Experience Magazine - Winter 2019

WINTER

2019

experience Confident & Prepared:

Unique Fifth-Grade Program Sparks Remarkable Transformations

In this issue 1

Head of School’s Message

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Confident & Prepared: Unique Fifth-Grade Program Sparks Remarkable Transformations

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Where Are They Now? Former Heads of School Recall Their Langley Days

is published twice a year for alumni, families, and friends of The Langley School

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We Are Langley: The Next Generation Campaign Takes Shape

Head of School Dr. Elinor Scully

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Summer Grants Inspire Lifelong Learning

Editor & Designer Sharon Vipperman, Director of Marketing & Communications

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Campus Happenings

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Alumni News

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

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Alumni Profile: Kayla Sharpe ’09

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

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The Last Word by Phil Petru

experience

Head of School’s Message

Dear Langley friends...

I hope you are staying warm this winter. In this magazine, I’m excited to share the continued progress that we are making as a school and as a community. Langley’s beginnings more than 75 years ago as a cooperative school with a strong parent partnership continue to be woven throughout our initiatives and forward momentum today.

Academically, our teachers remain at the core of what we do, meeting students where they are developmentally and ensuring they are prepared for the next step in their educational journey. In this issue, we take a closer look at our fifth-grade program, which is the capstone of our Lower School and pathway into our Middle School. Time and time again, parents and students share their memories from this magical and developmentally active year. Read about the unique and transformative aspects of this grade on page 2.

While our fifth-grade program is a notable part of Langley’s Arc of Development, we also continue to introduce new and innovative aspects to our curriculum across all grades.

Our teachers collaborate seamlessly and enthusiastically, form connections between units, and make learning even more interesting, relevant, and “sticky” for our students.

And, inspired by their professional development, each year they rethink their off-campus field trips, tying their outings to curriculum and inquiry-based pedagogy. You’ll see several of these innovative projects connecting technology, engineering, art, public speaking, social studies, and math highlighted in our Campus Happenings section on page 14.

And, in line with our strategic plan, we continue to balance academic enhancements with the growth of our socialemotional learning program. This year, we broadened our work on diversity and inclusion from our faculty to our parents. In November, we hosted a panel on diversity,

equity, and inclusion featuring outside speakers who talked about the impact of this work on the success of our students. Our custom-built REACH (Raising Emotional Acuity, Cultural Responsiveness, and Healthy Behaviors) program has expanded into more classrooms and the Mood Meter (from Yale) is part of the vernacular of most of our students.

But we can’t stop there! We have launched a comprehensive Next Generation Campaign focused on the endowment and the construction of a new Crossroads building which will house our Primary School, fifth grade, and library. Recognizing the work of the heads of school before me, I am excited to lead the next phase of our campus enhancements along with our Board of Trustees. See page 8 for more details about this campaign.

I hope you’ll participate in our “I Live Langley” photo contest using the card inserted inside this magazine. This popular contest began several years ago with our current families, featuring a different theme each year. This year, we are excited to expand the photo contest to include our alumni. Get creative, have fun, and capture what living Langley means to you. I look forward to seeing your photo!

Warm regards,

Dr. Elinor Scully Head of School

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FEATURE STORY:

Confident & Prepared:

Unique Fifth-Grade Program Sparks Remarkable Transformations At The Langley School, we prepare our students academically, emotionally, and socially for the next step in their educational journey – whether transitioning from preschool to junior kindergarten or from seventh grade to eighth grade. But one of the most significant transitions our students experience is moving from the more structured, guided environment of the Lower School to the responsibility and independence of the Middle School.

To help ensure our students are ready for life as sixth-graders in our Middle School, Langley has created a unique fifth-grade program that serves as a memorable capstone to their elementary school years while building a bridge to the Middle School experience that awaits. “We meet our fifth-graders where they are developmentally and provide just the right mix of independence and nurturing,” says

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Head of Lower School Peggy Laurent. “It’s amazing to see how students’ confidence, leadership, sense of responsibility, and academic skills grow during this one crucial year of steep development.”

Building Academic Skills Academically, fifth-graders experience a hybrid of Lower School homerooms and the subject-specific structure of Middle School. While moving from class to class as they will in Middle School, they have a familiar home base in the fifth-grade classrooms located in their own dedicated hallway. Much like in the Middle School, advisory groups provide fifth-graders with the opportunity to work with a faculty advisor who helps each student keep track of assignments and monitor academic progress.

Core classes – math, social studies, language arts, and science – are taught by fifth-grade experts Hally Brewster, Barbara Collier, Mark Loach, and Derek Tenney, respectively, who expect students to take on a greater level of responsibility for their learning. Students hone their research and critical-thinking skills, tackle more complex academic tasks, learn to manage their time and assignments, develop executive functioning skills, and receive numerical grades for the first time.

“While supporting our students, we give them the freedom – and the responsibility – to manage their academics themselves,” says Mr. Loach. “They are expected to be responsible for their homework and belongings, to study for more formal tests and quizzes, and to get to class on time. The organizational and time management skills they develop are some of the most important life skills they’ll need to be successful in the future.”

Learning to Navigate Social Situations In addition to helping our fifth-graders develop academically, our fifth-grade program also helps them mature socially. Whether bonding with their advisory group, attending classes with their academic group, taking class field trips, playing JV sports, or enjoying lunch and recess together, each day is structured to ensure fifth-graders spend time with a broad mix of peers and build a grade-level identity that’s unique and special.

“Students get to know their entire class and begin to navigate complex social dynamics,” adds Ms. Brewster. “Having the chance to interact with a variety of kids with different

A New Fifth-Grade Home At Langley, we believe that fifth-graders need nurturing and guidance from teachers who understand and appreciate the delicate balance of support and independence that this age group requires. With this in mind, Langley’s fifth-grade curriculum and physical space are purposefully designed to foster learning opportunities that prepare students for the transition to Middle School.

While the current fifth-grade hallway in the Arts & Sciences building provides students with valuable, dedicated space to learn, grow, and socialize, we feel that a new, intentionally designed fifth-grade space will optimize our ability to fully prepare these students socially, emotionally, and intellectually for their Middle School experience.

To achieve this goal, Langley is in the early stages of planning and designing a new Crossroads building which will house the fifth-grade program along with the Primary School and library. Offering breakout areas, flexible collaborative areas, a gathering space for the entire grade, and plenty of natural light, this new fifth-grade home will encourage students to bond with each other and their teachers while allowing them to stretch themselves academically and pursue leadership experiences that pave the way for the next step in their educational journey.

See page 8 for more details about this building project.

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backgrounds and perspectives in both academic and social settings helps prepare them for the types of social situations they’ll likely encounter in Middle School and beyond.”

Much-anticipated fifth-grade traditions like the overnight team-building trip to Camp Highroad or the all-day cricket match in the spring give our fifth-graders opportunities to bond and have fun as a class, enjoy experiences unique to their grade level, and learn to work as a team while demonstrating respect and good sportsmanship.

Stephanie Whitaker, whose daughter, Katie, is now in sixth grade, notes that the Camp Highroad trip was a huge highlight of the year: “Katie came back excited about the school year and the bonds that she had made with her fellow fifth-graders. She said she felt like part of the fifthgrade ‘family’ and she knew that they would all support one another through the coming years.”

Becoming a Leader As the leaders of the Lower School, fifth-graders have many unique opportunities to distinguish themselves from the younger grades and build valuable leadership skills. At weekly assemblies, they welcome the audience or introduce guest speakers and often perform musical selections to kick off the assembly. They take the lead in divisionwide service initiatives such as the holiday donation drive or initiate new projects to benefit our community.

Fifth-graders shine on the athletic field and on stage, competing on Langley’s JV sports teams and performing in a grade-level musical in which every child acts, sings, and dances. And they learn to become role models and mentors as a big buddy to a first-grader.

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“The fifth-grade program offers so many avenues for students to lead in a variety of ways – whether publically on stage or one-on-one while reading to a first-grade buddy,” says Ms. Collier. “We give students the opportunities and encouragement they need to find their voice and develop their confidence.”

Stepping Confidently Into Middle School Langley’s unique fifth-grade program – which encourages students to spread their wings in a safe and nurturing environment – is the perfect launching point for the challenges of Middle School. Students begin the year as Lower Schoolers and finish it as confident, self-assured, inquisitive preteens who are excited and ready to embark on their next adventure.

Jennifer Short – parent of current sixth-grader, William – feels the fifth-grade experience gave her son wonderful preparation for Middle School, adding, “I learned during parent/teacher conferences last spring that William had taken it upon himself to seek extra help from his teachers whenever he felt a bit lost during class. I was so impressed with his ability to advocate for himself, and that skill definitely has helped him rise to the rigors of the Middle School curriculum.”

“The transformation we see from September to June is amazing,” Mr. Tenney notes. “Academically, socially, and emotionally, these kids become different people. We know fifth grade is a key year in their development and our program does a really good job of helping our students mature while allowing them to have a fun, memorable year.”

A Day in the Life of a Fifth-Grader by Hedy Hao, Fifth-Grade Student 7:40 a.m. Arrival

I walk into the Club E.D. room and see my friends greeting me. When the clock strikes 7:50, we grab our stuff and head to the fifth-grade hallway. I put my stuff into my locker and grab my binder. Then I head into my advisor’s room.

8:00 a.m. S.P.O.T. Time

I say hello to my advisor, Ms. Brewster, who is also my math teacher, and I grab a seat. At S.P.O.T. time we can read, work on S.P.O.T. (study skills, problem solving, organization, time management), do our homework, or work on a project.

8:25 a.m. Social Studies

Social studies is one of my favorite subjects. Our teacher is Ms. Collier. Today we are going to talk about Mesopotamia, learn more about it, and then we will read an article and watch a video about it.

9:25 a.m. Snack and Recess

After eating my snack in my advisor’s room, I head outside for recess. I usually go on the swings, blacktop, GaGa Pit, or the playground. I run to my friend, Anna, who is on the monkey bars. I swing and sway on the bars while talking to my friends.

10:05 a.m. Band and Strings

In the band room, we sit down in our groups based on instruments. I play the flute. Mr. Schmidt has us start off with a warm-up before playing songs. We have our concert in two weeks and we are playing two songs.

10:45 a.m. Math

Math is one of my favorite subjects. Today we are going to learn how to divide and multiply fractions and mixed numbers. We sit on the floor and start the anchor task which is

the problem of the day. It is usually about the unit we are studying about and this time it is a problem with four bar models and five lines going through each of the bars.

11:30 a.m. Lunch and Recess

About halfway through the day, fifth grade has lunch and recess. After playing a few rounds of Four Square with my friends, we get called in for lunch. Today is Tuesday so we have pizza for lunch! I sit down with my friends and talk about our social studies test that is coming up.

12:30 p.m. Language Arts

Today we are finishing up our special place/item/person story. I wrote about my art studio, also known as my art class that I take outside school. Mr. Loach has us go back to the beginning of our stories and edit everything: punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

1:10 p.m. Music

In music, we are learning our parts for our musical in the auditorium. We grab our scripts, go on stage, practice some scenes, and learn new choreography for a song.

2:10 p.m. Art

Art is my number-one favorite subject. It is a way to express your emotions and share your creativity. We are working on our figure drawing today. Someone goes to the front of the room and poses, then we have to draw them.

2:50 p.m. Dismissal

I say goodbye to Ms. Brewster and my friends and head down the stairs toward carpool. I see other students going to their buses, basketball, soccer, and cross country. I wait in the carpool area and see my little brother. My mom smiles and says, “How was your day?” “It was just a normal day in fifth grade,” I say.

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Where Are They Now? Former Heads of School Recall Their Langley Days With more than 55 years of Langley memories and experience among them, these three former heads of school played a significant role in making Langley the institution it is today. In partnership with dedicated parents and teachers, they built nearly all of the buildings on our campus, developed many of our programs and traditions, nurtured the child-centered focus of our founders, and fostered the unique sense of community we all cherish. “We thank these visionary leaders for their contributions to Langley and are grateful to still have them as part of our school family,” says Head of School Dr. Elinor Scully.

Lucy Daoust, Doris Cottam, and Betty Brown at a past Langley event

Lucy Frank Daoust: 1964-1978 Although it’s been more than 40 years since she retired as Langley’s leader, Lucy Frank Daoust is reminded of those happy years every time she looks at the hook rug that hangs on her wall to this day. She cherishes the 3’ x 6’ rug, which depicts Langley’s swallows, and proudly explains that every single student helped hook a piece of the rug as a retirement gift.

Although she turns 93 this month, Lucy shows few signs of slowing down. At her retirement community in Black Mountain, NC – where she moved in 2008 following the passing of her husband, George – she volunteers as a social coordinator, runs the card and stamp shop, leads a book club, and loves to garden. A lifelong learner, she still takes continuing education courses online and is an avid reader.

She also enjoys keeping up with her two daughters who live in Northern

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Virginia and Louisville, KY, her three granddaughters, and her four great-grandchildren.

During her 14-year tenure at Langley, Lucy led the school through a period of unparalleled growth while focusing on academic excellence and the personalized attention for which Langley was known. She doubled the school’s enrollment from 180 to 360, expanded its nursery through grade 3 program to include grades 5-8, and built three new buildings on campus.

“Every child was very much known and treasured as an individual,” Lucy says, noting that she personally met with every student and parent who applied for admission. “I remember the people most of all and how well we all worked together. The sense of community that we had – and that I believe Langley still has – was really a very rare thing.”

Betty Brown: 1981-1999 After 32 years serving Langley in various capacities – from kindergarten teacher, director of admissions, and head of summer programs to assistant head and finally head of school – Betty Brown deserved some much-needed rest when she retired in 1999. But her boundless energy and lifelong passion for advocating for children drew her to new opportunities.

Over the past 20 years since she left Langley, Betty continued to share her vast knowledge by serving as a consultant for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), as a member of the NAIS Advisory Board, and on the boards of Green Acres School and Woods Academy.

And up until the past three years, she worked part-time at Woods Academy, assisting the development office, helping to recruit for and fill leadership positions, and advising the head of school and the board.

This 90-year-old grandmother of four still lives in her home in McLean with husband, Bob, and enjoys staying in touch with former students and colleagues. Despite a few health

challenges, she plays bridge, takes continuing education courses through George Washington University, and is part of a long-running book club made up of former Langley faculty.

Betty with grandsons Andy (left) and Owen (right)

During her 18 years as head of school, Betty shaped Langley into a professionally run, model school while respecting its cooperative roots during a time of great change. She raised funds for three new buildings and increased student enrollment from 387 in 1981 to 450 in 1999, making Langley the largest independent elementary school in the state at that time.

“I have so many wonderful memories from my time at Langley,” Betty says, “but my favorite memories always center around the children. It was so rewarding to see a child’s confidence grow after accomplishing something difficult.”

Doris Cottam: 2000-2013 When Doris Cottam retired nearly six years ago, she wasn’t really leaving Langley – she was merely trading in her title as head of school for a new role as Langley grandparent.

She delights in returning to campus several times a year to attend concerts, plays, and Grandparents & Special Friends Day with her granddaughters, Sarah, a fifth-grader, and Ada ’18.

At home in St. George, UT, where she moved in order to be closer to her sisters, Doris continues to share her passion for education. She has volunteered at a local art museum, serving on its Education Committee and helping with programs for local fourth- and fifth-graders, and she has been involved in the women’s education program at her church. Retirement has also given Doris plenty of time for her other passion, travel. She spends each summer at her home in the south of France, exploring the surrounding region with family and friends. She also enjoys traveling throughout Europe, as well as discovering the unique beauty of the American southwest.

During her 13 years at Langley, Doris transformed the school financially, strategically, programmatically, and

culturally into a professional, sustainable model for the 21st century. Under her leadership, Langley develDoris with granddaughters Ada ’18 (left) and Sarah ’22 oped a new mis- (right), daughter, Jean, and son-in-law, Greg Allen sion statement, philosophy of teaching, and Community Contract; reached the largest enrollment in school history; raised funds for three new buildings and the turf field; built a strong, more sustainable infrastructure; and, most importantly, fostered an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere.

While Doris has too many favorite Langley moments to list, perhaps her most gratifying memory is of graduation day each June. “I love watching our students stand in front of the audience and speak so confidently and so fondly about their time at Langley – with loving, dedicated parents and teachers cheering their success. This symbolizes why Langley is such a special place.”

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CAMPAIGN UPDATE

We Are Langley: The Next Generation Campaign Takes Shape Remaining a leader in preschool through grade 8 education requires significant investment. In October 2017, The Langley School Board of Trustees voted to embark on the initial phases of a $20 million campaign – the largest in Langley’s history – to expand our outstanding programs and learning environment for the students of today and tomorrow.

The Campaign

We Are Langley: The Next Generation Campaign affords an opportunity to build on the history of the school while extending and elevating our three distinct pillars that support the Arc of Development: 1) deepening our commitment to academic excellence and ensuring the professional expertise of the faculty and staff; 2) distinguishing our unique model of social and emotional learning as a national model; and 3) ensuring the financial sustainability of the school for generations to come.

In an effort to achieve these goals and guided by our master plan, we will increase our financial resources and enhance our facilities over the next three years by targeting an additional $5+ million for endowment and securing $15+ million for a Crossroads building which will serve as a home to the Primary School, library, and fifth grade. As we look to the future and Langley’s next 75 years, we seek to build upon our successes and ensure that we are offering programs and facilities that support teaching, learning, and growing at the highest level for all members of our learning community.

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The Design Process

Our architectural firm, cox graae + spack (cg+s), has completed the initial concept designs for the building. Begun in January 2018, this process involved the exploration of program development and necessary space, as well as an analysis of our site plan and constraints, conceptual images, phasing strategies, scope, cost analysis, and basis for fundraising strategy. With an eye toward the future, the Crossroads building is being designed with flexibility to anticipate forthcoming enrollment trends and changes in pedagogy, while maintaining a look and feel that is similar to other campus buildings.

Although Langley has sought design feedback from a range of constituents, input and suggestions from our faculty and staff were critical in this process. During an October 5 professional development day, faculty and staff task forces convened to share with cg+s their preferences, requirements, and dreams for the new space. Themes that arose repeatedly throughout the day included: openness for collaboration and community; appropriate scale for children of various ages; a connection to the outdoors; a library that features areas to foster deep and critical thinking among all grades; and having the building serve as the heart of campus for our community.

These components were taken into consideration by the architects and incorporated in the schematic drawings.

The Fundraising Effort

Campaign fundraising is off to a strong start. In 2017, we retained The Compass Group to conduct a campaign planning study and assist with fundraising strategy and

execution for the duration of the campaign. To date, we have received commitments from an early coalition of leaders that includes current and past parents, grandparents, and 100% of Langley’s trustees. This community-wide approach to our fundraising will expand beyond the Board to include all alumni, past parents, and grandparents, as well as current and incoming families. Campaign Co-Chairs Karen Frana and Zac Merriman, along with their campaign cabinet, are working hand-in-hand with the Board, head of school, and Development Office to invite the participation of the entire community in this transformational effort.

The Next Steps

We are proud of our progress to date and anticipate continued momentum in the months ahead as we refine the

scope and design of the Crossroads building and pursue additional philanthropic support from our community.

Please watch for updates on Langley’s Next Generation Campaign in future issues of this magazine as the building takes shape and our endowment reaches new heights.

Together, these components of the campaign will enhance our reputation as one of the area’s top independent schools, as well as our ability to help each student reach his or her intellectual, social, and emotional potential.

Thank you to the generous donors who have committed to this campaign with their time and financial resources. Should you have questions or wish to make a gift, please contact Head of Development Jinene Christian at (703) 848-2785 or jchristian@langleyschool.org.

Langley’s Endowment Affords Power & Possibilities In the years since our founding in 1942, Langley has developed into one of the area’s top preschool through eighth grade institutions. Our community is proud of the fact that we have been able to do so much by relying primarily on tuition dollars and modest endowment returns. The time has come, however, to build on the work of those who came before us by developing a solid foundation for our school’s next 75 years and beyond.

For these reasons, Langley’s Board of Trustees has made growing our endowment a priority for today and for the years ahead. In addition to tuition dollars, Langley’s endowment is a crucial power source for the school.

Currently at $4.6 million, our endowment has not kept pace with our growth or reached a level that is commensurate with the maturity of our programs and the support our students and teachers deserve. Through a combination of careful investment and $5 million in gifts via The Next Generation Campaign, we seek to build our endowment to at least $10 million, which will boost our ability to support these key priorities: increasing teacher salaries, offering more tuition assistance to deserving students and families, and funding innovation and exploration for careers and jobs that do not yet exist.

Achieving this goal requires continuous innovation and significant financial investment. As we carefully invest the funds, the interest reliably fuels our ongoing work. The current endowment has supported the school at the rate of approximately 0.8% of our operating budget. With the dramatic growth in our programs and reputation over the past several years, we now have the opportunity – and the responsibility – to strengthen our curriculum, our community, and our national leadership position by significantly increasing our endowment’s size.

Langley’s inspiring past guides our promising future, and we are filled with anticipation about what lies ahead and what we can become. The combined generosity of our community will provide much-needed budgetary relief while ensuring the best teaching and learning environment for our people and programs. Through this growth, our school only gets better. Our teachers and parents feel more supported. Our program stays innovative and differentiated. And, most importantly, our students flourish. For more information about investing in Langley’s endowment, please contact Head of Development Jinene Christian at (703) 848-2785 or jchristian@langleyschool.org.

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DONOR PROFILE:

In Their Own Words: Zac & Laura Merriman Currently in grades 3 and 5, our boys started at Langley in JK and preschool. By the time they graduate, they will have spent 10 and 11 years of their lives at Langley. We can think of no better place for their formative years than in this amazing community of educators, parents, and children. First and foremost, our children wake up each morning eager to go to school. Langley helped them find joy in learning at a very early age. They are encouraged at each step by teachers and administrators who are passionate about the unique developmental needs of each child and how to create an environment that enables that growth and learning.

In addition, there is an incredible parent body that believes in the values and mission of the school. They show this belief time and again by supporting the school on a voluntary basis in countless ways, honoring Langley’s history as a coop. While the parent body is composed of those with many commitments outside the school, we see these individuals dedicate selfless hours to the school – serving as room representatives or parent ambassadors to new families, participating on committees, organizing special events like the Day of Giving, Fall Fair, and auction, or even visiting classrooms to make presentations or read to the students.

It really is remarkable how many individuals volunteer and how many hours they invest.

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Did You Know...

Langley is what it is today because of the parents, administrators, teachers, and students who came before us. In our family, we want to help build an even stronger Langley than the one we found. The single biggest way we can do that is by ensuring the school is on strong financial footing for the next 75 years and beyond, and that means providing the school with the financial resources to continue its path of excellence and ongoing improvement.

We also know that the school’s endowment has not historically been a priority. We know that its financial resources are not on the level that one would expect given the energy, commitment, history, and quality of the experience that Langley provides. A larger endowment would reduce dependence on tuition and supplement faculty salaries, professional development programs, trips, academic programs, and, importantly, financial aid.

What is also particularly motivating is that the modest starting point of Langley’s endowment affords our families an opportunity to have a tremendous impact starting the day you give, and at any level. Who would say no to having an impact on the educational institution where their kids will spend the greatest percentage of their academic careers, and the institution that will have the greatest impact on both its students and parents? When determining how to spend our philanthropic dollars, we are grateful for the chance to help change the lives of the people right in front of us. Family, friends, community. This is the place where we can have an impact, and this is a phenomenal time to do so.

Thank you to Zac and Laura Merriman for their leadership and generous support of the endowment through Langley’s Next Generation Campaign. The school is immensely grateful for their philanthropy.

...that Langley students don’t have to rent their band/orchestra instruments? Or that all Langley students in grades 5-8 go on overnight field trips at no added cost, including the grade 8 capstone five-night trip to New Mexico? Or that Langley does not assess activity fees, technology fees, or parent association fees?

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Langley provides these and many other signature programs, but their entire costs are not covered by tuition. The Langley Fund is the community-wide philanthropic resource that enhances the school’s operating budget in order to offer these experiences to all of our students, families, and teachers.

Please click “Support Langley” at www. langleyschool.org to make your gift to The Langley Fund. Every gift, no matter the amount, makes a profound impact on our faculty and students. Thank you!

FACULTY NEWS:

Summer Grants Inspire Lifelong Learning Like our students, our teachers love to learn. Throughout the year, Langley faculty participate in dozens of professional development opportunities that strengthen and enhance their understanding of subject matter, illustrate different ways of teaching material, and foster collaboration among grades and disciplines. For some, professional development extends into the summer months through summer grant opportunities. Funded by the generosity of past and present members of our community, these annual awards – which range from $1,000 to $3,000 – represent our shared commitment to lifelong learning and our desire to help support our employees’ personal and professional growth. The following are recipients of Langley’s 2018 summer grants.

Autumn Yates, Spanish Teacher

Autumn Yates, recipient of the Sherman and Michalowicz grants, traveled to Spain to attend a conference of the American Association of the Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) at the University of Salamanca. While not at the conference, Ms. Yates and her travel companion (sevenyear-old daughter Annaleigh) visited the coastal city of Santander, enjoyed a street fair, and toured the grounds of a former royal summer palace that now serves as a university. Their adventure ended in Madrid, with a scavenger hunt in the historic quarter and a children’s tour of El Prado Museum. In addition to making memories with her daughter, the grant afforded Ms. Yates the opportunity to learn techniques and activities in Spanish instruction, art, and history that she has brought back to Langley for the benefit of her students. To learn about her journey in greater detail, visit her blog at http://srayatesinspain.blogspot.com.

Joanna Edie & Dana Litke, Drama & Music Teachers

For Joanna Edie and Dana Litke – teachers of drama and music, respectively – collaboration is key. Since 2013, the duo has directed six fifth-grade musicals together. Finding high-quality published musicals for this age group has been difficult, however, which inspired Ms. Edie and Ms. Litke to develop a musical of their own which the fifth grade performed on January 31. Funding from the Robbins and Langley grants allowed them to accomplish this goal and enhance their playwriting and arranging talents, enriching future lessons in all grades. The pair arranged music and wrote a script based on the music of the Okee Dokee Brothers, a Grammy-winning folk music duo who wrote an album while hiking part of the Appalachian Trail. The band granted permission for Ms. Edie and Ms. Litke to take several songs from their album, adapt them for fifth-grade singers, and write a script that ties them together. And, to further expand the learning, Ms. Edie and Ms. Litke incorporated the geography, ecosystems, and culture of Appalachia in an effort to share this musical genre with a new generation of listeners.

Janice Graves & Kerri Wadsworth, Math Specialists

In preparation for the 2018-2019 school year, Janice Graves and Kerri Wadsworth received the Langley grant which they used to compile a K-5 math curriculum document that aligns with our Math in Focus scope and sequence. Their goal was to provide greater clarity to colleagues, as well as Langley parents and students, about developmental ranges for each grade level which had shifted when the school moved to the Math in Focus program. Both teachers shared their work during a professional development session this past August, and plan to continue collaborating with colleagues to identify and share resources that will help students build confidence and mastery of math facts through problem-solving, reasoning, and communicating mathematical thinking.

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Donors Make Grant Opportunities Available Langley is grateful to the generous donors who have established and supported these grants over the years to further our teachers’ professional development and help them stay at the forefront of preschool through eighth grade education.

Jeffrey J. Sherman Summer Grant In memory of Jeffrey J. Sherman, Langley’s former Board chair, the school funds a $3,000 grant for a faculty or staff member to enrich, fuel, or develop a passion.

Karen Dee Michalowicz Grant Named for Langley’s former math teacher, Karen Dee Michalowicz, this grant provides up to $2,000 to a faculty member to further professional or personal growth.

Mark Robbins Faculty Grant This grant honors the memory of Mark Robbins, former Middle School language arts teacher, by providing a faculty member with up to $2,000 to enhance his or her understanding of the humanities.

Global Education Summer Grant To help our faculty develop programs to encourage global citizenship in our students, the school funds a grant of up to $2,000 for a teacher to explore global education.

Langley Grant The school funds this grant of up to $1,500 to allow faculty and staff the opportunity to recharge and explore both curricular and non-curricular experiences.

PALS Summer Grant The Parents’ Association of The Langley School (PALS) generously donates a $1,000 summer gift to thank Langley faculty for their excellence in the classroom. The grant is intended to support intellectual interests.

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Mark Loach, Grade 5 Teacher

Each spring, under the direction of Mark Loach, Langley’s fifth-grade students don their whites and try their hand at one of the world’s most popular sports: cricket. In conjunction with the 20th anniversary of Langley’s Oxford-Cambridge cricket match, Mr. Loach sought to deepen his understanding of the sport by exploring firsthand how cricket is played in different countries and at various skill levels. As a recipient of the Langley grant, Mr. Loach visited Florida’s Sarasota Cricket Club, as well as the Saumur Cricket Club in the Loire Valley, France. During his travels, Mr. Loach met players from all over the world and was struck by the commonality of sportsmanship, honesty, and respect among players and spectators. He was pleased to see how closely these values aligned with how our students are taught to experience cricket at Langley, with the focus on sportsmanship as opposed to the final score of the game.

Karen Duvall, Director of Summer Studio & Enrichment

Summer is among the busiest times of year for Karen Duvall, with hundreds of children on campus each day for Summer Studio. When mid-August arrives, however, she is ready for some time to relax and recharge. A love of learning and a desire to see all 50 states inspired Ms. Duvall to apply for the Sherman grant which she used to visit a variety of historical sites in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, including: the Paul Laurence Dunbar House, Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Ark Encounter, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Newport Aquarium, Cincinnati Zoo, and National Museum of the United States Air Force. She and her daughter, Bailey ’23, enjoyed these experiences while learning about people and parts of the country beyond the Washington metro area.

Through this adventure, Ms. Duvall also identified opportunities for enhancing our Summer Studio and after-school enrichment programs with engaging new activities.

FACULTY NEWS:

Langley Loves to Read Whether browsing Langley’s annual Book Fair, reading for pleasure at home, or analyzing the themes of a novel in language arts class, our community loves to read. To promote a culture of reading, the Middle School kicked off a new initiative this year called “Reading Wednesdays.” Each Wednesday morning, students and teachers spend 25 minutes reading a book of their choice. Faculty have signs posted on their doors indicating which books they are currently reading, with the goal of modeling their love of reading and learning. Below are just a few of the books our faculty and staff have read recently.

Greg Bokman, Chief Financial Officer

AWOL on the Appalachian Trail by David Miller

Karina Bond, Physical Education Teacher

You Win in the Locker Room First: The 7 C’s to Build a Winning Team in Business, Sports, and Life by Jon Gordon and Mike Smith

Jinene Christian, Head of Development

Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military by Neil De Grasse Tyson and Avis Lang

Meg Clute, Director of Parent Relations & Special Events

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

Maddy Cohen, Grade 1 Teacher

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

Barbara Collier, Grade 5 Teacher

Less by Andrew Greer

Caroline Cook, Grade 4 Teacher

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

Glenda De Hoyos, Spanish Teacher

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

Laura Dixon, Technology & Innovation Teacher

AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, & the New World Order by Kai-Fu Lee

Patty Dokken, Physical Education Teacher

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Karen Duvall, Director of Summer Studio & Enrichment Programs

Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston

Joanna Edie, Drama Teacher

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Sami Eghtesadi, Kindergarten Teacher

Beneath a Scarlett Sky by Mark Sullivan

Ayesha Flaherty, Head of Enrollment & Communications

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Michelle Fontaine, Library Assistant

As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds

Kathy Hansen, Language Arts Teacher

Us Against Them by Fredrick Backman

Melissa Hentges, Learning/Reading Specialist

Hold Still by Sally Mann

Kathleen Jennings, Reading Specialist

Lethal White by Robert Galbraith

Amy Jones, Director of Academic Resource

Less by Andrew Greer

Mark Loach, Grade 5 Teacher

As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning: A Memoir by Laurie Lee

Molly Lyons, Grade 3 Teacher

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

James McDowell, Facilities Manager

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

Stephie Meadows, Grade 2 Teacher

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Mollie Morneau, JK Teacher

Crow Flight by Susan Cunningham

Nicole Musgrove, Math Teacher

Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak

Jamie Rodriguez, Art Teacher

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

Megan Rounsaville, Reading Specialist

Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink

Chuck Schmidt, Band Director

Famous Father Girl: A Memoir of Growing Up Bernstein by Jamie Bernstein

Jan Silvano, Head Librarian

Warlight by Michael Ondaatje

Robin Tatu, Librarian

Likewar: The Weaponization of Social Media by P.W Singer

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Learning by Doing 1. During their in-depth exploration of pumpkins, preschoolers practiced number recognition, learned about primary colors, and discovered what the inside of a pumpkin looks like.

2. In the new Primary School makerspace, kindergartners learned the basics of programming as they collaborated with their peers to program their Dash robots.

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WINTER 2019

3. Fourth-graders explored the real-world applications of science during a field trip to the Maryland Science Center where they excavated fossils in the dinosaur exhibit and conducted experiments with chemical reactions.

4. As part of a new two-week “mini-mester� focusing on human rights, genocide, and the significance of memorials, eighth-graders created their own memorials representing genocide.

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Campus Happenings

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Expressing Creativity 5. On Grandparents & Special Friends Day in November, guests gathered in the auditorium to watch our talented students perform a series of songs and dances.

6. Third-graders were excited to perform in their very first winter concert in December, showing off their skills on the recorder.

7. Nearly 60 Middle Schoolers took part in everything from sound and lighting to props and makeup during the fall production of “Once Upon a Pine: The Adventures of Pinocchio.�

8. While creating patterned polka dot pumpkin collages in art class, first-graders explored the importance of pattern in Japanese culture and learned to express themselves as they developed their own unique masterpieces.

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Campus Happenings

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Showing Spirit 1. Students had the thrilling experience of seeing the NHL’s Stanley Cup trophy as part of the Cup’s victory tour celebrating the Washington Capitals’ 2018 championship.

Lightning, Langley’s mascot, also met the Capitals’ mascot, Slapshot! Special thanks to Langley parents Roger and Kyle Mody for giving our students this unique opportunity.

2. Parades, class parties, and lots of creative costumes make Halloween a favorite day among students and teachers.

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WINTER 2019

3. All of Langley’s fall sports teams combined to win more than 70% of their games this season. Final results included three league titles, two invitational tournament wins, three championship game appearances, and countless individual achievements.

4. As they kicked off the school year during Classroom Visit Day in September, students enjoyed meeting their teachers, reconnecting with old and new friends, and showing their school spirit by posing with Lightning the Leopard.

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Building Community 5. Langley’s December Book Fair is just one of many community-wide events our wonderful parent volunteers make possible.

6. On November 20, hundreds of grandparents and special friends came to campus for a morning of student performances and activities in the classrooms. Our students loved sharing their Langley experience with their guests as they made crafts, read stories, participated in technology projects, or solved math problems together.

7. Students of all ages took part in service initiatives during the holiday season. Whether collecting mittens, toys, or school supplies for the Black Student Fund or toiletry-filled shoeboxes for So Others Might Eat, each division focused on the theme of giving throughout December.

8. Guest author Grace Lin shared her experiences as a Chinese-American author/illustrator with students during special assemblies and also joined a panel discussion for parents focusing on the importance of diversity and inclusion.

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Alumni News Submit your news and update your contact information online at www.langleyschool.org/community/alumni.

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John Dedrick was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Charles F. Kettering Foundation in November.

1983

Michelle (Ward) Dodd serves as the vice president of nursing operations for HCA Capital Division. She is married with two step-daughters (and two spoiled dogs) and currently lives in Richmond, VA. Michelle enjoys photography, gardening, running, and community outreach.

1985

Ian Kaplan works in Kabul, Afghanistan, for the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee. He helps local school management committees (shuras) conduct education advocacy in their communities while also doing groundbreaking research and reporting on corruption in the Afghan education system. Ian returns to McLean for brief visits with his brother Andrew ’86, niece Lane ’24, and nephew Cole ’22.

1996

Betsy Bland runs the online community, documentation, onboarding, and localization teams at MicroStrategy.

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Chris Lewis is a senior director at S&P Global where he heads up the teams responsible for commercial platforms.

He lives in Charlottesville, VA, with his wife and son.

1998

Steven Schneider works as a real estate and corporate lawyer in Phoenix, AZ. He enjoys being a dad to 8-monthold daughter, Lillian.

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Christopher Doyle lives in San Francisco where he is a partner at Grove Financial Services.

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Lora Nunn is enjoying raising her three children and serving as vice president on the board of Friends of Kingman & Heritage Islands.

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WINTER 2019

Connect with Us!

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

2000

Jaedra DiGiammarino works as a yoga instructor and as the site director for RISE Yoga for Youth. When she has time, she also works as an actor and model in San Francisco.

2002

Alexandra Burke is a fashion designer in New York City for a top-selling brand at QVC. On the side, she enjoys cooking and writing for her food blog, “Burke’s Bites.”

a corporate law firm, and is in the final stages of obtaining his Eagle rank in Boy Scouts of America. Although Reagan moved to Southern California in 2010, he is anxious to return to the East Coast for college and reconnect with many Langley friends!

2017

Rory McDermott loves attending Bullis where he has played on an intramural soccer team and the JV ice hockey team and made high honor roll multiple times.

Jeffrey Doyle and his band, OxenFree, released their fourth album this year, titled “Another Land.” Learn more about the Brooklyn-based band at www.thisisoxenfree.com.

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Alicia DiGiammarino, who recently completed her master’s degree in behavioral health, serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of San Francisco and aims to impact healthcare delivery by incorporating the patient voice into innovative technologies and systems. In her free time, she loves making ice cream and studying British history.

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Takahiro Nakamura graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 2018 and now works as an internal medicine resident at the NYU Langone Medical Center.

2015

Tyler McDermott transferred this year from Deerfield Academy to Choate where he continues to play ice hockey.

2016

Olivia Franke was named to the 2018 Junior Volleyball Association All-National Team, an award recognizing the top JVA-member club players in the nation for outstanding achievement on the volleyball court in the 15-18 age divisions. Olivia is a junior at Langley High School where she plays on the girls’ varsity volleyball team.

Pictured L to R: Kylie Fischer ’18 and Molly Myers ’18 with Langley seventhgrader Campbell Graham during their Girls Make Math presentation.

2018

Kylie Fischer and Molly Myers, both freshmen at The Potomac School, returned to Langley this fall to share their passion for math with Langley’s third-grade girls. During their presentation, Kylie and Molly challenged stereotypes about girls and math, shared examples of women who are impacting the STEM field, and explained how math can be exciting and useful. Kylie is in the process of attempting to expand her Girls Make Math program to younger grades at area schools.

Reagan Phillips is a junior at Pacifica Christian High School in Newport Beach, CA, where he was recently elected president of associated students. He spent the summer volunteering on a Congressional campaign and working at

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ALUMNI PROFILE:

Kayla Sharpe ’09 Kayla Sharpe has come a long way from the industrious Langley sixth-grader who wrote about the school’s soccer victories and dramatic productions for the student newspaper. The budding journalist handed out copies of each issue to her fellow Middle Schoolers, encouraging them to read the latest Langley news. More than 10 years later, Kayla is putting her journalistic skills to use as a copy editor for POLITICO Pro, a subscription service providing breaking political policy news to policymakers around the country.

check and edit articles for the approximately 25 e-newsletters that are sent to subscribers on subjects ranging from healthcare and cyber security to transportation and energy. In addition to writing and editing, Kayla also ensures the POLITICO Pro website and Twitter account are up-to-date with the latest industry news.

She credits Langley for sparking and nurturing her passion for storytelling and writing. Whether creating and revising stories in fifth grade with Ms. Gustin and Mr. Loach or developing a visual narrative as editor of the school’s yearbook in eighth grade, Kayla discovered that she enjoyed finding different ways to tell a story. “My teachers at Langley always encouraged me to put my ideas down on paper even if those ideas weren’t perfect,” she says. “I learned to express myself, to revise, and to edit. They saw my passion for writing early on and nurtured it.”

“What I love most about my job right now is the flexibility I’m given to take on new challenges and grow as a journalist while being mentored by senior editors and reporters,” she says, noting that it can be challenging at times to stay on top of the many moving parts in a busy newsroom, as well as the changing world of journalism as a whole.

“Langley taught me to thrive and to understand the world around me, while giving me many wonderful opportunities and experiences I may not have had anywhere else.”

Kayla went on to work on the student newspapers at both Paul VI Catholic High School and the College of William & Mary, where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in film and media studies. Always looking to grow and find new mediums for expressing her voice, she honed her photography and video skills in both high school and college. As digital media editor for William & Mary’s Flat Hat newspaper and associate producer of its television news program, she used blogs, podcasts, and video to enhance traditional news content.

After college, Kayla began her career at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, a journalism nonprofit focused on global issues, before joining the staff at POLITICO Pro last August.

Currently working the morning shift, she arrives in the Rosslyn, VA, newsroom each day by 5:00 a.m. to help fact

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A curious, lifelong learner, Kayla tries to remain up-to-date on both traditional and new journalistic mediums, and hopes to one day use her passion for video to help integrate multimedia solutions into a newsroom. “As long as I’m able to present news in a diverse way, share the stories and voices that the headlines are missing, and am supported by my peers, I’ll be happy wherever I end up,” she says.

Kayla’s agility, self-assurance, and love of learning date back to the nine formative years she spent at Langley. She recalls science classes with Mr. McKinney that made learning and exploring exciting, dramatic productions with Ms. Weiss and Ms. Nicolette that built her confidence, soccer games with Coach Gleason that taught her to be part of a team, and memorable experiences with her little buddy that helped her become a leader. In fact, Kayla’s bond with her kindergarten buddy, Grace, was so strong that she returned to Langley eight years later to congratulate Grace on her graduation from Langley.

“Langley taught me to thrive and to understand the world around me, while giving me many wonderful opportunities and experiences I may not have had anywhere else,” she adds. “Langley allowed me to be curious and to try new things, all with the support of my teachers and friends – and I continue to gravitate toward that same type of environment now as a professional.”

The Last Word

by Phil Petru, Assistant Head of School & Head of Primary School

The first time I knew that I wanted to be a teacher was during the summer of my sophomore year in college. I was serving as a counselor/coach for a local soccer camp and was assigned to teach and coach the three- and four-yearold campers. I loved being on “the field” with those kids, encouraging, engaging, and challenging them to love the game of soccer and learn a little something through play.

This passion for the field eventually translated into a career in education, first as a high school history teacher and soccer coach and eventually in school administration serving in a variety of different roles.

Now, here I am more than 20 years after my first job (this pains me to admit!) and back where I first began – working with three-, four-, and five-year-old students. During my first few months as the head of Langley’s Primary School this year, I have been reminded of my early coaching days and how much I love working with this age group.

Children at this age are curious, high-energy, honest, and motivated. While spending time with our students and teachers in the classrooms, I have observed children engaging in intentional play that challenges them to create, communicate, navigate relationships, and regulate their own emotions. This is done in warm, nurturing classroom environments rich with literacy and numeracy that promote valuable emergent skills in these important content areas. The highlight of my day is walking through classrooms in the morning and getting the opportunity to engage with the students in a variety of ways, whether through building blocks, dramatic play, creating and coloring pictures, or writing stories.

I have always believed that the most important educational moments happen during a child’s early years. The crucial work done by Langley’s early childhood experts sets the foundation for future learning as our teachers develop

students’ social and emotional abilities to navigate classrooms with various personalities and establish the groundwork for the important literacy and numeracy skills that all students will need.

Langley’s talented Primary School faculty are passionate about the youngest years of our Arc of Development and are committed to being the best in their profession.

I remain in awe of their constant desire for professional learning and growth, and their commitment to providing an incredibly student-centered environment that helps our youngest students flourish. They are tireless – they have to be – in engaging our students from the moment they enter the classroom in the morning to the moment they leave for the day, making sure that each child has the best possible experience every day.

Parents, teachers, and students always mention “community” as one of the most enduring traits about Langley. This school year, my goal has been to foster this sense of community and partnership through a variety of new events for parents, including a Halloween parent social, kindergarten play day, junior kindergarten movement days, and preschool parent coffee. In addition to hosting these types of events, finding new ways to share what’s happening in our classrooms with parents continues to be an area of focus for our Primary School team.

Langley is also in the process of hiring a curriculum and instruction specialist who will work closely with our students, faculty, and administrators to strengthen our vision and practice as leaders in early childhood education. In the coming months, I look forward to collaborating with our community as we plan for a new physical space for our Primary School – a space that will enhance our program and allow for a deeper level of collaboration, learning, and growing.

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Where vital academics meet a deep respect for childhood Preschool through grade 8 in Northern Virginia 1411 Balls Hill Road, McLean, Virginia 22101-3415 www.langleyschool.org (703) 356-1920

LANGLEY’S

Day OF Giving

Saturday, March 16, 2019 Join us for Langley’s 2nd Annual Day of Giving!

Saturday, March 16, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Langley’s Solomon Athletic Center Snow Date: Sunday, March 17, 1:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Join past and present members of the Langley community for a day of service as we pack meals to be distributed to local nonprofits, including Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), Share of McLean, and So Others Might Eat (SOME). We invite alumni, past parents, past faculty, and friends to take part in this meaningful event along with our current families and faculty/staff.

Visit www.langleyschool.org/day-of-giving to learn more and to sign up for a volunteer shift online!

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID

McLean, VA 22101 Permit No. 48

Look Inside to Enter Our “I Live Langley” Photo Contest!

Alumni & Past Family Breakfast Kick off our Day of Giving on March 16 at a special breakfast for all Langley alumni and past parents from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. in the Solomon Athletic Center Meeting Room.

Visit www.langleyschool.org/ day-of-giving to RSVP or contact Peggy Evans, director of annual giving and alumni relations, at (703) 356-1920, ext.

871 or pevans@langleyschool.org with questions.