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Park Tudor Hosts First Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Day
 Approximately 35 parents, faculty and students came together on Saturday, October 31 for Park Tudor's first Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Day. The day began with a presentation by Tim Streett, a sociologist who is also assistant director of the Shepherd Community Center. Tim lives and works in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood of Indianapolis, and has dedicated his life to helping people break the cycle of poverty. Tim's presentation focused on the complex causes of poverty, as well as the many skills that people must develop to escape generational poverty.
Following his presentation, Tim took the group on a tour of some of Indianapolis' oldest neighborhoods, to illustrate how the city developed from the initial "mile square" of downtown. The tour included neighborhoods that have recently gentrified, as well as neighborhoods that have experienced significant urban abandonment.
Finally, the group reconvened to hear from some of Park Tudor's community partners, including the First Baptist Food Pantry, Habitat for Humanity, the Horizons Program, and the Crooked Creek Food Pantry, to understand work that our school and students are currently doing in Indianapolis and to begin to explore ways we might expand our efforts.
The day was organized by Associate Head of School for Academic Affairs, Peter Kraft. "It was very gratifying to see such a large group come together on a Saturday to participate in this community-engaged learning opportunity," said Kraft. "We are excited about developing even more ways in which we can connect the Park Tudor community with the larger Indianapolis community."
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A Word on Wellness: Giving Girls Permission to Be Less than Perfect
 By Lisa Mercurio, School Psychologist and Upper School Academic Support Coordinator
As I prepared for this week's Word on Wellness, I reflected back over the years at Park Tudor with a focus on the recurring themes I hear as I support students, parents and teachers in the Upper School. One issue that appears regularly is that of perfectionism, particularly with female students. While I see this a great deal in the Upper School, this behavior manifests much earlier than we would like to admit. Our society places great emphasis on looking good and being popular starting as early as late elementary and reaching a peak during high school. While not all girls respond to these pressures, many find themselves trying to excel in far too many categories: appearance, schoolwork, sports, socially, taking care of family, and so on.
What can parents do to effect a change in this behavior?
The best approach is to model good behavior - which means saying loud and clear that no one is perfect all the time at everything. Our daughters are watching us very closely. They are watching how we respond when we make mistakes. Additionally, as parents it is alright to push our daughters to work hard to always do their best, and to strive for the things that matter most to them, but there is no need for girls to excel in every way. If your daughter doesn't have an amazing voice, let her sing for fun and don't require her to try out for the school musical. Perhaps she can find other ways to be a part of the performance. If she isn't the best athlete, let her play recreationally, but without pressure to join a travel team. Unfortunately, this drive for perfectionism can reach levels that are detrimental and actually have the opposite effect, resulting in anxiety-related symptoms that interfere with the student's ability to achieve.
Dr. Debora Spar, president of Barnard College, was interviewed regarding her recent book, "Wonder Women: Sex, Power and the Quest for Perfection." She indicated that the college admissions process tends to exacerbate this quest for perfection because that's what many teenagers believe it takes to get into a top college, but, in reality, that isn't the case. Colleges, even the most selective ones, don't look for perfection. Dr. Spar stated, "the schools are looking for good students, interesting students, and students with a demonstrated intellectual curiosity and a drive to learn more." Doing well matters, but the schools are not looking for perfection, or a student that spends hundreds of hours doing extracurricular activities just to impress an admissions board. She encouraged young women to choose to be involved in activities because they enjoy them and because they matter to them. This is something that is most evident to admissions boards.
Lastly, when asked her advice for young women, Dr. Spar said, "Say 'no' instead of 'maybe,' because once you say, 'maybe' - whether it's 'Maybe I'll come by the party' or 'Maybe I'll join the Bollywood dance troop' - then you'll feel guilty if you don't do it." Too often women expend energy worrying about letting people down; whereas, if you just say, "no" upfront without explanation, it's so much safer. Again, this is something we can model for our daughters.
This interview in its entirety is available in the September/October 2014 edition of Your Teen.
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"ThanksForGiving" Month Has Begun
It's officially "ThanksForGiving" Month here at PT. Thank you to all parents who have already participated in the Park Tudor Annual Fund for the 2015-2016 academic year.
From the beginning, philanthropy has been the foundation of Park Tudor School. This tradition continues today through the generosity of parents, alumni, board, faculty and staff, grandparents, and friends. This fall, our goal is to stretch ourselves - reaching for 100% participation; a pledge counts towards this goal and may be fulfilled any time before June 30, 2016.
In case you missed it, watch this video to learn how YOU can help provide our students with an education that ignites curiosity, instills compassion and inspires courage in their lives, now and in the future.
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Connecting Classroom, Campus, and Community: Casse pas la tête
 By Christian Jacobs, Upper School French Teacher
In June 2015, twelve Park Tudor students and three chaperones traveled to Reunion Island, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, as a part of our exchange program with La Maison Blanche. During our trip, we spent four days in Paris and two weeks in Reunion Island. Our activities calendar was spectacular and unforgettable. We visited the Musée d'Orsay, took a boat tour on the Seine, attended classes in a French school, climbed a volcano, went paddle-boating in a lagoon and snorkeled around coral reefs.
Another group excursion included a walking tour through the religious sites in Reunion's capital, St. Denis. The following narrative summarizes the unique opportunity for our students and faculty to witness in person the powerful, yet subtle, impact of religious tolerance in a distant, isolated space.
« Casse pas la tête. Casse pas la tête. Casse pas la tête. » He repeats it over and over. It translates literally: "Don't break your head" or "Don't crack your head." I'm standing in direct sunlight in front of an ornately carved door to the Hindu temple in St. Paul. It's locked. In rough English, Dominique is halfway into his speech about tolerance in front the group. He wears a typical low-brim French top hat, dark sunglasses, and a strange reed-woven bag with narrow straps on his back. I pause to consider the irony of our religious sites visit in secular La Réunion, where all religions live in perfect harmony, or so the pamphlets say. The door is locked. Dominique says there is a religious ceremony taking place. My cynicism kicks in: our first stop isn't making this place seem so open and welcoming. We cross the street and stand under the sun for photo opportunities. I politely ask Dominique to switch over to French. "Casse pas la tête." It will all be okay.
Later, we walk into the Buddhist temple to a storm of incense. Dominique explains numerological harmony in Buddhist tradition before we pass by several idols. He places his hands together and bows before each them. "In Reunion, we celebrate all religious traditions and practice them simultaneously." That's certainly not what my grandpa from the Great Plains would say, I think to myself. I spend some extra time examining the fiery red paint of an ancient deity who was burned alive for his beliefs. I hear the local Chinese clanking teacups in the adjacent room. "Casse pas la tête." Moving on. The mosque at Saint Denis resides within a strip-mall of cafés and discount clothing shops. You can walk by without notice if you don't look up. We enter, take off our shoes and listen to Dominique explain the five pillars of Islam. He takes some liberties with his explanations of call to prayer. Our students light up with the desire to put into practice information that they have learned from history courses. Sunshine fills the entry. We proceed into the prayer room and my feet sink in the thick carpet. Two men study the Koran in opposite corners. Dominique demonstrates Muslim prayer and the importance of facing Mecca. I imagine what he will do in the Cathedral when we get there. My feet are begging for relief, and the students are starting to lean on every available object. "Casse pas la tête." This tour is almost finished. Mass interrupts our visit at the cathedral and we are hurried out to an explanation of Catholicism under an awning with nesting birds. Dominique finishes his lesson to three separate rounds of applause. He takes off, telling us that we are ambassadors to the theme of tolerance in La Reunion. The students attack their lunch sacks, while I wonder about the take-away. "Casse pas la tête." Don't worry. Some of the largest lessons in life demand the subtlest applications. Sometimes you have to put on your sneakers and move your feet through the world's wonders. Sometimes lessons of diversity and tolerance are best digested with a sack lunch prepared by French host parents on an island 9,800 miles away from home.
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Coming November 9: Parent Loyalty Survey - We Need Your Participation!
On Monday, November 9, all Park Tudor parents will be asked to complete a very short (4-question) survey measuring parent loyalty as part of a pilot program among INDEX schools.
INDEX is a consortium of independent peer schools that are very similar to Park Tudor; we work closely with our fellow INDEX schools to benchmark ourselves. In this pilot program, approximately 30 INDEX schools will ask all parents the key question, how likely are you to recommend Park Tudor? Once all schools have administered the survey, we will be able to compare our results to our fellow INDEX schools. We hope that this will become an annual survey that is eventually implemented by all INDEX schools, if the pilot is successful. We would like as much parent participation as possible; please complete the survey during the week of November 9-13. This survey will not replace the ISACS parent survey, which we plan to conduct in February, but instead will give us additional data to benchmark ourselves with our peer schools.
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Middle School Marks Disability Awareness Week
Next week (Nov. 9-13) is Disability Awareness Week in the Middle School. We have again partnered with Joseph Maley Foundation to design a week that encourages our students to think about the power of their words, to consider the misconceptions and myths about disabilities, and to celebrate people with disabilities through inspiring stories. Andrew Peterson, a three-time gold medalist in the Special Olympics, is coming to speak with all Middle School students on Tuesday, November 10. Andrew, his brother, and their adoptive father speak to student groups about overcoming the obstacles associated with fetal alcohol syndrome. Learn more about their presentations. The week will culminate on Friday, when a wheelchair basketball team will play for our students. |
ISSMA Annual Contest Entry Forms Due November 24
The Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) annual district and state level solo and ensemble contests provide our students with appropriate and attainable musical goals to strive towards each school year. Participation is open to students in grades 5-12 who attend a member school and participate in our choral and instrumental music programs.
2016 Contest Dates:
Sat., Jan. 30: District Instrumental (Winds, Strings, Percussion) at New Augusta Public Academy North
Sat., Feb. 6: District Piano and Voice at Westfield Middle School
Sat., Feb. 20: State Piano and Voice at Perry Meridian Middle and High Schools
Sat., Feb. 27: State Instrumental (Winds, Strings, Percussion) at Northview Middle and North Central High School
The deadline for all entry forms and fees to be turned into the Park Tudor Music Department is the end of the school day on Tuesday, November 24, the day prior to Thanksgiving Break.
Questions regarding the piano and voice contest should be directed to Mrs. Melanie Marshall (415-2963) or Mr. Lamonte Kuskye (415-2717). Mrs. Lorelei Farlow (415-2795) and Mr. Chuck Flowers (415-2826) will be able to handle all orchestral and band questions respectively.
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Upper School Fall Play: Scenes from
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Metamorphoses
Saturday, November 7, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 8, 2:30 p.m.
Ayres Auditorium
First performed by students at Northwestern University, where playwright Mary Zimmerman is a professor of performance studies (she is also Manilow Resident Director at the Goodman Theater in Chicago), this play opened at Broadway's Circle on the Square Theater in March, 2002.
Based on Ovid's transformation myths, the play subtly mixes the ancient stories of pathos and tragedy with contemporary language, humor, and thought, all enacted in and around a large pool of water in the center of the stage. The themes of love, the inevitability of change, and the human ability to adapt to change are timeless, as is amply demonstrated by the sometimes eerie closeness of a vignette to the original lines from Ovid, which still manage to resonate with modern viewers.
 Homegrown: Fostering an Innovative Mindset in Our Schools and City Thursday, November 12 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. The Speak Easy 5255 N. Winthrop Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46220 Join us to hear from innovators in the Indianapolis business community, including PT alumni Lauren George '09, who is directing community outreach for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Prahasith Veluvolu '13, co-founder (with fellow PT alums Jacobi Petrucciani '12 and Colton Voege '13) of Mimir, a platform that will enable professors to provide more immediate feedback to students. Tech entrepreneur Ryan Pfenniger, who started his first company while a student at North Central and is now chief technology officer at 250ok, will also participate, along with Kendrea Williams, founder of Ethos Marketing and Communications, and Jason Williams, owner of SPYCOMPS, a competitive intelligence firm. This event will provide opportunities for networking and learning from some of the most innovative minds in the community. Register here.
Fall Orchestra Concert Grades 7-12
Wednesday, November 18
7:30 p.m.
Ayres Auditorium
Enjoy performances from Park Tudor's many instrumental ensembles comprised of both Middle and Upper School students.
Fall Band Concert Grades 7-12 Friday, November 20 7:30 p.m. Ayres Auditorium Park Tudor's full band and other Middle and Upper School band instrumental groups will perform.
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Students and Faculty in the News
 * Sophomore Beatrice Bowlby won second place in original oratory at the Noblesville High School Monster Mash Speech Meet on Saturday, October 31. Over 650 students competed at this meet and Beatrice not only made the top 6 for the final round, but placed second among the top six. Also attending the meet were sophomore Graysen Montel in impromptu and freshman Gary Zhang in humorous interpretation. Park Tudor Speech Team coaches are Tamara Tudor and Sarah McDaniels. * In October, a photograph by senior Annie McCarter was exhibited at the Indianapolis Artsgarden along with other pieces that won regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in 2015. This month, senior Clare Chandler will show a painting in the juried exhibition "Electric Light: Fluorescent and Neon in Contemporary Art Practice" at the Garfield Park Arts Center. Work by her teacher, Laura Schroeder, will also be displayed. The opening reception is this Saturday, November 7 from 2-4 p.m.  * The PT Debate Team, under the coaching of Mr. Jonathan Polak, attended the Munster Novice Debate Tournament on October 10. Freshman Alec Weiker placed 3rd in Lincoln Douglas debate, Arya Bolla placed 5th and Aaron Chai placed 6th. At the West Lafayette Debate Meet, junior Pavani Peri placed 5th as a varsity competitor in Lincoln Douglas and Anjeli Mirmira placed 4th as a novice Lincoln Douglas Competitor. * Bassist Mike McGill (12) was accepted by audition to participate in the Side-by-Side concert with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The concert, featuring selected students from across Indiana, will be held on March 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Hilbert Circle Theater. We are proud to have Mike representing Park Tudor!  * Park Tudor's sophomore history course was highlighted by Fred Risinger in a recent column in Social Education, the flagship journal of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). The curriculum for this course was designed by Upper School social studies teachers Jeff Johnson and Margo McAlear. Fred was particularly interested in how the course covers the Middle East. Fred remarked to Jeff Johnson that "Park Tudor students are indeed fortunate to be able to take the World Civilizations course in their sophomore year. They learn far more than mere factual information. They learn how the contemporary world came to be. The course uses innovative and effective instructional methods and materials. I sincerely wish that all American students could have the opportunity to take this course." Fred is a former president of the NCSS. |
Crew: PT rowers finished their season with their home regatta at Eagle Creek Park on Saturday, October 31. PT rowers earning medals include:
Mens Junior Novice Four, 3rd place: Leo Helman
Mens Junior 1st Varsity Four, 1st place: Alex Bowlby, Luke Elliott
Mens Junior 2nd Varsity Four, 1st place: Jasper MacLean
Mens Junior Novice Eight, 1st place: Matthew Heck
Womens Junior 1st Varsity Eight, 2nd place: Anabella Helman, Maya Mishra (cox)
Mens Junior 1st Varsity Eight, 2nd place: Alex Bowlby, Luke Elliott, Jasper MacLean
Mens Junior Quad, 3rd place: Leo Helman
Girls Basketball: The Park Tudor girls basketball season is now underway. Come out and catch the Lady Panthers in action this evening at home vs. conference foe Monrovia. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m.
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Throwback Thursday History: Masquers - Wishbone - Prompters - Barnstormers - Thespians
Park Tudor's dramatic efforts stretch back to the early days of Tudor Hall and Park School. At Tudor, the drama club was named Masquers and performed a musical and 3-act play annually. In addition, the seniors also produced their Senior play and middle school girls enjoyed Junior Masquers. When boys could not be cast in the male roles, the young women of Tudor took on the task of portraying males. At Park School, The Prompters and later The Wishbone Club was a popular drama club. Comedies as well as dramas were featured annually. Although the boys occasionally had to play the female roles, in 1960, Tudor and Park shared actors with one another. When the two schools merged, alumni, students and faculty converted the old cider barn to a theatre. Thus, the Barnstormers were formed. In 1976, Ayres Auditorium was built. The name Barnstormers was kept for a few years until Park Tudor joined the International Thespian Society and The Thespians were formed, marking the modern era of Park Tudor theatre.
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Clockwise from top left: 1955 Tudor Hall production of Moliere's Imaginary Invalid; 1974 Barnstormers production of George Washington Slept Here; the cider barn turned theater in 1975; 1965 yearbook picture of the Wishbone Club.
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PTPA News:
Congratulations Pumpkin Carving Contest Winners!
Congratulations to the winners of the annual Pumpkin Carving Contest:
Most Scary: 3rd - Paige Dill; 2nd - Nathan Cunningham; 1st - The DePowell Family
Best Look-a-Like: 3rd - Ryann Brock; 2nd - The Cooreman-Hood Family; 1st - Asha Arora
Most Bling: 3rd - Claire Richards; 2nd - Ella Nie; 1st - Eva Gershman
Most Creative without Carving: 3rd - Giacomo Pili; 2nd - Ava Arora; 1st - Lizzie Fisher
PTPA General Meeting November 12
Please join us on November 12th from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. for the PTPA General Meeting in Foster Hall. Matthew Miller and Mary Cassidy will discuss private school financing and answer questions you may have regarding Park Tudor's budget and funding. It will prove to be quite informative. Catered lunch from McAllister's will be provided so please RSVP to Katherine Dill if you plan to attend at katherinedill@yahoo.com so that appropriate food can be provided.
Holiday Handmade Mart - Call for Artists
Calling all Artists and Craftspeople - You are invited to join in the fifth annual Holiday Handmade Mart, being held in conjunction with the PTPA coffee on Friday, December 4. If you are interested in selling your handmade wares alongside PT faculty, staff, and parents, send your name, a description of your work, and a representative photograph to Mia Miller, mianmiller@gmail.com. Space is limited.
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PT Photos
Don't forget to check out PT Photos throughout the year for photos of events. You can also follow PT on Facebook and Instagram.
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Park Tudor School Mission
To create an inspiring college-preparatory learning environment, with exceptional educators and extraordinary opportunities, that prepares and motivates students to become balanced, confident, and resourceful lifelong learners.
Editor: Cathy Chapelle '87
Editorial Staff: Cassie Dull
Graphic Design & Layout: Stefanie Dean '05
The deadline for submissions to the Times is Monday at 9 a.m. for publication on Thursday. Because of the volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee publication in the same week, but date-sensitive information will receive priority.
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