The Parish Post: Summer 2019

Summer 2019

Back to School Tips Following the Lead of the Child Why Reading Comprehension Stalls $15,000 Goes to...

Our Mission To educate children ages 2-12 who have communication delays and learning differences, empowering them with the tools to succeed.

In This Issue

3

Check it Out!

4

Letter From the Head of School

5

Alumni Spotlight: Zach Rodriguez

6

Nancy Bewley Goodbye

8

Following the Lead of the Child

Reading 10 Why Comprehension Stalls

12 2019 Gala Wrap-Up 14 Camp Acorn 15 Volunteers/Employees of the Year 16

18 Nature Center Update 19 Unbabbled 20 Evnochides Fund Award 22 Back to School Tips 23 Save the Dates

Photo Round-Up

Administrative Team

Board of Trustees

Cheval Bryant, MCD, CCC-SLP Head of School

Meredith Krimmel, MS, CCC-SLP Director of Admissions

Mimi Branham, MA, CCC-SLP Director of The Carruth Center

Anne Powers, MA, CCC-SLP Director of Early Childhood

Terry Clough, CPA Director of Finance and Operations

Amy Richard, MS, CCC-SLP/ CALT Director of Elementary

Terri Garth Director of Integrated Arts and Sciences

Amy Tanner, MBA Director of Advancement

Stefanie Heintz, MS, CCC-SLP Director of Camp Acorn

Lily Yoder, LPC, RPT Director of Student and Family Services

Executive Officers Steven Gordon President Greg Dillard Vice President Peter DeFazio Treasurer Laurie Gutierrez Secretary

Board Members Gregory Brown Cheval Bryant Cathy Guttentag, PhD Tommy Jamail Paula Katz Eleonora Leibman Ann Neyland Tish Prior Peden Meghan Peterson Joseph Probst Ashleigh Rickertsen Melanie Seigle Lyle Wincentsen

The Parish Post is printed twice a year and is published by The Parish School for students, parents, alumni and friends.

For information or questions regarding The Parish Post, please contact Amanda Arnold – aarnold@parishschool.org.

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Summer 2019 | 3

Letter from Head of School, Cheval Bryant Dear Parish F

riends:

What an ene rgizing month of learning a our summer nd growing it campers, as has been for well as for m The Parish Sch e !

I st a rt e ool’s head of d my new po sition as school June 3 opportunity . I have had th to shadow N e honor and ancy Bewley headed off o for the month n her next ad o f Ju ne before sh venture – reti change has h e rement! So m appened und u ch g ro e w r N th a and positive ncy’s keen le see what the adership, an future holds d I a a n m d a th m so humble Trustees to p rilled to d to be truste erpetuate th e legacy of th d by the Boa rd of e school’s gre I have alread at leaders. y learned so much from th had the plea e students, te sure of spen achers and N ding time wit and experien ancy. I have h many of the ced their exu ca m p e b rs e ra a s I observed nt spirit, tale camp teache nts and curio rs’ passion an sity; as well a d dedication s the to “The Parish One of the e W a y .” xciting things happening th in the numbe is school yea r of students r is a significa served. Enro years, and w nt increase ll m e n t is the highe e will now ha st v e it 1 has been in si 6 classes! Wh will maintain at does this m x the same sm e a a n ll fo classes and st r P had, but we w a ri sh ? We udent/teache ill be adding r ratios we’ve a modular bu art. I am hon always ilding to hou ored to lead se nature stu the way as w grow, but thri d ie s and e help even m ve! ore students not just I see so man y wonderful things in store supporting w for Parish, an hat makes th d I look forw is school so sp to students a ard to ecial and uniq nd whole-chil u e – d o ur commitm education; o values of cre ent ur exception ativity, nurtu a l st a re ff ; , the school’s co passion, ethic the arts; and s and people re so much mo ; nature learn re. ing and Lastly, I am e ager to meet each of you! me to schedu Please stop b le a chat, or jo y to say hello in me as I an , email “Q&A with N swer questio ew HOS” Frid ns at the upco ay, August 23 ming from 11:15-1 Here’s to a fa 2:15 p.m. on ntastic schoo ca mpus. l year!

Cheval

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Alumni Success Story: Zachary Rodriguez Parish Student: 2000-2002

When Zachary Rodriguez was 3 years old, the director of the preschool he attended called his mom to say that he was pushing and hitting other children. It turns out that Zach had a speech delay and was acting out due to his frustration at being unable to communicate.

At age 7, after several years of therapy, Zach began attending The Parish School. During his two years at Parish, Zach flourished through the sports, outdoor activities, and theater programs he enjoyed. He even started making friends, including fellow Parish alumnus John Perrine, who is his best friend to this day.

After Parish, Zach transitioned to Yorkshire Academy, then Holy Spirit Episcopal, and finally Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, where he graduated with honors. He went on to attend Trinity University, where he double majored in Business and Economics. Zach now works in client financial services at UBS and is making quite an impression, according to his mom, Sharon.

We are very grateful for Parish.

Never in a million years would I have dreamed all of that for my son.

-Sharon, Zach’s mother

Zach and John Perrine

Summer 2019 | 5

Saying Goodbye to Nancy Bewley, Our Retiring Head of School

such mixed career is over. It’s with l na sio fes pro my , ars t after 40 ye . While I am so excited It’s so hard to believe tha called home for 21 years I’ve t tha l oo sch the to bye students, families emotion that I say good t my Parish family—the tha ow kn to rd ha so adventure, it’s in the same way. to embark on my next life— won’t be present ily da my of rt pa a en ve be and coworkers that ha your lives. Parents and be a part of so many of to ge vile pri the d ha eyes when your Parish Through my work, I’ve nessed the hope in your wit I as joy ch mu so ught me and staff, to grandparents, you bro en. Thank you. Faculty pp ha r ve ne uld wo d sai , thing a doctor d successes and setbacks child accomplished some honors. You have share st ate gre my r of e ve on co dis s been lop in your careers and work alongside you ha have watched you deve I . me h wit l na watched u sio yo fes , Trustees both personal and pro ls. Thank you. Board of na sio fes pro d an rs ato u ns, educ of principal, and then yo who you are as clinicia and move into the role m oo ssr cla d the an in h ers ris ort h supp me start my time at Pa ars ago. Thank you. Paris ye six ion sit po l oo ere sch wh not be head of entrusted me with the t and treasure, we would en tal e, tim ur yo h wit l cking the schoo friends, without you ba . ny of you we are today. Thank you you thrive! I taught ma ing tch wa g yin isf sat sly has been enormou e those ideas and And lastly, students, it form ideas, and then us to er eth tog rds wo se string tho ul, confident to say your first words, you grow to be successf ing see is ing ard rew ndships. Equally language to develop frie you dearly. ank you! I will miss all of Th s. ult ad d an rs ge na u and happy tee . You can feel it when yo a kind of magic, they say – l oo Sch h ris t Pa e tha Th as t ing There is something abou y. I look forward to watch in classrooms every da it see can u yo d an s, walk on campu . ge lives for years to come magic continues to chan Thank you,

Nancy

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A celebration was held at the home of Laurie and Alfredo Gutierrez in honor of Nancy Bewley and her 21 years of dedication to The Parish School. Many current and alumni families, colleagues and friends gathered to wish well the longtime educator as she heads into retirement. Nancy has successfully filled several roles during her career at Parish, including classroom teacher, principal and most recently, the school’s third head of school.

In her six years as head of school, Nancy has been committed to ensuring Parish and Carruth staff receive the training and resources needed to remain the most highly-qualified experts in their fields. As a tribute to Nancy’s legacy, The Parish School’s Board of Trustees established the Nancy Bewley Professional Development Fund to provide opportunities for staff to continue developing knowledge and skills important to their careers. Parish Board President, Steven Gordon, presented a certificate commemorating the occasion.

Summer 2019 | 7

The Amazing Armadillos: The Value of Following the Lead of the Child

By Danielle English, Early Childhood Paraeducator “What children learn does not follow as an automatic result from what is taught, rather, it is in large part due to the children’s own doing, as a consequence of their activities and our resources.” Loris Malaguzzi, The Hundred Languages of Children.

The idea of children constructing their own knowledge, and teachers and caregivers following the lead of the child, is part of the educational philosophy of early childhood classes at The Parish School. When adults follow the lead of the child, it means discovering what children are interested in and then providing learning opportunities to build upon those interests.

A great example of child-led learning occurred in our class this spring. Amy Rapp, Elsie Torres-Verdejo and I comprise the instructional team for the Armadillos class (4- to 5-year-olds). We watched and listened to our students, observing how they played inside and outdoors and hearing conversations at snack and lunchtime. We noticed that children often talked about and played superheroes. The idea of being a superhero – saving people and putting the bad guy in jail – was a theme that ran deep in the children’s play, whether they were indoors at the block center or outside on the playground.

Every so often, we updated our dramatic play center, a place where students go to pretend, imagine and create. We decided to let kids pick the theme and it was no surprise that they wanted it to be about superheroes! Not only were the Armadillos set to construct their own learning, they had a voice in their classroom, which played an important role in creating ownership and building community.

Once they decided on superheroes for the dramatic play center, the Armadillos were involved in every step of the process. As a class, they made a list of materials needed, ranging from costumes (i.e., capes) to signs for the jail and bank. The children were so excited to get started!

8 | The Parish Post

The only teacher-directed idea was that each student had to come up with their own original superhero persona. No Batman or Wonder Woman allowed! Since the population of children at The Parish School may need support in being flexible, it was important that we include this rule, as it helped increase children’s imagination and creativity. Students rose to the challenge, and most embraced the idea of becoming their own character. They each developed their own superhero name and superpower.

ve “I am Electric Ehsan. I ha per su d super electric speed an electric lightning bolts!”

“I am Miles the Frog Man. I turn bad guys into frogs!”

One of the students even came up with his own theme song! This demonstrated creativity, flexibility, and the ability to use prior knowledge to create something new.

About a week was spent developing costumes and creating props needed for the dramatic play center. All costumes and signs were constructed by students using materials found in the classroom. Some children worked together, helping their friends cut tape or showing each other how to draw or write letters. They showed ownership over their work, because it was meaningful and important to them. Making signs helped develop the early literacy skills of letter-sound correspondence, kid-writing ability, and representing an idea in written and drawn form. While working on their costumes, children developed their fine motor, social interaction and language skills, including cutting, gluing, requesting materials and help, and describing their creations. In addition, they developed problem-solving skills, like how to attach material that would hold their cape on their back. Children who were often uninterested in art spent most of “choice time” working on and creating their costumes.

When all costumes and signs were completed and children had determined where the bank, jail and superhero hide-out should be, it was time to play! Initially, a teacher-made script was used to support and facilitate the play.

In some educational settings, this may not be necessary. However, our population may struggle with initiating and continuing positive peer interactions, assigning roles, using imagination, and social problem-solving. Therefore, a script was helpful in the beginning, to structure the scenario in a way that allowed children to feel success in social interaction and play.

As they began following the script with less support, Amy noticed our students were interested in making their own stories. Following the children’s lead, we facilitated a group writing lesson to develop their own superhero script.

After completing the new script with different characters and settings, children constructed new signs and costumes.

Since the beginning of this process, we noted an increase in children’s ability to interact with one another and assign roles within play. “I’m going to be Godzilla.

You be the superhero.”

Our students also showed an increase in their ability to handle disappointment when unable to be their desired character. With the new script, they showed more flexibility. “I will be the superhero next time.” Invested in the storyline they created, the children wanted the play to continue. They worked together and adjusted their play, which hadn’t been seen with the teacher-led script.

Following the lead of the child is as much an adventure for students as it is for teachers. There’s no telling where the process will lead you. It’s clear that when teachers take the time to observe and listen to children’s play, while being attentive to topics that spark wonder and satisfy personal interest, meaningful learning experiences will occur.

Summer 2019 | 9

Why Reading Comprehension Stalls

By Renee Attaway, MS, CCC-SLP

Every parent looks forward to the day their child can read fluently. Society leads us to believe that this is the pinnacle of a child’s early academic career. We wait anxiously as they finally decode and make sense of paragraphs and chapters, and we celebrate because they can finally read! We gain major bragging rights if kids can read before preschool. And according to society, the earlier they can do this, the better! We’ve been told it indicates children will be more successful in their overall long-term education. Actually, this isn’t exactly true.

An article in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology (July 21, 2009) found the opposite to be true. They determined that early reading abilities (decoding) are often associated with early academic success, but less lifelong educational attainment.

An internet search of many articles finds similar results. Early reading is correlated with success in elementary school, but doesn’t seem to lead directly to college enrollment or success.

What most people don’t realize is that decoding is only a small piece of the reading puzzle. The far greater challenge to becoming a successful reader is comprehension, especially in fiction.

Reading comprehension is the ability to read text, process it and understand its meaning.

When a student isn’t comprehending, it seems logical that you should teach this directly or have them read it over and over. But our comprehension abilities rest on many synergistic concepts and dynamic processing. In other words, understanding the meaning of text relies on many different areas of knowledge, including our social knowledge. For example, in addition to the ability to decode

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and understand vocabulary and grammar, a reader must also recognize context or situation, understand inferencing and abstract language, get to the “gist” or gestalt, understand character and author “point of view” or perspective, and share imagination to envision a situation or experience different from their own.

Interestingly, these are also the skills necessary to share space and interact with others.

While educators can directly teach and improve some areas required for reading comprehension, many other areas are innate and dependent on brain neurology. These are often not areas that can be quickly taught or learned, but rather, areas where students need more time to understand concepts and find strategies for learning or compensating for what their brain makes very difficult. For example, if your child struggles to see the gist or big picture and happens to be a very detailed thinker, they will need help with finding clues to see the big picture, as well as help interpreting what they see to even infer the big picture. Often, this can take therapy or specific tutoring to master. If your child is a black-and-white or literal thinker, then inferencing can be difficult for their brain. They will need specific work on learning to guess, finding clues in the text, and making inferences that fit those clues.

What else is required in comprehension past decoding, vocabulary and syntax (grammar) skills? Take a look at this list of essential abilities and concepts. This is just a sample, as there are MANY more. When your child struggles with comprehension, work with your educational team to identify the areas that might be challenging for them. Prioritize intervention and focus on these areas to help your child become a lifelong learner.

Essential skills for successful reading comprehension: •

Visualizes the text as they read it (uses the details that describe setting, situation, characters, etc.)

•

Imagines or visualizes an experience that is different from their own

•

Uses prior knowledge of the world to understand the context (relies on the ability to socially observe the world around us)

•

Uses context awareness to recognize the situations in the story and expected behaviors

•

Gestalt thinking to figure out the “gist” or big picture, and which details matter versus which details are not important (also helps us determine the main idea)

• •

Makes inferences to understand indirect meaning (this is called smart guessing, too) Understands vocabulary with abstract/figurative language (multiple meaning words and figuring out indirect meanings) to compare, contrast and categorize

•

Perspective-taking using clues to identify “point of view” (or the thoughts and feelings) of the different characters or even the author

•

Uses Theory of Mind (understanding another person’s knowledge, beliefs, emotions and intentions) to imagine how the thoughts of the character are different from their own

•

Understands and switches between the “voice” of different characters, including understanding the difference in perspective between first and third person narratives

•

Uses “people files” (recalling previously known information about a character) to observe and note details about a character

•

Perspective-taking to imagine what the characters think and feel about each other and in response to other characters’ actions

•

“Reads” character intentions and motives from the text

•

Compares their own world experiences and point of view to the character’s point of view

•

Identifies themes and moral messages in the text (relies on perspective taking, inferencing and indirect language)

•

Understands a wide breadth of emotions and emotional vocabulary

•

Shows awareness of the characters’ code switching (shifting languages or expressions used) in text based on different audiences, situations and settings

The Parish School specifically addresses these areas. However, every child’s brain is different and they all progress at their own pace and understanding. Work with your child’s teacher to break down what is challenging for your child and develop a teaching plan. In addition, many of the teachings, frameworks and strategies in Social Thinking® address the areas needed for reading comprehension. Refer to www.socialthinking.com for more information.

Summer 2019 | 11

More Than $550,000 Raised with “Under the Big Top” Gala

By Katy McCarthy, MA

The Parish School’s 26th annual gala, held Friday, Jan. 25 at The Ballroom at Bayou Place in downtown Houston, featured a spectacular program that raised amounts second only to last year’s record-high numbers. The gala is The Parish School’s largest event of the year and raises much-needed funding for the school and financial assistance for families. This year’s event, chaired by Kate and Doug Bacon and Bailey and Simon Haidamous, also honored retiring Head of School, Nancy Bewley.

The event surpassed all fundraising goals, breaking the live auction record and raising more than $160,000 in “Paddles Up” donations, which support the school’s financial assistance fund.

Over the past 26 years, The Parish School gala has honored groups or individuals with the Golden Oak Award, presented to those who exemplify the values of the school. This year’s gala honored Nancy Bewley for her 21 years of service to The Parish School, first as a speech-language pathologist, then as principal, and finally as head of school. Before presenting Nancy with the award, board member Laurie Gutierrez delivered a moving speech honoring the long-time educator’s commitment to teaching children who learn differently.

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The record-breaking live auction included a pulse-pounding bid for a highly coveted package of four small batch bourbons that sold for a whopping $13,000! The silent auction was a spectacular success as well, featuring rare items like vintage French wines, an autographed JJ Watt Jersey, and exclusive dining and vacation experiences like a private dinner for 10 at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse and a trip to the renowned Floridian National Golf Club.

As in previous years, the highlight of the evening was the parent testimonials, which were delivered by this year’s gala chairs Bailey Haidamous and Kate Bacon. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as each shared their stories of how The Parish School has impacted their lives.

“The Parish School is such a treasure for this city,” said Kate “Parents receive so much support and education from this loving community. And we can relax…trusting that our children are receiving the individualized and specialized education they need.”

With the 2019 gala raising over $550,000, The Parish School will continue to be a treasure in the Houston community.

Save THE Dat e!

Friday, January 24, 2020 6:30 p.m. - midnight The Ballroom at Bayou Place 500 Texas Ave. Houston, TX 77002

www.parishschool.org/gala

Summer 2019 | 13

Summer Camp Heats Up at The Parish School Camp Acorn, the 4-week summer day camp offered

by The Parish School, has continued to grow steadily each year and this summer, reached its all-time highest enrollment yet! Between the therapeutic program addressing language, learning and social needs; adventure play camp; sibling day camp; and the afternoon enrichment program, 156 total campers were enrolled for summer 2019! Additionally, Camp Acorn saw many extraordinary successes and milestones this summer, including: • The Parish School’s new Head of School, Cheval Bryant started on the first day of camp. Working alongside retiring Head of School, Nancy Bewley, Cheval met students and parents, observed classes, consulted with administrators, and planned for the school year ahead.

• 13 high school and college students seeking to gain experience in the fields of speech-language pathology and special education volunteered to assist in classes.

• 27 Adventure Play campers, along with three junior playworkers, imagined, collaborated and designed their own forts, castles, cars, hammocks and more using recycled building materials.

• Collaboration with local organizations – Highflyer Jump Rope Team, Bricks 4 Kids, Forever Dance and All-Star Martial Arts – provided “Fun Friday” enrichment activities.

• Four summer adult education sessions were offered, providing parents and area professionals learning opportunities and tips when caring for children who have communication delays and learning differences.

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• Parish alumna and sophomore at Samford University, Gracen Fisk, taught camp theater classes.

Additionally, four Parish alumni volunteered to help support camp needs.

• Learn-To-Ride Strider Bike Camp, piloted in Summer 2018 by Parish Educator Meagan Rosales, expanded to two weeks of bike training clinics.

• Fundraiser organized by the Cougars class raised almost $400 for SEARCH Homeless Services. Campers sold cookies, Rice Krispy treats and lemonade to raise funds, and collected additional donations to build 80 homeless survival kits.

• Inquiry-based learning was officially integrated into summer programming; and game mania, board games, yoga/mindfulness, science and drama were offered as weekly enrichment opportunities.

Applications for Summer 2020 available in December

Congratulations to the 2018-19 Employees and Volunteers of the Year!

Staff members vote annually to nominate their peers who go above and beyond to demonstrate The Parish School and The Carruth Center’s core values of creativity, nurture, passion, ethics and people. The following well-deserving staff were selected as the 2018-19 employees of the year. These individuals were celebrated with a special lunch at the lovely Brookwood Community ’s restaurant and will attend and receive recognition at our Giving Voice to Children luncheon in October: Teacher of the Year: Dawn Reinarz, MS, CCC-SLP Therapist of the Year: Taylor Kopycinski, MS, CCC-SLP Paraeducator of the Year: Allison Gunn

Each year, Parish staff show appreciation to all the parents and volunteers who spend countless amounts of time to help our students succeed – from those who help coordinate events or lend office support, to those who work in our gardens or read to classes. From this pool of amazing individuals, honorees are selected for outstanding service to The Parish School. For the 2018-19 school year, the following volunteers were honored with a special award and recognition: Volunteer of the Year – Susan McConn PTO President – Meghan Peterson Board Member of the Year – Tish Prior Peden Above and Beyond Award – Adonia & Kevin Cokinos (not pictured)

Summer 2019 | 15

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Summer 2019 | 17

Following Success of Little Acorn Park, Planning Begins for Phase 2 of Margaret Noecker Nature Center

By Nancy Nalence our grandparents…They’re getting dirt under their fingernails as well, working in a new grandparent gardening club.

October 3 was a typical, soggy fall day in Houston, the kind of weather our forecasters might call “partly sunny.” But the on-and-off rain didn’t for a moment dampen the excitement for a special gathering of our students, families and guests at The Parish School. Whether with umbrellas or without, we were thrilled to be there for the official opening of Little Acorn Park, the completion of the first phase of the Margaret Noecker Nature Center. In fact, the rain seemed to capture something about the spirit of the celebration—a beautifully-timed reminder of the variety of nature’s gifts. Some of us let ourselves get happily soaked, and others ducked under cover to wait for the sun to peek out, all while touring the campus and enjoying the food, arts-and-crafts, and simple sense of community and shared goals. And it isn’t just opening day that’s made us beam with pride; since letting our 2- to 4-year-olds loose in our amazing outdoor classroom, we’ve watched them blossom.

Motor skills and creativity are blooming, cooperative play skills are flourishing, and vocabulary is escalating.

They’re digging into Little Acorn Park like a hive of worker bees, proving just how powerful nature learning can be.

Here are just a few things putting smiles on our faces: Children are taking a special interest in gardening and the community garden has grown exponentially as a result. They’re fascinated to see how the cycle that starts with a seed, then moves on to planting, cultivating, gathering and cooking, which then ends up with food on their plates! Then there are

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What began as a small container garden for upper elementary students is now an expanded garden where many children of all ages participate. Students were thrilled to find that milkweed in the community garden is hosting monarch caterpillars, and our butterfly garden continues to inspire learning and care for nature’s delicate creatures. Teachers have removed some caterpillars from the garden to raise in the classroom, where students use their “scientist” skills to record daily observations and graph the caterpillars’ growth and transformation into butterflies.

PARISH SCHOOLPRESCHOOL / Houston, TX

2 March 2016

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Nature Center Phase 2: Oak Creek Exploration Zone In breaking news, The Parish School’s board of trustees has approved the Nature Center’s plans to begin fundraising for Phase 2 – Oak Creek Exploration Zone! Ignited by the joy of watching Little Acorn Park come to life, our expectations for this next phase of growth are high. Partnering again with our landscape architects at TBG Inc., this beautiful patch of campus will turn into an outdoor learning environment for our 4- to 6-year-olds that will expand their skills and imaginations. Included, among other wonders, will be a crawl-through tunnel, a meandering creek with bridges, an area for planting and growing vegetables, and shaded gathering spot for reading and sharing thoughts. And we’ve made sure to plot plenty of space for dirt-digging and mud pie-making—always the most favored activities.

With your support, our goal is to raise $120,000 by February 2020. With a generous pledge from the Carruth Foundation and your gifts, we believe we can make this next phase of The Parish School’s dream a reality. We aim to begin construction that summer, with a brand new outdoor learning environment ready for our children to explore at the start of the 2020-21 school year.

The aim of the Margaret Noecker Nature Center is to create a unique community where our children can flourish. If you haven’t already, please stop by to visit Little Acorn Park, our kidsized Garden of Eden.

While you’re here, please make sure to take a look at our Certified Monarch Waystation— an achievement our students can be

especially proud of—and to see how our garden grows.

You’ll be as tickled as we are!

Thank you for your continued support as we continue to transform our school into a fully functional nature-based campus.

Please reach out to Terri Garth, Margaret Noecker Nature Center Chair, for more information or to schedule a tour. We welcome your support by donating online at www.parischschool.org.

Come watch us

Grow!

The Parish School Launched a

Podcast!

Navigating the world of special education, communication delays and learning differences can be a challenge. Tune in the first and third Wednesdays of the month to hear Stephanie Landis and Meredith Krimmel, two Parish speech-language pathologists, interview guests from parents to industry professionals. Each episode will cover a different topic related to education or child development and provide guidance, insight and hope to those touched by children who are differently wired.

Episodes Episode #1: How Creativity Can Empower Children Who Learn Differently, with Dr. Ron Beghetto Episode #2: Project/Inquiry-Based Learning, with Educator Jessica Brock Episode #3: How Adventure Playgrounds Shape Development, with Playworkers Ali Wood and Jill Wood Episode #4: Beyond Academics: Social-Emotional Learning with Renee Attaway Episode #5: Understanding Childhood Apraxia of Speech, with Expert Nancy Kaufman Episode #6: Support for Parents of Picky Eaters with Jennifer Woody Episode #7: Basics of Mental Health in Children with Lily Yoder Episode #8: Talking to Your Pediatrician with Dr. Marshall Lerman Episode #9: Back-to-School Tips for Neurodiverse Children

Listen online at www.parishschool.org/unbabbled or subscribe to Unbabbled for free in any podcast player, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify. Please give us a rating and review, too!

Summer 2019 | 19

Fund Awards Parish Teacher with First Excellence in Education Award One exceptional Parish educator received the surprise of a lifetime, as students and peers gathered to see her win a $15,000 cash prize. Caralou Smith, a fourthyear teacher at The Parish School is the recipient of The Marie Fay Evnochides Fund’s Excellence Through Education Award, which recognizes the outstanding work of a deserving teacher. In its inaugural year, the Fund selected three Houston-area schools for participation – The Fay School, The Yellowstone Academy and The Parish School.

Marie Fay Evnochides is the founder of The Fay School, a private school in Houston with classes for 3-year-olds through 5th graders. A close friend and mentor to longtime Parish Head of School, Margaret Noecker, Marie has been a fan of The Parish School since the early days.

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Award nominations were submitted to the Fund by students, with their parents’ help, detailing what makes their teacher special and how they have made a difference in the students’ lives.

Of the submissions from the three schools, Caralou was selected as the first winner.

These are a few of the stellar recommendations from Caralou’s students and parents:

She intimately knows the challenge of having a child with different needs, and she channels that into being the type of teacher that impacts each and every student she teaches.

She sees their potential and knows what they are capable of. She allows them to feel confident and that encourages them to keep going. She is the most special teacher I have ever come across and feel so lucky to have her.

g Caralou’s creativity, patience, and genuine care for her students are unlike anythin I have seen in any teacher in my lifetime.

Caralou gives us a high level of comfort, knowing our daughter is not only learni ng, but in a safe, nurturing environment where she comes home happy every day, with all her goo d news to share.

As a parent you can’t ask for mo re.

Caralou was so grateful to receive the award, which she plans to go toward a down payment on a new home for her family. Additionally, she is the recipient of the 2019 Margaret Noecker Excellence in Teaching Award, which has sponsored her travel to Lied Lodge in Nebraska City this summer, where she’ll receive additional training for teaching in outdoor environments.

Summer 2019 | 21

5 Tips for a Smooth Back-to-School for Children who have Language/Learning

By Stephanie Landis, MS, CCC-SLP Differences The words “back to school” elicit so many different emotions in both parents and children. Often, excitement, anticipation and joy are also mixed with worry, uncertainty and trepidation. On top of that, many children with language, learning or sensory the smallest changestotoroutine. routine.This Thismay maylead leadtotothe theyear differences often struggle with even small changes year starting starting on a on frantic a frantic note note instead instead of theofhappy the happy occasion occasion that itthat is. it is.

Whether your child is starting a new school or returning for another year, each academic year brings changes and a new set of challenges. challenges.

We’ve We’ve gathered gathered a list of a actions list of actions that parents that parents can take cantotake helptoease helpworry ease worry and make and the make back-to-school the back-to-school transition a more positive experience for all.

1

Meet the teacher...

...ahead of time. If your school offers a “Meet the Teacher” event, take advantage of this opportunity. This not only gives both the child and parent time to get to know the teacher(s) in a low-key setting, but also can establish a “lay of the land” prior to the big first day. Children may explore their classroom, get comfortable with where their belongings go, meet other children in their class, and get jitters out of the way. If your school does not offer this, call the front office to see if you can arrange a meeting or tour of the school ahead of time.

Read books...

3

...or write your own stories about starting school.

The more familiar an activity is, the less anxious children feel. One simple way to make a new activity feel familiar is by frequently reading stories about it ahead of time.

There are books about starting school for every level— from preschool to middle school and high school. If you can’t find a book that works for you, you can write your own simple “social story.” If you took pictures during meet the teacher, print them out and have your child help you make their own book.

Be a model for your child

2

Take pictures

Bring a camera during trips to the school. Take pictures of the campus, teachers, classroom, cubby or special backpack hook, different classrooms they may visit, and even the carpool or bus line. Don’t forget to take pictures of any therapists or teachers that may be new, like the P.E., music or art instructors. If you cannot meet staff ahead of time, the school may be able to provide you with a picture from their files or website.

4 Get on a ”school schedule” Getting up in the morning the first day of school is ten times harder if it’s the first day you awoke at that time.

About a week ahead, readjust your child’s sleep/wake schedule slowly back to the time you use for the school year. For example, if school starts at 8:00 a.m., but you’ve been sleeping in until 8:30 a.m. all summer, you’ll need to adjust earlier bedtimes and wake-up times.

You may also begin to cut back on any all-day snacking and set an eating schedule that reflects the school day. These seemingly slight changes make a significant impact the first week of school.

For a sample back-to-school social story, visit http://www.educationandbehavior.com/story-about-going-to-school

Children take cues from adults. Back-to-school can lead to extra work and stress on parents, too. If you’re acting overwhelmed, anxious and unhappy, chances are your children will see that and emulate your behaviors. However, if your child sees that you are calm, excited and happy to take on new challenges, they will begin to show those emotions as well. Staying relaxed during big transitions is easier said than done, but it is a highly impactful way to help your child. Hopefully, some of the tips above will help reduce your own anxiety as well, which is a double bonus!

22 | The Parish Post

Save The Dates: Me e t t h e Tea c h er

Tuesday,

August 13

1st Da y of 2019-20 Sch ool Year Wednesday, August 14

Cy ber Au c t i on dnesday, Opens: We 4 at 3 p.m.

September

ber day, Septem rs u h T s: se Clo .

12 at 10 p.m

11th Annual Luncheon "Giving Voice to Children" Thursday, October 3 The Junior League of Houston www.parishschool.org/luncheon

ion

/cyberauct

hschool.org

www.paris

Fall Garden Work Day Saturday, October 12

2019 Houston Walk for Apraxia ovember 2 Saturday, N iew School The Westv

The Parish School's Annual Gala “"The Future's So Bright

Friday, January 24 , 2020 The Ballroom at Ba you Place

"

www.parishschoo

l.org/gala

Summer 2019 | 23

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About The Parish School: Since 1983, The Parish School has educated children ages 2-12 who have communication delays and learning differences, empowering them with the tools to succeed. This nationally recognized, special needs school in Houston provides an education for the entire family within the environment of a nurturing and safe 17-acre campus with on-site pediatric therapy clinic, The Carruth Center. Our personalized academic approach – with a focus on communication skills, social learning, nature, independence and the arts – allows children not just to grow, but to thrive.

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