Foresight. Forward. Forman

COVID-19 required the School to pivot quickly in a number of areas so it could continue providing students the best education possible. But just because some changes were inspired by negative circumstances doesn’t mean the outcomes were undesirable. In fact, some big adjustments made directly due to the pandemic have already, or most certainly will, enhance the quality of education and student experience.

Lasting changes that will help define the next decade at Forman include a new modular (mod) system of classes and accompanying curriculum rewrites, first put in place for the return to in-person instruction in the fall 2020 semester. Others include the evolution of the Dean of Faculty position into two Deans of Learning and Innovation and a refocus on educational best practices that will elevate the social and emotional needs of students to an importance equaling their academic well-being.

Like almost every other school in the nation, Forman switched to remote learning in late March 2020, when COVID-19 forced the temporary shuttering of school buildings. Everyone in the Forman community persevered for the final two months of the semester, but it was clear that students were struggling to remain engaged in the regular semester-long format while taking classes online. So with the aim of resuming in-person classes that fall, but

knowing the pandemic could necessitate a quick return to remote class delivery, a new schedule was developed and faculty reworked course content to maximize flexibility while maintaining the integrity of the material.

“We asked the departments to look at what they were teaching and pull out topics that were essential for students to learn before they graduated, and in some cases relate them to an ethical question or current event,” said Director of Studies Michele Mongeau. “There’s less breadth of content, but students are now able to take a deep dive into a focused area of interest instead of a typical semester that can sometimes be more like a survey of many topics. We’re jumping all in.”

A few examples of the new, more in-depth classes include a focus on writer Toni Morrison, an examination of resistance movements during the Holocaust, and a robotics engineering project.

The mod system, which this year has been adjusted to six terms of five weeks each, will benefit Forman students in other ways, too. Greater choice has been shown to positively impact engagement and motivation in most students, but especially those who learn differently. Additionally, shorter terms can lead students to try new subjects without the pressure of committing a whole semester or year to a topic they’re not necessarily familiar with. Assistant Head of School for Internal Affairs Allie Maxwell also pointed out that certain classes taken daily in the mod system can help support learning in other areas, too.

“Students are able to take courses like math or language every day for three of their mods, and that continuity can really help build their skill sets in subjects where habits and routines are important,” she said.

—MICHELE MONGEAU, Director of Studies

Feedback, both to and from students, is another advantage of the new system. Shorter courses require teachers to communicate with learners more often about their performance, which allows more opportunities for improvement if necessary. And anecdotal evidence shows many students, looking back at the past year, found that attending a specific class every day for a certain amount of time helped build a deeper rapport with teachers and a stronger connection to the content.

The switch to a mod schedule with reworked course content isn’t the only visionary change occurring. The Dean of Faculty position has evolved into two roles, and a pair of professionals were welcomed to Forman over the summer to fill them. Lori Bush and Dr. Catherine Stines each hold the new Dean of Learning and Innovation title.

In addition to splitting duties associated with the former position, such as working with departments and overseeing lesson plans and teaching, the two new Deans help infuse innovative practices into the curriculum to maximize learning and success.

Stines was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, and she says her experience as an underserved student in a public school system taught her how important it is for children to have support and access to an education tailored to suit their needs.

“As someone who learned differently, I know that students can go through an educational system feeling unseen,” she said. “At Forman, I want to find and advocate for students like me and make sure our faculty and community continue to see our learners in their totality as humans.”

Stines’ past professional roles include Director of Experiential Education at the Darrow School in New Lebanon, NY, and Curriculum Coordinator and Director of Crossover Summer Camp at JPED Academy, Darrow’s partner school in Beijing, China.

Bush brings two decades of teaching and eight years of administrative experience to her new role. Prior to joining Forman, she held several positions at the Episcopal School of Acadiana in Louisiana, including Director of Student Leadership, Dean of Student Life, Class Dean, and Teacher of Leadership and Social Studies.

She says educating students about the important aspects of leadership is a priority for her.

“Mission-centeredness, creativity, innovative thinking, and relationship development are important for positive student leadership outcomes,” she says. “I look forward to working with the Forman faculty in further cultivating these qualities in our students through both academic and student life activities.” “As someone who learned differently, I know that students can go through an educational system feeling unseen. At Forman, I want to find and advocate for students like me and make sure our faculty and community continue to see our learners in their totality as humans.”

—DR. CATHERINE STINES, Dean of Learning and Innovation

The expansion of Dean positions to encourage a more holistic approach to serving students runs parallel to another initiative — using best practices to focus on students’ social and emotional needs as much as their academic requirements.

The trauma inflicted by COVID-19 was not only physical, but emotional. So while the vigilance of Forman’s staff, faculty, and students prevented any reported cases on campus, stress felt by students during the pandemic couldn’t be totally avoided. And that served as a reminder that changing situations require evolving solutions.

“I think we always want to be integrating new research and best practices, whether that’s looking outside of our own campus for information or doing the work here,” says Maxwell.

Over the past four years, attention to social, emotional, and academic needs has been further incorporated into aspects of the Forman experience, including the advisory program, dormitory living, and athletics. Those moves position the School well to make further assimilations in the future.

“That’s why students and parents choose Forman,” adds Maxwell. “Social, emotional, and learning needs are integrated into everything we do. Living on campus, for instance, is more than just room and board. It’s about growing independence and developing a wide range of skills for college.”

The past two years have been unpredictable, to say the least. But new initiatives and continued innovative thinking at Forman will undoubtedly position the School for success whatever tomorrow may bring.