th Anniversary

SMES celebrates 60 years of WholeheartED education

24

News and updates

Tanner Hendon (’06) and Andrew Evans (’08)

42 43

FEATURES

Grandparents Day Faculty News Updates from our faculty and administration

44

Alumni Notes

48

Voices

27

How St. Martin’s is challenging today’s culture of instant gratification

STEAM Lab Outdoor Space 5 things you need to know

Walking in the Footsteps 28 of Jesus Religion teacher, Kevin Baldesare, travels to Israel

Advancing our Mission 30 Through Philanthropy History of giving at St. Martin’s

Updates from our alumni

Thais Diaz, 7th and 8th grade Spanish teacher

All Good Things Take Time

38

Kairos Learning Center New for 2019-2020 school year

ON THE COVER St. Martin’s students, faculty and staff celebrated the school’s 60th anniversary and Feast Day in midOctober.

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EDITOR Kristi Gaffney PRODUCTION MANAGER Sarah Taylor CONTRIBUTORS Kevin Baldesare Thais Diaz Charlie Duerr, student Kristi Gaffney Tina Haas Anna Loffredio, student Dr. Luis Ottley Sarah Taylor PHOTOGRAPHY Kristi Gaffney Adam Linke Sarah Taylor Paul Ward DESIGN Stalling Design ADMINISTRATION Dr. Luis Ottley Head of School Cindy Alexander Principal, Early Childhood Dr. Mary McPherson Principal, Elementary School Tony Shaffer Principal, Middle School John Cunningham Chief Financial Officer Tina Haas Director of Advancement Kristi Gaffney Director of Marketing & Communications Blythe Marsau Director of Enrollment Management and Tuition Assistance Dr. Tiffany Russell Director of Diversity & Inclusion The Rev. Dr. Stefanie Taylor Chaplain The Rev. Monica Mainwaring St. Martin’s Church Rector Patterns is published biannually by St. Martin’s Episcopal School.

Please direct any letters, comments or news items to: St. Martin’s Episcopal School 3110-A Ashford Dunwoody Rd. Atlanta, GA 30319 (404) 237-4260 Attn: Kristi Gaffney www.stmartinschool.org kgaffney@stmartinschool.org MISSION STATEMENT: St. Martin’s Episcopal School is dedicated to providing a quality education of the whole person in a loving, Christian atmosphere, which fosters lifelong learning.

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HEAD OF SCHOOL

H

appy New Year! It is with some disbelief that we’ve entered the year 2020, and it has provided me a moment to pause and examine the metaphor of 2020 as it relates to St. Martin’s. At the mid-point in the school calendar, this is a wonderful time to both reflect with 20/20 hindsight and also to look ahead with 20/20 vision to clearly see the path of St. Martin’s Episcopal School for both what it has been and what it might be.

You’ll note that we are celebrating our 60th school year, and I invite you to take a trip back in time by perusing the 60th-anniversary article and pictorial timeline outlining some of the important milestones in the life of St. Martin’s. It’s truly been a fantastic journey and I’m proud to lead a school that’s been true to its mission since its inception in 1959.

With 20/20 hindsight, I look back at the first semester of this school year and marvel at how quickly it flew by and also wonder how we scored in our efforts to serve our students best. I see that students were challenged and withstood both tests of knowledge and tests of character as SMES teachers and administrators worked hard to serve the needs of St. Martin’s students. Using a growth mindset as a compass, I see that when teachers meet children where they are developmentally and expose them to new concepts, the students are not limited and they find their pathway toward mastery.

With that in mind, I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen in and out of the classrooms. Early Childhood children are developing literacy skills through innovative teaching concepts that intentionally meet children where they are for these important foundational skills. Letter games involving their names and those of their peers make learning and understanding the alphabet fun. And the games continue until everyone is on board.

“This is a

wonderful time to reflect back with 20/20 hindsight and also to look ahead with 20/20 vision to clearly see the path of St. Martin’s Episcopal School.”

As I walk through the Elementary School, the 3rd-graders are conducting experiments to learn how animals adapt over time to find food in their environment, 4th grade has been learning to use the laser cutter in the Creation Studio and 5th-grade French students are applying the language to blueprints they are drawing. Active learning is an everyday activity.

In Middle School, things are getting real for our 8th graders as they are in the throes of the high school application process. I enjoy a weekly lunch meeting with a small group of 8th-grade students to gain insights into their individual journeys through St. Martin’s. Whether they joined SMES in Pre-K or joined in Middle School, I’m always impressed with their insight for how a SMES education has impacted their lives and what they are hoping the foundation they’ve gained here will mean for their future. The repeated mantra of the importance of small class sizes and the connection they have with their teachers and peers is both telling and heartwarming.

With 20/20 vision, I’m excited to see the future of our new infant program that just debuted this month. Almost a third of our smallest students are faculty and staff babies and another third are brand new to St. Martins! The 24 Baby Warriors are settling into their new routine exploring their environment, playing, resting and developing readiness skills that distinguish our Early Childhood program as both caring and innovative. It is a joy to have them join our St. Martin’s family!

I hope you’ve all received my personal news relating to the next step on my journey toward Episcopal priesthood. It’s been an amazing experience to receive a calling, and I know this process will not only benefit me as a person but will allow me to provide vital pastoral value in my role as the Head of St. Martin’s Episcopal School.

Please enjoy this latest edition of Patterns magazine, and I wish you all the best for 2020!

With love, light and blessings always,

Dr. Luis Ottley Head of School

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Seen + Heard

NEWS AND HAPPENINGS IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

Commitment to Honesty

Middle School Signs Honor Pledge 8 Middle School students signed the SMES honor pledge during a special chapel service at the start of the year. This annual event asks students to acknowledge their understanding of and commitment to honesty in and out of the classroom with their signature on a special scroll.

DUKE TIP STUDENTS First row (l-r): Ethan Cunningham, Dylan Mathis, Marshall Lisenby, and Candler Neel; Second row (l-r): Luke Williams, Eric Berg, Drew Park, Tate O’Leary, Max Bertolino, Alec Flint, Aiden Hoath, and Charlie Rohs; Third row (l-r): Jackson Dickert, David Albert, Preston Grice, Eloise Smith, Ingrid van der Mandele, Lillian Thomas, Katherine Graham, Sapna Goel, and Caroline Castellaw; and Fourth row (l-r): Jack Gessner, Janie Alexander, Eva McLaren, Caroline Palmer, Brady Lehwald, Mateo Tagtachian, Nicholas Demba, Amelia Marsh, Maya Warrier, and Hanna Livingston.

Not pictured: Jack Breen.

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Talent Identified

32 Students Earn Duke TIP 8 The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) identifies academically talented 7th graders based on their 6thgrade ERB standardized test scores. Selected students have the opportunity to take the SAT or ACT and participate in programs for middle school students hosted by various colleges.

SEEN + HEARD

Honoring Superhero Patients

Capes for a Cause 8 Mrs. Hollis’ Kindergarten class donned golden capes in honor of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s superhero patients who battle illnesses and injuries every day. Since Cape Day was first introduced in 2014, it has become a beloved October tradition for Georgians, garnering support and generating awareness statewide for some of Atlanta’s bravest patients.

Team Spirit

Football Friday 8 Football Friday is a fan-favorite tradition for students to wear their favorite football (or fútbol) team jersey for a day to kick off the fall football season. Team spirit infected the school as toddlers through 8th-graders, faculty and staff showed off their team colors.

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SEEN + HEARD

Cultural Immersion Experience

Inbound Panamá Exchange Program 8 SMES welcomed four exchange students from Panamá City, Panamá for a three-week cultural immersion experience in September.

Carmen Delgado, Amelia Arosemena, Alex Sayavedra and Daniel Ardila enjoyed a homestay with SMES host families, attended school and extracurricular activities with their host siblings, visited with SMES Elementary and Early Childhood students, and journeyed on day-trips to Atlanta’s must-see attractions including CNN, the Georgia Aquarium and The National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Thank you to the Granade, Davis, Studdard and Cunningham families for generously hosting the exchange students.

In June, a group of SMES 7th- and 8th-grade students will travel to Panamá for their own immersion experience in the second-leg of this annual exchange between SMES and The Episcopal School of Panamá.

FUN FACTS ABOUT PANAMÁ The word “Panamá” means “abundance of fish, trees and butterflies.”

Panamá is the only place in the world where you can see the sun rise on the Pacific and set on the Atlantic.

Panamá was the first country outside the U.S. in which CocaCola was sold.

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SEEN + HEARD

SMES Chorus Performance

Singing at the Braves 8 For the sixth year in a row the SMES Chorus, comprised of 60 3rd- through 8th-graders, performed the national anthem to a packed crowd at an Atlanta Braves game at SunTrust Park.

60 3-8 6

STUDENTS GRADES YEARS PERFORMING

Food, Fun, Fireworks!

PTO Parent Social 8 SMES parents from all divisions gathered at the home of Holly and Colby Craig to enjoy food, live music and friends this fall.

The PTO Parent Social is a wonderful annual tradition where new and returning parents meet or reconnect during a night of fun. This year’s social was tailgate-themed and guests enjoyed a surprise fireworks show to cap off the evening.

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SEEN + HEARD

Middle School CORE Program

Presidential Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco Visits SMES 8 As part of its Middle School CORE (Community Oriented Research and Education) program, St. Martin’s welcomed award-winning and presidential inaugural poet Richard Blanco to campus in September. Blanco spent the day with 7th-grade students leading poetry workshops, sharing his cultural heritage, and connecting with the school’s Spanish Club.

President Barack Obama selected Blanco in 2012 to serve as the fifth presidential inaugural poet in U.S. history, following in the footsteps of such luminary poets as Robert Frost and Maya Angelou. The St. Martin’s CORE program provides meaningful, real-world experiences to students by forming partnerships in the Atlanta community and beyond with the goal for students to become more active, informed, and engaged citizens.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SELECTED BLANCO IN 2012 TO SERVE AS THE FIFTH PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL POET IN U.S. HISTORY.

OTHER PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL POETS INCLUDE:

First Grade Fun!

Giving Thanks

8 The families of St. Martin’s 1st graders gathered to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday together. Parents provided a feast of favorite family home-cooked recipes and delicious store-bought goodies. First-grade students and teachers decorated the cafeteria festively for the occasion.

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ROBERT FROST

MAYA ANGELOU

Down on the Farm

8 First graders ventured to the country to enjoy fall outdoor activities at Southern Belle Farm. The field trip’s highlights included iconic fall farm activities like exploring the pumpkin patch, navigating the four-acre corn maze and much more.

SEEN + HEARD

Beloved Tradition

Halloween Parade Shines Through the Rain

8 The relentless rain on Oct. 31 could not spook the beloved Early Childhood and 8th-grade Halloween Parade! Instead, festivities were moved indoors and EC students, their 8th-grade buddies and spirited teachers put on a great show for an animated audience of parents, faculty, staff and fellow students. Spectators went wild when a rare and beautiful Toddler unicorn broke away from the pack and galloped out in front of the parade. Costumes included SpongeBob, an ostrich, Disney princesses, scary monsters and so much more.

Fundraising Fun

2nd Annual Warrior 5K and Fun Run 8 Nearly 400 runners from the Brookhaven and greater-Atlanta community attended the second annual PTO Warrior 5K and Fun Run! The 5K race was a Peachtree Road Race qualifier on a USA Track and Field-certified course that wound through the beautiful Brittany neighborhood. Participants warmed up after the races with hot chocolate and enjoyed a post-race celebration complete with the Atlanta Falcons’ own Freddie the Falcon, a DJ, sponsor booths, snacks and an award ceremony. Congratulations winners!

Fun Run Male..................... Jack Anderson Fun Run Female .................... Lila Botham 5K Female 0-7yrs......Aubrey Culberson 5K Male 0-7yrs...................... Clayton Byrd 5K Female 8-10yrs..............Elyse Stugard 5K Male 8-10yrs......................Bobby Rohs 5K Female 11-14yrs.... Reese Richardson 5K Male 11-14 yrs...............Thomas Koziol Overall Female Student 5K Winner

Overall Male Student 5K Winner

Reese Richardson

Thomas Koziol

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SEEN + HEARD

Teachers are encouraged to use the book nook to teach such themes as problemsolving and empathy.

Exciting Resource for Teachers

Introducing the Multicultural Book Nook

8 St. Martin’s made an exciting addition to its collection of resources for teachers with the debut of the Multicultural Book Nook in November. The nook, located on the top floor of the Warrior Hall building, is a shared resource for all teachers and boasts a full range of books and accompanying teaching guides in a variety of reading levels especially curated around social-emotional learning and cultural competency.

That Puppet Guy

EC Travels Around the World 8 Fan-favorite Early Childhood visiting performer, Lee Bryan, aka That Puppet Guy, returned to St. Martin’s to deliver his “Travelin’ Tales” show for Toddler, Beginner, Pre-K and Kindergarten students. Bryan used rod and shadow puppets along with beautifully hand-crafted animal masks to tell stories from India, China and Native American lore. Each tale was chosen specifically for a young audience and featured messages of anti-bullying and honesty in an engaging and at times, comical, performance.

Kindergarten Performance

The Story of Christmas 8 Parents and friends crowded into St. Martin’s church to cheer on Kindergarten performers as they sang and danced to Christmas classics and presented the Nativity story. This annual event is a special tradition for St. Martin’s oldest Early Childhood students. Students demonstrated their music and movement talents by jiving to popular holiday songs such as “Hip Hop Reindeer” and “March from the Nutcracker.” The main event included performers—dressed as kings, shepherds, angels and animals—gathered around the manger to recount the true meaning of Christmas.

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Kindergarten performers presented the true meaning of Christmas for all in attendance.

SEEN + HEARD

CELEBRATING FEAST DAY AND 60 YEARS AT ST. MARTIN’S St. Martin’s celebrated its second annual Feast Day and the school’s 60th anniversary on a sunny day in October. All students enjoyed a full day of fun and fellowship, kicked-off by a parade that highlighted the decades since the establishment of St. Martin’s in 1959. Students from 1st- through 8th-grade classes donned decade-themed costumes, beginning with the 1st graders in poodle skirts for the 1950s.

St. Martin’s clubs also jumped in the parade line-up and creatively showed off each club’s mission with props, sandwich boards and costumes. The Drama Club spent extra hours outside of school assembling the parade’s showstopper float: an enormous 60th birthday cake.

After the parade, students enjoyed a special chapel service before moving on to the rest of the day’s festivities. Early Childhood students moved and grooved with a surprise musical guest and completed fun birthday-themed arts and crafts while ES and MS students rotated through engaging activities such as team relay-races on the big field, a student talent show, dancing and more!

Feast Day is a full day of fun and fellowship in honor of the school’s patron saint, Martin of Tours. Martin of Tours was a member of the Roman imperial army. One day, he encountered a beggar and decided to cut his heavy officer’s cloak in half to share with the beggar. Later Martin had a vision of Christ wearing the cloak.

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SEEN + HEARD

St. Francis of Assisi

Blessing of the Animals

Farm-to-Table Day

Eating Local 8 Students, faculty and staff enjoyed the taste of a Georgia fall at Farm-to-Table Day in October. Once again, the St. Martin’s Green Committee partnered with SAGE Dining Services to bring delicious, seasonal and locally-sourced food options to SMES for a special lunch. As always, the Green Committee brightened up the cafeteria with festive fall decor including burlap runners and local pumpkins as centerpieces.

Halloween Goodies

Treats Over Tricks 8 Elementary parent volunteers always amaze with the Halloween-themed treats and games they bring to ES classrooms to finish off the Oct. 31 school day. Ms. Letts’ 4th-grade class raced to unwrap prizes bundled in a saran wrap ball, while Mrs. McFarland’s 1st-grade class participated in ghost races where students propelled little ghosts down strings by blowing through straws, and much more.

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8 St. Martin’s held its beloved Blessing of the Animals chapel service in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, who preached to love and protect all of God’s creatures.

During the service, Mother Taylor blessed science lab animals, students’ family pets and donations collected from the St. Martin’s community for the DeKalb County Animal Shelter.

Ms. Allen’s 4th-grade class went above and beyond and built and painted dog beds for the shelter with help from SMES maintenance staff employee Dwight Webbe.

SEEN + HEARD

November Open House

Welcome Prospective Families 8 St. Martin’s welcomed prospective families to campus to learn more about SMES’s preschool through 8th-grade experience in November. Families enjoyed remarks from Head of School Dr. Luis Ottley and a Q&A-style session with Middle School students before touring the school and visiting with teachers in their classrooms. St. Martin’s student ambassadors led family tours and faculty and staff were on hand to answer any questions regarding curricular or extracurricular offerings at SMES. Much-Loved Variety Show

Fall Drama Showcase Inspires Laughter and Tears Student Council

The Votes are In!

8 Each fall, students in the 5th-8th grades are elected by their homerooms to serve as Student Council representatives, and some go on to campaign for council leadership positions in an open vote among all Middle School students. Congratulations to (from l-r): President Erielle Harris, Recording Secretary Eva McLaren, Vice-President of Community Service Elizabeth McCall, Vice-President of School Service Emerson Rand, Vice-President for Administration Liam Adcock, Corresponding Secretary Nicholas Demba and Treasurer Ryan Akin.

8 The audience was larger than ever at this year’s Fall Drama Showcase. The showcase is a much-loved variety show which features improvisation, musical theater and the drama program’s One-Act competition piece. Middle School musical theater students performed songs and scenes from “James and the Giant Peach” and “Freaky Friday” while 5th-8th grade drama students pulled at the audience’s heartstrings with their one-act version of “Big Fish.”

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SEEN + HEARD

FALL FESTIVAL FUN A rainy Saturday couldn’t stop the PTO’s annual Fall Festival from bringing fun and games to St. Martin’s families, faculty and staff. Attendees gathered indoors to enjoy the festival’s annual array of activities including bouncy houses, arts and crafts, face painting, a haunted house, balloon art and more! Delicious food and drinks were provided by local food trucks and cakewalk winners went home with tasty treats.

New York Times Bestselling Author Visits Campus

8 The New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the Vanderbeekers series, Karina Yan Glaser, visited St. Martin’s to discuss the writing process with 3rd - 6th graders. She conveyed to students how the literary skills they are practicing now in English can be applied to a future career.

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SEEN + HEARD

Full STEAM Ahead

8 Fourth- and 5th-grade students hit the ground running in September with a STEAM challenge to design and build all-weather benches to outfit the newly upgraded Elementary STEAM Lab and Makerspace.

Students measured the wood and assembled the furniture using power tools. When experiments are too messy or would be restricted by indoor tables and chairs, students move outdoors and use the benches as workspaces.

In Honor of Our Veterans 8 In honor of Veterans Day, SMES welcomed veterans and community members to campus for its annual Veterans Day celebration. The crowd filled the school gym to enjoy a patriotic program of performances, including student essays honoring veterans, patriotic music performed by SMES choruses and bands, and a presentation of the flag by the 4th grade. Awards were presented to student-winners of the annual school-wide essay and artwork contest called “The Veteran I Most Admire.� Georgia state senator Dr. Michael Rhett served as the keynote speaker and delivered an inspiring message about the importance of giving back to the community.

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IN’S CELEB

RA TE

S

S

60 years M T.

T AR

b y K R I STI G A F F N E Y D I R E C TO R O F M A R K E TI N G & CO M M U N I C ATI O N S

T

he 2019-2020 school year marks the 60th anniversary of St. Martin’s Episcopal School. Founded in 1959 with more than 30 Kindergarten students under the leadership of church rector the Rev. Samuel T. Cobb and Director Hazel Gailliard (“Miss Hazel”), the school was a natural extension of St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church, which had been established only eight years prior as a mission of the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta. Rev. Cobb saw an opportunity to utilize some empty classroom space at the church for a preschool and the rest is, as they say, history.

As St. Martin’s has grown exponentially over the past 60 years, each stride has been calculated and methodical and always with school family and founding principles at the root of the progress.

By the mid-1960s, SMES had blossomed to an enrollment of well over 100 students, and the tuition for the five-day, half-day Kindergarten program was around $17 per month. In the mid-1970s, DeKalb County offered free Kindergarten to its residents and then Directors Ormond Caldwell, and later Millie Foote began formalizing what would become The St. Martin’s Day School as a private school alternative.

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While the 1980s was a decade of physical growth with the addition of Claiborne Hall and Young Hall to accommodate the new Elementary grades, it was also a time for the school to formalize its leadership with the creation of the first Board of Trustees and a name change to St. Martin’s Episcopal School as an incorporated business. The 1990s was a decade of significant change to both the physical plant and the expansion of the curriculum. Then as SMES entered the new millennium in 2000, the school continued to keep pace with 21st-century technology while always being mindful of the critical balance of providing a nurturing environment for students.

Former parent, PTO board member and 12-year Board of Trustees member Marianne Fortuna’s family joined the St. Martin’s community in 1983. She marvels at the growth and expansion of the small Episcopal school her family originally joined. “It is wonderful to visit and see what this incredible place has become,” says Fortuna.

“During our 20 years of ushering our three children through the St. Martin’s program, I was also privileged to be on the Board of Trustees when it voted to expand the program into a Middle School. As such, I committed

“

Over the course of my 12-year tenure, enrollment increased from about 200 to almost 600 students, we held three capital campaigns and built three new buildings.”

DR. NEELY YOUNG

to having my children graduate with good faith that we would succeed. SMES prepared my children incredibly well for their final four years at Holy Innocents’ and they were all able to attend the college of their choice.”

The late 1980s brought Dr. Neely Young to campus as its first official Headmaster. “When I arrived in 1987, there were two sets of goals - short-range and long-range,” he remembers. “The school was at a crossroads and had immediate needs to increase enrollment and raise the profile of the school. Achieving these goals consumed much of my time in the early days, but we exponentially increased enrollment, hired additional teachers and found classroom space to accommodate the growth. Over the course of my 12-year tenure, enrollment increased from about 200 to almost 600 students, we held three capital campaigns and built three new buildings.”

The Rev. Dr. James Hamner became the second Headmaster of SMES in 2000. His steady, capable leadership saw many school improvements including the expansion of the Middle School into its own new building, the addition of many co-curricular programs including band, broadcast journalism and drama, the adoption of

Dr. Neely Young, 1990

1987

Patti Pitoscia, 1990

1959

1990

First Kindergarten Class, 1960 Dr. Neely Young, 1988

1951 - 1983

1987 - 1990

1988

1983

Patti Pitoscia, 1989 Student Council, 1990

First Graders, 1984 Elementary Students, 1988

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1989 1990

STEAM initiatives throughout the curriculum and the addition of the capstone 8th-grade annual trip to the Grand Canyon. “It was a great pleasure and privilege to serve as Headmaster during a period of considerable physical plant, programmatic and enrollment growth,” says Hamner. “I appreciated tremendously my administrative and teaching colleagues as well as our SMES families and trustees for their support and leadership as we worked together to embody SMES’ mission of academic and personal excellence and service to the larger community.” Dr. Hamner’s vision and collaborative work with the Board of Trustees helped craft the strategic goals for St. Martin’s to become the premier 21st-century preschool through 8th-grade school in the Atlanta area.

Hamner led for 17 years and worked tirelessly to support the mission of the school in addition to being a parent to three daughters who enjoyed a St. Martin’s education. “As a parent of three alumni, I’m very glad that SMES exemplifies its core identity as an Episcopal school committed to cultivating the life of the mind, body and spirit for each student entrusted to its care.”

“

We worked together to embody SMES’ mission of academic and personal excellence and service to the larger community.”

REV. DR. JAMES HAMNER

The 2017-18 school year brought new leadership to campus as Dr. Luis Ottley became the third Head of School at St. Martin’s. “When I visited the campus for interviews, I knew there was something very special about St. Martin’s,” says Ottley. “The Episcopal foundation of the school was something that I had long been searching for as a place to lead and also to educate my own two young children. The school was already a vibrant, thriving community and I was excited to take on the challenge of next steps.” Ottley was slated to begin his tenure on July 5, 2017, only to receive a phone call one-day prior, letting him know there had been a fire in the Claiborne Hall Early Childhood Learning Center. “I began my career here at St. Martin’s literally as trial by fire,” he remembers. “All of my entry plans had to be revamped as I tackled the task at hand to orchestrate a plan for the preschool students to begin the school year on campus in August. A capital campaign immediately followed to fund the new building and I appreciate the entire SMES community for rallying to support this initiative at breakneck speed.” Under Ottley’s guidance and leadership, the Board of Trustees and with the support of the entire St. Martin’s commu-

1995 Warrior Hall Construction, 1999

Cross Country Team, 1994

Early Childhood, 1990

1992

Soccer Team, 1995

1999

1988 - 1999

Church Bell Tower, 1991

Kindergarten Class, 1992

1994

First 8th Grade Class, 1994

Basketball Team, 1995

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nity, March of 2019 ushered in a new era for Early Childhood students as they moved into a state-of-the-art building intentionally designed for preschool-aged students. In addition to the physical rebirth of the Early Childhood program, Ottley has introduced several new programs including the addition of the Kairos Learning Center for children with learning differences, the expansion of the Early Childhood program to include Toddlers and Infants and the enhancement of the STEAM curriculum throughout the school.

In the early days of SMES and into today’s climate, it is not unusual for teachers to join the staff and remain engaged and active in teaching and leadership for 20+ years.

St. Martin’s is blessed to have 33-year SMES veteran Patti Pitoscia’s wisdom and experience still working as the Dean of Students. “I began at SMES in 1987 as the PE coach and art teacher for 2-year-olds through 5th graders - and that was the whole school at that time,” says Pitoscia (or Miss P., as she’s affectionately known). “I’ve held many positions over the years from Athletic Director, where I was a co-founder of the Metro Atlanta Athletic Conference (MAAC), to Leadership class instructor to countless coaching positions and have been on too many

“We finally found a word to describe what a St. Martin’s experience truly is WholeheartED. This single word sums it up well.”

committees and councils to count.” Through the years, Miss P. has seen many changes but still feels grounded at SMES because it was the right fit from the get-go and, through it all, she still feels that the school has remained true to its core values and mission. “We’ve hired the right people at the right time to join our family and bring their gifts, talents and ideas to the table. We really do celebrate one another and care for each other in everyday life. St. Martin’s is like Norm on the old show Cheers, when someone walks in the building, St. Martin’s really does know your name.”

DR. LUIS OTTLEY

Through the years, St. Martin’s has established many beloved traditions, celebrations and honors that have stood the test of time. The Excellence in Teaching award began in 1988 with a shared award between Fran Farmer and Alice Ryan. Farmer taught 4-year-olds for 25 years. Last year’s recipient of the Reeder Excellence in Teaching award went to Director of Speech and Drama Heidi McKerley in recognition of the amazing drama program that has blossomed under her leadership over the past 16 years.

Grandparents Day, Veterans Day, the Halloween parade honoring the youngest and oldest students, Festival Day

Aladdin , 20

06

2005

50th Anniversary, 2009

2000

New Sign, 2000s

Dr. Mary McPherson, 2005

2006

Graduation, 2006

2000 - 2005

2009

2006 - 2019 Basketball Team, 2010

5th Grade Chariot Race, 2006

Board of Trustees and Athletics Staff, 2005 Class of 2003

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2003 2005

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Physics Class, 2006

2007

2010 Heidi McKerley and Pirates of Penzance, 2007

that morphed into Feast Day in honor of the patron saint Martin, and Lessons and Carols at Christmastime are all beloved traditions that continue to create memories for students, faculty, staff and SMES parents.

Looking ahead ten years and beyond, St. Martin’s will continue to expand, improve and innovate, but it’s a safe bet to assume that the heart of St. Martin’s will always remain. “We finally found a word to describe what a St. Martin’s experience truly is - WholeheartED,” says Ottley. “This single word sums it up well. ‘Whole’ speaks to the mission of the school to educate the whole child while ‘heart’ supports the loving environment that welcomes and supports a diverse student body and ‘ED’ is the education that is at the core of what we do as a school.

We educate young children to become well-rounded adolescents who are ready to take on the next steps of high school and beyond.” The mission of St. Martin’s has always been to provide a quality education of the whole person in a loving, Christian atmosphere which fosters lifelong learning and it remains the foundation today as SMES sets its sights on the next 60 years.

Historical Source: “A History of St. Martin in the Fields” by Anne Shepherd, 2001.

50TH ANNIVERSARY BY-THE-NUMBERS

547 90 22 129 7

Students Faculty Administrators

Explorers students

Class of 2011

Acres

2011 The Wizar

d of Oz, 20

2018

60TH ANNIVERSARY

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BY-THE-NUMBERS

637 100 33 208 7

Students

Dr. Luis Ottley, 2018

Faculty Administrators

Explorers students Acres

Middle School Building Dedication, 2012

2012

Dr. James Hamner, 2017

2017

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STUDENT WRITER

Buddies

8 BY

AT ST. MARTIN’S

A N N A LOFFR ED I O, 8 T H G R A D E

S AN 8TH GRADER, I BELIEVE ONE OF THE CORE VALUES AT ST. MARTIN’S IS A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. This is exemplified in many ways throughout all divisions of the school, but particularly through the buddy programs. Halloween buddies, gym buddies, art buddies, math buddies, and 5th/7th-grade buddies are all programs that help strengthen the sense of community at St. Martin’s.

A

Another great program is the Halloween buddy program. As has been St. Martin’s tradition for over a decade, each year on Halloween the 8th-grade students walk with the Kindergarten students in a parade. Both the 8th grade and Kindergarten students dress in their costumes (the Kindergarteners are invariably adorable). The buddies meet once a week for several weeks prior to the occasion to get to know their buddies. Addison Hoover commented on her experience, “Buddies are fun!

Why do you always have to go eat lunch? Do you have to go eat lunch? Can you just stay here?”

It is always an inspiring sight to see the little Kindergarteners holding hands with the 8th graders on Halloween morning.

Each program started for different reasons throughout the years, but most participants agree that they are a great part of life at St. Martin’s. For instance, gym buddies began when the Beginner (3-4-year-olds) students were displaced from their classrooms three years ago due to a fire in the Early Childhood building. Coach Susan Murphy generously offered the gym to the young children during the 8th-grade girls’ PE class so that the Beginners could get their exercise while having fun with the older students. The program continued even after the new EC building was completed because both groups of students enjoyed it so much. “I have so much fun with our buddies, and they are so cute and positive,” said 8th -grader Katherine Davis. But the younger kids enjoy it too. Beginner Collins Henderson told her buddy Luna Ochoa as she pushed herself on a bright red scooter in the gym, “I have so much fun playing with you and my friends… you are so nice to me.”

Teachers also use buddies to learn about different styles of teaching. “I wanted to find a way to see how math looked in the Beginners classroom,” said Melissa Grier, the 7th-grade math teacher and the person responsible for beginning math buddies.

Buddies can have a significant impact on the lives of students participating. From the tiniest of toddlers all the way to the 8th graders, the experience of having a buddy can make a difference. And buddies don’t always have to be many years apart. They can also be closer in age. One great example of this is the 5th/7th-grade buddy program.

Since 2010, the 5th/7th-grade buddies have been a way to help 5th graders transition into Middle School more easily. Current 6th grader Addison Davis said while smiling in the busy Middle School hallway, “It helped us a lot with team building and getting to know others better. It was a great preview of Middle School.” Seventh graders meet with 5th graders for several lunch periods throughout the school year, and 5th graders are given the opportunity to ask their buddy questions about life in the Middle School as they enjoy a lunch on the sunny green space. Once they graduate from Elementary School, the 5th graders have somebody in the Middle School to look to for advice or help in their transition.

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Overall, the buddy programs at St. Martin’s help teach older students leadership and responsibility, while younger students have someone to lean on and look up to in the following years.

Buddies also reinforce and extend the sense of community at St. Martin’s, and are a great experience for all who participate.

STUDENT WRITER

Our Student Family

8 BY

CHARLIE DU ER R , 8 T H G R A D E

F

AMILY. A FAMILY IS A GROUP OF RELATED PEOPLE who love, support, and trust in each other. Though we may not be related, we are family.

The Alpha to Omega group at St. Martin’s Episcopal School is a group of students who have attended St. Martin’s for the past ten-plus years by the time they reach 8th grade. Through the years, we share experiences from finger painting, learning the ABCs, and having ice cream parties to learning important material, attending exciting school dances, and traveling to the Grand Canyon. As an Alpha to Omega member, I can easily say that we are all proud to be representatives of this incredible group. Even though starting our St. Martin’s career since Pre-K establishes a special connection between us, those who join in later years grow into our family as well. Growing up with fellow classmates for nearly a decade turns into more than just a friendship, but a bond that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.

Around ten years ago, 31 kids in our Pre-Kindergarten class of 2010-2011 started our long journey through the St. Martin’s school community, not knowing where it would lead us. We made it through Early Childhood and had an amazing time through Elementary School with lots of great experiences such as compliment parties with Mrs. Boone in 2nd grade and the stock market game with Mrs. Coverstone in 4th grade. Fast forward to the year 2017, and we are a class of 66 in 5th grade, and we’re super excited to move into our next step in life as middle schoolers.

Ms. Paulson, a teacher of 28 years at SMES, said it best, “Having students grow up together promotes great teamwork skills and enhances their abilities to collaborate. St. Martin’s students are great at supporting each other and working as a team.”

As we started this school year as a class of 51 8th graders, we realized that growing up with a group of students who we love and in which we can trust has been a crucial part of our fundamental stages. And no one can accomplish a community like St. Martin’s can. From numerous day field trips in Elementary School and the exciting overnight trip to Skidaway Island to the retreats and three end-of-year trips in Middle School (including Washington D.C. and the Grand Canyon); these all gave us so much important time to get to know each other through the good and the bad.

Being a part of a group where everyone knows everyone for multiple years has had many positive impacts on our daily lives.

“I loved the Nantahala trip,’’ said John Madden, an 8th-grade student who started attending St. Martin’s in Kindergarten. “It was great because we had the opportunity to raft and have fun with our classmates.”

“SMES allowed me to form strong relationships with all of my peers,” said Emerson Rand, another 8th-grade student who has attended St. Martin’s since Kindergarten.

“I have grown great friendships and have learned to love the subjects that the teachers have taught,” said Connor Ziegler who has attended St. Martin’s since Pre-K. There are an overwhelming amount of students who would agree that growing up together for nearly a decade has formed such strong, unbreakable friendships that will last a lifetime, but has also formed a family between the students and faculty. I can speak for everyone in the class of 2020, especially our Alpha to Omega group, that leaving St. Martin’s will be one of the most difficult things we will face because of the years of memories, laughs, and lessons together.

As 8th graders, we’ve all spent the past months gazing at many colorful, school brochures trying to find the right high school fit for us.

We are deciding whether or not this new high school family will exceed the standards that have been set by St. Martin’s, or not. I am forever grateful to the SMES community for intentionally creating a sanctuary for us through education, worship, and opportunities. After graduation, when we start preparing for our first year of high school, we will know that our St. Martin’s family can never be separated because we are a family, and St. Martin’s is our home.

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All Good Things Take Time

How St. Martin’s is Challenging Today’s Culture of Instant Gratification b y SARAH TAYLOR ( M I L L EN N I A L ) COMMUN I C AT I ON S COOR D I N ATOR

LAZY. ENTITLED. IMPATIENT. These words, or those of similar sentiment, have been used by older generations for ages to describe the younger generations of their time. And history seems dead set on repeating itself.

Hesiod, a Greek poet active between 750 and 650 B.C., said, “The present youth are exceedingly wise [disrespectful] and impatient of restraint.” In 1993, when Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) were coming of age and entering the workforce, The Washington Post published an article titled “The Boring Twenties” which stated, “What really distinguishes this generation from those before it is that it’s the first generation in American history to live so well and complain so bitterly about it.” In the crosshairs today is Generation Z (born after 1997), the generation succeeding Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996).

Demographers have not yet reached a consensus on Generation Z’s ending birth year, but according to Bloomberg News, Gen Z is, “the group of kids, teens and young adults roughly between the ages of seven and 22 in 2019.” In other words, the children currently growing up in St. Martin’s Elementary School and Middle School are part of this cohort. Unlike their predecessors, this generation was introduced to digital technology at a very young age and intuitively use the Internet and social media. They do

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not recall a time before widespread availability of wireless Internet access and high-bandwidth cellular service.

Fittingly, alternative names for them include Digital Natives, iGeneration (iGen), Gen Tech and Post-Millennial.

While studies show that younger generations like Gen Z and Millennials spend more time “plugged in” than Gen X, Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation, the gap is rapidly closing. A 2016 Pew Research Center survey* showed that between 2012 and 2017 the number of senior citizens in the U.S. who owned smartphones nearly quadrupled. A cultural shift is happening that reaches beyond the U.S.’s younger populations, and with it comes both positive and negative consequences. Digital Responsibility,** a company created by a group of Silicon Valley tech employees dedicated to educating young people on the personal and public consequences of technology, indicates on their website that, “As our technology moves faster, our patience grows thinner...as people become too used to instant gratification in the virtual world it can lead to poor choices and major frustrations in the real world.”

Although technology has been blamed for fostering a culture of instant gratification, the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) curriculum at SMES demonstrates how technology can be used to in-

terrupt impatience and teach the importance of trial and error.

“The STEAM curriculum encourages students to experience failure, revision, and success through innovative, inquiry-based projects,” says STEAM Coordinator Wade Hanse. “I like for students to understand that STEAM learning is about applying your current knowledge and experiences to predict outcomes in novel circumstances (projects). When the students fail, it is important to remind them that they are adding to their tool-box of experience and knowledge for the next challenge they encounter.”

Last fall, SMES 8th-grade technology students embarked on a semester-long STEAM project to design and build a 3D model of a city. Four challenging months separated the idea’s exciting inception and its actualization. Students utilized computer software to design each detail of the city; everything from the minute stop signs to the town hall building. They constructed the city’s foundation and surrounding mountainous landscape from papier-mâché before transforming their digital city designs into its physical components using the school’s 3D printer in the new Creation Studio (formerly known as the Technology Lab). In true STEAM fashion, the project progressed slowly. After the initial novelty wore off, students had to rally to push through software glitches, math miscalculations, design flaws and more. In the end, the project succeeded in leveraging modern technology while simultaneously working to dismantle the student’s frustration with the time investment required for trial and error. A true Gen Z accomplishment.

St. Martin’s students also enjoy the opportunity to practice learning through “failure” beyond the STEAM curriculum, and even beyond the classroom. Extracurriculars at SMES, like the athletic and performing arts programs, are designed to build up participants’ abilities over a period of years.

“You can’t learn a new skill overnight, says St. Martin’s Athletic Director Mark McDaniel. “Whether it’s a layup in basketball or an overhand serve in volleyball, a new skill takes time to learn.

In St. Martin’s athletics, we measure success by the time and effort we put in and the improvement seen from the beginning to the end of the season. A team, or players, do not need to win awards or trophies in order to be considered successful.”

St. Martin’s Director of Speech and Drama Heidi McKerley measures success similarly in her performing arts program. “Acting, singing and dancing are often about energy and knowing how to fill a space in order to tell a story fully,” she says. “It is tough for 5th- and 6th-grade performers to take the risk of putting that much energy out into the universe. However, by the time a stu-

SMES 8th-grade technology students embarked on a semester-long STEAM project to design and build a 3D model of a city.

dent reaches the 7th or 8th grade, their technical skills, like matching pitch, and their willingness to ‘fail’ have greatly improved. That change in confidence and energy is huge to getting what you are after in drama, but it takes time for students to learn to let go of their fear and say, ‘I will survive no matter what happens, so I am going to GO FOR IT!’.”

Even though St. Martin’s facilitates ways for its predominantly Gen Z student body to learn the value of revision and reflection, students still often grow frustrated with the time investment required in pursuing a challenging goal. “If this generation is struggling with trial and error, it is because the pace of the world they live in is faster than ever before,” says Hanse. “They want to hop from one trial to the next without pausing to be critical of the process.” Through no fault of their own, Gen Z students have been shaped and are being shaped by the instantaneous nature of today’s digital world. “Young people encounter the world and have to deal with it on its terms,” says Middle School Principal Tony Shaffer. “Our students work incredibly hard, they are focused and perseverant, and they probably feel more need to work and excel than is actually required of them. The conflict between Gen Z students and their predecessors is sometimes because what they strive for and value is not always what the adults in their lives value.”

As the world continues to move faster and faster, St. Martin’s curriculum and programs will continue to work to stay ahead of the curve; to encourage learners to slow down and savor the process, because after all, all good things take time.

*Pew Research Center (PRC) survey conducted Sept. 29 - Nov. 6, 2016 referenced in 2017 PRC article, “Tech Adoption Climbs Among Older Adults.” **digitalresponsibility.org

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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Volunteer Spotlight

Ed Zunzunegui When did your family become part of the St. Martin’s community?

Joined St. Martin’s community: 2015-2016 Volunteer Areas: • Fall Festival • St. Martin’s Fund • Capital Campaign • Classroom parent • Parent Council

We were researching schools for our son Aaron in late 2014, and St. Martin’s wasn’t on our initial list until we had a chance conversation with our friends the Leiters.

After a meeting with Blythe Marsau, a tour of the school and Aaron’s visit, we were convinced this was the right school for him and us. Aaron was enrolled for Pre-K for the 2015-16 school year and is currently a 3rd grader.

In what capacities have you volunteered at SMES (in and out of the classroom)?

My first unofficial volunteer position with the school was as an out-sourced contract laborer working for my wife, who was the co-chair of the SMES Fall Festival for two years starting in 2016. My next engagement was with the St. Martin’s Fund as a volunteer in 2017, helping to contact families and educate them on the need for the Fund to bridge the gap between tuition and expenses and how their contributions help all the kids. Then, in 2018, Tina Haas asked if I would chair the St. Martin’s Fund for the 2018/2019 school year. Knowing the new building capital campaign was also that year, I asked Roger House, Chair of the “Together We Rise” capital campaign, if I could help him too.

Wanting also to be more engaged with Aaron’s class in 2017, I volunteered as a classroom parent representative. The 2019-20 school year is now my third term on Dr. McPherson’s Elementary School Parent Council.

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Why is fundraising for St. Martin’s important to you and your family?

As with a lot of families, when we came to a private school, we were unaware of the need for fundraising to help support operating costs and school programs that affect all students.

Realizing that keeping tuition competitive is key to the school, the St. Martin’s Fund contributes funds to support the current school year to meet budget goals. To us, the funds ensure the school meets and exceeds its mission to create well-rounded students who are teedup for lifelong learning. The money helps fund new technology, 20 different sports programs, an award-winning speech and drama program, field and class trips, teacher professional development, and many other essential things that make St. Martin’s such a special place for our children.

What makes St. Martin’s special to you and your family?

The answer is simple: the way the teachers and staff mentor, treat, love, and educate our son is why we love St. Martin’s.

STEAM

5

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ELEMENTARY

STEAM Lab Outdoor Space

at Thanks to donations from the St. Martin’s Together We Rise capital campaign, the Elementary STEAM Lab’s outdoor space has a whole new look! The existing space boasts a new awning and has been expanded and equipped with a rain barrel, garden beds, all-weather benches, outdoor storage and plenty of space for 2nd through 5th graders to engage in hands-on, STEAM-based learning.

1

Garage Door

A garage door provides seamless flow between the STEAM Lab’s indoor and outdoor spaces. This feature effectively doubles the space available for ES scientists to research, experiment and build their STEAM projects.

2

Shade Structure

The new colorful shade structure allows students to spend quality time outdoors throughout the school year, unimpeded by the weather. The awning also functions as the vital first step in the lab’s water recycling system. Its sloped, v-shape design channels rainwater toward a chain that then transports the water into a rain barrel.

3

Rain Barrel

The barrel can collect and store 470 gallons of rainwater! The water is then reused to help grow the STEAM Lab’s gardens and plays a vital role in science experiments. For example, 3rd-grade students test the water’s acidity as part of their pollution unit.

4 Gardens

A vertical garden and planter boxes, nurtured by 2ndand 3rd-grade green thumbs, fill the outdoor space with natural growth. After careful research, St. Martin’s 2nd graders constructed the vertical herb garden using repurposed plastic bottles and 3rd graders populated the planter boxes with a variety of lettuces.

5

All-Weather Benches

Fourth- and 5th-grade students kicked off their year with a STEAM challenge to design and build benches that now serve as the space’s all-weather furniture. The benches can be rearranged as needed to accommodate an array of activities ranging from reading research articles to experiments that involve messy chemical reactions, such as the “Elephant Toothpaste” experiment.

What is STEAM? A STEAM curriculum leverages relational learning to help students develop their problem-solving skills within a framework of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. STEAM initiatives at St. Martin’s begin early and build in complexity with each grade level.

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Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus b y K E V I N B A L DE SA R E SME S R E L I G I O N TE AC H E R

A

s a religion teacher at St. Martin’s, I was honored to receive a scholarship through my church, Oak Grove United Methodist, to go on the trip of a lifetime to Israel last summer. I’ve heard from many people about the impact of taking a life-changing trip, and I was ecstatic to be chosen to do just that. But as excited as I was to travel to Israel and to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, nothing could have prepared me for the influence this journey would have on my life and how I teach religion at St. Martin’s. It was a professional development opportunity like no other.

The 10-day trek across Israel was both exhausting and exhilarating.

I was part of a group of 40 on this whirlwind tour that began each day bright and early on a bus heading to various locations around the country for day-long adventures. We spent one night near Caesarea Philippi, five nights next to the Sea of Galilee and the last four nights in the capital city of Jerusalem. Each day as we stepped off the bus at a destination, our tour guide would tell us if we were at a “traditional site” or an “X marks the spot” site. A “traditional site” is a place where Christians have traditionally said Jesus taught a lesson or performed a miracle, but an “X marks the spot” site indicates a known spot where Jesus literally stood.

As I was preparing for the trip, my anticipation grew for the visit to Jesus’s birthplace at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. However, on the day of the tour, I was surprised to find that the location of Jesus’ birth was very crowded and touristy and not nearly as reverent as what I was expecting. I was hoping to have time to reflect and meditate in awe of where I was standing yet the touristy nature of the location did not lend itself to making it a memorable experience. But, just as life sometimes throws curveballs, oftentimes they come with silver linings. Our next destination was the Chapel of the Shepherd’s Field, where the Bible says angels first announced the birth of Christ. The church was beautiful, and it stood in the middle of a field where shep-

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“

BUT AS EXCITED AS I WAS TO TRAVEL TO ISRAEL AND TO WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS, NOTHING COULD HAVE PREPARED ME FOR THE INFLUENCE THIS JOURNEY WOULD HAVE ON MY LIFE AND HOW I TEACH RELIGION AT ST. MARTIN’S.

“ herds STILL watch over sheep. And as we admired the beauty of this church while the Announcement Story was read aloud, our tour guide told us to look in the distance to our right. And what did we see?

The Church of the Nativity! From where we stood we could see the place where Jesus was born, and from this vista, it was breathtaking, and we all stood in joyful silence.

In addition to Bethlehem, we visited the “Steps of Jesus” in ancient Jerusalem. These steps chronicle Jesus’ route after the Last Supper as he walked to the Garden of Gethsemane and back to the city where he was then arrested. This powerful experience of seeing the actual path that Jesus and his disciples walked helped me to understand that when the guards arrived with torches to arrest Jesus he would have seen them coming. He had the choice to run away from the arresting mob but chose not to. The realization of Jesus’ incredible courage overwhelmed me.

We ended our trip by visiting an “X marks the spot” location at the Sea of Galilee. We boarded a boat and ventured out onto the calm and still water to take in the scene. There was only one other boat on the lake, and I was surprised to realize how small the Sea of Galilee actually is – it’s more like Lake Lanier! In all the depictions of Jesus walking on water, he appears to be in the middle of the ocean. But the reality is that regardless of where you stand around the Sea of Galilee, you can always see the other side. The impact of seeing the geography helped me to understand how Jesus’ message spread so quickly in that area. When Jesus was preaching or performing miracles, rumors would have spread very quickly from town to town surrounding that small body of water.

When I showed my students pictures of the Sea of Galilee alongside depictions of Jesus walking on water, they were able

to have their own “aha” moment. My photos and experiences have been very useful in answering questions and challenging assumptions that arise when students are unfamiliar with the geography of a Biblical location. I have enjoyed watching their faces light up with understanding as stories they are familiar with, like those surrounding Christmas and Easter, are colored in with added meaning.

My journey to the Holy Land allowed the scriptures to come alive and provide context beyond anything I’ve ever learned. The trip was akin to reading the stories of Jesus in 3D, where every detail forced me to take notice. The experience made me fall in love with Jesus and the Bible and that love has been a powerful support to my role as a religion teacher here at SMES. When the Bible comes alive to us we can come alive too and realize that the stories of Jesus are the same stories that comprise our everyday lives when we call people to justice, ask for forgiveness and share our love in real places in today’s world. I am honored to have these experiences to share with St. Martin’s children as part of my teaching curriculum. Walking in the footsteps of Jesus was more than I ever imagined and as a result, I’m everchanged.

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Advancing Our Mission Through

PHILANTHROPY A Year to Celebrate at St. Martin’s! b y T I N A HAAS DIRECTO R OF A DVA N C EM EN T

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S

t. Martin’s began its 60th school year by celebrating the successful completion of the Together We Rise $5.5 million capital campaign! The campaign completely transformed the Early Childhood learning experience with a new building that doubled the space to create a state-of-theart learning center for our youngest students. The campaign also expanded and improved the Elementary School science lab, replaced the green turf play space, and constructed classrooms for the new Kairos Learning Center program.

Warrior Hall funded by the Partners in Spirit campaign in 1997

A history of giving

The Together We Rise campaign demonstrates both the resilience of the St. Martin’s community in overcoming a devastating loss of the building due to the July 4, 2017 arson and the visionary leadership of school administration and the Board of Trustees. It raised $5.5 million with support from more than 340 donors and countless hours from the campaign cabinet and other campaign volunteers. Now, the impact of the campaign is felt every day through student experiences and their love for learning which is instilled by St. Martin’s teachers.

The latest addition to the St. Martin’s campus is one of many transformational changes that have occurred over the history of the school. Following the introduction of the Middle School to St. Martin’s in the early 1990s, the campus has grown strategically through capital campaigns. In 1997, the church and school together launched the Partners in Spirit campaign to accommodate the growth of the school. The campaign funded the creation of Warrior Hall as a dedicated building for the school that was separate from the church. Warrior Hall The Hendon housed students from Challenge 1st through 8th grades, provided a gymnasium, raised more allowed for a dedicated than $340,000 library space, and into establish troduced the commons St. Martin’s which gave students Speech and and teachers a dedicated Drama program. lunchroom.

As the campus expanded, so did the school’s programs and the need for a major gifts campaign arose. In 2003, St. Martin’s trustees conducted a special campaign, known as The Hendon Challenge, which raised more than $340,000 to establish St. Martin’s Speech and Drama program and to add Spanish to its foreign language offerings.

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Middle School building funded by the Time to Grow campaign in 2012

In 2012, the Time to Grow capital campaign was completed, raising more than $6.6 million to build the Middle School building and make improvements to Warrior Hall. As a result, the Early Childhood, Elementary School and Middle School students began attending classes in their own dedicated state-of-theart spaces designed specifically for their respective age groups.

Independent schools traditionally rely on special capital campaigns from time to time to fund strategic needs not covered by annual tuition and fees. St. Martin’s is no exception and school leaders work hard to plan for growth and expansion of programming and facilities at a pace that’s in line with the Atlanta market, parent suggestions and the strategic vision of the school administration and Board of Trustees.

In fact, philanthropy (voluntary support) plays a critical role in providing the margin of excellence in St. Martin’s facilities and programs that help prepare our graduates to be successful in life beyond St. Martin’s.

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The St. Martin’s Fund The annual fundraising campaign for The St. Martin’s Fund helps make up the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating St. Martin’s students. Every year, we ask the St. Martin’s community – families, grandparents, trustees, faculty and staff, alumni and others – to contribute to The St. Martin’s Fund. While it generally amounts to less than five percent of the annual budget, this support has an oversized impact on the programming that makes St. Martin’s special. The effect of Every year, this annual fundraising we ask the initiative can be seen in St. Martin’s tangible ways such as community to opportunities to play nine different sports, an contribute to exceptional STEAM@ The St. Martin’s SMES program, and Fund. funding for many of the outstanding field trips available to students. Utilizing annual fund dollars to support these kinds of initiatives allows for exceptional programming and helps to limit tuition increases.

Early Childhood treehouse and playground funded by the Together We Rise campaign in 2019

Paying it forward Many former St. Martin’s families have given generously to capital campaigns for buildings that their children would never use because they believe in the mission of St. Martin’s and have already seen their own children thrive in high school and beyond as a result of the foundation provided by a St. Martin’s education. Of course, while their children were students, they benefitted from facilities that were built thanks to the generosity of others before them. Long-standing members of both the church and school communities have supported every capital campaign, and many continue to give annually to The St. Martin’s Fund.

Every year, the school continues to be grateful for every parent, grandparent, alumni, faculty, staff, and friend of the school whose financial support helps to make St. Martin’s an institution of excellence and supports the mission of educating the whole child. Contributions are both an investment in current SMES students – and toward generations of students yet to come.

It is in the spirit of community that St. Martin’s fundraising efforts are conducted. A small staff supports committed leaders and volunteers who are willing to give and ask others to do the same, and who understand that philanthropic support of the community is what enables St. Martin’s Episcopal School to provide a quality education in a loving Christian environment to foster lifelong learning.

From state-of-the-art facilities to exceptional programs, St. Martin’s student success is seen in and out of the classroom every day. This collective evidence supports the critical role and transformational impact of philanthropy at St. Martin’s and underscores the need for annual giving efforts as a foundation for success.

$5.5 MILLION RAISED

Some facts about Together We Rise n 340 donors supported the Together We Rise campaign. n The Board of Trustees gave a record amount to Together We Rise. n SMES faculty and staff donated close to $100,000. n Parents and grandparents donated more than $1.5 million. n The PTO helps the school in countless ways, and made the single largest commitment to this effort. n St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church and several non-SMES parent parishioners supported the campaign. n Four corporations gave a total of $125,000. n Even a few students donated!

Because of this support, we were able to go to local foundations who said they’d help take us to the finish line if we ran most of the race. Well, we did and they did – with grants totaling nearly $1 million!

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Sports Wrap-Up CROSS COUNTRY The St. Martin’s fall sports teams practiced hard and went up against some great competition!

Each team showed dedication and improvement all season long.

Success in sports can be measured in scores and trophies, but it can also be measured in other ways.

When you see and feel the team’s friendship and comradery, that equals success.

When you hear each coach talking about the dramatic growth of the team and the development of the players from the beginning of the season to the end, THAT defines success.

St. Martin’s athletics definitely had success this fall!

The Boys and Girls Cross Country season was exciting. The team participated in the Wingfoot XC Classic in Cartersville, Ga., which is Georgia’s largest cross country race and features the best middle and high school runners in the state. St. Martin’s finished strong with the girls finishing seventh and the boy’s 13th out of 25 schools. The team then took on Wesleyan and Marist in the heat of September in two super competitive meets leading to the championship finals. At MAAC finals, both teams took home the Championship title! The girls took first place with a narrow 1-point advantage over Atlanta Classical Academy and the boys beat out Ridgeview Middle for the top spot! Two individuals on the girls team clenched first and fourth in the championship race, and for the boys, one individual placed third. Wade Hanse was the head coach of the cross country team and was assisted by Susan Murphy, Spence Camp, and Katharine Veal.

Mark McDaniel SMES Athletic Director

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BOYS SOCCER The Boys A Soccer team started the season strong by tying their first two games against tough teams, Perimeter Christian and AIS. The boys then lost the next three. They came together and were determined to get aggressive and confident in their abilities. The boys demonstrated hard work and perseverance by finishing strong to win their last four games and missed the playoffs by just one point!

Coach Alan Shafir was the fearless leader of the team.

Maggie Tereshinski coached the Boys B Soccer team with passion and commitment.

This team was comprised of mostly 6th graders and enjoyed a great fall together.

As a group they improved steadily throughout the season and demonstrated high energy and strong skills.

This young team will be tough to beat in the future! Way to go, B-Boys.

SPORTS WRAP-UP

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

ULTIMATE FRISBEE

With 11 new girls on the A team, they lost a few games in the beginning while they found their form and learned to play as a team.

They went on an impressive winning streak to tie for fourth place, barely missing the cut-off for the playoffs.

The girls played hard, never gave up and improved every match. Chris Nama coached the A Girls for a fantastic fall season!

Ultimate had a great season. Spencer Stephens and Brandon Collins were the team’s dedicated coaches.

The boys were fun to watch and played hard.

They were aggressive on defense, causing turnovers for the other team and were highlyskilled on offense. They won their end of season tournament and were one of the top teams to beat all season!

They improved week after week and showed amazing sportsmanship all season long. Well done, Ultimate. n

The Girls B Volleyball team was a machine! They cranked out win after win, finishing 8-3 for the year.

They were 7-1 in conference play. They had fun on the court and were fun to watch as well! Coach Nama also led the B-Girls.

With 24 girls on the C-team, they were forced to split into two groups. Both the “Red” and “Blue” teams grew and developed all season. Michele Davis led the Blue girls while Laura Johnson led the Red girls.

Parent coach Jennifer O’Leary helped out all of the C-team players.

The girls’ understanding of the game and their fundamentals improved every week. They finished 5-1 for the season with the sole loss to a school’s B team. Great job C-Girls!

Fall 2019 Athletic Awards GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY 2019-20 MAAC CHAMPIONS MAAC All Conference Award......Ava Marsh Warrior Award...................................Eloise Smith Most Improved..................................Bobbi Allen BOYS CROSS COUNTRY 2019-20 MAAC CHAMPIONS MAAC All Conference Award......Charlie Duerr Warrior Award...................................Alec Flint Most Improved..................................Nathan Loope GIRLS A VOLLEYBALL MAAC All Conference Award......Maya Warrier Warrior Award...................................Emerson Rand Most Improved..................................Skyla Harris GIRLS B VOLLEYBALL Warrior Award...................................Luna O’Choa Hernandez Most Improved..................................Kathryn Scott Hustle Award.....................................Katherine Graham GIRLS C RED - VOLLEYBALL Warrior Award...................................Gabby Hollier Most Improved..................................Riley Mitchell Hustle Award.....................................Vanessa Chavez GIRLS C BLUE - VOLLEYBALL Warrior Award...................................Ansley Granade Most Improved..................................Greta Davis &

Charlotte Zalenski Hustle Award.....................................Tulsi Goel BOYS A SOCCER MAAC All Conference Award......Quin Brown Warrior Award...................................Brayden Ebert &

Christopher Kartsonas BOYS B SOCCER Warrior Award...................................Tate O’Leary Most Improved..................................Pierce Keathley Hustle Award.....................................Cameron Kim ULTIMATE FRISBEE Warrior Award...................................Eric Berg &

Drew Park Most Improved..................................Grayson Leiter Hustle Award.....................................Candler Neel

Intramurals St. Martin’s is proud to offer a wide variety of intramural sports for 1st-5th graders this year. From lacrosse to soccer and volleyball to ultimate Frisbee and field games, Elementary School students will be more than ready to join SMES athletics when they enter Middle School.

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Did You Know?

Baby Warriors Program Debuts at SMES The St. Martin’s infant program welcomed babies to campus as part of the 2020 New Year. The addition of Baby Warriors follows on the heels of the recent expansion of the Early Childhood program in 2018 when Toddlers were added to the grade level roster. Twenty-four infants, ages eight weeks to 24 months, became the youngest students in SMES history.

“Filling the needs of our parents, faculty and staff through this program is another way to show our commitment to the partnership we all enjoy as part of the St. Martin’s community,” said Head of School Dr. Luis Ottley.

The babies are well-cared for under the supervision of six teachers as they learn everything from rolling over to walking in their two newly-renovated and furnished classrooms on the ground floor of Young Hall. SMES aims to offer a safe, nurturing environment supported by a carefully planned program that fosters the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of each child and family served.

Did You Know?

You Helped St. Martin’s Go #FoamFree St. Martin’s is going greener! Thanks to the generous donations of St. Martin’s parents, faculty, staff and community members, lunch time at St. Martin’s is now free of single-use foam trays and plastic cups and cutlery. This #foamfree initiative was spearheaded by the St. Martin’s PTO who raised the funds for the initiative at the 2019 Fling gala.

Thanks to the success of the Fund-a-Need initiative, the SMES kitchen was able to undergo substantial renovations to make room for an industrial-sized dishwasher. Lunchtime at SMES now offers washable plates, trays and silverware for a more sustainable dining experience.

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Did You Know?

Student Council Donates Thousands Annually to Charity Over the past four years, the Middle School Student Council has raised more than $23,000 for local charities. Comprised of elected representatives from the 5th - 8th grades, the Student Council raises thousands of dollars per year in two unassuming ways: selling snacks and Middle School Spirit Week.

The snack cart brings in 80 percent of the council’s annual profit. It is a popular attraction at break time in the Middle School and features sweet and savory treats sold for 50 cents each. Council members donate their break time to manage the cart.

The Student Council’s spring fundraiser, Middle School Spirit Week, raises the rest of the council’s annual profit. It invites Middle School students to swap $5 for a fun, theme-filled week of non-uniform days.

SMES’ Student Council has a long-established culture of giving. For more than 12 years it has led fundraising efforts in support of local philanthropies serving Atlanta’s underprivileged communities. Last year, the Student Council distributed $5,500 among five organizations: The Good Samaritan Health Center, the Brookhaven Rotary Club Foundation, Episcopal Relief and Development, the Suthers Center for Christian Outreach and Bella Vista Children’s Home.

Did You Know?

Hybrid Learning Consortium Offers Online Classes For the second year, St. Martin’s Episcopal School is offering Middle School students the opportunity to take innovative online classes through the Hybrid Learning Consortium (HLC).

The HLC enables students to enrich their interests and enhance their high school resumes by taking online courses such as Geometry, Algebra II, Latin and Mandarin Chinese. In addition, students can pursue mini-courses like coding, game theory, and chemistry in cooking.

HLC allows students the opportunity to complete coursework on their own time within the flexible schedule offered by the program. Currently, St. Martin’s is one of 45 other independent schools around the country and the only independent school in Atlanta to offer the program. Seventh-grade social studies teacher, Alexis Leifermann, serves as the HLC Coordinator for St. Martin’s.

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AN OPPORTUNE OPPORTUNITY

THE K AIROS LEARNING CENTER AT ST. MARTIN’S b y KRI ST I G A F F N EY DIRECTOR OF M A R KET I N G & COM M U N IC AT I ON S

T

he 2019-20 school year brought a new program to St. Martin’s to serve missionappropriate students who have languagebased learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

The Kairos Learning Center (KLC) at St. Martin’s kicked off the school year with seven teachers serving 58 total students between the Elementary and Middle School divisions. This unique ‘school within a school’ approach allows Elementary KLC students to primarily be part of their grade-level cohort groups but also receive expert instructional support for core subjects and offer a variety of support levels to Middle School students.

The program enrolls students from 1st through 8thgrade and offers a tailored approach for both Elementary and Middle School students to best suit their needs.

“We’ve known this has been a need for a long time and I’m so pleased we’re now able to offer this comprehensive program of additional support balanced with immersion in the full educational experience, extracurricular opportunities and overall culture offered at St. Martin’s,” says Director of the Kairos Learning Center Lynne Perry. “Our teachers bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the program and the children have adapted to their schedules and coursework with ease. Kairos is off to a great start.”

In a specially-designed space for the Elementary program, students attend language arts and math classes in their Kairos classrooms with a five-to-one student-teacher ratio. For language arts, students receive 90 minutes

FAST FACTS 38

15-20% of the population, has a languagebased learning difference.

“We started in Kairos this year, and so far it has been wonderful.

The staff and school are very committed to making the program the best it can be.

We left a charter school to attend and the education seems far superior. We were looking for a place for both of our kids, one who is not dyslexic, and this has been a perfect solution.”

Marcy McKibbin, parent

Dyslexia is the most common languagebased learning difference.

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of instruction using the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach, where teachers use auditory, visual, tactile and kinesthetic methods to teach phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and automaticity, writing, spelling, grammar and reading comprehension. In math, a multi-sensory approach in a small setting allows students to grasp math concepts better. Then students merge seamlessly back into their general classroom setting for the rest of the day.

“I have had the pleasure of teaching students with dyslexia for almost 15 years and am thrilled to be a part of the Kairos program,” says Orton-Gillingham Associate and Elementary Kairos teacher Ashley Richards. “I love that this program fills the need for students with languagebased learning difficulties by giving them the tools they need to be successful. A student’s reading proficiency is not an indicator of intelligence. In my experience, these students are extremely bright with brains that need to be taught through a systematic phonics approach called

More than 50% of NASA employees have dyslexia.

35% of entrepreneurs identify as having dyslexia.

Compared to 15% of the general population

40% of millionaires identify as having dyslexia.

K AIROS, IN ANCIENT GREEK, REFERS TO THE RIGHT, CRITICAL OR

OPPORTUNE MOMENT IN TIME.

PEOPLE WITH DYSLEXIA:

Orton-Gillingham and in a small group setting. It is amazing to see students gain confidence and fill their toolbox with strategies to be successful in their academic careers.”

Middle School offers a variety of options for identified students. Because 6th grade can be a year of transition, there are two options available, including general Kairos or an ‘English Plus’ schedule. For recommended 6th grade students, the English Plus option offers three blocks of small-group support. English instruction is a small group setting with a six-to-one student-teacher ratio, a small-group Study Skills class in lieu of taking Foreign Language and a structured after-school study hall. The Study Skills class focuses on teaching executive functioning skills (organization, time management, planning and prioritizing) test-taking strategies and selfadvocacy skills.

Leonardo Da Vinci

Otherwise, the general Kairos program for 6th,7th and 8th graders offers two blocks of support, including Study Skills and a structured after-school study hall.

Bill Gates

“In middle school, the Kairos program focuses on skills to support the growing independence of each learner,” says 7th-grade Kairos Learning Center teacher Laura Bieze. “Students receive small group instruction that supports their core subjects and prepares them for future success in high school. One of the goals of the program is to ease the stress of evening homework time by making sure students are clear about what is needed to prepare for class the next day.”

The program was developed by an advisory of internal

PEOPLE WITH DYSLEXIA MAY EXCEL IN THE FOLLOWING CAREERS:

Albert Einstein KLC students, parents and teachers joined together to participate in the annual Dyslexia Dash 5K foot race.

Ted Turner

Warren Buffet

and external professionals including a speech and language pathologist, occupational therapists, a licensed psychologist and a former associate head of school for a speech and language specialty program.

“The Kairos program is a great example of the school’s mission to meet children where they are and to educate the whole person,” says Head of School Dr. Luis Ottley. “This program works to give identified missionappropriate St. Martin’s students the tools they need with the goal to remediate back into a general classroom setting within a few years. These bright students bring a host of gifts, creativity and talents that benefit all children. I’m very proud to offer this unique opportunity to identified St. Martin’s students.”

ENGINEERING • ARCHITECTURE • COMPUTER OR SOFTWARE DESIGN • ENTREPRENEURSHIP • JOURNALISM • DOCTORS SPECIALIZING IN SURGERY

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Portrait of a Graduate

TANNER HENDON & ANDREW EVANS

L

ike Machines is a hard rock trio from Atlanta, Ga. The group (formerly known as The Stir) features Andrew Evans (SMES alum of 2008) on vocals and guitar, Tanner Hendon (SMES alum of 2006) on bass and Cheney Brannon on drums. Like Machines has toured the country with various artists and released new music throughout 2019 including their single, “Run, Hide.”

Their record label, Madison Records, is owned and managed by Tanner.

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ANDREW EVANS SMES graduation year: 2008 High School: St. Pius X Catholic High School College: The University of Alabama & Georgia State University Currently: Andrew works as a musician in Atlanta, Ga. He is the vocalist and guitarist for the band Like Machines, alongside his bandmate and fellow SMES alum, Tanner Hendon. Andrew attended St. Martin’s from Kindergarten through the 8th grade, and says he made lifelong friends at SMES. In his free time, he enjoys writing, traveling, camping and reading about ancient history.

Favorite SMES tradition: The Fall Festival Most influential SMES teacher and why?

Middle school science teacher, David Taube, because he taught me a lot about outer space and the stars, and his passion for what he was teaching encouraged me to think more deeply about it.

Favorite food: Sushi & boiled peanuts Favorite app: The notes or voice memos Favorite book: “The Twelfth Planet” by Zechariah Sitchin Favorite movie: Star Wars Person I’d most like to meet and why?

Yoda, because I’d love to hear some of his 900-year-old wisdom.

Dream job: Musician Favorite way to give back?

I enjoy playing at charities and fundraisers in addition to writing songs that help draw awareness to certain issues.

Favorite place I’ve visited?

The pyramids in Mexico Favorite celebrity: Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl

P O R T R A I T O F A G R A D U AT E

ALUMNI PLANNING GROUP — JOIN NOW A note from Kathryn Johnson SMES Alumni Coordinator

TANNER HENDON SMES graduation year: 2006 High School: Ben Franklin Academy Currently: Tanner works as a record producer and musician in Chamblee, Ga. After high school, he launched his own recording studio and record label, Madison Records, where he records and promotes local artists. Tanner plays drums with various artists including Chelsea Shag, Night Ranger and Bad Company in addition to playing bass guitar in his band, Like Machines, with fellow SMES alum, Andrew Evans. His favorite activities include spending time with family, playing golf and watching history documentaries. Tanner is engaged to be married in March of 2020.

Something special you learned at SMES: I know it’s cheesy, but I learned a lot about friendship at SMES. I made lifelong friends that I am still very close to today, including my bandmate, Andrew Evans.

Favorite SMES tradition: The Fall Festival because I remember one year my brother, Houston, played the Cake Walk nearly the entire time and we went home with at least nine cakes.

Favorite food: Sushi Favorite app: Spotify Favorite movie: Gone With The Wind Person I’d most like to meet and why?: Dave Grohl because he is the CEO of rock and roll.

Dream job: I want to do everything I’m doing now, just bigger.

Favorite way to give back?

I enjoy helping others achieve their goals.

Favorite place I’ve visited?

Antwerp, Belgium was super cool to visit, but New York City is my favorite city. n

As the alumni coordinator for St. Martin’s, it is my goal to develop a program that fosters lifelong connections among SMES graduates.

This year is focused on creating more consistent communication between alumni and the school about campus happenings and alumni news and events through e-newsletters and the alumni Facebook page.

This winter, I began assembling a task force comprised of former students from a range of classes. The goal of the task force is to work together to form a strategic plan for the St. Martin’s alumni program. From there, an Alumni Board will be established and board members will work closely with the school to increase engagement, keep the community informed and plan meaningful and fun events for all SMES graduates to enjoy.

As a former parent of two St. Martin’s students and with more than 10 years experience working in the St. Martin’s Admission Office, I have enjoyed watching many of our more recent graduates grow up. As the alumni coordinator, it has been a pleasure to reconnect with former students, from our first 8th-grade graduates (‘94) to our most recent alumni (‘19).

I look forward to helping build a vibrant, active and meaningful program for our alumni to enjoy for years to come.

If you are interested in getting involved with the alumni planning group or if you have news to share for Alumni Notes, please contact me at kjohnson@stmartinschool.org or call 404-228-0734.

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Grandparents:

They Are Worth Celebrating St. Martin’s welcomed grandparents of Early Childhood and Elementary School students to campus for two delightful Grandparents Day events in November.

At both celebrations, visitors connected with one another while enjoying breakfast before their grandchildren arrived to perform a special show. The Early Childhood program featured endearing sing- and dance-along songs while Elementary School students captivated their grandparents with storytelling and band and choral performances.

Head of School, Luis Ottley, shared his gratitude for St. Martin’s grandparents in his opening remarks and his father and St. Martin’s Fund Grandparent Chair, The Right Rev. James H. Ott ley, del ivered t he closi ng benediction.

Head of School, Dr. Luis Ottley with his father and St. Martin’s Fund Grandparent Chair, The Right Rev. James H. Ottley

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Faculty News

F A C U LT Y N O T E S

UPDATES FROM OUR FACULTY

Zoey Garcia

Abbey Letts

Savanna Ford Stephanie Cantillo Kinsey Thomason

Heidi McKerley

Fourth-grade social studies teacher Abbey Letts is engaged to Ross Linder.

Speech and Drama Director Heidi McKerley received her second Suzi Bass Award (Atlanta’s version of the Tonys), “Outstanding Ensemble of a Play,” for a play she directed called “The Wolves,” which featured an all-female cast and artistic team.

Fourth-grade language arts teacher Savanna Ford is engaged to Matthew Johnson.

Toddler teacher Jessica Garcia and her husband, Jesse, welcomed baby Zoey Marie Garcia on Nov. 17, 2019. She was 8 lbs. and 4 oz., and 20 in. long.

Whitney Brooks

Second-grade teacher Julie Thomason and her husband, Charles, welcomed baby Kinsey Berry Thomason on Dec. 2, 2019. She was 7 lbs. and 4 oz., and 20 in. long.

Fifth-grade social studies teacher Whitney Brooks married Adam DeWit on Nov. 2, 2019, in Magnolia Hall at Piedmont Park.

Human Resources Manager Stephanie Cantillo is

Cody Ward

engaged to Thomas Numprasong. The couple will marry next October at the Payne-Corley House in historic Duluth. Stephanie also recently earned her Professional Human Resources Certification.

Fifth-grade assistant teacher Cody Ward is engaged to Thomas Freeman. They will marry on Oct. 20, 2020 in Atlanta. n

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UPDATES FROM OUR ALUMNI Photo courtesy of Cayce Callaway Photography.

Alumni Notes

David Fortuna, ’03

Caroline McGreaham Rose, ’96 & Mary Carr Bendeck, ’96

Betsy Turner, ’96

44

Haley Barnes Gibson, ’06

’96

’03

Caroline McGreaham Rose (left) and Mary Carr Bendeck (right) baptized their children, Xander Rose and Olivia and Gabriela Bendeck, on June 11 at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church.

SMES alum Sara Harwood Snavely (‘96) is Xander’s godmother. Caroline and Mary met 35 years ago in the same two-year-old class at SMES and have been friends ever since.

David Fortuna married Meredith Head on Oct. 26, 2019 in Lexington, Ga. and also on Nov. 16, 2019 in Ipplepen, England. The couple honeymooned in Italy for ten days. David’s sister, Laura Fortuna (‘99), was in attendance.

Betsy Martin Turner is the interim pastor at Stockbridge Presbyterian Church. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, Ian, and their three children.

WINTER 2020 | ST. MARTIN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

Chaz Duffy, ’06

’06 Chaz Duffy received a Suzi Bass Award (Atlanta’s version of the Tonys) for the category of “Ensemble Cast - Musical” for his acting role in the Alliance Theatre’s musical production of “Ride the Cyclone.” During his acceptance speech, he

thanked SMES drama teacher Heidi McKerley, who was in attendance, for teaching him and casting him in “Godspell” during his 6th-grade year at St. Martin’s.

SMES classmates of 2006 celebrated Haley Barnes Gibson’s marriage to Matt Gibson last June in Atlanta.

Alumni in attendance included (front row, l-r) Kristi Oltman, Haley Barnes Gibson, Lucy Griner, Nadine Najjar and bridesmaid Jackie Florence; and (second row) Eleanor Woodward.

Haley’s sisters Erin Barnes (‘12) and Caroline Barnes (‘12) were bridesmaids.

ALUMNI NOTES

Jackie Florence, ’06

Lauren Glazer, ’07

TJ Smith, ’07

Sarah Johnson, ’08

Jackie Florence is engaged to Knox Jolly. The couple will marry in the fall of 2020 in Atlanta.

’07 Lauren Glazer works as a publicist at Wolf PR in New York, NY and as an art influencer on Instagram where she recently surpassed 10,000 followers. Three years ago, Lauren posted a photo on Instagram of herself standing on an important piece of modern optical art and the photo is now being used as the primary marketing image for an exhibition in Vienna.

’08 TJ Smith is a student at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas and serves as an officer for the U.S. Air Force (USAF). He is part of the USAF’s Health Professionals Scholarship Program. He previously worked as an emergency medical technician for Grady Hospital.

David Arenz graduated from Georgia State University and will begin his teaching career in Charlotte next year.

Sarah Johnson is engaged to David Raymer. The wedding is scheduled for June 20, 2020 at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church. Bridesmaids include Sarah’s sister, Anna Johnson (‘10), Lauren Buss

Grace Fancour, ’11

(‘08), Claire Hamner (‘08) and Diane DeLany (‘14).

Lindsey Southers married Ray Brown on Sept. 21, 2019 in Atlanta, Ga. The ceremony was held at St. James Methodist Church and the reception celebration was held at The Estate.

’11 Grace Francour recently graduated from Miami University. She currently works at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta and plans to return to school to earn a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.

Lindsey Southers, ’08

’12 Sally Smith is a senior at the University of Georgia.

Last summer, she worked with Native American materials during her time as a junior fellow at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Charlotte Spaeth is a senior at the University of Colorado Boulder. She studies journalism and political science and has

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ALUMNI NOTES

Sally Smith, ’12

Caroline Koch, ’13

Charlotte Spaeth, ’12

Kristen Elliot, ’13

Elizabeth Goines, ’14

studied abroad in Prague and interned at “Prague Visitor Magazine.” Last summer, she worked as a communications intern for the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado in Denver.

’13

Melina Haralabakis is a junior at Oglethorpe University. She made the Dean’s List last spring and studied abroad for five weeks in Rome over the summer. Melina wrote a children’s book in French called “Les Aventures de Papillon et de Lapin,” and it was published.

Alexandria Cannon is a senior at The George Washington University (GWU) and recently completed her honors thesis paper on Native American slavery. She made the Dean’s List in the fall, is a member of Phi Alpha Theta and is involved in Christian outreach at GWU. Alexandria also tutors high school students at the School Without Walls in Washington D.C.

46

Alexandria Cannon, ’12

Kristen Elliott (left) is a junior and hospitality management major at Florida State University and plans to study abroad in Australia this spring. She spent her freshman year studying abroad in Italy.

Caroline Koch is a history and art double-major at Rhodes College. She studied ancient Greek art and illegal antiquities in Athens, Greece last summer and plans to work in a museum after graduating.

’14 Elizabeth Goines is a sophomore and plays tennis at Georgia Southern University. She was awarded Freshman Female Athlete of the Year and made the Dean’s List.

WINTER 2020 | ST. MARTIN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

’15 Garrett McCarthy is a freshman at the University of Georgia. He is a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

Nate Arney is a freshman at Vassar College in New York. He was recruited to play for the Vassar lacrosse team and will compete in the Liberty League, an intercollegiate athletic conference in New York, this spring.

Melina Haralabakis, ’14

McKenzie Miller is a freshman at the Honors College at Auburn University. She studies biomedical science and is on a pre-med track.

McKenzie is a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, Alpha Epsilon Delta Medical Honors Society and Auburn Honors College Congress.

’16 Moms of alumni from the class of 2016 gathered at the home of Erin Sjostrom over the summer to celebrate their children who are now seniors in high school.

Taylor Rand is a senior at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School. She is president of two clubs at HIES and received an academic award for math in her junior year.

ALUMNI NOTES

Jack Schmitt, ’19

Photo: Joe Earle (Reporter Newspapers)

Luke Brennan, ’19

Class of 2016 Moms

Sophie Verska (left) and Will Sjostrom (right) are seniors and debate team members at Marist School. Last year, they won the “Top Public Forum Debaters” award for Georgia.

’17 Grace Demba is a junior at Pace Academy where she serves on the Isdell Center for Global Leadership’s student advisory council.

She is a member of the Georgia Aquarium’s Beginner Environmental Leadership Program and is a recruitment chair for the Miracle Knights, a group that raises funds for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Bridgett McCarthy is a junior at Marist School where she is a member of the cross country team.

Sophie Verska (left) and Will Sjostrom (right) , ’16

’19 Luke Brennan is a freshman at Capstone Academy. He is playing soccer for the third year in a row on an Atlanta United Academy Team.

Jack Schmitt is a freshman at Pace Academy. He is involved in the theatre program and performed in “She Kills Monsters” in the One-Act Competition last fall. He also traveled with fellow 2019 alums, Nicholas Lennon and Austin Scott, to New York City for a weekend and saw five Broadway shows. Jack is part of the St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church’s boy scout troop and began his Eagle Scout Project at Blue Heron Nature Preserve, alongside SMES alum Ben Brown (‘16), in November. n

Alumni Attend SMES Fall Drama Showcase St. Martin’s alumni came out to support their friends and the St. Martin’s drama program at the Fall Drama Showcase in October. Alumni in attendance included: (front row, l-r) Nicholas Lennon (‘19), Katie Nama (‘19) and Arden Adams (‘17); (second row, l-r) Austin Scott (‘19), Jack Schmitt (‘19), Emma Schwind (‘19), Ansley Massanelli (‘19), Lindsey Bryson (‘17), Taylor Rand (‘16) and Dylan Gillin (‘17); and (third row) Win Scott (‘18).

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Voices STORIES FROM FACULTY & STAFF THAIS DIAZ

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I TOLD SOMEONE, “I TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL.” THE REPLY WAS, “I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT, BLESS YOUR HEART.” I am not the first and I won’t be the last middle school teacher to experience this reaction. While there are very real challenges specific to teaching 11 - 14 yearolds, they are greatly outweighed by the rewards of working with this misunderstood age group. Middle schoolers are children beginning their transition into adulthood. They need a lot of patience and a lot of love.

Teaching Spanish for nine years at St. Martin’s has given me the opportunity to build connections with many students and to learn about their day-to-day triumphs and defeats. These relationships are a large part of why I feel I have found the right place in the Middle School at SMES. Even though it feels like the perfect fit now, becoming a teacher was never my plan. My career began in the software industry, translating technical manuals into Spanish, French and Portuguese in Huntsville, Al. When it was time to start a family, my husband and I returned to Atlanta to have our daughter Thaïs and then our son Carlos. I chose to re-evaluate my career when my son entered Kindergarten and was diagnosed with ADHD. Watching Carlos struggle in school was heartbreaking.

I didn’t know how to help him. So, at the age of 35, I quit my job as a translator and went back to school to earn my master’s in education from Mercer University.

Learning how to teach felt like the best way I could support Carlos and others like him.

At the time, I had no way of predicting how much I would love working with my students. In addition to my role as a 7th- and 8th-grade Spanish teacher, I assist with the Middle School Panamá Exchange Program. I enjoy this work because living and studying abroad are foundational to who I am.

Born in Madrid, Spain, my parents brought me up speaking Castilian Spanish. At the time, my mother was pursuing her doctorate and my father his master’s

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Thais Diaz teaches 7th and 8th grade Spanish at St. Martin’s.

in Spanish. We moved to Atlanta when I was three.

After attending Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School, I ventured abroad again with my family to live in France as I was entering the 8th grade. I spent one year in the Salon-de-Provence public school system, where I learned to speak French fluently. While my high school years were predominantly spent attending St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta, I found a way to return to Salon-de-Provence for the spring semester of my sophomore year.

My appreciation of world languages and cultures continued when I entered college. In three years, I completed a triple major in Spanish, French and Portuguese at the University of Tennessee, and studied abroad in Brazil, Portugal, and my birthplace, Madrid, Spain. These experiences shaped me and it is important to me that our students have the opportunity to learn about cultures other than their own both abroad and in the classroom either at SMES or later in life.

While a career in teaching may not have been my original plan, now I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I thank my son Carlos and his diagnosis for inspiring this shift. He opened my eyes to a path I may have never otherwise considered for myself, and for that, I am grateful.

Three cheers for Summer Camp!

Registration opens February 1, 2020 SESSION 1: June 1 - 26 | SESSION 2: July 6 - 31 More than 80 child-centered camp programs in sports, academics, art, theater and more that focus on skill building, learning and, of course, lots of fun. One-week sessions available.

Camp brochure posted online in January.

stmartinschool.org/campus_life/summer Mark McDaniel, Director mmcdaniel@stmartinschool.org

FUN FOR CHILDREN IN RISING PRE-K THROUGH 8TH GRADE Enrollment in St. Martin’s Episcopal School is not required to attend

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Proceeds benefit St. Martin’s Endowment Fund

SAVE THE DATE Monday, April 6, 2020 Dunwoody Country Club Early Bird Registration Ends March 9, 2020

To register visit stmartinschool.org/support