Gallery – Page 5 – Park Perspectives

“At Altitude” – Emotional Health of the Whole Child

Published on December 2, 2018 in Winter 2018 by MaryHelen Gunn, Park Parent Editorial Board

The Buddy Bench provides a place for kids to connect at recess.
Dr. Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter welcomes visitors with peppermints!
Photo by Anna Kolosyuk on Unsplash

What one new parent has learned about Park’s care for our children.

Among the many things parents pay close attention to as their child embarks on a new school adventure is the general “how’s it going?” question. We know our kids are going to have a hard time learning in school if/when they’re feeling troubled emotionally. So, as a parent of a new seventh grader this fall – and as a former college chaplain – I’ve been paying close attention to how The Park School ensures the social and emotional well-being of every child. I’ve been favorably impressed.

Having heard about Dr. Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter before we arrived, and then hearing her address Upper Division students at Morning Meeting this fall, I was delighted to speak with her for this article and learn more about her approach to her role. She carefully defines herself as a psychologist who loves schools – not as a school psychologist. She describes how she finds myriad ways to connect with the kids by meeting them where they are: visiting PreK – Grade VIII classrooms throughout the school; being available to students in many of her part-time hours; making savvy use of her office placement in the middle of the Upper Division hallway. In October, when our extended family suffered a sudden and tragic death, it was comforting for us as parents to know that not only our child’s wonderful advisor, but also “Dr. O” (as she likes to be called), were as close as a quick email correspondence, keeping an eye out for any unforeseen struggles that might come up at school.

I’ve heard many mentions of a Lower Division institution, the “Buddy Bench” at the playground – where younger kids can come during recess if they’re looking for a way to connect with other kids. An experienced parent-educator at Park describes how the Buddy Bench provides an opportunity for children to practice both receiving and giving empathy: taking care of themselves and taking care of each other. And, like Dr. O’s role, these things are happening not by accident but because school leadership knows, cares, and understands how important each child’s social-emotional well-being truly is.

My positive impressions were fully confirmed in November when, in culminating what must have been weeks of care-filled processing and “behind-the-scenes” work, Scott Young addressed an Upper Division Morning Meeting following his all-school letter regarding the incident of hate speech. Scott’s message to the Upper Division echoed in my thoughts: It’s easy in moments such as these to look at the other person and say that could never happen here. Instead, he encouraged us to “ look inward at the ‘I’ – and consider how we can be truly confident that this will not happen here in our community – not only because it goes against our values as a school, but also because we are each daily doing the inner work we all need to practice.”

As a former college chaplain, I was deeply gratified to hear my daughter’s head of school gently but firmly hold each student – and the whole community – accountable for our own thoughts, feelings, and actions. As a parent of an emerging-adolescent child, it is comforting to experience how Park is a place where moral courage is taught not just as pedagogy, but communicated in the most powerful ways I can imagine. In daily practices like the Buddy Bench, in peer-to-peer relationships, and by the unmistakable examples set by school leaders, the School is girded with upper-altitude, care-filled work, which in turn helps guide Park students in learning how to be wise and effective leaders themselves.

And for that, we parents can feel deeply grateful.

Bravo!

Published on December 2, 2018 in Winter 2018 by Carol Batchelder, Park Parent Editorial Board

Park staged something different this fall. Something special. Something more grass roots and student-oriented than usual. Something that Kyra Fries, Drama Department Head and Upper Division English teacher had been considering for more than four years. November 16 and 17 saw the debut of Red Curtain Drama: A Showcase of Original and Published Monologues and Scenes.

Red Curtain Drama was a compilation of student chosen (or, in a few cases student written) material pulled from books of monologues and scenes – snapshots of larger scenarios that brought a moment, an experience, a situation, or a feeling to the stage and therefore to the forefront of the audience’s mind. From start to finish, this project belonged to the students: ten actors, some Park Drama Department veterans, some brand new to the stage. The students loved this new experience: “I’m proud of us! We made a play, another show of expression in this world.” • “Working with a theater ensemble feels like a family.” • “Acting is a chance to learn from others and yourself in a creative way.” • “Acting is taking a character, connecting to it, then pouring your heart out on stage.”

During previous, more “conventional” performances such as The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place (2017) or The Phantom Tollbooth (2017), the process followed a familiar pattern of distributing scripts, learning lines, getting a feel for a particular role and acting. Simultaneously, costume designer extraordinaire, Betsy Platt (a beloved Park Pre-K teacher by day), would manage the costumes and set.

This time around, students in Red Curtain Drama participated in the entire process from start to finish. They examined improvisation, ensemble, and acting. They studied and researched scenes and monologues from various sources. Then, the group collaborated on which pieces to showcase and selected the final line-up of 16 scenes. After being cast for their roles, students rehearsed in new ways modeled on acting classes: listening, responding, and zeroing in on their scene and dialogue.

Acting is taking a character, connecting to it, then pouring your heart out on stage.
~ Grade VIII Student Actor

The group took the fundamental, student-oriented process even further. Halfway through the fall term, the cast went on a field trip to the thrift shop Savrs, where each actor was given a shopping budget. At the store, each student chose one item (either a costume or prop) that represented their character.

For this production, the set was simplified, consisting of blocks and homemade posters produced in Park’s Makerspace. Back in the theater, the students also determined their individual sound cues, choosing what music would introduce each scene, and selecting their unique light cues as well.

Drama is an incredible force in the education of children, supporting them on their intellectual, social, physical, ethical and emotional journey, the keywords in Park’s definition of whole child education. As Kyra Fries explains “Drama is the whole child. By embodying different selves, children come to know themselves more clearly.” The stage provides students with a safe environment to find their voice and explore who they are. Creating a production requires the actors work together to explore boundaries and move well beyond their comfort zones. Kyra continues, “by stepping in the skin of others, Park drama students build empathy, flexibility, and imagination. These are things at the core of being human, and by practicing them during rehearsals, Park actors are able to embody and take these skills beyond the walls of the theater.”

So, bravo to drama and all that it does for our children, bravo to Red Curtain for putting the process in the hands of the students, and bravo to the cast of Red Curtain for running with it.

Social Emotional Learning Provides Tools For Long-term Success

Published on October 2, 2018 in Fall 2018 by Ildulce Brandao-DaSilva

In Grade II, students read a book about the Golden Rule. "I like it when people help me..so I will be help them."
In Grade II, students read a book about the Golden Rule. "I like it when people are ice to me...so I will be helpful to others."
In Grade II, students read a book about the Golden Rule. "I like it when people are helpful...so I will be helpful to others."
In Grade V, students "tweet out" their monthly SEL goals.
Kindergarten students practice being kind as part of their SEL curriculum

Walk by second grade classrooms and you will overhear students expressing their feelings as they sit with their classmates on the rug at morning meeting. “I liked when you said hi to me in the hallway,” or “It was hard for me when you didn’t share the Legos.” Children are eager to share their strategies for how to solve a problem. In Park’s Lower and Middle Division classrooms, students are encouraged to work together and develop their ability to resolve conflicts. As one Kindergartener says, “We are problem spotters and problem solvers, not problem makers!” Developing skills like these are an essential part of educating the “whole child.”

Kindergarten wrote agreements about how to act and how to be together at school, as well as out in the world!

The School has long recognized that a great education is more than straight academics. Social Emotional Learning, or SEL, is evident in Park’s mission: “Our school community fosters a nurturing environment in which children develop curiosity, express creativity, appreciate the value of hard work and discipline, and experience the joy of learning.” More so, Park has been at the forefront in recognizing the role identity plays in forming children who are SEL proficient. “Park is committed to being a metropolitan, coeducational, day school of diverse races, religions, cultures, and backgrounds. Central to its mission is an appreciation of similarities and differences of perspective and the interdependence of all people.” Diversity and identity are key to SEL; it is impossible to learn cooperation, teamwork, and respect if everyone comes from a similar background and mindset.

Social Emotional Learning was born as a school-reform movement at the Yale School of Medicine in the late 1960s, when James Comer noticed that home environment affected academic outcome. The New Haven Public Schools piloted the New Haven Development Program from 1987-1992, demonstrating a positive relation between supporting students’ social and emotional needs and academic performance. CASEL, the Collaboration for Social and Emotional Learning, formed in 1994 and the national SEL movement was born. While Comer’s initial study was born from “the dysfunctional society, which we increasingly inhabit, the absence of mesh, the absence of community networks, the fragmented nature of modern society,” most educators today believe that children from all backgrounds benefit from SEL.

SEL, as a defined curriculum, has a notable impact. A study by CASEL demonstrated that SEL programming yielded an average gain on achievement test scores of 11-17 percentile points (2008). A meta-analysis of 82 school-based SEL programs found long-term (between 6 months and 18 years) improvements in four areas: SEL skills, attitudes, positive social behavior, and academic performance. Additionally, decreases were found in three areas: conduct problems, emotional distress, and drug use (Taylor et al., 2017). Noted business writer J. Freedman reached the same conclusion:, “Emotional intelligence is a way of recognizing, understanding, and choosing how we think, feel, and act. It shapes our interactions with others and our understanding of ourselves. It defines how and what we learn; it allows us to set priorities; it determines the majority of our daily actions. Research suggests it is responsible for as much as 80 percent of the “success” in our lives.”

Fifth grade teacher Sarah Leonardelli explains, “We often begin the school year thinking about our hopes and dreams. However, as a student and teacher, I always found it daunting and difficult to set goals for the entire school year. So instead of thinking about the entire year, we focus on monthly goals in my fifth grade classroom. We use a class “Twitter wall” to “tweet out” our goals monthly and sum them up in a hashtag. This allow our goals to be public so others in the class know what we are working on and can help to hold us accountable. In addition, it allows us to reevaluate our goals more frequently, sometimes setting new goals for ourselves or continuing the same goal into the next month, but thinking about a new approach or way to achieve that goal.”

Creating a Unified SEL Framework

Beginning in the fall of 2017, we wanted a more cohesive SEL framework for the School. Park had the advantage of beginning this SEL programming initiative with a clean slate. Recent studies by CASEL and the Wallace Foundation have determined that there is not a one-size-fits all SEL curriculum. Indeed, many schools that invested in a singular, schoolwide SEL curriculum have found their purchases to be obsolete. Programs that do a portion of the SEL well, or serve a small set of grades well, often fail the others.

To implement SEL here at Park, we first needed to conduct our own research. We learned what programs other schools were using from online resources and reports. We conducted a survey with Lower and Middle Division teachers to see what they used, needed, and wanted; and interviewed many faculty and staff in-depth. We visited five Boston-area schools known for SEL prowess and interviewed a sixth located in California. At the end of the research we reached the same conclusion as CASEL and Wallace: There is not a singular solution to implementing SEL.

Given that, we determined the best course of action was to examine what we hoped to achieve through SEL programming. Through a scope-and-sequence document, a grid that delineates expectations by grade level, we defined what we aim to teach our students in terms of heart and soul, character, and identity; and also identify our current strengths and weaknesses in doing so.

Last year, the Lower and Middle School Divisions dedicated time to the above topics. In the final meeting, we determined the headings we wanted for our SEL scope-and-sequence and worked in grade levels to define expectations. This summer, two additional meetings yielded an early draft of a full scope-and-sequence. We have already met this fall to polish it. During the 2018-19 school year, we will examine the grid through the lens of teaching to it, and look at how we can best meet the expectations laid out within it. The goal is that by the start of the 2019 year, we will have a published scope-and-sequence document and solid plans on how to meet its expectations. With SEL, teachers are providing the skills for long-term success. For example, a deep (or a “flower”) breath is a powerful tool; it brings our system back to balance and is a critical component of the problem-solving process. Students are learning that problems and big feelings happen to all of us. If we can learn to notice the feeling and take that first deep breath, we can then work to respond (not react!) and find a positive way through the problem, which ultimately is a tool needed by all for success. With clear expectations and a common vocabulary shared among teachers from Pre-K – Grade V, children in the Lower and Middle Divisions may be reminding us all to take a “flower breath.”

What is the Upper Division Advisory Program All About?

Published on October 2, 2018 in Fall 2018 by Alice Perera Lucey '77, Grade 6 Advisor

Alice Lucey meets with her Grade VI advisees in a small office
Sixth grade advisees surround Awa Diop
Chris Beeson's sixth grade advisees plays board games during recess
Merrill Hawkins '96 plays Uno with her sixth grade advisees
Susan Bogue-Myslik and her eighth grade advisees

Synonyms for the word “advisor” include mentor, aide, teacher, guide, counselor, confidant, consultant, and coach. In the Upper Division at Park, advisors are, at various times, each of these things!

The advisory program at The Park School deepens school culture and encourages positive and productive relationships among students and adults. By addressing the needs of the whole child, the Advisory program inspires students to learn and practice the skills needed to be responsible, contributing and caring school citizens.

The advisory program is certainly not new to Park. What is new however, is that this year, Upper Division advisors are working with Division Head, Caroline Beasley and me, the Advisory Coordinator, to provide a more consistent, intentional program, to find ways to devote undivided time to advisory (without a schedule change), and to incorporate new elements, such as student-created Personal Learning Plans and student-led conferences into the program.

At its core, the advisory program is relational: students experience a one-on-one relationship with an adult who serves as a student’s touchstone for academic, personal and social development. Students receive academic guidance from their advisors through reflection, goal-setting, charting of progress and celebration of successes. Students also come together to practice decision-making and conflict resolution skills; this can be done in single advisory groups or in larger groups, made up of advisories from multiple grade levels.

Creating more dedicated advisory time was essential in order to achieve the above goals. This year, advisors sit with their advisees in Morning Meeting, allowing for a quick check-in four days a week. Certain Morning Meeting slots have been given over entirely to advisory activities in order to create a morning time for advisory groups. The Tuesday advisory period has also been restructured in order to provide time for individual advisory groups to meet rather than for grade level meetings. This is time for game playing, problem solving, and team building as well the chance to share a meal together and have a once a term advisory party. The TEACH period (TEACH stands for Time for Enrichment, Advisory, Challenge, and Help) has always been a time for advisors to see their advisees, but it is also a time when students can meet with other teachers and/or leave early for away games. Creating a series of “No Move” TEACH times, when advisory groups can be together without interruption, will allow advisors to help their advisees to focus on the academic tasks of reflection and goal setting and preparing for student-led conferences.

My role, the Advisory Coordinator, a newly created position, provides oversight for the program and organizes resources and materials for advisors. Advisors, Division Head and the Advisory Coordinator met as the school year began for a half day of work together; this work will continue during the course of the school year in division meetings on Tuesday afternoons.

Students in the Upper Division are at a time in their lives when they are more than ready to work with a number of teachers and to move from classroom to classroom. The departmental structure of the Upper Division is exciting and enriching. But adolescents – and their parents! – still need to know that they can count on one trusted adult the way that they counted on a homeroom teacher in the Lower and Middle Divisions. The advisor is just that person. Giving the advisory program more of the time it needs, providing a more consistent structure for all advisory work, and supporting advisors with training and materials allows each advisor to do their best work and allows each child to experience a meaningful connection with an advisor who is mentor, guide, counselor and more.

Head’s Lines

Published on October 2, 2018 in Fall 2018 by Scott Young, Head of School

Peter's first day in Kindergarten, with Will Lyons, K Assistant, and his dad, Scott.

At the end of a long day, it can be hard to get young children to share. “How was your day?” “Good.” “Did you have fun?” “Yes.” “What did you do?” “Play.”

Of course, the answers we all truly desire don’t come from these questions we so often ask. The answers come from the stories our children tell, the questions they ask, the ideas they share, the ways they engage in purposeful play, and the moments when they demonstrate their learning for no one other than themselves.

You’ve already read about my educational philosophy and my thoughts as an educator, but for my first Park Parent article, I’d like to share my initial thoughts on Park through my own lens as a first-time Park parent.

Peter, our Kindergartener, previously attended a bilingual Montessori preschool. It was an excellent school with talented and caring teachers, a diverse community, and a focused, play-based curriculum; however, every day was at best what I have described as a neutral negotiation to get him out of the car and through the school door.

At Park, Peter can’t wait to be at school with his teachers and his classmates. He wants to arrive early when the classroom is quiet and before anything important has happened. He runs through the door to hug his teachers, and he gets straight to work on the tasks of the day. I don’t see Peter often during the day, but when I do he is dutifully in line or skipping across the playground or embracing a friend.

At the end of the day, he runs out of ASP ready to begin an exploration, an experiment, or a new game. His plans are creative and fueled by the Kindergarten and ASP curriculums. He wants to build butterfly-forts for monarchs. He likes to hunt for “cool stuff” to add to the Kindergarten Cool Stuff collection. He is eager to show us the letters he’s working on and to demonstrate his emerging skill with addition. In just three weeks, we are seeing the transformative power of The Park School.

While there are many years ahead for Peter at Park, I am already amazed by the promise of the School, the faculty, the extraordinary community, and the students with whom Peter will learn and grow. Behind the experience of every child and parent at Park there are the critical components of a Park experience, and while these pillars shift and evolve over time in response to the age of our children they are central to each phase of the journey:

Academic excellence in the form of differentiated instruction, innovative curriculum, and the applied learning that defines a students’ educational journey
Educators committed to developing in their students a love of learning, an awareness of self, and the academic, intellectual, and social skills that will lead them through life
A vibrant community built on trust and kindness and committed to supporting every student through these critical elementary and middle school years
A deep commitment to building a diverse community that values equity and inclusion and promotes cultural competency and a shared sense of responsibility

As I reflect on these opening weeks of the school year, and I think about the classrooms I’ve visited, the students I’ve shadowed, and my own experience as a parent, I feel privileged to be a member of this community, to be a Park parent, and to be leading the finest Pre-K-VIII school in the Boston metropolitan area. Over the next decade, I will have many opportunities to ask my children “How was your day?” “Did you have fun?” and “What did you do?” And while the answers to these questions will never elicit the insights I desire, I know the answers I seek will continue to present themselves in other ways and they will demonstrate the love of learning, the joy for school, and the confidence that only Park can foster and sustain.

Ch-ch-ch Changes! MAKE-ing and Growing in Middle Division After School Program (ASP)

Published on October 2, 2018 in Fall 2018 by Caitlin Dick Robinson '01, Director of Enrichment & ASP Programming (Grades 3–8)

Making Dr. Seuss come to life in the Makerspace

It’s Tuesday afternoon and 20 Middle Division (MD) students are building Thneeds and Truffula trees in the new Makerspace. After getting a chance to run around in the gym, their focus and excitement in the space is palpable. With only a few select materials in a bin, each group faces the challenge to build their perception of these Dr. Seuss words and bring them to life. With limited materials, the students learn how creative constraints can enhance thinking and deepen artistic engineering. Building within a set amount of time adds an urgency that creates focus and excitement. What will they create? How will they do it? How will it come to life?

These questions will guide our Makerspace adventures this year: what can we bring to life? What can we create? With access to the Makerspace from 5-6 p.m. several days a week, the third, fourth, and fifth graders enrolled in ASP until 6 p.m. are embarking together on various discoveries this year. Teamwork and design thinking are just some of the components to this hands-on enriching curriculum. The year will be made up of month long units that allow for creative, individualized expression, and engineering. Each week will focus on something different. Every Monday is set aside for planning: students collaborate together, thinking through the ins and outs of the project of the week. Within the scope and topic of the week, students choose what they build, identifying materials needed and jobs that each teammate will take on to bring the project to life.

MD ASP students demonstrate “novel engineering” in the Makerspace

The first unit of the year is novel engineering. Groups read a story, identify the problem they wanted to solve, and build it! After working on bringing to life their “Icicle Bird Guard,” one group’s solution to a problem in Cynthia Rylant’s Poppleton, the group shared their successes and challenges from the week. When asked about the challenges, they said it was hard to get the snowman, icicles, and bird to fit together. Nora (Grade V), is proud of “creating my bell to give it a Christmas theme and making an inflatable bird out of balloon and duct tape.” She shared that this particular idea stemmed from watching another student do something similar the week before. The learning is contagious!

Access to the Makerspace is just one of the exciting changes in the MD After-School Program (ASP). For the first time, older ASP students will not venture over to the ASP facility at 255 Goddard. Instead, the program takes place in the academic buildings. This shift offers space and flexibility to our Lower Division friends at 255 Goddard as well; their daily programming is still going on as strong as ever! Changing the location for the MD students ties in with our theme for this academic year: Freedom and Responsibility.

To start the year, the ASP MD students and faculty engaged in conversations about what these words mean and how they will inform our year together as a community. The students are learning that with certain freedoms comes responsibility. We will continue to reinforce best practices in our after-school community. Using homework time well, for example, allows us to enjoy collaborative games or engage in student-generated activities. Through the support of their teachers, the MD ASP students took ownership of this theme by generating community agreements for all to follow and refer to this year. Each student contributed ideas on sticky notes, which were assembled into five categories: listen, be safe, be respectful, be helpful, and have fun! Each category includes the words from the students on how to adhere to the guideline, such as being respectful to our materials, our spaces, each other, our teachers, and our school community. Everyone in MD ASP was asked to sign the agreements; these norms set the foundation for our community this year, allowing us to dive into our routines and curriculum.

We begin our afternoons with snack and conversation in the Dining Room, and then shift to some well-deserved outside time, and finally 30 minutes of quiet, focused, homework time in our West Building classrooms. On Tuesdays and Fridays the schedule changes to allow for additional activities prior to 4:30, such as a group game of line tag in the gym, and project time like “The Chatterbox Club” or “Dance and Yoga.” Afterwards, students can always work on homework if they need the time.

WIth one month in the books, the students are pleased with the changes to the ASP program. Their ideas for project time are diverse and and their building in the Makerspace is focused, creative, and attentive. When asked what he was most excited about in addition to the Makerspace, Cash (Grade IV) said, “I’m excited about playing outside and playing basketball with other kids.”

Where In the World Will You Read?

Published on October 1, 2018 in Fall 2018 by Park School Library Department

Photo by Andrew Stutesman on Unsplash

Pack your imagination and let Park’s library guide you on a global reading adventure! Throughout the fall, the library is highlighting elements of our diverse collection that celebrate the joys of world discovery: maps and atlases, international books, books in translation, immigrant and refugee narratives, and children’s stories from around the world. The librarians are brushing up our geography skills, and we’re eager to help all Park families in their learning travels. If your family has a favorite children’s book that provides a window into another part of world, we welcome your recommendations.

Additionally, each librarian has picked two favorite, very recent publications that inspire us through their art and story to see the world from other points of view. All of these titles are available for check out in our library.

Christian Porter (Lower Division)

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder by Nie Jun
In this graphic short story collection, a young Chinese girl and her grandfather navigate the challenges and joys in their small neighborhood in Beijing. Imagination and compassion characterize each tale, and curious readers will be rewarded with a gentle visual and textual introduction to Chinese culture and history.

Akissi: Tales of Mischief written by Marguerite Abouet and illustrated by Mathieu Sapin
Abouet is an acclaimed West African writer of bandes dessinées (comics), and her tales of Akissi are a feisty and funny collection for young readers. Children will delight in Akissi’s mischievous antics while also encountering aspects of daily life in Cote d’Ivoire. Bonus pages include instructions for making African braids and caramelized peanuts “for considerate and obedient children!”

Tory Lane (Middle Division)

The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Adventurous Kid by Dylan Thuras and Rosemary Mosco
Atlas Obscura is a definitive source for the world’s most wondrous places, and this tantalizing treat of a guidebook is written just for children. Set up as a triptick travel planner for the adventurer and curiosity seeker, the book zigzags all over the world highlighting the marvels and the oddities that our extraordinary planet has to offer.

The Unwanted by Don Brown
Where does one begin to talk to children about the crisis in Syria? Brown’s exceptional non-fiction work would be a place to start. Brown uses the graphic form to both show and tell the human side of this global crisis. Facts are not shied away from but are presented with sensitivity for a young audience of Grades 5 and up.

Elyse Seltzer (Upper Division)

Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender
St. Thomas is the island setting for this coming of age tale with a touch of magical realism. Born during a hurricane, Caroline has always been unlucky, but her circumstances shift when she meets a new student, Kalinda. Lush descriptions of the Caribbean environment add a vivid component to this character driven middle grade novel.

Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide written by Isabel Quintero and illustrated by Zeke Pena
This graphic biography is a poetic snapshot of the life of photographer Graciela Iturbide, who was born in Mexico City and would travel throughout Mexico taking iconic pictures of the land and the people. Iturbide’s photographic journey continued to the United States, India, and beyond. The memoir also contains reproductions of the photographer’s work.

Additional resources:

USBBY Outstanding International Books

Around the World in 80+ Children’s Books (and more from the New York Public Library)

Notable Books for a Global Society

Park’s Annual Fund

Published on October 1, 2018 in Fall 2018 by Sharra Owens-Schwartz (Director of Annual Giving)

Celebrate our Annual Fund Volunteers

Each year, The Park School relies on the time and talent of our community in so many ways. We would like to recognize the support and dedication of our parent and alumni Annual Fund Volunteers. Annual Fund Volunteers help to raise more than $2 million each year, which is a critical part of sustaining Park’s operating budget. The Annual Fund helps to ensure that Park thrives. It helps support our outstanding faculty, provides financial aid and maintains our beautiful campus. Please join us as we thank the 38 volunteers for their tireless efforts in 2018-19:

Current Parent Annual Fund Co-chairs: Suzanne & David Samuels and Sean May & Adrienne Flight

Alumni Annual Fund Co-chairs: Eliza Drachman-Jones Quincy ’98 and Miriam Posner ’03

Major Gift Committee Co-chairs: Mark Dolins and Ken Frieze

Parent Annual Fund Callers and Major Gifts Committee: Vianka Belyea, Seth Brennan, Ramsay Cadet, Jason Davies, Julia Frost Davies, Emmanuel Doe, Latoya Downing-Peltier, Rebecca Forkner, Nick Good, Julie Hayes, Colby Hewitt, Jen Hewitt, Julia Johannsen ’93, Dana Lewis, Kate Lubin, Nikki Nudelman, Rick Pinchera, Jamie Ramsdell, Joe Robbins, Christina Vest, Robert Wood, David Zug

We welcome all parents and alumni who would like to join our team this year. It’s a fun time and critically important to Park. For more information, please contact Sharra Owens-Schwartz at 617-274-6019 or owenss@parkschool.org.

Done! – Facilities’ Summer To-Do List

Published on October 1, 2018 in Fall 2018 by The Park Perspectives Editorial Board

Jen Mullin, Director of Facilities, with the Day Team: L-R Jude Desjardin, Jose Andrade, Joel DeJesus, Miguel Morales, and Joe Casella

The facilities team are unspoken heroes at Park. Between the fourteen individuals on two shifts, the Facilities Team keeps the school humming along and looking beautiful season after season so students and teachers can do their work (and play) day after day. We would like to recognize the department’s hard work by highlighting the long list of tasks they oversaw this summer in addition to their daily work. Sometimes we only stop to fully comprehend what they do when something goes awry and we don’t want to ever take them or their work for granted!

The green shirted team is easily recognizable as they buzz by in a golf cart, direct traffic during rush hour or spruce up the landscaping around campus. Don’t be fooled by their low key presence; they always have something going on!

With the help of three additional seasonal hires this summer, our team had a lengthy punch list to complete. The jobs we never think about are exactly the tasks that this team manages.

Our lovely pool received a new water storage tank as well as a replaster job and tile replacement and the pool house floor was resurfaced.

The After-School Program (ASP) saw newly painted walls and 1,500 square feet of new flooring complete with wax.

Park landscaping, our crown jewel, saw the removal of five dead trees, the spreading of 100 yards of mulch across campus and 100 yards of wood chips across six playgrounds. The grass was cut three days/week and 60 plants were added in the parking lots and around the front door. The six fields were lined once a week to keep all the campers playing.

After staining six wooden benches, a fresh coat of paint was applied to four stairwells, the main lobby, three hallways, the business office, eight bulletin boards, the wrestling room floors and the dining room walls. Not to mention the sanding and staining of the dining room tables and painting all the table legs!

Eight office furniture reconfigurations were completed along with a deep cleaning of all 209,000 square feet of building space, refinishment of the floors in both gyms, maintenance on generators, refrigeration equipment and two school buses and the oversight of the exterior window washing.

133 Goddard Ave was prepared for Scott Young and his family, camp set up and break down were completed and the Pre-K and K classrooms and conference room were prepared for demolition. The team also helped J Calnan & Associates with their construction needs and the removal and replacement of five roofs including the theater, the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms in the Main Gym, and the two equipment rooms in the West Gym, as well as assisting the landscape contractor Marzili with the Discovery Playground project needs.

The kids aren’t the only ones who get spruced up for back to school; the School itself goes under some major transformation each year, this year more than usual, and rest assured, the facilities people are the wizards behind the work!

Athletics – A Look at the 2018 Fall Season

Published on September 30, 2018 in Fall 2018 by Bob Little, Director of Athletics

Boys soccer, 2018
Volleyball spirit!
The new flag football team on their home field in front of Faulkner House
Park's football squad, circa 1946
A victorious girls soccer team in Fall 2017!

This fall, for the first time in over 50 years, The Park School will take to the gridiron. Back in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s most all of the boys at Park played football. In their wool uniforms and leather helmets, coach Don Fisher led the team to an undefeated season in 1949. The 2018 update is flag football, played with seven on a team and fabric ties on their waists (and no wool jerseys or leather helmets)! The Faulkner Field, near the swimming pool, has been transformed to the home turf and the team is prepared to take on long time rivals Dedham Country Day, Rivers, BB&N, and of course, Shady Hill. Under the leadership of Coaches Tim O’Brien and Paul Toussaint, the 18 boys on the roster look to be a dominant bunch!

On Park’s other venues, coaches and athletes alike are excited for the new year and the new season. The girls soccer team, led by Coaches Heather Offen, Merrill Hawkins ’96, and Lauren Dennis are an experienced, talented and spirited group and are already on their way to a great season. The boys soccer program, led by 25 (!) eighth graders is very deep and very talented this year. The varsity team, coached by Bob Little and Travis James, hopes to improve on their 10-2 season of a year ago…a feat that is certainly within reach. The JV is coached by Scotty Fries and Jonathan Marrow, and is bolstered by some very talented players in Grades VI, VII, and VIII. Coaches Steve Savage, Katy Lee, and Carol Buzby have the cross country team running for the hills, or at least to the top of Larz Anderson Park! On October 11, Park hosts more than 300 runners at the Larz Anderson Invitational, one of the largest middle school cross country races in the region. The volleyball team, coached by Michelle Young and Andrew Tegeler, is looking forward to another strong season, and the field hockey team, coached by Dana Studley ’85 and Amy Saltonstall ’87, is already “on a roll”, “sticking it” to their opponents repeatedly!

Want to see our athletes in action? Mark your calendar for Friday, October 26, the big game day when Park takes on long-time rival, Shady Hill School, here on Goddard Ave. The action takes place at 3:30 p.m., with varsity matches in soccer, volleyball, football, and cross country. Come cheer our athletes on to victory and let’s bring home The Cup in 2018!

Meet The New Faculty & Staff for 2018-19

Published on July 22, 2018 in Fall 2018 by Kate LaPine, Director of Communications

Aida Bardissi (Assistant to the Upper Division)
Aida (pronounced “Ida”) is a recent graduate of Boston University, where she coordinated, chaired, or interned at organizations such as the ACLU, FMHT, CODEPINK, the Muslim Interscholastic Tournament and Islington’s Center for Refugees and Migrants in the UK. She has a passion for racial justice and youth development, and is an expert in Middle East and North African studies. She also speaks three languages besides English: French, Spanish, and Arabic! In her role as Assistant to the Upper Division, she will work closely with Caroline Beasley, and manage other administrative tasks such coordinating substitute teachers.

Nyla Boswell (ASP Associate Teacher)
Nyla has been a mainstay of Summer at Park for many years, working with young campers at Books That Cook and the Lily Pad. A natural with children, Nyla also loves animals and hopes to become a veterinarian. After graduating from Weston High School in 2017, she spent a year in the pre-vet track at Tuskegee University in Alabama. This fall, Nyla will continue her studies at Becker College in Worcester while working at the After-School Program in the afternoons.

Lauren Capitani (Permanent Substitute)
Lauren Capitani came to teaching late. At 29 – after a master’s degree in journalism, an MBA, subsequent careers in both fields, and lots of unrest – she left her strategic management consulting post to become an intern teacher at an elementary boys’ school. She has remained in education in the time since, teaching in top private schools in San Francisco, New York, and La Jolla, California; and in pubic school in New Mexico. Lauren spent two years managing reading curriculum at Scholastic, and has consulted with many education programs. In 2015, she moved across the country and decided to take time off from full-time teaching to help get her family settled. Since settling in Belmont, Lauren joined the board of the Foundation for Belmont Education, interviews for Georgetown University, and co-chaired the elementary fourth-grade send off, and is a TA for Stanford GSB’s LEAD program, a grad-level design-thinking certification. She holds a BA from Georgetown, an MSJ from Northwestern, an MBA from Stanford, and a CLAD K-5 Teaching Credential from CalState East Bay.

Awa Diop (French & Spanish Teacher)
Awa grew up speaking French in her native Senegal, and continued to study the language when she attended Syracuse University for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in French & Spanish language, literature, and linguistics. She taught French and Spanish at the Cambridge School of Weston, where she also co-led the study abroad program. Most recently, she served as a French teacher in Shrewsbury, introducing fifth graders to French culture and teaching high school and sixth-grade French. She is excited by the “sense of connection, freedom, and belonging I felt and witnessed watching Park kids simply being and interacting with each other and me. They were the embodiment of simplicity and sincerity. I am heartened and inspired to know that the values and principles, which guide my practice, are aligned with those of the Park.”

Mercè Garcia (Academic Technology Specialist)
A native of Barcelona, Spain, Mercè earned an MA in educational technology from the University of Barcelona, after receiving an MA in elementary and secondary school education and a BA in English from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Since arriving in the United States in 1996, she has worked in Minneapolis as well as the Fessenden School and the Chestnut Hill School. She is an invested teacher, passionate technologist, life-long learner, world traveler, compulsive photographer (who takes pictures of everything and anything), go-doer and bargain shopper. Mercè is eager to integrate technology academically, creatively, and responsibly with Park’s faculty and students. Among other professional and academic endeavors, Mercè is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences and has also been a guest on several educational radio shows.

Abigail Geer (Assistant to the Lower & Middle Division Head)
Abigail brings a deep curiosity as well as varied experience to her role as the Assistant to the Lower & Middle Division Head. Her experiences growing up in Scotland and traveling the world have taught her that life is always a surprise, and a delightful one at that! Abigail, who holds a BA in English language and literature from Gordon College and an MLS from Simmons School of Library and Information Sciences, also studied education briefly. Having spent many volunteer hours working with children, she is right at home at a lunch table surrounded by first, second, and third graders. She’s equally at home among spreadsheets and calendars, and loves getting to know grown-up community members. Before coming to Park, Abigail was running her own business maintaining short-term rentals.

Amanda Goodman (Kindergarten Assistant)
Amanda is excited to join the faculty after having served as a substitute teacher in the Lower Division at The Park School for the last three years. Amanda earned her AB in sociology from Harvard College, participated in two fellowships in child development at Yale University and earned an MEd in human development from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. At home, Amanda has three daughters, the oldest of whom will be entering Kindergarten at Park. When she has free time, Amanda enjoys skiing, hiking, reading, cooking and peace and quiet. Amanda is a native of Seattle and the farthest away from home she has traveled is to Easter Island.

Beth Greene (Kindergarten Teacher)
Beth is a graduate of Milton Academy and Duke University and holds masters degrees in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University and from the Mind, Brain, and Education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In addition to her years as a classroom teacher, six of which she spent as a kindergarten teacher at BB&N, Beth has worked as a curriculum consultant for Scholastic Education, a math evaluator at Children’s Hospital, and as a children’s mindfulness and yoga teacher. Beth also served as a family-leave substitute teacher in the Kindergarten here at Park during the 2015-16 school year. Most recently, she has been working as an educational therapist and consultant, and as a contributing author on the development of a Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum at the Easel Laboratory at Harvard.

Courtney Grey (Grade III Assistant)
A double major in psychology and gender & sexuality studies at Stonehill College, Courtney has been working with children since 2014 when she became a counselor at Camp Shriver, an inclusion-based sports camp for school-age kids in the Brockton area. She spent a year at the Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center in Wilmington, DE, and returned to her native Massachusetts, to be closer to family, friends, and Fenway Park! In 2017-18, Courtney was a Teaching Apprentice at Park, working in Grades II and III, and stepped into the role of Grade II Assistant in the spring. She’s very excited to “move up” to third grade with her second graders and see them grow even more! In addition to working as a counselor on the Lily Pad with Summer at Park this past summer, Courtney is enrolled at Boston College’s Education School, and expects to graduate with an MEd in Elementary Education and Moderate Disabilities in May 2020.

Taylor Holland (Pre-K Associate Teacher)
Growing up in Portland, Oregon, Taylor attended a Waldorf school, taking great inspiration from its holistic, arts-rich curriculum. Taylor studied international affairs and history at Northeastern, studying peace and conflict in Northern Ireland and South Africa. As a teacher, she is interested in how equity and inclusion in early childhood education prepare young people to be strong community members and global citizens. Taylor has taught Kindergarten, sixth grade, and high school. She comes to Park from Stony Brook Preschool in Jamaica Plain, where she shared her passion for story and song with her students by weaving music into her teaching throughout the school day. She now shares her time between education and music, performing around New England with her band, Hawthorn, and a variety of other folk music projects. Taylor also teaches parent-child music classes, runs an acoustic house concert series, and enjoys yoga, running, and dancing.

Audrey James (Development Coordinator)
Audrey graduated from Boston College in 2017 with a major in history and minor in Hispanic studies. As a college student, Audrey got to know the Park community while babysitting for a Park family. After four years of attending Park School events such as Bingo Night and Springfest, she was delighted to accept a position in the Development Office. Audrey loves to ski, hike, run, and just be outside. She is excited and grateful to be starting her career at Park!

Erik James (Music Teacher)
Before becoming a music teacher, Erik earned a BA in Russian language and literature from Boston University, and lived for several years in Moscow, gaining fluency in Russian and studying music. Erik also earned an MA in music education from The Boston Conservatory in 2007. He comes to Park from the May Center School for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, where he worked alongside his wife Jennifer, an art teacher. They live in Hyde Park with their four children, and their after-school activities include camping, interpretive dance, and Lego. His vision of music education as a force for positive change in our communities has led him to become involved in the Honk! Festival of Activist Street Bands, and the School of Honk! In addition to performing around the Boston area with his own brass band, he still tours occasionally with his old band from Moscow. Erik is excited to become a part of the diverse, creative, and distinguished Park School community.

Travis James (ASP Associate Teacher)
Travis is already a familiar face at Park – he has been coaching soccer, track & field, and helping with the After-School Program since 2017. Having worked on the Facilities Team in the summer, he formally joins ASP as an associate teacher this fall. Since graduating from Brookline High School in 2012, Travis has worked as an electrician’s apprentice, a member of the grounds crew at the Brookline municipal golf course, and as the manager at the Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink at Larz Anderson Park. Travis is grateful to the School for providing so many ways to get involved in the community. “Park has motivated me to want to do even more and has inspired me to become a teacher. Working with everyone at Park is very fulfilling, and I am looking forward to continuing to grow with the Park community.”

Christy Keblusek (Math Teacher)
Christy graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2009 with a BA in economics and psychology. After three years working as a bond trader, she came to understand that she was not passionate about finance and decided to pursue her love of teaching and working with young people. She earned an MEd at Boston College, and began her teaching career near her hometown of Philadelphia. While working at The Baldwin School, she taught middle school math as well as upper school economics. Christy loves helping students problem solve as a means to develop their understanding and skills. She also enjoys learning and incorporating technology into her lessons. While Christy loves travel, being outdoors, and exercise, her spare time has recently been overtaken by her new baby boy, Owen. She is greatly looking forward to joining the Park community.

Meghan McGrath (Kindergarten Teacher)
Meghan is thrilled to bring her passion for instilling global competence in young children to the Park community. She holds a BA from UMass Amherst in psychology and dance, and an MEd from Lesley University with a focus on creative arts in learning. Meghan taught Kindergarten and first grade in Newton for 9 years, then moved to Austin, TX to serve as a classroom mentor at Integrity Academy – an innovative, alternative school. A lifelong dancer, Meghan enjoys weaving creative movement, music, and yoga into the curriculum. She is also a proud member of Jean Appolon Expressions – a contemporary Haitian non-profit dance company, which offers free, summer dance institutes for youth in Haiti.

Julie Mumford, LICSW (School Counselor)
Julie (BA Fitchburg State University, MSW Simmons College), a clinical social worker and psychotherapist who specializes in child and adolescent therapy as well as parent and teacher consultation, is joining Park as a part-time school counselor. She has maintained a private practice as well as working in community mental health, most recently at the Home for Little Wanderers. Julie has spent many years working to reduce school suspension and expulsion by supporting teachers’ understanding of the social and emotional needs of students as well as raising awareness about implicit bias. Julie is beyond excited to join Park and to be a part of the community’s commitment to social emotional learning. In her spare time, Julie enjoys being outdoors with her family, especially sons James (6) and George (1).

Shannon O’Leary (Director of Capital Giving)
A December 2017 addition to the Development Office, Shannon is thrilled for her first full school year as Park’s Director of Capital Giving. An experienced independent school fundraiser, Shannon was the associate director of advancement at Kingsley Montessori School in the Back Bay and the assistant director of development at Tower School in Marblehead before joining the Park community. She received her BA in political science from Wheaton College . Shannon is excited to help bring Park’s next chapter to life as the School embarks on a forthcoming capital campaign. In the summer, Shannon enjoys time at her family home on Tinmouth Pond in southern Vermont. In the winter, she’s likely to be at TD Garden cheering for the Celtics. Shannon lives in Jamaica Plain with her cat, Rondo.

Caitlin Dick Robinson ’01 (ASP Teacher)
After substitute teaching in nearly every grade level at Park last spring, Caitlin (BA French, Reed College; MFA Writing for Young People, Lesley University) looks forward to working with Middle and Upper Division students at ASP. A Park alumna, Caitlin worked in the ASP program and as an assistant teacher in Grade V during the 2012-13 school year. She then moved to the Seattle area to teach kindergarten in her own classroom at The Evergreen School. In an ever-changing world, Caitlin is especially excited about Park’s commitment to simplicity and sincerity, and building lasting relationships in its vibrant community. When she’s not at Park, Caitlin spends her time singing and writing songs and stories for young people, alongside her cat, Gus, and her new husband, Colin Robinson. She loves the outdoors, and can be found rock climbing, hiking or practicing yoga.

Weixi (Cecilia) Shen (Accountant)
Originally from Shanghai, Cecilia first studied accounting at the Shanghai Industry & Commerce Foreign Language College, before earning her second bachelor’s degree in accounting from Suffolk University in 2018. After working as an accounting intern at CSL International Ltd, Cecilia gained wide-ranging expertise in bookkeeping, accounting, and finance functions. Last year, she volunteered with the Retirement Housing Foundation, which inspired her to work in non-profit organizations, leading her to Park. She loves to discover new types of delicious food, and she enjoys skiing and ice-skating in the winter. Cecilia, who speaks Chinese and Japanese, is very comfortable with multicultural environments, and is thrilled to bring her diversity and professionalism to the Park community.

Sarah Smith (Grade II Assistant)
A Boston native and current Somerville resident, Sarah is thrilled to be joining the Park community as the Grade II Teaching Assistant. Sarah graduated from Amherst College last May with a degree in Spanish and sociology. After spending the past year as an intern teacher at The Learning Project Elementary School in Boston, she is excited to further explore her love of education at Park. During the summers, Sarah feeds her artistic side as director of Arlington Children’s Theatre’s Summer Day Program. She is excited to bring her arts education background into the classroom, and she also hopes to get involved in some of Park’s creative extracurricular activities. When she is not teaching, Sarah enjoys cooking, walking in the woods with her dog, and singing in her community choir. She is looking forward to learning from the incredible faculty and students at Park.

Jenelle Williams (Art Teacher)
Jenelle’s career has been closely connected to Park for two decades. While earning her BFA at Pine Manor College, she studied sculpture with longtime Park art teacher Fern Cunningham-Terry. (Jenelle apprenticed with Fern for seven years, assisting in creating several major public sculptures in bronze, including RISE in Mattapan Square.) In 2002-03, she served as a Teaching Apprentice in Park’s Art Department. Last year, Jenelle stepped in to assist Judy Hale with Lower Division art classes, bringing her enthusiasm for teaching and professional knowledge to make a cardboard sculpture installation with the whole Grade I class. A practicing sculptor herself, Jenelle opened an art studio in Beverly to teach nature-inspired art lessons to groups of children as part of a homeschool coop, while maintaining a private studio in her Newton home as well.

Michelle Young (Physical Education Department Head)
Michelle Young is thrilled to be joining The Park School as head of the PE Department. She comes to Park with a wealth of experience teaching physical education to students from Pre-K through Grade VIII. Michelle has spent the last 12 years at the Shady Hill School in Cambridge and the previous six years at Derby Academy in Hingham. Throughout the last 20 years, in addition to teaching, Michelle has also coached a variety of sports including baseball, softball, soccer, boys’ & girls’ lacrosse, field hockey, rugby, and ultimate frisbee just to name a few. She earned a BA in physical education from the University of Maine at Presque Isle and an MA in curriculum & instructional strategies from the University of New England. Michelle enjoys camping, swimming, biking, and reading before bed with her two sons. She also spends a week volunteering every summer at Camp Fatima of New Jersey.

“Old” Friends in New Roles – 2018-19

Peter Bown (Grade II Teacher)
Peter graduated from Lehigh University with a BA in psychology in 1999. After a brief stint in a human resources department at an investment management firm in Boston, he participated in the JET Program as an assistant English teacher while living in a small town in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was during this time that Peter first had the opportunity to regularly work with children in a school setting. He came to Park in 2005 as an apprentice, working with Ted Wells in his Grade IV classroom and Kimberly Formisano in her Grade II classroom. He joined the Grade III team the following year and has been learning, growing, and teaching with them ever since. For his 13th year at Park, Peter is looking forward to new opportunities and challenges as part of the Grade II team. Peter enjoys spending his free time with family and friends, cooking and eating good food, and being outside as much as possible.

Jamie Byron (Director of Alumni Relations)
Jamie had been working at Park for two years as the Development Coordinator, and was excited in January to move to the role of Director of Alumni Relations. Getting to know Park’s amazing alumni community has been a highlight of her time at the School, so she is thrilled to continue to have the opportunity to do so in this new role! Jamie graduated from the University of Rochester in 2011 with a BA in psychology, and earned an MS in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University in 2013. After working as a victim witness advocate at the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, she transitioned to non-profit work at Honor Flight New England before joining the Park Community. In her free time, Jamie enjoys performing in musical theater productions in the greater Boston area, singing with Brookline Acapella, running, and reading.

Carole Carter (Interim Director of Technology)
A true “early adopter,” Carole Carter has been a member of Park’s Technology Department since the dawn of the internet. After serving as the director of technology at Shady Hill, Carole returned to Park (she had taught in the Music Department in the 80s) in 1997 to develop the School’s first website. Since then, Carole has been involved in educational technology, faculty training, web development, communications, computer support, and resource deployment. Carole is passionate about the role of technology in education, how technology enhances great teaching, and how we all can embrace and manage new tools in our lives. She is looking forward to supporting Park’s students, faculty & staff, and parents in navigating this sometimes difficult path with more ease.

Toni Gilligan (Kindergarten Teacher – Fall maternity coverage)
Before joining the Park faculty in 1997, Toni Gilligan worked in the Newton Public Schools for many years. Although Toni officially retired from Park in 2016, she’s continued to stay connected with the School by helping with early childhood admission testing. She returned to the Kindergarten classroom while Jeannie Hahn was on maternity leave in the spring of 2018, and will fill in for Julianne Damaskos during her maternity leave in the fall. When she’s not working with five- and six-year-olds, Toni is reading, traveling, practicing yoga, and taking long walks with her beloved golden retriever.

Alice Lucey (Advisory Coordinator & Faculty Evaluator)
Alice Perera Lucey ’77 is excited to be returning to Park after her year-long sabbatical. Alice’s varied roles at Park over the past 30 years include teaching in the Middle and Upper Divisions, Secondary School Counseling, and serving as Upper Division Head for eight years. For the 2018-19 school year, Alice will be the Advisory Coordinator in the Upper Division and a Faculty Evaluator in addition to other administrative roles. Alice is looking forward to spending time with students as a Grade VI advisor and a Grade VII Growth Education teacher. We welcome Alice back from her sabbatical – be sure to ask her about the many books she read and about her many travel adventures.

Liz Neilson (Lower Division Literary Specialist)
Elizabeth (Liz) Neilson will be working alongside Sue Segar as a Lower Division Literacy Specialist for the coming year. Elizabeth earned an MA in English and education from Connecticut College and a master’s degree in English from Northeastern University. In the last five years, Elizabeth has been a member of the Academic Support Department at Park. Previously, she taught at the high school and college level and tutored at Carroll School, Concord Academy, and privately with students applying to colleges. She is thrilled to work directly with the Lower Division teachers at Park who are truly delightful human beings!

Paul Newmark (Grade III Teacher)
A graduate of Boston College with a degree in French Studies, Paul’s first teaching job was in the Loire Valley of France in 2008. His connection to Park dates back to 2001, when he signed on as a camp counselor with Summer at Park. After returning stateside, he joined Park year-round, first as an Apprentice in Grades I and III, then as an Associate Teacher in Pre-Kindergarten. He then became the Grade III Assistant when the role was created in 2013. In the fall of 2016, he stepped in to cover a leave of absence, leading his own Grade III class during the 2016-17 school year. Concurrently, Paul has been working towards his master’s in elementary education and creative arts in Learning from Lesley University. Both in- and outside the classroom, Paul loves exploration, discovery, problem-solving, getting lost in books, and stewarding the planet we call home. He is excited to share these passions with his students, and he could not be happier to be teaching Grade III this fall!

Alli Smith (Academic Support)
Alli taught Grade III from 2008 until 2016 when her son was unexpectedly diagnosed with a severe medical condition. Since then, she’s been tutoring students privately and returned to Park as a substitute last year. She is thrilled with her new role: working with fourth and fifth graders in Academic Support. Alli (A.B. Bowdoin College; M.Ed. Lesley University) brings both a warm, caring personality and a track record of effectiveness in engaging and motivating students with differing learning styles.

Connie Yepez (Interim Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Coordinator)
After spending two years as a Secondary School Counselor, Connie Yepez is thrilled to be continuing her tenure at Park in this new role. As a seasoned school and program administrator, Connie is uniquely positioned to maintain existing DE&I initiatives, policies, and procedures and to support Park in creating an action plan for the future. Drawing on her experience as a person of color in predominantly white institutions (Groton, Concord Academy, and Nobles) as both a student and faculty member, Connie brings an indispensable perspective to this position. “I want to create a safe space for everyone to engage in dialogue about DE&I and make Park a truly inclusive community.”

Teaching Apprentices for 2018-19

Lauren Dennis
Lauren graduated from Wellesley College this spring with a degree in American Studies and English. During her college studies, she was fortunate to take classes in an array of subjects including media studies, visual culture and history, and child welfare. This past year Lauren was a student-teacher at The Dana Hall School in the Upper School English Department where she worked with ninth and twelfth graders. When she is not in the classroom, Lauren is an assistant director of a summer camp in China, Maine. She enjoys playing rugby, hiking, and swimming. Lauren is excited to join the Park community, and continue to learn from – and alongside – her students and colleagues.

Katy Lee
Katy recently graduated from Tufts University with a BA in international relations and education. Born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, Katy became interested in learning about educational systems after going to high school briefly in the US and Germany. During college, she taught with Breakthrough Collaborative in Boston and Hong Kong, Generation Teach in Boston, and a middle school near Copenhagen, Denmark. She was also involved in community organizations in Chinatown and Asian/ Asian-American community-building on campus. An outdoor enthusiast, Katy enjoys surfing, cycling, running, swimming, and climbing in her free time. Katy aspires to be a critical educator and cannot wait to join the Park community!

Jonathan Marrow
Born and raised in Princeton, NJ, Jonathan is a 2018 graduate of Georgetown University, where he majored in history and minored in classics and Russian literature. At Georgetown, he researched the culture of nationalism among Catholic-Americans in the 19th century, while debating, practicing competitive Quizbowl, and editing opinions for the school newspaper. For the past two summers, he has taught history and writing in the summer program at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Northfield, MA. A history-lover and bibliophile, when he is not in a library or museum, Jonathan enjoys kayaking, European soccer, and re-watching episodes of the West Wing. Jonathan is thrilled to explore the Boston area this year and join the diverse and passionate Park community!

Isabel (Isa) Moss ’09
For the past two years, Isa Moss has been putting her 2016 Hampshire College “Arts Integration into Education” degree to work as an AmeriCorps member with City Year Boston. She served in a 3rd and 5th grade classroom at the John Winthrop Elementary School in Dorchester, supporting students’ attendance, encouraging positive behavior, and tutoring in English Language Arts. As a part of her second year, she was promoted to team leader, where she managed six AmeriCorps members through their first year of national service. Although this experience was incredibly informative, she is eager to begin working directly with students in the classroom again. In addition to her love of educating young people, Isa is passionate about youth theatre and the possibility of incorporating theatrical techniques into the classroom. Isa is very excited to be rejoining the Park community after graduating from Grade IX in 2009. She is overjoyed to be seeing Park with fresh eyes and from the other side.

Gabrielle (Gabby) St Pierre
Gabby first joined the Park community as a camp counselor and has enjoyed eight summers of playing, learning, and exploring on the Park campus. In 2017 she received her BA in linguistics and anthropology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Since graduating, she has been involved with Park as an After-School Program assistant, a first grade assistant, and a girls volleyball coach. Gabby is thrilled to join the apprentices this fall! She adores skiing, cooking, traveling, and storytelling and will always, always say “Yes!” when asked to read a book. She recently returned from six months backpacking in South East Asia and cannot wait to share her adventures with her students!

Andrew Tegeler
Andrew is a 2018 graduate of Tufts University, where he majored in political science and minored in education. Andrew first became interested in education while working on education policy as an intern at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. Since then, he has worked as a tutor at numerous schools in the Boston area and has spent the past two summers working as a Teacher-Naturalist at Mass Audubon’s Moose Hill Summer Camp in Sharon. Andrew has also enjoyed working as a trip leader for Tufts Wilderness Orientation and playing on the Tufts club volleyball team. Andrew is excited to share his love of nature, music, and teaching as he joins the fourth grade at Park this fall.

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