Student and Faculty Newsmakers Fourth grader Madeline Schaefer was selected for the Lakeview Legend Award from YMCA Camp Ernst this summer. The award recognizes campers who model honesty, caring, respect and responsibility – the same values taught in The Summit’s Character Education Program. Madeline, who participated in the program for 6- to 9-year-olds, was among 2 percent of campers to be selected for the award.
The annual conference of the Independent Schools Association of the Independent States (ISACS) was in November in Columbus, providing an opportunity for many faculty to attend professional development sessions there. Three members of the faculty were presenters. Upper School Director John Thornburg presented “Building Positive Learning Relationships to Reach Students.” He presented research to help teachers understand social cues and behaviors that students interpret as an invitation to a positive learning experience, so the teachers can be more effective in the classroom. Curriculum and Instruction Director Kirstin McEachern Ph.D. and Lower School French teacher Amy Sterling presented “Our Global Summit: Developing a Global Citizenry Strategy.” The Global Citizenry program addresses last year’s faculty-wide project to map examples of global citizenry in our curriculum and community. See the map at www.summitcds.org/globalcitizenry.
Lower School art teacher Hilary Carvitti, left, and Literacy Coach Patti Kenney presented on the process of the creation of the Lower School’s “S is for Summit” book at the Ohio Art Educators conference in Columbus in November. “S is for Summit” is an alphabet book created last year during the school’s 125th anniversary. It includes art work, poetry and prose from every student enrolled in the Lower School last year. Seven Summit students are members of the Cincinnati Children’s Choir, the ensemble-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. Students are divided into choirs based on their age and skill level. The youngest and most introductory level is Piccolo Coro, and progresses through Vivace, Allegro and Con Brio to the oldest and most advanced, Bel Canto. L to R, Junior Vivianne Skavlem and freshman Jocelyn Spanbauer are in Bel Canto. Fifth grader Tarek Hasan is in Allegro. Fourth graders Maria Min and Lily Gentes are in Vivace and Piccolo Coro, respectively. First grader Milan Matarazzo is also in Piccolo Coro. Seventh grader Drew Cavallo, in the Con Brio choir, is not pictured. Through local, national and international travel, choir members are exposed to other cultures, customs and global diversity within a musical framework.
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Winter Magazine 2016 - 17
Curriculum and Instruction Director Kirstin McEachern Ph.D. and fifth grade science teacher Jessica Horton Ph.D. were published in the October issue of The Educational Forum. Their article, “Developing a Research Identity: Promoting a Research Mindset among Faculty and Students,” describes how their doctoral programs influenced what they believe about the identity of a researcher as well as a teacher. In the article, they suggest ways that schools can support teachers and students in the development of a research mindset. Dr. McEachern received her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a specialization in critical pedagogy, diversity and social justice from Boston College. Dr. Horton received her doctorate in teacher education from the University of Tennessee with specializations in elementary education and science education.