The Langley School Experience Winter 2016

WINTER

2016

experience

Inside Learning

Peek inside this joyful classroom Page 2

In this issue

experience is published twice a year for alumni and friends of The Langley School Head of School Dr. Elinor M. Scully Editor & Designer Sharon Vipperman, Director of Marketing & Communications

Where vital academics meet a deep respect for childhood Preschool through grade 8 in Northern Virginia

1411 Balls Hill Road, McLean, Virginia 22101 (703) 356-1920 www.langleyschool.org

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Head of School’s Message

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Feature Story: Questions Fuel the Fire

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Feature Story: Transition and Transformation

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Campus Happenings

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Philanthropy at Langley

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Alumni Profile: Hanna Powers ‘11

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Class Notes

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The Last Word

Head of School’s Message

Dear Langley friends...

The first half of this year marked the beginning of several new and notable initiatives. As you may recall from earlier communication, we are in the depths of our next strategic plan that is furthering our journey as the regional leader in preschool to eighth grade education. While we did a lot of researching, listening, strategizing, and analyzing last year, this year we’re having the real fun by starting to implement the first phase of our plan.

The school year began filled with undaunted spirit and energy around our shared commitment to Living Langley.

Prospective families experienced refined messaging and an updated look across our external website and admission materials. And, our current families began the year celebrating all the things that make our community truly remarkable and unique with an introduction to seven new adjectives to describe Langley – attentive, balanced, ambitious, inclusive, compassionate, intentional, and joyful. While these words represent the essence of Langley since its inception, they have become a common language and guide for our community, and a reminder of what underlies our school pride.

If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to take a peek at our updated website, and explore the content around “What It Means to Live Langley.”

We also kicked off the first pillar of our strategic plan: Ensuring Academic Excellence. As an inquiry-based school that clearly understands the more complex skills that will be required of our students in this ever-changing world, we’ve invested heavily in ensuring that our students are able to solve complex problems, think critically, and ask probing questions. Our faculty allocated professional development to enhancing how they introduce essential questions as a way to further student thinking. Our academic leaders also restructured grade-level meetings and enhanced our classroom and curriculum review processes.

I continue to marvel at our teachers who have an insatiable hunger for continued improvement as educators, and whose energy and love of teaching are contagious. You’ll learn more about Pillar One in our feature article, “Questions Fuel the Fire,” on the following page.

In line with this teaching philosophy, our sixth-graders embarked upon an intensive week-long chemical engineering workshop, developed by i2 Learning in collaboration with 20 of the world’s leading STEM organizations including MIT and Boston’s Museum of Science. This forward-thinking, interdisciplinary opportunity challenged students to investigate, imagine, design, create, test, improve, and communicate as they made their own bioplastics. Students learned the merits of failure and trying again in order to achieve true innovation. Similarly, this January, fourth-graders sewed a cuddly felt monster, wrote code, composed music, and programmed it using Arduino technology. And, the whole school will join in on February 6 at our first-ever STEAM Fair.

We also expanded our Resource Department this fall, allowing for more math and reading specialists in our Primary and Lower School during the critical years when students are grasping key reading and math concepts. We have been thrilled, and impressed, with these new members of our resource team, along with all of our other new hires who are contributing greatly to our community.

These are just some of the highlights from the first few months of the school year. I hope you’ll peruse the rest of the magazine to discover all of the exciting things happening at Langley!

Warm regards,

Dr. Elinor Scully Head of School

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FEATURE STORY:

Questions Fuel the Fire How curiosity and creativity propel learning at Langley It’s a bright blue, early autumn morning at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve in Fairfax County. Along the banks of the rushing stream, as yellow, orange, and green leaves filter the sunlight, you may find peaceful dog walkers, energetic hikers, and…enthusiastic Langley students, hard at work on their research. As part of an interdisciplinary unit on hydrology, they’re testing the water quality of the stream, determining levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature.

Guided and encouraged by their science teacher, the students carefully collect and measure samples, take thorough notes, and excitedly share their discoveries and ideas. They compare the quality of the water here to samples they took aboard the Half Shell research vessel. All the while, they’re asking themselves – and each other – challenging, reflective questions about the larger significance of their findings: How have humans affected the water quality? How am I part of the watershed? What can I do to help clean it up?

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Returning to Langley, they continue imagining, testing, and proposing real-world answers to those questions. In a “build your own watershed” lab, students decide where to locate services in a fictional town where they serve on the zoning and planning commission. They must protect the environmental quality of “Lily Pad Lake” while ensuring the town is socially, politically, and economically viable for residents.

That’s just one example of how classes at Langley look and feel very different from what many of us experienced in our own childhoods. Back then, a unit on water might have meant reading about oceans, lakes, and rivers in a textbook, and perhaps looking at some droplets under a microscope. Instead, Langley students from preschool through eighth grade, across subject areas, ask essential questions about themselves and the world: How does where I live affect how I live? Was the American Revolution inevitable?

Whose stories are worth telling? How is math a language?

Our inquiry-based program is rooted in the belief that true learning means understanding, rather than merely recalling.

Then, with their teachers’ expert guidance, students work together to explore possible answers and forge actual, working solutions. It’s a process that encourages curiosity and builds confidence, as students across all grade levels struggle with complexity and uncertainty, and experience the thrill of discoveries large and small.

So what, exactly, is going on at Langley?

What and how do you want to learn?

You may have heard the phrase “inquiry-based learning,” a term encompassing proven best practices in education – practices Langley has long embraced. As Director of Teaching and Learning Phil Petru explains, “Our program takes advantage of the natural curiosity that kids possess, especially at the ages we have here at Langley. It’s rooted in the belief that true learning means understanding, rather than merely recalling.”

In the age of Google and smart phones, it’s no longer so crucial to memorize a large body of facts and figures since an infinite storehouse of names and dates hovers just a few clicks away. This technological sea-change allows today’s students to learn in more engaging, meaningful, and lasting ways. Instead of passive recipients of information, students become active creators of their own learning experiences. In preschool, Langley encourages children to “think, see, and wonder” – an apt model for learning at any age. As children grow, they continue to discover how to ask productive questions and pursue solutions in inventive, effective ways.

An entry point for every student Assistant Head of School Kathleen Smith points out that the inquiry-based model dovetails beautifully with Langley’s commitment to differentiated learning. “Each student finds a different entry point to a project,” Ms. Smith explains.

“We meet kids where they are, and leverage their individual strengths and interests. The teacher has a set of learning goals in mind, but there are as many ways to reach them as there are students in the classroom.”

One key to making differentiation work is ensuring students understand their own learning processes – not only what they’re learning, but why they’re learning it, and how they, as individuals, learn best. Sometimes called “metacognition,” this self-understanding builds upon itself every day. By the time students graduate from Langley, they possess an unusually powerful intellectual and emotional toolkit that allows them to engage, thoughtfully and confidently, with any new challenge they face.

Taking risks and making strides Langley students also build confidence by making mistakes. As each learning experience unfolds, students face periods of struggle and frustration – and sometimes they fail. In this model, teachers constantly and carefully guide the process, but they don’t rush in to provide “the answer.”

When students power through difficulty to discover a solution for themselves, they experience a more profound and genuine sense of accomplishment. And their learning proves considerably more enduring.

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Just as important, when students know mistakes can teach them more than easy accomplishments can, they stop worrying about getting things wrong and start taking the kinds of risks that prove essential to intellectual breakthroughs.

Through earnest failure and earned achievement, students build the perseverance, flexibility, and enthusiasm to tackle the next, harder obstacle. As our world continues to change, seemingly faster than ever before, such poise and agility prove crucial to lifelong success.

Teachers are learners, too Langley teachers learn and grow through the same methods they practice with their students. They investigate new ways to engage students. They work together to create interdisciplinary projects. They experiment. They reflect.

They share their results with each other, and constantly give and receive feedback.

“In day-to-day meetings, and in professional development workshops, our teachers model what they want to see in the classroom,” says Mr. Petru. “They ask big questions about teaching and learning, and make choices about how to explore them. We encourage teachers to wonder and create in the ways that work best for them individually.

The new ideas and new units that come out of this process have been awesome.”

When such enthusiastic, expert teachers and continuously curious students join together, possibilities abound. The more you learn about Langley’s program, it’s clear: there’s never been a better time to live Langley.

Further reading and watching differentiationcentral.com provides a wealth of information about differentiated learning – why it matters and how the best educators do it.

authenticeducation.org discusses big ideas and essential questions.

TED talks by Diana Laufenberg and Sir Ken Robinson describe the crucial roles of wonder and creativity in learning.

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Inquiry-Based Learning in Action:

The 20% Project Elective

A new elective in the Middle School, offered by Brad Lands, the 20% Project* works like this: BRAINSTORMING: At the beginning of the year, students begin brainstorming ideas for a project proposal. They may work alone, but Mr. Lands encourages them to work in small teams. He also challenges students to make the project “product focused,” meaning that by the end of the year, they have produced an actual artifact of their work. This could be a physical product like a graphic novel or a balloon that takes photos from the stratosphere, a digital project like a short film or video game, or one of a great many other possibilities.

PROPOSAL: Once the team has an idea of what project they want to pursue, they begin writing the proposal. This is how the team will “pitch” the project to Mr. Lands and the rest of the class. In this proposal, students answer the following questions: What is your project and who will work with you on this project?

Who is the audience, user base, and client base for this project?

Why is this project worthwhile and what do you expect to learn?

What product will you have to show at the end of the year?

What sort of expenses will be involved and how will you cover them?

What sort of equipment will you need and where will you get it?

What is your timeline for completing (or launching) your project?

BLOG: Each cycle, every member of every team writes a public blog post discussing their progress, including what happened over the past cycle, what the team learned, what challenges they faced, and what they anticipate in the future.

MENTORS: Each team selects an adult mentor to provide guidance and inspiration.

20% DAYS: Throughout the school year, students have one class period to work on their projects. If they need to go off campus to work on their projects, they can do so on weekends or afternoons and use the scheduled 20% time as a productive in-class work session.

FINAL PRESENTATION: At the end of the year, each team gives a fiveminute presentation to students, teachers, and community members to show off their work. They carefully write, choreograph, and rehearse in order to produce the best presentation they’ve ever given. Students deliver these recorded, TED-style presentations in the auditorium.

BUT WHAT IF MY PROJECT IS A FAILURE? The philosophy behind the 20% Project is simple: The only truly failed project is the one that doesn’t get done. The project challenges students to show off a successful product at the end of the year, but not get bogged down in perfectionism. Students follow the advice plastered on the wall of Facebook’s headquarters: “Done is better than perfect” – a slogan you wouldn’t want to see in your dentist’s office, but which works surprisingly well for this type of creative work.

If students still feel their project is a failure, they talk with each other and their teacher about what they learned and what they would do differently next time. In this way, they leverage failure as an opportunity for intellectual and personal growth. Of course, success, not failure, remains the goal – but at Langley, failure is also nothing to fear.

*This course is modeled after Google’s 20% time. Embedded in Google’s culture is the concept of allowing engineers to take on independent projects, investing 20% of their work time on self-led explorations to solve real problems.

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FEATURE STORY:

Transition and Transformation How Langley prepares every student to step wisely and confidently from eighth grade into high school Middle School Head Ryan Jefferson loves talking about Langley’s high school placement program because he knows how unique it is – and how well it works. The carefully planned, student-led process of selecting, applying for, and transitioning into each student’s best-fit high school forms a critical capstone to the preschool through eighth grade Langley journey.

The results – poised, energized, mature, engaged alumni – speak for themselves, eloquently and eagerly. As Mr. Jefferson puts it, “Our graduates step into high school with tremendous confidence. They’re not just prepared for what’s next. They’re craving it.”

The schools Langley graduates attend clearly recognize the program’s impact. “I constantly hear from day and boarding schools that Langley students are truly prepared, both academically and socially,” Mr. Jefferson says. “They

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enthusiastically take on leadership roles. They’re joyful, active, engaged members of the school community – and that’s what every school wants.”

Parents agree wholeheartedly. Stephanie Akbari, mother of recent graduate Andrew, observes, “To say that Andrew loves Landon is an understatement. The work is hard, the sports are demanding, and he comes home tired and happy.

It’s the perfect high school for him, and Langley’s high school placement process helped significantly in making this decision.”

This rigorous, empowering experience prepares Langley graduates not only for high school, but also for college applications – which seem to come up much more quickly than almost anyone imagines.

So how does Langley’s high school placement process unfold?

A community effort – and a personal journey Officially, the process begins in the spring of seventh grade, when Mr. Jefferson hosts an informational coffee for parents to provide an overview of the coming year’s activities and deadlines. Each family then signs up for a one-hour conference with Mr. Jefferson, during which the student, with the parents’ input, begins to form a list of schools that might make a good fit.

Based on the intimate knowledge we have of each student’s interests and academic profile, Mr. Jefferson often suggests additional schools that align with the student’s particular goals and talents. Students and their parents are then tasked with an exciting project: researching their list and preparing numerous questions to discuss in the fall.

“After she got the list from Mr. Jefferson, my daughter Keira spent days pouring over the schools’ websites and learning everything she could about them,” says parent Kerrie Dent. “Then she talked with us about which schools she wanted to visit and why. She surprised us by saying she was very interested in a girls’ school. We hadn’t expected that, but that shows the independence she’s developed at Langley.” Many families find that their list of top-choice high schools looks very different when their children reach eighth grade than when they were in third, fourth, or fifth grade. Children grow and change enormously during these years – so the high schools that best suit them often change as well.

The eighth-grade year begins with another parent coffee, during which Mr. Jefferson answers questions and sets the stage for what’s next – a very exciting and revealing fall trimester. Students take an SSAT prep course, leading to a practice exam and the formal test in the fall. With guidance from Mr. Jefferson and their teachers, students undergo mock interviews, write essays that effectively articulate their best selves, and meet representatives of local day and boarding schools at the Life After Langley fair.

Families also begin visiting schools and – in frequent consultation with Mr. Jefferson – adjusting their school lists. “We encourage students and families to go into every school with an open mind, allowing an unobstructed view of the possibilities,” says Mr. Jefferson. They’re often surprised and delighted to find that a school previously not on their radar has risen to the top of their list.

That’s exactly what happened for eighth-grader Ollie Bernasek. “I went to visit what I thought was one of my first-choice schools, and I realized I couldn’t see myself there at all. To me, it felt like students just punched the clock – in and out. I went to another school and I immediately felt the warmth of the community. I could tell that everyone wanted to be there, and now I do, too.”

During this period, teachers begin writing recommendation letters, which the Middle School administration reviews and formats, while also assembling transcripts and other documents for each student’s applications.

As the pinnacle to the full Langley program, the transition to high school becomes a once-in-alifetime learning opportunity that few other schools offer. It’s also a critical “reset point” in students’ lives.

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“By January, there are stacks and stacks of manila envelopes in the conference room,” says Mr. Jefferson. “We make sure we have everything each application requires well before the deadline.”

But tasks and deadlines form only one part of Langley’s high school placement process.

Doing well – and being well At Langley, children’s emotional well-being means just as much as their academic success – each depends upon and fuels the other. The high school application process may appear stressful, but, as research shows, exposure to balanced, productive types of stress actually pushes students to excel, reflect, and self-advocate – all lifelong skills Langley vigorously promotes. To this end, Mr. Jefferson, Middle School teachers, and staff members constantly check in with eighth-graders, making sure they’re not just on track with their applications, but feeling comfortable and in control at all times. At Langley, applying for high school is important – but so is perspective.

Throughout the process, students and families experience the insightful, personal attention that makes the Langley community one-of-a-kind. In the winter, Mr. Jefferson visits

every high school within a two-hour driving distance to which Langley’s eighth-graders have applied to personally advocate for his students. For boarding schools outside that radius, Mr. Jefferson telephones the admissions head to ensure they carefully consider Langley’s applicants. As decision letters arrive, he meets with families to help them make choices and plan for what’s next.

And then it’s spring again, and time for another cohort of rising eighth-graders and their families to begin their high school placement journey. Except that’s not really the beginning after all.

When the process really starts It’s tempting to think that the high school placement process only kicks into gear during students’ final year at Langley. In fact, though, the process both draws on and encapsulates the entire preschool through eighth grade Langley journey. Challenging yet empathetic, focused on the individual yet involving the larger community, Langley’s program fosters self-awareness, self-advocacy, and earned confidence.

And that’s what makes the Langley high school placement program work so well: when students reach eighth grade,

Langley Grads Reflect on Their First Year of High School “Langley taught me skills like organization, time management, and how to contact teachers when I need help, and these skills have helped me get work done faster and more efficiently in high school.”

-Neil Coakley, Flint Hill School

“Langley taught me to be organized and responsible about my school work. Because of that, I am able to balance challenging classes with my extracurricular activities, like volleyball and the school musical.”

-Emma Weed, The Field School

“Langley prepared me really well for the increased academic demands of high school. In addition, Langley gave me the confidence to make new friends and try a bunch of extracurricular activities such as debate, jazz, and crew.”

-Lucas Rozendaal, Georgetown Day School

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they already know how to harness these capabilities to propel themselves to the next level. After all, they’ve been doing it, day in and day out, throughout their childhood.

Eighth-grader Nikki Debayo-Doherty has taken this year as an opportunity to review and reflect. “I started here in preschool,” she says. “Now I have a Little Buddy in kindergarten, and that helps me remember all my years at Langley. Recently I’ve been an advisory rep and a student ambassador, and I can see how Langley helped me mature into those leadership roles.”

As the pinnacle to the full Langley program – rooted in a deep understanding of children’s development – the transition to high school becomes a once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity that few other schools offer. It’s also a critical “reset point” in students’ lives. On the brink of young adulthood, they seize this opportunity to create new friendships, tackle new challenges, and even reinvent themselves as they embark on an exciting new journey.

Seeing how all the steps of the Langley journey fit together helps turn the once-daunting prospect of high school applications into an abiding and exciting promise for the future. Parent Stephanie Akbari sums up why the complete

Langley program works so well: “While my older son is now thriving at Landon, my younger son, Alex, may very well not choose Landon when the time comes,” she says.

“He needs to make the decision that’s right for him, and the Langley maturation process will make sure he does that. I wouldn’t trade that process for anything.”

“Langley prepared me to manage my time well. I get all my work done and have time to be social and get to know new people.

Academically, I was very ready for biology.

Langley’s biology class was hard, but it prepared me well for high school. In fact, most of the ninth-grade concepts were review for me.” -Ellie Cook, Madeira School

“The minute I walked into The Field School, I felt at home.

Langley prepared me for Field’s small classroom size, friendly teachers, and supportive community. Even though I didn’t love writing papers for language arts at Langley, it really is making my freshman year easy now. Freshman biology is pretty easy, too. I don’t think I could have picked a high school that wasn’t just like the Langley I’ve known since preschool.”

-Jack Gillespie, The Field School

“Langley has taught me so many things over the years.

Time management was the most important skill I developed at Langley to prepare me for high school.”

-Andrew Akbari, Landon School

For a complete list of high schools that Langley graduates attend, visit the high school placement page on our site at langleyschool.org.

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Sharing Traditions Throughout Langley’s history, cherished and muchanticipated traditions have connected generations of students, parents, and teachers. These shared experiences – filled with school spirit and Langley pride – have helped build a strong, supportive, and inclusive community.

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Clockwise from top left: During our first spirit day, students, faculty, and staff wore their colorful new “I Live Langley” t-shirts to demonstrate how we all Live Langley together.

More than 1,200 people attended the school’s 61st annual Fall Fair and enjoyed an afternoon of fun and community.

Students in grades 5-8 competed in JV and varsity soccer, cross country, and girls’ volleyball this fall, earning several first-, second-, and third-place banners for the school.

Campus Happenings

Students and teachers donned creative costumes for Langley’s annual Halloween festivities and parades.

Langley kicked off the holiday season and our holiday service projects with a sing-along on December 3. Our oldest and youngest students lit the school’s tree.

Langley celebrated our love of reading at the annual Book Fair for two days in December where students, parents, and teachers browsed hundreds of books and gifts in our Pat Bush Library.

Middle Schoolers continue to take part in one of the school’s oldest traditions – serving breakfast to those in need at So Others Might Eat (SOME), a DC soup kitchen.

On November 24, nearly 375 grandparents and special friends came from around the world to participate in a memorable morning of student performances and classroom activities during this cherished annual event.

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Campus Happenings

Learning Through Experience Whether on or off campus, Langley students have unique opportunities for hands-on learning. Through field trips in the DC area and beyond, as well as interactive classroom workshops that immerse students in a particular area of study, students explore the world around them while strengthening their curiosity and confidence.

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Clockwise from top left: During a week-long eco-tour in Costa Rica, eighth-grade students learned about environmental sustainability, immersed themselves in another culture, and developed valuable leadership skills.

Seventh-graders experienced Colonial America firsthand during an overnight trip to Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg.

Fifth-graders took a two-day trip to Camp Highroad where they participated in a variety of team-building activities.

The natural world came to life for our second grade during a visit to the Natural History Museum.

Eighth-graders enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of the Federal Bureau of Investigation highlighted by a private meeting and Q&A session with FBI Director James Comey.

Our sixth-grade students became chemical engineers this fall, as they explored polymers and bioplastics during a week-long STEM immersion workshop that encouraged design thinking and collaborative problem solving.

The junior kindergarten class explored a nearby farm where they met donkeys and goats, took a hayride, picked pumpkins, and enjoyed the corn bin.

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Campus Happenings

Expressing Creativity Langley students of all ages learn to express themselves through the arts.

Whether performing on stage or creating a unique piece of artwork, students build confidence and leadership skills as they discover their talents and passions.

Clockwise from top left: The Middle School fall play, “It’s All Greek to Me,” sold out two of its three shows.

Lower and Middle School students presented festive band, choral, and strings pieces at their annual holiday concerts in December.

Second-graders showcased the country’s Native American regions through short skits and songs.

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Students from preschool to eighth grade performed on stage for their guests during Grandparents & Special Friends Day. Primary School students showed off their musical rhythm skills while performing at Grandparents & Special Friends Day.

Unparalleled Community Since Langley’s 1942 founding by an inspired and determined group of parents, we’ve fostered an inclusive and collaborative environment built on a strong partnership between parents, teachers, and children. This close-knit parent community – which encourages lifelong friendships, purposeful engagement, and can-do spirit – models the values of community and cooperation for everyone.

In the Neighborhood: This fall, Langley spon-

Honoring Our Faculty: In what has become a

Family Socials: To help families get to know

Volunteering Time & Talent: The dedica-

sored two local community events – the McLean 5K and the MPAartfest outdoor arts festival. A Langley team ran in the 5K (above left) and 12 of our students had artwork on display at the artfest.

each other, PALS sponsored grade-level parent and family socials in the fall, including potluck dinners and an oncampus rooftop movie night.

Parent Education: PALS hosts a series of

on-campus education events for parents, including the following speakers this fall: • Head of School Dr. Elinor Scully, “Raising Authentic Children & Young Adults in a Culture of Abundance” • Dr. Elizabeth Englander, “How to Help Kids Control Technology – Instead of the Other Way Around” • Dr. William Stixrud, “Wired 24/7: What Technology is Doing to Your Child’s Brain and Development”

holiday tradition, PALS hosted a delicious and festive holiday appreciation luncheon for faculty and staff. More than 60 parent volunteers decorated, cooked, and served the wonderful meal (above right).

tion of Langley parents is unparalleled, creating a unique and palpable sense of caring and community. Parents volunteer countless hours to organize campus events like the Fall Fair, Grandparents & Special Friends Day, the spring auction, and Field Day; assist in the library; or recognize faculty and staff with special goodies. They also give of their time and talents to serve on Board of Trustees committees, help raise funds for the school, and organize parent education events.

Sharing Expertise: With diverse backgrounds

and experiences, our parents offer unique perspectives which they share with our student body during classroom presentations or assemblies. Over the past several months, for example, parents have helped educate our students about the joy of service, the Hindu New Year, and Veterans’ Day.

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PHILANTHROPY AT LANGLEY:

Donald & Makiko Harrison: Why We Give For Donald and Makiko Harrison – parents of daughters Shima and Kana – the choice to support Langley through gifts of time and financial resources came naturally from their experiences at Langley.

“We have always appreciated the Langley community because of its values and its people. We have felt blessed to be a part of this community and to have many respectful, honest, and joyful interactions with Langley teachers, administrators, staff, and parents at conferences and school events or during our more casual day-to-day encounters.

And we have found that volunteering at Langley is a wonderful way to support and encourage the faculty and administration, because in the process we also get to know them and other parents at a deeper level. For example, while volunteering for a PALS teacher breakfast, I went into the Gatehouse for the first time and met the gentlemen who take care of the school property – quietly but so well. It was wonderful to be able to thank them in person and to be greeted by their big smiles! It has also been gratifying to contribute financially to Langley – to feel that we are doing some part to support the wonderful Langley staff and facilities.” -Makiko Harrison Thank you to Donald and Makiko, along with many other Langley families, whose generosity of spirit directly enhances the lives of our students, faculty, and staff each day. Every gift – no matter the size – has the power to transform the Langley experience. Please consider joining Donald and Makiko and making Langley one of your philanthropic priorities today.

Visit www.langleyschool.org or call (703) 848-2785 to make a gift or get involved.

The Langley Fund: Make a Gift. Make an Impact.

Your Langley Fund Dollars AT WORK...

78% Lead teachers with advanced degrees 9 Sports in which our students compete

24,000 Square

footage of our athletic center

100% Students whose lives will be transformed through The Langley Fund this year

$15,304,420 Langley’s operating budget

20,000

Volumes in our library

12 On-stage performances for Primary & Lower Schoolers

Every gift counts, and gets us closer to our goal of $665,000.

Make your gift today and have an immediate, positive impact on every Langley student!

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ALUMNI PROFILE:

Hanna Powers ’11 “Riding has always been my passion,” says Hanna Powers ’11, who joined the University of South Carolina’s Division I national champion equestrian team as a freshman this fall.

A talented rider who has been competing for more than a decade, Hanna is successfully settling into her new life as a student athlete.

Despite her busy team schedule – six workouts and practices per week, team meetings, and competitions against other schools every other weekend – she is maintaining a 4.0 GPA at USC. “It’s definitely not a normal college experience,” Hanna says. “But I’m used to carefully structuring my time. It’s a valuable skill I learned early on at Langley while I was juggling riding with schoolwork and doing Middle School plays.”

Competing as an equestrian requires many skills – but chief among them is confidence. Trusting your life to a horse while it jumps over three- to four-foot hurdles takes a lot of guts. And Hanna attributes her strong sense of self-confidence to her early years at Langley. “Langley taught me to take risks and stretch my boundaries in a safe environment. They made it easy for my classmates and me to develop the confidence that many adults struggle to find,” she adds, noting that several of her USC teammates see sports psychologists to help them cope with low confidence.

Hanna’s interest in horses began as a young child, but it wasn’t until her second-grade year at Langley that her parents allowed her to pursue riding competitively. By fourth grade, she had her own horse and was riding every day and traveling every weekend for shows. “Every second of my day was consumed with horses in some way,” she recalls.

“I remember in fifth grade Mrs. Gustin told me I had to expand my writing subject matter to things other than horses for two whole months!” She credits Langley with helping broaden her interests while nurturing and supporting her passion for riding.

If Hanna talks about her elementary and middle school experiences more than most people do, it’s because she deeply values the skills and friendships she built at Langley.

Her two best friends hail from Langley and she stays in close contact with most of her eighth-grade class, a fact her new college friends find unusual. “Langley prepared me extremely well and helped make me more well-rounded,” she says.

“Langley taught me to take risks and stretch my boundaries in a safe environment.

They made it easy to develop the confidence that many adults struggle to find.”

At the Madeira School, Hanna’s skills as a rider grew. She rode on Madeira’s equestrian team for four years, serving as co-captain during her final two years, and continued competing outside of school. By senior year, thanks to a special exception from Madeira’s co-curricular program, Hanna spent the winter living in Florida where she rode full time and had a job working with young horses.

In 2012, Hanna was chosen as the youth ambassador of the Washington International Horse Show, a leadership position in which she promoted the show to DC-area youth.

“As a high school freshman at the time, this opportunity was a huge point of growth for me because it allowed me to take my love of horses and turn it into something meaningful,” she adds.

As youth ambassador, Hanna made appearances on local TV and radio stations and launched a military daughters campaign to give active duty kids a behind-the-scenes look at the show. The following year, she represented the horse show on Capitol Hill, lobbying for an anti-slaughter campaign.

Hanna’s experiences on Capitol Hill inspired her to apply for a weekly internship in Senator John McCain’s office as part of Madeira’s intern program her junior year, a position she landed after competing with college juniors and seniors for the spot. Handling constituent mail, attending hearings, and representing Senator McCain at local events gave her valuable experience.

Although a career on Capitol Hill or as a professional equestrian probably isn’t in Hanna’s future, her experiences have cultivated her interest in public relations and broadcast journalism, subjects she is studying now at USC. “Riding is my passion – and I think I’ll always be involved with horses – but thanks to the solid foundation I received, I have a lot of options.”

17

Class Notes

During the Fall Fair in October, members of Langley’s Class of 2015 gathered on the turf field to paint the class rock.

Submit your notes and photos at langleyschool.org/community/alumni or e-mail svipperman@langleyschool.org.

1954

Ann McMahon continues her work as a photographer in New Mexico, recently showing a coyote exhibit and an exhibit on the mining heritage of Grant County, NM, for which she won an award from the Mining History Association.

2002

Mikaela Lefrak works as associate editor of The New Republic in Washington, DC.

2004

1990

Patrick Foley is in his first year at the Yale School of Drama pursuing an M.F.A. in acting. A graduate of Georgetown Day School and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Patrick worked professionally in New York and DC before getting the opportunity to study at Yale.

2000

Devon Maresco is currently in a graduate program for integrative nutrition while working part-time in Washington, DC.

Ross Scholz is currently in the military and living in Baltimore, MD. He previously attended James Madison University.

Courtney Gorrell married Troy Anderson last June with many of her “Langley family members” in attendance.

2006

Madeline Foley will receive her master’s degree in sustainable engineering from Villanova University in the spring with a concentration in sustainable infrastructure and the built environment. A graduate of Holton-Arms, Madeline developed her passion for the environment through extensive involvement in paleo-climate research at Trinity College and through studying climate change and renewable energy systems abroad in Copenhagen. At the moment, she is also actively involved in curriculum planning and development for Villanova’s Department of Engineering, launching her first course, “Foundations of Sustainable Engineering,” this past fall.

18

WINTER 2016

2008

Delia Maresco is playing Division I soccer at Virginia Tech, where she made the ACC Honor Roll and Dean’s List.

2009

Elizabeth Foley is in her third year at Trinity College as a neuroscience major. This past November, she was inducted into Nu Rho Psi, the National Honor Society in neuroscience. As president of the group Active Minds, she works to raise awareness of and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health on campus. Elizabeth is also an active member of Trinity’s female a cappella group.

2010

Ilina Mitra, a sophomore at Wellesley College, is studying economics. She is co-secretary of the Class of 2018 and co-campaigns coordinator of the Wellesley College Democrats, and has also worked for the campaign of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy. An advocate of women’s rights and gender equality, Ilina regularly contributes to the Wellesley Globalist.

Nadia Nobrega is currently a sophomore at Elon University, where she is double-majoring in elementary education and special education with a minor in music. She is staff photographer for the school paper and a member of the Alpha Omicron Phi sorority. This past summer, Nadia danced with the Royal Ballet at The Kennedy Center and competed in the USAIGC Rhythmic Nationals in Orlando, FL, where she won a gold medal.

the #3 “signed player” in the country for the Class of 2016.

She has received First Team All-Conference and All-Region accolades and made the Athletic Honor Roll each year of her high school career.

Chris Foley is a senior at Georgetown Day School, where he is captain of varsity swimming and varsity crew, a singer in the co-ed a cappella group and Chamber Choir, and the founder of the school’s Coding Club. Chris hopes to study computer engineering in college next fall.

2013

Jacob Labovitz is currently pursuing a professional soccer career in Spain while playing with Marbella United FC, a Spanish Federation soccer team and development academy. He was Virginia’s leading goal-scorer and a Washington Post First-Team All-Met selection while playing for Langley High School’s 2015 men’s soccer team, helping lead the team to its first-ever state championship in soccer. Jacob is now completing his high school studies online through the American College of Spain.

Summer Wright attends the Stuart Hall School, where she was inducted into the National Honor Society.

2014

2011

Alex Debayo-Doherty was accepted into The Potomac School’s Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) program. He and the program’s other sophomores recently visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to engage with professors and graduate students before they selected their research topics, which they will pursue for the next two years.

2012

Dina Phipps is enjoying her sophomore year at Bishop O’Connell High School. In addition to excelling in honors and AP classes, she is a member of several music groups – the select women’s chamber choir, the O’Connell Singers, and two a cappella groups. Dina also manages the school’s baseball team and plays on a basketball team outside of school.

Nikita Parulkar attends the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where she is majoring in biology. She is also a talented photographer whose African wildlife pictures were used by National Geographic.

Blake Brackett, currently a senior at Madison High School, will play Division I softball at Colgate University next fall. With a 2.63-second verified home to first base time, Blake is currently ranked

Katie Warner, a sophomore at The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, has been selected to be a member of the National Society of High School Scholars, which recognizes top scholars who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, scholarship, and community commitment. Last summer, Katie attended the two-week National Student Leadership Conference on Theater at Fordham University in New York City and appeared in The Sterling Playmakers production of “Music Man.”

19

The Last Word

by Phil Petru, Director of Teaching & Learning

Ambitious. Intentional. Joyful. These are some of the words that our community uses to describe life at Langley, or as we say, Living Langley. When I hear those words, I specifically think about our incredible faculty and the work they do every day on behalf of children. Those three words, in my opinion, just scratch the surface in depicting the amazing work being done on campus and in our classrooms. I would also add that our faculty are passionate, dedicated, and caring educators who clearly want the best possible outcomes for their students.

In just the few short months while I have been working at Langley, I have seen firsthand the extraordinary amount of effort and love our faculty put into their instruction – preparing lessons, meeting with students, communicating with parents, and attending meetings, all with the intention of helping students learn at the highest levels. What impresses me the most about our teachers is the individual and collective commitment to their profession which is demonstrated by a constant desire to become the best possible teacher.

Langley faculty meet by grade level to discuss student work and how instructional practices might strengthen student understanding about content and concepts. Our teachers are constantly and collaboratively designing lessons based upon their students’ interests, readiness levels, and learning styles while creating a learning environment conducive for student risk-taking. Langley teachers are always reading and discussing new instructional research and finding ways to best implement these ideas to benefit our students. Our teachers visit other schools, attend and present at national and regional conferences, speak with

20

WINTER 2016

Phil Petru (far left) takes part in a Langley spirit day.

the renowned experts in their fields, and pursue new and innovative strategies – all in an effort to be the best teachers they can be. These teachers live to teach.

These amazing educators model many of the 21st-century skills and characteristics that we want our students to possess. Through their commitment to professional development, Langley teachers model lifelong learning. By designing lessons and units of instruction on teams, they model collaboration. When they implement or design new instructional strategies based on the latest research, they are modeling innovation and creativity. Langley teachers are incredible role models for our students.

In my nearly 20 years in education, I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of public and independent school settings encompassing a wide range of students and teachers. I can honestly say that I have never been more impressed than I am with Langley’s faculty. Their commitment to their students and profession is truly unrivaled and makes Langley not only an incredible place to learn, but also an amazing place to work. I look forward to seeing you on campus.

Get Social with Langley!

Want to hear about the latest campus news, see fun field trip photos, watch a video of our kids in action, or read a blog from one of our expert teachers? You’ll find all this and more on Langley’s social media sites. Here are just a few of our most popular social media posts this school year…

Facebook

• Eighth-graders meet with the director of the FBI • Girls’ volleyball team crowned champs of the Capital Athletic Conference

• Middle School play sells out two performances

YouTube

• Curtain calls through the decades (a look back at Langley’s drama productions)

• Whitewater rafting in Costa Rica • My nine years at Langley (student perspective)

Follow Langley today on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, and our blog!

Blog

• The hidden power of sixth-grade STEM week • You don’t have to choose: Why true success depends on academic achievement and social/emotional competence

The Langley School is comprised of students, teachers, parents, and staff who believe that a diverse school community promotes learning and growth, preparing students for responsible and compassionate citizenship in the global community. We administer all programs and policies without discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or any other category to the extent protected by applicable laws.

Where vital academics meet a deep respect for childhood Preschool through grade 8 in Northern Virginia

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McLean, VA 22101 Permit No. 48

1411 Balls Hill Road, McLean, Virginia 22101-3415 www.langleyschool.org (703) 356-1920

Jim Gleason Retirement Celebration After 37 years of service, Langley Athletic Director Jim Gleason is retiring at the end of this school year. Please save the date of Thursday, May

summer studi

26, 2016, for a retirement cel-

Now registering for weekly camp offerings June 20 – August 5

Watch your mailbox for an

www.langleyschool.org/ summer-studio

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage

ebration honoring Jim and his many contributions to Langley. invitation to join us.