- MYP: Risk-Taker
- What a party!
- Spirit Week
- Next steps on the MS Schedule
- Next Year's Calendar
- Faculty Meetings and MYP
- Advisory this week...
- Communications
- Religious & Cultural Observances
- Upcoming at AWS
- Important Links
MYP: Risk-Taker
"We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change."
You know you've been spending a lot of time thinking about MYP when you hear an episode of Radiolab and think, "This is an amazing demonstration of what it means to be a Risk Taker!" That's exactly what happened to me this weekend. In the most recent episode, "Debatable," the producers tell the story of Ryan Wash and provide a glimpse into the competitive world of high school and collegiate debating. If you think the spelling bee world is intense, just listen to some of the clips of debaters integrated into the story! But that's not the point of the episode. Ryan's story is one of breaking barriers, both intellectual and cultural. I won't spoil the details of the story for you in case you plan to listen to it, but I would uphold Ryan's experience as a rich resource for reflection on difference, stereotypes, and how culture can be effected and transformed by courageous individuals.
MYP
Items of Note
What a party!
Family Night and the Gala made for a truly vibrant celebration and (I hope very effective) fundraiser for our program. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of our families and supporters, and I was incredibly proud of our students when I heard the buzz about the student projects in the auction. Thanks and congrats to John H, Emma, Kyle, John R, and Clare for guiding students in Design through the entire process! I was also incredibly proud to hear from so many parents who shared how much they love the school, how good their students' experience was, and how impressed they were with the MS teachers. In vino veritas, right? On a related note, I "won" a Keurig coffee maker in the silent auction, and since I don't need one more thing to clutter my kitchen, please join me in welcoming a Keurig to the MS Office for everyone's enjoyment!
Spirit Week
Welcome to Spirit Week! In addition to the themes of the week, we'll have two special performances - members of the Scoil Rince Slieveloughane will perform for us on Thursday afternoon, and we're all off to see The Last Night of Ballyhoo on Friday. More details for those schedules to come!
And to keep the spirit going: if you're interested in joining the Faculty team for the Blackout Basketball Game on 3/23, email Mike Finch!
Next steps on the MS Schedule
Thank you for your feedback on the schedule options during our meeting last week. It was great to engage in thinking ambitiously and creatively about how we can move forward and to consider the best next steps for our students and our program.
The Schedule Research Team met on Thursday to reflect on the conversation and identify next steps. As we talked, a few things became clear. First, while the majority of the group was most interested in pursuing the Afternoon Block model, the amount of time, preparation, and professional development necessary to implement this model successfully is significant. We would benefit from targeted PD, visits to schools that work with a similar model, and time to develop the skills and structures for block and collaborative teaching, but as MYP is our priority and with the end of the school year in sight, such preparation isn't a possibility this spring. The second thing that became clear to us is that much of the confusion about the 6-Day Cycle model seemed rooted in the tumble/scramble of class schedules. While there is much research indicating that such variety can be effective, it's not a mandatory aspect of the 6-Day Cycle. It's very possible to build a 6-Day Cycle with more consistent class meetings on a regular basis. Finally, in our conversation, we noted that the Monday-Friday cycle of the Afternoon Block does little to accommodate the interdivisional parameters of our program (limited spaces, cross-divisional teachers, etc.).
What we propose is the following: Kyle and Shelli have offered to revisit the design of the 6-Day Cycle and to build out more specific examples of what individuals' schedules might look like. We would anticipate moving toward implementing a 6-Day Cycle for the next 2-3 years. Over the course of the next couple of years, we would focus our PD and much of our time working toward the structures and skills that are necessary for implementing the Afternoon Block. In the next few years, we'll also see the school develop a Master Plan and embark in expansion and updating of existing spaces; as we see some of the campus restrictions on scheduling shift, we can plan to implement the more ambitious AFternoon Block schedule.
So, the next steps: as I wrote, Kyle and Shelli will have more specifics after Spring Break, and we'll go from there. Please reach out to me or to any of the team (Angelica, Ann, Chaya, Clare, Kyle, Liz, Shelli) with further thoughts, ideas, or questions. Again, thanks for your feedback!
Next Year's Calendar
In our conversation last week, we did not get a lot of time to talk about calendar options for next year. I'll aim to touch base with each of you in the next couple of days, but please email me any thoughts about the following:
- MS Journeys: Would we benefit from moving the Journeys closer to Spring Break? or moving the 6th & 7th Grade Journeys closer to Spring Break and keeping 8th Grade closer to the end of the year?
- Experience Days: Would we benefit from rethinking Experience Days (2 in the fall and 1 or 2 in the spring; 3 individual days throughout the year; integrating MS service days)?
Other questions, including Exhibition Week, Finals, and Uniform variations don't have the same urgency for calendaring, so we'll continue to talk about these.
Faculty Meetings and MYP
Please remember to use the 2:10 blocks well for collaboration and planning.
Advisory this week...
Communications
Flash
This week's Flash will introduce the Global Context of Personal and Cultural Expression and highlight the Design and Language & Literature programs. Please remember to get your information into the Pushpage or to Wade on Friday mornings (or before!).
Blogs
Religious & Cultural Observances
- March 1 marked the beginning of Irish Heritage Month and Women's History Month.
- Sunday, March 13 marks the beginning of Deaf History Month. It also marks the beginning of Daylight Saving Time in the US.
- Thursday, March 17 is the Christian Feast of St. Patrick, which is also a special observance for Irish American communities.
- Sunday, March 20 is the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. It is observed by Ostara and Mabon in Wicca and Pagan communities. It is also Palm Sunday, marking the beginning of Holy Week for Christians.
Upcoming at AWS
Monday, March 14
Spirit Week: Your Passion/Sports
8:00am Monday Morning Meeting
8:00am Monday Morning Meeting
10:00am All School Chapel
Tuesday, March 15
Spirit Week: Twins, Triplets, and Beyond!
3:15pm 8th Grade Team Meeting
3:15pm 8th Grade Team Meeting
3:30pm MS JV Basketball @ Heritage Christian
4:30pm MS Varsity Basketball @ Heritage Christian
Wednesday, March 16
Lazy Day
10:00am MS Chapel time - TBD
10:00am MS Chapel time - TBD
2:10pm MYP Work Time - TBD
Thursday, March 17
Green for St. Patrick's Day!
2:10pm Special MS Spirit Week Assembly and Irish Dance Performance in the Great Hall
2:10pm Special MS Spirit Week Assembly and Irish Dance Performance in the Great Hall
3:30pm MS JV Basketball @ Crosspoint
4:30pm MS Varsity Basketball @ Crosspoint
Friday, March 18
Special Schedule: MS Field Trip to The Last Night of Ballyhoo
2:30pm MS Ultimate @ Charles Wright
Wednesday, March 23
All School Civvies Day
Blackout Basketball Game
Thursday, March 24
Spring Conferences
Friday, March 25
Faculty In-Service
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