St. Paul's Episcopal Day School Annual Report 2021-2022

HEAD OF SCHOOL LETTER

ANDREW MYLER

Michelangelo

We continue to move forward with our strategic initiatives: upgrades to our outdoor spaces, enhancements of our schoolwide social and emotional learning and leadership programs, faculty growth and professional development, and expansion of our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

The south playground recently opened with a one-of-a-kind play structure, student gathering spots, and a Spartanthemed turf field. Next, we will renovate the east ECC playground. We will have an updated design soon, and we hope to break ground in the summer of 2023. We are also working on an updated campus master plan, including the upper field; we will share it with you in the spring.

We are in year three of our adoption of the RULER social and emotional program. All faculty and students understand the model, and we continue to reinforce and embed key RULER tools across the school. We also returned to a monthly life skills focus using CharacterLab playbooks as our foundation for this effort.

In 2021-2022, we emphasized schoolwide project based learning professional development. This year, we returned to school with a focus on learning support,

executive functioning skills, neurodiversity, and early literacy. Our teachers are the key, and they are modeling growth mindset, creativity, and curiosity.

As an Episcopal school, we are called to love our neighbor, to strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being. This year, we are working to widen our admissions network, and through chapel and character education, we are committed to building and celebrating a diverse and inclusive community. As the National Association of Episcopal Schools states,

Our tradition is one of graciousness, generosity, and humility—we do not possess all of the answers, and we are eager to learn from each other. One of the best vehicles for enhancing that learning is the intentional cultivation of a diverse community, one that is welcomed into the total life of the school. A sense of belonging is essential to a climate of learning, and serves as the optimal mode of preparation for our students’ futures.

Let’s continue to aim high, stretch, and work together on behalf of our students and community. Thank you for another amazing year.

In gratitude, Andrew

“The problem human beings face is not that we aim too high and fail, but that we aim too low and succeed.”

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AT ST. PAUL’S

Research from the field of emotion science finds that children who understand and manage their feelings make more responsible decisions, have stronger relationships, and perform better in school.

As part of our strategic plan, St. Paul’s has committed to enhancing school-wide social and emotional learning (SEL) by:

• Implementing age-appropriate curriculum that reinforces critical SEL skills

• Adding an additional counselor to serve our Early Childhood students

• Updating the school schedule to allow time for new SEL programs

To continue helping our students progress in their social emotional development, we introduced a new program, RULER, during the 2021-2022 school year.

Developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning. It’s also an acronym for the skills of emotional intelligence:

After practicing these emotional intelligence skills during faculty/staff RULER training, we spent the 2021-2022 school year teaching and modeling RULER in St. Paul’s classrooms. Teachers integrated routines to build emotional awareness, such as checking in on the “Mood Meter” to help students name and regulate their emotions throughout the day. Students also created Class Charters to answer the question, “How do we want to feel at school?”

In conjunction with our classroom rollout, we also held RULER parent education events so the social emotional learning could continue at home. By partnering with parents around social emotional learning goals, our students feel supported while building their selfawareness and conflict resolution skills inside and outside of school. We look forward to finding more ways that our community can learn and grow together in the year ahead.

OUTDOOR PLAY EXPANDS ON NEW SOUTH PLAYGROUND

ST. PAUL’S STUDENTS ENJOY THE SECOND OF OUR TRANSFORMED PLAY SPACES

Since 2019, we have been developing and carrying out a master plan to completely transform outdoor play at St. Paul’s.

According to recent research, dedicated daily time for outdoor play promotes students’ overall health, aids in social emotional development, and increases academic focus in the classroom.

With community support, we updated another outdoor space to provide more opportunities for students to play, imagine, think, move, socialize, and rest.

In October 2022, we completed work on the newly imagined South Playground which primarily serves third through eighth grade. Students are enjoying all the new playground components including the outdoor classroom, bench seating, age-appropriate play equipment, and the expanded sport field. We also increased the landscaping to add cheery surroundings to the playground exterior.

Through individual gifts, pledges, and Fund-A-Vision donations at recent auctions, we raised more than $1,200,000 toward all of our playground transformations. Our work is not yet done! Throughout the coming school year, we will finalize plans for our Toddler/Preschool Playground. We’re hoping construction will begin in May 2023. Fundraising efforts continue as we purchase new playground equipment for this space that will serve our youngest learners.

Visit speds.org/support/playground to view a list of 21-22 playground supporters.

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT

SARAH BOWMAN – CLASS OF 2001

UNIVERSITY:

Loyola University Chicago, 2009 B.A. Communications, Minor Photography

Loyola University Chicago, Quinlan School of Business, 2022 MS Marketing, Digital Marketing Analytics

PROFESSION/CURRENT ROLE:

Account Executive with Brains on Fire – Los Angeles, CA

Tell us about your career. What kind of projects do you like working on?

I recently accepted a position for a creative agency in Los Angeles, CA, working with clients like Hello Bello, Bitsy’s, Tonie, and Dr. Seuss. I’m thrilled to be able to use the full breadth of my career and educational skills to work with brands that aim to do good with their products.

Tell us about your new city, Los Angeles! How do you like to spend your free time there?

I loved my time in Chicago and the Midwest, but I’m really looking forward to engaging with the outdoors more and of course the warmer weather. During my free time, I love checking out art exhibits and seeing what creatives

are working on in my local community. There’s always something new to check out in my neighborhood, as well as when I’m traveling. This passion is certainly something that was born from my time at St. Paul’s and our countless visits to The Nelson and the Kemper museums.

You recently received a grant from Thee Abundance Project, a Quick Brown Fox program that supports Black and Brown women who are amateur road cycling racers. Congratulations! Tell us more about your award and your training.

I’ve always been a cycling enthusiast, but my participation was mostly as a Chicago commuter. However, this past winter I decided to become more engaged in my fitness by doing an endurance cycling series. Around this time, Thee Abundance Project was accepting applications

for their 2022 road cycling grant, and I decided to apply. I am extremely honored that I was chosen to receive a grant to race in the Tour of America’s Dairyland road series this past June. I also received the micro-grant for entry into the Intelligentsia Cup road series and the Irvine Grand Prix. These grants helped me develop my cycling skills on a competitive level, and I upgraded from a category 5 to a 4 racer this season. I’ll be back to road racing in the spring, and I’m hoping to get on the podium and upgrade to a category 3 racer.

Do you have any advice for our current 8th grade class and recent graduates as they consider their own futures?

Trying new things will always take a bit of bravery, but you’ll never know until you try! Also, don’t be afraid of failing. You’re going to fail a whole lot more than win, and really failing is a lot more fun. That’s where you get to put in the work, see what you’re capable of, and meet a whole

bunch of great people along the way. Learn, grow, and do it all over again!

When thinking back on your time at St. Paul’s, are there any experiences that influenced who you are today?

I loved my time at St. Paul’s! The teachers were always encouraging of our unique personalities and skills, which I think helped me to become the adventurous person I am today. I learned how to be a part of a team, to honor and give back to my community whenever I can, and how to lead with knowledge and integrity.

CLASS OF 2022 HIGH SCHOOL SELECTIONS

Francesca Arnold St. Teresa’s Academy

Albert Becker The Pembroke Hill School

Jafer Bedeer Staley High School

Alexander Brought The Pembroke Hill School

Ben Caisley Rockhurst High School

Sophie Danker Shawnee Mission East High School

Raquel Diaz North Kansas City High School

Page Fasel The Pembroke Hill School

Taggart Faul Bishop Miege High School

Alice Feldmiller The Pembroke Hill School

Madison Hardley St. Teresa’s Academy

Langston Humphrey Rockhurst High School

Joshua Hunt Rockhurst High School

Truett Latz Rockhurst High School

Vivian Lawhead St. Teresa’s Academy

Julian Le Riche Shawnee Mission East High School

Leo Lynn Shawnee Mission East High School

Henry Manriquez The Pembroke Hill School

Gage Mayfield The Pembroke Hill School

Micah Moncrieffe Rockhurst High School

Evelyn Morris St. Teresa’s Academy

Evan Murray Rockhurst High School

Madeline Novak The Pembroke Hill School

Elianna O’Hanlon-Bechtel Barstow School

Lila Platt The Pembroke Hill School

Asa Schaaf Rockhurst High School

Annie Severns St. Teresa’s Academy

Rosa Sosland Shawnee Mission East High School

Hunter Thurman Rockhurst High School

Lanie Tietjen The Pembroke Hill School

Miles VanDoren The Pembroke Hill School

Victoria Zaborny St. Teresa’s Academy

St. Paul's Class of 2022

CLASS OF 2018

COLLEGE SELECTIONS

Ava Albracht University of California, Santa Barbara

Victoria Andrews Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles

Emma Angilan American University

Samuel Brisch Rollins College

Andrew Carr Indiana University

Aisling Catley-Goggin San Diego State University

Aiden Demark University of Kansas

Tony Escareno Johnson County Community College

Emory Etzenhouser William Jewell College

Maggie Feldmiller University of Missouri

Henry Fountain University of Kansas

Luke Friskel University of Kansas

Jorden Gates

Mary-Olivia Gibbs University of Kansas

Will Greaves Southern Methodist University

Ella Heide Saint Mary’s College of California

Kate Holewinski University of Miami

Kenna Hughes University of South Carolina

Cole Ivey Metropolitan Community College

Nina Kalmus Mid America Nazarene University

Samuel Kennedy Oberlin College

Ella Lorfing Carthage College

Grace McCamy Arizona State University

Mary Frances McCann Boston College

Katherine McCarthy Clemson University

Madelyn McDowell University of Mississippi

Gavin Mcliney Texas Christian University

Isaiah Moncrieffe University of Chicago

Tsige O’Brien Metropolitan Community College

Anna Peterson University of Kansas

Tate Posten Santa Barbara City College

Justin Rhyne Gettysburg College

Iris Roddy Luther College

Megan Willis Tufts University

Bella Wolfe DePaul University

With our stellar academics, leadership programs, service learning, and compassionate faculty, it’s no surprise that many new families want to join the St. Paul’s community.

During our most recent admissions cycle, we welcomed dozens of prospective families to explore our classrooms at Open Houses and private tours. Due to high demand and excellent applicants, we have seen record growth across St. Paul’s over the past five years.

and bring consistency to St. Paul’s classrooms. Not only can they step in to support teachers for more intensive projects, they are also our first line of substitute teachers as needed.

Leading up to the 22-23 admissions cycle, we also updated our application process to a streamlined online portal. This new system helps families efficiently complete their St. Paul’s enrollment checklist and submit necessary paperwork. This simpler admissions process also better aligns with prospective families’ experiences at our peer institutions.

In order to better serve our growing student population, we added instructional support positions. These teachers have been highly valuable

One thing is clear, St. Paul’s continues to thrive as we develop confident learners, ethical leaders, and compassionate, engaged citizens. We are proud to be an exceptional option for Kansas City students and families!

50% of our prospective families report hearing about St. Paul’s from family and friends!

ANNUAL FUND

EVERY FAMILY, ONE COMMUNITY

Last year tested many of our life skills and strengthened our values.

One constant is the importance of community, and the significance each St. Paul’s family holds in shaping our school for the better.

Each year, the Annual Fund allows our community to come together in support of programs that help St. Paul’s grow in new ways for our students: professional development, tuition assistance and school needs that go beyond tuition. This year, gifts to the Annual Fund ranged from $10 to more than $10,000

and supporters included board members, current and former staff, parents, grandparents, alumni, and their families. Every gift – and every donor – supported a unified St. Paul’s community for our students.

$10,000+

Ann Dickinson

Hebenstreit-Armistead Family Lynsey and Paul Jager

The Jager Family Foundation Jeffrey and Brooke Kuntz

VISIONARY SOCIETY

$5,000-$9,999

Anonymous Hank and Vickie Bradley

Anthony and Kelly Caudill Desmond and Janet Curran Paul and Amy Holewinski Marshall and Nora Lockton Midwest Distributors Company, Inc. Tim and Christina Wahl David and Brooke Ward

CORNERSTONE SOCIETY

$2,500-$4,999

Perry and Kathy Atha Christopher and Patricia Barnett Mark and Robyn Callison Greyson and Elle Clymer David and Rebecca Collier Kara Bemboom-Grefrath and Sam Grefrath John and Sheila Holkins Matthew and Jesse Hufft Brad and Patricia Ives Lynette and Charles Koester Richard and Sabrina Korentager Mike and Jane Kress Paul Madson and Jill Morris Ben and Amanda Mook Fernando and Julie Mujica Andrew Myler

The Palmer Family Bill and Suzanne Raney Aaron and Jamie Young

LEADERS’ CIRCLE

$1,000-$2,499

Michael Abraham and Ancy Maruthanal John and Ellen Aisenbrey Charles Payne and Amy Ortman Anonymous John and Miriam Bailey Christopher and Kathryn Bannister Betsy and Drew Berst Bill and Lindy Beyer

Eric and Jo Bradley

Justin and Mindy Bridges

Cameron and Newell Brookfield Andrew and Kristen Brought Charles and Susan Caisley

Alice Carrott and Al Eidson Tim and Elizabeth Chilcote Hoyt Ogilvie and Amy Crouch Jason and Claire Cunningham Marshall and Jill Dean Brian Everist

Benjamin and Courtney Fadler Andrew and Emily Funk Dody Gates

Gordon and Diane Gee Michael and Sara Gentry Matt and Kate Gibbs Cesar and Courtney Gonzalez Craig and Barbara Hakkio David and Laura Hall Jenifer Allsworth and Tanya Harned Eric and Kristin Havens Daniel and Dawn Heizman Melissa and Timothy Hendricks Brad and Blair Jackson Kay Johnson and Bill Koenigsdorf Kevin and Adriane Latz Michael and Angie Laurie Michael Lawhead and Christina Sternberg Michael and Candis Lochmann Ernest and Jessica Madarang Smitha Mathew and Aditya Thadani Brian and Molly Matthys Matthew and Kalie McCollaugh Matt and Caroline Moran Grayson Murphy and Kate Brubacher Charles and Judy Myler Dan and Sarah Newman

Dr. John Lonergan and Dr. Linda Niessen Bret and Michelle Oettmeier Joe and Katy Platt Robby and Laurie Robinson Michael Saal and Dan Sullivan Stan and Rosalind Scudder Scott and Karen Seitter Miryam and Paul Sinclair Pam Smith Scott Smith VJ and Sarah Somasegaran Jon and Megan Stephens Robert and Anita Strohm Robert and Sarah Thelen Tom and Jill Turner Bob and Janet Wholey Bernard and Andrea Wilson

Jeff and Megan Winters

Andy and Karyn Zaborny

CAMPUS FELLOWS

$500-$999

Mark and Kathy Adams

Dave and Katie Anderson

Anonymous

Anonymous

Brandon and Jenny Boulware

James and Polly Breitenkamp

William and Laura Brooks

Jerry and Bonnie Burnett Mike and Sandra Chism Clark and Cheryl Collier Barry and Jo Ann Coughlin James and Erin Darcy Bennett and Amanda Deacy Jonathan and Bettine Freeman Gates Family Whitney and Patrick Hosty Joyce Harris Issac and Megan Hiles Seth and Sarah Hobart

Edward Benton and Emily Keatley Steven and Ellen King Jana Kortje

Les Lampe

Jane Lampo and Rick Welsch Brett and Molly Lane Mark and Tosha Lathrom

Juan Lopez Kent and Tess Magill David and Noelle Manica James and Andrea McCarthy Jacob and Megan Miller Ray Moncrieffe

Christopher and Amy Nelson Trevor and Meg Nohe Nick and Annie Panzino Doug and Bonnie Pearson Joshua and Janney Polsinelli Keith and Nicole Ragsdale Harley and Nicolle Ratliff Jarrod and Jessica Roark Alexander and Kimberly Schoofs Brian and Katherine Seymour Timothy and Allie Sifers

Mark and Andrea Slater Tim and Margaret Stauffer Mindy Stephenson Greg Thelen Paul and Sarah Tiedt

Patrick and Sarah Ventola

Josh Sitzer and Amy Winger Cindy Wissinger and Tewaney Ayalneh Brad and Amara Wright Dan and Robin Younger

Alan Yu and Jodie Lee

FRIENDS OF ST. PAUL’S UP TO $499

Hyder Jasim and Jwan ALallaf

Anonymous Erica and Scott Bach James and Connie Banwart Donis Beale and Kimberly Dyer Ian and Jill Beckman Gretchen Beilharz Dr. and Mrs. Lee Bloemendal Sarah Bratsch Geri and Jeff Brewer Tyler and Shari Brundige Linda Bruns Steven and Rebecca Burnett Samuel and Katherine Butler Joseph and Kristina Carignan Phil and Tamara Carrott Sue Ann and Ron Costi Wellan and Christine Cowan

Bryce and Abigail Crady Mark and Maggie Creveling Guy and Mel Creveling The Curran Family Brad and Christina Cutcliffe Steve Darnell Allen and Sandi Dillingham Thomas and Virginia Dobesh John and Anne Dunlap Tony and Meredith Durone Kenneth and Martha Dyer Don and Tanya Elliott Leslie and Ryan Englund Michael and Susan Fate Nathan and Sarah Feldmiller Brian and Anna Finigan Phoebe Finley John and Karen Fischer

Jennifer Fisher

Andrew and Jennifer Flum Erika Forsythe Margaret Fowler Robert and Marion Gould Nestor and Sarah Gouttierre Kyle Wiedwald and Katie Gregg-Wiedwald Geoff and Vanessa Gross Audrey Harned

Jason and Melissa Harper

Earline Harris

Toby and Glori Hausner

Devon and James Hickey Cory and Luci Hoad

Todd Mayfield and Micah Hobbs

Ryan and Kelly Hogan

Beverly and Harold House

Libby and Adam Huggins

MR and Kay Jayaram

Bradford and Ann Johnson

Greg and Lindsay Johnson

Patrick and Lisa Jones Richard and Carole Kelly Fritz and Joyce Kemp

Robert and Ann Kennedy Josh and Stephanie Klein

Patrick and Alicia Kuehl Carmen Lafalce

Courtney Lane

Jeff Sprinkle and Catherine Larrison

Charles and Marilyn Lederer

Stephanie and Kevin Leek Andrew and Victoria Lewellen Steven and Amie Logan Carey Lorfing Jim and Betty Ludden Zeb and Jessica Lynn David and Emily Maher Larry and Charla Manica Peter and Kathrine Markie Emma Marston Eugene and Kim Maschmidt

Kent Maughan Jim and Mary McClain Bill and Hilary McGee Scott and Christina McLewin Michael and Sharon Megee Gerald and Brigitte Miller Meg and Alex Mincher

Tim Missildine and Zhang Hongxiao Brian and Judy Moriarty

Josephine Mulhern

Charlotte and John Mullin Grayson and Rosita Murphy

Sean and Sarah Murray Becky and Nick Nash Matthew and Tere Naylor

Vernie and Kristy Nerstheimer Jessica Nguyen and Luong Luu Dorothy Novak Rachel and Bill O’Connell

Abigail Oliver Dan Oxler

Barbara Pahud

Jesper Noren and Ann Palmer Noren

Maria Pastor

Molly Uhlenhake and Alankar Patel

Daniel Pennington

Janice Perez

Leo and Nora Pink

Garry and Joanna Polley

Nathan and Anne Rahmeier

Bruce and Karen Rand

Richard and Bethany Redding

Tabitha Rice

Erik Roberts and Amy Nopper

Matt and Jamie Ronan Colette and Thomas Rousey Kendall and Patty Schaaf

Verlyn and Mary Schalow

Amy Shaff

Shawn Sharpley John and Cynthia Shaw

Theresa Sheffield

Dennis and Linda Siefkes Meyer and Mindy Sosland Liz and Todd Spangler Cyndi Stephenson

Ken Stewart and Mercedes Taylor-Puckett Bram and Layne Strookman Jason and Marcia Sutton Erik and Tara Swanson

Kaevan and Alexandra Tavakolinia Aimee and Adam Thomson Leigh Todd Cecil and Mary Trenkle

Stephen and Margaret Tripp

Joseph and Patricia Twardowski Matthew and Christina Twardowski Johnson and Marilyn Underwood Dakota Van Deursen Harl Van Deursen and Sloane Simmons

Ben and Kelly Van Maren

Ted and Linda van Thullenar Michael and Kimber Vaughan Suzanne and Paul Vogler

Carol Ward

Shawn and Courtney Ward Hunter Ward Adam and Hillary Winzenried Ellen Wright

MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES

Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Merck Partnership for Giving Nelnet Matching Gifts Program

PARENTS GUILD

ST. PAUL’S PARENTS SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY

Katie Strahan, and Dan Sullivan for putting together such a successful event!

Thank you to those who supported the school through the book fair, carnival, golf tournament and other Parents’ Guild events. Generous donations from the Parents’ Guild in 21-22 supported the following projects:

These efforts are vital to the St. Paul’s mission, and we are so grateful for these parents’ volunteer time and financial support.

We are so grateful to and proud of our Parents’ Guild Auction Chairs for organizing the most successful event fundraiser in St. Paul’s history. During our Around the World Auction on May 6, 2022, we raised nearly $400,000 in donations. It was a special night that brought our community back together for a fun-filled evening for exciting item packages, delicious food, and excellent company. Congratulations to Ashley Ascencio, Janda Nielsen, Michael Saal,

• $90,000 in Fund-a-Need donations toward our Spartan Spirit package of new gym bleachers and wall decals

• $110,000 donation toward the school’s operating budget

• $128,000 donation toward the south playground transformation

Many thanks again to our network of dedicated Parents’ Guild supporters and volunteers for a bringing our community back together for a successful year!

PARENTS’ GUILD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Katie Trenkle, President

Bettine Freeman, President-Elect

Lindy Beyer, Treasurer

Andi McCarthy, Treasurer-Elect

Kathryn Bannister, Secretary

PARENTS’ GUILD COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Katie Gibbs (Carnival)

Brooke Kunt and Emily Maher (Book Fair)

Margaret Stauffer and Jamie Young (Staff Appreciation)

Brittany Hassenflu (Cultural Arts)

Kristen Steeves and Katie Gound (Care & Concern)

Whitney Hosty (Church Liaison)

Alicia Kuehl (Library)

Hoyt Ogilvie (Dad’s Group)

Jill Borgonzi (New Families)

Ashley Ascencio, Janda Nielsen, Katie Strahan, Michael Saal & Dan Sullivan (Auction)

Lyndsey Hager (Service Learning)

Bettine Freeman (Room Parents)

Courtney Fadler & Megan Stephens (Social Committee)

Our dedicated team of parents works hard every year to support our teachers and students through a variety of projects. Parents’ Guild members serve as room parents, auction organizers, service learning coordinators, fundraisers, and much more.

2022 Auction Chairs pictured left to right: Michael Saal, Ashley Ascencio, Janda Nielsen, Katie Strahan, and Dan Sullivan

Gifts received in honor of Ryder, Violet and Louis Dean Jill and Marshall Dean Gifts received in honor of Hank and Crosby Grefrath Denise and Mike Grefrath

Gifts received in memory of Sarah Ingram-Eiser Tim and Allie Sifers

Gifts received in memory of Meghan Lampo Jane Lampo and Rick Welsch

SPECIAL GIFTS

Gifts received in memory of Karen McDonald

Allen and Cameron Rostron Tim and Margaret Stauffer

Gifts received in memory of Doris McLaughlin

Peggy Fowler

Gifts received in memory of Kathy Palmer

Annie Palmer Noren and Jesper Noren

Gifts received in honor of Paramanand Thadani and Mathew P Abraham Smitha Mathew and Aditya Thadani

Gifts received in memory of Mrs. Addie Ward Ann Johnson

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2021-2022

Karen Seitter, President

Andrew Myler, Head of School

The Rev. Steven King, Rector

Katie Trenkle, Parents’ Guild

John Aisenbrey

Christopher Barnett Andrew Funk

Gordon Gee

Kristin Havens

Melissa Hendricks Whitney Hosty Brian Humphrey Mike Kress Nora Lockton

Ancy Maruthanal

James McCarthy

Ray Moncrieffe

Janda Nielsen

Joe Platt

Theresa Sheffield Andrea Wilson