Making Our Mark - Summer 2017

st. mark's episcopal school

summer 2017

2

alumni updates: high school and college bound

12

m ag a z i n e

heritage festival: learning about each other

vol. 1

26

writers in the school: celebrating student writers

summer 2017

2

alumni updates

Check out past yearbook photos from Class of 2017’s first years at St. Mark’s

12

in this issue

From the Headmaster garhett wagers

vol. 1

heritage festival

Alexis Madrigal, ‘22, in traditional dress during Heritage Festival

26

student writers

Irene Roddy, ‘20, was a featured writer during Young Writers Reading Series Jayden Avila, Class of 2027, keeps active on a rolling board in the Gymnasium.

table of contents 1

From the Headmaster

2

Alumni: Class of 2017

6

Alumni: Class of 2013

9

Alumni Week

10

Alumni Notes

12

Heritage Festival

14

Feature: Engaging Children,

Inspiring Learning

17

Episcopal Identity

19

Student Snapshots

26

Student Writers

30

Faculty News

33

Athletics News

35

Athletics Records

36

Fine Arts

38

2017 UnGala

40

Development Office

42

Parent Guild

43

Admission Office

44

Board of Trustees

Left: Chase Parker, ‘21, on Field Day

On the cover: Beckett Batchelor, ‘24, and Coulson Batchelor, ‘21, enjoy a moment on the tire swing.

On the back cover: Chase Joost, ‘27, Ryan Irr, ‘18 making solar s’mores

A

Garhett Wagers Headmaster

s a school for children from 2 to 14 years of age, growth is what we are all about. Over their years at St. Mark’s, our children grow physically, intellectually, and spiritually. As faculty and staff, we grow our own skills, expertise, and the depth of our understanding of childhood development so we can serve our students best. Unfortunately, my beard has grown grayer as well, but I digress.

Grow th, evolution, maturation, advancement, improvement: these words all essentially mean the same thing.

They speak to progressive development, which is something we emphasize at St. Mark’s each year. This year will be no different; we see growth all around our school. Newly-formed partnerships with the Rice University School Mathematics Project and the Rice School Literacy and Culture Project support the growth of our language arts and math curriculums and pedagogical practices. A newly renovated gym will allow us to grow our athletics and physical education programs, helping our students to have strong, healthy bodies. Our IDEA Program (Innovation and Design for Educating with Action) in the middle school empowers us to nurture a more learner-centric model of schooling that includes independent study, design thinking, innovation, and expanding STEM initiatives. You may have noticed that this publication has expanded, allowing us to more fully share the stories of St. Mark’s.

An organization is like an organism in many ways. In growth, we can experience growing pains, and sometimes appear awkward as we settle into our new size.

At St. Mark’s, growth truly is a positive and imperfect process. We each have an important role to play, and it is in those phases of awkward growth where the partnership between parent, child, and school is leaned upon most heavily. We are so grateful for these essential partnerships as we navigate the process of growing with our students, meeting them where they are when they arrive, and celebrating their uniqueness throughout the journey. A friend and colleague, Rick Ackerly, writes in The Genius in Every Child, “Discipline is the business of education...education is a lifelong process of learning and practicing disciplines of making it in the world.” He adds, “Discipline is what we need to be good stewards of our child’s genius.” By discipline, he is referring to something we have and work to develop, not something we do to someone. At St. Mark’s, we work to practice this discipline every day as we steward our students’ intellectual curiosity, faith, and passion for discovery.

Garhett Wagers Headmaster

1

on. our class of 2017 is moving

// 2005-06 //

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Ryan Roylance istian Heading to: Houston Chr her Hopes to be: A photograp Jonathan Saucier Heading to: Debakey HS Hopes to be: A medical

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Henry Miller Heading to: St. John’s m Hopes to be: A quantu physicist Rachel O’Sullivan

Heading to: St. Agnes Hopes to be: A lawyer Grant Stringer as Heading to: St. Thom ll player eba bas Hopes to be: A

Jackie Vrabec Heading to: St. Agnes Hopes to be: A doctor

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Heading to: St . Agnes Hopes to be: Something in the arts Julian Diaz

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first year St. Mark's. See if you

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at will they be? where are they going? wh

our class of 2017 is

High School Bound

high school bound

Class of 2017

the st. mark’s class of 2017 is high school bound! we are excited for our graduates to continue their educational journey at the following incredible high schools.

Garhett Wagers shakes the hand of recent graduate, Nathan Vu, ‘17

“Graduates, our core goal during your time here is to launch young men and women into high school, and beyond, equipped to lean on your strengths and recognize your challenges, to feel

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Elise Branch Julian Diaz

W

e are often asked, “what makes a preschool through 8th grade school special?” At St. Mark’s, we believe a foundation for lifelong learning is established in the elementary and middle school years, and we are most proud of the way we support our students along their path to high school and beyond. As a school that truly does celebrate each child’s uniqueness, we not only meet children where they are, but personalize, rather than standardize, their path to the next level. The Head of Middle School and the Headmaster spend time, one on one, with 8th grade students and their families to help them target schools of interest that will fit and support them, and, as a result, nearly all our students get into their first or second choice schools. These schools that our students choose represent a diverse collection of faith-based, independent, and public programs, each chosen to help our graduates find a school community that will support their growth at the next level.

omma

Nile Khan Wyatt Leathers McGinnis Michael Tyler ham Dailey Notting

empowered in seeking help when needed, to make choices that are ethically grounded, and to own your authority as you grow to lead within the community.

A friend of mine said it best, “The goal of education is for a person to be comfortable in his own skin as that skin struggles to keep harmonizing itself with a challenging and changing world.” This won’t change in high school, and the good news is we won’t

er Chloe Min

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welcoming you back, remembering your name, ready to celebrate your uniqueness. I’m proud of you and wish you all the best on the road ahead.”

Clark

Leo Enge

ls Trey Fus leier Max Melt on Alex New ell John Ma rk Padon Colin Th ibodeaux

with a source of grounding for who you are are becoming, we will be here,

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Jack Car

either. So, when you need to reconnect

Saucier

Just

in K

ioum ehr

-Garhett Wagers, St. Mark’s Headmaster

Bernardo

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Ardengh

Lauren Fulghum Henry Miller

at Graduation

5

Where will these Lions make their mark? united states Indiana | 1

Massachusetts | 1

New Jersey | 1

Arkansas | 1

Texas | 12

Alabama | 1 Georgia | 3

London, UK | 1

Class of 2013 united kingdom where are they headed? it’s hard to believe the st. mark’s class of 2013 is off to college! we are proud of our students, who are attending the following universities.

LIONS ARE COLLEGE BOUND 6

Faisal Al Dajain American School of Madrid > College of New Jersey

Edward Bittner Carnegie Vanguard High School > Did not disclose

Hind Alkhunaizi International Schools Group Dammam (Saudi Arabia) > University of St. Thomas

William Bittner Carnegie Vanguard High School > Did not disclose

Sulafa Alkhunaizi International Schools Group Dammam (Saudi Arabia) > University of St. Thomas

Aubrey Bryan St. Stephen’s Episcopal School > University of Alabama Sam Burton Strake Jesuit College Preparatory > Baylor University

Fadila Farag American Community School of Abu Dhabi > Richmond the American University (London, UK) Juan Garcia-Moros Episcopal High School > Texas Christian University Marcela Gonzalez Cypress Falls High School > Clark University

Private Schools | 10

Alex Hudgins St. Pius X High School > Texas Tech James Jackson Episcopal High School > University of Texas Ryan Kioumehr Episcopal High School > Georgia University Jacob Koch St. Thomas High School > University of Arkansas

Public Schools | 11

In-State | 12

Niyati Loyalka Duchesne Academy of The Sacred Heart > Emory University

Adam Maloney St. Thomas High School > Savannah College of Art and Design

Christopher Luther St. Thomas High School > Did not disclose

Laily Mortazavi Episcopal High School > Southern Methodist University

Malia MacKenna Robert Turner College and Career High School > University of North Texas

Hattie Ralph St. Agnes Academy > University of Texas Sammie Snyder Episcopal High School > Indiana University

Out-of-State | 9

David Stiles Strake Jesuit College Preparatory > Trinity University Carly Thibodeaux Houston Christian High School > Texas Tech Alexia Thomas Atascocita High School > Did not disclose Ashlyn Wagert St. Pius X High School > Blinn College

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Alumni Week

st. mark’s alumni are welcomed back to campus

Helen Hecht and Sarah Andrews, Class of 2014; Michael Artlip and Jake Klucznik, Class of 2016; Carly Thibodeaux and Sammi Snyder, Class of 2013

Sean Kerrigan and Sonia Kerrigan, Class of 2014, with Coach Fred Silverstein

E

ach spring, we welcome high school aged alumni back to campus for Alumni Week. During Alumni Week, our students reconnect with St. Mark’s classmates and former teachers through an after school social and a special Senior Send Off lunch.

Our alumni share that they were well prepared, both academically and interpersonally, and local high schools often tell us that our students are highly

Left: A group of Class of 2016 reunite: Madelyn Scholtes, Jamesy Trammell, Riley Harrison, Abby Bailey, Lani McHenry, Audrey Leonard, Gigi Gaetti, Lauren Lotze, and Emma Birdwell

attractive to them. St. Mark’s graduates represent many of the best community members their schools have; they thrive in the classroom, contribute on the court, field, and stage, and are representative of well-rounded people. Ultimately, our alumni are exactly the types of students you would expect from a strong, childcentered environment.

Joe Shapiro, Conor Doris, Sam Holden, Mark McMillan, and Vincent Perryman, Class of 2015

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ALUMNI NOTES Aubrey Bryan (‘13), a recent grad from St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, participated in the Summer Scholars Program at the University of Miami last summer, where she took two classes and received six college credits. Her classes focused on criminology, and her time at the University of Miami allowed her to get a sneak peek into college life. Next year, Aubrey is headed to the University of Alabama.

clients. This summer worked in NYC as an art direction intern at McCann New York (clients include Coca Cola, Master Card, GM, L’Oreal, Nestle, among others). He’s very excited, and we are very proud of him!

Wade Burton (‘10) is finishing his junior year at SMU where he is studying Advertising. Even as a student, Wade is already completing creative design, advertising, and branding work for four

Monica Dayao (‘11) is attending the University of Cambridge in the UK, and has completed her sophomore year.

She was recently awarded the Robin Sports Award for playing golf and volleyball.

John Clarke (‘10) is spending his summer in Washington DC. He is working for Congressman Steve Scalise.

John currently attends Princeton University.

Natalie Stimson, the Administrative Assistant to the Tutorial and Admissions Office shared the following, “Monica Dayao is a second year engineer at Girton [College of the University of Cambridge]. She has played golf at a high level since childhood and has continued to play regularly while at Girton. She has been a member of the successful Varsity team on two occasions so far, gaining a full Blue, and is the incoming captain of the University Women’s Golf Club. In addition she has played volleyball for the University second team this year as well as continuing her golf. The time commitment required for regular golf competition is enormous and she manages this with exemplary skill and good humour.”

Portrait of a St. Mark’s Graduate A St. Mark’s graduate is a mindful, active learner who embraces the challenges of a robust educational experience and is ethically and spiritually motivated to make a positive contribution to the community and the world.

Blake Heatherington, ‘14, in Florence, Italy; Sam Shapiro, ‘14, completed his Eagle Scout project this spring; Jane Hayes, ‘08, is attending medical school

ALUMNI NOTES, continued Gregory Dayao (‘14) has recently earned his Eagle Scout after serving as Senior Patrol Leader during the past school year at St. John’s School.

Jane Hayes (‘08) was recently accepted to Washington University in St. Louis (ranked in the top 10 medical schools in the country) with a full merit scholarship for medical school. Jane obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin

and completed the Education Program for Gifted Youth at Stanford University.

to work, she is traveling with a student group from Florence and having a fantastic time!

Blake Hetherington (‘14) is interning with ViaJiyu in its Young Trailblazer program in Florence, Italy for the summer.

She is working on digital marketing and working under a female entrepreneur learning the business. A student of HSPVA, with a concentration in voice, she is able to gain experience with Italian and voice while she is there. On the weekend, if she doesn’t have

Sam Shapiro (‘14) a member of Troop 211 of St. Mark’s, completed his Eagle Project and earned the rank of Eagle Scout this summer. His project was the upgrade of the Bishop High Skeet Range at Camp Allen, building new handicap friendly shooting cages, building the retaining wall for a new covered range structure and building a centralized gun rack.

Left: Aubrey Bryan, Class of 2013, poses with classmates during her University of Miami Summer Scholars Program; John Clarke, Class of 2010, poses with Congressman Steve Scalise

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11

Heritage Festival

an annual celebration of diversity

Henry Martin, Emery Anderson, and Eloise Stansell, ‘28, learn about China during Heritage Festival; Brian Salmon, Yussef Ali, and Sawan Parikh, ‘19, taste test their food focus for Heritage Festival; Charlie Fuselier, ‘26, holds a Guatemalan Worry Doll

o

ne of the highlights of our diverse community is our annual Heritage Festival, held in the early spring. This incredible week-long celebration has evolved from the initial project of dedicated parent volunteers and supportive faculty who formed a multi-cultural committee. The committee’s work aimed at nurturing attitudes toward others that recognize the differences and celebrate the similarities of all people. It is our hope that by learning about each other we can create a positive environment of understanding and mutual respect in which our children grow and learn to be good citizens of the world. The current celebration, now led

by a committee of faculty, has preserved this initial intent, and created a public forum for acknowledging and celebrating our diversity on a yearly basis. Parents are invited to work with classroom teachers and present individual heritages, traditions, or customs.

Last year, the Heritage Festival committee developed a plan to for each grade level. This map allows students to enjoy different activities from year to year, instead of repeating projects, like researching their family tree. Ultimately, our goal is to provide an age and developmentally-appropriate celebration of the diversity of our school community.

Heritage Festival Annual Grade Level Programming Preschool 2s Who I Am: Paper Doll Project 3rd Grade How We Got Here: Immigration and Family Movement

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Preschool 3s Find the Beat: Songs and Dance 4th Grade Traversing Verse: Biographical Poetry

Pre-K Tour of Fun: Toys and Games

Kindergarten Sharing Our Stories: Folktales and Languages

5th Grade My Family’s History: A Comprehensive Research Project

1st Grade Exploring Our Roots: My Family Tree

6th Grade Digging In: Exploring the Wide World of Food

Right: Alexis Madrigal, ‘22, in traditional dress for Heritage Festival

2nd Grade Discovering Dress: Traditional Attire

7th and 8th Grades Speaker Series: Diversity / Tolerance Racism / Conflict Resolution

13

Carrie Cherek

Amanda McGee

Engaging Children you’re trying to inspire are the ones that end up inspiring you.”

- Sean Junkins

14

Kristin Uptmor

Inspiring Learning

Carrie Cherek,

Amanda McGee,

Steve Salley,

I am ready to begin my second year at St. Mark’s teaching 7th grade language arts. This will be my nineteenth year of teaching, and I love it as much as when I first started, if not more every year. It is so rewarding to develop relationships with my students and create a safe space where they can take risks and grow as readers and writers. I love the collaboration and sharing that happens and the confidence that builds when you have this strong community. I am very proud of my students’ creativity, curiosity, thirst for knowledge, and willingness to try new things. It was a joy last year to witness them share their thinking and take pride in their work, both within and outside of our classroom walls with a larger audience. I appreciate St. Mark’s for always encouraging me and allowing me to grow along with my students. I am so thankful for the staff, parents, and my special 7th graders, who made last year the most incredible and memorable year.

I love so many things about St. Mark’s. Our entire community is incredibly supportive.

The families, team of teachers, and administrators I work with lift me up each day and allow me to be my best. St. Mark’s is truly a place where we support the uniqueness of each child. Teaching and working with kids brings me such joy. To watch a child discover and grow, and then to witness the “a ha” moment when they understand a new concept is inspiring.

Last year was special for me because it was my first year as a lead teacher at St. Mark’s.

This coming year, the 2nd grade team is excited to expand upon and introduce some new thematic studies. We will study our community, habitats, where in the world we come from, space and solar systems, and of course, our traditional famous Americans unit. At St. Mark’s, we collaborate to offer the best educational experience for our kids. This year we are focusing on vertically aligning with our new reading curriculum so our students have a consistent experience as they move from grade to grade.

St. Mark’s has a nurturing, loving atmosphere that encourages and supports learning and growth. This community welcomes diversity and has a special, inclusive spirit. I often say, as a teacher, after 39 years in public school, I finally found heaven! Being swarmed with hugs on the sidewalk by appreciative 3 year olds weeks after making density bottles with them; the smiles, hugs, and sharing memories with visiting alumni; receiving an email from a student I taught 30 years ago after he found me through a google search, thanking me for instilling a love of science that he shared with his children; receiving a visit from the most challenging, difficult, frustrating, young man I ever taught, introducing me to his wife and new baby girl, thanking me for caring and not giving up on him. The reward of knowing something I did made a positive impact; there is nothing more special.

7th Grade Language Arts Teacher

“So often you find that the students

Steve Salley

2nd Grade Teacher

8th Grade Science Teacher

Kristin Uptmor, Librarian, Preschool 2s through 2nd Grade; Technology Teacher, Pre-K through 1st Grade

Last year was incredible. We combined our two libraries last summer, and I moved upstairs. I now am physically closer to Laurie Mitchell, 2nd through 8th Grade Librarian, and the entire technology department, which allows me to collaborate and really actively be part of those teams. My favorite thing about our school is the true sense of community. I just completed my sixteenth year in the St. Mark’s family, and I love being a part of a place where every person—faculty, parents, and students— is known, supported, and encouraged.

We mean it when we say we celebrate the uniqueness of each child. Students are given opportunities to explore and share their varied interests. Our teachers encourage students to be comfortable in their own skin and take pride in who they are, and our students learn to appreciate one another’s differences.

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Knowing You Belong: Chapel at St. Mark’s

Episcopal Identity the rev. kristin sullivan

The chapel program at St. Mark’s endeavors to foster a sense of belonging that is rooted in the Episcopal liturgical tradition. Gathering for chapel weekly grounds our community in our Christian faith and allows us to center ourselves on God. This sense of belonging is incorporated in the classroom through the respectful treatment of one another. While strongly rooted in Judeo-Christian teaching, we also recognize and celebrate the diversity present in our community. Students of all faiths are invited to participate in chapel in ways that are appropriate to their religion.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

a Rev. Kristin Sullivan, School Chaplain

Left: Syon Doshi, Class of 2022, receives ashes from Rev. Patrick Miller on Ash Wednesday

s parents, we are always concerned about what our children are learning. Are they reading on level, have they mastered multiplication, do they have the academic skills that they will need to move on to the next level? These are the things that we expect school to address. But being a student at St. Mark’s is about more than grades and academic pursuits; it is also about growing people. Every day on our campus, we are learning how to be in a relationship with God and one another.

Our Portrait of a Graduate says that in addition to being active learners, our students will be “ethically and spiritually motivated to make a positive contribution to the community and the world.” This part of our mission is woven into every part of our life from chapel, to the classroom, on the playground, and beyond.

In chapel we gather together to worship and to learn what it means to be a faithful, loving community. We talk about big things like forgiveness, gratitude and acceptance of others, and then we go out into school to practice! We practice our faith every day just like we practice spelling and multiplication. We work through what it means to be sorry and how to treat our friends with kindness. Our kids learn what it means to serve those who are less fortunate and to think about others.

St. Mark’s is a place where students are challenged to be the people God has created them to be. It is a place where they can try, fail, and try again to figure out who they are and what it means to live in community.

Maya Kilpatrick, ‘25, follows along as Lulu Gibillini, ‘21, guides her during Chapel

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Student Snapshots st. mark’s lions making our mark

Emerson Makin, Class of 2027, enjoys the Petting Zoo that visited campus this spring.

Aatira Shah, Class of 2023,

Jasper Merks, ‘25, models his 100

shares her Famous American

Day t-shirt, featuring 100 holes for the

presentation. Aatira studied the

Kindergarten 100 Day Style Show.

life and legacy of Walt Disney.

The 2nd Grade Famous American project allows some of our younger students to hone their research and presentation skills.

Dylan Nguyen, ‘21 completes work in his classroom

The St. Mark’s Class of 2020 delivered beautiful artwork to the cardiology clinic at Ben Taub Hospital as a student-imagined and led outreach project this spring. While at the hospital, there was an emergency that required a lock down. Students remained safely secured within the cardiology clinic for the duration of the event.

Our 5th grade students were respectful, polite, and quiet during the entirety of the situation.

Top Row: Valerie Ortiz, Leanne Currier, and Hannah Maloney, ‘18, create geodesic domes in STEM class.

Check out more about our STEM offerings at stmes.org/idea

The 2017 St. Mark’s Cup was awarded to Kathryn Prappas, ’17. The St. Mark’s Cup is given to the graduating 8th grader who best represents the spirit of the middle school.

The 2017 Ambassador Award was given to Isabel Wagers, ’17. The Ambassador Award is given to the 8th Grade Ambassador who exemplifies outstanding character and demonstrates what it means to be respectful, responsible, and kind. This award is presented by the admission office.

Left: Patrick Wailes and James Enger, ‘21,

The 2017 Faculty Award was given

enjoy the 4th grade field trip to Camp Allen.

to Henry Miller, ’17. The Faculty Award is given to a graduating

Anne Haddon Nottingham, Ava Toubassi,

8th grader who consistently and

Grayson Van Gundy, Caroline Jackson,

independently wants to learn more.

Keya Arora, ‘19, enjoying their 6th grade class trip to Camp Lonehollow.

Eric Wellmeyer, ‘28, shares his paper doll project during our annual Heritage

Right:

Festival. Even our youngest students

Boone Whittenberg, ‘22, enjoys 3rd grade’s annual

in the Preschool 2s program get

Pioneer Day, the capstone event of an extended

involved in this campus-wide event!

study of life in America in the 1800s.

Student Writing writers in the school

We checked in with some of the featured writers, Irene Roddy, ‘20, Catherine MacConnell, ‘18, Caitlyn McConnell, ‘18, and Daniella Nassar, ‘17, to hear some of their thoughts on writing, and the WITS Watchful Eyes series.

FAMOUS AUTHOR By: Caitlyn MacConnell

Irene Roddy, ‘20 Making Our Mark Magazine: Where did you gain inspiration for your piece?

Irene: We were given a picture to look at in class to gain inspiration for our poems.

The photo was of the sun reflecting off the ocean. Instead of looking like sun beams, it looked like fire to me, so that’s where I drew inspiration for this piece from.

MOMM: What did it feel like to be selected for the Young Writers Reading event through Writers in the Schools?

Irene: Being recognized for the Young Writers Reading was awesome, and I was really proud of myself. I’ve been writing for a long time, and it was a milestone.

Now I can start over and strive for something bigger.

MOMM: Why do you love writing?

Irene: I love writing because you can just pour everything out and not think about whatever is going on in your life.

Catherine MacConnell, ‘18 MOMM: Where did you gain inspiration for your piece?

Catherine MacConnell Reading at the WITS Event

W e are proud to celebrate four students whose accomplishments in writing earned

them city-wide recognition by Writers in the Schools (WITS), a group who partners with schools across Houston to encourage students to find a passion for reading and writing.

Curriculum and Learning Coordinator, Cortney Richa-Hebert shares, “This summer marked our fourth year in hosting Creative Writing Camp--a city-wide collaborative summer camp program developed by Writers in the Schools and Rice School Literacy and Culture. This January, we continued our partnership with these two organizations by bringing writing consultants to our

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teachers, classrooms, and students to enrich our campus literacy work. In middle school, we had the opportunity to submit some of our best student writing for two of the WITS year end author celebrations.”

Each year, thousands of students across Houston submit writing pieces to be selected for the Young Writers Reading or the Watchful Eyes series reading.

The reading events, held at the Menil Collection, feature the best students from WITS’ 250 school, community, and hospital classrooms. The young writers’ writing pieces were reviewed and selected through a juried process. Each of the WITS writing consultants submits several

pieces for the reading series, and their panel selects just a fraction of those pieces for the readings. WITS works with over 38,000 students and teachers each year, and only about 150 students are selected from all over the city of Houston. So, each school’s representative(s) at these readings represent the best of the best of the best.

We were thrilled that 5th grader, Irene Roddy, was selected to read her piece on May 6, 2017 at the Young Writers Reading, and 7th graders Catherine MacConnell and Caitlyn McConnell, along with 8th grader, Daniella Nassar, were selected to read their pieces at the Watchful Eyes series reading event on May 18, 2017.

Catherine: My piece was a short story about a thief. She’s taking a diamond, and at the end you find out that thief is actually a queen. Our assignment was a three-minute fiction. Ms. Cherek read us an example that was really descriptive, and I wanted my writing to incorporate that level of detailed description. We had to write about someone taking something that they did not want to give back. Our three-minute fiction pieces should be able to be read in three minutes, but we also were given three minutes to work on our initial draft. I worked on it in class and at home to get it to the place where I felt comfortable submitting it.

A blank paper is not blank at all, it’s a balloon that floats up into the sky Up here, I can see everything When I come back down, I grasp my pencil which kisses the paper It cuts into what is blank and changes it into an explosion of light When I look back at my piece, I see myself more clearly than I ever have before The picture stares back at me waiting It asks to be touched again, it’s missing something The pencil touches the paper it slowly craves the rough lines that appear smooth

continued

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BEYOND

By: Daniella Nassar

FIRE

By: Irene Roddy

“I just don’t see it,” I exclaim. By now I have tilted my head about six different ways, and I’m starting to feel a little embarrassed. It’s as if I’m the only one here without imagination.

As I am stared at by all of the tourists in the museum for displaying my frustration and repeatedly talking to myself in a dream-like manner, a man walks by me.

“Look beyond the surface,” he says.

I immediately switch my focus away from the painting and look back over my shoulder, but no one is there, just a breath. “Look beyond the surface? What does that even mean?” I wonder, my stomach beginning to cramp.

What makes people think I’m not looking beyond the surface? It’s simple; it doesn’t take a brain.

Caitlyn McConnell and Catherine MacConnell pose with Language Arts teacher, Carrie Cherek

MOMM: What did it feel like to be selected for the Watchful Eyes series event through Writers in the Schools?

Catherine: I was really honored and excited when I found out that my piece had been selected. I don’t really normally like public speaking, but I’m so glad I got the experience to stand up and read my piece in front of that large crowd. I was pretty nervous going up there, but afterwards I thought, ‘ok that wasn’t that bad.’ This experience has inspired me to enter more writing competitions in the future.

MOMM: Why do you love writing?

Catherine: I like writing because you can express yourself. There aren’t specific guidelines, so you can be creative with your topics.

Caitlyn McConnell, ‘18 MOMM: Where did you gain inspiration for your piece?

Caitlyn: My piece was about writing. I described why I like writing, and how and where I get my inspiration. In class, Ms. Cherek gave us a topic called ‘egotripping,’ where we were supposed to write about something that we are really good at. I think I write really well, so that’s why I wrote about writing.

MOMM: What did it feel like to be selected for the Watchful Eyes series event through Writers in the Schools?

Caitlyn: I was elated when I found out I won; I honestly didn’t think it was my best work!

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I’m staring at the painting the way a dog stares at a bone when I hear heel clicks which cause my eyes to shift. I look over and I see a mom and her daughter draw in close to the painting. I eye them as they observe the “features.” I try my hardest to overhear their conversation. The woman asks her daughter,“What do you see?”

MOMM: Why do you love writing?

Caitlyn: I started writing when I was really little. Everyone has a perspective, and it seems really cool to me that I can make up someone and tell a story from their perspective. There’s a quote I reflect on while I’m writing, which is ‘Write as though you’re taking pictures with words.’ I love this quote because it’s like I’m making a movie with my mind and sharing it with other people.

The daughter says, “I see everything, the good, and the bad, but it’s beautiful.”

As they walk away, I stare until I can see no more of them. Why can’t I see what others see? I slump my back and slide down the wall. As I sit with my hands covering my face, I hear the familiar words echoing.

“Look beyond the surface” I look up to see a yellow cart filled with vacuums and cleaning supplies.

Daniella Nassar, ‘17

MOMM: Where did you gain inspiration for your piece?

“Have you looked beyond yet? Stop day dreaming and focus, you’re looking but not seeing. It’s a masterpiece, not just a picture; it represents much more than what you see. In life, things aren’t always as they seem. You can judge things and lose an opportunity.”

Daniella: My piece was about someone looking beyond the surface and not judging a person when you first meet them. You never know who you could be talking to. No matter how they look, or what your first impression is, the accomplishments of an individual can be quite different. We had a project where we looked at a photo. I saw different ways to look at the photo prompt, and I also thought about my own personal life. People used to look at me without talking to me and assume that they knew something about me without getting to know me.

MOMM: Why do you love writing?

Daniella: Writing is another way to express how we feel. It is so calming for me and helps me think outside of the box.

I felt really accomplished when I found out that I won. It’s so nice to see something that you worked hard on get recognition.

“What do you know? You’re just a janitor!”

“Well, if you look behind the surface of me as well, you will see much more to me.

Will you do me a favor?”

“What?”

“Read the signature at the bottom right of the painting.”

Above: Caitlyn McConnell reading at the WITS Event; Irene Roddy poses in front of the Young Readers Writers Reading Series sign

I drew my eyes to the bottom right and read the name, Jerry Clementine. I looked up and couldn’t help but to see the bright yellow name sewed onto his janitor’s coat: Jerry Clementine.

I am fire in the wind.

One little spark can ignite the entire world. The air crisp and smokey, the fire big and beautiful.

I am that wildfire, spreading like gossip in teen girls’ hands.

My ways of life are dangerous; I lunge from tree to tree, It takes 1,000,000 people to slow down my fiery reign of terror.

The outcome of my worldwide scare is poor.

I leave people with almost nothing to live on.

But with pain comes beauty, and I watch as friends and family, mountains and trees gather together to build the world up again.

I am not all bad for my flames create opportunities to get stronger, more powerful.

I can transform the weakest squirrel into the strongest lion.

When my destruction ends, I am exhausted.

I tell myself that my wildfire is a warning.

My silent, screaming message: stay alert.

Another fire is coming.

I am the fire in the wind, ready to ignite.

Daniella Nassar, Class of 2017, participated in Writers in the School and was recognized at the Watchful Eyes series reading event.

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Faculty News

spotlight on kindergarten teacher, anne jackson

Supporting our Staff: St. Mark’s Faculty Growth Fund

At St. Mark’s, we are proud to support our faculty and staff as they seek opportunities for professional growth. Each year, a portion of our Annual Fund is allocated to the St. Mark’s Faculty Growth

at st. mark’s,

we recognize years of service with lapel pins. you might notice the following pin-holders around campus!

20+ years Dorinda Howard Cathy Partney Guillermo Monge

Amy Tichacek Janet Hinojosa

Fund. While the Faculty Growth Fund is still in its preliminary seeding phase, we are excited for Anne Jackson poses with her poster project, the culmination of over 120 hours of research and design

I

n April of 2015, Kindergarten teacher, Anne Jackson, began a transformative educational journey. The Early Literacy Leadership Academy is a program specifically designed for early childhood teachers as a part of Rice University’s School Literacy and Culture. In 2013, Phillips 66 approached Rice University with the hope of making a difference in literacy in the greater Houston area with young children. The experts at School Literacy and Culture developed a three year program for teachers of toddlers through 2nd grade that emphasizes early literacy, child development, and leadership. After several lengthy interviews and observations, Anne received notice that she had been awarded a seat in the ELLA cohort. “And, so,” Anne shares, “the journey began for me and my cohort of 15 other teachers representing both public and private schools.”

Anne trekked through two and a half years of professional development experiences, highlighting the importance of storytelling in the early childhood classroom. Additionally, Head of Lower School, Bobbye Hicks, was invited to join a professional learning community of administrators who read, discussed, and gained understanding of the philosophies and practices their teachers were learning.

Bobbye shares, “This work equipped us to support the growth of our teachers. I increased my knowledge of current literacy practices and made some new collegial relationships.”

Anne shares, “Even after more than 25 years in the classroom, I did not fully appreciate what can be accomplished in an early childhood classroom by

30

nurturing creativity in our young students. Specifically, the avenue of play and imaginative thinking through developmentally appropriate practices achieves remarkable, measurable, and long-term gains for each child.”

“Amidst the hallmark practices for storytelling and dramatizations, ELLA introduced teaching ideas that promote design thinking. One endorsed idea is defined as Loose Parts play. “Loose Parts” has become a personal metaphor for the deeper understandings I have gleaned from internalizing the SLC philosophy of education through the ELLA experience.

Many interlocking gears of theory and facets of SLC endorsed practices have transformed my classroom. I have learned not only to embrace an inquiry based approach in all aspects of teaching but to trust my young students as they experience the process of creativity. My personal quest to promote literacy has expanded beyond word knowledge to a literacy of innovative thinking that stretches beyond any published curriculum guide.”

“In my classroom, I am now able to effectively collaborate with the children to create dynamic learning potential when I listen closely to their ideas and value their input. We are tinkering together daily to make new discoveries, and the surprises never cease to amaze. I am privileged to enjoy the hum of engaged learning and inspiration from the smallest parts of our shared stories and connections. These are truly magical moments of validation, and even more often…joy!”

We are proud of the work of Anne and her quest to bring new ideas and

the opportunities that it will help provide for our

techniques to some of our younger students at St. Mark’s. Her work in the ELLA program displays her own intellectual curiosity and passion for discovery.

teachers in the future.

15-19 years Sharon Bukaty Leticia Hernandez Anne Jackson Maria Jaramillo

Yong Lee Laurie Mitchell Susan Orlicek Kristin Uptmor

anne jackson’s ella journey included:

100 seminar hours

A four day summer institute

Leadership training and opportunity to become a presenter at the winter Early Literacy Summit

10-14 years Emily Brabo Bobbye Hicks Janet Mayr Fred Silverstein

Allison Sonnier Barbara Williams Cindy Williams

Six hours per month of personal oneon-one mentoring and conferences in her classroom

Multiple visits to other schools for classroom observations

Numerous publications, readings and reflective assignments, including a case study in year one and a poster project in her second year year, which involved over 120 hours of research and design

5-9 years Margaret Alvarez Christine Anderson Gauri Arora Scott Basso Sara Brannon Laura Giffin John Giffin Andrea Hoelscher

Jean Marie Howard Camilo Patino Cortney Richa-Hebert Dawn Robins Steve Salley Lou Ellen Stansell Garhett Wagers

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it’s always writing season at st. mark’s! our middle school athletes gain inspiration for poetry on the field, court, and track.

Athletics News

gym renovation | sports banquet

Remembering Coach Noah Miller The count was 1-2. The pitcher’s tall and skinny appearance was intimidating.

He even had a curveball—I knew it was coming. It was almost as high-pressure as making an amazing catch to win the super bowl.

I remember the pitcher bringing his leg up to about his chest, then releasing.

The logo said “Braves.” A slow moving curveball. The catcher tried to block the dirt-stained ball from going to the backstop. It hit the tip of his glove.

I started running, then I slid into the orangish-red dirt.

The umpire put out his arms and called “safe.”

My team went crazy. We were champions.

- Andy Fuselier, St. Mark’s Class of 2019

st. mark’s mourns the loss of a member of our extended community. former coach and

Sallie Wilson Sportsmanship Award winners, Max Melton, ‘17, and Isabel Wagers, ‘17, with Director of Athletics, Roma Coleman

Gym Renovation Located in the heart of our campus, the Reeder Gymnasium provides a place for our students to play and develop sportsmanship. It also is a space where our community gathers for Rise and Shine assemblies, fine arts performances, and school-wide events.

teaching assistant, noah miller, passed away on march 23, 2017 after a

Swish! The ball falls Into the hole as it calls When I throw the ball with strength It goes a very swift and far length Basketball is not just a sport It is not a game where you just stand on the court It is certainly not a game that has already been done It is a game that has been won - Lily Pearce, St. Mark’s Class of 2018

heartfelt prayers to all of noah’s friends and family members, as we remember noah’s years here with a smile.

•

A Refresh of both the Girls and Boys Locker Rooms New Athletic/Physical Education Lockers

Roma Coleman, Director of Athletics shared with us, “as in the academic realm, here at St. Mark’s we are always looking toward innovation and improvement.

Through the leadership of our Headmaster and Board of Trustees, we have begun a small renovation of our athletic facilities.

We are truly excited and look forward to the “new look” of our athletic facilities as we continue to cultivate joy, playfulness and growth.”

Sallie Wilson

“

Sallie Wilson designed and founded the athletics program at St. Mark’s during her 24 years as our leader.

Coach Wilson was an asset to our community, and without her none of us would be here celebrating our student athletes today. I am honored every year to present this award to the students who embody the values that she held most closely.

long, hard-fought battle with cancer. we send our

•

Sports Banquet Before: Reeder Gymnasium

This summer, many improvements are being made to the Reeder Gymnasium, the Flex Space, the Concession Stand, and the Boys and Girls Locker Rooms, including: • New Wood Flooring in Reeder Gymnasium • New Bleacher System • New Flooring in the Flex Space • New Window Film in Flex Space • New Cabinetry and Refresh of Concession Stand and Snack Area • A Refresh of the Bathroom in the Flex Space

The annual St. Mark’s Sports Banquet was held on Friday, May 12, in the Reeder Gymnasium. This event allows us to recognize over 150 athletes for their accomplishments on the court, field, and track over the course of the year. A hallmark of the evening is recognizing our winners for the Sallie Wilson Sportsmanship Award, which is presented to the 8th grade athletes whose actions and attitude most exemplify the ideals of sportsmanship; including fairness, civility, honesty, selflessness, respect and responsibility towards their teammates, coaches, officials, opponents and fans. This year’s Sallie Wilson Sportsmanship Award recipients were Max Melton and Isabel Wagers, shown above.

”

-Roma Coleman

Director of Athletics

The 2017 Sports Banquet

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33

Athletics Records winter and spring sports

Basketball | 10 Teams | 110 Players | 3 5th Grade Teams | Hybrid UCAL and Private School Competition 2 6th Grade Teams | 2 7th Grade Teams | 3 8th Grade Teams 6th Grade Girls | 9-5 Overall Record | 2-2 Conference Record 2nd Place at First Baptist Academy 2016 Warrior Classic | 3rd Place finish in St. Mark’s Lions Tournament 6th Grade Boys | 15-5 Overall Record | 4-2 Conference Record | 1st Place at First Baptist Academy 2016 Warrior Classic | 3rd Place finish in the Presbyterian Panthers Tournament Junior Varsity Girls | 10-7 Overall Record | 3-3 Conference Record | 3rd Place finish in the Houston Christian Tournament | 2nd Place in GHAC Division I Conference Play Junior Varsity Boys | 5-16 Overall Record 3-7 Conference Record Varsity Girls | 12-9 Overall Record 4-6 Conference Record | 2nd Place finish in the Fort Bend Christian Turkey Shootout Varsity Boys Red Team | 7-13 Overall Record | 4-8 Conference Play | Consolation prize at the Houston Christian Tournament Varsity Boys White Team | 7-8 Overall Record Baseball | 8-7 Overall Record | 7-7 Conference Record

5th Grade Girls Basketball; 5th Grade Boys Basketball; 6th Grade Girls Basketball; 6th Grade Boys Basketball; JV Girls Basketball

JV Boys Basketball; Varsity Girls Basketball; Varsity Boys Red Basketball; Varsity Boys White Basketball; Baseball Team

Tennis | 2nd Place overall finish for girls singles in Bay Area Tournament | 3rd Place overall finish for boys doubles in Bay Area Tournament Golf | 3rd Place in CHSA Junior High Golf Tournament | 2nd Place in Southwest Christian Academy Golf Tournament Tennis

Track & Field 2nd Place for 7th Grade Girls in GHAC Conference Meet | Set 21 New School Records

Golf

Track & Field

5th Grade Girls | 200m Dash Sophie Shapiro (:39.55) | 400m Dash Sophie Shapiro (1:33.36) | 800m Run Sarah Doan (3:20.51) | 1200m Run Grace Beckmann (5:30.60) | Shot Put Grace Beckmann (11’4”) 5th Grade Boys | 800m Run Wesley Barton (3:21.42) | 1200m Run Wesley Barton (5:22.45) | Discus Hayes Dodson (40’5.25”) | Long Jump Hayes Dodson (9’4”) | Shot Put Hayes Dodson (14’4”) 6th Grade Girls | 200m Dash Anne Haddon Nottingham (:30.74) | 4x100 Relay Theriot, Nottingham ,Colesante & Kinahan (:58.95) | 4x200 Relay Theriot, Notthingham, Kinahan & Colesante (2:19.5) 6th Grade Boys | 400m Dash William Citizen (1:10.64) 7th Grade Girls | 200m Dash Lauren McGinnis (:30.34) | 200m Hurdles CiCi Calhoun (:33.45) | 800m Run CiCi Calhoun (2:39.30) | 4x100 Relay Mclean, Thompson, Meshberger & McGinnis (:56.85) | Long Jump Lauren McGinnis (13’11”) 8th Grade Girls | 400m Dash Dailey Nottingham (1:08.72) 8th Grade Boys | 400m Dash Henry Miller (1:04.14)

Left: Grace Beckmann, Sarah Doan, and Anna Willson, Class of 2020, celebrate after a track meet

35

DANCING QUEEN

Fine Arts At

Eliza Thompson, ‘18

I stand backstage Feeling honestly proud I look outside “That’s a big crowd.”

Everyone’s coming To see me dance of course They watch me with more concentration Than an obstacle course Nia Mclean, ‘18, performing in Princess and the Pea

...

My turns are swift

St. Mark’s, we seek to inspire cre-

My jumps are clean

ativity, curiosity, and playfulness in a

I am the true

child-centered environment. Our fine arts

Dancing queen

classes are filled with joyful experiences, where students can express themselves in various forms. Students are engaged and

Dancing Queen writing piece by Eliza Thompson, ‘18

excited when they walk into art and music as they enter a space where imagination and innovation are encouraged.

James Enger, ‘21, strums during his guitar solo at the Talent Show; Colby Covington, ‘17, performs in Princess and the Pea

Elena Chapman-Ramirez, ‘26, performs in the dance showcase

Grayson Van Gundy, Anne Haddon Nottingham, and Caroline Jackson, ‘19, are all smiles at the dance showcase

37

2017 UnGala april 22, 2017

Allison and Pablo Mercado and Donna McGinnis; Susan Bailey-Newell, Teresa Ardenghi, and Mona Khan; Scott and Jackie Freeman

In even-numbered years, we enjoy a traditional gala, at an outside venue, with a seated dinner, a dance floor with a band, and formal attire.

H

ats off to our generous parents who supported the successful Derby-themed UnGala on the Courtyard here at St. Mark’s.

This event raised over $125,000 in gross proceeds for the school.

A large collection of student artwork, parent and student socials, and one of a kind experiences were auctioned through our online bidding system. The live auction items like the parking spot and dinner with Patrick and Garhett were incorporated into our online auction this year and received

In odd-numbered years, we

a record number of bids. As parents and friends gathered in our courtyard with spectacular weather and beautiful decor, we all felt like we were in the Winners Circle.

Gala chair, Kristin Horn, worked tirelessly with her committee to plan and organize such a successful event. St. Mark’s is deeply grateful for the many supportive underwriters and volunteers who made this event possible.

Photography by Quy Tran

Right: UnGala Chair, Kristin Horn, poses with the UnGala’s Decor Chairs Jeannine Merrill and Maya Fleyhan

host the UnGala, a two-hour cocktail party on our campus, with a smaller auction, casual dress, and tasty food. Both the Gala and the UnGala provide a wonderful opportunity for our families to come together to

More information, and a full list of underwriters and volunteers can be found at www.stmes.org/gala.

support St. Mark’s!

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A crowd gathers in the courtyard

Development Office

annual fund | more. campaign for growth | volunteer appreciation

More.

The St. Mark’s Campaign for Growth

Lou Ellen Stansell Director of Development

Hannah Maloney, ‘18, and Jamilah Citizen, ‘18, enjoying Field Day

Annual Fund

The Annual Fund is by far the most important fundraising effort at St. Mark’s each year, and gifts at any level demonstrate our community’s commitment to our school’s mission. Each year, we ask you to support our school’s academic and learning environment by making a taxdeductible and discretionary contribution to the St. Mark’s Annual Fund. Donations provide the supplemental resources needed for the full support of our children and their educational development.

Tuition covers our basic operating budget, which includes salaries, benefits, utilities, and campus maintenance. The Annual Fund directly impacts program improvements, and allows us to provide the best environment possible for our children. As a school, we budget for areas like professional development, technology, curriculum, and facilities, but the Annual Fund bolsters these areas.

The entirety of the St. Mark’s experience is made possible by this crucial initiative.

Gury and Pratik Doshi with their children, Sehaj, ‘21, and Syon, ‘22

Meet this year’s Annual Fund Chairs, Gury and Pratik Doshi

“

Every child is unique. Every child

carries their own spirit and energy.

We believe St. Mark’s is a school community that recognizes and embraces the individual child, helping each child write their own story. We hope you will join us in

ANNUAL FUND DOLLARS SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING FOUR CATEGORIES: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR FACULTY AND STAFF

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT AND CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENTS

CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS

supporting the Annual Fund so that the breadth and depth of the St Mark’s school experience can

A ROBUST TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

continue to bolster each child’s learning and growth as an individual and as part of their community.

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”

We Heart Our Volunteers!

When we launched More. The St. Mark’s Campaign for Growth in March 2015, we set forth an ambitious goal of raising $2 million to renovate the G building and add much needed space to expand our programming and grow our middle school.

As a landlocked campus in a busy area of central Houston, the additional 9,600 square feet (12.9% increase in instructional space) in an adjacent location has been transformational for our school. The new building includes a half-court gymnasium, a fully-equipped science lab, three classrooms, the W.T. and Louise J. Moran Idea Lab, administrative offices, and a teacher’s lounge. The outdoor space between our buildings has also added two four square courts, and a half-court basketball court.

Our community responded with incredible generosity at all stages of this campaign. Two recent generous gifts from the George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation and an anonymous donor helped us cross the finish line and and we are proud to report that at this time we have met the goal!

January 2015 St. Mark’s signed the lease agreement and started initial fundraising conversations

March 2015 More. The St. Mark’s Campaign for Growth launched publicly with 100% Trustee participation and $545,200 raised

From shelving library books, to selling Spiritwear, to serving as a Buddy Family, to fundraising, there are countless ways we volunteer on campus. At St. Mark’s, we love our

Campaign Donations by Constituents

volunteers! That’s why during arrival duty in May, the school served iced coffees through our car windows as a token of our appreciation.

On any given day you will find countless volunteers here on campus, giving their time and not expecting anything in return. Our teachers, programs, and students are impacted by your work. On behalf of all your friends at St. Mark’s, thank you for what you do. Your time and effort makes a difference.

73%

Trustees & Current Parents

14%

Foundations

7%

Corportations & Matching Gifts

3%

Parents of Alumni / Former Parents

2%

Grandparents

1%

Faculty / Staff

Director of Technology, Allie Sarahan, serves iced coffee to our volunteers, while Michael Tyler McGinnis, ‘17, holds an umbrella for her

WE DID IT

!

August 2015 Grand Opening events including a ribbon cutting, and blessing of the new space with $1.47 million raised

August 2017 $2,002,855 raised and not a single dollar borrowed to finance this project.

Photo by Jerry Jones 2015

AUG 2017

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Save the Date for this Year’s Parent Guild Major Events!

What is the Parent Guild?

Admission Office

October 28, 2017

matt burgy, director of admission

Scarborough Fair

An annual fall fair for St. Mark’s families.

This is the Parent Guild’s primary fundraiser of the school year.

November 17, 2017 Our 2017-2018 Parent Guild Officers: Ashley Baxter, Secretary; Charlene Coddington, Vice President / President-Elect; Sara Elkins, President; and Jennifer Anderson, Treasurer

Grandparents and Friends Day Grandparents and Friends are invited to share a morning classroom visit and chapel service with students.

Opening Day

Admission

Admission

Enrollments

Applications

Inquiries

378

600

403

431

434

474

400

400

200

200

160

193

244

253

319

253

308

313

360

391

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

400

200

The mission of the St. Mark’s Parent Guild is to support community spirit, create meaningful events and programs for our children, and promote the school in the greater surrounding community.

December 2, 2017

of the Parent Guild. Participating in The Parent Guild is an excellent way to engage in the St. Mark’s community.

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Breakfast with Santa

Enjoy breakfast and a visit with Santa on a Saturday morning at St. Mark’s.

The Parent Guild is our version of the PTA, and all current parents are automatically members

2012-13

January 26, 2018 Father Daughter Dance A dance for fathers or father figures and daughters.

Join us throughout the year for other events like Dads and Donuts, Muffins with Moms, Spirit Nights, and Tech Talks!

Learn more at www.stmes.org/parents

W

hen I introduce myself to prospective families at St. Mark’s, I often comment that I have the best job at the school.

In the spring, I spend my afternoons with budding golfers surrounded by the splendor of nature; however, my role as the St. Mark’s golf coach is not the best job on campus. The occasional stray golf ball that I have to dodge reminds me that my full-time role as the Director of Admission of St. Mark’s is simply the most enjoyable position I could ever imagine. I love being the first face prospective families see on our campus when they are undergoing the daunting task of investigating the ocean of Houston independent schools.

A piece of my introduction to St. Mark’s includes asking prospective families why they are considering our community.

I guide them down the path of seeing our mission in action, expressing that St. Mark’s is one of the few schools where you are able to see and feel that mission being lived out each and every day. From watching our Preschool 2s beginning their educational journey to avoiding the slew of Pre-K students riding tricycles through the courtyard, to listening to our middle school students speak so eloquently about their Genius Hour projects, touring our campus is a whirlwind. Resoundingly, prospective families leave our campus with the same sensation that I felt when I

first stepped on campus: a palpable sense of engagement and a deep commitment to child-centered growth. This experience is the reason why I love serving St. Mark’s in so many ways, and I am able to encounter it every time I introduce someone new to our great community.

Enrollment at St. Mark’s is stronger than it has ever been. We opened last year with 475 students, and we will have more than 480 students in the 2017-2018 school year. The vast majority of this growth has come from the expansion of our middle school program, where we project to have full enrollment in 5th, 6th and 7th grades. An indicator of a school’s overall health is the rate of retention from year to year. While the National Association of Independent School’s matriculation average is 82%, at St. Mark’s, 93% of our students re-enroll from year-to-year. As our enrollment has strengthened in the past 3 years, so has our admission of prospective families. Inquiries to the school and applications to the school are also at all-time highs, and we have become one of the most highly desired Pre-K through 8th grade schools in the Houston market. Of the 300+ applications we received in the last admission cycle, only 33% of these applicants were accepted to our school. It is truly a great time to be at St. Mark’s!

Matt Burgy, Director of Admission

Save the Date and Invite a Friend to Our Fall Admission Open Houses: Wednesday, October 25 Wednesday, November 8

Scarborough Fair; Christina Amelio, ‘18, enjoys Dads and Donuts with her dad, Sergio; Evan Parmer, ‘26, and Mason Parmer, ‘28, enjoy Muffins with Moms with their mom, Lindsay

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Board of Trustees

2017-2018 st. mark’s episcopal school board of trustees The 2017-2018 St. Mark’s Board of Trustees Carrie Gillette Board Chairman

Garhett Wagers Headmaster

Rev. Patrick Miller Rector

Michael Bollinger Ryan Cassens Anne Cleary David Crabtree Ali Dodson Robert Durden Susanne Evans Jamie Grissom Pablo Mercado Ken Murphy Jessica Roberts Jill Thompson John Toubassi Jeff Van Gundy

Departing Trustees On behalf of the entire St. Mark’s community, we extend our deepest thanks to the following trustees who are rolling off of the board this year. We are extremely grateful for their unwavering support, counsel, and service to our school.

Peggy Eggleston (Vestry Representative), Ruth Ann Stiles, Suzanne Hays (Parent Guild Representative), Eric Moen, and David Andrews.

2017-2018 Board of Trustees; Not pictured: Pablo Mercado, Jill Thompson, Jeff Van Gundy, and Eleanor Cannon

S t. Mark’s Episcopal School was created in 1960 as an educational outreach ministry

of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. We are governed by a separate Board of Trustees, comprised of current and former parents and community leaders. The Board of Trustees of St. Mark’s Episcopal School is a dynamic group of individuals that focuses on the long-term strategic goals and financial position of the school and the selection and support of its Headmaster, Garhett Wagers. The board entrusts the normal, day-to-day operations of the school to their sole employee, the Headmaster, and uses its position to approve the annual operating budget oversee the financial operations of the school.

We would like to formally welcome the following individuals, newly elected to the St. Mark’s Board of Trustees:

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Susanne Evans

Susanne Walker Evans received a B.A. in English from Texas Tech University and a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center. She taught high school English in Houston’s Spring Branch ISD for three years before pursuing her law degree. She practiced federal energy regulatory law with Transcontinental Pipeline and later, corporate law with a local law firm. As twenty-five year member of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, Susanne has volunteered as a Stephen Minister, Worship Leader, and Lay Eucharistic Minister. Susanne and her husband, Randall Evans, are Founders

Special thanks to David Andrews, who served as our Board Chairman for the past three years.

David provided guidance and sage advice as he led our board with dignity and grace.

of Episcopal High School. Currently retired, she has been married to Randall for forty years. They have three children and six grandchildren, four of whom live in Houston and are enrolled at St. Mark’s: Julian Amelio (3rd Grade), Catalina Amelio (3rd Grade), Walker Evans (2nd Grade), and August Evans (Kindergarten).

Ken Murphy

Ken Murphy is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mattress Firm. His continued success in many various roles within the sales and operations functions led to his promotion as Chief Operating Officer in February 2014 and then President in

September 2015. Ken’s strong leadership, broad operational experience and passion for Mattress Firm helped spur the company’s growth and success. As President and CEO, Ken focuses on longterm strategy and operational excellence to maintain industry leadership and preeminence as Mattress Firm coalesces and defines the next stage of its plan.

Ken earned a B.B.A. in Management from Stephen F. Austin University and an M.S. in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. He serves on the General Business Advisory Board for Stephen F. Austin. Ken is married with four children.

His daughters, Savannah and Scarlett both attend St. Mark’s. Savannah is in 2nd grade and Scarlett is in 1st grade.

Jessica Roberts

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Jessica L. Roberts attended St. Mark’s Episcopal School from Kindergarten through 8th grade.

She went on to graduate from Bellaire High School, winning a full academic scholarship to the University of Southern California (USC). She graduated summa cum laude with Departmental Honors from USC with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and minors in Law & Society, Theater, and French. She completed her education at the Yale Law School, where she became inspired to pursue a career

Sara Elkins

Parent Guild Representative

Jean Marie Howard Board Clerk

Eleanor Cannon

Vestry Representative

in legal academia. Immediately after law school, Jessica clerked for the Honorable Dale Wainwright of the Texas Supreme Court and the Honorable Roger L. Gregory of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She then took a twoyear academic fellowship at Columbia Law School to pursue her dream of becoming a law professor. Jessica returned to Houston in 2010 to begin teaching at the University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) and to be closer to her family. St. Mark’s provided Jessica with a foundation for educational excellence. She attributes her success to the outstanding teachers and opportunities she had during those formative years and is eager to give back to the St. Mark’s community.

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summer 2017 | vol. 1 making our mark magazine team headmaster Garhett Wagers

director of communication and marketing Jean Marie Howard

graphic design Angie Coussirat, Winston Street Design House

photography Jean Marie Howard, Jerry Jones, Steve Simpson, Quy Tran

writers and contributors Sara Brannon, Matt Burgy, Carrie Cherek, Roma Coleman, Andy Fuselier ‘19, Bobbye Hicks, Jean Marie Howard, Anne Jackson, Catherine MacConnell ‘18, Caitlyn McConnell ‘18, Amanda McGee, Daniella Nassar ‘17, Lily Pearce ‘18, Cortney Richa-Hebert, Irene Roddy ‘20, Troy Roddy, Steve Salley, Lou Ellen Stansell, Rev. Kristin Sullivan, Eliza Thompson ‘18, Kristin Uptmor, Garhett Wagers

Please note: We understand that multiple copies of Making Our Mark may have been sent to your address. In an ongoing effort to be good stewards of the school’s and the Earth’s resources, we would appreciate your help. Please let us know if: You received a copy of making our mark addressed to someone who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home or you have multiple community members at the same address, but you would prefer to receive only one copy for your household.

Ally Enger, ‘19, and Haley Heslep, ‘24, on Field Day

Making Our Mark is published by the school’s advancement office and is mailed free of charge to current St. Mark’s families, alumni, and friends of St. Mark’s.

For more information or to report an address change, please call 713-667-7030.

st. mark’s episcopal school 3816 bellaire boulevard houston, texas 77025

summer 2017

m ag a z i n e

vol. 1