March 2011

 

It is hard to believe that we finally got through the teeth of the winter months.  We had more snow than usual and therefore, this spring is more anticipated than

Photos by Will Bingham '16 (see below)

years past for me, the faculty, and our students.  Although we could get more snow, all of us are excited and eager for spring to come.  Outside my office window, I notice the crocus' coming up through the soil.  I love to witness the cycles of nature and all the smells and visuals the different seasons bring to us throughout the year.

 

Similar to the cycles in nature, one of the annual experiences educators in indepen-

dent schools enjoy each year is the National Association of Independent School Annual Conference.  This year the conference was held in Baltimore, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C.  

 

Jim Nallo (Board Chair), Kyle Armstrong (Associate Head of School), Carol Burns (Director of Communications), Mary Ellen Takacs (Prekindergarten), Kelley Stout (Kindergarten), Jillian Zepp (Kindergarten), Erica Coverley (Fifth grade) and I attended the conference.    It was very rewarding to be with so many colleagues listening and studying the best practices of independent schools.  This effort could have only been done due to the success of the 2010 auction and the major support of our Swain Association.   Thank you for your support with that effort to give many of us meaningful professional development opportunities this year.  

 

The theme for this year's NAIS conference was, "Monumental Opportunities:  Advancing our Public Purpose".  As you know, we do so much to support many local organizations by doing active community service projects throughout the year.  These efforts are led by our faculty and administration, but also encouraged and made possible by so many of our parent volunteers. 

 

Although the concept at the conference encouraged independent schools "to do" community service, it stood for much more than to just financially support local, national, and international organizations. We must connect our school to the general public community and help inculcate these values to our students of doing the common good.  It is inherent at our school that we continue to follow best practices of independent schools by providing our students the opportunities to learn how to give back to others.  We must participate in the paradigm shift away from simply doing good and feeling good about our actions, by trying to integrate our efforts with ongoing intellectual and relational endeavors that serves the common good. 

 

An article in the most recent Independent School magazine said, "According to a 2010 report from Campus Compact, students who engage, through programs connecting classroom to community, improve their academic performance as well as their leadership skills."  With that being said, we still have more work to accomplish with our efforts at The Swain School.

 

At the conference we heard from many excellent speakers, both at large venues, and in smaller workshops.  Each one of them had important messages that focused on the importance as an independent school to continue to give our students the love of learning that stimulates intellectual curiosity, while at the same time giving them the understanding that our graduates and current students are expected to take what they learn, and give back to the larger society once they leave our school.  We must continue to challenge our students with academics, but also give them the map and the compass to live a life that encourages them to be agents of change in the global world that awaits them in their adulthood. 

 

One of the keynote speakers, Dan Heath, author of Made to Stick and Switch talked about change.  He said the enemy of change is ambiguity, and that we need to help our students create the motivation and inspiration that this change can happen.  Independent schools create challenging environments that are safe, and we design curriculum that help our students analyze information, think about ideas and create the meaning of change.  I believe this message of change within how we do community work to support the overall societal needs and the common good is what our neighborhoods deserve in our next leaders. 

 

We also heard from the President of Bennington College, Elizabeth Coleman, and the President and CEO of the Harlem Children's Zone Inc., Geoffrey Canada.  Both were impressive and gave powerful feedback about the public school system today in America and how important it is we all pay close attention to the problems in the current education system and the problems its students face. 

 

Both spoke about how the independent school model and how our organizations are essential in leading public school reform.  We must take our lead in education and help provide our students the fundamental skills to make an impact both in our school and in their community.  As mentioned in the newest Independent School magazine, "We must have a strategic pursuit of public purpose and community engagement which provides both opportunity and context for drawing together competing objectives of education.  We should have rigorous study and important reflection combined with a demonstration of real-world abilities.  The student's - and the school's - relationship to the outside word is no longer a matter of individual preference, exercised after hours, but a communal and national necessity." 

 

Listening to these national leaders in education gives all of us in the independent school communities much to think about.  We must stay clear in our delivery of how we teach and how we provide information to our students.  Internally, most of it begins with the quality of teachers and the relationships with their students and even the parents.  It is also essential that we hold high the importance of accountability for all of us in this community.  This will ensure that we continue to create a school that has an institutional relationship internally and to our external communities.  As the year proceeds, we will continue to work on creating the learning environment that provides our students the opportunity to be engaged in community leadership and we must integrate an institutional responsibility to form positive leaders.

These conferences and other independent school publications provide much insight in how other independent schools are operating on a daily basis, and how our membership in the school community must continue to finds ways to give our students, your children, the drive to make a difference in the lives of so many in their future.   With your support, we will continue to remind our Swain students that they are not the privileged; in reality, it is a privilege to be at this school. 

 

We can be proud that our curriculum has made many strides over the past several years to create a culture that inspires children to learn and be prepared for the next stage in their life.  But, we must not forget that each day and each year we need to work in partnership with home to strengthen our efforts to make our school stand strong and provide a larger role in the "public purpose". 

 

I hope all of you enjoy the restful time over spring break and take the time to celebrate your children. We are very proud of their work thus far, and are eager to continue to make a positive impact on the lives of your children.  I appreciate all of your support and the trust you have put in us to educate your children for the greater good and to help give them the academic and social tools needed to excel in the global society awaiting them in their future.

 

Warmly,

 

Todd P. Stansbery 

 

PHOTOS: The photos in this edition were taken by third grader Will Bingham, who took these scenes around Swain as part of his "Swain Photographer for the Day" experience with Mrs. Burns, offered through the 2010 Swain Auction. This opportunity - along with dozens of other popular Teachers' Treasures - will be available at our May 14 Auction & Dinner Gala.