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ISACS Accreditation Process Begins (Again): Everett and McDougall Co-chairing PT's Septennial Evaluation
By Dr. Matthew D. Miller, Head of School
John Dewey, educational reformer and philosopher asserted that "arriving at one goal is the starting point to another." This is particularly appropriate for our school in 2016 and 2017, which will be an invigorating time for Park Tudor. Not only are we in the midst of an ambitious Strategic Plan with new goals to accomplish annually until 2020, but we are also at the end of a seven-year accreditation cycle and anticipating the start of a new cycle this year. During the previous cycle, the school accomplished plans and priorities borne of the 2009 self-study process and addressed recommendations of the evaluation team that visited our campus in 2010. This is all part of the Independent Schools Association of the Central State's (ISACS) meticulous accreditation process. Park Tudor is a long-standing and influential member of ISACS. Together with over 230 schools from 13 states in this regional area, Park Tudor benefits from ISACS' targeted professional development, key support services and rigorous seven-year accreditation process. During the accreditation process, committees formed from a school's constituencies meet to discuss, review and write an extensive report of the operation, curriculum and culture of the school. This report is examined by a team of peer educators when they visit the school. This team talks with students, parents, faculty, alumni and board members looking for disclosure and congruence of what we say we do against what this team sees that we do. It is a stimulating process. The process begins in earnest later this term with the administration of the ISACS School Community Survey that asks parents, faculty, alumni and students in grades 6-12 to think about a number of impact areas. This is a very important part of the process that we hope you will take the time to complete. The survey information and link will be sent to you in February; completing it will only take about 15 minutes of your time. In the fall of 2016, we will initiate a comprehensive self-evaluation to study where we have been and where we want to go. The self-study report will be complete in the spring of 2017. Simultaneous to our self-study is the preparation for the 3-day visit by a team of peer evaluators in the fall of 2017. This evaluation process will be led by Debbie Stuart Everett and Dr. Scott McDougall. Debbie has served as chair of the 1985 evaluation, and co-chair in 1992. She was a committee member in 2002 and served on the steering committee in 2010. Earlier this year, Debbie served on an evaluation team for an ISACS member school analyzing their admissions, development and alumni areas. Scott brings experience on several evaluation cycles, serving on the Upper School committee in 2010. Scott's skills in analyzing data will be employed this cycle as he assists committee chairs with the use and interpretation of the School Community Survey results. As we move through the process, we will provide pertinent updates and apprise you of the findings of the self-study and evaluation when that information is available. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting process. |
First Social Courage Award Presented During Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Assembly
Following the annual Upper School program honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy, the inaugural Social Courage Award was presented to senior Pavani Peri. This award was initiated by Park Tudor parents Scott '81 and Mary Catherine Brown.
The Social Courage Award recognizes that student or students whose actions during the past year have demonstrated a commitment to honoring and upholding the fundamental equality, dignity, and humanity of others in the school and/or the broader local community. This award seeks to reinforce the vision we have for our students to be compassionate and courageous, as well as to uphold our core values of integrity, intellectual engagement, respect, responsibility, and resourcefulness, which emanate from our vision and acknowledge the essence of being a conscientious member of a community. Pavani was nominated by her fellow students, and eventually chosen as the winner by a joint student-faculty committee. In her nomination statement, Pavani was recognized for her efforts to uphold the "fundamental equality, dignity, and humanity of others," illustrated by Pavani's compassion for her fellow students. Congratulations to Pavani on this well-deserved honor!
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| Dr. Sven Dubie, Scott Brown '81, Mary Catherine Brown,
Pavani Peri and Chris Johnson |
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A Word on Wellness: Striking Multiple Chords - An Interdisciplinary Response to "The Coddling of The American Mind"
By Dr. Sven Dubie, Social Studies Department Chair and Interim Director of Diversity & Inclusion; Lisa Mercurio, School Psychologist and US Academic Support Coordinator; and Sue Stemen, Director of College Counseling
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| | Image courtesy of "The Atlantic." |
In a recent issue of The Atlantic magazine, authors Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt wrote about a phenomenon they believe is becoming widespread on college campuses. As Lukianoff and Haidt describe in "The Coddling of the American Mind," (The Atlantic, September 2015) students are asking, and in some instances demanding, that their professors avoid using "words, ideas, and subjects that might cause discomfort or give offense." Symptomatic of this trend, Lukianoff (a constitutional lawyer and advocate for academic freedom and free speech) and Haidt (a social psychologist) have noted the sudden collegiate fixation with microaggressions - actions or word choices that seem to carry no ill intent but that can, nonetheless, irritate or hurt an individual; and with trigger warnings -a written or verbal caution that material in a text, film, or work of art might cause a painful emotional response in a student. While it is not unusual for an article exploring an aspect of undergraduate life to find an audience at a college preparatory school like Park Tudor, what we found exceptional was that faculty and counselors working in a variety of different capacities could draw important lessons from it. For example, in his role as Director of Diversity, Sven Dubie was immediately drawn to the issue of microaggressions, a subject that has been explored in classes and with students involved in diversity work. Dubie thinks it important that students understand what microaggressions are; that words and actions can and do sometimes have a negative unintended impact on people around us; and that as members of a community where we strive to be inclusive and promote mutual respect, we need to be mindful of how what we say and do affects others. Moreover, we want to instill these values in our students so that as they encounter people in communities beyond Park Tudor, they will engage them with that same degree of civility and humanity. Nevertheless, there is equal value developing in our students a sense of resilience when they engage with others socially and participate in discussions where their beliefs, ideas, and even their sense of who they are may be challenged. In the end, it is about finding that balance between maintaining one's sense of dignity and self-respect, and honoring those very same attributes in others - even when there may be sharp differences among the involved parties. A second faculty member that found the article to resonate with her in regards to her work with students was Lisa Mercurio, Upper School Psychologist. A major theme of the article is an examination on the efforts by universities to protect the emotional well-being of students. What, at first glance, appears to be done to protect students from having negative feelings by creating "safe spaces," in actuality fosters avoidance. From a psychological perspective, to aid people in avoiding things they fear can exacerbate the situation. The effort to make an environment feel safe can, inadvertently, send the message that the environment is unsafe and therefore one needs protected. The authors connect this to behaviors that cognitive behavioral therapists believe to be causes of anxiety and depression.They go one step further to state that, "the new protectiveness may be teaching students to think pathologically." Mercurio likens this to the behaviors she has seen in students that experience test anxiety. Students will go to great lengths to avoid experiencing the discomfort they feel when in a testing environment. This may include school avoidance or simply feeling ill on test days. We know that avoidance only perpetuates these feelings. The best course of action is to develop strategies to deal with stress experienced in our day-to-day lives, as it is unavoidable. The authors spend a good deal of time referencing the basic tenets of psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy. The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to "minimize distorted thinking and see the world more accurately." This approach teaches good critical-thinking skills, as this type of thinking forces people to recognize the difference between the real and the imaginary. Lukianoff and Haidt question whether college campuses are teaching critical-thinking or encouraging students to think in more-distorted ways. We know that feelings guide your interpretation of reality. Therapy often involves talking yourself down from the idea that each of your emotional responses represents something true or important. Sue Stemen, Director of College Counseling, noted that the article highlights the diversity of thought at various college campuses. When preparing our students for matriculation to college, the College Counseling Office stresses the benefit to students when they take themselves out of their comfort zones: intellectually; socially; and emotionally. Students are encouraged to stretch themselves in positive ways and to listen to and respect other students with differing opinions. Stemen recalled that recent student-led forums conducted at Park Tudor on controversial topics such as feminism, marriage equality vs. religious rights, and the unrest in Baltimore last spring, have helped students learn to participate in a civil discourse about controversial issues. Park Tudor students are well-equipped to navigate the academic and psychological challenges of college when they use the self-advocacy skills they develop here and take advantage of the myriad of resources available on campus. From time management to testing anxiety, college can create challenges for students that they may or may not have encountered before. The article invites universities to rethink the skills and values they most want to impart to incoming students and notes that "many freshman orientation programs try to raise student sensitivity to a nearly impossible level." Joining clubs and participating in extracurricular activities can create a "community" within a campus and instill a feeling of belonging in college. Many activities combine groups of diverse students and allow for cultural sensitivity, growth and maturity of individual students as a result. Students who are engaged in the academic and social fabric of the university are the most happy and well adjusted. Teaching students to live in a world of potential offenses, facilitating critical thinking and formal debate and training students to practice cognitive behavioral therapy could further these goals. These are just a few ways in which the Lukianoff and Haidt article spoke to members of the Park Tudor faculty; it is likely others would find ways it can apply to their disciplines as well. We invite you to read the article.
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The Innovators Institute: Engaged Learning to Develop Student Self-Efficacy
By Mike O'Brien, Director of the Innovators Institute and Assistant Basketball Coach
The Innovators Institute focuses on expanding students' academic experience by connecting them with community leaders, exposing them to real-world policy and practice, and allowing them to direct their own learning experience. One of the main goals of this approach is to allow the students to gain confidence in their capability to learn, accomplish meaningful projects, and impact the community around them. Research has shown that gaining this confidence, called "self-efficacy," positively affects academic learning, achievement, motivation, and persistence.
The Institute's courses on Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking build this "self-efficacy" by demonstrating to the students that they can learn new skills, direct their own learning, and work directly with community leaders to accomplish a real-world project. To accomplish this, students learn the skills of entrepreneurship and design thinking from Park Tudor faculty, hear from business and design leaders during our speaker series, visit leading organizations in design and business, and work with mentors to guide their student-led projects. For example, in the Entrepreneurship course, students were given the opportunity to develop their own business. The students learned the basic skills of entrepreneurship through instruction, and then practiced their skills by working directly with business leaders who served as mentors. The students visited area businesses, performed market research on their own, and took part in community events such as the Innovation Showcase where area entrepreneurs discussed their ideas for new businesses. At the end of the course, students pitched their business ideas to a group of community business leaders, and each student secured an investment from the business leaders in the form of continued mentoring throughout the school year.
This year, we will continue with this process in our Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking courses and are excited to expand our offerings with a course on Social Entrepreneurship. These courses are designed to fuel the passion of our students to learn, engage the community, and gain confidence to garner self-efficacy. Applications for the Innovators Institute are now being accepted, and financial assistance is available. Click here for more information and to apply.
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New Accredited Summer Seminar Studies the Civil War - Information Session on January 25
Summer school opportunities continue to expand for June 2016 with the introduction of the new inter-disciplinary accredited Summer Seminar, "A Nation in Conflict: the American Civil War," June 6-24, 2016. According to Princeton historian James M. McPherson, "the Civil War was the most momentous event in American history" which "profoundly altered the landscape." A casualty count of one million out of a population of 32 million from 1861 through 1865 cannot be looked upon as solely a study in military history, but as a study of a society at war. The three-week cross-curricular and team-taught elective will be framed around significant historical events, famous battles such as at Antietam and Gettysburg, the Emancipation Proclamation, the evolution of Civil War medicine, African Americans in the Civil War, and the impact of the war on the nation's psyche and in memory.
As an inter-disciplinary and historiography-related course, students will have an opportunity to read and analyze original primary source Civil War-era materials (letters, photographs, maps, diaries, newspapers, pension files, etc.), read and discuss Civil War literature, and visit selected historic sites. Students will learn to empathize with those individuals who participated in this transformation of American society. Resources include private collections as well as the Legacy Initiative's maps, letters, newspapers, photographs, etc. and the Words of War anthologies. There will be a travel week mid-course when students will visit important battlefields and Civil War-related sites, complete research in Washington, D.C., and go behind the scenes to assist in some West Virginia and Maryland town archives. Materials acquired on the trip will also be used for student projects. Travel destinations tentatively include: Cumberland, MD [B&O Railroad center; historic town], Frederick, MD [Museum of Civil War Medicine; walking tour of Civil War-era town; Cemetery tour of Confederate graves], Martinsburg, WVA [Belle Boyd House & Museum; Historical Society for docent work], Shepherdstown, WVA [Confederate Cemetery; Pry House Field Hospital Museum], Harper's Ferry & Maryland Heights [Civil War site and National Park], Antietam Battlefield [Cemetery and National Park, Sharpsburg, Md], Carlisle, PA & Gettysburg, PA [Gettysburg town and battlefield; Carlisle Barracks & town], Washington, D.C. [National Archives for Civil War pension searches; Library of Congress]. A final project is due two weeks after the end of the course (July 8). This project may include a photo journal or blog based on field work, a portfolio of Civil War letters and/or photographs, or analytical research essay based on creative and careful use of primary documents. There will be daily discussion of research findings, and encouragement for collaborative efforts in all aspects of the course. Progress in the course will be assessed with frequent, yet short formative and summative assessments. There will be out-of-class reading assignments with prompts for class discussions. Due to the rigor of the course, as well as its fast pace and seminar format, it is ideally suited for the advanced, motivated and intellectually curious history student. This is ideal for sophomores and up, or an exceptional rising-freshmen with prior permission of the instructor. Space is limited to eight students due to travel restrictions (van size and accommodations in Washington, D.C.). Kathryn Lerch and Chris Hammock will team together for this seminar. Kathryn Lerch teaches World Civilization I, Military History, and is director of the Legacy Initiative Project. Chris Hammock is the Middle School Resource teacher, and she has assisted on numerous Legacy Initiative research trips to Washington, D.C., Gettysburg, Antietam and Harper's Ferry. An additional information session will be available to students on Monday, Jan. 25, 2016 at 3:15 in US room 229. Parents interested in this program may contact directly Kathryn Lerch, klerch@parktudor.org or 415-2880 or Chris Hammock, chammock@parktudor.org or 415-2905.
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 Park Tudor Speaker Series Presented by The National Bank of Indianapolis: Catherine Steiner-Adair, Ed.D.
Thursday, February 11
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.; Reception to follow
Wood Room
As the focus of family has turned to the glow of the screen - children constantly texting their friends, parents working online around the clock - everyday life is undergoing a massive transformation. The digital world is here to stay, but what are families losing with technology's gain?
Drawing on real-life stories from her clinical work with children and parents, and her consulting work with educators and experts across the country, clinical psychologist Catherine Steiner-Adair offers insights and advice that can help parents achieve greater understanding, authority, and confidence as they come up against the tech revolution unfolding in their living rooms.
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* Last week, two representatives from the Indiana Canine Assistance Network stopped by with Tuck the dog to congratulate senior Margaret Kosten on her acceptance to MIT. Margaret has been a longtime volunteer with ICAN. Around Valentine's Day and other special occasions, ICAN dogs and puppies will be delivering goodie bags all over the city through their "Puppy Love" program; orders can be placed on icandog.org.
* Nineteen schools brought more than 300 participants to the Cathedral speech and debate meet on Saturday, January 16th. The meet was dedicated to the speaking legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Our Middle School team performed very well in its third meet of the season. We had several rookie speakers competing against students who had been practicing since October, so we are particularly proud of them. Jack Button (grade 7) placed 1st and Carly Wiegel (7) placed 4th in Radio Broadcasting. Stella Friskney (6) and Adelaide Benoit (6) placed 3rd in Scripted Duo Interpretation. Madeleine Loewen (8) placed 4th in Dramatic Interpretation. Andrés de Dios (7) placed 6th and Arjun Kubal (7) placed 7th in Roundtable Discussion. Jaden Seymour (8) placed 7th in Declamation. Celina Kaur (6) placed 7th in Extemporaneous Speaking. Henry Wolfla (7) placed 10th in Impromptu. Grayson Miller (7), Nandini Mathavan (6), and Jarod Lau (7) participated in Impromptu and Discussion. These speakers contributed to a 10th place overall trophy for our school. The Middle School speech and debate team is coached by Liz Odmark.
* In Sweet Sixteen competition at WTHR studios, Park Tudor's Brain Game team lost at the buzzer 37-36 to Anderson in the highest scoring game so far this year. Both teams came from behind multiple times during the contest, which will be aired on WTHR Channel 13 on January 30 at 7:00 p.m. Senior captain Joe Lybik retires with two Sweet Sixteen and two Final Four appearances to his credit, along with three ICC Conference championships. Tony Young of Sycamore School accompanied the team to root for his three Sycamore alumni, starters Joe Lybik, Michelle Shen, and alternate Max Bott.
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Boys Basketball: Watch the PT Panthers take on Cardinal Ritter at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and enjoy a Pacers game!
Your $15 ticket (advance sale) includes the PT vs. Ritter game on Wednesday, January 27 at 7:30 p.m., as well as a reserved ticket to the Pacers/New Orleans game on March 24 and a food voucher for the Pacers game (hot dog, chips, soft drink, Pacers hat).
Tickets are now on sale in the Park Tudor Athletic Office from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. up until game day.
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Throwback Thursday History: Sleds at the Ready!
After a fresh snowfall, it isn't unusual to see Lower Schoolers entering the school with sleds in hands - a longstanding PT tradition. Here are some pictures from a rather snowy January somewhere in the early 90s.
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Adult Trip to Normandy Coming in 2017
Kathryn Lerch and Gary Bender will be chaperones for an adult "History of WWII England-Normandy-Paris" trip in July 2017. We welcome alumni (also graduates class of 2017), parents, and friends. The WWII Normandy trip will travel from London to Normandy and Paris. To receive the lowest price (through January 31, 2016), enrollments are being accepted at this link.
Enrollment is possible after February 1st, but the cost of trip will increase. Contact Kathryn Lerch for additional information, klerch@parktudor.org or 317-415-2880 (office).
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Reenrollment Contracts Coming Later This Month
Parents, later this month, you will receive your reenrollment contract for next year in an email from Head of School, Dr. Matthew Miller. The contract can be completed online; complete instructions will be sent with the email.
We thank you for making an important investment in your child's education and for the trust you place in Park Tudor School and our exceptional educators.
Please note, your contract will only be available when your student account is current. If you have an outstanding balance, please make arrangements for payment or contact Tina Weingardt at 415-2800 with any questions.
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Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon
This year's Faculty and Staff Appreciation Lunch will be held on Friday, February 19th. Please see this link for volunteer opportunities and donation requests. There are also boxes set up at the Leeta Albea's desk in Lower School, Steve Curry's desk in Middle School, and Sharon Riddle's desk in Upper School for donations. All donated items and services are due by Friday, February 5th.
We appreciate your help and support in making this a successful event for the PT faculty and staff. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Jessie Friskney (jessiefriskney@hotmail.com) or Melanie Martin (melanie.martin1110@sbcglobal.net). Please also contact Melanie if you have donated items that need to be picked up.
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Take and Go Dinners This Week at the Lilly Orchard Café
Homemade spaghetti and meatballs, garlic French bread, and house salad with house dressing - stop by and pick up your dinner today!
Also, for the "big game" coming up, we will have lots of appetizers ready to take and go or call ahead to order: 870-3602. All appetizers are homemade.
Here are some favorites:
- Jalapeño Dip
- Papa J's Mustard Dip with veggie/cheese tray
- Papa J's 9 layer Dip
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Pub Dip
- House-smoked Pulled Pork Nachos
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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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