Sycamore Magazine - winter 2014

SYCAMORE

WINTER 2014

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 8TH GRADE GIRLS FORM PHILANTHROPIC GROUP

BHATIA TECH GIFTS FUELING SYCAMORE GROWTH

CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPS Q&A WITH SYCAMORE’S TOP RUNNER

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS ALUMNI UPDATES 1

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

ON THE COVER: Sia Patel peers through a microscope in science class. ON THIS PAGE: Elizabeth Harlow inspects a project on display in Sycamore’s meeting center.

DEAR SYCAMORE FRIENDS, Years ago—1990, in fact—when our oldest son started at Sycamore, I was surprised and just a little miffed when I received a call from a Sycamore representative asking me to make a donation to the Sycamore Fund. I grew up in public schools and was still working in a public school at the time, and I had no idea what this was about. No one had prepared me to receive such a call. After all, I’d just paid what seemed like a pretty hefty tuition bill. So I made some minimum contribution.

And here we are in 2013. I’ve been working in independent schools for almost 20 years now, and I have a much better understanding of the finances of independent schools. This issue of our magazine focuses on philanthropy, a critical element in almost every independent school’s budget. Because I don’t want anyone to react as I did when I received that first phone call, I’d like to explain the purpose of our Sycamore Fund.

Every year our administration and Board work hard to create a budget that is prudent but will allow us to offer our students the opportunities they need in order for us to fulfill our mission and for them to fulfill the promise that lies within each one of them. While tuition will inevitably rise every year, we attempt to make those increases as manageable as possible. We understand that families make Sycamore a priority and are working hard to be able to afford a Sycamore education, so we take this responsibility very seriously.

We ask families to contribute to the Sycamore Fund because our operating budget does not cover the full cost per student of a year at Sycamore. This year the full cost is about $1300 higher than the tuition we charge. By giving families the opportunity to make a charitable donation, it enables us to hold tuition down as much as possible, and it gives families the opportunity for a tax deduction.

The Sycamore Fund, then, is not just for “extras,” but for necessary components of our program. This year, the Sycamore Fund was used for facility renovations and enhancements, a variety of equipment such as a new phone system and clocks, and the creation of the Learning Resource Department.

The Sycamore community is establishing a pattern of generosity.

For the last few years, we have exceeded our Sycamore Fund goal.

This year our goal is $400,000, and we are off to a good start!

Not only do current Sycamore families contribute to the Sycamore Fund, but also alumni and their parents, grandparents, faculty and staff, Board of Trustees, and friends of the school contribute. 100% of our faculty, staff, and board consistently participate by donating to the Sycamore Fund. Our parent participation rate last year was 63%, and we’d love to see that participation rate increase this year.

We understand that each family has a different ability to give; we just ask that you make Sycamore a priority in your giving. Thanks so much for your generous responses!

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If you have questions about the Sycamore Fund, please contact me or Holly Lee, Director of Advancement.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Onward and upward!

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

2

SYCAMORE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

4

GRANDPARENTS DAY

5

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS

6

SSA SUPPORTS SYCAMORE

6

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

8

SYCAMORE SUPPORT

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As for me, now I try to be the first one to make my pledge, and Sycamore is our family’s second highest priority in terms of our giving. I’m convinced it’s a truly valuable investment of our philanthropic dollars.

Best regards, Diane

HEAD OF SCHOOL

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY

Diane Borgmann

Larry Fletcher

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL RETURNS 7

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

MAKING A LASTING GIFT

10

Bob Brody - President

Holly Lee

INSIDE SYCAMORE

10

HEAD OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Francine Clayton

BHATIA TECHNOLOGY GIFTS

11

Patrick Juday

HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL

A COMMUNITY OF CARING

12

Glenna Lykens

SYCAMORE SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

LOCAL LUNCH

12

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

Lori Fulk - President

FUND AN ITEM UPDATE

13

Jamie MacDougall

CROSS COUNTRY

14

NEWS AND NOTES

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Sycamore School 1750 W. 64th St. Indianapolis, IN 46260 317.202.2500 www.sycamoreschool.org

DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS Dr. Susan Karpicke

VOLUME 7, No. 1 3

SYCAMORE BOARD OF TRUSTEES A LETTER FROM PRESIDENT BOB BRODY

DEAR SYCAMORE FRIENDS, It is my pleasure to have the role of President of Sycamore’s Board of Trustees and to work with such a strong group of committed trustees and administrators. The board’s role in an independent school is to hold the school in trust, to make sure that the future of the school is secure. To that end, the board focuses on long-term, strategic thinking, planning, and policy development. Trustees do not involve themselves in the day-to-day running of the school.

As trustees, we are busy with exciting work to advance Sycamore.

Currently our efforts include:

STRATEGIC PLANNING

We have substantially accomplished the goals, objectives, and action steps that were identified in our 2009-2014 Strategic Plan. We are working on refreshing that plan and setting our path for the next few years. We have held two Board/Parent Exchanges to discuss what we’ve accomplished and to raise ideas for advancing Sycamore further. On February 8, we will hold a retreat that includes trustees and representatives from a broad constituent base. Before February 8, you will have the opportunity for input through a survey, and you may also feel free to contact a trustee or Diane Borgmann to share your ideas.

CAMPUS MASTER PLAN

The board has approved a Campus Master Plan that will guide the development of our campus over the next decade. We will be sharing more about this plan as we go forward.

FEASIBILITY STUDY

In order to gauge our ability to raise funds that will enable us to implement the Campus Master Plan, we have engaged Johnson, Grossnickle and Associates (JGA) to conduct a feasibility study.

JGA will conduct many interviews and advise us about our capacity to raise funds to implement all or part of the Campus Master Plan.

ACTIVE ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

Now our alumni base has grown, and we have created a task force to work with Sycamore’s Advancement Office to outline ways to create a more active and engaged alumni body.

LEADERSHIP IN GIFTED EDUCATION

Sycamore is already a leader in gifted education; however, we want to increase our external focus to enhance Sycamore’s position and visibility in the Indianapolis and professional education communities in order to fulfill our vision: “Sycamore School will be recognized as the premier resource in Indianapolis, and among the best in the nation, for the education and development of the academically gifted child.”

In this issue of the Sycamore Magazine, you will read a lot about philanthropy and its important place at Sycamore. Our trustees are also leading financial supporters of the school, and several, including me, have joined the Sycamore Society by including Sycamore in our estate planning.

There’s much positive momentum among trustees, and I look forward to leading our board as we work to advance Sycamore and its mission.

One of our goals is to engage our alumni more fully. As a young Sincerely,

school, for many years Sycamore focused very little on its alumni. Bob Brody

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G R A N D PA R E N T S D AY Grandparents and special friends showed up in record numbers this fall at the annual Grandparents Day event at Sycamore. We invited them to visit Sycamore in October and experience the magic of our school. Guests had a chance to see live performances, experience classroom life, meet Head of

School Diane Borgmann, join the Grandparents Club and munch on special breakfast goodies.

addition, 78 families have joined the Sycamore Grandparents Club. Both totals more than doubled the 2012 participation numbers.

One of the most popular opportunities available that day to Grandparents was the ability to purchase a brand new book for the Sycamore library and have it dedicated via an inside cover permanent card. In all,158 families took advantage of the program. In

After the morning program, organized and executed by the SSA and committee chairpersons Jane Crawford and Alyssa Wei, the students were joined in classes by their grandparents and participated together with the teachers in a morning of lessons, activities, reviews, and quizzes. n 5

N AT I O N A L MERIT SCHOLARS Ten 2010 Sycamore graduates were named National Merit Semifinalists, ranking in the 99th percentile on the 2013 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS: Claudia Benz Ann Duffield Lillian Egloff Yushi Homma Claudia Huang Anthony Ko Noah Lybik Brian Mickel Thomas Myers From the Semifinalist group, some 15,000 will meet Finalist requirements. By the conclusion of the competition, a select group of Finalists are chosen to receive prestigious National Merit Scholarships totaling nearly $35 million. Winners are judged to have the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous university studies.

Scholarship winners represent less than 1% of the initial pool of student entrants, based on official statistics released by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. n

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SSA SUPPORTS SYCAMORE

SYCAMORE SUPPORT

FULL SCHEDULE FOR 2014

Q & A WITH ANN MERKEL OF T H E N AT I O N A L B A N K O F I N D I A N A P O L I S

As I sit in my favorite corner of the Meeting Center today, I hear the happy crinkling of paper at gift wrapping stations, which are spilling over with ribbons and bows. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see fairies spinning underneath twinkling lights, and a ceiling covered in falling snowflakes. I can hear the bright voices of students, happily browsing the Gifts Galore Shop. Our children put so much effort into choosing the perfect present for the people they love. Even the tiniest scholars take part in the joy of giving.

The heart of the Sycamore School Association is based in giving. We can think of giving in a literal sense, and reflect upon September’s food drive, which provided almost 4000 food items to families in close proximity to our school during our annual Spirit Week. The students enjoyed taking part in the themed dress up days and chanted their school allegiance at the Spirit Assembly.

But even more than our fun-filled week, they loved the giving spirit Sycamore inspired within them. Our food drive has now evolved into a year-around partnership with the Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center, in a program headed by Francine Clayton. Tammy Wilkerson has done a beautiful job as President-Elect, creating a system designed to make the food drive a successful and sustainable part of our culture.

We can also think of our giving more abstractly, in terms of the time and talents the parents put into the SSA. I have been overwhelmed by the capable and enthusiastic spirit shown by our Chairpersons and Vice-Presidents. They have hosted very well-planned and logistically complex events such as the All School Social, the Middle School Pool Party and Hayride, our Back-to-School Information Nights, Get Acquainted Coffees, Coffee & Conversation Refreshment Tables, Grandparents & Special Friends Day, the Conference Day Teacher Luncheon, and Gifts Galore. It requires large teams of volunteers for these events to be worthwhile endeavors, and without fail, our requests for assistance have been met with joyful responses.

This morning as I wished our spirited team of volunteers a “Happy Gifts Galore,” my mind sang out a familiar Sycamore feeling: “our cup runneth over.”

On my way to the supply closet, I witnessed our International Festival Chairperson and her team adding pieces to the Water Awareness Mural in the

cafeteria. This event requires a tremendous amount of thoughtful planning and expertise.

From the stunning food, to the colorful array of performances, to the engaging and educational sessions, the International Festival SSA President Lori Fulk is astounding. It’s especially unique in design, as everyone can own a piece of celebrating the culturally rich fabric of Sycamore. Contact Dheepa Maturi to learn how you can be add your personal experiences to this event, and I sincerely hope to see you on Sunday, February 23.

We will have the chance to thank the Sycamore administration and staff for their tireless commitment and expert instruction during the month of April.

Please contact Janet Fludzinski and Jennifer Cole, and ask how you can be of assistance during our time-honored Staff Appreciation Week. Thanking Sycamore for all they give to our children is a gorgeous way to invest in the spirit of giving.

Our final act of giving will be the Jog-A-Thon, which provides the students a chance to support the school they love so very much. Good old-fashioned fun will bring us together one final time to participate in this inspirational year. It’s a school-wide event, and I hope to see each and every one of you on Friday, May 9.

There is no better time to don our philanthropic hats than the day we support the mission of the school that has taught our children to fly, or in this case, run.

I can promise you twists and turns and unexpected additions to this year’s primary fundraiser!

Not a day goes by that I don’t receive an offer of assistance from members of our community, and my answer is this: come along with me. The generous spirit of Sycamore invites us to witness the journey of these beautifully intriguing children. Our community is so grateful for the time, talents, ideas, and donations to the Sycamore School Association. I am sure you have discovered, just as I have, when you give to Sycamore, you will be amazed at what it will give back to you.

Lori Fulk is a featured blogger with Indy’s Child Magazine. She will have original work published there, in addition to writing her own blog, “Wisdom Comes Suddenly.” n

For nearly 20 years, the partnership between The National Bank of Indianapolis and Sycamore has greatly helped the school to develop and implement new projects and enhance the school’s ability to attract other corporate donors.

Having a key, signature sponsor is an act of balance and communication. A good partnership allows the contributor – in this case The National Bank of Indianapolis – to remain highly visible, yet the partnership exists in a way that never takes the focus away from Sycamore School. These two partners certainly understand the sensitive dynamic of corporate support in an age of nearly unfiltered messaging and advertisements.

We talked with Ann Merkel, who deftly handles the bank’s Nonprofit Services division, including partnerships like ours. We wanted to know how the bank shares its support among many notfor-profit groups, and what the relationship with Sycamore means to Ann. SYCAMORE MAGAZINE: First, talk a little about

your background for the profile we are putting together about the partnership between the bank and our school. Where did you grow up and when did you come to Indianapolis?

and our eldest daughter is a dentist in private practice here in Indianapolis.

SM: How does supporting an independent school for

gifted children fit into the overall goals of the bank?

ANN: As our city’s largest, locally-owned national

bank, The National Bank of Indianapolis is committed to strengthening our community in many different ways. By supporting Sycamore’s mission to develop academically gifted children to reach their potential and to lead responsible, constructive and fulfilling lives, our bank is participating in building a stronger future for our city.

SM: What other organizations does the bank support

on an ongoing basis?

ANN: The National Bank of Indianapolis has

developed relationships with nearly one-third of the nonprofit organizations in our community.

Our clients represent the areas of Arts and Culture, Educational Services, Healthcare, Social Services, Religion, Government, Civic, and Professional Organizations.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL RETURNS IN 2014 Proving to be one of last year’s most popular events, the Sycamore International Festival is back in 2014. A showcase for cultures, food and entertainment from many different countries, International Festival will be held February 23, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Sycamore.

Among the highlights include parents sponsoring countries for the International Festival, including China, Italy, Israel, Australia, Britain, Ireland, and Canada. Each country will have a display in the gym on the day of the festival. Sponsors share their backgrounds and cultures and help visitors explore a country and answer questions. Students are also creating a mural for the 2014 event and have been adding to it in the months leading up to the festival. In addition, a fashion show, featuring cultural clothing, is part of the this year’s event.

SM: From a personal perspective, are there ideas ANN MERKEL: I grew up in Crown Point, Indiana, and

moved to Indianapolis after graduating from Purdue University in 1983 to begin my career in banking. I was one of the founding members of The National Bank of Indianapolis twenty years ago (1993).

SM: What you are you responsible for on a daily basis?

ANN: I lead the bank’s Nonprofit Services division,

which provides a full range of depository, loan and investment services to nonprofit organizations within our community. My banking career has included officer and manager positions in Commercial and Private Banking, as well as in Nonprofit.

and experiences that you can take away from these partnerships that make you a better person, or enrich your knowledge of Indianapolis?

ANN: Absolutely!

My position gives me the opportunity to experience so many of the wonderful people and organizations that make our community strong. It is very rewarding to be able to use those experiences to share “best practices” and to make introductions that lead to new, or enhanced, partnerships.

SYCAMORE: What philanthropic causes are close

to your heart?

SM: Do you have children?

ANN: Because I have had the opportunity to learn

ANN: My husband and I have three adult children.

about so many wonderful organizations doing so much good work, it’s difficult to identify those “closest to my heart.” As a result, my husband and I share our time and treasure with quite a few! n

Our youngest daughter is a junior at Indiana University, our son is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University,

The committee seeks involvement from the Sycamore community to support this event. For more information or to volunteer, contact Dheepa Maturi at 317-313-3704 or dmaturi@gmail.com. n

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8TH GRADE GIRLS MAKING A DIFFERENCE CLASS FORMS PHILANTHROPIC GROUP It began with a conversation that turned into an idea that became a whole lot more. In the end, it’s a lesson in how we can effect change, simply by deciding to do something that feels right.

The group baked cookies for families staying at Ronald McDonald House at Riley Chidren’s Hospital. They made holiday cards for active military personnel stationed overseas. And that project even led to making additional holiday cards for Indianapolis vets living in a local Veteran’s Hospital.

Now, it has morphed into a year-long project.

Some Sycamore 8th Grade girls were talking this fall, not long before the cross country, volleyball, and soccer seasons ended, and they were lamenting the time off before basketball would start. More importantly, they were in their final year of school at a place that had been “their school” for a long time – 12 years for some. They talked about how fast the year would go by. They talked about how they could make their time together meaningful. Together, they turned to philanthropy. How could they do good things for others.

Simple but heartfelt.

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We talked to some of the girls involved, and to Candi Grandlund, Sycamore’s Music teacher and Band Director, who helped organize the group.

SYCAMORE MAGAZINE: Tell us how the project came together.

ELISE GRANLUND: Some of my friends and I were disappointed because we didn’t have anything to look forward to after the school day was over. My mom came up with an idea. I asked a few people if they would be interested and most said they would be.

OPPOSITE PAGE: (from left to right) Allison Gerecke, Allison Earnhardt, Jordan Smith and Destiny White bake cookies for patients at Riley Hospital for Children. ABOVE: Maya Mishra helps arrange the cookie dough on baking sheets.

JORDAN SMITH: She left it up to us to decide what we would be doing. Elise had mentioned that they might have an after school group, but nothing was definite until an email was sent to everyone CANDI GRANLUND : (The girls) were disappointed because they didn’t know what they were going to do after school. They mentioned how they were sad that it was their last year at Sycamore and they wished that they could just have some time to get together. I asked if any of them would be interested in doing a service project as a part of a group. They all responded with a yes. At our first meeting I asked them to come up with some ideas of types of service projects they would like to plan and implement. I was hoping that maybe four or five students might be interested in organizing something as a part of our time and was amazed that 14 girls wanted to do a service project.

SM: Who else is working behind-the-scenes?

CANDI: I spoke with (Head of Middle School) Ms. MacDougall to see if it was ok for me to offer my classroom as a spot for the girls to gather after school on Mondays. She approved.

I also approached (MS Language Arts Teacher) Mary O’Malley about helping with the group.

We have been friends since my first year at Sycamore, and she thought it sounded like a great idea and agreed to help.

SM: Although you just started the group this year, have there been opportunities to help that you have enjoyed more than others?

ELISE: My favorite project was the drive for the Julian Center. I volunteer a lot, but mostly in the summer. I have volunteered at the Julian Center before and really enjoyed it.

RENI OSUNTOKUN: I like all the projects we do because they help others and are also fun for us to just spend time with the girls and have fun together.

JORDAN: I enjoy helping out other people. It’s exciting to help people who need it.

fun to offer some after school time for the girls to just gather together and have fun.

SM: What have you learned as a result of working together on the different projects?

SM: Anything else you want to share?

JORDAN: Well, some people don’t help others because either they don’t realize that there is a need or are unable to. I think becoming more aware of centers or programs that need help makes me want to help more.

RENI: I would like to be a doctor and help others who are in worse conditions.

ELISE: I intend to keep volunteering as an adult.

SM: Any particular challenges?

CANDI: Because our students do not come from one particular geographic area it can be a challenge as a parent sometimes to schedule parties or sleepovers, and I thought it might be

JORDAN: I do want everyone to know that we can use all the donations possible and if we work together than we can definitely make an impact on the organizations we aspire to help.

ELISE: This project has helped me see a different side of lots of my classmates, not just the 8th grade girls, but also some of the boys as well. When we did the veteran’s card project, we had a very good response from the boys, showing a side of them that I had never seen in most of them.

CANDI: I hope that they find that even as a 13 or 14 year old, they are able to make a difference in our world. n

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MAKING A LASTING GIFT TO SYCAMORE The Legacy Giving program at Sycamore has been established to help individuals designate a future gift to the school through a variety of tax-deductible provisions. The best part of Legacy Giving is that it does not impose an immediate financial burden to you and has virtually no cost during your lifetime.

Legacy Gifts result from thoughtful consideration that incorporates a donor’s charitable gift into his or her overall tax and estate planning objectives, with the outcomes being maximum benefits for both the donor and Sycamore School. Donors assets, rather than income, are typically used to make legacy gifts.

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO MAKE A LEGACY GIFT. THE MOST COMMON ARE:

- A gift in your will - A gift of life insurance - A gift of retirement funds - A gift of real estate Donors who choose to make planned gifts to Sycamore School will become members of the Sycamore Society. This society enables Sycamore to recognize and extend our gratitude to donors who provide for the school’s future and inform us of their thoughtful intentions while they are living.

Donors who make their intentions known to the school by December 31, 2014, will be included as charter members of the Sycamore Society. For more information on Legacy Giving, to discuss your intentions, or of you are ready to make a gift, please contact Holly Lee in the Advancement Office at 317-202-2504 or at hlee@sycamoreschool.org. n

INSIDE SYCAMORE

The Bhatia Family: (from left to right) Sumeet, Rhea, Sumeeta, Aditya, Janvi.

B H AT I A T E C H N O L O G Y G I F T S F U E L G R O W T H All gifts to Sycamore make a difference.

Some gifts allow teachers the flexibility to purchase items for their students to better learn a concept. Other gifts allow Diane Borgmann the opportunity to increase the salary of an exceptional teacher. And sometimes a gift to Sycamore helps the school transform instruction. This is a story of such a gift.

Three years ago, Sycamore decided to introduce iPads in each classroom in the school. The personal nature of the technology along with the vast amount of educational apps seemed like a perfect fit for the school, but we were not sure how each grade would use iPads. The school planned to test the technology in a few grades for one year. Then the Bhatia family’s generosity allowed the school to move forward with our plan faster than we had dreamed.

The Bhatias understood how quickly learning was changing because of technology. “Over the last few years, technology has changed how kids learn,” Sumeeta Bhatia says. “When Janvi (5th grade) and Rhea (4th grade) joined 10

Sycamore eight years ago, most of the learning was by books.” On the other hand, their youngest, Aditya started using an iPad when he was less than two years old. Technology had become personal and educational.

“It seems that the advent of the iPad has changed the operating system of our children and how they interact with the world,” Bhatia continues. “Eventually, the classrooms will be dominated by e-books and apps for learning.

When the school suggested that more iPads would help advance Sycamore, it seemed the right thing to do.”

The Bhatia’s realize that education in a private school is not completely covered by tuition.

“Any special projects need help,” Sumeeta says.

“Contributions to education seems to us to be the best way to further the interest of our children and community.” The Bhatias understand the big picture. “As parents of Sycamore students, for our school to progress and thrive, we have to invest with financial resources or time,” she says. “Contributions of either kind are valuable and have a place in establishing a successful student body. Sycamore is a special school, which provides a unique environment for our children to thrive.”

As a result of the generosity of the Bhatias, more classrooms received the iPad technology faster. Sycamore began to observe the many ways in which iPads could assist with learning.

Teachers were using iPads to assist with differentiated reading groups. Middle School teacher, David Schuth, began to record his science lessons as homework so that more classroom time could be dedicated to handson experiments. Math applications were discovered and used to reinforce concepts taught in class.

In the spring of 2011, the Auction for Advancement Fund-An-Item further expanded the use of iPads in the school. Through the generosity of more donors, an iPad cart was purchased to be used in the Middle School, and each Sycamore teacher received an iPad and began to discover even more ways that they could expand learning in the classroom.

This year, all seventh grade students carry iPads to class and next year, each Middle School student will have a school iPad. iPads have truly changed the way Sycamore students learn. And it all began with a simple desire from a Sycamore family to assist the school with a vision. n 11

A COMMUNITY OF CARING Francine Clayton not only leads the Early Childhood division at Sycamore School, but she also is at the front of staff and student efforts to help local nonprofit organizations.

With the reward of wearing jeans to work for one day each month, staff members generously donate a collective $500-$600 to each cause. About 90% of staff members participate in this tri-annual donation drive, called “Denim Days.” In the past, organizations that staff members have supported include the Gleaner’s Food Bank’s BackSacks program, Camp Kesam, Meals on Wheels, and the Heifer Project. This fall, Sycamore Cares mailed checks to the American Cancer Society and to the Mozel Sanders Foundation. Between the two organizations, Sycamore’s teachers and staff contributed $650 during the first trimester. Denim Days have also supported relief efforts for natural disasters, both locally and globally.

Clayton coordinates Sycamore Cares, a faculty, staff and Sycamore family philanthropic program, and she solicits ideas from faculty and staff for selecting community charities to support. She, with the help of Sissy Engle in the Business Office, manages the details of putting together ways for the staff to make a difference.

This year Sycamore is supporting the Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center, which is located near the school, at 71st and Michigan Road. Sycamore’s SSA organizes Spirit Week each fall which culminates with a food drive for the food pantry at Glick Neighborhood Center. Some students asked Clayton about the center, and how we could support it throughout the year. As a result of that conversation, Sycamore’s support of the Glick Center and a food drive will continue year-round.

“We want to support the Glick pantry project

Sycamore’s food drive continues throughout the school year.

every month,” Clayton says, “in the hope that they will never have to close their doors. We will continue to look at more ways that we could be a support to them.”

Other charities change each trimester, as Clayton takes suggestions and a charity is announced.

In addition to supporting community causes, for five consecutive years, 100% of faculty and staff have donated to the Sycamore Fund.

If you’d like to contribute to the Glick Neighborhood Center food pantry, or any of the Sycamore Cares projects, donation boxes for food and non-food items are located at the front entrance of Sycamore School. For more information, contact Francine Clayton at fclayton@sycamoreschool.org n

Andrew Wu and Adhi Ramkumar perform experiments, while T.J. Cole uses the new Sycamore Solarscope.

F U N D A N I T E M U P D AT E “Is that real?” is one of the most common responses a student elicits after getting a look at the sun through the Coronado Solar Max II for the first time. The view of the closest star to earth is simply overwhelming.

“While it is one thing to talk about science, it is certainly another to do and experience it,” says Middle School science teacher David Schuth.

Thanks to generous donors at Sycamore’s Auction for Advancement in February 2013, Sycamore students are experiencing science in brand new ways. Tools added to the science labs in 2013 across the school include: Microscopes Wireless Dynamics Sensor System Graphical Analysis for iPad app

LOCAL LUNCH As part of an Aladdin Food Management initiative highlighting locally-grown food, Phyllis Miller and the cafeteria team created a “Local Lunch” in September for the Sycamore students. The menu on the all-locally grown lunch included rosemary chicken, green beans, and corn on the cob.

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The food came from the Sycamore Outdoor Science Lab Garden and from a local farmer’s market. “I went to the Greenwood Farmer’s Market to pick up some fresh goodies. With the help of Judith Mills (Sycamore Science Coordinator), I was also able to utilize some of the local freshness from Sycamore’s own garden.”

Miller had some students involved in the process as well, picking rosemary and a number of fresh herbs and peppers from Sycamore’s garden.

LabQuest 2 Lab Armour LabQuest 2 Charging Stations Carbon Dioxide Sensor Light Sensors Digital Radiation Monitor Lockout Buzzer Systems Two Stage Vacuum Pump Straw Rocket Launch Hot Air Balloon Launch KaZoon Kites and Model Airplanes Coronado Solar Max II Tripod and Case for Solarscope Anatomy in Clay Student Mannequins Finn Comprehensive Biotechnology Laboratory System Raised Garden Beds built in Outdoor Lab Dual Range Force Sensor Salinity Sensor Conductivity Sensor

Dissolved Oxygen Sensor Pergola in the Outdoor lab Schuth has incorporated many of the items listed above into his curriculum, and he has a deep appreciation for the sensors that wirelessly send data to classroom iPads. “As a teacher, I can do so much more with examples, displays, and laboratory activities that most science teachers would envy,” said Schuth.

Christine Schwab, a Pre-Kindergarten teacher, has transformed several of the classroom units of study by incorporating use of the new digital microscopes. Previously, Early Childhood students had access to an analog microscope, which created a frustrating experience for teachers and students alike when it came to focusing the microscope.

“Now, our classroom students can easily be ‘scientists’ with any unit, using this new digital microscope,” Schwab says. “It absolutely opens pathways to the unseen world for children, in an easy and clear display right before a child’s eyes.”

The science tools implemented in the classroom have expanded the enriching education environment available to Sycamore students.

While the learning experience in classroom has certainly been enhanced, Fund-An-Item made an impact on Sycamore’s outside spaces as well.

Judith Mills, Science and Event Coordinator, is most excited about the addition of the eight raised garden beds.

In the spring, grade levels will have the opportunity to plant a garden bed that reflects some aspect of the curriculum. The raised garden beds create a new way for teachers to create interdisciplinary learning by tying food and plant study to new topics.

The Fund-An-Item gift of science has created a wraparound learning experience for students at Sycamore School. On behalf of the students and educators at Sycamore, thank you for supporting Fund-An-Item. n 13

The Sycamore cross country team (left) accepts the IISL trophy. Cory Steele, Rachael Tan and Julia Mann (right) run at the front of the field.

CROSS COUNTRY A LESSON IN HOW TO COMPETE

This fall, the Sycamore Girls Cross Country team used a slow-to-peak plan to allow them to run their best race when it counted – in the final, championshipdetermining race of the season, as the Eagles captured the Indianapolis Independent School League Championship, beating a field of seven teams.

Though the Eagles also won the IISL Championship in 2011along with Alissa Pearson’s (’11) individual title, this year was just the third title since 2001.

In the final race, run at the North Central High School course, Sycamore was led by Julia Mann, who won the individual title. The team used a tight pack of runners to win the team title, placing three among the top seven finishers.

“Julia entered the season with specific goals,” cross country coach Jamie MacDougall says. “Knowing where you are going is the key to doing great things - for while the path may lead you somewhere slightly different than where you’d planned, you have a point of reference for measure.”

MacDougall says the transformation from thinking individually to thinking as a team was important.

“The other girls learned to look for one another on the course and surge whenever possible to position themselves closer to one another,” MacDougall says. “This strategy was formidable, because cross country truly is a team sport. Anyone who tells you differently doesn’t understand it. There were several close meets where the team scores came down to the 5th and 6th runners on each team.”

We talked to Mann, a Sycamore 7th Grade student/athlete who will return in 2014 to lead the team, and she shares some of her thoughts 14

on the season, what made them a good team, and when she knew they were going to be tough for other teams to beat.

JULIA MANN: I think what made the cross country team successful this year was the way the team was bonded together and supported each other. My teammates always helped push me and everyone else.

The older classes included everyone and always supported people if they were struggling.

SYCAMORE MAGAZINE: worthwhile?

What made the work and the practice

JULIA: I always wanted to come to practice because every practice we did something new and I always enjoyed being with my teammates. I loved having Coach MacDougall and Coach Singer. They helped us all to achieve many of our goals. We had a lot of strengths on our team too.

Fast, strong, experienced runners, and also, determined new runners.

SM: What were a couple of the more memorable moments of the 2013 season?

JULIA: The most memorable meet for me was the hokum karem race (at Sycamore) because it was the first time Sycamore had had a home cross country meet. It was really fun for me to run the 3K with my partner, Cory, because we made a really good team and we pushed each other throughout the entire meet. I also won’t ever forget the championship meets at North Central. It was so neat for our team to work together to win the conference! I will never forget that day.

SM: Was there a point in the season when you knew the team was going to be good enough to compete for the IISL title?

JULIA: After the second Orchard meet, the whole team was starting to gain more confidence in themselves and started to see their hard work pay off. I think many of us were beginning to see the results of the

training we had been doing. It was also really great that the girls would cheer on the boys and then the boys would stay to cheer on the girls.

SM: One of the big reason for the team’s success was how tightly packed the team ran, with the top five runners separated by seconds, not minutes.

JULIA: The top five runners became really close throughout the entire season because they were always pushing each other and supporting someone if they were not having a very good day. Everybody realized their importance on the team because they knew the points each person scores.

With everyone’s help scoring points, we could win the championship meet.

SM: Whether it is middle school, high school or college, there is always a wide range of ages and experiences on a cross country team. How did the youngest runners contribute to the team?

JULIA: I started running cross country at Sycamore in 4th grade and it always made a big impact on me if an older student took any interest in me or was just nice to me. These younger runners are very important because they are the future runners that will keep the cross country team going. We had several younger runners on the team this year and they made every practice exciting and fun. They were always happy and always cheered for everyone. They helped our team come together because they would always make people feel welcome and happy. Hopefully, we set a good example for them to work hard and keep pushing themselves to become better runners.

According to MacDougall, who took on the cross country position this year in addition being the Head of Middle School at Sycamore, one of most gratifying parts of the year was watching the team work together and mature as people.

“The kids were quick to understand that when they weren’t running they needed to be cheering one another on. The focus on personal bests made for a strong team. This group of runners also was not afraid to have fun. They laughed every day at practice, finding humor in team cheers, running outfits, and the quirks each one of us possesses.

They crossed team lines to form friendships with runners from other teams at races and were always first to thank course officials and other teams’ coaches.

“Our team could not have had the success we did without the support of the parents on the team,” MacDougall added.”From helping at the finish chute at home meets to driving kids to races to making sure those stinky socks and jerseys were clean, they provided a base of positivity and support that enabled us to reach great heights.”

ED. NOTE: Sycamore 8th grader Alex Pirkle finished second in Boys Cross Country race, locked in a fantastic duel for the win, ultimately finishing less than 0.2 seconds behind the race winner. n

15

the state participated. Among the top finishers were Alex Gu of Sycamore School (second place in the 8th Grade division) and Michelle Shen of Sycamore (fourth in the 8th Grade division).

2E PARENT SUPPORT GROUP: The Twice Exceptional (2E) Parent Support Group meets once a month. In November, they examined difficulties with organization, planning, emotional control, working memory, time management, and goal-directed persistence. Using the book, Smart but Scattered as a guide, the group examined how to assess, target, and improve executive skills in children and adults. Handouts are available on the 2E Insider page. For more information on upcoming meetings, contact Lori Henderson, Sycamore’s Learning Resource Specialist, at lhenderson@sycamoreschool.org.

NORTH CENTRAL MUSICIANS AT SYCAMORE: The NCHS Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band performed for all of our students on Wednesday, Nov. 6 in the gym at 9:30 a.m.

The concert featured a number of Sycamore alumni playing in the band.

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard addresses Sycamore students during his October visit.

NEWS AND NOTES

SYCAMORE/INDIANA PACERS NIGHT TICKET SALES COMPLETED:

DECEMBER 2013

INDIANAPOLIS MAYOR BALLARD SPEAKS TO SYCAMORE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: Indy Mayor Greg Ballard visited Sycamore in October and spoke to our entire Middle School about community development and involvement, especially in relation to our core character values. He also participated in a Q&A session with the students.

SYCAMORE SPONSORS TEDX INDIANAPOLIS: Sycamore School was one the “Thinker” sponsors of the TEDx event, held at the Hilbert Circle Theater in downtown Indianapolis. The full day of speakers and performers attracted more than 1,200 people. Sycamore had new “12 Signs of a Gifted Child” bookmarks for the attendees and was mentioned from stage and as a presenting sponsor on the video screen.

FINDING FORMER SYCAMORE HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL AT NAGC: Middle School Language Arts Teacher Mary O’Malley and current 6th Grade student Madalyn Sailors visited Michael Clay Thompson at the NAGC convention, held this fall in Indianapolis.

Thompson is the author of the highly acclaimed vocabulary series The Word Within the Word, 16

which Sycamore Middle School students use in Language Arts classes. He was the Head of Middle School at Sycamore from 1997-2000.

SYCAMORE HOSTS NAGC GROUP AT SCHOOL: Sycamore School hosted nearly 50 teachers and administrators who were in Indianapolis for the National Association for Gifted Children national convention in November. In our Action Lab, Sycamore teachers and staff presented sessions that included Admissions Process (Identification & Placement) 3 years old and Beyond; Humanities Curriculum; Science Curriculum; Field Trips & Resource Speakers; and Math Curriculum. The same evening, Sycamore hosted more than 100 convention visitors for a reception at the school.

SYCAMORE PARENT NAMED NEW WRITER FOR INDY’S CHILD: Sycamore parent and SSA President Lori Fulk is now a featured blogger with Indy’s Child Magazine.

She will have original work published online She also writes “Wisdom Comes Suddenly”, her own blog. “A huge thank you,” Lori says, “to Melissa Kendall Gray, who led me to this opportunity.”

STUDENT VIDEO IN COMPETITION: A video directed by 7th grade Sycamore

student Arunabh Sinha was part of a Rockwell corporate grant challenge in November. The product highlighted was one that 5th grader Owen Wright came up with for the Lego League Team research project on natural disasters; it warns homeowners of a possible tornado via a small addition to the home’s fire alarm. The team competed for two weeks in the video voting.

Sycamore sold 263 tickets to see the Indiana Pacers on Sycamore School Night on January 10, 2014. It is the first partnership between the Pacers and Sycamore, and it includes being highlighted from the court, and having graphics displayed for the crowd to see on the NBA’s largest video screen.

STAR AWARDS:

ARI AUBUCHON WINS 2014 SYCAMORE JOG-A-THON LOGO CONTEST: The 6th grader’s artwork was chosen by judges to represent the spring Sycamore fundraising event and will be seen on t-shirts, invitations and numerous other printed materials.

MATH INVITATIONAL ATTRACTS 150 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO SYCAMORE: Sycamore School hosted its 3rd annual Sycamore Math Invitational, with over 150 students from across Indiana participating. The contest is modeled after the popular middle school math contest, MATHCOUNTS, and is designed to help prepare students for the Chapter and State MATHCOUNTS contests in the spring.

As has been the case each of the last three years, some of the top middle school math students in

Sycamore Athletics presented the first winners of the STAR Award (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, Attitude, Respect) for the fall season. Winners included Jennifer Oberthur, Sarah Robertson, Graham Helft, Jack Branigan, Michelle Hong, Rachel Moore, Ethan Piper and Max Mukhin.

5TH GRADE PROJECT GALLERY: MS teacher Beth Simpson coordinated a showing of 5th graders’ god/goddess projects. A gallery-style exhibition, guests and students had the opportunity to walk around and interact with the 5th graders as they shared what they learned.

MORE THAN 3,000 CANS OF FOOD DONATED FOR FOOD DRIVE: Sycamore’s Spirit Week concluded with a food drive for the Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center at Crooked Creek. Receiving more than

TOP: Many Sycamore School graduates returned as part of the annual North Central High School band performance for Sycamore students.

BOTTOM: Cory Steele and Alex Johnson speak to teachers visiting Sycamore as part of the National Association for Gifted Children convention.

3,000 cans of food and non-perishable items, a representative from the Fay Biccard Glick Center thanked the students at a Spirit Day assembly and said the food we contribute allowed them to serve families until the end of 2013!

FORMER TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS RETURN: Retired First Grade teacher Elaine Sandy dropped in to join us at the Spirit Day assembly! We will also welcomed back Nancy Farrar, the former Head of EC, who is back

with us temporarily to help in the Admissions Office while Erica Harrison is on maternity leave in January. .

NEW CONCESSION STAND COUNTER: The “Eagles Nest” snack bar/concessions area near the gym received a new blue counter top, in time for the first basketball game of the season. Big thanks to Leroy Richins and Jeff Eastman for the huge effort to remove the old counter and fit the new one in place. n 17

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