Flourish Magazine | Spring 2020

flourish

SPRING 2020

Dear Trinity Community, This edition of Flourish magazine is coming out during an unprecedented time in our lifetimes. All the stories inside were written prior to the outbreak and show the passion of our teachers, the joyful learning of our students, and the strength of our community. Amid the anxiety surrounding the recent health crisis, our deepest hope is that this publication will serve as a reminder of all the good that has come before and as an encouragement that we have so much to look forward to once we overcome COVID-19.

This magazine is dedicated to you! To the student who continues to grow during this time of distance learning. To the parent who is the caretaker and now an additional teacher. To the teacher who works longer and harder to ensure that our students continue to thrive at home. To the academic leaders who maintain our long-term learning vision while offering constant support to teachers and families. To the staff member who works in the background to make sure Trinity operations continue from a place of strength and readiness. To the Trustee who continues to lead and make difficult decisions. To the alum whose leadership and actions remind us why Trinity exists. To the other members of our community—the parents of our graduates, the grandparents, the foundations, and others—thank you for continuing to support the School, from your words of encouragement to your continued philanthropic gifts.

While this spring looks different than any other in Trinity’s history, one thing that remains the same is our love and dedication for our students.

We continue to devote everything we have to helping them flourish during these special elementary years.

Yours in hope, Joe Marshall and members of the Trinity Leadership Team

Give. Grow.

flourish

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To count towards the 2019–20 Trinity Fund, your gift must be received or postmarked by June 30, 2020.

At Trinity, our resources are dedicated to growing young minds. Nurtured like seedlings, our students blossom into strong, confident, independent thinkers – each with an unbreakable foundation.

Join us as we strive for 100 percent participation in The Trinity Fund. You are making a difference by providing our school with the resources that give children the freedom to flourish. Thank you for helping us grow!

We support this growth through The Trinity Fund, our annual fundraising effort that provides support for curricular upgrades, classroom improvements, technology, need-based financial assistance, and faculty salaries. Your gifts allow the School to continually grow our programs, enhancing each student’s Trinity Experience every year.

To make your gift, please visit trinityatl.org/give or contact Katie Hammett, Director of The Trinity Fund and Major Gifts, at 404-760-4407 or khammett@trinityatl.org

Mission Statement Trinity School creates a community of learners in a diverse and distinctly elementary-only environment, in which each child develops the knowledge, skills, and character to achieve his or her unique potential as a responsible, productive, and compassionate member of the School and greater community.

Program and Pedagogy Pillars Celebrating the present and preparing our students for the future within a nurturing and caring educational environment, we: • Cherish Childhood Provide joyful experiences that include play- and passion-based learning

Non-Discriminatory Statement Trinity School does not discriminate based on race, color, gender, religion or creed, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or family composition in the administration of our admission and educational policies, in the extension of financial assistance, or other schooladministered programs.

Ensure developmentally appropriate experiences Design experiences around what is important in the life of a child • Deepen Students’ Educational Experience Develop creative and critical thinking and questioning skills Value both process and product of learning Connect learning vertically, horizontally, cross-curricularly, and globally • Empower Students in Their Learning Foster a growth mindset Cultivate voice, choice, and self-reflection Promote leadership

On the Cover Third Grader Ajay pauses in the middle of working on his first Choice-Art drawing in the Drawing Studio to take a photo. Ajay used the idea generator from the Idea Studio to “spin” a drawing idea from a list of words he created, resulting in his WOW (wonderful original work) of a scientist developing a new idea.

To support Trinity School, please contact: Margaret Douglas Director of Advancement 404-240-9446 | mdouglas@trinityatl.org trinityatl.org/give Please send address changes to: changeofaddress@trinityatl.org

So that our students: • Build Academic Foundation Establish proficiency in essential knowledge and skills Embrace diverse experiences of a well-rounded education • Develop Character Foundation Exhibit ethical skills, habits, and attitudes of empathy, integrity, and respect Demonstrate performance skills, habits, and attitudes of accountability, persistence, and resilience • Exhibit Continued Curiosity, Creativity, and Confidence Imagine, discover, and experiment independently and collaboratively Adapt to new situations and a changing world

Comments? Contact the editor at: nfash@trinityatl.org

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Leadership Team Joe Marshall, Head of School Ken Bomar, Director of Finance Brad Brown, Director of Admissions Margaret Douglas, Director of Advancement Nicole Fash, Director of Marketing and Communications Jill Gough, Director of Teaching and Learning Reginald Haley, Director of Operations Rhonda Mitchell, Early Elementary Division Head Jeff Morrison, Director of Education Technology Ginny Perkinson, Assistant to the Head of School Sarah Barton Thomas, Upper Elementary Division Head Kayleen Whitmer, Director of Extended Programs

2019–2020 Board of Trustees Bill Jordan, Chairman Matt Bartelt Mark Bell ’88 Jason Chambers ’89 Elena Chang Susan Churchill Erica Cummings Chris Gabriel Scott Hawkins Anne Hennessy Florida Huff ’79 Molly Jamieson Carrie Lanier Jenny Latz Tish McDonald Brand Morgan Charlie Ogburn Marcellus Parker Leslie Patterson Veena Reddy Tina Roddenbery John Shepard ’68 Boynton Smith Farah Spainhour Ann Speer Mary Watson Ellen Wiley Neal Williams ’72 4

Contents 6

Letter from the Head of School

News 8

Trinity named a Top Workplace For the second consecutive year, Trinity is named an Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Top 150 Workplace in Atlanta.

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Faculty and Staff Milestones Help us celebrate the personal milestones of our faculty and staff.

Highlights 12

Trinity Tidbits Read highlights from the fall at Trinity and learn about the expertise of our faculty and staff as they lead professional development around the country.

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Trinity Traditions Enjoy a look at the recent traditions that reinforce Trinity’s identity, curriculum, and values.

Features 24

Trinity Trails connect students to the natural world Trinity Trails provide students with easy access to Discovery Woods and engage their developing minds.

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From Early Learners to Sixth Grade: An intentional journey As our students move from Early Learners through Sixth Grade, they are on a spiraling continuum of learning that seeks to grow confident, resilient, flexible, lifelong learners.

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Trinity’s approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion We believe that through education and experience we can all learn to appreciate each other on a deeper level and feel a sense of belonging.

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Art students experience identity through “mirrors and windows” Students deepen their views of themselves and others through carefully crafted art projects.

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Mentor Sentences: teaching grammar, mechanics, usage, and craft Students are inspired to hone their writing skills through the study, comparison, revision, and imitation of beautifully written sentences.

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Urban Planning class challenges Sixth Graders Members of the Leadership Class create digital cities, learning to overcome some of the biggest challenges in urban planning today.

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Real-life travels enhance curriculum Kindergarten Teachers Monique Hickey and Caroline Tritschler use lessons learned from their summer 2019 travels to enhance their students’ “trip” to Italy.

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Children’s Art Projects shine during Spotlight on Art Discover how this year’s Children’s Art Project (CAP) connected all our students with Spotlight on Art artists.

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2020 Spotlight on Art: Year in Review Read highlights and see photos from this year’s exciting Spotlight on Art season.

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And we shall remain joined at the heart Learn more about the beautiful annual tradition of Valentine’s Day heart necklaces created by Second Graders.

Alumni 58

Lee Thomas ’77 leads film industry in Georgia Lee Thomas, Deputy Commissioner of the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, has made Georgia the place to film movies and shows.

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Alumni Events Alumni events from the first half of the 2019–20 school year are featured in this fun spread.

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Class Notes

Editor Nicole Fash

Art Director and Design Cheryl Beverly, Ridge Creative, Inc.

Associate Editors Margaret Douglas Katie Rosengren

Contributing Writers Jedd Austin Brad Brown Nina Chamberlain

Nicole Fash Marsha Harris Laura Herakovich Monique Hickey Joe Marshall Rhonda Mitchell Jeff Morrison, PhD Ginny Perkinson Paul Pileggi Khette Plyler Leisy Ruddock Jackie Sears

Sarah Barton Thomas Caroline Tritschler

Photographers Jedd Austin Stephanie Selman Michie Turpin Flourish magazine is published bi-annually by the communications department at Trinity School and mailed to parents, alumni, grandparents, and friends of Trinity.

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Joe Marshall works alongside Early Learners Connor, Solace, and Rory to construct a tower with magnet building blocks.

2020–2025 Strategic Plan Atlanta-based Trinity School provides a dynamic, innovative, child-centered education for children age three through Sixth Grade. Since 1951, we have empowered students to develop a deep academic and strong character foundation while also honoring the wonder of childhood. To maintain our position as a leader in elementary education, Trinity is guided by a Strategic Plan comprised of the following goals.

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• Uphold our Commitment to Honor Childhood • Further our Deep Learning Experiences • Advance our Exceptional Work Culture • Promote our Position as the Leader in Elementary Education • Sustain our Financial Strength

Looking forward to a

bright future Dear Trinity Community, A hallmark of Trinity is our commitment to continuous improvement. We have a rich, proud history and embrace time-tested best educational practices, yet we always seek to uncover emerging research and implement new teaching techniques to enhance student learning and engagement. An openness to innovation is our norm.

Continuous improvement is most visible in our classrooms and manifested in the performance, attitudes, habits, and successes of our students. But it is also present in the work of our Board of Trustees. The Board is responsible for charting Trinity’s future direction, and Trustees recently approved a new Strategic Plan to guide Trinity through 2025.

Using the book Preeminence: What It Means and How to Sustain It as a catalyst, Trustees began the strategic planning process by celebrating Trinity’s exemplary qualities: our history and reputation, graduate success, proud alumni, active parent body, dedicated faculty and staff, first-rate facilities, and financial strength. The five focus areas of the 2020–2025 Strategic Plan build upon these attributes to make Trinity an even better school.

For the Board, the first and most important goal is affirmation of who we are and will continue to be, specifically our expertise and focus on elementary education. Unlike other schools that rush students through content, neglecting deep conceptual understanding and evidence of ability to apply knowledge and skills, Trinity’s culture proudly honors, cherishes, and preserves childhood. Our students have ample time to explore, discover, and be curious. We value and promote diversity of all kinds, and students are encouraged to bring their “whole selves” to school and to embrace all that shapes their identity.

We ensure learning is joyful, meaningful, and contextual for each individual. An essential quality of who we are is placing Sixth Grade as the culminating year of elementary school. We not only give our Sixth Graders (and their parents) one more year to savor childhood, but also equip them with a strong academic and social-emotional foundation upon which future success and happiness are built. Our graduates transition seamlessly to middle school, demonstrating particularly strong self-confidence and assurance that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. For these reasons, the Board felt strongly that upholding Trinity’s child-centered culture should be the cornerstone of the new Strategic Plan.

Our second goal is to further our students’ deep learning experiences, ensuring the School’s program—what and how we teach—is continuously refined and enhanced. Learning at Trinity is fun and dynamic as well as intentional. Through

our nurturing and caring approach, we inspire our students to dream, create, experiment, and learn. We embrace that education today is dynamic as more and more research about the “science of learning” necessitates that schools remain nimble and open to new educational ideas and techniques.

As our program comes alive through the expertise, energy, and dedication of our faculty, our third goal is to advance our exceptional work culture, continuing to attract, support, and reward our faculty and staff through competitive salaries and benefits; robust professional development opportunities; and a collaborative, supportive educational environment.

Beyond the core of our school—our culture, program, and personnel—the Strategic Plan’s final two initiatives are to further promote Trinity’s position as a leader in elementary education, demonstrating the benefits of our elementaryonly focus and the importance of these formative years, and to sustain our strong financial position to support evolving needs. Educational research confirms the cumulative benefits of high-quality early childhood and elementary educational experiences on subsequent learning, happiness, and success.

With all resources focused on children three years of age through Sixth Grade, Trinity is the expert in the critical elementary years, when students build the strong knowledge, habit, and attitudinal foundation they need to enjoy a lifelong love of learning and to flourish in older grades.

Financially, Trinity is in a strong position, which enables us to provide resources to support student learning and experiences, from personnel and program enhancements to facility and campus improvements. The recent AWAC renovation is the first step in a multiphase Campus Master Plan to ensure our facilities and grounds support our intended student outcomes— the four Cs of our Program and Pedagogy Pillars—cognition, character, curiosity, and confidence.

Befitting a school whose ethos includes never resting on its laurels, Trinity’s 2020–2025 Strategic Plan will be a living document that adapts to emerging needs. Bolstered by our proud history, commitment to preeminence, and openness to new ideas to further strengthen the educational experiences of our students, Trinity looks towards the coming years with excitement and confidence.

Sincerely,

Joseph P. Marshall Head of School @JosephPMarshall

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News Trinity School Wins Second Consecutive Top Workplace Award For the second year in a row, Trinity School has been awarded a Top Workplaces honor by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

For 2020, 2,956 metro Atlanta companies were nominated or asked to participate in the Top Workplaces contest. A total of 150 companies were selected, and Trinity moved up to the number 13 spot out of 63 organizations in the “Top Midsize Workplace” category (150–499 employees).

This award is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by AJC research partner Energage, LLC. The anonymous survey measures 15 drivers of engaged cultures that are critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution, and connection.

“For more than a decade, the Top Workplaces award has helped organizations stand out among their competitors to attract talent,” says Eric Rubino, CEO of Energage. “This differentiation is more important than ever in today’s tight labor market.

Establishing a continuous conversation with employees so you have a deep understanding of your unique culture is proven to help achieve higher referral rates, lower employee turnover, and double the employee engagement levels.”

year strategic plan is to advance our exceptional work culture, and we work hard to ensure that our faculty and staff, as well as our students, flourish here at Trinity.”

Trinity leadership consistently requests feedback from employees in order to maintain a healthy and happy workplace culture and keep employees connected and committed to the School.

“Speaking on behalf of Trinity’s leadership team, I am honored and grateful for the results from this most recent survey,” says Head of School Joe Marshall. “This is not only a vote of confidence that Trinity is a great place to work, but also that our efforts to attract and retain the most qualified and enthusiastic teachers and staff is working. One of the goals of our five-

Written by: Nicole Fash Director of Marketing and Communications

Master of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies University of Sussex, Falmer, England Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Spanish Shorter College At Trinity since 2016 @trinityatl @trinityschool /trinityatl

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“I enjoy working at Trinity because of the community. From the moment you walk into the building, you immediately feel the warmth from the smiles and greetings you receive as you walk through the hallways. It is such a friendly and nurturing environment that continuously strives to improve. Everyone is very welcoming and willing to go above and beyond to make Trinity a magical place for our students. Also, I enjoy being surrounded by a community of colleagues who are committed to learning and growing every day. There are plenty of opportunities at Trinity to continue to grow and develop as educators, and I appreciate the School’s commitment and investment in professional development. I am so lucky to be a part of this amazing community!”

–Rosalyn McLean, Second Grade Associate Teacher | At Trinity since 2018

“Early on in my career, I was looking for a strong sense of community and a school where I could make an impact, and I found that at Trinity.

The collaboration between teachers, parents, students, and staff is what makes this place so special and unique. I feel like I really get to know and build relationships with colleagues and the families, and I love that.

Everyone is understanding of each other and works hard to be the best they can be for Trinity and our students. With that comes flexibility to take ownership over our departments and responsibilities as well as to balance other aspects of our lives. I feel respected and encouraged to try new things and grow in my field, and I am given the freedom and professional development opportunities to do so.”

– Margaret Douglas, Director of Advancement and Trinity parent | At Trinity since 2008

“Trinity is a joyful place to work; every day is full of laughter and learning.

Trinity promotes lifelong learning in not only their students, but also our teachers. We are given many opportunities to grow and further our professional development as well as our roles as educators. The Trinity community is unique and being a part of it is a privilege.”

– Julia Lee, Kindergarten Lead Teacher | At Trinity since 2006

“The teachers I work with are phenomenal. We collaborate on units, lessons, and activities for our students, and just as important, we all really enjoy each other’s company. The commitment Trinity School has to professional development has also kept me here. I have told many people that I grew more as a teacher in my first two years at Trinity than I did in a decade in my former system. In addition to that, I love Trinity’s commitment to childhood. The philosophy of Cherish Childhood really rings true in my heart, and Trinity exemplifies that everywhere I look.”

– Thomas Benefield, Fifth Grade Lead Teacher | At Trinity since 2014

“As a lead teacher, I enjoy meeting the educational and social-emotional needs of my students. In addition, the Pre-K team is amazing! Matching my teaching philosophy, the Pre-K team has a shared belief that collectively we are capable of developing student’s critical thinking skills, creativity, and mastery of content through collaboration. In addition, Trinity School is very invested in their teachers and provides many opportunities for professional development.”

– Tiki Norris, Pre-K Lead Teacher | At Trinity since 2017

“The faculty and staff at Trinity are unparalleled. Everyone that works here genuinely cares about the well-being of the students and are invested in their social, emotional, and academic success. Between the employees and the students and their families, I feel that I have genuine connections here. I love feeling like I am a part of something, and I have been accepted with open arms. I’m truly looking forward to the years to come with Trinity School!”

– Michelle Siegel, Extended Programs Core Supervisor | At Trinity since 2019

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News

Faculty and Staff Milestones Join us as we celebrate the personal milestones of Trinity School’s faculty and staff in this recurring feature.

Director of Marketing and Communications Nicole Fash and her husband, Cameron, welcomed their son, Grayson Robert Fash, on September 26, 2019. Grayson joins proud big sister Lillian. Nicole has been at Trinity since 2016.

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On November 2, 2019, a group of Early Elementary Division teachers enjoyed running, walking, and jogging the Rock ’n’ Roll Half Marathon together in Savannah, Georgia. Leading up to the race, the teachers would meet at various Atlanta locations to train and encourage each other. We are proud of the participants: First Grade Lead Teachers Ali Avery, Hilary Daigre, Natalie Houk, Julianne Schaaf ’81, Abbie Shaw, Rebecca Stewart, and Christina Tankersley; First Grade Associate Teacher Margaret Abernathy; Kindergarten Lead Teachers Megan Noe and Caroline Tritschler; Pre-K Lead Teacher Claire Cagle; and Substitute Teacher and Former First Grade Lead Teacher Mary Catherine Gober.

Fourth Grade Lead Teacher Meggan Hester and her husband, Jaime, welcomed their second child, Jackson Edward Hester, on January 21. He joins proud big brother Owen. Meggan has been at Trinity since 2013.

First–Fourth Grade Science Teacher Lauren Kane and her husband, Stephen, welcomed their first child, Rowan Marie Kane, on January 13. Lauren has been at Trinity since 2012.

At Trinity since 2018, Upper Elementary Division Head Sarah Barton Thomas joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus for its 2019–20 season. Sarah, a soprano, was selected as one of the Chorus’s eight new female singers. This group, consisting of 191 singers, is led

by Norman Mackenzie, a protégé of Robert Shaw. During the season, Sarah had rehearsals from 7–10:30 every Monday night and from 7–11 every night for a week leading up to a show. Sarah not only participated in regular season performances, but also was one of 170 Chorus members invited to join the ASO at their Carnegie Hall performance of Beethoven’s masterpiece Missa Solemnis, which was canceled due to the pandemic.

No stranger to performing in public, Sarah used to sing with the Baltimore Choral Arts Society that performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. She has a Bachelor of Science in Vocal Music Education from Northwest Missouri State University in addition to her Master of Education in School Administration and Supervision from John Hopkins University.

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Highlights Trinity Tidbits Michelle Perry becomes Orton-Gillingham Associate At Trinity since 2007, Learning Specialist Michelle Perry is now an Associate member of the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. In August 2019, she completed her associate-level training after undergoing 10 observations and conducting 100 hours of one-on-one instruction under the mentorship of OrtonGillingham Fellow Rosalie Davis. Michelle undertook the training to strengthen her knowledge and expertise in Orton-Gillingham’s multisensory and structured approach to teaching literacy when reading, writing, and spelling does not come easily to individuals, such as those with dyslexia. Michelle has two master’s degrees in Curriculum Instruction, one with a Reading Specialist certification from the University of Virginia and the other from Lynchburg College, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Lynchburg College.

Jill Gough presents at annual book festival At Trinity since 2012, Director of Teaching and Learning Jill Gough presented “Mathematizing Read Alouds” to K-5 faculty at the annual Walker School Book Festival held on August 30, 2019.

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Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

On September 20, 2019, students enjoyed a safari during Extended Programs that took them all over campus as they searched for various animals. They even discovered Stripes and had a dance party with him!

Extended Programs students don self-made safari gear as they spot the elusive guinea pig!

EP students enjoy a dance party with Stripes after enjoying their safari.

Jill Gough and Becky Holden present at NCTM conference On September 27, 2019, Director of Teaching and Learning Jill Gough and Early Elementary Math Specialist Becky Holden, a member of Trinity’s faculty since 2015, led workshops at the 2019 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) regional conference held in Boston. Jill presented “Be Both Author and Illustrator of Mathematical Understanding” and Becky presented “Mathematizing Our Read Alouds.”

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Highlights

Freshwater unit has lasting impact on greater community Each fall, under the direction of Fifth Grade Science Teacher Becky Maas, Fifth Graders study the freshwater ecosystem. They learn about the importance of freshwater to life and conservation, including the impact on people around the world who have little to no access to clean water.

This unit has several opportunities for students to relate their learning to the world around them. This included an “empathy walk” that Fifth Graders took on the Trinity Track on October 2, 2019, during which they experienced firsthand how difficult it is to carry water for any amount of distance. It also included an opportunity for students to speak and hear from Bill Coble, the founder of Start With One and inventor of Uzima water filters, on November 6, 2019.

The Fifth Grade centered its community service project around freshwater, raising funds for clean water access. For two weeks—from October 28 to November 14, 2019—Fifth Graders participated in a walk-a-thon during the early morning offering Every Lap Counts, the walking element raising students’ awareness of how many people in Nakuru, Kenya, walk five miles to obtain water.

As a culmination of their learning, Fifth Graders held their annual Freshwater Fair on November 15, 2019. During the Freshwater unit, each Fifth Grader conducted research on an animal that depends on freshwater and is endangered due to human causes like habitat destruction or freshwater contamination. Students then each designed a game about their animal for the annual fair. All Trinity students can attend this special event and play the educational games for a five-coin entry fee. In addition to allowing Fifth Graders to demonstrate their learning to others, this year’s fair raised $774.01. Those funds, plus the more than $15,000 raised from the students’ walk-a-thon, helped Fifth Grade buy 400 life-saving freshwater filters through Start With One, which will provide clean water to 400 families for 10 years.

Bill Coble speaks to students about the importance of access to clean water.

Fifth Graders learn what it feels like to carry a heavy bucket of water.

Fifth Grader Ryan looks on as Pre-K student Richard plays his game during the Freshwater Fair.

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Breathe in, breathe out This year, Fifth Grade is leading a mindful breathing program under guidelines provided by On the Same Breath initiative. Fifth Grade Teachers Jackie Sears and Kelly Swanton introduced the program that began with students learning four breaths, practiced for a total of four minutes, for 40 consecutive school days. The goal of this daily meditation is to help individuals self-regulate, decrease stress, and focus their attention. During the four breaths for 40 days initiative, Fifth Graders introduced deep-breathing techniques to their Pre-K buddies as well as faculty and staff, then presented their program— alongside Jackie and Kelly and members of the P.E. staff—to all students, faculty, and staff at the October 17, 2019, Trinity Together Time.

Jackie Sears, Fifth Graders James and Ella Reagan, and Kelly Swanton hold a pose after leading a deep-breathing session with faculty and staff.

Fifth Graders show their Pre-K buddies how to breathe with intention.

Fifth Graders lead the entire school in a deepbreathing exercise.

Award-winning author visits Trinity On October 23, 2019, award-winning children’s book author Candace Fleming, who has written more than 20 fiction and non-fiction books, paid a special visit to Trinity. Through interactive and humorous presentations, Fleming discussed finding and telling stories with our younger students and organizing, structuring, and revising with our older students.

Author Candace Fleming captivates First Graders during her presentation.

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Highlights

Sixth Grade Outdoor Ed trip is an explorer’s delight From September 23–26, 2019, Sixth Graders took their learning beyond Trinity’s walls at Driftwood Education Center on the Georgia coast. Highlights included hands-on learning about our marine ecosystem, group bonding activities, and exploration of Cumberland and Jekyll Islands.

Sixth Graders pause to take a group photo on Cumberland Island.

Parents become emboldened mathematicians On the morning of November 15, 2019, parents interested in learning more about Trinity’s approach to math gathered for a special Embolden Your Inner Mathematician session led by Director of Teaching and Learning Jill Gough and Upper Elementary Division Math Specialist Kerry Coote. Offered regularly to faculty and staff, Embolden Your Inner Mathematician explores ways to deepen participants’ conceptual understanding of mathematics and strengthen their confidence and efficacy in learning mathematics. During their session, parents enjoyed discussing, sketching, and solving tasks that promote flexibility, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving.

Another session occurred in January and, due to high demand, additional sessions will be offered in the fall.

Kerry Coote demonstrates Choral Counting to parents.

Sarah Barton Thomas is published online Upper Elementary Division Head Sarah Barton Thomas’s article “Conquering the Math Monster” was published online in the December 2019 edition of Well-Schooled.

In her article, Sarah—who has been at Trinity since 2018—shares how she conquered her fear of math by embracing a growth mindset and understanding that we are all mathematicians, even if we don’t have all the answers…yet. Well-Schooled is a website that shares first-person narratives from educators about teaching, learning, and leading.

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Sixth-Grade families lead the way

Sixth Graders celebrate with pizza and ice cream

On December 13, 2019, Sixth Graders enjoyed a pizza and ice cream sundae party hosted by the Office of Advancement and Parent Fund Committee to celebrate their parents reaching 100 percent Trinity Fund participation in record time. Each spring, the Advancement Office holds an Ice Cream Sundae Challenge to encourage parents to participate in The Trinity Fund, and every grade level that reaches 90 percent participation by a certain date wins a sundae party in May. The School is grateful to our Sixth-Grade families for setting the bar high and leading by example.

Written by: Nicole Fash Director of Marketing and Communications

Master of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies University of Sussex, Falmer, England

Dev and Sarah enjoy horseback riding during the Fifth Grade’s fall outdoor education trip.

Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Spanish Shorter College

Fifth Grade problem solves on Outdoor Ed trip

At Trinity since 2016

On October 10 and 11, 2019, Fifth Graders visited Camp Twin Lakes: Will-a-Way in Fort Yargo State Park in Winder, Georgia. This annual outdoor education trip enhances Fifth Graders’ group and social skills, challenges their problem-solving abilities, and promotes grade-level cohesiveness. Students participated in a wide variety of outdoor activities, small and large group challenges, and reflective exercises.

@trinityatl @trinityschool /trinityatl

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Highlights

Trinity Traditions Trinity School’s rich history began in 1951. While the campus has moved twice since its founding and the School’s programming is enhanced every year, Trinity also maintains numerous gradelevel, division-wide, and school-wide traditions that reinforce the School’s identity, curriculum, and values. This section is dedicated to highlighting some of the many special events that our students look forward to every year.

First Day of School The first day of school is important for all students, but there is something special about the Sixth Graders’ carpool caravan.

Catching the Gingerbread Man At the beginning of the school year, Pre-K students once again found the runaway Gingerbread Man while becoming acquainted with all of the faces and places at Trinity.

Pirates Week In September, Early Learners wrapped up Pirates Week and their Shapes unit of study with a real-life treasure hunt!

Nursery Rhyme Parade In September, Pre-K students dressed up as their favorite characters and recited nursery rhymes during the Nursery Rhyme Parade.

Turkey Trot, a.k.a., the Fun Run/Walk In November, faculty, staff, students, and their families ran with Tiger pride during the 16th annual Trinity Fun Run/Walk.

This year’s event was dubbed the Turkey Trot as it was held in November

Fall Festival

Halloween Parade Early Elementary Division students and faculty donned fantastic costumes and put the Trinity community in the Halloween mood by throwing the annual Halloween Parade.

Patriotic Performance To honor Veterans Day, Fourth Grade teachers and students invited friends and family members who serve or previously served in the military to join them for a special Patriotic Performance during Trinity Together Time (TTT).

Thanksgiving Program All the grades came together and celebrated the Thanksgiving season during a special time of musical performances.

Native American Trade Day At the annual Trade Day, Second Graders celebrated the end of their Native American unit by coming together and representing various tribes to solve a common problem. This year, students also presented a preview of Trade Day at a special Trinity Together Time.

The Nutcracker Hosted and performed every year by Fifth Graders, the muchanticipated annual performances of The Nutcracker were set to Tchaikovsky’s classic score and included singing, dancing, elaborate costumes and set design, and epic battles.

Christmas Holiday Program The Upper Elementary Division students put everyone in the holiday mood by presenting a special musical performance at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Trinity’s campus is transformed during the School’s annual, funfilled Fall Festival.

Grand Day In the fall, students enjoyed having their grandparents or special friends on campus for a welcome reception and time in the classrooms.

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All traditions occurred during the first half of the 2019–20 school year.

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1. Nursery Rhyme Parade 2. Halloween Parade

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3. Nursery Rhyme Parade

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Highlights

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4. Thanksgiving Program 5. Grand Day 6. First Day of School 7. Turkey Trot, a.k.a., the Fun Run/Walk 8. Catching the Gingerbread Man 9. The Nutcracker 10. Pirates Week

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Highlights

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11. The Nutcracker 12. Grand Day 13. Fall Festival 14. Christmas Holiday Program 15. Nursery Rhyme Parade 16. Patriotic Performance 17. Native American Trade Day

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Features

Second Grader Londyn leads the way up a steep hill.

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Trinity Trails connect students to the natural world A feeling of freedom washes over you as you step onto the Trinity Trails. The fresh air, the sound of chirping birds, and the cool temperatures on the shady paths that meander through the forest all combine for a perfect escape from the busyness of our daily lives. As you venture deeper into Discovery Woods, hiking from one trail to the next, ducking under low-hanging branches, jumping over fallen trees, and tiptoeing across streams, your sense of wonder begins to come alive. Listening to the trickle of the babbling brook, skipping rocks on the water, watching butterflies flutter by, chasing frogs, digging in the dirt, and interacting with a diverse ecosystem, you can truly connect with the natural world right in Trinity’s backyard.

Our school’s mission is “to create a community of learners in a diverse and distinctly elementary-only environment, in which each child develops the knowledge, skills, and character to achieve his or her unique potential as a responsible, productive, and compassionate member of the School and greater community.” We believe that becoming a responsible, compassionate community member involves developing a deeper connection with and respect for our natural world. As we prepare our students for the future, it is our duty to engage them in outdoor activities that help them to build a sense of responsibility, ownership, and respect for their environment, while simultaneously providing them with a range of joyful play-based experiences that deepen this connection.

So, over the past few years, I cleared a new network of pathways, expanding that single loop into more than a dozen trails, all interconnected, mapped out, and color-coded. This new web of hiking trails takes you throughout the woods, up and down hillsides and across streams and the rolling landscape, providing a new range of opportunities for our young hikers and runners to explore.

In the spring of 2019, as a celebration of the newly built trail system, Trinity hosted a “Trail Day.” Participation was immense, with more than 300 Trinity students, parents, faculty, and staff showing up to hike on the new pathways. This fun event brought more awareness to the vast, beautiful landscape right here on the Trinity campus.

I value the Trinity Trails as a priceless resource for our P.E. program, as it greatly expands options for outdoor areas where our kids can run and play. The steep hills, winding paths, and stream crossings provide our students with a great workout, give them a wide variety of obstacles to navigate, and help our growing athletes develop persistence and resiliency.

We also love to use these new trails with our running club, Fast and Fit, which is held every Monday after school. Our runners can’t get enough of this wild outdoor playground, participating in cross-country runs, hill-climb challenges, tag games, and a variety of stations. They have become accustomed to the steep hills, tricky terrain, and half a dozen creek crossings that are scattered throughout the woods.

Trinity School sits on a 43-acre property, most of which is forest. Our wooded sanctuary in Buckhead gives Trinity students the sense that they’re deep in the wilderness, on an exciting adventure, exploring uncharted territories.

Imaginations run wild here; this natural playground provides our young adventurers with countless places to run, play, explore, and get their hands dirty. As students venture into Discovery Woods, they learn to adapt to new situations, developing their growth mindset and feeding their curiosity and excitement about the world around them. Peaceful and quiet, this unique place provides students with the opportunity to connect with themselves and the natural world.

I began teaching at Trinity in 2006 and still remember being blown away by the beauty of our campus. What particularly impressed me were the woods and the trail that looped through it. As a P.E. teacher, I would periodically take our kids out hiking or running on the single trail, sometimes doing multiple laps. It was a great way to be active, but there was something missing.

I always thought about how much untapped potential was out there, how a whole trail system throughout the entire woods could benefit our students and the School.

Third Grader Henry stops for a photo after crossing a stream.

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Fifth Grader James and Fourth Graders Alana, Henry, and Owen pause for a photo during a Fast and Fit cross-country run.

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Research aside, our students make it clear how much they enjoy using the Trinity Trails.

“I like the Trinity Trails because there’s so much to explore,” says Second Grader Euan. “You can run as fast as you want!”

“I love the change of pace and getting to see different types of scenery like trees and the creek,” says Second Grader Koi.

Knowing that learning occurs naturally through play and hands-on experiences, base classroom and specials teachers at Trinity also value the Trinity Trails. The diverse ecosystems and intentional learning spaces found in Discovery Woods provide our teachers with increased options to incorporate the outdoors into their curriculum, helping to further deepen our students’ connection with nature.

For example, through her River Kids program, Fifth Grade Science Teacher Becky Maas has her students study freshwater ecosystems. Using the trails, they trek into the woods once a month to conduct tests and make sure our creek is healthy. These studies enable the Fifth Graders to experience real-life applications of their learning, performing basic water sampling tests that indicate freshwater health, such as dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, temperature, as well as nitrate and phosphate levels. Students also learn how to look for and identify macroinvertebrates, the tiny creatures that live in the creek that are sensitive to pollution and other environmental changes.

“I love going out onto the trails because I’m really outdoorsy and love adventure,” says Third Grader Sloane.

Scientific research confirms that playing in nature is essential for children and their growth. Numerous studies have been done on the benefits of getting children outside and into green spaces, concluding that consistent exposure to nature decreases stress and anxiety, elevates mood, and helps with self-regulation. One recent study in Illinois found that even a 20-minute walk in the park led to a substantial attention boost. In short, playing outside in nature is good for children’s overall happiness and development. In a world of overexposure to screens, outdoor spaces—like the ones we have at Trinity—help bring balance into our students’ lives.

“I just love coming out to the trails, because you feel free,” says Second Grader Macaulay.

Discovery Woods is a magical, transformative place, and we are lucky to have this resource. The newly created Trinity Trails make it a little easier for students to access this rich sensory environment and engage their developing minds.

“I think that the Trinity Trails are really great, because as the world is changing so rapidly towards being connected through technology all the time, it’s nice to have a resource like these woods to leave all that behind and just connect with yourself,” says Sixth Grader Lucy.

“I love the trails at Trinity because it’s a great place to learn and play outside of the school building, and most schools don’t have that,” says Sixth Grader Christopher. “It’s one of the things that makes Trinity so special.”

Written by: Jedd Austin P.E. Teacher, Fast and Fit Instructor, Production Studio Manager

Bachelor of Arts in Health and Human Performance, K-12 University of Wisconsin–River Falls 200 RYT Yoga Instructor Certification At Trinity since 2006 @jeddaustin Second Grader Margaret Bailey stops to play in the sand along the creek.

@fastandfitatl @fastandfitatl

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From Early Learners to Sixth Grade: An intentional journey At graduation, our Sixth Graders sing “The Tree Song”

by Ken Medema that articulates the metaphor of the completed Trinity journey.

“I’ve got roots growing down to the water.

I’ve got leaves growing up to the sunshine.

And, the fruit that I bear is a sign of the life in me. ...I’m becoming what The Maker of Trees Has meant me to be: a strong young tree.”

As our students move from Early Learners through Sixth Grade, they are on a spiraling continuum of learning that seeks to build strong, young trees; confident, resilient, flexible, lifelong learners who are humans of strong character and ability. We develop these traits and skills through our practices centered on Trinity’s mission and pillars of cherishing childhood while preparing students for the future.

We empower students in their learning Research continues to show that self-regulation is a stronger predictor of school success than intelligence. Attending, following directions, planning, and self-control are only a few components of the complex system students use to harness learning. At Trinity, we place a strong emphasis on guiding students to become engaged and independent learners. This begins in Early Learners and continues through Sixth Grade with routines in the classroom and around the School to develop increasingly advanced self-help skills and work habits, intentional modeling and coaching to build age-appropriate communication skills, and schedules that strengthen students’ ability to flexibly transition from one learning focus to another, physically and mentally. Every day, in every classroom, our students participate in class meetings to grow their ability to greet one another, to practice active listening, and to engage in lessons around social-emotional development. As our students grow older, their self-regulation turns to self-advocacy.

We expect our students to become reflective learners who use Learning Progressions to determine their level of understanding and to inform their goal process. As independent learners who self-advocate, older learners take responsibility for asking good questions and regularly seek feedback from their teachers.

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We deepen students’ educational experiences All future learning is built on the foundation established in the early years of a child’s life, and the strength of that foundation matters. Trinity’s early childhood and elementary specialization allows us to uniquely tailor the alignment of core skills and develop deep conceptual understanding that results in flexible application across content. Using nationally known best practices in math instruction, such as Choral Counting and Counting Collections, we purposefully guide students to develop the number sense and fluency fundamental to math concepts through the high school level. Our youngest to oldest students see themselves as mathematicians who regularly engage in problem solving and work to make their thinking visible through pictures and words.

Likewise, our students at all levels develop the habits and practices of a skilled reader and writer, gaining a strong command of the mechanical skills necessary for decoding and spelling while developing the craft of writing and a well-stocked toolbox of comprehension strategies required for high level reading and effective writing. These strategies stretch and grow throughout the Early Elementary Division and continue in the Upper Elementary Division. Flexibility of thinking, the ability to communicate in writing and pictures so a reader understands, and making sense of and persevering through challenging tasks are all hallmarks of numeracy and literacy development in all Trinity students. As students move into the UED, they are given increased opportunities for voice and choice in their learning experiences. Signature programs like the Third Grade Living Museum and Sixth Grade Capstone project allow students’ interests and passions to emerge and develop through public speaking and writing. Students in Sixth Grade, our culminating year, regularly cite their preparation for middle school through organizational and character skills taught in Leadership Class.

We foster curiosity, confidence, and creativity Learning should be a process that enables wonder and elicits joy. While there has been evidence indicating that students often lose interest in school by Third Grade, our students remain engaged and enthusiastic about learning because Trinity Teachers build strong relationships, facilitate relevant learning experiences, and encourage intellectual risks. We take great pride in creating learning environments where students’ curiosity is sparked through inquiry and intentional curricular integration.

Early Learner Rory leads a show and tell in the Teddy Bear classroom.

Sixth Graders, with the assistance of Stripes, lead the all-school Spirit Assembly in September.

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In the EED, goals-driven guided play is carefully balanced with unstructured play because each develops important cognitive and social-emotional skills. High-level concepts and content are embedded into traditions such as the Pre-K Olympics, in which students develop lifelong knowledge about world geography and culture while practicing the everyday skills of literacy and numeracy, capping it off with a show of great physical and mental strength in the simulated Olympic games. In the UED, unstructured play and exploration of nature remain integral parts of school life. As part of River Kids and the Fresh Water Fair in Fifth Grade, students have the opportunity to connect their subjects to the real world, be it through studying our local creek in Discovery Woods or learning about barriers to clean water access from our charity partner in Africa. Science, art, research, design, and creativity all come together. Our Outdoor Education experiences in Fifth and Sixth Grade take students out of their comfort zone and into a safe, yet unfamiliar setting to explore teambuilding, physical challenges, and the natural world. They return with boosted confidence and solidified friendships.

Our strong, young Trinity trees leave our gates ready to tackle the world with an empathetic heart, a love of learning, and a strong foundation of character and academics to allow them to fully flourish into middle school and beyond.

Written by: Rhonda Mitchell and Sarah Barton Thomas

Rhonda G. Mitchell Early Elementary Division Head Master of Education in Early Childhood Education The University of Georgia Bachelor of Science in Economics Spelman College Certificate in Early Education Leadership (CEEL) At Trinity since 2007 @rgmteach

Sarah Barton Thomas Upper Elementary Division Head Master of Science in Education in School Administration Johns Hopkins University Bachelor of Science in Vocal Music Education Northwest Missouri State University At Trinity since 2018 @teach2connect

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Trinity’s approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Trinity’s mission statement includes the School’s desire to create a community of learners in a diverse elementary-only environment. We are committed to cherishing childhood while preparing our students for the future. Part of that preparation is ensuring that our students build a solid academic and character foundation, embracing the diverse experiences of a well-rounded education, and exhibit ethical skills, habits, and attitudes of empathy, integrity, and respect.

Our approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is integrated in such a way that every constituent group— from Trustees, faculty, and staff to students and their parents—is involved. DEI impacts our entire school community and its members; our school culture and climate; and our policies, program, and pedagogy. This involves very deliberate and transparent conversations and planning.

For this school year, we adopted the DEI theme of “Significance and Belonging.” According to international research, when students feel that they are part of a school community, they will actively engage in academic and non-academic activities. Our DEI efforts are focused on ways to ensure that everyone at Trinity—students, teachers, staff, and parents—understands that they are an important part of our community.

DEI teacher training is part of a broader commitment to professional development rather than a separate initiative implemented periodically throughout the school year. We take an integrated approach to DEI training as part of a more complete ecosystem that supports “good teacher practices.” Each school year, our teachers participate in DEI workshops to provide them with practical tools to both prepare and execute their curriculum. Some of these workshops involve understanding their own identities and perspectives in order to

Supported by Sixth Grader Naomi, Early Learners Solace and Jackson, Pre-K students Dylan and Jacob, Kindergartners Joshua and Olivia, and First Grader Zavien use carefully selected words to express the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during our Trinity Together Time on January 8.

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anticipate any blind spots that they might bring into the classroom.

For example, one recent workshop involved an activity in which all teachers were asked to bring a book from their childhood that affirmed their identity or bring their favorite book that supported DEI principles. Teachers at every grade level arrived with their book selection in hand prepared to participate in a readaloud. They shared their stories and listened as their colleagues shared why they selected their book and the impact that it made on their lives. At the end of the session, teachers were encouraged to look at their own classroom libraries and curriculum to determine whether their students see themselves reflected in the content. One positive result was the collaboration between members of our admissions department and Upper Elementary Division (UED) team to evaluate and update the reading portion of prospective students’ Upper Elementary Individual Assessment to include a more inclusive selection of books.

For those teachers who want to dive deeper into DEI work as part of their professional development, Trinity supports attending various conferences and workshops, including the annual National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference, the NAIS Diversity Leadership Institute, the National Diversity Practitioners Institute, and iChange Collaborative’s Summer Diversity Institute.

For our students, DEI is woven throughout our school’s curriculum. We begin to discuss identity with our youngest learners and continue these discussions throughout each student’s Trinity journey.

We talk about how identity is not only what is outside, but also inside of each person. We emphasize that every student is unique, and it is these differences that make them special.

All our students have the opportunity to learn about different cultures and identities during Trinity’s annual Celebration of Cultures event. Students also learn about other cultures and 32

identities through events like the Pre-K Olympics, Kindergarten Trip Around the World, Second Grade Trade Day, Third Grade Living Museum, and Fifth Grade Olympics.

Through our Coffee Chats, we seek to provide parents the tools to discuss a variety of topics with their children. We also want parents to understand that we all carry biases and stereotypes with us.

In addition to special events, diverse literature and activities are incorporated into everyday instruction to support our students’ sense of belonging. Our teachers work to ensure that their classroom libraries are reflective of the students in their class as well as the broader community. Some of the many books that have been read in our Early Elementary Division include Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor, and The Skin You Live In by Michael J. Tyler. These books explore identity and expose our students to the concepts of peacefully standing up for what’s right by using their words.

Ultimately, no matter how old we are, it is through education and knowledge that we can all learn to appreciate each other on a deeper level and feel a sense of belonging.

The UED also uses literature to explore identity and to provide a variety of perspectives to our students. For example, our Fifth Graders learn about the Great Depression through the eyes of an African American boy in the book Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. Our Sixth Graders participate in book clubs with opportunities to explore diverse books. The students even participate in a food festival with foods from some of the countries represented in the books they are reading. These are just a few examples of the activities that take place at Trinity that increase our students’ cultural competency.

Finally, it is important for parents to be able to support their children by increasing their own DEI understanding and training. About five times a year, the Trinity School Parents’ Association (TSPA) DEI committee sponsors parent education events focused on DEI topics.

Some of the topics covered in this year’s Coffee Chats include the importance of DEI for elementary school-aged children, the impact of anxiety and stress on children, DEI in the corporate environment, and raising strong girls and strong boys.

Written by: Jackie Sears and Brad Brown

Jackie Sears Fifth Grade Associate Teacher, Diversity Coordinator Master of Business Administration Emory University Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics Spelman College Certification in Middle Grades Social Studies and Mathematics Tift College of Education Mercer University At Trinity since 2018

Brad Brown Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management Master of Arts in Teaching a Second Language Bennington College Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Culture and Civilization Furman University At Trinity since 2016 @BradBrown76

Art students experience identity through “mirrors and windows” Mixing paint is one of the joys of students in the Early Elementary Division art room. If given the choice, most students would experiment with paint every art class. They revel in watching colors change from light to dark, they love to feel each bristle drag across the paper, then, joy of joys, they get to swish their brush in swirling water until it’s clean.

I teach a lesson that challenges First Graders to mix their paint with thoughtful inward reflection instead of just experimentation. Students create a self-portrait by studying facial proportions, then transfer their drawing to clay. Once the clay has been bisque fired in the kiln, we work together to paint the three-dimensional self-portraits with as much realism as possible. Instead of allowing students to use basic colors straight out of the paint tubes, we discuss how to make a color that matches their true skin tone. This always sparks a deep discussion with First-Grade classes.

First Grader Jack sketches a mannequin through observational drawing. During this joint art and science lesson, he adds the skeletal system on top of his mannequin drawing.

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Nine times out of 10, a student of Caucasian descent will ask, “Why can’t I just paint my clay with the ‘skin’ color?”

I always respond, “Do you mean this peach paint? Believe it or not, this is not ‘skin’ color. Let me show you why.”

I sit on the rug with the entire class and, to their shock and delight, dab a swatch of peach paint onto my own hand. “Does this paint match my skin color?” I ask.

They take a thoughtful look and all the students can agree, no, it’s definitely not a match. Then, we test it on another student’s hand. And another’s. And another’s. Lo and behold, that peach color never matches a single student’s actual skin tone. Nor does the brown or the tan.

The students are all perplexed at this point, so I continue with my lesson, “Let me show you how I mix my skin color.”

On a paint palette I begin to mix peach, white, yellow, tan, and even a bit of green.

Slowly but surely, the paint transforms into a new color. Again, I test it on my hand.

“Does this match a little better?” I ask.

Most students nod in agreement. So I continue, “We can call this new color ‘Chamberlain.’ That’s my last name, you know. Be sure to think about what you want to name the color you mix, too. It will be different from anyone else’s.”

I pass out mixing palettes and discuss with each student what colors they think they should start with. I encourage them to test it on their hands over and over until they are satisfied. Happily, the students take the rest of the class to experiment, mix, and test their new colors. They check in with friends, they ask for advice, and they shout triumphantly when they finally find a match.

The next class, they use the same skills to mix their perfect hair color and their perfect eye color. Some students even mix a specific color just for their freckles.

By the end of the project, each student will complete a self-portrait that is more meaningful and more personal than any portrait he or she has painted before.

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Over the summer, Trinity Teachers were invited to watch a series of curated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ted Talks as part of our professional development program. Within this list was a particularly memorable talk by author Grace Lin called, “The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf.” In short, her talk speaks to the importance of providing young children with opportunities to see themselves in lessons that act as mirrors as well as experience lessons that allow them to view other worlds through figurative windows.

Learning to mix skin tones and hair color gives students not only the opportunity to experience a meaningful mirror lesson in which their self-portrait reflects their true colors, but also the tools to create their own mirror if one is not handed to them in future lessons. Even though art suppliers have come a long way from simply providing peach and brown skin tones (some suppliers even selling multicultural packs of crayons or construction paper), students will inevitably come across a classroom or camp that has not provided these expensive options. When faced with this adversity, they will be able to apply their knowledge of mixing personalized colors with any art material.

Additionally, students learn to be more flexible and to solve problems from a new angle. In this way, we are teaching them life skills that will follow them throughout their school careers and into the workplace.

As well as presenting mirror lessons, I strive to make sure the EED art program also provides students with a multitude of window lessons. Starting with our youngest artists, the Early Learners create projects focusing on hanami, the Japanese cherry blossom festivals. Pre-K students learn about lusekofte sweaters from Norway and decorative sugar skulls from Mexico. Kindergartners discover symmetry through studying Indian rangoli and First Graders strengthen their symmetry knowledge while creating miniature Ndebele homes from South Africa. Even my Upper Elementary Division students, the Second Graders,

study symbolism in the form of adinkra symbols from Ghana.

What better platform to provide students with new and provoking images than visual arts? Students can be taken out of their comfort zone, if only for a moment, to view the world through another person’s window. Understand that their norm is not everyone’s norm.

Discover ways that people around the world celebrate and mourn and love.

Exposure to cultures from around the world allows students to become more empathetic towards others and to be more open towards viewpoints different than their own. Ask any UED student, these window lessons are often the ones they remember most vividly.

It is my honor to provide students with these memorable experiences, and it has been a joy to introduce Trinity students to new cultures over the last decade.

Written by: Nina Chamberlain Early Elementary Division Art Teacher, Second Grade Lead Art Teacher

Bachelor of Arts in K-12 Art Education Winthrop University At Trinity since 2009 @MakeSomeArt

Assisted by Kindergarten Lead Teacher Megan Noe, Kindergartner Carson points out the vowels in the Mentor Sentence. All students are encouraged to notice what makes the sentence a good sentence, such as word length, capitals, and punctuation.

Mentor Sentences Teaching grammar, mechanics, usage, and craft When one thinks of a mentor, it might be someone you aspire to be, someone who has taught you something, or someone who helped you navigate a difficult situation. We learn and grow through mentors: whether they are people, works

of art, or pieces of literature. In fact, the definition of a mentor is “a trusted counselor or guide.”

For several years, Trinity Teachers have engaged in conversations around approaches to grammar instruction. Most of us probably remember the traditional methods of direct instruction using various worksheets that involve filling in blanks, finding mistakes, diagramming sentences, circling the correct answer, then moving along to the next skill.

However, what we know and what best practices in teaching grammar have

shown us is that teaching grammar in an integrated approach through reading and writing is meaningful and relevant for the transfer of skills in one’s writing.

In his book Patterns of Power, Jeff Anderson writes, “Instead of showing young writers the mistakes to avoid, we argue for illuminating the patterns of language that mold meaning and have powerful effects on readers.”

This shift in pedagogy challenges us to reaffirm why this is important. If we want students to write well, we must first read them beautiful literature and ask them

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Fifth Grade Lead Teacher Kathy Bruyn enjoys working on Mentor Sentences with students. She says, “It always helps when I choose a high-interest sentence, one with humor or gore involved. My students recognize the well-developed sentence right away from one of our read-aloud books or class novels and immediately start trying to figure out what part of grammar we will be focusing on. This type of authentic instruction is so much more effective than traditional ways.”

to analyze it like a scientist. Mentor Sentences help guide our young writers and allow them to analyze the work of others.

“Mentor Sentences provide students the opportunity to notice the structure of a sentence,” says Kindergarten Lead Teacher Megan Noe. “They become exposed to grammar and mechanics that they will encounter when reading. In addition, they will begin independently applying the craft and structure of sentences to their writing.”

The teaching of a Mentor Sentence is done through a series of invitations over a week. When students are invited into

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the process, they can offer their thoughts without something being correct or incorrect. On the first day of studying a Mentor Sentence, students are “invited to notice.” What is the punctuation doing?

What do you notice about the words within the sentence? How do they support the author’s craft?

On the third day, students are “invited to revise.” They continue to study the same sentence, noticing and practicing skills gained previously. On this day, students add a detail, elaborate with an adjective, or make use of vivid verbs in order to make this beautiful sentence even better without changing its meaning.

On the second day, students are “invited to notice more.” During this lesson, the teacher typically provides an activity in which students focus on a particular skill: identifying, practicing, and seeing it in an authentic text. The teacher’s choice of the Mentor Sentence is based on wanting to teach this skill.

Students are “invited to imitate” on the final day. Students write their own sentence that follows the structure of the original while keeping the focus of the teaching point in their own sentence. The goal for this is application and transfer into their daily writing.

Teaching in context, with engaging

She reads, “On Tuesday, he ate two pears,” then wrote it on the chart paper at the front of the classroom.

Now, this might not seem like a beautiful sentence at first, but the strategic questions that follow during the “invitation to notice” session illuminate the students’ understanding.

“What do you notice?” the teacher asks.

“I notice a capital letter at the beginning of the sentence!” proclaims one student.

“I see another one! It’s the word Tuesday,” says another.

“And there’s an end mark. It’s called a period,” says another student.

By the end of the “invitation to notice” session, the students recognize a proper noun, plural noun, past tense verb, pronoun, and punctuation in the Mentor Sentence. The teacher anticipates what the students might notice and strategically selects responses to empower students to teach and learn from one another.

Mentor Sentences that students can connect with, brings meaning and relevance to the work of grammar, mechanics, and craft.

“Through Mentor Sentences, I am able to spiral grammar skills in the most meaningful and efficient way,” says Third Grade Lead Teacher Caroline Dwight.

“My favorite day is imitation day because students love the freedom to create their own sentences on various, sometimes humorous topics, and I can differentiate and push students appropriately.”

For example, First Graders recently sat on the rug listening to their teacher read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

At one point, the teacher pauses, takes a deep breath, and says, “Listen to this beautiful sentence.”

We expose students to rich, engaging literature so that they study, analyze, and understand structure, word choice, grammar, and craft. Similar to how a Mentor Sentence models correct structure and grammar, a mentor models the correct way of doing something rather than showing a method filled with errors.

Trinity Teachers intentionally select a sentence or portion of text from a readaloud, book club, or picture book that is beautifully crafted, then allow time for students to notice what the author has done well.

In his book Mechanically Inclined, Jeff Anderson writes, “If students are going to stare at writing and talk about it, they must see powerful writing models.”

At Trinity, Mentor Sentences are powerful.

They are an invitation for students to study, compare, revise, and imitate so that they are empowered to hone the same craft in their writing.

The lesson continues each day throughout the week. The teacher selects one skill to focus on, and students engage in minilessons, activities, and games to support their learning. Finally, students are invited to revise and imitate while studying the same structure as the author, e.g., “On Friday, he ate five apples. On Monday, he ate seven cupcakes.”

At Trinity, we focus on the vertical alignment of curriculum and Mentor Sentences have been met with enthusiasm by learners across grade levels.

“They have lots of new things you can learn in them, like capital letters, apostrophes, periods, commas, and all those other fun things,” says Kindergartner McKinley.

“It’s fun to create sentences and try to imitate how the author writes,” says Fifth Grader Thomas.

“I like that I can see different sentences that I wouldn’t think to use,” says Fifth Grader Elizabeth. “Since it’s just one sentence, I can focus on it more and really see all the parts.”

Written by: Marsha Harris Director of Curriculum

Master of Education in Instructional Technology Lesley University Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education; Bachelor of Arts in Drama in Education University of Windsor, Canada At Trinity since 2008 @marshamac74

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Urban Planning class challenges Sixth Graders When people think of makerspaces, they often think about 3-D printers, tools, drills, laser cutters, and other pieces of equipment. The right equipment is important to a makerspace, but what’s more important is how each tool is utilized in order to solve a problem.

During the 2018–19 school year, we began a Sixth Grade unit of study on urban planning in Trinity’s makerspace, the Apollo iHub, that would not only challenge students to solve a problem and fabricate a solution, but also expose students to past injustices and how they have led to more complicated current problems. Our goal was to frame the Sixth Graders’ experience in this unit of study through the lens of equitable learning that would challenge each student to consider how design and making are never separate from individual and social histories that unfold across space and time. We intentionally made the Class of 2019 aware of a local Atlanta issue that was tangible and directly affecting them.

The learning objectives were to increase students’ awareness of urban planning issues, such as sustainability and sprawl, while offering them an opportunity to use a creative design process to express their heritage, interests, and ideas.

In small groups, the students were asked to design their “ideal” city that would provide employment, housing, access to food, and recreation in a more equitable urban design. Throughout the unit, students were taught the histories of socio-economic and racial disparities, their causes, and how each impacts the current make-up of the city of Atlanta.

Students researched and considered

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these topics, which culminated with a presentation to their classmates.

Throughout the process, students were able to learn important makerspace skills, such as designing buildings in CAD software for the 3-D printers, drafting zones on foam board, and collaborating to find an ideal layout for the needs of their city. These skills, along with the social realities of how our history impacts current environments and social interactions, were the driving forces behind this course.

Over the past year and a half, this class has evolved through its use of a variety of media to present our students’ understanding of urban sprawl. And for students, an exciting new aspect of the class has been adding Minecraft: Education Edition as a digital platform for designing and planning our urban zones of development.

As Sixth Grader Hunter says, “Everyone likes the fact that the teacher sets the boundaries, and we are able to decide how to use our own ideas to complete the task.”

This year, members of the Leadership Class are continuing to work their way through an open-ended problem, while building critical 21st century skills like collaboration, creative problem solving, and digital citizenship. They are experiencing real-world connections through student-centered, problembased learning while utilizing tools that they are passionate about and working on issues that are real and important to them.

In the iHub, we are empowering students in their learning by providing an opportunity to pursue their passions

while working in a safe and encouraging environment. We are embracing diverse experiences through topics that encourage a variety of points of view and opinions. Asking students to consider the perspectives of those from other backgrounds is a constant throughout each student’s Trinity journey, from Early Learners through Sixth Grade, and is crucial to making those lasting real-world connections. During our time

Written by: Dr. Jeff Morrison and Paul Pileggi

Sixth Graders Christopher, Tristan, and Robert check in with one another as they design their ideal cities.

Jeffrey Morrison Director of Education Technology Doctor of Philosophy in Education Policy Studies Georgia State University Master of Education in Educational Leadership Kennesaw State University Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History State University of New York at Fredonia At Trinity since 2011

Paul Pileggi Makerspace Specialist Bachelor of Education Richard Stockton College Bachelor of Business Administration in Real Estate and Finance Temple University

together, Sixth Graders are exploring a digital workspace of infinite possibilities while working collaboratively and experimenting independently. They imagine, discover, and experiment while adapting to new situations and an everchanging world.

Differentiated instruction has created opportunities for students to shine in various roles, from leading a group

because of an ability to design in Minecraft to leading a discussion because of a unique viewpoint. In addition, trusting students with a real-world problem has opened up an opportunity for our Sixth Graders to tackle a social issue and see how it relates to them. Where they are headed is powerful.

At Trinity since 2012

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Real-life travels enhance student curriculum Ciao! In 2018, we were inspired to apply for a stipend through Trinity’s Teacher Opportunity Fund—endowment resources set aside for exploration and curriculum development—so that we could enhance the itinerary and experiences of our students during our Around the World unit. Kindergarten has historically used this unit of study as an experiential education program.

Students explore different cultures and compare them to their own as we immerse them in the language, history, culture, and customs of another country for five weeks.

This is our seventh year exploring Italy together in our classroom, and we feel fortunate to have received a Teacher Opportunity Fund stipend that allowed us to spend a week exploring Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast this past summer. This incredible educational trip enhanced the experiences we created for our students during their own “trip” to Italy this school year. And throughout our students’ adventures, we were able to share pictures, videos, and stories from our own time there.

Kindergartners travel Around the World During the Around the World unit, for five weeks our classroom transforms into Italy, and students “travel” throughout the country, visiting the Italian Alps, the Amalfi Coast, Calabria, Florence, Pisa, Pompeii, Rome, Tuscany, Venice, and more. Literacy, math, writing, and STEAM

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projects are integrated into the students’ study. Each day, they write in their travel journals about their new experiences, and all the students’ journal entries, souvenirs, and photographs are then bound into a travel journal so that they can remember their trip forever.

On January 24, our students took their flight to Rome, received their Italian names, and set off for a month of nonstop fun and adventures! We started by studying the map and sketching a boot kicking a rock, thanks to the donation of a special boot from our own Jill Gough, Director of Teaching and Learning. We made Italian flags and visited the sights of the Colosseum, the Mouth of Truth, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and the Sistine Chapel. Activities included building the Colosseum out of blocks with classmates, creating a miniature Mouth of Truth while learning about the legend, climbing the Spanish Steps, and making and writing a wish at the Trevi Fountain.

We also painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel while lying on our backs, just as Michelangelo did so many years ago. It got messy, but we know he got messy too!

Next, we took a high-speed train to Naples and made our own pizza. From there, we caught a ferry to Capri to taste the lemonade and check out the Blue Grotto. STEAM Integration Specialist Kate Burton joined us in Pompeii, where we learned about Mount Vesuvius and volcanoes, then created our own Mount Trinity that erupted in the amphitheater.

Kindergartners Parker, Phillip, and Roxanne learn to make cacio e pepe during an Italian cooking class.

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Kindergartners surround STEAM Integration Specialist Kate Burton to observe the remains of Mount Trinity.

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After exploring Mount Vesuvius, we took Mr. Joe Marshall’s jet north to Florence, where we reflected on all the Renaissance art. We created mosaics and statues, drew the Mona Lisa, and created stained glass. Can you believe that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are named after the Renaissance artists? Next, we took a hot air balloon to Pisa and didn’t miss the photo opportunity to “hold up” the towers that we drew. Because Galileo is from Pisa, we also built telescopes with Kate Burton. We then explored more of the Tuscan countryside, stopping to stomp grapes and make our own grape juice to share with our guests at the Kindergarten Trip Around the World celebration that was held at the end of February.

On to Venice, where we made our own gondolas so we could get around town.

Alongside Kate Burton, we studied and created bridges and learned about glassblowing on the island of Murano.

We made bracelets from Venetian glass to bring home to our families and created very fancy masks and attended the carnival in Venice. Before we took our flight back home, we made sure to include a trip to the Italian Alps. We hiked in Discovery Woods and saw an Italian Castle in the background, which was, of course, Trinity School.

Italy is full of pasta! Our little Italian chefs made their own noodles for visitors to try during the Trip Around the World. We also practiced non-standard measurement with fettuccine noodles and collected data from all different kinds of pasta in a graph. All good pasta meals must end with gelato, so we tried some from the best gelaterias.

For the grade-wide Trip Around the World, each of our students was in charge of sharing his or her knowledge of a specific place in Italy and spent time

practicing a presentation for when we had Kindergarten visitors from other countries. At this time, we introduced the organization tool of Power Writing to identify three key facts about a student’s city or landmark. This writing became the start of an “All About Book,” which is part of our Nonfiction Writing unit of study.

Real-life travels provide inspiration

travels and recognizing us at landmarks that they studied. We know our personal experiences helped bring our curriculum to life during our study of Italy this year and will continue to do so for years to come. Ciao!

Written by: Monique Hickey and Caroline Tritschler

Our real-life travels to Italy gave us inspiration to enhance the overall experiences of our students. For example, we experienced a Tuscan cooking class and learned how important food is to the Italian culture. We visited Siena, home of the famous Palio horse race, and included a horse race during students’ unit of study. We read the story of Pinocchio and made our own marionettes when we visited Florence.

Our school mascot, Stripes, joined us in Italy and had quite the trip for a little tiger! He went to a cooking class and a vineyard in Tuscany, met a fellow cat on the streets of Ravello, saw Michelangelo’s David in Florence, dipped his feet in the Mediterranean Sea, and explored the ruins of Pompeii. He also took many forms of transportation: two Delta flights, a boat on the Amalfi coast, several train rides, a bike outing, and a motorcycle ride.

Stripes made pasta, tried pizza, and had cappuccinos in the morning and gelato after every meal. We have even created a classroom book to show all of Stripes’ real-life adventures in Italy.

Every year, we are amazed by how much the students learn during the Around the World unit. We see evidence of joyful and deep learning when they are tour guides and docents of Italy for their peers from other classes and their parents, who also come to visit. This year, our students loved seeing photos from our real-life

Monique Hickey Kindergarten Lead Teacher Master of Education in Reading Mercer University Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance University of Georgia At Trinity since 2012

Caroline Tritschler Kindergarten Lead Teacher Master of Education in Reading Education University of Georgia Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education University of Georgia At Trinity since 2011 @HickeyTrit @HickeyTrit

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Children’s Art Projects shine during Spotlight on Art An important element of Spotlight on Art, the Children’s Art Project (CAP) connects our Early Learners through Sixth Grade students with Spotlight on Art artists. This year, each grade level worked with one artist to produce a piece of artwork relevant to that grade’s program or pedagogy. Artists presented the process, inspiration, and techniques for the creation of the piece to their grade.

The resulting masterpieces were part of the Spotlight on Art silent auction. Read on to learn more about each of these amazing pieces of art.

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Early Learners “Target Practice”

by Stephanie Henderson

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Pre-K “Let’s All Ride”

by Eddie Powell

Our youngest Trinity students were full of questions when Early Learners CAP artist Stephanie Henderson unveiled her crisp, vibrant piece of artwork created just for them. “Target Practice” features large, concentric circles in shades of rich blue and gray atop a vivid spring green background. Painted directly onto a wooden pallet sustainably sourced from Oregon, this clean representation of continuity is coated with layers of resin, which adds shine and enhances the abundant energy of the piece.

Pre-K students were charmed by their CAP artist, Eddie Powell, when he opened his bag of tricks and shared some of his painting tools: A fork? A spoon? A SPATULA? Their simple infatuation turned into true love once he unveiled the painting he created just for them; his magnificent rendition of one of their beloved red tricycles had 80 little jaws dropping to the floor. But Powell’s bag of tricks didn’t stop there. Each student signed his or her first initial on the back of the artwork before Powell announced the piece’s title, “Let’s All Ride.”

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Kindergarten “Kinder Eggs”

by Ali Leja

Kindergartners had a very special morning in early January working collaboratively with their CAP artist, Ali Leja, to create the painting “Kinder Eggs.” Students’ role in the project, explained to them by a giant chicken (yes, really!), was for each to design and color his or her very own paper egg.

Kindergartners pondered the idea for their creations, and these ideas then hatched and were brought to life by vibrant crayons and excited little hands.

In turn, Leja individually placed each egg inside the nest on her canvas. The artwork wasn’t signed by Leja or deemed complete until every Kindergartner had lent a hand, making “Kinder Eggs” a truly collaborative work.

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First Grade “The Georgia Rose”

by Kellie Lawler

First-Grade students were enamored with the bright and bubbly Kellie Lawler, who used the First Grade’s study of Georgia history as a jumping off point for her stunning piece, “The Georgia Rose.”

Consisting of just one immaculate line drawn on beautiful archival paper, this clean, crisp rendition of the Georgia state flower emulates the work of Picasso.

Lawler then painted several of the softly geometric shapes in a deep black and framed her piece behind UV protectant glass, resulting in a graceful and elegant monochromatic interpretation of the Cherokee Rose.

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by nature and honed by a decade-long dedication to the practice of daily painting, her works are highly sought by collectors nationwide. Her dreamlike rendering of a floating congregation of water lilies features pops of crimson and sunny yellow atop varying shades of a smooth, tranquil turquoise. “Hope Floats” radiates the joy that accompanies the fresh abundance of springtime while also symbolizing the buoyant energy and blossoming ambition of our Third Graders.

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Second Grade “Our Favorite Numbers”

by Nancy B. Westfall

Playing with the concept of symmetry, Second Grade CAP artist Nancy B. Westfall stenciled rows of the number eight—the age of most of our Second Graders—onto a large canvas. Students then used a variety of colored pencils and surrounded these hypnotic, methodical rows with their own favorite numbers, followed by explanations for why they chose the figures they did. The resulting work is bright and cheerful and filled with the wit and charm of the Second Grade. “Our Favorite Numbers” is a playful reminder that the age of eight is indeed quite great!

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Third Grade “Hope Floats”

by Kathy Cousart

Our Athens-based Third Grade CAP artist, Kathy Cousart, seamlessly merges the contemporary with the abstract in her sweeping, ethereal paintings. Inspired

Fourth Grade “Freedom is Everything”

by Julie Torres

Before leaving for holiday break, our Fourth Graders were asked to pen their answers to the following question: What does freedom mean to you? Their insightful, and delightful, answers were then sent to Fourth Grade CAP artist Julie Torres, who literally wove them into the fabric of her piece, “Freedom is Everything.” Inspired by her earlier career as an attorney, Torres’s intricate, incredibly personal pieces are beautifully patriotic, a theme which is instilled by the Fourth Grade’s history curriculum.

Look closely at the innumerable pieces of paper braided together to create this flag; you’ll likely find the words of your ancestors, relayed by the Fourth Grade, echoing out to you.

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Fifth Grade “Morning Mist” by Katie Trokey

Nashville-based Katie Trokey served as this year’s Fifth Grade CAP artist. Trokey’s impressionistic artwork showcases the use of texture to show depth and perspective in new and interesting ways.

The Fifth Graders learned how the use of thick scoops of paint, which she calls her “frosting,” can change the definition of a landscape in small, controlled ways.

When viewers observe this painting from one viewpoint, then take a few steps to the left or right, they notice how the light plays off the different textures, providing an entirely different perspective. The Fifth Grade was also allowed the honor of bestowing a title upon this beautiful,

frosty waterfront landscape, which mirrors our own stretch of freshwater running alongside our campus. After hearing many creative suggestions, Fifth Graders took a class vote and settled on “Morning Mist.”

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Sixth Grade “Cobalt Stripes”

by Courtenay Gabriel

The 21 members of our current Leadership Class showcased their individuality while collaborating with Sixth Grade CAP Artist Courtenay Gabriel, who is also a parent to two Trinity alumni. Each student mixed dollops of cobalt blue, steel gray, and snow white acrylic paint to blend their own unique color. They then used these individualized shades to each paint one horizontal stripe on a canvas that Gabriel finished with a glossy, protective coat of resin. With its title cleverly alluding to our beloved mascot, Stripes the Tiger, “Cobalt Stripes” magnifies the singular contributions of each member of our Sixth Grade class while also celebrating and honoring their unity and prominence as they complete their journeys as students at Trinity School.

Written by Laura Herakovich Trinity Parent and Spotlight on Art Education Committee Chair A special thank you to Laura for allowing us to include her beautifully written descriptions in the magazine.

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2020 Spotlight on Art: Year in Review

Pop-Up Gallery at Neiman Marcus The season opened with the Spotlight on Art Pop-Up Gallery at Neiman Marcus. Held from October 3–November 7, 2019, the event included thoughtfully curated artwork from five select artists that served as a preview of the much-anticipated Artists Market held at Trinity School. All work was available for purchase.

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An Evening at Neiman Marcus On November 7, 2019, a group of Trinity parents enjoyed An Evening at Neiman Marcus, an intimate Spotlight on Art event in partnership with sponsor Neiman Marcus. Held at Neiman’s at Lenox Square, this sold-out affair featured a fall fashion trends presentation by Public Relations Manager of Neiman Marcus Rebecca Brodnan and Head Buyer at Neiman Marcus Lori Caplin; an exclusive runway show; and shopping, light bites, and bubbly.

Pop-Up Shop at Trinity School Spotlight on Art opened a Pop-Up Shop during conferences on November 4 and 5, 2019. This event featured works by several artists exhibiting at the Artists Market. In addition to unique art, the Pop-Up Shop included Trinity branded items for purchase.

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Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles’ Home for the Holidays Showhouse For the third year in a row, Spotlight on Art participated in the Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles’ Home for the Holidays Designer Showhouse. From November 14–December 8, 2019, artwork from Spotlight on Art artists was featured in the upstairs hallway of the Showhouse, which was designed by interior designer and Trinity parent Grayson Pratt.

Artists Market A truly unique experience, this year’s Artists Market was once again housed in the Allison Williams Activity Center (AWAC), which was transformed into a beautiful 6,000-square-foot gallery space. The work of more than 350 artists—from contemporary to realism, whimsical to jewelry—was featured during this event that ran from January 27–February 1. An ever-changing inventory brought attendees from around the Southeast back for multiple shopping trips, and an average of 1,000 pieces sold daily.

During the Artists Market, Spotlight hosted the Opening Night Celebration on January 27 and Cocktails and Canvases: Meet the Artists on January 31. Open to the public and free of charge, these signature evening events allowed attendees to meet the Market artists while enjoying beverages and hors d’oeuvres and browsing one-of-a-kind art.

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Gala and Auction To cap off the Spotlight season, the School hosted its annual Gala and Auction for the Trinity community.

Nearly 400 parents, faculty, staff, and special guests came together on February 22 for an evening of fun and philanthropy! Held at the Atlanta History Center, the event included a delicious seated dinner catered by Bold Catering and Designs; cocktails; a silent auction; a fast-paced live auction led by Trinity parent Chris Suh, Head of School Joe Marshall, and Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management Brad Brown; dancing; and incredible music by U.S. Beat. This year also featured two special guest speakers, Sixth Grader Mackenzie and Fifth Grade Science Teacher Becky Maas, who both shared their Trinity stories and how the School impacts their lives. It was an evening to remember!

2020 Nonprofit Beneficiary: New Horizons Senior Center Continuing Spotlight’s service-learning tradition, the Trinity Sixth Grade Leadership Class selected New Horizons Senior Center as this year’s nonprofit beneficiary to receive a monetary gift from Spotlight on Art.

Thank you to our volunteers Trinity is grateful for all the volunteers who make Spotlight on Art an annual success.

A special thank you to this year’s Spotlight leadership team, pictured from left to right: Chair-Elect Aisha Parker, Market Co-Chair Shannon Cofield, Auction Co-Chair Kereth Hicks, Chair Catie Hart, Auction Co-Chair Erica Cummings, and Market Co-Chairs Betsy Meacham and Annie Everett. These individuals devoted countless hours to planning, organizing, and executing Spotlight’s exceptional series of events that benefit Trinity in multiple ways. Thank you for making SOA’s 39th anniversary so special and magical!

Written by: Leisy Ruddock Director of Spotlight on Art and Special Events

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Rhodes College At Trinity since 2018 @spotlightonart @spotlightonart /TrinitySpotlightOnArt

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Second Grader Zoe adds the first of three coats of glaze to her clay heart after it was bisque fired.

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And we shall remain joined at the heart Moms wear them. Dads wear them.

Even loving Grands wear them! Have you ever been at the grocery store or OK Café and seen people proudly wearing handmade clay hearts and wondered what they mean? Did you open your Facebook page or Instagram account and see images from some of your friends displaying at least one heart?

Some sharing photos year after year? If so, you have witnessed a special tradition at Trinity School that represents the love and creativity students have for a special person in their lives.

In 2001, Third–Sixth Grade Art Teacher Pat Kerner started this Choice-Art Studio project for Second Graders. Early Elementary Division Art Teacher Nina Chamberlain, who is also the lead art teacher for Second Graders, continues the tradition to this day with her students. Typically, the hearts are given to a child’s mother but sometimes a dad, a grandparent, or a special friend might be the fortunate recipient. While these projects represent the love students have for a special person, they are more than that. They may be one of the first projects in which a student truly makes a selfless gift. The opportunity to reflect on someone special, imagine and create an object for her or him, and joyfully give a gift are certainly hallmarks of a Trinity education.

How are these special hearts made?

Students employ simple stamping techniques, often using recycled materials, to create the designs. The hearts dry for a week to become bone dry and are then bisque fired in the kiln. Next, students choose the heart’s glaze color.

Students conduct interviews (ask any Second Grader about being a Color Ninja) to find out what favorite color or colors might please the recipient. Traditional colors have been pink, red, and lavender,

but they are not the only choices. Just this year, Second Grader Clara discovered that her grandmother’s favorite colors are gold or yellow, and her gift reflected that discovery. Students learn that glazing is not an exact science, that even the location in the kiln during the second firing might alter the final color just a bit. The final step before giving these treasures involves the creation of accompanying cards. This project takes place over the course of several weeks and students are surprised and delighted to see the outcome of their work when their hearts are given to loved ones for Valentine’s Day during the Second Grade Muffins for Moms event.

In addition to resulting in a cherished piece of wearable art, this project also receives high praise from alumni. This year, three Trinity graduates are lead teachers in Second Grade: Casey Leonard ’05, Grace Granade Riley ’03, and Rachel Walker ’06. Casey’s mom, Maureen Leonard, still treasures the three unique hearts from Casey and her other two children, Eddie Leonard ’06 and Jack Leonard ’09.

“I have three hearts, and I love that they are all different in size, color, and decorations,” says Maureen. “I don’t see them [the necklaces] very often, but when I do, they bring an immediate smile to my face and an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia.”

Grace’s mom still has the hearts that Grace and her other daughter, Eliza Granade ’06, made for her when they were Second Graders at Trinity.

“It’s been special now as a Second-Grade teacher to be able to explain this longstanding tradition to the moms and loved ones who come in for Muffins for Moms on Valentine’s Day and share that they are now a part of the club,” says Grace.

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During her first year teaching at Trinity, Rachel saw a parent wearing her child’s special gift and was immediately taken back to creating a heart for her own mother when she was a Trinity student.

“My sisters [Anna Walker ’10 and Sarah Walker ’10] also made necklaces for mom when they were old enough, and my mom would wear all three hearts around her neck at the same time,” says Rachel.

“My mom still has her three hearts and seeing current Trinity moms wearing the hearts will always bring back the sweetest connection for me of being a student at Trinity and how blessed I am to be back as a teacher.

“For years and years, students have been given the same assignment of making a pottery heart necklace for their mom or other loved one,” she continues. “The

beautiful thing is that as every child is unique and special, so are the hearts they make. They are all beautiful and different and made out of pure love.”

These beautiful works of art are worn long after students graduate from Trinity School. Alumni parent and former Upper Elementary Division Head Maryellen Berry, who noticed several individuals wearing the hearts at her new school, reminds us that if we consider about 80 students a year in Second Grade, there are more than 1,500 clay hearts in all colors of the rainbow proudly worn on Valentine’s Day. Keep your eyes open! You never know when you might spot one of these Trinity treasures that connects not only students to their parents, but also families to the School.

Second Grader Kieran poses with his mom, Avani, after gifting her a Trinity Heart during this year’s Second Grade Muffins for Moms.

Kim Hockstein, parent to two Trinity alumni, proudly shares her heart picture on social media.

She says, “The Second Grade Trinity Hearts are one of my favorite Trinity traditions. I wear them proudly every year on Valentine’s Day, and they always bring a smile to my face. They remind me of my boys’ (Ryan ’15 and Drew ’13) time at Trinity School and the warmth and love of the Trinity community that surrounded us.”

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Written by: Ginny Perkinson Assistant to the Head of School

Bachelor of Science in Geology Georgia State University At Trinity since 2001 @GPerkinson

Some of the current and past Trinity parents who work at the School pose with Third–Sixth Grade Art Teacher Pat Kerner as they proudly display their hearts. Front row: Katie Rosengren, Charlotte Maguire, Shaun McCarthy, Sarah Morgan Bonham; Back Row: Pat Kerner, Lori Austin, Kerry Coote, Thalia Scott, Rhonda Mitchell, Carrie Peralta

“One of my favorite Trinity School traditions comes each February when I proudly and excitedly wear my Trinity Hearts,” says Trinity parent Susan Reese.

“They are a beautiful reminder of my four sweet young children and of the significant role Trinity has played in shaping their lives. The Hearts also provide a personal connection among current and past Trinity families, many of whom share selfies and posts of them around Valentine’s Day. These beautiful keepsakes symbolize how Trinity School will forever be in our hearts.” - Susan wears her Trinity Hearts as she poses with her children, from left to right, Sam ’17, Sixth Grader Ben, Will ’14, and Elizabeth ’15.

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Alumni Lee Thomas ’77 leads film industry in Georgia Did you know that more top-grossing films shoot in Georgia than anywhere else in the world? In 2008, the state passed a 30 percent tax credit for productions shot in Georgia and, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) website, “Georgia went from being one of the film locations in the world to being the #1 location in the world.”

Georgia has the locations, the talent, and the tax credits to give Atlanta the nickname “Hollywood of the South.”

Georgia’s film industry also has Trinity alumna Lee Thomas. Lee, who graduated from Trinity in 1977, is the Deputy Commissioner of the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, a division of the GDEcD. Lee attended Trinity School when it was still in the basement of Trinity Presbyterian Church. She has great memories of her time at Trinity, especially of her teachers and thenprincipal Mr. Kimzey.

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“My Fourth-Grade teacher was Susan O’Donnell, and she had a bathtub filled with pillows and a hammock in her classroom—very unconventional and I loved it,” says Lee. “Also, Trinity Church’s minister, Allison Williams, and his wife Jo, lived on the property; they were friends of my parents and Allison loved joking around with the students.”

Lee went to Marist after graduating from Trinity, then attended the University of Georgia’s Grady College.

“It was a great time to be in Athens, and I saw a lot of great live music there,” she says.

Inspired to get her undergraduate degree in Radio, TV, and Film, Lee went on to get her master’s degree in Film at Georgia State University. After completing her studies in Georgia, Lee entered the Tisch School of Arts Doctoral Program in Cinema Studios at New York University but did not finish her degree.

“My parents said that after the master’s degree, I would be paying for my own schooling, says Lee. “I was running up some big student loans so decided that was enough education.”

Lee regrets not completing her doctorate because she would love to teach, but at the time she didn’t know what she wanted to do. She did know it was time to make some money.

Lee started working at the Brooklyn Arts Council in Brooklyn Heights. She says it was a great job but the pull of the South was strong. “I was living in Park Slope, Brooklyn, but still had a condominium in Virginia Highlands, so I decided to move back.”

In 1996, right before the Olympics, she returned to Georgia and was hired as a project manager and location scout by the Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, then called the Georgia Film & Videotape Office. Twenty-four years later, and 10 years after becoming its leader, Lee is still there!

Responsible for bringing film and television projects and the necessary infrastructure to the state, Lee and her team oversee the Film Tax Credit, scout locations, help with logistics, and run the Camera Ready Communities program, a means for all 159 counties to engage with the film industry and to help attract projects to their area. A Camera-Ready designee in each county helps to keep their community’s photos current and can help incoming shows with logistics that may be unique to their area, such as local permitting.

They have had great success over the last 15 years. In 2005, there was one 45,000-square-foot soundstage. Today, Georgia boasts 1.2 million square feet of purpose-built soundstages, and 2.1 million more square feet of retrofitted stage space. In 2007, before the state’s incentives were in place, Georgia hosted movies with a direct spend of $67 million. This past year, the direct spend was $2.9 billion!

In recognition of her leadership that has made Georgia the top spot for filming movies and TV, Lee won Georgia Trend magazine’s 2019 Georgian of the Year award.

“The Walking Dead is probably the best example of the impact that film can have on a community,” she says. “The town of Senoia once had only six or seven open businesses, but once The Walking Dead took hold there, that number grew to more than 80! It has become a really vibrant community again, and there are always tourists—both domestic as well as international—in town to see where this show is shot.”

Lee is grateful for her time at Trinity and believes that the School really encouraged individuality, which helped her to find her way to the film world.

She has some career advice for Trinity students and young alums.

“There are so many more opportunities in the state of Georgia now, especially in film, that were not around when I was young,” she says. “I would suggest that you try to get as much exposure to as many careers and opportunities as you can, so you’ll know what you’ll really want to do as a profession. One of the jobs I’ve had within the film office is as a location scout—and I absolutely loved it—but I never knew it was a job when I was young.”

Lee is most proud of the profound effect the newfound industry has had on the state of Georgia, bringing hundreds of new companies to the state and countless opportunities and jobs.

“The impact that the film industry has had on the state of Georgia and all of the jobs that have been created—the industry growth has really changed a lot of lives, thanks to a lot of legislative and local support,” she says. “When I graduated from film school, you pretty much had to move to either New York or Los Angeles.

Now, the students here don’t have to make that choice. They can stay in Georgia to work in film.”

Zombieland, Ozark, and The Walking Dead are some of Lee’s favorite projects.

Written by: Khette Plyler Director of Alumni Relations and Assistant Director of The Trinity Fund

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and Nutritional Sciences The University of Vermont At Trinity since 2012 /Trinity-School-Alumni-Association

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Alumni

Alumni Events Class of 2019 Reunion Only four months after graduating from Trinity, Trinity’s latest graduating class had already seen so much growth! On October 3, 2019, our youngest alums took an hour out of their busy Seventh-Grade schedules to put their elementary hats back on. The Class of 2019 was invited back to school for their first official reunion. The group played on the playground and the Trinity Track, enjoyed pizza, and caught up with former classmates.

The Class of 2019 poses for a group photo.

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[L-R] Maddie Stancil ’19, Greta Ferro ’19, Mackenna Stewart ’19, Milan Barnes ’19, Hadley Young ’19, Haddon Buschmann ’19, Anna Speer ’19, Amanda Glidden ’19

Class of 2018 and 2019 Bowling Party Strikes, spares, and laughs! Trinity alums who are now in Seventh and Eighth Grade gathered at Midtown Bowl on the afternoon of December 8, 2019, for pizza, bowling, and fun with old friends. A good time was had by all!

Alumni Night at Trinity School On November 13, 2019, the Trinity Alumni Association hosted the third annual Alumni Night at Trinity School. Alums 21 and older were invited to campus to participate in a fun-filled STEAM night. Guests battled over who could build the tallest cup tower while others tried their hand at completing a circuit or took a trip to outer space on the Google exploration goggles. Everyone enjoyed drinks and dinner catered by Nuevo Laredo.

Whitney Brown Novak ’90, Kate Nellis Burns ’95, Catherine Overend Stewart ’95, Peter Stewart, Clay Prickett ’96, and Susanne Inman Frayser ’96 enjoy welcoming remarks at Alumni Night.

Clark Goodwin ’60 tries his hand at a STEAM challenge.

Hall McKinley ’00 is determined to build the tallest cup tower as Mark Shaw ’00 looks on.

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Alumni

Class Notes Jason Chambers ’89 and his wife, Nancy, welcomed a daughter, Elizabeth Bell Chambers, on January 22. Bell joins proud big brother Thomas, who is a Pre-K student at Trinity.

Jillian O’Donnell ’01 is a gynecologist conducting her Fellowship at UNC Chapel Hill.

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Elizabeth Edwards ’02 and her husband, Scott, welcomed their first child, Elizabeth Lyle “Elle” Edwards on September 4, 2019.

Jake O’Donnell ’03 served four years as an Army Ranger, including a tour in Afghanistan. He now works at United Enertech in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as a Process Improvement Manager.

Alexis Kirton ’05 is attending Columbia Business School as a first year MBA student and resides in Morningside Heights, New York.

Anne Torrey McCuean ’08 is working at Atlanta Girls’ School in the Advancement office. She began as an intern and was soon hired to run SMART Girls Summer Camp and to be the Advancement Assistant.

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Blake Gillikin ’10, a punter for the Penn State Nittany Lions, earned a spot on the Google Cloud Academic All-American Division I first team for the second consecutive year.

A senior with a 4.0 grade-point average as a kinesiology major, Blake ranks No. 1 in career punting average in Penn State history with 43.32 yards per punt. He is also the only player in program history with three 70-plus yard punts in their career. In addition, Blake was one of 137 college football players nominated this past summer for the AllState AFCA Good Works Team for players who stand out for their leadership in local communities and overall commitment to giving back.

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Ellie Munson ’13 is a freshman at Georgia College and State University. A psychology major, Ellie learned at an early age that she wanted to be in a field dedicated to helping and understanding others. She plays on the university’s equestrian team and is a member of the Delta Gamma Fraternity and the Eta Sigma Alpha honors fraternity.

Visit www.trinityatl.org/alumni to submit Class Notes and update your contact information.

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Members of Trinity’s Class of 2014 gathered for a picture during their senior year at The Lovett School.

Pictured Front: Savannah Dean, Nichelle Haley, Campbell Tomlin, Claire Wallace, Julia Balser, Mattie Schwieger Back: Alex Garcia-Civita, Clayton Cross, Lillian Whittle, Isabelle Johnson, Rankin Mori, Duncan Park

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Leighton Dickson ’14 has signed on to play lacrosse at Rhodes College.

Trinity alums Evvie Morgan ’18, Maddie Wright ’18, Alexis McDonald ’18, Sophie Latz ’18, Mia Heath ’18, Emma Grace Roe ’18, Owen Norman ’19, Jonathan Hunt ’19, Austin Genova ’19, Amanda Glidden ’19, Ethan Mattingly ’19, and Hillis Kopecky ’18 performed in the Westminster Middle School production of The Lion King.

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Trinity alums and friends Ashton Beasley ’19 and Trevor Dempsey ’19 reunited in the pool. Ashton dives for Marist, and Trevor dives at Westminster. Ashton placed 7th in his division and Trevor placed 1st in his division at the Georgia All Star Meet held at Georgia Tech on January 12.

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3 Photo by Penn State Athletics

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Allison Williams left a lasting legacy with the founding of Trinity School in 1951. Allison and his wife, Jo’s vision of Trinity serves as an inspiration that should encourage each of us to follow in their footsteps and create our own legacy at Trinity.

Make the gift of a lifetime Members of The Allison and Josephine Williams Legacy Society have included Trinity in their wills or estate plans. Their gifts provide financial support that is critical for the School’s future. Trinity relies on planned gifts to grow and flourish. Our physical campus, named professional development funds, and endowed scholarships all benefit from the generosity of The Allison and Josephine Williams Legacy Society members. Planned gifts continue our readiness for opportunities and challenges ahead and help Trinity remain a leading elementary-only institution. We are grateful for these thoughtful donors because their unique financial support ensures that the School will be prepared for the future and for future generations of Trinity students.

Planned Giving at Trinity It is easy to leave a lasting legacy at Trinity through a planned gift.

• Wills and Trusts: make an important impact on Trinity that doesn’t cost anything during your lifetime and will only take effect after your other obligations are fulfilled • Life Insurance Policies: create a long-term gift that won’t draw funds from your estate • Retirement Plan: name Trinity as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, and leave less-taxed assets to family • Stock and Appreciated Assets: take advantage of appreciated securities without incurring a capital gains tax • Donor-Advised Fund: make Trinity the final beneficiary of your existing fund

Contact Katie Hammett, 404-760-4407 or khammett@trinityatl.org, to speak further about including Trinity in your future plans or if they already include Trinity.

Additional information can be found on Trinity’s Planned Giving website: http://trinityatl.plannedgiving.org

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Choose your own adventure

at Trinity School Summer Camp!

• For children ages 4 to 13 • Academic, specialty, and sports camps • Monday–Friday | June 1–26 | 7:30 AM–4 PM • Limited offerings available July 27–31 4301 Northside Parkway NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 p 404-231-8117 kwhitmer@trinityatl.org

Register at www.trinityatl.org/summercamp

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, we will communicate any changes to our summer camp program.

If camps are canceled, families will receive a full refund.

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4301 Northside Parkway NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327

Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit #2905 Atlanta, GA